This week’s read was one I’ve been waiting for. It is the 10th book in the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning. And as it centers around my favorite character of all time, Dani, I was so ready to read it.
If you haven’t read the Fever series, this isn’t the book to start. Why you would want to read a book reported to be 10th in a series not reading the other books, I don’t know. If that’s your jam, you do you, boo, but I can’t do that shit. So yeah, I’ve read the other books that are part of the series. With the other books, you’ll get a view of Dublin that’s fighting to stay alive once the Wall between the Faery wall and the human world goes down. This series is urban fantasy at its best. Mac, the lead in the other books, is the perfect heroine, one who runs in to save everyone selflessly while putting herself in jeopardy. Along the way her circle of allies grows and expands until the dream team that can bring about the change Dublin and its people needs.
This book follows Feversong, so times have changed. The Song of Making has been sung and things are slowly getting back to a level normal. Or as normal as can be if Faery are real and people are superheroes. Dani is the leading superhero in this ragtag group of people. She has the ability to move fast, has super hearing, and she can fight like no one’s business. Her sister from another mister, Mac, is in Faery trying to save their lives and Dani is in Dublin, trying to bring the city back to life. She’s alone, with only her best friend Shazaam, a tubby Hel-Cat to keep her company and missing Ryodan, the love of her life. He’s left because Dani needs to take some time to think about things.
Two years pass and things are getting better. Or if not better, then at least its not worst. But just like any good book, happiness does not create turning pages so yeah there’s a problem. A new group of baddies, known as the Old Gods, are back to make those left behind wish that they had been killed before the Song was sung.
Lord, y’all, you just don’t know how long I waited for this book. Dani as I mentioned before was my favorite character in the series. Don’t get me wrong, I like Mac. She will always be my Rainbow Girl but Dani is more like me than I’d like to admit. She’s dark but she is surviving and that’s all we can ask for right? So yeah I was ready but I was also scared. I was scared because I didn’t really like Feversong. It wasn’t that it was a bad book, far from it. I just didn’t like the way it went, which is more my fault than the author’s.
I worried from the first cover reveal of this book that is was gonna suck. (And I hate the cover, btw) I just KNEW with every fiber of my being that I was gonna read it and I’d be so disappointed that throw a tantrum and never read another book by Moning. I’m a Moning fan from way back. I’ve been reading her since Kiss of the Highlander took us to the Scottish Highlands and introduced us to the world of Druids and Fae. Which is another reason I was was worried. I have discovered over time that authors I loved previously aren’t the same as they use to be.
But I’m sure as you’ve discovered from all the foreshadowing I’ve put in this review, that didn’t happen. I liked it! Was it perfect? Nope. Was I wishing there was more to it? Yep. But its not my book to write. And as a writer, I’m not gonna knock someone else’s art. I loved the interplay between Ryodan and Dani. But I’ve always been more interested in those two than Mac and Barrons. Don’t shot me. I know Barrons is the beginning and ending of all alpha men and he is pretty awesome with Mac but Ryodan is my favorite book boyfriend. Shazaam is so great and I am so happy at the end of the book. I won’t say too much about the story other than to say that it would make a great stand alone book. I thought that the glimpse back at Dublin and the characters that I’ve grown to love over this series.
Now to the stuff that I didn’t like so much. I wasn’t a fan of the tense change that happened to Kat. At first it was third person but midway thru one of her scenes, it switched to first person. While I didn’t like it, it wasn’t enough to make me stop reading. There were some parts that did remind me of earlier books with Mac, but I kinda expected that. I mean, this is the tenth book. And they all relate to the same world. There is going to be some overlap probably. It wasn’t like some books I’ve read where the names have been changed to protect the innocent, no wait, to make more money and sell a new book.
Dani reminded me that its okay to not be okay. Her ability to compartmentalize things might not be the sanest thing but it works and I’ve been using it for years. One of my favorite things about Dani is that while she really could just ball up in a fetal position because of her past, she doesn’t. She keeps on going. After losing Dancer, one of the loves of her life, she doesn’t let it stop her from going out and saving the world. And also discovering another love. A love who allowed her to figure out for herself who she was instead of pushing her to something that she wasn’t ready for. That to me is what love is.
and a half stars out of 5
Anne Read’s and Reviews 