Darkfever

MacKayla “Mac” Lane has a fairly simple life. One she is happy with. At twenty-two she lives at home with her family in Ashford, Georgia. She’s into fashion, loves pink, anything pink—skirts, nail polish, and strappy, sexy sandals. By day she hangs out at her parents’ pool listening to her IPOD, by night she tends bar at a local watering hole. Her sister, Alina, who is also her best friend is studying at Trinity College in Dublin and in general life is good. Or it was good until Mac receives a phone call telling her Alina is dead. The Dublin police have no clue who the killer is and don’t really seem inclined to dig too deeply into just what happened to her. Her world in shambles, against her parents’ wishes and pleas, Mac leaves for Dublin, determined to ferret out Alina’s killer.

While under ordinary circumstances Mac would find Dublin a fascinating city. Her view of the city, however, is colored by the Alina’s death. “To do” list in hand she begins tracking down Alina’s teachers and fellow students, anyone who might know who she was with prior to her death. While Alina is fondly remembered, no one can describe her boyfriend, the man Alina felt was the love of her life. On her first night in town Mac has a glimpse of who…or what…he is. When she catches site of the Gray Man devouring the beauty of a woman Mac is horrified, she flees the area to find herself in a clearly inhospitable part of town. Running for her life she finds herself at Barrons, Books and Baubles and against her personal desires, becomes the student of one Jericho Barrons. Mystery man Barrons quickly begins to dictate every aspect of Mac’s life—convincing her that he is the only one who can keep her alive. What Mac discovers in, around and below the streets of Dublin are only the beginning of Mac’s future.

“Wow.” That’s the first and last thing this reviewer has to say about Karen Marie Moning’s newest book DARKFEVER, the first in her new series. With each twist and turn the reader is drawn more and more deeply into Mac’s new world. Told in the first person, DARKFEVER is like sitting with your best friend on a Friday night for a girl’s only sleep over. It is reminiscent of summer camp and the scary stories told around the campfire just before you go to sleep only to find you can’t because you know those shadows aren’t just shadows.

Pick up DARKFEVER and be prepared to be unable to put it down until you finish it. As long as you are going to sleep with the lights on you might as well be reading and hearing Mac’s tale! The changes in growth in Mac are done so subtly readers will hardly see the shifts until the very end. Mac is likable from the beginning, she’s awesome at the end. She’s a tough act to follow.

Jericho Barrons is complex, confusing and compelling. You want him for your own. This reviewer has suspicions just who or rather what he is—but she will have to wait for BLOODFEVER to hit the bookstores before that supposition is confirmed. Even a day is too long of a wait to find out! Ms. Moning tantalizes her readers as she does the same to Mac. Who is this man? What is he really about? Is Mac the one woman who can make him…human?

Contrasted with Mac’s innocence and bright view of the world until Alina is killed and Barron’s incredibly sexy persona, some of the characters are just plain gross. They are the stuff of childhood nightmares, come to life on the pages of DARKFEVER. From the Gray Man to the Many Mouthed thing along with the vampire Malucce thrown in, Ms. Moning creates some pretty and disgusting characters. They aren’t nice…creatures. They are part of what makes the story one you cannot put down until you turn the last page.

Included in the book is a marvelous glossary of terms to introduce the novice to the dark side as to who is who and where they all fit. The sneak peak of BLOODFEVER is a tease that had this reviewer stamping her foot because she wanted more and she wanted it now.

DARKFEVER is the perfect read for a creepy Halloween read; it is a do not miss for your reading any time.

September 2007