Review: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

Title:  Shadowfever
Author:  Karen Marie Moning
Series:  Fever, #5
Publisher:  Dell
Release Date:  January 18, 2011
Pages:  594
Rating:  ★★★★★

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister's murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals that have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief, while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh--a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King that contains the power to create and destroy worlds.

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac, and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.

Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman that haunts her dreams? More importantly, who is Mac and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?

From the luxury of the Lord Master's penthouse, to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover, to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac's journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and make a choice that will either save the world...or destroy it.

++SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF SHADOWFEVER, BUT IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES THERE MAY BE SPOILERS++

If I had to use one word to describe SHADOWFEVER I would have to say EPIC. This series is all in a epic category of it's own. I can honestly say that it was worth the wait, all the speculating and predicting from the hell-ish cliffhanger in Dreamfever was well worth it. SHADOWFEVER captivated me in a way no book has ever done so before.

SHADOWFEVER was mind-blowing and heart-wrenching. At the end of Dreamfever Mac had killed someone very dear to her and we finally find out who that is. It comes as a big surprise as to who that very special someone was because I kept thinking no, it must be someone else. Chapter 1 of SHADOWFEVER was breathtaking for me because the way that Karen Marie Moning writes is just so astonishing. The chapter killed me. There is so much emotion in how Mac in feeling learning who she has killed that it tears me apart. I was seriously tearing up here. Moning writing is spectacular.

Mackayla Lane She goes through hell. I am really impressed with Mac that I can't even begin to describe it. For a young woman to go through what she has grown through has to have a heart of a true warrior and she has proved again and again that that is what she is, brave, and tough. She could conquer the world if she wanted to. Mac has become one of my all-time favorite heroines.

Jericho Barrons Oh, god this man makes me swoon! Sometimes you want to hate him for being so cold, but than again that sexy voice and body, I want him! We finally get something, we finally get a little clue on what Barrons is and it makes perfect sense why didn't I think of that. We get to see into Barrons head a little bit and know a little bit what he is thinking and what secrets he has held from Mac. And another thing, why he wants the Sinsar Dubh. He is the most perfect dangerous bad-boy that you will get and he has taken my heart. I declare that Jericho Barrons has become my favorite guy in an urban fantasy series or of all-time. I have the Barrons Fever and I don't want a cure!

"Since the moment I laid eyes on Jericho Barrons, I wanted him. I wanted him to do things to me that pink and clueless MacKayla Lane was shocked and appalled and ... okay, yeah, well, utterly fascinated to find herself thinking about."

Darroc aka. LM We have gotten plenty of Darroc and I admit, I have to admit, don't hate me til you have read SHADOWFEVER, don't hate me even then.) I have grown to like Darroc, I didn't even think this has happened. We get a little inside look into him and into how his relationship with Mac's sister, Alina really was and I have to say that he could have been a changed man, not the total crazy dude we all thought him to be. hmmmm..

V'lane All I have to say is OMFG!!! I so didn't see that coming.

My Lovely Mackeltars I love them all! I want more highlander book! Even though they had a role in the book, I wanted more. But at least we got some yummy Christian! I want more Christian. Drustan and Dageus made my heart flutter so I had no doubt in my mind that Christian would too. It is surprising what new change happened in Christian.

This whole entire series has consumed me. Every single book in this series was an addiction that I didn't want to get away from. It was amazing. We had twist and turns and cliffhangers that drove me insane, but let me tell you those cliffhangers were worth it to get to this moment, to get to SHADOWFEVER and find everything out, all the secrets that Moning has kept from us for 5 years. It was so worth it.

It is sad for a series to come to an end. I want more. I enjoyed Mac's journey and will forever love this series. I loved every single one of these characters and YES! There is a spin-off series and I Am dying to read it, but it won't be out for a while. I am in love with Moning's writing and I crave for more.