- This is the anxiously awaited fifth book of the Fever series. I’d be nuts to not jump at the chance to read it.
- Ill Wind by Rachel Caine
Summary from Goodreads:
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 murderer. 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 mowing 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 herself and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?
From the luxury of the Lord Master’s penthouse to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac’s journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save the world . . . or destroy it.
My Review:
If you’ve read the fourth book of the Fever series by Ms. Moning then there is a high probability that you’ve already read this book. The previous book left with such a cliffhanger that it had me gasping and screaming in agony of being left to just.. rot until Shadowfever came out.
And so, when I got my copy in the mail from TLC (Heck, I’m not going to lie – I purchased it for my Kindle and downloaded it as soon as it was available) I dove into the story.. and then..I got confused.
Unlike the first four books in the Fever series, Shadowfever seems to get off-track and wander around a bit. And then, just when you think you are finally getting somewhere, Dani shows up which, frankly, made me want to throttle her. I wanted answers now, dangit! But what I was getting was more mystery, more questions and more.. more. But there was a light at the end of the tunnel because I was sure I would get answers!
But still, I struggled. I didn’t devour the book like I had the previous. It took me four days to read it and I wasn’t enjoying myself as much as I had been. The first half of the book seemed to drag – so much internalization of Mac and vague wandering moments had me frustrated and angry because I wanted the story to move forward. Dani lost her charm and cuteness (as I mentioned earlier), the bad guys didn’t seem quite so bad and Jericho came off as more of an ass then ever. So I guess I have to say I was a bit disenchanted.
Also, now that I am writing this review a good few weeks after finishing the book – I’m sitting here trying to remember the conclusion and some of the answers to the questions the previous books had brought up in my own mind. And while the questions are quite clear and my memories even more clear of reading the first books, I feel as if the answers and my memories of reading Shadowfever are much more hazy. It’s like the answers lacked the punch and power that the questions had.
Was Shadowfever a fun read? Overall – yes. It gave me most of what I expect to read from Ms. Moning. I think the series as a whole had huge promise and potential, but I think Shadowfever lets its readers down when compared to its predecessors. My fond memories are of the first four books.
Have you read the series? What were your thoughts on this one?
About the Author
Karen Marie Moning (rhymes with ‘awning’) is the # 1 New York Times bestselling author of 12 novels, including the Rita-award winning Highlander novels and the internationally bestselling urban fantasy Fever series. Her books have been published in 21 languages, and her events draw fans from all over the world.
Moning began her career writing paranormal romance set in Scotland but as she became increasingly fascinated with Celtic mythology, she switched genres to Urban Fantasy and location to Dublin, Ireland, so she could focus on the Tuatha de Danann, or Fae–an ancient race of immortal beings who have lived secretly among humans for millennia.
Moning is currently completing a graphic novel for Del Rey, featuring an original story about MacKayla Lane and Jericho Barrons, and has contracted with Random House Publishing Group for three more books set in the Fever universe. She divides her time between the mountains of Georgia and the beaches of Florida.
Karen Marie Moning’s website, blog, Twitter, and Facebook.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
