Title: Stopping Time
Author: Melissa Marr
Series: Wicked Lovely #3.5
In: Faery Tales & Nightmares (Melissa Marr)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Fae, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: 2012
It’s been a ridiculously long time since I read Ink Exchange, and this short story really made me want to dive right back into it. I mean, Old Habits was good and bought me back into this world. But Stopping Time brings back Leslie and all of her battles. This short story in particular focuses on her complicated relationships and feelings for Irial and Niall. Both of which I want to keep diving into if I’m being completely honest.
Leslie’s brother is pure evil in my honest opinion. I mean, it’s one thing to be an addict, but preying upon his sister in the way that he does is ridiculous. So I loved that in this short story he finally got his comeuppance. I mean, it was dark, sad and disturbing. But it was nice to know that he is finally not terrorising anybody else. It’s also a nice catalyst for Leslie to at least acknowledge some of the issues that are facing her relationships with Irial and Niall.
I love that this story reflects the title – sometimes you just have to stop time and take what you want and need. It might hurt more the next day, but it can be kind of necessary at times. Niall and Leslie taking that for each other as Irial tries to make the two people he loves the most happy… it was a very bittersweet moment and way to end the story.
One of my favourite things about Leslie in this series is that she has a whole other kind of strength than Ash. And it’s this strength that makes her acknowledge her reluctance to be with Niall and part of the Dark Court isn’t actually about him. It’s knowing what kind of person she wants to be and how she’ll be changed by exposure to such a court. Talk about wonderful inner strength.
Earth and Skye 
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