Book Review -- Shadowfever

Title: Shadowfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Paranormal romance, urban fantasy
Pages: Hardback 594
Published: 2011
Opening Lines: "You wish to know 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 murder. 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 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 and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?"

~Jacket copy

Thoughts: After stopping myself from throwing the fourth book across the room and screaming in frustration, I informed my hubby that I was taking the car and shelling out $26 for the next book. Once I hit the end of the book, I was not disappointed. However, there were a few hitches for me in the process of getting there.

In the beginning of the book, I hated Mac. Considering what had happened, I completely understood, but I still felt that she was devolving into her old immature self. Granted, it was a changed and darker Mac, but, to me, she was essentially the same. She constantly convinced herself of the "rightness" of her actions by cocooning herself in Barrons' advice; however, it was obvious to me that she never truly listened or understood what he was trying to tell her. Yes, how we survive is important, but ultimately sacrificing who you are, denying part of yourself, killing part of yourself, isn't worth it. And, honestly, while he was honoured by her devotion, I don't think Barrons would have wanted to see her do that to herself.

However, after Darroc is no longer in the picture, I start to like Mac a lot better. When she finally starts facing who she truly is, she finally starts growing up again. I can see, in some ways, how Moning could make the argument that Mac needed to go through a hell to become refined and tempered.

A lot of the reviews I have read are mad that Moning didn't really tell the audience who/what Barrons is. To me, I don't feel as though I missed something. I don't feel that she chickened out and couldn't deliver. In fact, I feel that it was an important part of the story. In some ways, it would ruin the mystique of Barrons character to know everything. The problems I had were with Christian and not knowing what truly happened to him. Okay, you can make a damn good educated guess, but I want to know why.

The twist in the cave in the final moments with the Sinsar Dubh, V'Lane, the Dreamy-Eyed Boy, etc., was masterful! From the time he showed up calling Mac "Beautiful Girl," I knew DEB had a part to play. However, even though I guessed, I didn't fully see it coming until the audience was hit with the whammy.

In the end, she left some things open. The big one is that Dani and Mac never confront the issue between them. However, I didn't feel cheated by this. Something about the ending and Mac's understanding of what really happened left me knowing that things would be alright in the end. At the end, things were not perfect, but it definitely was a fairy tale (no pun intended ^_~).

Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Currently: A Rush of Wings by Adrian Phoenix
Current Pages: 16868
Current Progress:

46/50 books

Book Review -- Dreamfever

Title: Dreamfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Paranormal romance, urban fantasy
Pages: paperback, 453
Published: 2009
Opening Lines: "Death. Pestilence. Famine."

They may have stolen my past, but I'll never let them take my future.

"When the walls between Man and Fae come crashing down, freeing the insatiable, immortal Unseelie from their icy prison, MacKayla Lane is caught in a deadly trap. Captured by the Fae Lord Master, she is left with no memory of who or what she is: the only sidhe-seer alive who can track the Sinsar Dubh, a book of arcane black magic that holds the key to controlling both worlds.

"Clawing her way back from oblivion is only the first step Mac must take down a perilous path, from the battle-filled streets of Dublin to the treacherous politics of an ancient, secret sect, through the tangled lies of men who claim to be her allies into the illusory world of the Fae themselves, where nothing is as it seems -- and Mac is forced to face a soul-shattering truth.

"Who do you trust when you can't even trust yourself?"

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts: *screams* WTF?! Waking up this morning, I was excited to have about 20 more pages left to the book. *sigh* I counted wrong . . . I had 5. When I finished, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to throw the book or the author across the room. Holy cow, talk about a horrible way to end the book! I'm glad I only have to wait until this afternoon to get the last installment from the bookstore. Granted, I don't want to drop $26 with our mortgage payment coming due, but sheesh!!! Who the hell ends a book like that?!

After ending with Mac in the custody of the Unseelie princes and the Lord Master and being Pri-ya, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I knew that Barrons would end up coming in and saving the day, but I didn't see the spunky Dani being the savior! The more the book progresses, the more I adore that girl! I was pleasantly surprised that the first few chapters follow her. However, she is a little hard to follow ^_~

Honestly, the time spent between Barrons and Mac, in the beginning, was my favorite. The image of Barrons dancing naked to Tubthumping by The Offpsring was enough to make me laugh and feel a deep welling of emotion for the man.

"You're leaving me, Rainbow Girl." (56)

If it's possible, through those few chapters, I think I fell in love with Jericho Barrons. His actions towards Mac were simply and utterly a pure demonstration of love. It was beautiful.

I don't like what Mac went through, but in some ways I really am glad she has grown up even more. Some of her strategy with Rowena are childish, as well as some of the examples she sets for Dani. However, after talking with Kat and working with Dani, she seems to start growing up on a different level. Also, the fact that her ordeal has started to awaken something even more powerful in her is interesting. I honestly wish she had chosen to plunge the depths of her sidhe-seer place and see what was waiting for her.

All in all, this series has gotten progressively better. With each book, my opinion has been raised! I started out the series hating Jericho -- yes, he is still an ass, but with a heart -- and Mac, now I think they are starting to turn into well-rounded, deep characters. With the opening of the walls, Moning has expanded her writing style to encompass a rich landscape for the books, and I feel she has definitely risen to the challenge. From Darkfever to this book, it is obvious to me that her writing style has definitely matured. Good job, Karen!

Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Currently: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
Current Pages: 16274
Current Progress:

45/50 books

Book Review -- Faefever

Title: Faefever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Paranormal romance, urban fantasy
Pages: Paperback, 370
Published: 2008
Opening lines: "I'd die for him.
"No, wait a minute . . . that's not where this is supposed to begin."

He calls me his queen of the night. I'd die for him. I'd kill or him, too

"When MacKayla Lane receives a page torn 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 hunter: For answers. For revenge. And for an ancient book of dark magic so evil that it corrupts anyone who touches it.

"Mac's quest for the Sinsar Dubh takes her into the mean, shapeshifting streets of Dublin, with a suspicious cop on her tail. Forced into a dangerous triangle of alliance with V'Lane, a lethal Fae prince, and Jericho Barrons, a man of deadly secrets, Mac is soon locked in a battle for her body, mind, and soul."

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts: After the way the previous book ended, I'm glad we didn't make it to the library in time to pick up my current hold! Now I only wish I didn't have it sitting on my coffee table waiting for me to read! Dreamfever is currently sitting next to it, begging me to pick it up instead of the classic. Dammit! Arg!

It's hard to say too much about these books without giving everything away. The transitions between books feels pretty seamless. I don't feel as if I've lost any time; however, I have read the last two books in succession During the course of the series, Mac has progressively grownup. It is nice to see character growth and not have some static annoyance. I also like the evolution of her relationship with V'Lane and his attempts to woo her. At this point, however, my favorite character is Dani, and I cannot wait to see how she will grow and progress in the last two books.

The deeper Moning goes into the books' history of the Fae makes it more and more interesting. I'm not very well versed in some of the background, so I am by far not an authority as far as the accuracy to myth, but the creation of the Unseelie was quite unique and interesting. To me, it added more depth to the courts and made it far more imperative to find the Book.

"Liminal" is a fascinating word. Times can be liminal: Twilight is the transition from day to night; midnight is the crack between one day and the next; equinoxes and solstices and New Year's Day are all thresholds.

Liminal can also be a state of consciousness: for example, those moments between waking and sleeping, also known as threshold consciousness, or hypnagogia, a state during which a person might think herself fully alert, but is actually actively engaged in dreaming. This is the time that a lot of people report a convulsive jerk, or a feeling of physically falling.

Places can be liminal: airports with people constantly coming and going, but never staying. People, too, can be liminal: Teens, like Dani, are temporarily stuck between child and adult. Fictional characters are often Liminal Beings, archetypes that straddle two worlds, marking or guarding thresholds or are physically divided by two states of existence.

Between-ness is a defining characteristic of liminal. Limbo is another. Liminal is neither here nor there but exists between one moment and the next, poised in that pause where what's passing hasn't yet become what's becoming. Liminal is a magical time, a dangerous time, fraught with possibility . . . and peril. (326, 327)

That is the perfect summation of the entire book, without giving anything away. I cannot wait to dive into the next book. With the ending of Faefever, I cannot even begin to imagine what will happen! But, alas, my library hold came in . . .

Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Currently: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Current Pages: 15656
Current Progress:

43/50 books

Book Review -- Bloodfever

Title: Bloodfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Paranormal romance
Pages: Paperback, 337
Published: 2007
Opening lines: "All of us have our little problems ans insecurities. I'm no different."

"MacKayla Lane's ordinary life underwent a complete makeover when she landed on Ireland's shores and was plunged into a world of deadly sorcery and ancient secrets.

"In her flight to stay alive, Mac must find the Sinsar Dubh -- a million-year-old book of the blackest magic imaginable, which holds the key to power over both the worlds of the Fae and of Man. Pursued by Fae assassins, surrounded by mysterious figures she knows she cannot trust, Mac finds herself torn between two deadly and irresistible men: V'Lane, the insatiable Fae who can turn sensual arousal into an obsession for any woman, and the ever-inscrutable Jericho Barrons, a man as alluring as he is mysterious.

"For centuries the shadow 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 . . ."

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts: After really detesting the first book, I was surprised that this one was a lot better. However, according to a lot of negative reviews I read, the series does get better. With that in mind, I was willing to give it a chance.

This book picks up after the adventures of the last book. Mac is still working with Barron trying to find the Sinsar Dubh. However, after a few run-ins with a seemingly crazy old woman, Mac learns that she is no alone in the world. There is actually an organization of sidhe-seers, and they want her to join. Holding an abbey worth of ancient information and a network of sisterhood over her head, Mac is forced to decide whose loyalties to follow.

After the first book, Mac has grown up a lot. I suppose a near-death experience was enough to rattle her cage. Unwilling to stay in the dark, she spends her time trying to learn as much as she can about the world she has been trust into. However, she still has a lot to learn. She is learning that she is stronger than her had originally thought. She is also coming to terms with the fact that she was adopted.

I admit, I still don't like Jericho Barrons. However, by the end of the book, he has started to grow on me. I understand that he wants to keep Mac safe, but the way he treats her upsets me. It was good to see that she is finally starting to grow a little backbone when it comes to him. Even though he is an asshole, I found myself hoping they would tumble into the sake by the end of the book *sheepish grin*

And Christian! Doesn't it make Mac stop and wonder why a HUMAN has GOLD/AMBER eyes? Doesn't that seem rather strange?

The deeper the book delves into the Fae realm and lore really kept the book going for me. I liked the concept that before Faeries become mad, they drink from The Cauldron to restart their life anew. Also the eating of the Unseelie.

Needless to say, after reading this book, I am actually pretty curious about the next book.

Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Currently: Don't know
Current Pages: 15286
Current Progress:

42/50 books

Book Review -- Darkfever

Title: Darkfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Paranormal romance, urban fantasy
Pages: Hardback, 304
Published: 2006
Opening Lines: "My philosophy is pretty simple -- any day nobody's trying to kill me is a good day in my book."

"McKayla 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 she 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."

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts: A friend of mind suggested this series to me quite some time ago. To be honest, I picked up the book several times, but never really did much more. However, last week, my father informed me that he had just finished the wholes series and loved it. I was intrigued (Honestly, I'm still wondering why he enjoyed it . . . *scratches head*). Luckily, being poor and out of work, the library had it! Score!

I felt that Moning did a good job researching faery lore. Seriously considering getting advanced degrees in Medieval Studies, I have taken some heavy-duty mythology courses, Arthurian legends, etc., so I am extremely familiar with this subject matter. It was refreshing to see that she actually put the time into her book. I also appreciated that she checked the pronunciation sidhe. I admit, I am a stickler with a stick up my ass *^_^* Anyways, I also appreciated that she was careful not to label the Seelie court as "good". However, the concept of the Fae being aliens was rather strange and a bit different.

Aside from that, I really didn't like the characters. Mac was downright annoying! My mother says, "Honey, she's a Southern Bell." I think that is letting her get off easily and an insult to Southern Bells. Yes, Mac has not been out in the world, but common sense shouldn't be that hard to come by. To be honest, I really cannot stand that in characters. It makes it impossible for me to feel any connection to them.

And don't get me started on Jericho Barrons! He is the typical hero in romance: devilish good looks, closed-off, out for number one, older, wiser, teacher, mysterious back story, exotic, aloof, and a complete asshole! All he has going for him is the mysterious back story. I kept wondering when something might crop up that would give some hint as to his identity, but it never happened. Even though he seems to understand what is occurring in Mac's changing world, I don't understand why she runs to him. After the encounter where she is staying, she should have written him off. This isn't even touching how he treats her through the rest of the book.

Now the sex. Um, yeah . . . Getting masturbated by a "death-by-sex" Fae in a public museum with a pearl bracelet/necklace is a little much for me. I understand this extremely sexual turn-on these Fae possess, but it was a little too gratuitous for me. And the whole museum scene was in bad taste. (This right here is why I wonder why my dad enjoyed this series.)

The premise behind the plot was good. It has a LOT of potential, and I really like the concept. I think she could have done a lot with it, but I felt that it really flopped. It is possible I am reading this wrong. More of the story could be about Mac coming to terms with her new life, but it still felt "bleh".

All that being said, I have read several poor reviews of this book that are prefaced as saying the rest of the series is good. And, since I enjoy the concept, I am planning on finishing it. So, even though I am not impressed by the first book, I am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.

Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆
Currently: Matched by Ally Condie
Pages: 9604
Horror/Urban Fantasy Challenge: 16/24
Current Progress:

28/50 books