Spoiler Alert: There are definitely spoilers.
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Release Date: January 20, 2015
Series: Fever Series, #7
Publisher: Delacorte Press
I remember when I picked up book one, Darkfever. It was over a year ago and it was at a suggestion for a book group read-a-long. I don’t know if I’d ever consider it otherwise and it’s not because it’s not good, it’s just edgier and darker and, do I dare say, more erotic (*gasps*) than I usually read, but I’m not a book snob. If my gal pals say it’s a good read it mostly likely is. I’m also glad to give just about any suggested book a fair shot (well, except for horror, but that’s another post). You just never know. Diamond in the rough, and all that jazz. Now, here we are, seven books later, and I’m hooked. And there is a story at the heart of all the sizzling heat and testosterone. A darned good one too, especially if you’re a paranormal reader.
I’m not going to go into the entire series plotline so if you haven’t read any of the books in the series, I’d suggest you take a shot at it. If I’m not mistaken, book eight should be out later this year (because we waited over a year for this one; thank you KMM for a 2-for! especially with that cliff hanger 😉 ).
Plot: In Iced, we left off with Dani running away from the Abbey after the Hoard Frost King was (minus Mac and Barrons) destroyed. Burned picks up where Iced left off, with Dani scouring Dublin for baddies when Mac corners her in an alley, with her spear drawn on Dani. Dani is powerless. She can’t get into hyper speed or anything, but she runs. She runs right past Barrons, into the bookshop, and jumps through one of the silvers. Yep, into Fae. Where time isn’t linear. And it was somewhat predictable, but not really. Anyway, we jump to Mac’s perspective and Barron forbids her to go after Dani.
And we get to see what these two have been up to this whole time. Mac and Barron’s are back and I love them to death. They have a dynamic that I’ve never quite read before. We only got small glimpses of them in Iced and if you ask me, they’re the show-stoppers so I’m glad I got to see what they were up to. The downloaded sinsar dubh is still talking to Mac and still trying to get her to use it. She’s resisting, but of course she feels like she’s going insane.
There’s so much going on in the book I’ll just try to sum things up. Dublin seems to be recuperating albeit slowly. The MacKelters are in this book. Squee! and repeat … The MacKelters are in this book! Okay, moving on. We learn more about the Nine. We see Dani and then we don’t, literally and figuratively. We get a rescue attempt for Christian. And things get interesting, very interesting, and then you’re hanging from a cliff (ugh! with all these darned cliffhangers! Sighs, that’s another post as well).
So … was it good?
Was it good? *asks with mock sarcasm* Was it — Of course! Karen Marie Moning has a way with words. She really does. She’s brutally honest and in your face. It’s one thing I love about her writing. She’s not afraid to give it to you straight. If other novels are like Facebook, she’s all Twitter. She can get to the point in 140 characters or less with a whole bunch of wit and sass; it’s beautiful. Plus, you just can’t help but laugh-out-loud.
“Temptation isn’t a vice you triumph over once, completely, and then you’re free. Temptation slips into bed with you each night and helps you say prayers.”
and this …
“You had no right”
“Ah, the morally outraged cry of the weak: You’re not ‘allowed’ to do that. One is *allowed* to do anything one can get away with …”
Yep, that’s her. 140 characters (I know not literally, come on now) and in your face.
I love it. I’m interested to see where this story goes in the next book. Really, really interested. So many questions. Will our characters ever get things under control? Will they ever get to the point where they can just enjoy life? Will the Unseelie King and Seelie Queen step into help? Will the wall between worlds ever go back up? Will they figure out a way to co-exist? And that’s just the storyline. There’s questions about individual characters as well.
And the characters?
Awesome! KMM stays true to all the characters involved, even when she brings in the MacKelters (from her Highlander series). I’m so glad to see Drustan and Daegus and the fact that they mention their significant others is awesome! Those glimpses keep it interesting. And there’s so much characters, as with any good book series, that I wonder (as I always do) how she manages to keep them all in line, but … she does. So continuity rocks!
So, we’re adding it to the library?
Been there. Done that. I haven’t added the first five to my collection yet and I’m not sure if I will, but know that the rest of the series will be pre-ordered so I can read it at midnight, EST, on my Kindle. Yep, it’s that addictive.
Favorite scene:
When they introduce Katseo. Oh, and in the meeting at BB&B when Mac is invisible. That was classic! Oh, and when Mac was deciding what to do when she remembered that thing she was made to forget. Brilliantly written. Just, genius.
Favorite quote:
All of them. I’m serious. The whole book. In its entirety, it’s one big, great quote.
And this one stands out the most, “We are what we are. Actions speak.”
(140 characters or less, what’d I tell yah?)