Just a Few Wicked Reads #audioreview #MyTBRL

This feature is for short reviews, reviews of books in a series where it might feel repetitive, or (as Michelle suggested) books I was too lazy to write a “real” review for. Today’s books all were part of the Wicked Trilogy, so I felt reviewing them together would be best. The first book, Wicked, y’all picked for my February My To Be Read List and I loved it so much I just devoured the whole trilogy.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Narrator: Amy Landon
Published by Tantor Audio on December 8th 2014
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 371
Length: 11 hours 51 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

I was pretty sure I would love Wicked because it combines some of my favorite things. Jennifer L Armentrout – she’s just a fantastic writer y’all – the Fae, and New Orleans.

So let’s start with what JLA has done here – she’s created this really cool world where we have The Order, a group of humans who, for whatever reason, were born into families that know about and protect humans from the fae. The Order hunts fae as a job – like literally, they have shifts and get paid to do it (I don’t know where the money is coming for that, but who cares, really? lol). The main character, Ivy, is part of the order and she is exceptionally good. (no shock right?) But some shit goes down and she gets hurt… so she gets stuck as “tour guide” to an Order member who’s just transferred to New Orleans – Ren. And even though she does, I certainly will not complain. Ren is a great hero – tough, sensitive, frustrating, hot, etc. And he, of course, has his own load of secrets.

The Fae element is really fun in Wicked – I love the fae, but I also like to see different twists in how they’re dealt with. JLA has stayed true to some of the more important fae elements, but she’s played around with them a bit too, for a really fun mix IMO. I don’t want to say too much, since I feel like “discovering” the fae is a big part of the story.

There’s a really great Brownie named Tink that is such a fun addition – makes me think of Jenks in The Hallows, even though he’s really very different. He has an Amazon Prime addiction that I both adore and can relate to. Along with some really fun movie/TV addictions that bring in some fun references for those of us who share those addictions (and if you’re reading this book, you probably do).

As I said, I’m on book 3 already, because these books all end on a bit of a cliff. You’re like, “wait, wha?! NO!” and so you immediately download the next book and forget to even update on your goodreads. Because nothing is as important as finding out what will happen next.

I’m listening to this trilogy and the narration is fantastic. Amy Landon is a narrator I feel like I’ve listened to and enjoyed before, though I can’t say for sure. She’s done a great job with the voices – including a Tinks voice that I just adore – and I’m really glad I decided to listen rather than read this series.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Torn by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Narrator: Amy Landon
Published by Tantor Audio on September 13th 2016
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Length: 10 hours 17 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads

Everything Ivy Morgan thought she knew has been turned on its head. After being betrayed and then nearly killed by the Prince of the Fae, she's left bruised and devastated-and with an earth-shattering secret that she must keep at all costs. And if the Order finds out her secret, they'll kill her. Then there's Ren Owens, the sexy, tattooed Elite member of the Order who has been sharing Ivy's bed and claiming her heart. Their chemistry is smoking hot, but Ivy knows that Ren has always valued his duty to the Order above all else-he could never touch her if he knew the truth. That is, if he let her live at all. Yet how can she live with herself if she lies to him? But as the Fae Prince begins to close in, intent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld, Ivy is running out of options. If she doesn't figure out who she can trust-and fast-it's not only her heart that will be torn apart, but civilization itself.

And it just gets better! It also gets so hard to review because SPOILERS! So I’m going to be very brief and vague with this review to try and avoid spoilers as much as possible.

Wicked ended on a major cliff and thankfully, JLA does not leave you there for long. She picks up pretty much right where you left, thank goodness. (I just hate when you get left on a cliff and the next book hardly acknowledges that cliff!) Some major mind blowing things happened for Ivy at the end of Wicked and she’s struggling to deal with all of them. Not to mention trying to heal. And what does she tell Ren, what does she keep to herself? A struggle when he’s an Elite, but also her boyfriend.

If you loved Tink before, you’re going to love him even more now. He hasn’t been exactly honest with Ivy and all his secrets start coming out, in the best ways 🙂

And obviously huge consequences for the Order because of what happened at the end of Wicked. But even huge-er (I know, not a word, sue me) consequences for Ivy. The consequences lead her to some pretty intense places and we get to know the Winter Court Fae a bit better. It gets intense and stays exciting.

And as I mentioned already… it ends on a major cliff. Which is why I’m jumped right into book 3. The audio continues to be fantastic!

Brave by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Narrator: Amy Landon
Published by Tantor Audio on January 23rd 2018
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Length: 11 hours 6 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Ivy Morgan hasn't been feeling like herself lately. Not like anyone can blame her. After all, being held captive by a psychotic fae prince hell-bent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld is bound to leave some mental scars. It's more than that, though. Something dark and insidious is spreading throughout Ivy, more powerful than she could ever imagine . . . and it's coming between her and the man she's fallen deeply in love with, elite Order member Ren Owens. Ren would do anything to keep Ivy safe. Anything. But when he makes a life altering choice for her, the fallout of his act has far reaching consequences that threaten to tear their lives apart. If Ivy is going to have any hope of surviving this, she must put aside the hurt and betrayal she feels, and work with not only those she loves, but with an enemy she would rather kill than ever trust. War is coming, and it soon becomes clear that what Ivy and Ren thought they knew about the Order, themselves, and even their enemies, has been nothing but a cluster of dangerous, deadly lies. Ivy knows she must be more than just brave to save those she loves-and, ultimately, to save herself.

Another great book! Somehow, JLA has managed to throw in major unexpected twists in all 3 books and keep me on my toes. I really enjoyed the character evolution for both Ivy and Ren in this book. And Tink, actually. My one complaint is the ending – things are only semi resolved and I want something more complete. If this weren’t the last book in the trilogy, I’d be fine with it. But since this is the end, I would have liked things a lot more resolved. And I would have liked to see a conclusion for more than Ivy and Ren- Tink and some of the Fae, for example. The order has a lot to do after this book and I want to see what they do, how they do it, and if it works! So the only book in the trilogy I can’t quite give 5 stars – and it’s all because it’s great as a book, but not satisfying as the absolute end.

Berls is sharing Just a Few Wicked Reads by JLA. Have you read them? Share on X

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