Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Very recently, I've started writing reviews of a few books I read. And really, just a few.

In no way am I a "professional" book reviewer as I only write reviews when and if I feel like it and only for books I want to. There are only a few ways to get me to write a review for anything.

I was given a free book in exchange for a review, I loved it soooo much I might have peed myself if I didn't share, I disliked it immensely or it confused the ever-living crap out of me so much I felt inclined to share.

Well, the entire Fever series just rocked my world and I feel that its only right to share some of the awesome between the pages. I was sooo psyched when my library had all but Shadowfever out on ebook loan. So I highly suggest checking your libraries for books you haven't read. It is infinitely better than pirating books. *Wags finger*

*Review originally written 7/17/2012*

**Spoilage**
4 Stars

Pink. Blonde, big boobs and an uncanny knack for getting herself into trouble because we haven't thought things through. This, my good people, is the essence of Mac.

This is not to say that I hated her. On the contrary, I actually started to feel very fondly for the pink loving, sort of on the airhead-y side blonde who turned into ass kicker. BUT, we're here to be honest with one another. And honestly, I don't know how I feel about her now.

In the beginning, I grew weary of her airhead comments about her life and how easy and simple it was, her love for the color pink - mind you, I shall never look at the color the same again - and her slow processing skills. Or lackthereof.

In the middle, I gained more respect for the wizened up little cookie. Grew to like who she was becoming and how diligently she was trying to avenge her sister's death even though every time she flipped her hair, there was a big-bad-ugly or evil genius hottie Barrons there to capture her attention by endangering her life and divert her attentions elsewhere. Needless to say, she handled them well - albeit, some better than others.

NOW, however....I'm still not sure. I had an opinion of her but it's wilted somehow. *Shrug* I dunno. I figure going into book two with a clear head will be best as to not pre judge the blonde-no-longer Mac.

I wasn't sure how much I'd actually like this book once I realized it was about Fae. Seelie, Unseelie, Sidhe, Sisar-Dubh's, Seers and whatnot....not really my thing. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I thoroughly enjoyed reading about ugly things that can eat my pretty and fuck me sideways hypnotize me into a sexual need so strong and debilitating that I'd strip in a street and beg it to hump me into submission. [Was that any better?] Which - lemme tell ya, is not something I thought I would ever like to read about.

The world Moning builds for this series is astounding and I seriously cannot wait to see what else she can reel me in with because really, I'm a hard gal to please when it comes to books. I've read many a crappy book in my day and I'm positive I'll encounter quite a few more before I'm through.


Now... DUNN, DUNN, DUUUUUUNNNN onto what I didn't like:

The prologue. I feel this book would've been great without it. I kind of didn't need it. It was extra info given that I picked up as I read through the book anyway, so Mac's little story-telling intro didn't quite do it for me.

Sometimes her writing style has me pausing to sigh, sort of like wishing she'd gone in with an eraser and erased some of Mac's pink-tinted thoughts from the book. Seriously, Mac had the world casted in a pink glow, seeming too daft to process things as quickly as she should have. Mac admits to not being the smartest and getting mediocre to nasty grades in school...yet she wants us to believe that she'd do all this cool shit that clearly requires her to use that pretty blonde head? No. No.

Where there's smoke, there's Mac. Probably thinking too hard about something dangling right in her face.

The ending battle scene or whatever it was. Anti-climactic. I don't see Mac fighting off hundreds of Rhino-ugly Fae and a vampire, ALONG with the "Lord Master" dude in the same room with only mysterious Barrons to protect her ass. No. There would've been pretty pink pieces of boobs and Ice Princess Blush pink nails with gold frosted tips littered with Barrons's huge ego as a border. Just ain't happening.

I kind of wish Moning would've written a bit more action in this book. Like, I dunno, I wanna read Barrons ripping someone's head off or something. *Shrug* He could make green Fae blood-slime sexy. I'm a firm believer in that.

All of Mac's incessant ramblings around her silver sandals, pink nail polish, capri pants, gold sandals - we get it Mac. You like clothes. And pink nail polish. Not exactly sure how you found the time to give yourself nail - and toe - polish changes six times in a two week span [give or take] but by golly gee, you did it blondie. I take my pants off to you.


Things that had me on the fence:

Barrons. I admit to not knowing how I like him...yet I know that I do like him. He was an enigma. Still is, actually. Sent to challenge my way of thinking and judging books and their characters. I sort of wish we'd gotten a bit more of a background on him but at the same time, I'm glad we didn't. Good books will tell you secrets slowly. Great books make you work for them. And though it infuriated me to the point of bated breathing, I enjoyed the vague-ness of Barrons. How secretive he is. Calculating and hot. Strong and hot. Hot. Hot. Did I say hot already? No...? Right, HAWT!

The romance aspect. Alrighty, seriously on the fence about this part.
I simply ADORED that this book was mainly about Mac learning to live with her grief over Alina's death and the fact that she was adopted to the fact that she'd been responsible for the deaths of sixteen henchmen. Really, I do. In the back of my mind somewhere - in the mushy, sappy recesses - I kind of wished I'd gotten more of a connection with Barrons and Mac. NOBODY SHOOT! Just know, that although I'm pleased this wasn't a sappy mock up of some serious bad Fae bullshit, some small part of me wanted romance. But the bigger half was THRILLED that the romance was muted and it was more about something useful.

Like avenging the gruesome death of one's Sidhe-seer sister for a book that you can't even touch because it'll make you evil.