FAEFEVER (Fever #3)
by Karen Marie Moning
PUBLISHER: Gollancz (UK) | Dell (US)
RELEASE DATE: 2011 (UK) | Oct 2008 (US)
FORMAT: Paperback, 370 pages
GENRE:: Urban Fantasy
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.
REVIEWER: Laura
The third book in the Fever series is extraordinarily addictive and the best so far. With its brilliantly dark and complex characters and fabulously sunny heroine, who keeps on going no matter what gets thrown at her, this series is what urban fantasy is all about.
Southern belle MacKayla (Mac) is not the girl she used to be. Following her sister’s murder she flew to Dublin desperate for answers. Her journey for revenge and justice has led her to discover she is a Sidhe-Seer and about the existence of the Fae, a ruthless and ancient magical race. A race that she is one of the few people with the magical ability to see. After meeting mysterious and dangerous bookshop owner Jerricho Barrons, they have forged an uneasy alliance, but Mac still doesn’t know who he is and if she can trust him.
The more Mac learns about the Fae, the deeper she becomes entrenched in the darkness that is slowly going in strength, permeating and destroying the human world. Frighteningly it is a darkness that most people haven’t even noticed. As parts of Dublin continue to become dead zones and disappear off the maps and unseelie faeries, the cruelest and most corrupt of them all, break from their prison, it is no longer just about finding her sister’s killer but saving the world.
Mac’s mission now is to find the Sinsar Dubh, an insidiously evil, magical book that might be their only chance in stopping the unseelie and preventing the walls between the Fae and human worlds from crashing down. But Barrons and Mac are not the only people after the book, seelie Fae prince V’lane and the evil Lord Master are after it too, and they all turn to the one woman in existence who can sense where it is.
You feel Mac’s frustration and alienation. As Dublin circles out of control, she does not know who to trust and who she can turn to. Torn between the enigmatic and surly Barrons and the dangerously sexy Fae-prince V’lane. In truth she knows she cannot trust either. Everyone wants a piece of her and she has to fight to not only save the world, but to save her soul.
There were times when I got so frustrated with the relationship between Mac and Barrons, wondering what it will take for them to trust one another. Every time there seems to be a glimmer of warmth growing, one of them will say or do something and destroy it. I’m still desperate to learn who and what Barrons is, and there are still so many answered question in this series. The threads of the story keep becoming more intricate and dark. As in previous books, the sexual tension in the book is powerful and on occasion terrifying.
The pages flew by, you know when an author has written brilliant characters when you find yourself totally absorbed in their story. As a big fan of Moning’s Highlander romance series, it was great to see the MacKelter’s again too. And like his uncles, the heroes of the other series, Christian MacKeltar is serious swoon material.
But, Ms Moning, how could you leave us with such an awful, awful cliffhanger? And it is a shocker, one that left me wondering how on earth Mac could ever get out of it. The ending is in fact so bleak, the author felt need the need to write an afterword to her readers, leaving us with just a shimmer of hope for our beloved heroine.
Well all I can say is thank heavens for ereaders, that enabled me to download ‘Dreamfever’ and start it immediately!
VERDICT:
An absolutely fantastic book that I can’t recommend highly enough to urban fantasy fans. You really need to read these books in order and have the next one at hand to cope with cliffhangers that might just leave you hyperventilating!
RATING: 
KAREN MARIE MONING ONLINE
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BOOKS IN SERIES ORDER
1. Darkfever (Carolyn’s Review)
2. Bloodfever
3. Faefever
4. Dreamfever (Laura’s Review)
5. Shadowfever (Laura’s Review)
US COVER
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9 Comments
I've never picked up this series because I read one Amazon review where the reviewer was just disgusted with Mac. I know I shouldn't judge a book by just one review, but some of those comments have really stuck with me. Your review is one of three that I've read this week for the series and definitely has me reconsidering the series.
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Fantastic review Laura. KMM really knows how to write those cliffhangers! Looing forward to reading your other Fever reviews
xx
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@Jennifer hi – I can understand some frustrations with Mac, it's not uncommon to want to give her a good, hard shake! But I like her flaws and all and she's a very rounded character who noticeably grows throughout the series. The series is superb & I'd highly recommend it
@Jo thanks Jo!
The cliffhangers are a killer in this series!
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These series are fantastic, wait till you get to the ending of Dreamfever!!! Shadowfever does not disappoint either. I hope you enjoy the rest as much as I did!
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Ooh I've not read anything by this author – you have me very, VERY curious now.
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@Mimi I've read the whole series now – look out for my Dreamfever & Shadowfever reviews later in the week. But you're right, Dreamfever has a much worse cliffhanger!
@Carmen she is one of my favourite authors, highly recommended
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Nice review and I'm a new follower! I love your blog! Happy Reading! ^^
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Definitely want to start this series – I have the first book on my shelf ready and waiting, so will schedule it into my reading very soon
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@Marrion – happy reading to you too
@BookChickCity Carolyn – you'll really enjoy them!
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