““I’d rather have a few days of you than none at all.””
— Ivy thinking about Ren's potential danger.
Archivist's Choice
Wicked
Jennifer L. Armentrout (2014)
Genre
Thriller / Mystery / Young Adult / Romance
Reading Time
7-8 hours
Key Themes
See below
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In supernatural New Orleans, a monster-hunting college student with a tragic past finds her carefully built life, and her heart, threatened by a charming stranger who might be as dangerous as the creatures she hunts.
Synopsis
Ivy Morgan, a 22-year-old member of the Order, hunts Fae creatures preying on humans in New Orleans. Her first love died because of these beings, fueling her mission. During a difficult hunt, she meets Ren Owens, a charming and mysterious man who quickly enters her guarded life. Despite her commitment and past trauma, an undeniable attraction grows between them, challenging her control and making her want a life beyond her duties. As Ivy and Ren get closer, Fae attacks increase, and Ivy discovers she has unexplained powers. The Order grows suspicious of Ren, forcing Ivy to confront his secrets. She uncovers the true nature of the Lesser Fae and betrayal within the Order itself. Ultimately, Ivy learns the purpose of her unique powers and must form an alliance to protect New Orleans from ancient beings and those she once trusted.
Reading time
7-8 hours
Difficulty
Easy
Pacing
Fast
Mood
Suspenseful, Romantic, Action-packed, Mysterious
✓ Read this if...
You enjoy urban fantasy with strong romantic elements, a determined female protagonist, and a mix of mystery and action.
✗ Skip this if...
You dislike love triangles (implied), 'chosen one' tropes, or narratives with a significant focus on romance alongside the action.
Plot Summary
A Routine Hunt Goes Awry
Ivy Morgan, a twenty-two-year-old Order member, patrols the French Quarter of New Orleans with her partner, Val. They hunt Fae who prey on humans. During a patrol, they encounter a vicious Fae, a Lesser, but this one is stronger and faster than any they've faced. The creature nearly defeats them, showing unusual intelligence and cruelty. Ivy dispatches it, but not without injury and a sense of unease. This encounter signals a new, more dangerous threat in their city, hinting at a shift in the Fae hierarchy and the Order's battle.
Ren Owens Enters the Scene
While recovering, Ivy meets Ren Owens, a handsome and charismatic man new to New Orleans. He immediately shows interest in Ivy, his playful talk and intense gaze challenging her emotional defenses. Ivy, still grieving her former boyfriend and Order member, Justin, struggles to resist Ren's charm. She feels drawn to him despite her caution and the Order's strict rules against personal attachments. Ren's presence contrasts with her disciplined life, introducing desire and vulnerability she hasn't felt in years.
Unexplained Powers and Fae Attacks
As Ivy and Ren get closer, Fae attacks in the French Quarter become more frequent and brutal. The Lesser Fae show unprecedented organization and power, causing casualties among humans and Order members. During one confrontation, Ivy discovers she has a unique power: she can generate blinding light that incapacitates Lesser Fae. This ability is unheard of among human Order members, leading her to question her origins and role in the fight. The revelation adds mystery to her life, making her both valuable and a potential target.
A Dangerous Alliance
Despite reservations, Ivy relies more on Ren, who is surprisingly capable and knowledgeable about the Fae. He often appears at critical moments, helping her in battles and offering insights into the evolving Fae threat. Their professional partnership quickly blends with their personal attraction, leading to passionate encounters that challenge Ivy's resolve to remain detached. She struggles with guilt over moving on from Justin, but Ren's presence and protective nature break down her defenses. Their collaboration is essential as the Fae's plans grow more elaborate, hinting at a larger, sinister plot.
The Order's Suspicion
Ivy's new powers are noticed by the Order. Her superiors, Aunt Nola and Director Jones, express concern and suspicion. While they acknowledge her effectiveness, they are wary of her unknown abilities, especially with the rising Fae threat. They also notice her closeness to Ren, which goes against the Order's strict rules. Ivy feels isolated, caught between her duty, her powers, and her feelings for Ren. The Order's scrutiny adds pressure, forcing her to be more secretive about her connection with Ren and her abilities.
Ren's Secrets Unfold
As Ivy and Ren get closer, she notices inconsistencies and strange things about him. He has unusual strength, speed, and an uncanny ability to sense Fae, far beyond a normal human. She also catches him in small lies about his past and Fae knowledge. These observations fuel her suspicion, making her question everything she thought she knew about him. The more she investigates, the more she realizes that Ren is not just a charming human, but someone deeply involved in the Fae world, possibly one of them. This discovery creates a deep rift of distrust.
The True Nature of the Lesser Fae
Through her investigations and information from Ren, Ivy uncovers a horrifying truth: a more powerful, ancient Fae entity—a Prince of the Fae—controls the Lesser Fae. This Prince orchestrates the attacks to destabilize the human and Order presence in New Orleans, with a larger goal. The Lesser Fae she's been fighting are pawns, and their increased power is a direct result of this Prince's influence. This revelation drastically changes the scope of the conflict, making it a full-scale war against a formidable, intelligent enemy.
The Betrayal and Confrontation
The truth about Ren is revealed in a dramatic confrontation. He confesses he is a Prince of the Fae, a member of the Summer Court, sent to New Orleans by his father, the Summer King, to investigate the unrest caused by the rogue Fae Prince. His initial interest in Ivy was partly strategic, but his feelings for her became genuine. Ivy is devastated by the betrayal, feeling the sting of Justin's death again. Her trust is shattered, and she struggles to reconcile the man she's fallen for with the Fae she's sworn to destroy. This revelation creates a seemingly insurmountable barrier between them.
The Purpose of Ivy's Power
Amidst the turmoil, Ivy learns the nature and purpose of her light-based powers. She is a rare Halfling, born of human and Fae lineage, making her a crucial figure in an ancient prophecy. Her powers are essential for defeating the rogue Fae Prince causing chaos in New Orleans. This revelation explains why she survived the initial attacks and why her abilities are potent against the Lesser Fae. It solidifies her role as a key player in the impending war, but also burdens her with immense responsibility and an identity crisis.
Forging a Fragile Alliance
Despite the profound breach of trust, Ivy and Ren realize they must work together to stop the rogue Fae Prince and save New Orleans. The threat is too great for either of them to face alone. Ivy, still reeling from Ren's deception, agrees to a fragile alliance, driven by her duty to protect humans and her understanding of the Fae world. Their partnership is tense, filled with unresolved emotions and lingering suspicion, but the urgency forces them to set aside personal grievances, at least temporarily, and focus on the battle against a common enemy.
Principal Figures
Ivy Morgan
The Protagonist
Ivy transforms from a grief-stricken, duty-bound hunter into a powerful, self-aware Halfling who embraces her unique heritage and learns to trust again, albeit cautiously.
Ren Owens
The Love Interest/Deuteragonist
Ren struggles to balance his royal duty and his growing love for Ivy, ultimately choosing to reveal his true identity and fight alongside her, earning back a fragile trust.
Val
The Supporting
Val remains a steadfast and supportive friend, adapting to the escalating threats and Ivy's changing identity while maintaining her practical approach.
Aunt Nola
The Supporting
Aunt Nola struggles to reconcile her affection for Ivy with her rigid adherence to Order rules, eventually having to adapt to the new realities of the Fae threat and Ivy's unique role.
Director Jones
The Supporting
Director Jones remains a figure of authority and skepticism, representing the Order's struggle to adapt to unforeseen threats and the changing nature of the Fae world.
Justin
The Mentioned
Justin's memory serves as a catalyst for Ivy's character development, forcing her to confront her grief and learn to embrace new relationships.
Themes & Insights
Grief and Healing
The novel explores Ivy's grief over the death of her first love, Justin, four years prior. This grief makes her emotionally guarded and hesitant to form new attachments. Her journey with Ren forces her to confront these feelings, showing that healing is about learning to live with loss and allowing new connections. The internal conflict of guilt versus hope is central to her emotional arc, as she grapples with her attraction to Ren while mourning Justin.
““I’d buried my heart with Justin, and that was that. I was just a shell, living out a life that was supposed to be mine, but wasn’t.””
Identity and Self-Discovery
Ivy's understanding of herself is constantly challenged. Initially, she identifies as a human Fae hunter, but her unique powers and Halfling heritage force her to question her origins and purpose. This theme highlights the struggle of reconciling different aspects of one's identity, especially when they seem contradictory. Her journey is one of embracing her dual nature and understanding the power that comes from it, moving beyond the rigid categories she once accepted.
““I wasn’t just a hunter. I was something else. Something more.””
Trust and Betrayal
Trust is a central, fragile element, particularly in Ivy's relationship with Ren. Having been hurt by loss, Ivy finds it difficult to trust, and Ren's initial deception as a Fae Prince shatters her faith. The novel explores the impact of betrayal, especially from someone you care for. It also delves into rebuilding trust, showing that it requires honesty, vulnerability, and a willingness to forgive, even in the face of odds and past wounds, as they must work together despite the hurt.
““He had lied to me. Everything was a lie. And I had fallen for it, like an idiot.””
Duty Versus Desire
Ivy's life is defined by her duty to the Order and her oath to hunt Fae. This duty often clashes with her personal desires, particularly her attraction to Ren and her desire for a life beyond constant vigilance and combat. The Order's strict rules against personal attachments and the danger of her profession create tension between what she feels she 'should' do and what her heart wants. This conflict forces her to evaluate the true cost of her dedication and whether a fulfilling life can coexist with her responsibilities.
““My duty was my life. It had to be. There was no room for anything else.””
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
Hidden Identity
Ren Owens conceals his true nature as a Fae Prince from Ivy and the Order.
Ren's hidden identity as a Fae Prince serves as a major source of conflict and mystery throughout the first half of the book. His charm and helpfulness initially present him as a compelling human love interest, lulling Ivy and the reader into a false sense of security. This device builds suspense, as Ivy (and the reader) gradually uncovers inconsistencies in his story and actions. The eventual revelation of his true Fae nature creates a profound betrayal for Ivy, deepening her emotional wounds and challenging her black-and-white view of the Fae, while also raising the stakes of their burgeoning relationship and the larger conflict.
Prophecy of the Halfling
Ivy's unique powers and heritage are tied to an ancient Fae prophecy.
The prophecy of the Halfling is a crucial plot device that explains Ivy's unexpected powers and elevates her role from a skilled hunter to a pivotal figure in the Fae world. It provides a deeper mythological context for the escalating conflict and gives Ivy a destiny beyond her initial understanding. This device not only drives the narrative forward by giving Ivy a specific, important role to play in defeating the rogue Fae Prince but also serves as a catalyst for her self-discovery, forcing her to confront her true identity and the implications of her mixed heritage. It justifies her unique abilities and sets up future conflicts.
Traumatic Backstory
Ivy's past loss of Justin to the Fae deeply impacts her present actions and emotions.
Ivy's traumatic backstory, specifically the death of her first love, Justin, at the hands of Lesser Fae, is a foundational plot device. It explains her intense dedication to the Order, her deep-seated hatred for all Fae, and her profound reluctance to open herself up to new relationships, particularly with Ren. This past trauma creates significant internal conflict for Ivy, making her journey of healing and trust a central emotional arc. It also provides a strong motivation for her actions and adds emotional weight to her encounters with Fae, making the stakes feel deeply personal for the protagonist.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
““Love wasn’t a choice. It was a need. It was a want. It was a desire. It was a craving. It was a hunger. It was a thirst. It was a drug. It was an addiction. It was everything.””
— Ivy reflecting on her feelings for Ren.
““Sometimes you had to be a little wicked to get what you wanted.””
— Ivy considering unconventional methods to achieve her goals.
““The truth was a funny thing. It could set you free, or it could destroy you.””
— Ivy contemplating the impact of secrets and revelations.
““Fear was a powerful motivator, but so was love.””
— Ivy weighing her motivations for action.
““There was a fine line between bravery and stupidity, and sometimes, you had to cross it.””
— Ivy making a risky decision.
““Every choice had a consequence. Every action had a reaction.””
— Ivy understanding the repercussions of her actions.
““Some secrets were meant to stay buried, no matter how much they clawed at you.””
— Ivy struggling with the weight of hidden truths.
““He was the beautiful kind of danger, the one you knew would ruin you but you went for anyway.””
— Ivy's initial perception of Ren.
““Trust was a fragile thing, easily broken and almost impossible to repair.””
— Ivy reflecting on her past betrayals and current relationships.
““Even in the darkest of places, there was always a flicker of hope.””
— Ivy maintaining optimism in difficult circumstances.
““Sometimes the monster wasn’t under the bed, but standing right in front of you, wearing a smile.””
— Ivy realizing who the true threat might be.
““You couldn’t outrun your past, no matter how fast you ran.””
— Ivy confronting her history and its impact.
““I wanted to be devoured by him, to lose myself in the storm that was Ren Owens.””
— Ivy's intense desire for Ren.
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Key Questions (FAQ)
Ivy Morgan is a twenty-two-year-old member of the Order, a clandestine organization dedicated to hunting down supernatural creatures known as Fae. Her primary motivation stems from a traumatic event four years prior, when she lost her family and everything she held dear to these creatures, fueling her unwavering commitment to her duty.
About the author
Biography coming soon.
