Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

  • Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Dell (August 28, 2007)
  • ISBN-10: 0440240980
  • Source: Publisher

MacKayla (Mac) Lane is a small town, Southern girl. Her days consist of basking in the sun and shopping.  When her sister Alina, a student in Ireland, dies mysteriously MacKayla drops everything and sets off to Dublin to find out more about her sister’s death.  Her only clues are a cryptic message left on her cell phone by Alina:

“I thought I knew what I was doing. I thought he was helping me, but –God, I can’t believe I was so stupid.  I thought I was in love with him and he’s one of them, Mac!  He’s one of them!”

Alina’s message closes with her desperate plea to Mac to find the Sinsar Dubah (the Dark Book)Upon her arrival in Dublin, Mac soon learns her sister was living a completely different life.  Gone were the days of attending class or hanging out with friends.  The local law enforcement assumed Alina had turned to drugs, what else would explain the drastic change in her behavior.

Mac is unsure of how or where to start her investigation.  She starts out in pubs, asking random people what a Sinsar Dubh is.  Mac’s “investigating” leads her to a bookstore run by Jericho Barrons.  Barrons obviously knows something about the situation surrounding Alina’s death but won’t divulge any information.  Until later that night when he appears outside the bed & breakfast where Mac is staying.  Mac learns she has a gift to see into the realm of the Fae. It is also likely that Alina had this power as well.  In addition, Mac is able to sense what she refers to as OOPs (Objects of Power).  She and Barron reluctantly join forces: Barron needs her powers to track down the Sinsar Dubh and Mac needs Barron to help keep her alive!

This is my first foray into Moning’s writing.  While advertised as a romance, I would categorize this more as a paranormal or urban fiction.  There is a bit of romance (if can call it that…a Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women) and some pretty illicit scenes, so not for the faint of heart.  The storyline moved fast, I literally read this in one afternoon.  My only issue was Mac’s character:   She’s a 22 year-old girl, but she acts more like a teenage beauty queen.  She spends much too much time discussing her outfit and the color of nail polish she is wearing.   Barron’s character is dark and mysterious.  It’s obvious that he has some sort of power but it isn’t revealed in this book.  There is definite sexual tension between Mac & Barron and it’s pretty much a given that something will happen between these two.

I should warn you, DARKFEVER does end with a total cliffhanger ending.  If that sort of thing drives you crazy, I suggest you have the next book, BLOODFEVER waiting on your bookshelf.   So, despite my flaws with Mac’s character, I’m eagerly looking forward to reading and reviewing the next book in this series next month.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to review this book!  Please be sure to check out the other stops on this tour:

Monday, August 23rd:  Rundpinne

Wednesday, August 25th:  Tynga’s Reviews

Thursday, August 26th:  Savvy Verse and Wit

Monday, August 30th:  Peeking Between the Pages

Wednesday, September 1st:  The Cajun Book Lady

Tuesday, September 7th:  Book Junkie

Thursday, September 9th:  Angieville

Friday, September 10th:  Luxury Reading

Monday, September 13th:  Dark Faerie Tales

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4 Responses to Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

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