Review: Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

 Bloodfever (Fever #2)
 Author: Karen Marie Moning
 Publisher: Delacorte Press
 Brilliance Audio Unabridged Audio CDs
 Publication date: October 16th 2007
 My rating: 4 stars

 

 MacKayla Lane’s ordinary life underwent a complete makeover when she landed on Ireland’s shores and was plunged into a world of deadly sorcery and ancient secrets.

In her fight to stay alive, Mac must find the Sinsar Dubh - a million-year-old book of the blackest magic imaginable, which holds the key to power over both the world of the Fae and of Man. Pursued by Fae assassins, surrounded by mysterious figures she knows she cannot trust, Mac finds herself torn between two deadly and irresistible men: V’lane, the insatiable Fae who can turn sensual arousal into an obsession for any woman, and the ever-inscrutable Jericho Barrons, a man as alluring as he is mysterious.

For centuries the shadowy realm of the Fae has coexisted with that of humans. Now the walls between the two are coming down, and Mac is the only thing that stands between them….

It’s a little hard for me to write a review for Bloodfever, because I finished it and immediately started the audio of Faefever. I think I might confuse some of both books together if I try to summarize it for anyone. Suffice it to say that I’m hooked!

In Darkfever, Mac was a spoiled, naïve, and innocent young woman out to find her sister, Alina’s murderer. In Bloodfever, Mac has grown up a bit, whether she wanted to or not. She’s still the old-fashioned southern, pink, and sparkle clad woman when she can be, but she’s no longer as innocent as she was.

Mac: “I would wear pink because I knew my future was anything but rosy. I would accessorize myself to the hilt, and I would wear flirty shoes because my world needed more beauty to counter all the ugliness in it. I would wear pink because I hated gray, I didn’t deserve white, and I was sick of black.”

Bloodfever follows Mac in her quest to find the Unseelie book, the Sinsar Dubh, her dying sister’s last wish, with Barrons. She still has no idea what Barrons motives are in finding the ancient and powerful book, but at the moment he’s been the most helpful of all the big players, saving her life a couple of times. She still keeps V’lane in her back pocket, but at arms length because he’s a death-by-sex Fae prince (not a horrible way to go, IMO, but still), and she’s not about to trust him fully. I, like Mac wouldn’t trust Rowena any farther than I could throw that old witch! She’s left her high and dry too many times for my liking!

I like the direction Mac and Barron’s relationship is taking, and whether they admit it to each other or themselves, you can tell they’re beginning to matter to one another. Love this quote because it’s so no-nonsense and oh-so-Barrons:

“What are you Barrons?”
“The one who will never let you die, and that’s more, Ms. Lane, than anyone in your life has been able to say to you. More than anyone else can do.”

This is like a love letter from Barrons. He may not utter words of endearment to Mac, but you can tell she’s burrowed a way into his heart. I just know it.

Mac goes through a lot in this installment. Thankfully it’s not detailed bit by bit, because I can’t take that sort of thing. At the end of Bloodfever there’s a lot of unanswered questions but I was able to pop in the next book, Faefever, right after finishing, so I’m not going to complain!

I have to say, when I first started listening to this audio I wasn’t pleased that it was a woman narrating every voice, even Barrons, but now that I’ve been listening to it, I don’t mind. I love the southern voice for Mac, it’s pitch perfect. Faefever is the same narrator, Joyce Bean, and I love it already. I’m curious how the last two are going to sound. There is a switch to a male and female narrator and I’m excited! I’ve heard only good things about the male narrator. Can’t wait!

I've been listening to the audio CD's to and from work. Finally, my commute time doesn't seem like such a waste.