The Wicked Lovely series takes another sidestep in "Radiant Shadows," rather than presenting us with a typical "sequel" with the same cast. Once more, Melissa Marr spins up a jewel-toned, hauntingly dangerous faerie tale -- it's not the best of the series, but it's a solid, intriguing read nevertheless. 
 Devlin is the high court's assassin, but long ago he spared a faerie halfling. That halfling is now a girl named Ani, who chafes against her overprotective father and longs to run with the other hounds. When Seth is given an assignment in the mortal world, he and Ani meet once again -- with shocking results. 
 Unfortunately, Ani has gotten the attention of the malevolent Bananach, who wants some of her blood. And as Devlin and Ani try to escape her, the war faerie starts attacking members of the high court as well as the halfling girl. To save the mortal world -- and Faerie -- they will have to do something truly desperate. 
 "Radiant Shadows" is more of a spinoff than a strict sequel -- there are some familiar characters woven into the story (Devlin, Irial), but others are introduced here for the very first time. And Ani is a pretty likable heroine -- she seems too childish and bratty in the first half, but she does improve in the second. 
 As for Devlin... well, he has that bad-boy-with-a-heart-of-gold thing going on, and it's not hard to find him alluring, especially when he takes center stage. We also see more of Irial and his love for Niall, which adds a tragic, haunting quality to the story. 
 One aspect of the novel that is utterly spellbinding is Marr's writing -- she writes dialogue that is stately without sounding clunky or stilted, and she writes some truly lovely descriptive prose ("Fires for the dead flamed into existence; screams echoed long past the ends of lives, and a charnel scent rose in the air in a sickening cloud"). 
 However, I wasn't as pleased by the inclusion of Rae. The inclusion of a polyamorous love triangle without wangst is refreshing, but Rae seems shoehorned in. 
 "Radiant Shadows" has some problems, but Melissa Marr's enchanting faeries and beautiful writing make it well worth reading -- especially if you want to hear what happens afterwards.