Darkfever is a tantalizing introduction to a seamy underworld centered in Dublin, Ireland. Mackayla Lane, a 22-year old Southern Belle, goes to Dublin to try to find answers about Alina's (her older sister) murder. She is sucked into the Fae world, just as Alina was. Mac seems to be somewhat more fortunate than Alina in that she has attracted two very powerful allies, V'Lane (a Seelie Prince) and Jericho Z. Barrons (a ???). Mac is shallow and blissfully ignorant, but she is quickly (and rudely) awakened to the danger the world is in.

Despite the author's beginnings as a romance novelist, this is NOT a romance. This is a gritty fantasy fiction with a bit of lust thrown in.

Darkfever is the first installment of the Fever saga. I have now read the first three, and I regret doing so before all five installments have been published. There is one storyline. It's a huge sage, of that there is no doubt. But, it is one story, despite being serialized. (Think of your favorite long book, then imagine it being chopped into five parts, each sold separately, a year or so apart. Yeah.)

I had written a similar caution in my review for Faefever, but realized that potential readers should be forewarned before even starting the series. As much as I am enjoying the series, I doubt it will end up being worth the nearly $100 I will have paid for it.

So, my recommendation to potential readers is to wait until all five books have been released, then borrow them from your local public library. At that point, decide for yourself if this saga is worth buying.

If you come into Darkfever expecting it to be a paranormal romance complete with happily ever after, in the same vein as Monings' Highlanders series, you'll understand why the ratings for Darkfever are so mixed. Darkefever is not a romance and other than sharing the world of Druids, Fae and Sidhe Seers, it is nothing like Highlander books. Instead Darkfever is the first installment of five in a paranormal urban fantasy series, and unlike the HEA of the other books Darkfever leaves us hanging not coming to a natural stopping place until the end of the second book Bloodfever.

In preparation for the upcoming release of Faefever, I just finished rereading both Darkfever and Bloodfever. Knowing what to expect this time my experience with Darkfever was quite different from when I read the book when it was first released. But story held up well to a second read. It is still every bit as interesting, even with my having a vague recollection of the key points.

Darkfever slowly introduces us to Moning's world along with the lead, and narrator Macayla Lane as she heads to Ireland to try to get closure and justice for her murdered sister. Notice that I didn't call Mac a heroine, that's because in this book there is not much heroic about her. She is a beautiful, self absorbed and shallow southern Barbie, often too-stupid-live, but lucky enough to survive mostly because fate brings her to the doorstep of Jericho Barrons.

Barrons is a dark, dangerous, powerful, enigmatic man and is exceedingly harsh, demanding and arrogant to Mac, but then again kindness would only get Mac killed. Barrons finds Mac's naivete irritating but intends to use her for her rare 'Sidhe Seer' skills - Mac is able to see through Fae glamour, sense magical objects and to freeze the Fae with a touch. These are important weapons because the Fae of the story aren't Tinkerbell, the dark ones are soul stealing nightmares and even the beautiful ones are cruel and dangerous. And the Fae are invading Mac's world in ever increasing numbers leaving pain and death in their wake. Some how tied into this incursion and Mac's sister's death, is a supremely evil and dangerous magical Fae book of spells, and Barrons intends to use Mac's newly discovered skills to find it and he's going to push Mac until she grows beyond the sheltered aimless life she lived before her sister's death until she decides to fight back and survive.

None of the characters in the story inspire warm fuzzies, not Mac, Barrons, the nameless Sidhe Seer who leaves Mac in potentialy deadly circustances multiple times, or V'lane the gorgeous death-by-sex Fae prince whose presence brings the only sex to the book - inspiring clothes-shedding mindless lust in Mac everytime he crosses her path. But it's okay that we aren't in love with them yet, because Mac and Barrons and their uneasy alliance will all morph into something different by the end of the book. And the process of getting there is worth being annoyed with them at times as the story unfolds. And really, the reason that they can frustrate us is that Mac and Barrons are such vital and well developed characters.

Even though I liked Darkfever the first time I read it, I enjoyed Darkfever even more this second time, especially since I kept on reading straight through Blood Fever and series only gets better and more interesting as Blood Fever picks up pretty much right where Darkfever leaves off. (Now only one more week until Faefever!)

If you come into Darkfever expecting it to be a paranormal romance complete with happily ever after, in the same vein as Monings' Highlanders series, you'll understand why the ratings for Darkfever are so mixed. Darkefever is not a romance and other than sharing the world of Druids, Fae and Sidhe Seers, it is nothing like Highlander books. Instead Darkfever is the first installment of five in a paranormal urban fantasy series, and unlike the HEA of the other books Darkfever leaves us hanging not coming to a natural stopping place until the end of the second book Bloodfever.

In preparation for the upcoming release of Faefever, I just finished rereading both Darkfever and Bloodfever. Knowing what to expect this time my experience with Darkfever was quite different from when I read the book when it was first released. But story held up well to a second read it is still every bit as interesting even with my having a vague recollection of the key points. Darkfever slowly introduces us to Moning's world along with the lead, and narrator Macayla Lane as she heads to Ireland to try to get closure and justice for her murdered sister. Notice that I didn't call Mac a heroine, that's because in this book there is not much heroic about her. She is a beautiful, self absorbed and shallow southern Barbie, often too-stupid-live, but lucky enough to survive mostly because fate brings her to the doorstep of Jericho Barrons. Barrons is a dark, dangerous, powerful, enigmatic man and not at all likable in this story, but then again kindness would only get Mac killed. Barrons finds Mac's naivete irritating but intends to use her for her rare 'Sidhe Seer' skills - Mac is able to see through Fae glamour, sense magical objects and to freeze the Fae with a touch. These are important weapons because the Fae of the story aren't Tinkerbell. They are invading Mac's world in increasing numbers leaving pain and death in their wake and some how tied into this incursion and Mac's sister's death, is a supremely evil and dangerous magical Fae book of spells, and Barrons intends to use Mac's newly discovered skills to find it.

None of the characters in the story inspire warm fuzzies, not Mac, Barrons, the nameless Sidhe Seer who leaves Mac in potentialy deadly circustances multiple times, or V'lane the gorgeous death-by-sex Fae prince whose presence brings the only sex to the book - inspiring clothes-shedding mindless lust in Mac everytime he crosses her path. But it's okay that we aren't in love with them yet, because Mac and Barrons and their uneasy alliance all will morph into something different by the end of the book. And the process of getting them there is worth being annoyed with them at times as the story unfolds. I enjoyed Darkfever even more this time, especially since I kept on going straight through Blood Fever and series only gets better and more interesting as it picks up right where Darkfever leaves off. (Now only one more week to Faefever!)

When I started reading this book, I was waiting like everyone else for some smoldering romance. I still haven't seen it yet, but the adventures and description of the places and people are well done. Contrary to the other reviewers who hated Mac for being shallow, I thought it was kind of refreshing. Because all the heroines who always seem to be good looking and you never read about them putting on make-up or being concerned about their look really seem to get on my nerves. Granted, it is a novel, so the good looking guy is always ridiculously good looking (and I am happy about it), but since the books are mainly read by women, I personally can relate to the main character who is concerned about her nail polish color being an issue :)

Moning is renowned for her romances, but she should also be worshipped for her deftness in the paranormal genre.
I could not put this book down.
Makayla "Mac" Lane's whole world gets thrown in a new - and deadly - direction when the Dublin police telephone to inform her and her family that her sister has been found torn up and dead - murdered - in an alleyway. There are no leads and the case is being closed. Mac can not accept this fact and goes to Dublin against her parents wishes in search for her sister's killer to avenge her.
But now Mac is finding more evil than that which killed her sister, and a whole world she never knew existed. In fact, she's finding out things about herself she never even knew.

With a strong, sassy heroine, a smoldering, mysterious hero, and the fantastic plot and ideas of Mrs. Karen Moning a great series has been born.
Buy it. Read it. Love it.

MacKayla Lane is a bright, colorful, and overall happy girl.Her sister is murdered in Ireland, the only clue left to her is a strange message on her cellphone, the same cellphone she had dropped in the pool. Mac feels guilty that she had missed her sister's last call she'd ever make.She decides to go to Ireland to avenge her sister and to find out answers. What Mac finds in Ireland is that she sees things she has never seen before, monsters who prey on human flesh and more. Mac is thrown outside of her pretty world into a horrid one where she has to be constantly on guard in order to survive. Mac meets Jericho Barrons, a man who seems to be looking for the same thing she is; a book called the Sinsar Dubh. Mac is on a mission and she has to win.

Dark Fever will keep you up all night reading.
You feel like you are on the adventure wth Mac everystep of the way.Moning does a great job with the Fever series, the novels aren't all about sex and romance. If anything they are more about mystery and adventure. She blends in so many good aspects to make a good story.
How scary would it be to be in Mac's place? Your sister dies in Ireland and all of a sudden you can see monsters all around you? Wow.

I'd have to say Mac is a strong character.She changes a lot in the book, necessary developments,and Moning does excellant work in bringing this about. The books are not confusing and everything happens in chronological order.
Dark fever left me waiting desperately for Blood Fever to come out. I HAD to know what happens to Mac. Moning is an author you want see good things from for the rest of your life. Her books leave you wanting more and more! I want to cry everytime I get to the last chapter because I dont want the book to end because its that good.

I found this book to be an ok read. I found Mac the main character to annoying and shallow, way to obsessed with her appearance. The detailed descriptions of Mac clothes and appearance were way over done. When I read a book I really don't care if a character's outfit matches her pink manicure and pedicure. Maybe in the next books the author won't be as descriptive. I don't find the main characters likable and the story dragged. But I did finish it.

Moning does a great job with the Fever series, the novels aren't all about sex and romance. If anything they are more about mystery and adventure. She blends in so many good aspects to make a good story.
How scary would it be to be in Mac's place? Your sister dies in Ireland and all of a sudden you can see monsters all around you? Wow. I'd have to say Mac is a strong character.She changes a lot in the book, necessary developments,and Moning does excellant work in bringing this about. The books are not confusing and everything happens in chronological order.
Dark fever left me waiting desperately for Blood Fever to come out. I HAD to know what happens to Mac. Moning is an author you want see good things from for the rest of your life. Her books leave you wanting more and more! I want to cry everytime I get to the last chapter because I dont want the book to end because its that good.

When I first bought this book I was expecting another story along the lines of Moning's "Highlander" books. What I found was an enthralling urban fantasy that sucked me in and left me hanging.

The Fever books are NOT a series, they are a true serial, something you don't find very often. The driving plot extends through all three books, so you won't find any resolution in this book, only questions.

In this installment, MacKayla, or Mac, is dealing with the shock of her sister's death. Determined to find answers, she travels to Ireland and finds herself thrust into a strange world.

I love that this book constantly raises questions without offering easy answers, and that the answers, once found, come with questions of their own. We get a real feel for Mac and how she is forced to transform herself from and average American party-girl to a tough woman who is able to fight for her life.

While this is not a romance, there is tension between Mac and her one ally, Barrons. He is, at once, her only hope and possibly her greatest enemy. Despite the antagonistic nature of their tenative relationship there is a small thread of attraction between them. Even so, this is no romance and should not be misconstrued as one.

I highly recommend this book and this three book serial to fans of Moning as well as anyone who loves urban fantasy. It is intense with plenty of action and a storyline that will make the reader question everything that happens from cover to cover.

Follows the story of a young woman who travels across the world to find out what happened to her sister.. And soon she discovers that the lines of reality are blurred with magic...and she's thrust into that new world..completely unprepared...her only link, is a shifty stranger she's just met.
With characters of fae to vampires.
Good story, intriguing characters...

I knew the book wasn't a romance, so I wasn't disappointed in that aspect, although I expected more sexual tension or something more between Mac and Barrons.
Although the plot is interesting, the story failed to engage me. It's a little slow and sometimes very confusing with all the creatures and rare terms everywhere. Also, it's written in first person, something I usually don't enjoy very much.

The main problem I had with the book is the heroine. I couldn't stand her!! She's immature, dumb, irritating, too pink... She really got into my nerves, and I don't buy that she's young and was very sheltered. I'm young too (23), and I couldn't identify with her in anything.
At least she matures a little as the story progresses, but I was too annoyed with her to care.

The hero, Jericho Barrons, is more interesting, although he is very stereotypical in the sort of dark-sexy-mysterious way. It seemed to me that I'd read him in countless romances, but at least he has potential.

The last problem I had is that the book doesn't have an end. It feels more like the first chapters of a story than a book of its own, which is very frustrating. I think it would be better to wait for all the sequels and read them in order, and from paperbacks or the library. That's what I'm probably going to do.

I didn't order this book when it first came out because the reviews from reviewers like me did not sound good. But last week I found this book at a sale for 2 bucks and bought it. Was I wrong to listen to the first reviewers? Yes! Yes! Yes! This is an awesome start to a wonderful series. There is very little romance in the first two books so maybe that is why the reviewers were abit hard on the novel. However, I love it.

Mackayla Lane is searching for her sister, who has disappeared. The last message she got was very confusing and she knows something terrible happened. When her sister's body was found it was terribly ripped and torn. Traveling to Ireland against her parents wishes she follows in her sister's footsteps and discovers that she is one of a unique few people who can see the fae. She meets a mysterious man in a book shop and from there she falls deeper and deeper into the mystery of the Fae.

Jericho Barrens owns the book store but he is much more than a shop keeper. Mac can't figure him out and she is leery of him for more than one reason. He seems to know alot about what is going on and somehow she knows he is involved deeply in the mystery.

Togather they are searching for Fae artifacts, Mac has the power to find anything made by the Fae. The Fae are dangerous and deadly, only with the help of a man she hardly trusts can Mac find her way around and try to discover what happened to her sister.

I loved it and bought BLOODFEVER right away, the next one FAEFEVER comes out is September. Do not miss this series. It is outstanding in the genre.

I said it all in the title of my review. This is my utmost favorite series now. I love all the characters and the possibility of romance. Mac is a fantastic new character. Keep them coming Ms. Moning!

I loved this book and its sequel Bloodfever! The only thing bag about it is that I'll be waiting about a year for the next one. The underlining sexual tension between mac and barrons is hot, even though there is no actual sex (yet).

Mackayla Lane is a 22 year old living her ordinary life in small town Ashford, Georgia. Her world is turned upside down when she learns of the death of sister, Alina, in Ireland where she had been studying. With no other clue to go on apart from a voicemail on her cellphone left by Alina, she packs her bags and heads for Dublin in search of answers to the mystery surrounding her sister's death and murder. In the cryptic message in the voicemail, Alina mentions the quest of the sinsar dubh. Only problem is what is the sinsar dubh and what has it go to do with the death of Alina?

When Mackayla arrives in Dublin all sorts of strange things start to happen. She sees things which are not real. At first she does not know that she is a sidhe seer, a person who can see past fae magic. And then she discovers that she has further powers which can lead her to the much sought after Sinsar Dubh. During her stay in Dublin, she meets Jericho Barrons, a wealthy bookstore owner who too can see past fae magic. Jericho takes Mackayla under his wings and together they do battle against the evils of Dublin.

Other colorful characters introduced in this book include V'lane, the death-by-sex fae, the gray man and the many-mouthed-thing.

This is the first book in a series of five. After finishing reading this book I couldn't wait to get my hands on the next installment, Bloodfever. Karen Marie Moning has created another World with her stories of the Fae and you can almost believe that they exist on the streets of Dublin. This book a is departure from her previous books in that it is much darker and there is no romance or sex scenes. Although there is a hint that there might be in future books. I highly recommend this book and make sure you have Bloodfever ready to read once you have finished this one. Great stuff!

Lea Ling Tsang

I am a fan of Karen Marie Moning's work. I love the highlander series. This book was unexpected. If you are not looking for a romance story but a good paranormal mystery, this book is for you.

I totally hated the main charactor- MacKayla....her arrogance was only superceded by her stupidity!!! She goes to a strange country, totally ignores warnings; is rude and so busy 'cracking wise' she invariably gets innocent people hurt and killed!! This could have been a good book if the writer were not so intent in trying to write like Laurell K. Hamilton! I read both the 1st and 2nd book (unfortunately I had purchased them at the same time) and they just left me more upset with the heroine than ever...I won't bother to read the 3rd book as frankly, I don't care what happens to her! I hope Barrons sees the light and lets her just die! what a waste of time! Oh and Mac ~ Barrons is a vampire for goodness sake, couldn't you figure that out already? Anyone want to buy my copies? $5.00 a piece! Still new with perfect dust covers!

The narrator is just awful. I disliked all of her accents and she definately sounded like an older southern woman....not to mention, she made Jericho sound like a crusty old Irishman. I'd recommend just reading it the old fashioned way.

I am impressed with Moning's writing prowress- as always. She never lets a reader down. Hail to the Queen of para-normal romances!

I love her books but I was very frustrated at how it left me feeling incomplete! Now to find out it will take 4 books to finish the story?

Call me when it's done. Cliff hangers are not all they're cracked up to be!

This is one of the most interesting, original books I've read in a long time. Karen Marie Moning creates an amazing world and I just can't get over how great her first-person voice resonated with me. I usually prefer third person, but - wow. I'll be anxious to read many more books by this author!

This is a fun book. No, it's not a romance. No, it's not a "young adult" book. It's a book about a young adult coming to terms with life in a chaotic and challenging situation. Which makes it a *story.* Duh. In any case, I don't know why people whine about what other people write.

I liked that the lead character was a 20-something Georgia peach -- clueless, aimless, and fearless because she didn't know any better. It made the juxtoposition of the dark characters that much more interesting.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

This is the first book I have read by the author. Will not be reading more. I blustered past the "mini skirt, high heels" crap but it did not get better. The main character is 22 and she calls other people adults. And the slang is annoying also. I love books about the fae. This is not a book about the fae but a book that has the fae in it and is about the main character who is boring and not very smart. Try Patricia Briggs (I got the author's name in a review of hers, boy was that person wrong to compare them), or Laurel K. Hamilton. No comparison.

Great book. I have read all her series. I can't wait for her next book

I read all of KMM's Highlander series and enjoyed most of them (some were better than others). Having appreciated KMM's writing style in that series, I bought this one before reading any reviews. It is a quick read and I and really "got into" the story. It has sort of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1st season) feel to it. Mac, the herione, is just learning what she is up against when she visits Dublin to find out more about her sister's murder.

Mac is young, immature, and totally unaware of her supernatural gift/curse. The author does a good job portraying Mac's youthful zeal and impulsiveness. She is sort of a girlie girl (Barbie doll). The story-line gained my interest immediately. Jericho, her protector (or nemesis ?), is a real mystery man and there were only little glimpses into his life. We learn about him as Mac learns about him. Her first challenge will be whether to trust him or not.

The book ended much too quickly for me and I wasn't aware it had such a cliff-hanger ending. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series, but I'm not a big fan of cliff-hangers.

I can't believe I ignored this book when it first came out. Shame on me!

I've read all of Moning's Highlander books, so when she came out with this new series that wasn't Highlander...well... I wasn't all that interested. I'm usually turned off by books written in first person but a friend recommended it, so I finally picked it up.

I'm so glad I did! I applaude the author for breaking the rules and being brave enough to plunge us into a story that is not quite a romance. Mac's story is engaging and told with such fluidity, I envy Moning's storytelling skills.

From the very first page, I was engaged and immersed. Mac is a great character right from the start and you see her growth from the the beginning to the end. She's spoiled and naive, not yet aware of the threats surrounding her in the dark world of Dublin.

And the moment Jericho Barrons steps onto the page, the book is on fire. He's strong and sexy, refusing to put up with Mac's immaturity and ignorance of what she really is.

I loved this book. I love the characters. If you're looking for a dark urban fantasy that's not quite a romance - pick this up. You won't be disappointed.

After blessing the fates for finding Moning's Highlander Series, I avoided reading this series b/c of the 31/2 star rating-- I didn't want to be disappointed in an author I've learned to love.

After reading the first two books (I got them simultaneously after reading other frustrated readers' reviews at the cliffhangers or inaction or growth of characters and relationships), I must be honest and say that, as of yet, this series doesn't hold a candle to the Highlander Series. But what the reader should take into consideration is that fact that each Highlander book was pretty much the beginning and conclusion to the assigned heroine and hero; this Fever Series (which I'm hearing is supposed to be five books) features the same heroine throughout the entire thing. So you have to read the books like episodes; and expect cliffhangers.

While eloquently written in typical Moning fashion; I did, however, find myself skipping throughout extra, in-depth details throughout both books. While she obviously thoroughly researched for this book, which I appreciated, it was a bit much in sections.

I warn all Moning fans NOT to listen to the audio of these books first. I made the sad attempt; and was horrified to hear the 22 yr old heroine sounding like a 60 yr. old southern grandma (almost the equivalence of the "Oracle" from the "Matrix"). But the absolute worst was the male character. Personally I find it quite difficult to imagine a sexy male character/hero when the vocalist made him sound like Bilbo Baggins. I got to disc 3, and couldn't listen anymore. It says something about how much I respect this author that I even picked up the books after listening to the horrific audio.

I have faith in Moning, however, that this series as whole will probably be great; but I agree with other readers that maybe I should've waited until the entire series was finished before starting it.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

MacKayla Lane is bereft when her sister Alina is brutally killed while studying abroad in Dublin. When the Dublin Police declare the murder an unsolved mystery and close the case, Mac flies to Ireland, determined to find the answers herself. Mac's only clue is a disturbing phone message left hours before Alina's death, mentioning a dark book called the Sinsar Dubh.

Upon arrival in Dublin, Mac is immediately pitched head first into a dark world inhabiting monstrous creatures more frightening then her worst nightmares. As if that isn't enough, Mac discovers she has the rare gift of Sidhe-seeing, the ability to see the Unseelie through their projected glamours to their true forms. She also has to fend off the attentions of Death-by-Sex Fae, V'lane who has Mac in his sights. Mac's only ally is Jericho Barrons, who is after the Sinsar Dubh for his own purposes and is not above using Mac to get what he wants. Unsure who to trust, suspecting everyone and everything, Mac is in for a dangerous game. For if the Dark Fae get the book first, it would mean the destruction of all humans.

While this is a book by a master romance novelist Karen Marie Moning, this book is by no means even remotely a romance. Darkfever is much darker in tone, has a continuing storyline throughout the entire series, and while there is some physical attraction and sexual fantasizing occurring, there is no romance found here. I knew this going into the series so I wasn't upset, but if fans are looking for the usual romance and happy ever after from Moning, they may be quite disappointed.

I loved the whole premise of Darkfever and am I glad I waited to read/listen until I could do Books 1 and 2 (Bloodfever) back to back. Though now I have to wait for book 3 (Faefever)! I love Karen Marie Moning as a romance author and now I love her as a dark fantasy author as well. The descriptions of Dublin, the Unseelie, and the circumstances of the war between human and fae were brilliantly done. I even found myself cringing a time or two over the appearances of some of the nastier of nasty dark fae.

The idea of Sidhe-seers was a fascinating one and added depth to the story, since we know the horrors of what Mac is seeing that no one else is even aware of. I did often find myself wondering as we went along, how people seeing these monsters could possibly pretend everything was normal in order to protect themselves from discovery. I sure would have had a very hard time ignoring the disgust I felt at seeing these creatures. I also loved the fact Mac is a null. Her touch has the ability to freeze the fae in place briefly, usually just long enough to escape. I've seen the idea of nulls in other fantasy books and though the most basic principle of the gift is familiar, Moning took it one step farther here.

Mac is a character I couldn't decide if I liked or hated in the beginning. She's such a fluffy, stereotypical blonde initially that I wanted to smack her for being so clueless. I was with Barrons in my original impression of Mac. She quickly grew up however once she got to Dublin and realized what exactly she was fighting for. Though she still had some of those flightier moments, she had changed so much by the end of the story (fighting for your life will do that to you) that she is like an entirely different person. Jericho Barrons is an enigma and I can't wait to learn more about him. I also found myself quite curious about the old woman who saves Mac very early on in the book and appears a few more times. What are her stakes in Mac's mission?

I am glad I listened to Darkfever though since I'd have never been able to figure out the proper pronunciation of some of the words used here. I can only hope there was a glossary in the print books that tells how to say the words. If I had read this in print, I'd have been beyond frustrated trying to figure out some of the words and it would have stolen much of the enjoyment of the story from me. Joyce Bean handles all those unfamiliar words with skill. I love her voice and her ability to bring the books to life so I was quite pleased to see she was the narrator of Darkfever.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, January 2008. All rights reserved.

Karen Marie Moning has outdone herself with this series. Once I started Darkfever, I couldn't put it down. It has all the elements a reader enjoys such as humor, intrigue, a hint at romance, and of course the dark mysteries that make you want more. I can't wait to start BloodFever. The only hold back on this series is having to wait until the other book comes out.

Be prepared - this is the first in a 5 book series. I thought it lacked the spark and sparkle of previous books. This book struck me as much more paranormal than historical fun. It left way too many things up in the air - like basic character development. We still know next to nothing about one of the main characters - something that left me feeling jipped and flat. I felt like someone had grabbed the book out of my hands when I was only halfway through reading it and refused to give it back. When I read these, I'll wait until they are all out in paperback.

After reading the excerpts and a few of the reviews posted here, I was a little unsure about whether or not I would like DARKFEVER. Like many people, I absolutely love the Highlander novels, but this book seemed to come out of nowhere. I'm glad I gave the book a chance because it turned out to be a pretty amazing read. I was thrown off by the first person narrative at first, but Karen Moning does a good job easing the reader into the mind of her heroine.

Speaking of the heroine, Mac turned out to be a stronger character than I thought she would be. I was totally prepared to be annoyed by her immaturity, but I couldn't help feeling for her as she worked through her guilt and sorrow over her sister's death. Yes, she is young and immature at first, but I think this makes her a more compelling heroine because you actually get to see her grow and slowly start to accept the fact that she is now a part of something darker and much more dangerous. I really enjoyed the tension between Mac and Barrons and actually laughed out loud during a few of their verbal sparring matches.

Overall, DARKFEVER is fast-paced and suspenseful, and I was hooked early on into the story. I would definitely recommend this book.

Once again Karen Moning has hooked me. As with the Highlander series, I was sucked in from almost the first sentence. Her characters are always well put together, and you can always identify with the heroine in some way. At the very least, you cheer her on. Mac has just lost her sister, and basically her innocence. It's endearing the way she admits to her "fairy tale" sort of life, and her expectations. She's coming to terms with her nature, and heredity and Barrons is just the one to do it.

Moning has a way with her characters that has you feeling what they feel, laughing when they laugh, and crying when they are crying or should be crying.

I usually love Moning's books and I picked this one up without knowing anything about it. Mac has to be the most annoying and boring protagonist in any book I've ever read. "Vapid" is too kind a word. I have no interest in her story; I made myself finish the book but the cliffhanger didn't make me interested in getting the next book at all. I'll wait and hope that Ms. Moning comes up with a more interesting heroine for her next series.

The first-person POV didn't bother me but the writing itself didn't seem up to par with previous books.

I have never, ever ripped a book in two... until this book.

I always enjoyed this author's work and was beyond disappointed at the end of DARKFEVER. Granted, I think part of the blame lies with the publishers who neglected to point out that this book is the first in a five book series (In that vein, Ms. Moning should take a page from Tolkien and Rowling and actually wrap each book up and not leave so many open ends simply because she intends to drag the story out into 5 moneymakers). Also, they masqueraded it as romance, which it isn't. It's a paranormal thriller. If Ms. Moning is switching over to a different genre, then her publishers need to list her books correctly and refrain from conning her romance readers into purchasing books they won't like and can't return for a full refund. I enjoy scifi, fantasy, non-fiction, psychology and philosophy books. I read romance for its brain candy appeal. Thriller bores me to tears. Rarely, if ever, are the heroines or heroes in any real danger-- they survive to the end. If this book had been listed in the correct genre, I wouldn't have wasted my time and money.

This was the most obnoxious, overbearing, redundant narrative style I've ever had the misfortune to read. If I read one more time how important it was to the heroine to be cute and decked out in pastels, I'd throw up in my own mouth. Also, the action scene at the end is so light on action and details as to be laughable. Maybe Ms. Moning will build into a better thriller author, but she fell far short with this book. I resent that I had to waste my money to discover that romance is her better genre and that DARKFEVER isn't a romance novel.

I've read all of Ms. Moning's other romance books and was immediately told about all the things that make this series different. "It's told in the first person." "It doesn't have any sex." Those sorts of things.

Well, let me tell you what it DOES have in common. Karen Marie has again created a fully fleshed-out and believable world that is compelling and alluring. Her characters are ones you either love, want, or love to hate.

There is danger in this world she has created. Whether it presents itself in the form of a shadow that could literally suck the life out of you, or a death-by-sex-Fae that could enslave you. And there are sure to be even more dangers revealed.

There are characters I am chomping at the bit to find out more about! Who is Jericho? WHAT is Jericho?

The common thread is that she has again created a world and characters that I CARE about. Mac is a heroine with flaws. She has, up to this point in her young life, been only concerned with herself. It takes a tragedy to get her to look past her own nose. But she is strong, and I absolutely adore her. This road we have begun to walk with Mac is one that I absolutely would not miss!

FYI - as for those other things . . . I didn't find the first-person distracting in the slightest. Actually, it was cool to be inside Mac's head. And as for the sex, I didn't miss it. I wished it had been there before I read the book, but after, I realized it'll happen eventually. And oh, boy! Watch out when it does!!!!

Great book, but not for the devoted romance reader. You must love fantasy and accept the darker side of people. Wonderful read and I will definitely continue with this series!!

This is the first book by this author that I have read. My first impression from reading the back is that this was going to be a great new series for me to pick up. Unfortunately I was wrong.

I was annoyed that the main character never grew a back bone. This first book should have defined the character and where the characters personality was going. By the end of the book I was so sick of the main character I just stopped reading. I stopped caring about what happened to her sister or Barron. A person cannot go from small town, never had anything bad happen to them to big city half way across the world surrounded by death and not get over pink ice nail polish that match silver sandals. By the end of this book you should have started to see a person who is starting to mature and find their purpose.

Ooh and I was tired of the word demarcation which seemed to be used every other page.

When I first started reading Darkfever I thought to myself "Oh great, a fantasy book". I had to check the spine and it said "romance". Well, I do not normally read fantasy or romance books. However I decided to stick it out with this book. Maybe because it is set in Ireland and I am Irish. I decided early on that Mac was pretty funny and came to think of her as the "ditzy blonde"--(forgetting that I dye my own hair blonde). She made me laugh and I truly enjoyed her character. I could see where she would be maturing as the series ran on. As far as the "Fae" go, I do have to say that being Irish, I know that not all fairies are beautiful and sweet. There are some pretty nasty ones. My sister has a book about fairies and you should see some of the drawings by people who claim to have actually seen these creatures. As I read the book I began to believe in the plot more. I began to believe in this other "world". I like to think of myself as being a logical and reasonable person. Because of that I do not look at the world as if it were all in black and white. There are things we have no understanding of and when other people try to tell us of these things we usually shrug them off as being "ridiculous". Because of her abilit y to provide detail I was able to understand this hierarchy of the Fae. I am still a little confused about how the supposed "good" ones can still be bad and vice versa. That will come with further reading. I do believe in vampires (again this is not based on the Ann Rice vampire craze but on deliberate, logical research on my part for many years) and it was rather sad to think the vampire in this book came to his end. However once again, there is good and there is bad. Or good and evil. I believe that Ms. Moning is opening up an interesting door for us and I am thrilled to be entering. By the way, I could not remember the name of the book or the authors name and I really wanted to order the next book in the series. I tore my whole house apart looking for it and spent at least 3 hours on Amazon doing advanced searches for it. I finally found the book. I would suggest Amazon put in a few more choice words for their books. I looked under -- fairies, evil, suspense, romance, ireland, irish, sister, dead sister, vampire, shadows, night, and about 10 other words. I was desperate. I am so glad I finally found it and I can read it during Christmas break (in between taking my kids to the movies, making cookies, wrapping gifts, watching "guy" shows, and a million other things wifes and moms have to do for Christmas) Ms. Moning you are an excellent writer. My husband who hates to read would give you highest ratings. He says that he likes the way I write because it is as if I am talking to the reader. You have that gift. I was totally lost in your book and sometimes even ignored the phone because I did not want to quit reading!! Thank you.

I have just started reading books of this genre. I couldn't put the book down. Some books do not need a bunch of mushy romance to make it good-this is one of them. I am sure Ms. Moning will eventually give us some "mush" when the time is right. I hope she sees it in heart to write a little faster! I am waiting for the third book in the series, and then the fourth...and so on....

All of I can say is Wow, this was a great read, I read the book in one sitting. I read some of the other reviews here and I know that others were disappointed by the lack of romance but, Karen did state that this wasn't going to be a Romance Novel.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I look forward to reading Bloodfever.

I picked up this book looking for something that wasn't there at all. I thought this would be an interesting combination of two of my favorite genres, fantasy and romance. At no time at all did the main character have any sort of relations with any other character...not even a true friendship. The story was just okay. I have read books written for teenagers which had more depth and were more interesting than this book. I will never read one of her 'so-called' romances again.

I picked up this book looking for something that wasn't there at all. I thought this would be an interesting combination of two of my favorite genres, fantasy and romance. At no time at all did the main character have any sort of relations with any other character...not even a true friendship. The story was just okay. I have read books written for teenagers which had more depth and were more interesting than this book. I will never read one of her 'so-called' romances again.

I have read most of monning's books and this new "fever" series is my favorite. I eagerly anticipate the thrid book and all of the great things that will happen in it. I highly recomend this series to anyone looking at a good new read.

I hate ot say this, cause I love Moning's work, but the way she wrote this, well....I stopped reading after the first chapter. I tried continuing it, but by the second, I couldn't take it. The way main character talked drove me nuts! I missed the confident and sassy heroines. This almost seemed like she was trying just to get the interest of the new generation. Don't think I'll be continuing this series.

Hopefully she'll go back to writing about Highlanders and time travel once she's finished this.

I didn't think I'd like this book at first, but when I started reading it I got hooked. It's definately something different to read to liven things up. I still don't know who she's going to end up with or who I want her to end up with. Can't she have them all? lol.. jk

Karen's book 2 in the series continues to chronicle Mac's journey into the ever changing world of the Fae. Karen continues to perfect the writing genre as she details Mac's life...you will find yourself smiling as you recognize a few favored characters, and the ending is perfect! This book will leave you wanting Faefever sooner than it's slated release date, but remembering that Karen's health comes first and the release date will give her time to write AND take care of herself.
Thank you Karen for this series and for all your other books!!!

I am a huge fan KMM. I have read all of her books, and this series, with this particular style of writing is definitely not her best. The story premise has a lot of potential (that's why I just bought the second book), but the writing does not compare with her earlier Highlander series. I know, because I have just started to re-read the first one, Beyond a Highland Mist. That writing was captivating and beautifully done. This style is difficult keep interested in. The main character is positively annoying and grated on my nerves. If it wasn't for the basic story line of good and evil Fae, and the very interesting and sexy character of Jericho Barrons, I think I would have simply abandoned this book long before I finished it. It was definitely a challenge to finish, But since I did see it through, and the next one is a continuation of the cliffhanger, I've decided to hang in there and read the second one. KMM if you are reading this, please, please, please write the next one- Fae Fever-in the style that you truly excel in. Go back to your original writing.. George, from Dead Like Me does not work well in this kind of story.

Any Moning fan will appreciate this book. While very different from her other books, the story line has many interesting places to go. I suspect the "Fever" series will somehow mesh with the Kelter one. Then things should really take off. Ordered the sequel - "Bloodfever" - and await delivery as it was just released. Very worth the read.

At first I will admit I thought it was way off from her Highlanders books but as I read it I began to make all the connections back to some of our favorite hunks. Like why didn't Adam just kill Darroc from "THe Immortal Highlander" and be done with it? Because he is the villian in the "Fever" series (Lord Master). Darroc was briefly mentioned in conversation with Lucan in the "Spell of the Highlander". I can't wait to see Queen Aoibheal bring her other Druids (Drustan, Dageus and Cian) into the story to battle this new threat and hope there is some new ones written in to do battle also. I for one was glad to see no romance between Mac and Jericho Barrons in this first book. There is an attraction but remember, we are not sure what Barrons is exactly yet and with them keeping this on a non-personal matter for now will only make for better romance down the road. Besides who has time for romance when you are busy saving the world? Great Read and can't wait for the next books.

This book was too much about the story and not enough about romance. I like romances in which the story is a reason for the characters to be together. The thing that makes a great romantic story is the moments that the characters come together. I want to like the female and fall in love with the male. I did like the female but the male was one dimensional. I don't even know if I liked him or not. I guess it does not matter since this was not a romance. Since it was not a romance it should have been in the pure sci-fi section. At least then I would not expect romance. But usually most stories have some romance. See Knootz's Lightning. It is a horror/action book but the root of the story is a romance.

I did however like the fight scene near the end. You could feel what she was thinking and it was an emotional experience. I love it when the females in sci-fi books discover powers and abilities beyond expected. However, the sex scenes would have been my worst nightmare instead of the fantasy that I expected.

The main reason that I would not have bought this book was because it did not wrap up the story. I do not like series as a rule, but I can tolerate them if each book can stand on its own. Had I known that it was worse than a series: that it just stopped the way that Lord of the Ring did, I would have never read it. At least there was a reason for Lord of the Ring doing that. This writer must have felt that she was out of ideas and wanted to drag this on.

However, I do still like this writer and hope that she will not drag the same story line out for five books. I never want to see the same character as lead character in more than one book except maybe the rare horror book such as Anne Rice. In a romance I only want to see that character fall in love once and only want to see him or her as supporting characters if they show up in another story line.