LauraD’s review of Faefever (Fever Series, Book 3) by Karen Marie Moning
Urban fantasy hardcover released by Delacorte Press 16 Sep 08

I confess to having never been a big fan of Karen Marie Moning’s paranormal romance novels. Thanks to a great heroine and an enigmatic hero(?), however, I am all on board with her Fever Series, and have been impatiently waiting for book three.

MacKayla “Mac” Lane arrived in Dublin to find out who killed her sister. She found not only the killer’s identity, but her own — Mac is a sidhe-seer, a rare human who can see the fae that walk amongst us. She has reluctantly partnered with the mysterious Jericho Barrons to try and stop the walls between the world of fae and human from crumbling and what would be left of the human race from their enslavement by the faery courts. Mac has the unique ability to sense when certain sacred fae objects are near, making her invaluable to both Barrons and to V’lane, a “death-by-sex” faery prince whose motives are very murky at this point.

Faefever starts off running and doesn’t really slow down. Mac becomes much more independent, as she uses the knowledge she has and the people she knows to do her own detective work instead of merely being Barron’s hunting dog. Of course, she still manages to get in trouble once or twice, and both Barrons and V’lane get their chance to rescue her — but in this version of Dublin rescue always comes at a cost. It was really enjoyable to see Mac become a stronger character, an arc I think will continue to develop in books 4 and 5.

I’d love to say that the author reveals the true soul of Jericho Barrons, but I’m beginning to feel we may not get that until the last page of the last book! However, some fascinating clues as to who (or what) Barrons might be are revealed. A new possible love interest for Mac is introduced, and he has ties to Moning’s Highlander books — it will be interesting to see if any of those characters make an appearance in the future episodes.

One of the things I really appreciate about this book and series is the strong sense of place. Dublin isn’t just a name-check, it’s a part of the book. Barrons’ bookstore is also almost a character; reading about Mac’s love for it makes me wish I could visit it someday. Without being overly descriptive the author does a great job making streets and buildings come alive on the pages.

If you haven’t yet read Darkfever or Bloodfever, I’d suggest reading at least one of those before this one. Faefever starts with world building and mythology complete, and not a lot of backstory is provided for new readers. It’s a wonderful series, and this is a great continuation — I’ve read it twice already, looking for more clues and tidbits I might have missed the first time around. Multiple plot lines are left unresolved, which again makes it impossible to read as a standalone.  Me,  I’ll be patiently waiting on book 4, Dreamfever.

Grade: B+

Summary:

He calls me his Queen of the Night. I’d die for him. I’d kill for him, too.

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.

As All Hallows Eve approaches and the city descends into chaos, as a shocking truth about the Dark Book is uncovered, not even Mac can prevent a deadly race of immortals from shattering the walls between worlds with devastating consequences.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: