Dreamfever
Karen Marie Moning
Publisher:Delacorte Press
Publication Date: August 18, 2009
Series or Standalone: Fever #4
Links: Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Goodreads
Rating:

MY REVIEW

CW: Rape, sexual assault

Just when you think the Fever series can’t get any better, it does. I didn’t think Moning could top the action, emotions and ending of Faefever, but she somehow does with Dreamfever. Once again, I found myself screaming at the end of this book and looking back in awe at everything that transpired in this book. Moning manages to flip the world she created on its head and add more complexity and depth to it and the characters. 

I will skip my regular summary section as anything I write will be major spoilers for the previous book. Suffice to say, Mac is dealing with the fallout of the ending of Faefever. The world Mac knew before is gone, and she’s drawing closer to confronting the Lord Master and Sinsar Dubh with the aid of Barrons, Dani and some other familiar faces. 

Once again, I was blown away by the plotting and storytelling. So much happens in this book, yet you don’t realize it until you’re at the end. I was thoroughly engrossed by the story and felt like I couldn’t read the book quick enough as I couldn’t wait to see what happens next. You can see so many overarching puzzle pieces slowly starting to come together as we draw nearer to the conclusion of the original series (it was initially supposed to be a 5 book series). And that ENDING! I thought the ending of Faefever was killer, but the end of this book managed to ramp up the tension. Talk about a cliffhanger! 

Moning takes Mac and Barrons on a massive journey and transformation in this book. Neither are the same at the start of the book as they are in the end. Mac is forever shaped by what happened to her at the end of Faefever, and I found it so interesting to see how Moning would tackle that. This book also takes Mac and Barrons relationship to a completely different level, which I did not see coming at all. The actions in this book forever change their relationship, but it remains to be seen if it’s for good or bad. If you’re a Barrons and Mac shipper like me, this book is going to take your emotions on a ride. This is not at all how I thought things would play out, but it adds such interesting depth and complexity to their feelings. We’re also drawing close to learning more about who Barrons is, and I’m so excited for that reveal.  Also, while speaking about characters, I just want to throw it out there I don’t trust V’Lane anymore. On the other hand, I genuinely love Mac’s relationship with Dani – it feels like they have a sibling bond which they both needed.

One of the things that impressed me the most with this book is Moning’s world-building abilities. After the actions of Faefever, she basically had to rewrite the rules as everything we knew of the world before had been turned on its head. I also love how she continues to flesh out different elements of the magic and power systems in play. The whole sequence with the Silvers is incredible and shows off Moning’s exemplary world-building and storytelling abilities. I don’t think I’ve read any sequences like that before and I loved how much detail she was able to add in and the fantastic pacing. That upped the world-building to a whole new level, and I cannot wait to see how she brings all the pieces together in the next book. 

While I might have been vague on the details in this review, this book is fantastic. I’m seriously in awe of this series and shocked I’ve heard so little about it, considering it started publishing in 2006. People should be shouting about this series from the rooftop especially considering how popular other Faerie-based series like A Court of Thorns and Roses are. 

If you want a book series that will keep you on the edge of your toes and literally have you screaming out loud at the twists and turns, this is the series for you! The phenomenal storytelling is complemented by fantastic world-building and characters you become deeply invested in. I’m so glad I decided to give Darkfever a second try as I seriously was missing out on the fabulousness of the broader series. Don’t be daunted by the series length – it’s well worth the read!