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

Sweet Sale Over at Kobo

As a Canadian, I don't get to relish in all the great deals that happen around American Thanksgiving. Yep, no Black Friday or Cyber Monday for me. However, this morning I got an email from Kobo detailing a wicked sale that they are having for the next 48 hours.
Here's the deats:

The more you spend the more you get! 48 Hours ONLY!

Stock up on eBooks and get more with every purchase!

• Spend $10 to receive a 20% coupon
• Spend $25 to receive a 50% coupon
• Spend $30 to receive a FREE eBook

Plus, every purchase is entered for a

chance to win 1 of 5 eReader Bundles!



So head on over to Kobo and grab all the eBooks your heart desires! And if you are wondering, you do not need a Kobo e-reader to view the books you purchase. Most books are available as EPUB downloads.

Pick of the Week: Eternal Flame by Cynthia Eden

Is it just me, or has November kind of sucked as far as new releases go? Well, the middle of November anyway. However, this week looks pretty darn good for paranormal romance lovers. On the 30th, both Cynthia Eden and Alexandra Ivy are releasing new books. While I have read a few books in Ivy's Guardians of Eternity series, I'm more eager to pick up Eternal Flame. Although the second book in Eden's Night Watch series was disappointing, I'm hoping that Zane will fan the flames and get this series going again.


Eternal Flame is out November 30, 2010.

Here's the blurb:

Cynthia Eden invites you into the world of the Others—supernatural creatures who are sexy, powerful, and more than human in every way...

No one that deadly should look that good. Hybrid demon Zane Wynter specializes in tracking the most lethal criminals, whether human or Other. But Jana Carter is nothing like his previous targets. She's an Ignitor, able to conjure and control fire. She's also sexy beyond belief—and used to playing dirty...

Jana knows she's being set up. She even knows who's responsible: Project Perseus, a secretive group that plans to rid the world of paranormals by any means necessary. From Louisiana's sultry swamps to its desolate cemeteries, Jana and Zane must race to destroy the mastermind behind Perseus before their world goes up in flames—and with it, a desire that burns too hot to resist...

An Award...for me!?!?

This has made my day! J-9 over at Blood Rose Books has given me The Versatile Blogger Award. How cool is that? This is my first blogging award and for only starting this blog about a month and half ago I'm pretty darn proud! Hopefully, there will be more awards to come :)

7 things about me:

1. Sometimes I skip class just to read a book, but only if it's REALLY good

2. One day I would like to get my Masters in Publishing

3. My favorite movies are A Nightmare Before Christmas and Fight Club

4. If I could have one fictional boyfriend come to life it would be Wrath from BDB...although Bones is a very close second.

5. I watch Jeopardy every day. I even have the Jeopardy Wii game.

6. I'm in love with Florence + the Machine. I could listen to Lungs 24/7.

7. I haven't read the Sookie Stackhouse novels, but True Blood is my all time favorite show.

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 

Waiting on Wednesday: Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

I'm not usually a fan of young adult or YA books, but if something really good comes along that just begs me to read it, well I just can't say no! I first started reading the Vampire Academy series last summer after reading a string of bad romance novels. Sometimes a girl just needs a little breather. To my surprise, Vampire academy soon became on of my favorite YA series. I love me some kickass heroines and Rose certainly fits that category. I also have a huge crush on Dimitri and am eager to see what is going to happen between them. Full of great action, adventure, suspense and romance (the PG-13 kind), the Vampire Academy series is the perfect home away from home for romance readers.

The final book in the series, Last Sacrifice, comes out December 7, 2010. Make sure to check out Mead's site on November 29th to read an excerpt from the book!

Here's a small blurb (the official description hasn't been released yet):

The astonishing final novel in Richelle Mead's epic series!
Murder. Love. Jealousy. And the ultimate sacrifice. Now, with Rose on trial for her life and Lissa first in line for the Royal Throne, nothing will ever be the same between them.