Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning (Fever #2)

Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Publication Date: October 16th 2007
POV: Female - First-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 2 out of 10
My Rating: 2 out of 5

_______________

I used to think my sister and I were just two nice southern girls who’d get married in a few years and settle down to a quiet life. Then I discovered that Alina and I descend, not from good wholesome southern stock, but from an ancient Celtic bloodline of powerful sidhe-seers, people who can see the Fae. Not only can I see the terrifying otherworldly race, but I can sense the sacred Fae relics that hold the deadliest of their magic.

When my sister was found dead in a trash-filled alley in Dublin, I came over to get answers. Now all I want is revenge. And after everything I’ve learned about myself, I know I have the power to get it….

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 worlds 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.

_______________

I was already annoyed after book 1 that not enough had happened. Mac had made no progress on any of the things she was trying to accomplish. And now, after the second book, she still has not accomplished anything. She hasn't discovered her sister's killer. She hasn't found the Sinsar Dubh. She hasn't discovered who she can trust. And now I am F%#@ING furious!

I still love Mac and think she has only become more interesting as she becomes practically a different person. If only the story was different. If only the things that she is forced to go through were more relevant and that things would move faster, this would be great. The world and protag are good, and the writing has gotten better. Although Mac's stupid "rightie-leftie" ridiculousness was really starting to grate on me.

I just don't care about the story or Barrons at all. I don't find anything about Barrons attractive, and the unbelievably slow pace at which we get to know him is beyond unacceptable. As far as I am concerned he is a jackass. I just couldn't give a damn at this point and I will not read who knows how many more books just to find out what happens.

I said in my review for book 1 that there was zero romance. Z.E.R.O. There wasn't really in this one either. Mac never thinks of Barrons in a romantic way and never even shows any sign of being attracted to him, except once when she said he looked hot when he laughed. It was the first time she had ever seen him laugh so it had surprised her. There is also one part later in the book when Mac is sort of freaking out and high on violence and Barrons kisses her and she kissed him back. I think the violence had turned him on. This still does not cause Mac to have any sort of romantic thoughts about him. Afterwards its like it never happened. It doesn't change their relationship at all. So if you are looking for romance I really suggest you look somewhere else. I looked into what happens later in the series and none of it sounds very promising. This series seems to be way more story-driven than romance or character driven. Too bad I don't think the story is good enough to carry the series. But a lot of people clearly do, so I think fans of Urban Fantasy are the best bet for enjoying this.

This is the second majorly popular adult PNR series I have read and not gotten past book 2. The other was Night Huntress. I am not really sure which was worse since the things I hated about them were different. I am not sure how they would balance out in the end. I hated the hero in both fairly evenly, but I also hated the heroine in Night Huntress. More than the hero. But I did enjoy the story somewhat. A lot more than the story of Fever. I think they balance out pretty closely. I feel like I am playing Russian roulette when I read a popular series. Do I want to risk it again? I do. I know I will do it again. I still need to read Dark Lover and Night Pleasures. I am a glutton for punishment.

“One day you will kiss a man you can't breathe without, and find that breath is of little consequence.”