Darkfever: The Fever Series

...and then it stopped. Literally.

I knew going in that this was a five book series, in her blog Ms. Moning warned us of that fact. I did not realize this would be a classic cliffhanger with a "tune in next time..." last page. If this is the kind of thing that bugs you, as much as it does me, I suggest you wait until all five books are published before you start. In the past the author has taken up to a year or more between books, so it could be a long wait.

Back to our story - as much as was there, in any event. A young college student is murdered in Ireland. The local police are stumped, the family is devastated. A cryptic message from the victim is left on the voice mail of the younger sister's cell phone, and she comes to Ireland to try and find out what happened. The Dark Fae look to be responsible, and our characters need to deal with it. The story twists, turns, starts to come into focus - and then the cliffhanger.

The characters are... okay, awful. The heroine, sister of the murder victim, is supposedly a twenty-two year old sidhe-seer, and most of the time comes across like a twelve year old Junior Miss Pageant winner. She uses the word "pretty" a lot (you will learn to hate the word). She has pretty little tanned legs, pretty blond hair, pretty skin, pretty clothes, pretty little shoes, and (my personal bugaboo) pretty Ice Princess Pink Blush nail polish on her pretty little fingers and toes. Naïve and immature doesn't begin to describe MacKayla. We are expected to believe she is a product of her pretty little small town, and over protective background. Not buying it. If you are from a small town, and I am, you will be insulted by the inference. About the time MacKayla starts to mature to about a thirteen year old personality, here comes that cliffhanger.

Our hero, Barron (I think he's the hero, the jury's still out), is dark, brooding, ultra masculine, handsome, rich, patronizing, and somewhat brutal. At first he tries to get rid of MacKayla by physical intimidation, then decides to use her untrained Sidhe-Seer talents to help him fight the Unseelie Sidhe and find their "Dark Book". After awhile, Barron starts to feel some gentler emotions toward MacKayla - and then the cliffhanger.

There is no actual sex in the book, but, be warned, there are some rather brutal almost rape encounters with MacKayla and the Fae. Because MacKayla is so very young and immature mentally, these scenes seem even more horrific than usual.

(Note to the author: If and when, sometime in the next four books, this turns into a romance between the two main characters, which I suspect it will, I sincerely hope you have MacKayla mature a whole lot, or Barron is going to come across as a rather creepy pedophile. At that point, you will lose me as a reader. Some lines can't be crossed.)

Three stars because -Actually, I don't know why. Two are too few and I did finish the book in an evening. Four stars are too generous for a mere chapter in an incomplete story with characters that are less than stellar. I will be reading the next book in the series because...

... oh, hell. because it's a cliffhanger, and I'm weak.

I knew the book wasn't a romance, so I wasn't disappointed in that aspect, although I expected more sexual tension or something more between Mac and Barrons.
Although the plot is interesting, the story failed to engage me. It's a little slow and sometimes very confusing with all the creatures and rare terms everywhere. Also, it's written in first person, something I usually don't enjoy very much.

The main problem I had with the book is the heroine. I couldn't stand her!! She's immature, dumb, irritating, too pink... She really got into my nerves, and I don't buy that she's young and was very sheltered. I'm young too (23), and I couldn't identify with her in anything.
At least she matures a little as the story progresses, but I was too annoyed with her to care.

The hero, Jericho Barrons, is more interesting, although he is very stereotypical in the sort of dark-sexy-mysterious way. It seemed to me that I'd read him in countless romances, but at least he has potential.

The last problem I had is that the book doesn't have an end. It feels more like the first chapters of a story than a book of its own, which is very frustrating. I think it would be better to wait for all the sequels and read them in order, and from paperbacks or the library. That's what I'm probably going to do.

Ok, this book should come with a warning! Or maybe it's already out there and I just didn't pick it up. Have you ever read the previous books of Karen Moning and expect the same? Well, forget it! Longing for delicious dark Fae or Highlander as a hero? Dig up your magnifying glass. Do you want romance, passion and plundering bodies? Give the snooze button another hit! For Karen Moning turns into another direction and yet you read an original Moning all the way!!

Mackayla is an average 22 year old with normal wants and needs, but with one phone call her life takes a dramatic turn. Her sister and best friend Alina was murdered in Ireland and she leaves Mackayla a message which doesn't make sense. It doesn't take long for Mac to decide to go to Ireland and figure out what her sister tried to tell her.

In Ireland the police isn't helping her very much, friends and professors at the trinity college also don't remember much and what they do remember doesn't sound like Alina at all. At night she goes into a pub for dinner and she sees a gorgeous man enter, staring at him she suddenly sees a flash of something else. Then there's an weird old lady telling her not to reveal their kind. She must be tired for she just doesn't understand. The next day Mac wants to research the meaning of the word: Shi-Sadu, for Alina mentioned it in her message.

If it's faith or something else Mac finds a bookstore and Jericho Barrons, who obviously knows something but isn't willing to reveal anything... two can play that game so Mac isn't answering his questions either. Mac isn't getting anywhere with her research and it's frustrating, but be careful what you wish for.....

With this first book in the fever series Karen Moning takes us further into the realm of Unseelie, Seelie and the Tuathé de Danaan. From the very first page I wandered into Mackayla's world, feeling her emotions, despair, grief, but also her determination to find that what destroyed her sisters light. With every page the suspense is building up, question's rise with Mac as she enters a world and you hope that she finds her answers. V'Lane and Barrons make me want more. V'Lane as a death-by-sex Fae ( God I love that expression of Mac) makes a woman throb for everything a male body has to offer ( and how can Karen Moning do this to us!! I wanted plundering wild passion, hungry devouring bodies as only she can write it. She puts us on a diet and ladies, I'm starving!) and Barrons, he's so mysterious about who he is and Karen Moning gives us just a few hints of information, talk about torture!!!

All my comments on this book is given with a wink because with her unique and rich writing style Karen Moning gives us a Fantasy/Suspense novel of world class and although I missed the romance aspect a little bit she fills it up with an amazing fast paced story, an incredible heroine and a quest of mega proportion's in a world that's just not the same anymore.
I've closed the book that leaves me wanting for more as the ending seems like it's just the beginning.

courtesy of realmsonourbookshelves

Karen is back! She took her time, paced the book well, it felt GREAT to be reading a book from her again that I REALLY enjoyed!

I am glad that she took into account that we are not stupid people who will be slaves to an overused formula...however successful.

My problems with her last two books was that the story was forced and plagued by scenes that were far too explicit for characters I desperately wanted to be "in love" not "in lust" with each other.

I am not even sure this is a romance novel...at least not yet. The main characters are plagued with obstacles that make romance at this time impossible...But I do like where it is going and the anticipation is spectacular. At the conclusion of the book I am left with tons of questions and I am absolutely going to buy the next in the series. (Even if the bits with V'lane were treading the slippery slope of tastefulness...its briefness made them easier to tolerate.)

I guess in the end if Moning can remember that her previous books were about falling in love and then the great sex will just happen naturally as the story and plot evolves it won't be offensive.

I preordered the book, received it yesterday, and read it last night. To be completely honest, had I not seen Ms. Moning's plog, I'm not sure how I would review the book. She's right, it has to be taken on it's own, unrelated to her Highlander series. So, here I go...... Yes, it's well-written. Yes, it's fast-paced. Yes, the characters have some potential and I will probably read at least one more book in the series just to see what develops. However this book, Darkfever, is, in my opinion, derivative. It's not quite science-fiction/fantasy, though it reminds me of a number of science fiction novels I've read, some as recently as this summer. At the same time, it definitely cannot be categorized as a Romance. As a matter of fact, I actually found any sexually charged scenes in the book repelling, not compelling in any way. (Which makes me wonder if that is the author's intent.) The thing I've loved about Karen Marie Moning's books are the appealing characters, the humor in the midst of chaos, and the amazingly well-written romantic scenes. For me, this book contained none of the above. I certainly can understand and appreciate an author's need to tell a new story in a new way. I'm just not sure this particular series is what I want to read when I'm seeking a light-hearted escape from my very stressful, busy home-life/job/multi-tasking existence. I read a lot of books from all genres, and I found Ms. Moning's Highlander series to be a fun, fantastic, sensual vacation from everyday life. Darkfever, rather than allowing me to escape, kind of smacked me in the face with a whole lot of nasty stuff. While Ms. Moning may be onto something with this series, I'm just not sure I'll follow her very far. Sorry . . . . .

I don't know why there are soo many people giving bad reviews of the book. KMM is diverting from her Highlander storyline to give us something a bit more entertaining. Personally, I am happy that she is trying something new and different because I was very, very tired of the almost formulaic storylines in that series.

I am an avid reader of sci-fi, fantasy and romance. I am quite used to reading trilogies. Often, in these trilogies, the first book is just enough to suck you in, and then leave you hanging. There are often not many answers forthcoming until you get to the 2nd and 3rd books. As far as the lack of romance or sex, I don't need either of these to enjoy a good story. I think everyone who picks up this series needs to understand that this is not KMM's tpical novel; you CANNOT judge this book based on her previous writing. I, for one, think it's fantastic that she is trying her hand at something new.

I really enjoyed this story. It's darker than any of her other novels, but that's a genre that I greatly enjoy. If you don't like a grittier, serious, 'maybe not a happy-ending' story, then don't read this book. Now, having said that, I will say that I haven't developed much sympathy for her heroine yet. I think she comes across as too young, naive, and way to much 'Valley girl' mentality. KMM is trying for a combination of spunk/sass and innocence with her that just doesn't jive right with me. The spunk and sass are at odds with the innocence, and it creates a bit of discord with me.

I can't wait to find out if Mac grows up and into the abilities that KMM is weaving for her. KMM has given us many tidbits of what's in store for Mac, so I'm looking forward the adventure. And, of course, finding out who she eventually falls for.

It will definitely be intriguing to see if KMM ties this series in, at alll, with the Highlander series. I'll give away one tinsy story killer. It appears (though I could be wrong) that the Lord Master is a character from one of the Highlander novels.

The first book in Ms Moning's new Fever series is a breath of fresh air, even if it isn't romance thus far. Personally, I'm tired of paying upwards of $6.99 for books that are poorly plotted, have poor characterization and while there are a couple of the mandatory steamy sex scenes, the relationship between the two main characters isn't fully developed or is unconvincing. The formula doesn't always work, and since I love to read paranormals, I've come across more and more books that just fall flat. Even though I can't quite figure out where Moning is going with this sidhe-seer series, it's showing signs of promise. It's not *all* good, but it kept me guessing and I'm excited to read Bloodfever as soon as it comes out.

MacKayla Lane does undergo a transformation (physical, mental and emotional) from the first chapter to the last. When she arrives in Ireland following her sister's death, she's a naive, annoying and immature blonde who thinks the gardia (police) can gelp her get justice for Alina's murder. By the end of this book, she's learned that there's more to the world than she ever knew - including who she is and what she's capable of - and that she's become part of a war she had no idea existed. I'd like to think she's a work in progress, changing in order to stay alive. Character development is always a good thing, IMHO. Hopefully the Mac of the final book will be a character I can relate to and like a little more. Fingers crossed!

Now, I wonder if Jericho Barrons and Mac are going to become more than just allies? Right now, I cannot tell, but I think it would be genius if the author took a couple of books to build that relationship into something solid before she throws romance into the mix. All I know is that Jericho manages to be an enigmatic alpha without falling into any of the typical romance stereotypes and pitfalls.. so there's a lot of potential, but whether or not the author intends to fulfil it.. I have no problem waiting for relationships to develop and plots to play out, providing the story is well written and conceived. I didn't quite feel like I got enough out of Darkfever (I felt like there should have been a just little more to the Mac/Jerricho thing to hold us over to the next book) but on the whole, I was hooked and there's a lot to look forward to in this series. Nicely done!

Karen Moning has a rare and perfect gift--the ability to transport me to other worlds and captivate me with every book she writes. In this noisy, hectic world we all live in, I find it very hard to totally lose myself in a book. It takes a special author to guide me on such a mesmerizing journey, and Karen is on a shortlist of authors who always--ALWAYS--make me lose myself in her world. DARKFEVER is no exception. Suspenseful, sensual, and immediate, she weaves her famililar magic in this series launch book, making me want to read more (and stamp my feet and pout until I can get it in my eager hands!)

If you're a fan of Karen Moning--or even if you've never read her other books--this new book is a must read!

It's nearly impossible to describe this book without making is sound as though it resembles every other Urban Fantasy pick out there. It doesn't. There is something engaging about this story that I can't quite put my finger on. It throbs with menace and mystery and is fraught with fae lore; yet, it retains a sense of reality that I have never before encountered in previous Urban Fantasy books/series. This book felt real. It's addictive and engaging, filled with grit, humor, lust, grief, mystery and mayhem.

Darkfever tells the story of MacKayla Lane, a silly, 22 year old bartender/ part time student/ full time underachiever. Her reality doesn't extend beyond fashion, music, the color pink and her family. Mac lives a sheltered, small minded and simple existence in Ashford, GA where southern manners reign and fairies do not exist. All it takes is one fateful call to turn Mac's existence topsy turvy. Mac's sister, Alina, has been murdered while studying abroad in Dublin. With no leads and no suspects, the investigative team has closed the case. Reeling from the loss, Mac's parents become despondent, withdrawing into themselves. Mac can't begin to mend the shattered pieces of her life until Alina's murderer has been brought to justice. However, in order for Mac to fill the emotional void within her, she must travel to the abyss.

While I enjoyed this story very much, I had to knock a star for the character that is Mac. She's shallow, incredibly girly, her manners are much too "nice" and she is WAY too perky. She and I would never be friends; nonetheless, I respected her. The girl's got grit, albeit that grit comes armed in pastel skirts, juicy couture purses, strappy sandals and ice berry pink nail polish. She also contains strong sense of self awareness in addition to the thoughts and motivations of others, leading me to think she isn't as obtuse as she initially appears. I grit my teeth a time or two in response to her reactions, although, I found them suiting to her character and realistic to the human condition. Thankfully, Mac developed throughout the story, and I expect that development will continue throughout the remainder of the series. She also has an intriguing co-star in Barron's. He remains shrouded in mystery, but like all good mysteries, you want to unwrap him, figuratively and literally.

All in all, I was entranced by the world that Moning has created for these characters. Darkfever wrecked havoc on my mind. I woke up tangled in my sheets, as I dreamt of this bizarre world where fae roam the night and hotties like Jericho Barrons are on the prowl. Can't wait to start Bloodfever!

I nearly didn't finish this book, but worked through it because a friend had recommended it highly. I am SO GLAD I did. Our protagonist comes off as immensely shallow, self-centered, whiny, and unlikable, and it nearly ruined it for me. But, for those of you who are thinking of stopping- don't! Keep reading! Not only does MacKayla have an "awakening" of sorts in this book, but we get introduced to one of the most intriguing characters I've ever read about- Jericho Barrons. And, oh, is JZB worth it.

This first in series sets us up well for the rest of the books, introduces our important characters, and shoves us face-first into the world of the Fae. It also sets so many of us up for the Jericho vs. V'Lane debates and even gave me a chuckle with the various OPI nail colors (some of which I own!) that Mac talks about throughout the book. My review is probably a bit tainted because I've read and adored the rest of the series, but I encourage you to pick it up and follow through- the book is great and the rest are even better.