Burned (Fever #7)
It’s easy to walk away from lies. Power is another thing.
MacKayla Lane would do anything to save the home she loves. A gifted sidhe-seer, she’s already fought and defeated the deadly Sinsar Dubh—an ancient book of terrible evil—yet its hold on her has never been stronger.
When the wall that protected humans from the seductive, insatiable Fae was destroyed on Halloween, long-imprisoned immortals ravaged the planet. Now Dublin is a war zone with factions battling for control. As the city heats up and the ice left by the Hoar Frost King melts, tempers flare, passions run red-hot, and dangerous lines get crossed.
Seelie and Unseelie vie for power against nine ancient immortals who have governed Dublin for millennia; a rival band of sidhe-seers invades the city, determined to claim it for their own; Mac’s former protégé and best friend, Dani “Mega” O’Malley, is now her fierce enemy; and even more urgent, Highland druid Christian MacKeltar has been captured by the Crimson Hag and is being driven deeper into Unseelie madness with each passing day. The only one Mac can depend on is the powerful, dangerous immortal Jericho Barrons, but even their fiery bond is tested by betrayal.
It’s a world where staying alive is a constant struggle, the line between good and evil gets blurred, and every alliance comes at a price. In an epic battle against dark forces, Mac must decide who she can trust, and what her survival is ultimately worth.
What I thought:
The Fever Series is hands-down my favorite series. Period. Barrons is probably the most-perfectly written alpha male in all of forever.
Ms. Moning has mastered the art of delving deep into the layers of a character and making them come alive on the page. They're so real that I freaking dream about them. I've been dying to read this book for two years. In the meantime, there's been so much speculation as to where the series was going.
Reading some of the reviews for book #6 ICED, I see some people were unhappy where Ms. Moning took the series--making Dani the main POV character. Everyone is, of course, entitled to their own opinion, but I didn't see the problem. Yes Dani was 14, yes all the other characters (i.e. the men in the series) are college age or older, but I didn't get the inappropriate vibe at all. I really enjoyed Dani's voice, her spirit, and, let's face it, she's not exactly sheltered, right? But, to me, it didn't feel like a bunch of old dudes were lusting after a teenager.
Onto book #7, BURNED:
Ms. Moning managed to do something here that, I think, most authors struggle with after the two main characters reach their Happily Ever After: there is still tension between Mac and Barrons. A lot of it. Tension is good; it makes the reader want to keep reading. I did.
Some reviewers have raked this book, and its author, over the coals, saying making Mac the main POV character was a sell-out--caving into the almighty dollar. I couldn't disagree more. Is Mac the same ass-kicking girl from book 5? No. Did I expect her to be? No. She's facing the same problem on a different front. If she acted exactly the same, where's the story in that? Could someone else have narrated this book? Good question. I don't see how.
With the exception of one--which I can't give away--none of the story lines are neatly tied with a bow. Because the story isn't over. I like the additional POVs here. They add to the complexity of the narrative and I think they're absolutely necessary for the reader to get the big picture. Did I want more? Yes. I would've like a little more of Dani toward the beginning (no spoilers) and I'm not sure how I feel about the twist at the end, because I saw it coming and was only surprised that Ms. Moning didn't leave it hanging until the next book.
As a whole, I loved this book. I will re-read it, probably multiple times before the next book is released.
I rate it 5 STARS and highly recommend it. If you haven't read books #1 through #6, definitely read them first.
Check it out on Goodreads or BUY IT at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Have you read it? I'd love to know what you thought about it?
Happy Reading!
Chelly