Iced: A Dani O’Malley Novel (Fever Series)

by: Karen Marie Moning

Publshed by: Delacorte Press

Published: October 30, 2012

Reviewed by: Maria G.

Publisher’s Blurb: The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out there, and no two days are alike. I’m Dani O’Malley, the chaos-filled streets of Dublin are my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be.
 
Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans who can defend themselves against the Unseelie. But now, amid the pandemonium, her greatest gifts have turned into serious liabilities.

Dani’s ex–best friend, MacKayla Lane, wants her dead, the terrifying Unseelie princes have put a price on her head, and Inspector Jayne, the head of the police force, is after her sword and will stop at nothing to get it. What’s more, people are being mysteriously frozen to death all over the city, encased on the spot in sub-zero, icy tableaux.

When Dublin’s most seductive nightclub gets blanketed in hoarfrost, Dani finds herself at the mercy of Ryodan, the club’s ruthless, immortal owner. He needs her quick wit and exceptional skill to figure out what’s freezing Fae and humans dead in their tracks—and Ryodan will do anything to ensure her compliance.

Dodging bullets, fangs, and fists, Dani must strike treacherous bargains and make desperate alliances to save her beloved Dublin—before everything and everyone in it gets iced.

My Review: After reading Shadowfever I, like many others, thought, “Is this really the end to the series?”

For a couple of months, we held on to hope that Karen Marie Moning would just take a couple of years off and then give us a new chapter in this beloved series. That was not the case…

What we got was a novella that was based in the Highlander Series, but gave us some insight into the Unseelie King and what drives him. We also got to see our beloved Mac and Barrons in graphic novel form as they set off on a new adventure that revolved around the Fear Dorcha and finally we got the first in a trilogy that revolved around the diminutive powerhouse and once sidekick to Mac, Dani Mega O’Malley.

Wait, are you scratching your head at the choice of a new central character in this universe. Well, to tell you the truth… I had my doubts also. Yes, Dani is entertaining and her relationship with Mac and Barrons was a great plot point in the main Fever series, but is she enough to carry this series and help move it on to the next chapter? After reading this first book, I can honestly say yes.

I am trying to not give away too much of the plot… So, bear with me.

We follow Dani and her merry, well not so merry, band of so-called “Superheroes” as they attempt to save their beloved Dublin (and the world) from a dreaded creature that originates from faery.

As the story progresses, we learn more and more about Dani, the men that protect and own Chester’s, (which is the last remaining club that allows willing humans and the unseelie to interact), we see how humanity is surviving after the wall fell and we also get to learn more about two Unseelie Princes and the troubles of the humans they interact with.

Before I go on, I want you to know that even if Dani is the voice and is the main protagonist of Iced, there was a slew of characters that she encounters and interacts with that help make this book so enjoyable, like the men that refuse to leave her side: Ryodan (yes, Ryodan), Christian (yep… that Christian) and Dancer (her best friend).

Then there are the Sidhe-seers in the Abbey and their calamitous plight as they try to keep a certain someone in check. We also get to learn more about her friend Jo and one of Ryodan’s men named Lor… who, for all intense purposes, has become my new favorite in the series.

The best part of this story is Dani; she is this positive and determined ball of energy that has found a purpose in a world where hope is almost completely lost. In a lot of ways, she really is a superhero. But, it does not stem from her speed, it comes from her compassion. She sees herself as protector and no one will stop her from being that person. At times, you forget that she is a child, but then she says certain things and you realize that this adolescent has freely and willingly taken on all this burden that everyone else has shirked and as you shadow her on her journey all you can so is cheer her on and hope that she fulfills her destiny… whatever that is.

There are some horrific moments, some movie-quality action sequences and some moments that make you stop and fall off your chair laughing. There is this one chapter that encompasses all of the above and it had me on the edge of my seat and it alone is worth the price of purchasing this book.

By the way, that last chapter in the book will make you go, “Oh S*&@!”

Do I recommend this book? Yes, I give it five out of five stars. So, go to your local bookstore or hop on-line and pick Iced up.

Fever Moon

By: Karen Marie Moning

Adapted by: David Lawrence

Illustrated by: Al Rio and Cliff Richards

Published by: Del Rey

Published on: July 10, 2012

Reviewed by: Maria G.

Publisher’s Blurb: In “Fever Moon,” we meet the most ancient and deadly Unseelie ever created, the Fear Dorcha. For eons, he’s traveled worlds with the Unseelie king, leaving behind him a path of mutilation and destruction. Now he’s hunting Dublin, and no one Mac loves is safe.

Dublin is a war zone. The walls between humans and Fae are down. A third of the world’s population is dead and chaos reigns. Imprisoned over half a million years ago, the Unseelie are free and each one Mac meets is worse than the last. Human weapons don’t stand a chance against them.

With a blood moon hanging low over the city, something dark and sinister begins to hunt the streets of Temple Bar, choosing its victims by targeting those closest to Mac. Armed only with the Spear of Destiny and Jericho Barrons, she must face her most terrifying enemy yet.

My review:

You know, for some reason… I was really hesitant to pick this graphic novel up. I think, in the back of my head, I thought some kid got the rights to make a comic book based on the series and was really not going to invest the time or effort to get to know the series. But, as I waited out a storm that we came to find out was a tornado, I decided to flip through the pages of this graphic novel.  I noticed that it indeed had a lot of the back story of the characters that we have come to know really well over the past few years and truth be told… the bits I read were quite interesting. So, I decided to read the introduction. In it, Karen Marie Moning explained the process of how this graphic novel came to fruition and it took two years for this tale to be placed on the shelves in your local book stores and it was well worth the wait.

This tale focuses on Mac’s hunt of the Fear Dorcha in order to save Dani and the Dorcha’s 14 other victims.

If you are a fan of the Fever series, than you should pick this up because:

1. 1. You see a visual representation of Dani, Mac, Barrons, Inspector Jayne, Dreamy Eyed Guy, Ryodan, etc… and you know what… they are very close to what I envisioned.
2. 2. You get this wonderful back story on the Fear Dorcha
3. 3. More Mac and Barrons

Just so you know, I would place this tale as pre-Shadowfever and that means that the events that took place between books 1-4 are referenced in this graphic novel. With that said, if you have never read a Fever book, than you will be a-okay because the adapter of the books references key points in the series’ mythos.

So, my only issue with this tale is that V’Lane was not in it… but, the overall tale made up for that. It is a quick, fun, fast-paced tale that all of you Karen Marie Moning fans should invest in.

P.S. I am counting down the days for the Dani Series!!!!

Into the Dreaming
By: Karen Marie Moning
Published: April 24, 2012
Published By: Delacorte Press
Reviewed by: Maria G.

A classic Karen Marie Moning highlander romance tale, in which we meet Jane. Jane feels like she was born of another era and this feeling stems from her kilt-wearing dream lover. One day, when all hope is lost, she gets a package. In it, there’s a tapestry and guess who’s visage is staring richt back at her. That’s right, her dream lover. She ends up being transported back and she comes across the man that has made her wish her dream life was her real life since she was a wee lass. But, there is a hitch, Jane’s dream man is not all that he is cracked up to be. Now, Jane is hell bent on getting her dream lover back from the icy cold depths of his servitute to the Unseelie King.

This was a fun and quick read and left me wanting more and more. Time to re-read the highlander series for me and possibly just up and move to Scotland so I can find my highlander… don’t tell my husband though.

I wholeheartedly suggest that you pick this book up because you not only get the novella, but you get other goodies like:

A proposal for a tale titled Ghost of a Chance
Deleted scenes from Kiss of the Highlander
The Dark Highlander Lite
Excerpt from Darkfever
and a sneak peek of the Fever Moon graphic novel.

Great buy and a nice addition to your Karen Marie Moning section of your library.

Karen is going to be in Los Angeles for a Linkin Park concert next week and, since she hasn’t been out to California yet for a signing she wants to have an informal Maniac get-together with her West Coast fans.

This is the same day the stunning mass market paperback of Shadowfever is being released so be sure to bring all your KMM books for her to sign.

Date: Tuesday August 30, 2011

Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Where: Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge at LA Live