Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

7 January, 2016 Reviews 11 comments

Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie MoningDarkfever by Karen Marie Moning
Narrator: Joyce Bean
Length: 9 Hours
Series: Fever #1
Published by Brillance Audio on October 31st 2006
Genres: Adult, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Amazon Good BooksBook Depository
Goodreads
one-half-stars

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death—a cryptic message on MacKayla Lane’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed—a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae.

Trigger Warning: Scenes of sexual assault

This is one of those books where almost every aspect of the book failed me. The characters were flat, the plot stalled around 40%, and the narration was unsatisfying. In fact, the only reason why I didn’t just give the book one star was because the beginning intrigued me.

Barrons. I don’t get his appeal. This is partly because I don’t particularly care for the whole “alpha male” trope since many times all it seems to be is barely disguised sexual or physical abuse against the heroine. Oh, so Barrons likes to threaten Mac or give her a good choke to get his point across? Totally cool, he’s just being an Alpha Male! Catch Me! Swoon! I think not. Had this have been a YA novel, we’d all be calling this an abusive relationship. He may show a different side to himself later in the series, but I don’t think I’ll be able to look past book 1 to ever find him remotely attractive.

Mac is probably the most annoying heroine I’ve read in a long time. (Maybe if I had read this circa 2009, I would have liked it better.) She’s a very shallow person, who I had a really hard time relating to, understanding, or caring about. Her sister is dead and she’s supposedly trying to find the murderer, but she always seemed more concerned with what color her nails were. Why is this important?

The narration wasn’t my favorite with Mac constantly interjecting with lines like “I won’t bore you with the details…” IT WAS SO ANNOYING. I just wanted to shake her. Like, PLESAE bore me with the details because this is a, you know, BOOK. But no. Instead Moning decided that telling me every detail of Mac’s outfit was somehow more relevant than describing what the fey looked like. Having Mac constantly spoil the plot time after time got so old and left no room for the element of surprise.

By the time I finished the book, I feel like I know about as much about the characters and the world from when I started, which is nothing at all. Well, wait. This is what I know. As Mac would say, “I’m just paraphrasing here.”

– Mac likes the color pink, is fashion forward and apparently spends way too much money in the iTunes store
– Barrons likes to beat his fists against his chest. He does macho things in his spare time, like running a book store. Since Mac barely describes him, this is what my brain registered him as:

 photo abilities_01_donkey_kong_zpst3nvz8p5.png

– the fey are evil and like to rape women because reasons
– Mac’s sister died by some evil guy who is not fey but also not human?? Also, his name is Lord Master (over compensating much?). I’m unsure if that’s his BDSM alias or real name. Anyway, Mac’s sister was hiding stuff from Mac because plot.
– Mac’s parents are hiding things because plot
– Evil fey hang out in the part of town no one goes to because it’s abandoned. Ummm, duh? Also, plot.

Pretty big disappointment with this one, folks.

Steph Sinclair

Steph Sinclair

Co-blogger at Cuddlebuggery
I'm a bibliophile trying to make it through my never-ending To-Be-Read list, equal opportunity snarker, fangirl and co-blogger here at Cuddlebuggery. Find me on GoodReads.

11 Responses to “Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning”

  1. Kristin

    Thank God, someone else who didn’t love this book/series. I read this a few years ago and I was just beginning to think that maybe I didn’t give it a fair shake. So many people LOVE this series. As usual, Cuddlebuggery gets me. 🙂

  2. Iola
    Twitter:

    Then don’t read the rest of the series – this was the best, IMO. I found them like Twilight – compelling enough that I had to read the next book, but ultimately I wondered why I’d wasted those hours of my life when there were better and more fun things to do. Like clean the bathroom.
    Iola recently posted…Review: Jacqueline by Jackie MinnitiMy Profile

  3. Brittany @ Nice Girls Read Books

    Haha! Oh, dear. This book has been on my TBR list on Goodreads for such a long time now (so many people LOVE IT!) but it sounds… difficult. I really HATE when characters don’t want to ‘BORE US WITH THE DETAILS’, because hello, like you said, it’s a BOOK. One of my biggest irks when reading is when authors tell, not show, or gloss over details that could help flesh out their characters or their world.
    Brittany @ Nice Girls Read Books recently posted…Review: “Thicker Than Water,” Brigid KemmererMy Profile

  4. Jen

    I know you were disappointed by the book, but you said you would give book 2 a shot after we discussing about it on twitter. It only gets better. There are people who wasn’t a big fan of this book that loved the rest of the books, I like to think this as an intro, not a lot happens.

  5. Natalie Monroe

    I agree one hundred percent. Barrons blows Edward Cullen out of the water.

  6. Carina Olsen
    Twitter:

    Aw, ugh. I’m so sorry this book was so disappointing for you Steph :\ Your review is all kinds of gorgeous, though. <3 Thank you for sharing your thoughts about it 🙂 Hugs. I own the 5 books, as small paperbacks. Ack. Too small, I think, lol. But planning on reading these books. One day. Not now, because I feel like I would think the same as you right now. Hmph. Thank you for being honest. <3
    Carina Olsen recently posted…In My Mailbox #219My Profile

  7. Marium

    OH i just straight ahead DNF this one, i was so frustrated and uncomfortable honestly…
    THe beginning and the writing style sort of interested me, but not enough to continue on.

  8. Donna

    I am so glad to find this review. I agree 1000000%.
    I’m on book no. 4 so far, skip reading the books only to find out who/what Mac & Barrons are.
    Ms. Moning had a great story/idea but lack the writing skill.

Leave a Reply to The Unpopular Opinion Book Tag | Cuddlebuggery Book Blog Cancel reply

CommentLuv badge