Review: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
Fever #5
Urban Fantasy
January 18, 2011
Hardcover, 594 pages
Random House Publishing Group
Source: Purchased a copy from my local Chapters.
Steam factor: 4 out 5 cups of steamin' smexy goodness.
Favorite quote: “I was happy. I knew why you’d lied.” His dark gaze was ancient, inhuman, and uncharacteristically gentle. Because you love me.

Evil is a completely different creature, Mac. Evil is bad that believes it's good."
 
MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever. Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister's murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh-a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds.

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves. Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her dreams? More important, who is Mac herself and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?

From the luxury of the Lord Master's penthouse to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac's journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save the world . . . or destroy it.

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SLIGHT SPOILERS 

Few books have ever made me cry. I believe the last time I cried while reading a book was when Dumbledore died and when I finished the 7th Harry Potter book. Actually, the most recent cryfest I had over a book was after I read Breaking Dawn. I just become so emotionally invested in a story that when it's all over, I feel devastated that I can't continue on the characters' journey. Sometimes being a lover of fiction just isn't fair.

As of about 10 minutes ago, I can now add Shadowfever to the books that made me cry list. I think I'm just so emotionally exhausted from reading this book, I just had to have a good cry to get some sense of stability back. This book was just truly epic in every sense of the word. After having to endure four books filled with unanswered question and cliffhangers, Shadowfever is more than satisfying conclusion (maybe?) to one of the best urban fantasy series I have ever read. I'm so happy I gave Darkfever a second chance!

In Shadowfever, we finally to get to see a version of Mac that balances both the lighter and darker parts of herself. Her journey from the spoiled pink princess, to warrior, to a grown women was incredible. Although I didn't really appreciate Mac's personality in the first book, it was exciting to see just how much she has grown over the past four books. And finding out Mac's true origins through me for a loop. However, I felt like it's been staring me in the face the entire time.

As far as the rest of the book goes, that is just so much that happens I can't even begin to comment on all of it. When I thought for sure I had something pegged down, Moning went in and turned everything upside down. However, I love how we are still kept a little bit in the dark about Barrons' true identity, although we do get answers to why Barrons behaves the way he does and why wants to obtain the Sinsar Dubh. There is still so much more that can be explored regarding Barrons and the other eight men like him. Perhaps in future Moning books we will get to learn more about these mysterious fellows...

Without giving to much away, we do get the answer to who murder Alina and why. Moning also reveals everyones' true role in the story. Let's just say most characters are not what they appear. It will  BLOW YOUR MIND HOLE!

And then there is the Barrons and Mac's HEA. Well as much of an HEA as they can have. Yep, that means some hot Barrons and Mac loving. Woohoo! Although they do finally confess their feelings for one another (sort of), there relationship continues to be dark, intense, and primal. Kind of like Barrons himself.

Shadowfever surpassed all of my expectations. It will take you on a emotional rollercoaster from the first words and not let you go until the very end. Everything I thought I knew coming into this book was blown out of the water. Moning kept me guessing throughout the book and truly made reading Shadowfever an exciting adventure. I haven't been this invested in a series for a long time. I'm just sad that it's all over...for now.

Loved it! It was one steamin' hot cup of joe.

Other Opinions:

~Goodreads

~Smexy Books - A+

~Fiction Vixen - 5/5

Other books in the series:

Darkfever

Bloodfever

Faefever

Dreamfever

Author's Website

OMG You Guys!!!

SHADOWFEVER COMES OUT TODAY!!!

Insert girly squeal here. I went straight after class today and bought myself a copy. The cover is so gorgeous! Watch out Barrons, here I come.

Review: Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning

Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning
Fever #4
Urban Fantasy
October 26, 2010 (Reissue edition)
Mass Market Paperback, 512 pages
Dell
Source: Purchased a copy from my local Chapters.
Steam factor: 2 1/2 out of 5 cups of steamin' smexy goodness.
Favorite quotes: "You're leaving me, Rainbow Girl."

He has stolen her past, but MacKayla will never allow her sister's murderer to take her future. Yet even the uniquely gifted sidhe-seer is no match for the Lord Master, who has unleashed an insatiable sexual craving that consumes Mac's every thought-and thrusts her into the seductive realm of two very dangerous men, both of whom she desires but dares not trust.

As the enigmatic Jericho Barrons and the sensual Fae prince V"lane vie for her body and soul, as cryptic entries from her sister's diary mysteriously appear and the power of the Dark Book weaves its annihilating path through the city, Mac's greatest enemy delivers a final challenge...

It's an invitation Mac cannot refuse, one that sends her racing home to Georgia, where an even darker threat awaits. With her parents missing and the lives of her loved ones under siege, Mac is about to come face-to-face with a soul-shattering truth-about herself and her sister, about Jericho Barrons...and about the world she thought she knew.

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SLIGHT SPOILERS 

If you haven't read the Fever series, be warned, the ending of Dreamfever is the most awful cliff-hanger I have ever read. However, I use awful  in the sense that I am now DYING to get my hands on Shadowfever. How dare Moning leave her readers in such a bind! After having devoured the series in a week, I am so frustrated that I can't pluck Shadowfever off the shelf and continue reading. Waiting until January for the final instalment in the series will be pure torture!

Other than the cliff-hanger ending, I adored this book. Like the other books in the series, Dreamfever begins right where Faefever left off, with Mac being turned Pri-ya by the 3 Unseelie princes and an anonymous 4th member. Although she is close to death, Mac is rescued by Dani in the nick of time and taken to the Abby. Soon after, Barrons comes for Mac and takes charge in helping her to recover...which is an interesting process to say the least. While Barrons succeeds in bringing Mac back from being Pri-ya, gone is the Rainbow Girl she once was. Dreamfever than follows Mac and Barrons in their contiuined search for the Sinsar-Dubh and the other Fae Hollows, while the Lord Master (Darroc) and the other Unseelie wreak havoc on the world.

While this book is a complete page turner, it was a lot darker than the previous books in the series. Although we finally get some Barrons and Mac loving, the situation in which they finally get together is heartbreaking. After pulling for these two for so long, I hated seeing them come together in such a screwed up manner. Furthermore, I just don't know what to think of Barrons anymore! At times he wins me over when he dances around naked with Mac singing Tub Thumping (he even sets up a Christmas tree!). But when Mac is "cured," he returns to his usual jerk self. After 4 books, I'm frustrated with the dynamics of their relationship.

However, I do like the new Mac 4.0. She has finally shed that Barbie image and embraced her "savage" side. Although, again, what she must go through to complete her transformation is less than ideal. I also enjoyed seeing Mac become more involved with the sidhe-seers and especially with Dani.

In typical Moning fashion, however, some questions in the book are answered, such as Mac's linage, while others still remain up in the air. So for those looking for some explanations, prepared to be disappointed. I know I'm beyond ready for some answers.

While the book didn't advance the plot much further, it was still a thrill to read. Even with the cliff-hanger ending, I recommend this book and the Fever series to anyone looking for an exciting and well-written urban fantasy. Only 49 more days until Shadowfever....

PS: BARRONS BETTER NOT BE THE MONSTER!

Loved it! It was one steamin' hot cup of joe.

Other Opinions:

~Goodreads

~All Things Urban Fantasy - 4/5

~Literary Escapism

Other books in the series:

Darkfever

Bloodfever

Faefever

Shadowfever (January 18, 2011)

Author's Website

Review: Faefever by Karen Marie Moning

Faefever by Karen Marie Moning
Fever #3
Urban Fantasy
July 28, 2009
Mass Market Paperback, 416 pages
Random House Publishing.
Favorite quote: "...then somebody like you walks in and it ratchets up to the Nine Inch Nails song my uncle plays all the time for his wife."

He calls me his Queen of the Night. I'd die for him. I'd kill for him, too.

When MacKayla Lane receives a torn page from her dead sister's journal, she is stunned by Alina's desperate words. And now MacKayla knows that her sister's killer is close. But evil is closer. And suddenly the sidhe-seer is on the hunt: For answers. For revenge. And for an ancient book of dark magic so evil, it corrupts anyone who touches it. Mac's quest for the Sinsar-Dubh takes her into the mean, shape-shifting streets of Dublin, with a suspicious cop on her tail. Forced into a dangerous triangle of alliance with V'lane, an insatiable Fae prince of lethally erotic tastes, and Jericho Barrons, a man of primal desires and untold secrets, Mac is soon locked in a battle for her body, mind, and soul.

This series just keeps getting better and better. Picking up right where Bloodfever left off, Faefever will leave you gasping for breath by the end.

In Faefever, Mac continues in her quest to recover the mythical Sinsar-Dubh with the help of the mysterious Jericho Barrons. However, she is still unsure who she can trust. After a close encounter with the fabled book, Mac learns that the Sinsar-Dubh has morphed into something far more fearsome than just an Unseelie Hallow. Also, Dublin itself appears to be on the brink of chaos as the Dark Zones continue to grow and more Unseelie slip through the cracks. As Halloween or Samhain fast approaches, Mac learns that the prison walls holding the rest of the Unseelie at bay will fall if the MacKeltar's ritual is not performed correctly. However, without the Sinsar-Dubh, Mac has no idea how to keep the barriers separating our world and the Unseelie prison in place.

If you hate cliff-hangers, do not read this book. The ending packs quite a punch. However, the rest of the book will keep you flipping the pages at a steady pace. In Faefever, Moning reveals more about the origins of the Sinsar-Dubh and the Unseelie. She also gives a few more clues about the true identity of Barrons. Yet, for every lose end Moning ties up, she adds a new twist to the story that will have you scratching your head. I thought for sure I had Barrons nailed! Guess not...

Mac also continues her transformation in the book. She is beginning to embrace the Savage Mac side of her. However, she still desperately clings to the elements that defined her life before her sister's murder. Although I'm glad the girly-girl attitude is gone, I understand Mac's need to hold on to some scraps of her old life, even if that means wearing a pastel colored sweater or buying a pink bike helmet. Mac is quickly becoming one of my favorite heroines.

The secondary characters in the book also become more integral to the overall story in Faefever. Everyone seems to have a large stake in finding the Sinsar-Dubh. Also, each character is complex in that they are all shades of grey. Not everything is black and white in this book. The good guys aren't necessarily good and some of the bad guys aren't all the bad. It certainly makes you more empathetic to Mac's trust issues.

So far, Faefever is my favorite book in the series. However, I'm about to go pluck Dreamfever off my bookshelf so its regin as my fave may not last long. If you haven't started this series yet, what are you wating for? I've kicked myself enough times already for not devouring these books sooner.

Loved it! It was one steamin' hot cup of joe.

Other Opinions:

~Goodreads

~All Things Urban Fantasy - 4/5

~The Good, The Bad and the Unread - B+

Other books in the series:

Darkfever

Bloodfever

Dreamfever

Shadowfever (January 18, 2011)

Author's website

Review: Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning
Fever #2
Urban Fantasy
August 26, 2008
Mass Market Paperback, 368 pages
Random House Publishing
Source: Purchased a copy from my local Chapters.
Steam factor: 1 out of 5 cups of steamin' smexy goodness.
Favorite quote: "One day you may kiss a man you can't breathe without, and find that breath is of little consequence."

I used to be your average, everyday girl but all that changed one night in Dublin when I saw my first Fae, and got dragged into a world of deadly immortals and ancient secrets...

In her fight to stay alive, MacKayla must find the Sinsar Dubh-a million-year-old book of the blackest magic imaginable, which holds the key to power over the worlds of both the Fae and Man. Pursued by assassins, surrounded by mysterious figures she knows she can't trust, Mac finds herself torn between two deadly and powerful men: V'lane, the immortal Fae Prince, and Jericho Barrons, a man as irresistible as he is dangerous.

For centuries the shadowy realm of the Fae has coexisted with that of humans. Now the walls between the two are coming down, and Mac is the only thing that stands between them.

After a shaky start, I can now say I have officially caught the fever! Picking up where the first book left off, Bloodfever eclipses Darkfever in more ways than one.

The book begins with Mac still recovering from her injuries in meeting with the Lord Master. Although she is finally starting to feel at home at Barrons Books and Baubles, she soon starts seeing a spectral figure that bares an eerie resemblance to death. Conflict escalates when Mac is questioned by the Garda (Irish police) for murder and Derek O'Bannion shows up at the store looking for his dead brother. However, Mac finds some hope in discovering more about her abilities when she runs into another sidhe-seer. But when Mac is kidnapped by an enemy she thought was dead, she is forced to make a decision that may have terrible consequences for her in the future.

I liked this version of Mac far more than the last version. In the book, Mac says that there are two Macs, girly Mac and savage Mac. In Bloodfever, girly Mac takes a backseat. She continues her transformation into grown-up Mac as she begins to grapple with the seriousness of her situation. Yet, she still retains some her southern charm. I get quite a kick out of her telling Barrons he is a "petunia".

However, Barrons is just as mysterious as ever. Throughout the entire book I was so frustrated because when you think you have it figured out, Moning adds a new twist. I'm just confused about Barrons as I ever was. However, I have my theories about what Barrons could be. Also, I enjoyed the added sexual chemistry of Barrons and Mac's relationship. While the sparks between the two is evident in the first book, their attraction is undeniable in Bloodfever. I'm still keeping up hope that these two will end up together in the end.

Along with throwing new curve balls into Barrons true identify, Moning also adds some new twists to the story. While some plot lines get wrapped, new ones are introduced. As a result, I am now hooked on this series. I thoroughly enjoy Moning's writing style and found that I finished the book faster than I wanted to. I'm lucky that I can just pick Faefever right off my bookshelf. Actually, that is what I'm going to do right now. Watch out Barrons, here I come.



Really liked it! It was mmm mmm good.

Other Opinions:

~Goodreads

~All Things Urban Fantasy - 4/5

~Peeking Between the Pages

Other books in the series:

Darkfever

Faefever

Dreamfever

Shadowfever (January 18, 2011)

Author's website 

Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
Fever #1
Urban Fantasy
August 28, 2007
Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages
Dell
Source: Purchased a copy from my local Chapters.
Steam factor: 1 out of 5 cups of steamin' smexy goodness
Favorite quote: "Dubh is do?" I was incredulous. It was no wonder I hadn't been able to find the stupid word. "Should I be calling pubs poos?" "Dubh is Gaelic, Ms. Lane. Pub is not."

MacKayla Lane's life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she's your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks…until something extraordinary happens.

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death-a cryptic message on Mac's cell phone-Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister's killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed-a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae…

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister's death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless V'lane-an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women-closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac's true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book-because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands…

After reading a lot of praise for Moning's Fever series, I decided to see what all the fuss was about a year and a half ago. However, my first attempt at Darkfever did not out turn out too well. I had to put the book back on the shelf halfway through because I was bored with it. I found Mac annoying and the lack of romance frustrating. However, I refused to let Darkfever become an official DNF and promised myself that I would give it another shot. So, with release of the new paperback versions of the Fever series (love the new covers btw), I decided to give Darkfever a re-read.

Was Darkfever better the second time around? Yes. However, I approached the book with an entirely different mentality. In my first attempt at Darkfever, I wanted romance. I wanted Mac and Barrons to fall madly in love with each other and do the nasty several times over. Thus, I set myself up for disappointment right from the get go. This time, I took the book for what it was, an urban fantasy. In doing so, I discovered a far more interesting world where faeries are more than adorable little wood creatures.

Moning's world-building in the book is wonderful. She perfectly intertwines both the realistic and fantasy elements of the novel. The Dublin she describes in the book is both dark and gritty, where you can walk into a pub and perhaps encounter an Unseelie. It made me want to hop on a plane and go experience Dublin for myself. Also, I appreciated that Moning included descriptions of Gaelic words right into the text. I hate when you have to flip back and forth to the glossary.

Although Mac's narration of the story annoyed me in my first attempt at reading the book, I found her perspective to actually be quite amusing. She's feisty and fun. While she comes off in the beginning as being quite narcissistic, she is quick to admit her weaknesses. Also, her viewpoint brings a sense of lightness to the novel that would otherwise be bogged down by the seriousness of her situation. Despite her girly-girl attitude, you can also plainly see that Mac goes through a transformation in the book both physically and mentally. I'm eager to see what other changes Mac occurs in the rest of series.

And then there is Jericho Barrons, sigh. What a mystery. I love Mac's description of Barrons when she first meets him:

"He wasn’t handsome. That was too calm a word. He was intensely masculine. He was sexual. He attracted. There was an omnipresent carnality about him, in his dark eyes, in his full mouth, in the way he stood. He was the kind of man I wouldn’t flirt with in a million years."

Wowza. Barrons definitely has my interests peeked. However, I'm still not sure what to think of him. I'm also wondering about this V'lane character and how he fits into the story. If I didn't like anything else about the novel, wanting to know more about Barrons and V'lane would certainly be enough for me to read the rest of the series.

In reading Darkfever, do not expect a romance. However, do expect a story that just gets more addictive as you go along. Despite a slow start, the book has enough suspense and mystery to keep you interested until the end. I'm happy I gave this book a second shot and I'm eager to see what happens to Mac in her quest to find the Sinsar Dubh.

Lukewarm, but still hits the spot.

Other Opinions:
~Goodreads
~All Things Urban Fantasy - 5/5
~Dark Faerie Tales - 5/5

Other book in the series:
Bloodfever
Faefever
Dreamfever
Shadowfever (Janruary 18, 2011)

Author's website