Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning (audio)

Book Description:
“Evil is a completely different creature, Mac. Evil is bad that believes it’s good.”

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.  Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister’s murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds.

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.

Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her dreams? More important, who is Mac herself and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card.

At last, the grand finale - the answers to all our questions!  Who was it that Mac killed at the end of Dreamfever?  Who was the beast?  Will she and Barrons ever kiss and make up and admit they love one another?  What is Barrons, anyway?  Is he even human?  How does Mac get out of the mirrors?  Will she ever see Christian again?  Will Mac ever find out who her mother really is?  The questions could go on and on and yes, they are all answered, although I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get a real clear cut answer about what Barrons really is... 

It's hard to review this book without giving away any spoilers, so this is going to be brief.  Shadowfever picks up right where Dreamfever leaves off.   We suffer with Mac as she realizes who the beast was and who she has killed.  But, she picks up the pieces, becomes stronger and more determined than ever to save the world from the Unseelies, double cross and kill Daroc and harness the power of the Sinsar Dubh and use it to make everything right again.  Not an easy task.

On audio, I enjoyed listening, but this was by far the most complex and wordy of the books in the series.  It's definitely worthy of a re-read (in print) to really get a handle on all the explanations.  Plus, it was so complicated I just need to read it again to get it all straight in my head!  There was a lot of background information to digest, lots of Fae lore, a who's who of Fae prince's, fallen prince's, former queens, the concubine.  Who was the Unseelie King, really?  Many red herrings - it was a roller coaster ride of emotions, yet there is a lot of reassuring familiarity in the book.  Barrons is around, he and Mac are forever snarling at one another, never admitting their true feelings - but of course they do eventually!  We find out what the real reason is behind Barron's search for the Sinsar Dubh, and I found it wasn't what I expected at all, it was a surprise to me and, dare I say - I bit of a let down *ducking*.

Did I like the book?  Yes, of course, but it's not my favorite in the series.  Darkfever still holds that honor.  Did it live up to all my expectations?  Yes, but there's still some unfinished business left up in the air and I felt that the ending was a bit open-ended.  I can't say I'm perfectly satisfied with it.  I had trouble with the sappy ending, which I found to be somewhat uncharacteristic of the overall tone of the series.  It felt like someone put a cherry and whipped cream on top of a very rare sirloin steak.   The whole, life is great, Betty Crocker "let's play house" and "steaks on the BBQ" scene was over the top.  Huh?  It just didn't sit right with me.    For some reason I just felt a bit deflated after it was all over, but at the same time, I'm happy for everyone and everything got resolved.

On a side note, I've been listening to the Highlander Series for the first time.  I've read it before, but never on audio.  Phil Gigante is amazing!  His voice for Adam Black, in particular, is sinful!  Plus, now I can pick up on the many references and clues for the Fever Series that meant nothing to me my first time around with the McKeltar brothers.

Speaking of the Keltar, I loved the McKeltar's showing up and oozing masculinity and tangling with Barrons.  He hated them!  I thought it was a hoot! We even have a brief cameo of Adam Black - and it sizzled!  We even see some old creepy unseelie's again like the "gray woman".  It kinda reminded me of the Seinfeld finale.  We get glimpses of some of our old favorites who all come back for the last episode, but the episode itself is a bit of a let down - or at least that's how I felt about it at the time.  I recently watched it again and loved it!  I bet I feel that way with Shadowfever too, I have to give it some time before a re-read when I will savor it slowly, mull it over and soak it up.

Overall, Fever is a fantastic series, amazingly imaginative and downright awesome! One of my absolute favorites and I'm sure I will revisit Mac again and again.  When I do re-read Shadowfever, I'll add a postscript to my review here.

4/5

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Into the Dreaming by Karen Marie Moning

Book Description:
IT WASN'T ALL JUST A DREAM...

Aspiring romance novelist Jane Sillee was completely in love with her fantasy man--the hot and strapping dark-haired Highlander who'd been coming to her in her dreams for years and inspired her sensual flights of literary fantasy.

But it was more than her imagination that conjured up the brilliantly woven tapestry sporting the spitting image of her magnificently arrogant warrior. It was more than a dream that transported her to medieval Scotland to break an evil spell. And it was more than she could handle when she found herself wrapped in the muscular arms of Aedan MacKinnon, who had his own fantasies to fulfill...

*sniff*

I'm a little sad, I've read all of KMM's books now! No more!

Still, I really enjoyed this short novella that was sort of a bridge between her Highlander and Fever series. It had some lore on the Unseelie King and the Seelie Queen that assuaged by thirst for anything 'Feverish' and yet, it was a highlander romance at heart - with lots of romance and fun to boot.

Jane Silley (Seelie? Get it?) is a young aspiring romance author who has a hankering for highlander romances. She gets sent back in time to the 1400's in order to save a doomed highland laird from the Unseelie King. The highlander has forgotten what he was since he has been imprisoned in Faerie for 500 years doing the bidding of the Unseelie King. Now instead of Aedan MacKinnon, he knows his name as Vengeance.

Jane has a month to bring him back to who he really is. As it turns out they have been dreaming of one another all her life - romantic magical sexy dreams of the two of them together making love and being happy - and she wants that to happen for real! When they first meet he is cold and icy and wants nothing to do with her, but she works on him, thaws him out and it was so fun to read about how she does it - she's a clever girl!

I really loved this story and it was a very, very pleasant - and hot - quick read!

Highly recommend it, it's like the cherry on top of her Highlander Series!

4.5/5

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Fever... you give me fever... Karen Marie Moning

You give me fever,
When you kiss me,
Fever when you hold me tight.
Fever! In the morning,
Fever all through the night.

This post has lots of spoilers in it. I just could not write my thoughts on this fantastic series otherwise. You'll also have to deal with my fevered stream of consciousness that will only make sense to anyone who has read this series, I apologize in advance

Has it really been less than two weeks since I first started reading Darkfever? I feel like I've been sleepwalking through my life, just living to read, read, read. I haven't been so engrossed in a new series since the first time I read Outlander And you know what that led to!


BLOODFEVER

Book Description:
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.…

Bloodfever is the 2nd in the Fever series, and continues the tale of Mac and the mysterious and handsome to die for Barrons. I'm developing a major colossal crush on him. I'd say I'm falling for this man - but... I don't know if he's a man or not! Whatever he is - I want him. Mac undergoes her first transformation in this book, she nearly dies and when all is lost, it seems like this is it, she figures out that if she eats Unseelie, she will not die and gets better - and guess who feeds it to her? Uh.. yeah. I don't know what he is, but I want one of my own. Crazy as it might seem, I keep thinking Barrons is what Mr. Darcy would be like in the this crazy, paranormal fae universe. Is it no wonder I'm hot as anything for this guy in leather with his dark handsome good looks. Just the thought of riding around on his silent Harley, turning corners and holding on for dear life - gaaah! (as in a cross between a gasp and "aaah")

Bloodfever wasn't as good to me as Darkfever, but I'm still lovin' it! It's grittier, life is getting tougher, the Unseelie are pouring in, Mac is losing her innocence fast. I'm glad the vampire is out of the picture now, though, and loved that one hot moment between Mac and Barrons - such a teasing duo!

Onto the next...

4/5



FAEFEVER

Book Description:
"He calls me his Queen of the Night. I'd die for him. I'd kill for him, too." When MacKayla Lane receives a torn page from her dead sister's journal, she is stunned by Alina's desperate words. And now MacKayla knows that her sister's killer is close. But evil is closer. And suddenly the sidhe-seer is on the hunt: For answers. For revenge. And for an ancient book of dark magic so evil, it corrupts anyone who touches it.

Mac's quest for the Sinsar Dubh takes her into the mean, shape-shifting streets of Dublin, with a suspicious cop on her tail. Forced into a dangerous triangle of alliance with V'lane, an insatiable Fae prince of lethally erotic tastes, and Jericho Barrons, a man of primal desires and untold secrets, Mac is soon locked in a battle for her body, mind, and soul.

As All Hallows' Eve approaches and the city descends into chaos, as a shocking truth about the Dark Book is uncovered, not even Mac can prevent a deadly race of immortals from shattering the walls between worlds - with devastating consequences...

What a bloody cliffhanger! How did everybody last until the next book came out? All I can say is, I'm glad I didn't have to wait! I liked Faefever better than Bloodfever. Even though things are getting steadily worse and worse I could not stop reading, I'm addicted.

Am I the only one that thinks the sidhe-seers are whiny? I find Dani annoying too, but maybe that's just because I happen to live with a teenager right now. I have to keep telling myself, she's only thirteen.

I'm liking V'lane more and more, but I just don't trust him. Still...

Sorry, not much of a review, I sort of have lumped Bloodfever and Faefever together, though I liked Faefever more. I'm just bowled over how good this is - all the details and characters and weapons and villains and wondering what's what and who's who? It's mind boggling and so clever!! This just blows away her Highlander series!

4.5/5


Never know how much I love you,
Never know how much I care.
When you put your arms around me,
I get a fever that's so hard to bear.

DREAMFEVER

Book Description:
He has stolen her past, but MacKayla will never allow her sister's murderer to take her future. Yet even the uniquely gifted sidhe-seer is no match for the Lord Master, who has unleashed an insatiable sexual craving that consumes Mac's every thought-and thrusts her into the seductive realm of two very dangerous men, both of whom she desires but dares not trust.

As the enigmatic Jericho Barrons and the sensual Fae prince V'lane vie for her body and soul, as cryptic entries from her sister's diary mysteriously appear and the power of the Dark Book weaves its annihilating path through the city, Mac's greatest enemy delivers a final challenge...

It's an invitation Mac cannot refuse, one that sends her racing home to Georgia, where an even darker threat awaits. With her parents missing and the lives of her loved ones under siege, Mac is about to come face-to-face with a soul-shattering truth-about herself and her sister, about Jericho Barrons...and about the world she thought she knew.

Oh God, there was just so much in this book that was hard to take in...

*choke*

O ye of little faith... you didn't even try.

Noooooo! Barrons, Barrons - thank you for saving Mac, but... but... yes, I was so hoping he'd rescue her, but not like this, not this way! To think that they are having non-stop sex over and over again, but she's all Pri-ya and screwed up! It's too fast, it's rushed, it's not slow and sexy! Where's their moment in the sun? Where's their moment to fall in love? Where's that penultimate moment that we've all been waiting for? Instead we're bombarded with sex, sex, sex, but it's not real - although, some things were pretty damn hot - but it has no deep, inner meaning, he's saving her, he's rescuing her. Neither wants to admit there's more to it than that. I want romance, I wanted to slap the two of them up against the head and tell them to say "I love you!" in the abbey! I wanted Mac to go back with him, and V'lane jumping in and interrupting them - aargh! What a choice to make - though I'd choose Barrons any day - still! It's driving me crazy!

*pout*

Still... it's bloody brilliant!

Did I mention how much I loved the description of Barrons and sex, he's amazing! All night long? Never gets tired? Always hard? Gulp! A woman's dream!

I still find Dani annoying, but she did save Mac, and for that I'll be grateful. I know there's more to her than we know, I guess I'm looking forward to her growing up. I am afraid the Unseelie Princes are going to get to her.

I got a little lost in all the cosmic Silvers going from realm to realm and stones and seeing Christian and then losing Christian (!) parts. The inter dimensional explanations of what could be happening - well, you lost me there, though I'm in awe of how KMM can write all this stuff!

Now for the end! Okay, the whole time Mac was being protected by the IYD "thing" monster I kept thinking "It's really Barrons." So? Is it? What do you all think? It just can't be - or if it is, she feeds him that last little piece of Unseelie (I'm not sure she even still has it). He can't be dead! And what happened to V'lane? I'm just so amazed at KMM's imagination! Really, really amazing stuff, I always liked her writing and loved her Highlander series before this, but this just puts her in a whole new class for me - this is really good! Or is it this fever I'm experiencing and I'm just .... uh, forgot what I'm talking about, I'm still in such a daze...

I don't know how in the world I'm going to be able to wait for Shadowfever! And it's been optioned with 20th Century Fox - whoah! But I know that nothing can come of it, Outlander has been optioned a few times with nothing coming of it, so who knows...

Still! It would be awesome!

*I don't even want to think about what Mac as Pri-ya and Barrons bringing her back would be like! Definitely would have to be on cable...*

Out of all the books, I loved Darkfever the best, since that was my intro, but I thought Dreamfever was the most compelling and imaginative of them so far and very, very well done. Brava!

4.5/5

Overall rating of Series: 5/5

Update: November 2, 2010

I've now listened to the whole series on audio now and loved it.  Funnily enough Dreamfever was much easier to listen to than read in print.  I understood it better and loved the sultry masculine voice of Phil Gigante, although I missed the strong Southern accent of Mac as narrated by Joyce Bean.   Dreamfever's new female narrator, Natalie Ross is fine and she sounded like she was in her early twenties, more so than Bean in the earlier books.

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Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Book Description:
MacKayla Lane's life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she's your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks... until something extraordinary happens.

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death -– a cryptic message on Mac'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...

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister's death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane -- an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women -- closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac's true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book -- because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands...

I was blown away by this book, my first urban fantasy, I was caught up in the plotline from the beginning and couldn't put it down. I'm starting the next book in the series immediately, I can't wait to read on!

I didn't expect to really like it. I loved Moning's Highlander series, but had not been into the whole fae part of it, so I had no desire to read this series. Fantasy and paranormal are usually not my thing. But, Kindle was giving this book away for free and I downloaded it and gave it a shot - I'm so glad I did!

Mac (MacKayla) Lane is a Barbie doll type of girl, loves the color pink, long blonde hair, loves to pick out outfits and look cute. She's a bartender and lives at home in her parent's house, lounging around their swimming pool working on that golden tan. She's a real girlie girl, used to the good life. She was not unlike the character in Legally Blonde played by Reese Witherspoon. But, Mac's world turns upside down when she gets a phone call that her sister (and best friend) has been murdered in Dublin. No trace of the killer, the case has no leads and is eventually closed. Mac and her parents are devastated and mourn for the loss of their beloved child and sister. Eventually, Mac pulls herself together and flies to Dublin to see if she can get some answers about her sister's death. After belatedly hearing a message on her cell phone from her sister shortly before her murder, Mac can't put it behind her, she must try and get to the bottom of it.

While in Dublin all hell breaks loose for Mac. Suddenly she is swept up in the supernatural world of Seelie's and Unseelie's, who are good and evil fae's that can disguise themselves as humans. She must battle evil vampires, Master Lords and joins up with an enigmatic, handsome bookseller named Jericho Barrons, who becomes her unlikely partner. She's not sure what his motivation is, but he saves her life on more than one occasion and begins to instruct her on the ways that she can kill Unseelies and keep herself alive. He also had an ulterior motive with regard to her - she has a power he needs. Mac learns that she is a Null, a type of shidh-seer (pronounced "she-seer"), who can see monsters (evil faes known as Unseelies, without their glamour facades) that ordinary humans cannot. She becomes a sort of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, only she becomes an Unseelie Slayer. Together she and Barrons try to find these particular OOP's (love this), Hallows that will lead them eventually to a fantastical and legendary book, the Sinsar Dubh that can save the world from the Unseelies.

Still with me?

The story was exciting and I was riveted to it. I kid you not, I couldn't put it down and read it in one day. It was so good! I can't help but wonder who and what Barrons really is. There is some sexual tension between the two, but nothing of note ... yet. I am hopeful, yet I still cannot be sure since I don't know what he is exactly. The various monsters that Mac must come across are horrifying and well described - I felt I was there with her meeting them face to face. Plus, I really love Mac's character. She seems real to me, I can identify with her. A lot of what she thinks and does I can see myself thinking and doing too! She's just an ordinary girl who likes pretty, shiny things and living comfortably. Suddenly she's thrust into this crazy world in which she is constantly looking over her shoulder battling evil and trying to find out what happened to her sister. Most of all, she's trying to find out who she really is. Is she really the daughter of her parents? Was she adopted? Is she descended from a long line of shidh-seers named O'Connor that makes her a human geiger counter for the Hallows? If so, she can prevent the Unseelies from destroying mankind by getting the Sinsar Dubh! Barrons wants the Sinsar Dubh badly - but do we know for sure he's a good guy?

Mac is so endearing. One of the funniest part of the book (and yes, there are some funny moments) is when Mac comes across this devilishly handsome royal Seelie, V'lane. He has this power to make human women want to have sex with him - immediately. They can't help it, and Mac is no exception. As soon as he comes in proximity to her she starts taking off her clothes and doesn't even realize it! She is amazed at herself as well! I laughed out loud at how she finds her bra and panties tossed on the floor - having no idea she has tossed them there. Made for some crazy moments! Luckily, she comes to her senses before V'lane can take advantage of her.

After much excitement, the book ends up in the air with a bit of a cliffhanger, definitely setting the reader up for the rest of the series. There is a glossary of all the different monsters and fae's and who is who. This is very helpful. I'm eager to read the rest of the series. Full of action and suspense - I loved it! I can't wait to continue it, stay tuned for more reviews from me!

4.5/5

Addendum 10/22/2010: 
I've recently re-read Darkfever but on audio this time.  I had my likes and dislikes.  I liked Mac's voice for the most part, but the narrator, Joyce Bean, sounded kind of old for a 22 year old girl, but I liked the Southern accent.  What I did NOT like was the way she made Barrons voice sound.  Not at all how I envisioned him sounding when I read the book last year.  He doesn't sound the least bit carnal or sexy, it's too foreign sounding - I don't know, it's just not how I pictured him sounding (if that makes any sense).  I'm glad to know that by book 4, it's Phil Gigante (gunh!) doing Barrons - crucial!

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Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning (audio)

Book Description:
Powerful. Sensual. Seductive. He is all that is shamelessly erotic in a man. In her sexiest Highlander novel yet, New York Times bestselling author Karen Moning stirs up a sizzling brew of ancient mystery and modern passion as she brings together a devilishly handsome Celtic warrior trapped in time... and the woman who's about to pay the ultimate price for freeing him. Age-old secrets haunt them. Deadly danger and irresistible desire shadow their every move. It's a relationship for the ages. And all that separates them is a mere thirteen hundred years....

Jessi St. James has got to get a life. Too many hours studying ancient artifacts has given the hardworking archaeology student a bad case of sex on the brain. So she figures she must be dreaming when she spies a gorgeous half-naked man staring out at her from inside the silvery glass of an ancient mirror. But when a split-second decision saves her from a terrifying attempt on her life, Jessi suddenly finds herself confronting six and a half feet of smoldering, insatiable alpha male.

Heir to the arcane magic of his Druid ancestors, eleven centuries ago Cian MacKeltar was trapped inside the Dark Glass, one of four coveted Unseelie Hallows, objects of unspeakable power. When the Dark Glass is stolen, an ancient enemy will stop at nothing to reclaim it, destroying everything in his path -- including the one woman who may just hold the key to breaking the ninth-century Highlander's dark spell. For Jessi, the muscle-bound sex god in the mirror is not only tantalizingly real, he's offering his protection -- from exactly what, Jessi doesn’t know. And all he wants in exchange is the exquisite pleasure of sharing her bed.

Yet even as Cian's insatiable hunger begins to work its dark magic on Jessi, his ancient enemy is about to obtain the final and most dangerous of the Unseelie Hallows -- and the ninth-century Highlander must stop him from getting it. Nothing less than the very fabric of the universe and two passionately entwined lives are at stake–as Cian and Jessi fight to claim the kind of love that comes along but once in an ice age....

Oh. My. God. I loved this audiobook. Once again, I am in love with a voice. This time, it's Phil Gigante who is the voice of Cian MacKeltar. He has this deep, strong, masculine voice, that has such repressed sexuality in it - it just makes you melt listening to him! At one point I was walking down the aisle in the supermarket listening to him, and almost felt my legs give out beneath me - talk about your legs turning to jelly! I wish I had listened to all the other KMM books before this one, since this is the 7th in the Highlander series of hers. Now I know what everyone has been talking about with this guys's voice! It's sex on a stick. If you haven't listened to any of these books yet, at least listen to this one. It made me absolutely love this book - I think it might be my favorite of the series, or if not favorite, 2nd favorite.

The book opens with Jessi St. James, who's a graduate student, studying anthropology. Young and pretty with no social life because she is working and studying so hard for her Masters degree, she wishes for something exciting to happen in her life someday. Well, I'd say she got her wish and more...

By doing a favor for her professor, she meets the man in the mirror, Cian MacKeltar. He is a Highland Scot who is a Druid from the 7th century. He has had this spell on him for over 1,100 years, which has kept him locked in the mirror and soon, within a month he will have a chance to escape from the mirror for good. But, he must convince Jessi to release him from the mirror by saying "the magic words", a special Celtic prayer. She hems and haws and doesn't do it right away, since she's understandably freaked out by the whole thing. But, as she finds out people are dropping like flies who have all seen this mirror, she realizes that Cian is her only hope of not getting murdered herself. He is the only one that can protect her from the evil Lucan Trevaine.

Once she releases him the book becomes hysterically funny. Picture this six and half foot god of a man who hasn't had sex in over a millenium being released from captivity by a bosomy, young college co-ed who also happens to be beautiful and has been longing for a boyfriend of her own as well. Of course, she's a virgin, and has some moral scruples - but still! A girl can only withstand so much testosterone! Cian is irresistible and not the sort of man that will take no for an answer. He is like a stallion that is ready to go - come hell or high water. The first thing he says to her after he is released is something like, "Remove your blouse and show me your breasts, woman!" Her response is something like, "Are you for real? As if!" You see, Cian has this power known as "Voice" in which he can command people to do whatever he wants. His voice gets this strange sort of ringing vibrating sound to it. But... "voice" doesn't work on Jessi because she has a metal plate in her head from a car accident she was in when she was a senior in high school. After this initial meeting between the two, all hell breaks loose and they must flee and get themselves to Scotland for Cian to escape his captor and evade him until Samhein which is in about 25 days.

Jessi puts Cian's amorous advances off (she is a virgin afterall) as much as she can, but she's losing the battle, he is so amazingly handsome and virile and... big. As luck would have it, he can only be out of the mirror for short periods of time, and at some very inopportune moments he all of a sudden is transported back to the mirror until the next day, when Jessi has to say the magic words again and let him out. This is probably the only thing that saved her virginity until they got to Scotland. There were plenty of amusing moments between the two. Poor Jessi has to put up with Cian's caveman sensibilities and using "voice" on everyone that they come across. It really was good, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

One particularly funny scene that I liked was when they're in a hotel room in Chicago, and Jessi has almost been killed, and Cian has killed her murderer from the mirror (he can throw knives and clothing from inside it). She's screaming and screaming and can't stop. Finally, once she does, some guy from the hallway is calling her to see if everything is okay in there. She has to act like she saw a spider and she mouths to Cian to say something, since she's told the guy in the hall her husband killed it. Cian booms in his big voice, saying something like "Twas nice of you to be concerned, but all is well now!" After the guy walks away, Jessi says to Cian "Twas?? All is well now?? Could you sound more archaic?" It was so funny, but you have to hear it yourself to appreciate it. They were some pair!

Together they travel to Scotland, she is dragged along wherever he says to go. In some ways this part of the book reminded me of Kresley Cole's A Hunger Like No Other that I reviewed last year. They both came out around the same time, coincidentally. I liked this book more, simply because I prefer men over werewolves and vampires. But, I digress...

Once they get to Scotland and Jessi manages to battle a snippy female airport employee, they hook up with Cian's descendents, Drustan and Daegus MacKeltar from the previous books in the series. They are not exactly glad to see him, and even they think Cian's outlandish with his braids and tattoos and demanding and unreasonable attitude! The only one who can tame him and bring him back to earth is Jessi. I really liked Jessi, I know some people found her annoying and stupid, but I liked her. Poor thing, at one point Cian stole her some clothes (because hers got all bloody) and he didn't even get her a bra, so through most of their long journey, she's bouncing around wishing fervently for just a bra - any kind will do! I had to like a girl like that.

I won't spoil the rest of the story or how it gets resolved, but just be assured it ends happily with an exciting ending within the last 20 minutes before midnight on Samhein.

If you have never read these books, listen to them, if possible. If ever there was a book to listen to - instead of reading - this is one of them. I think I'm going to go back and get all the audiobooks to these books and just listen to them, rather than re-reading, it really takes it all to a whole new and better dimension with this narrator who is absolutely fantastic! I could listen to him all day. My one gripe about him is he's not the greatest at female voices, making them sound kind of ditzy. Jessi has brains and is no ditz, but understandably, she did get flustered around Cian at first (who wouldn't?) and had a lot on her plate dealing with him.

A thoroughly enjoyable book, I highly recommend this highlander romance with a contemporary setting and paranormal themes - I simply loved it! Plus, I loved the sexy cover!

5/5

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The Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

Book Description:
For eons Adam Black has aided humanity and meddled in its affairs, much to the chagrin of the queen of the Seelie Court. He has finally pushed her too far and finds himself, a once powerful Fae, invisible and very human. But he is still as resourceful as ever, and finds a way to reach the queen and plea to have his curse lifted with the help of a young lawyer, Gabrielle O'Callaghan, a human born with the ability to see his kind. As old enemies yearn to take advantage of his weakened state, threatening his life and all existence, Adam discovers that Gabrielle threatens a heart he never thought he had.

This is the 6th in the Highlander saga of books by Moning, and this one revolves around the fae Adam Black that has popped up from time to time in some of the previous books. Adam is over the top. He oozes sex appeal and appears irresistible to any woman within sight. Six and half feet tall, long black hair, golden skin, perfect body with a penchant for leather pants and an eternal hard on. Could he get any better? Unfortunately, he's not human, although when Gabrielle runs into him, he appears to be so, due to a curse that the queen of the faes had put on him. Plus, he's invisible to everyone except Gabrielle, who was born with the capability of seeing faes, (though it's a family secret). If the truth is ever revealed to the fae world she could be hunted down and captured forever.

Does this sound like a typical highlander romance to you? No? It didn't to me either. It had way too many "paranormal" overtones to it for my liking. I like the real thing. A brawny, alpha male who wears a kilt and calls his woman "mine." Although Adam would probably - no, almost certainly - win the "Sexiest Man Alive" poll by People magazine he doesn't have a soul, and I just thought he was too perfect. I got a little tired of all the descriptions of how gorgeous he was and how irresistible he was and how he just exuded manliness and sex appeal with a contant sly smile and smoldering look in his eyes as if he can't wait to tear your clothes off. His constant thoughts of wanting to bed Gabby and all the things he'd do to her there - well, it got kind of old. I like sex just like anyone else - but, this was just over the top and - a whole book like this? Well, I never thought I'd say it, but it was kind of dull.

Gabby, as a heroine wasn't bad, but as usual, she is a virgin who refuses to give into Adam, even though he's making it more and more hard for her to resist him. How many times did we have to hear about the huge bulge in his pants that would never go away? Although the book was entertaining at times, Adam was never a character that I liked all that much in the previous books. He's a devilish rogue fae who's always up to no good. It was hard for me to like him in this book, despite the good deeds that come out that he was responsible for. I think this might have been my least favorite of all the books due to this. Plus, it didn't help that it was the same formulaic ending. Girl meets gorgeous highlander, has awesome sex with him, but must lose him in some way (either he's believed dead or lost in another time) and she must return to her hum drum life in Cincinatti (or wherever she lived previously in the States) and then lo and behold he turns up and surprises her and they have hot sex again! Been there, done that.

This was the third book in the series that ended this way. This time, the two heroines from the last two books encourage Gabby to take a giant leap of faith - they did and lived happily ever after - so Gabby can too. Who knows, maybe your immortal sex God will want you once he regains his immortal fae powers - you must believe! At first, we don't think it will work for Gabby, but as in all romances, we do get the happy ending, I just wish it had been a little different and imaginative and not so similar to the other ones. Some parts were exciting, but overall, this book didn't thrill me. I think there was such a big build up to when Adam and Gabby finally have sex, it was almost a let down.

Give me a mortal man in a kilt instead of leather pants and I'm happy. I don't need fairy tales. *grin*

3/5

March 3, 2011 - Updated for Audiobook Review

Upon revisiting this story, this time on audiobook with the masterful Phil Gigante narrating, I've updated my rating solely because I love his voice for Adam Black.  He gives him this sexy sort of lilting accent that is irresistible!  I also appreciate this book much more now that I've read the Fever series.  We're introduced to Daroc who we later meet in the Fever Series and it's good background material for what was happening to the Seelie.  I like Gabby a little bit more here, it's understandable how freaked out she'd be by Adam, although I still think the very ending of this book was a bit sappy and sugary for my own tastes, but overall it's much better on audio than in print.

3.5/5

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The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

Book Description:
Journey to a world of ancient magic, breathtaking sensuality, thrilling time-travel.... Journey to the world of The Dark Highlander. Crisscrossing the continents and the centuries, here is a novel as gripping as it is sensual--an electrifying adventure that will leave you breathless....

I am Dageus MacKeltar, a man with one good conscience and thirteen bad ones, driven to sate my darkest desires...

From his penthouse lair high above Manhattan, Dageus looks out over a glittering city that calls to the darkness within him. A sixteenth-century Scot trapped between worlds, he is fighting a losing battle with the thirteen Druids who possess his soul, dooming him to an eternity of sexual pursuit. When Chloe Zanders, student of antiquities, is drawn into his world, she finds the insatiable alpha male an irresistible lure.Before long, she is caught up in an ancient prophecy that will sweep her back into time to medieval Scotland. Plunged into a world of timeless magic and dark seduction, she will soon face the challenge of a lifetime: fighting thirteen evil spirits for the heart of one irresistible man....

The 5th of Karen Marie Moning's Highlander books, this one picks up where the last one, Kiss of the Highlander left off. Whereas Kiss of the Highlander was about twin brother, Drustan, this one is about the other twin, Dageus. I really loved Kiss of the Highlander, I think it's my favorite of her books I've read so far, but The Dark Highlander wasn't quite as good.

For one thing, this book had some of the same plot devices that that last one had but without the humor. In Kiss it was all new and I loved it, in this one, it was more like, the lighter side of Kiss. The book wasn't bad and it was very sexy. Dageus is even sexier than Drustan (if that's possible), but as the title implies, he has a dark side. He is cursed and has these 13 evil beings inside him that are trying to completely turn him to the dark side (a la Darth Vader). The only way he can keep them at bay is if he's "tooping" a woman. By the time we come upon him in his sleek Manhattan apartment, he's quite the womanizer.

Unsuspecting Chloe meets up with him and it's funny and entertaining how he has to imprison her in his bedroom, tied to his bed with silk scarves to prevent her from revealing the secret that he has stolen these priceless ancient Celtic tomes that she recognizes as being stolen by the notorious "Gaulish Ghost". One thing leads to another and he falls for her and "wants" her immediately. She being a beautiful virgin doesn't give in too easily - though that doesn't mean it's not entertaining, the build up isn't bad, but there is always that dark side of him that was hanging around and getting in the way. I can't say it didn't bother me. And I was a little disappointed with their "first time." After all the many build ups to it, I didn't like the setting - or the position!

Eventually, they go back in time together to try and help him figure out how to break the curse and we see his father, Silvan and stepmother Nell again from Kiss. I like them. I've always found their romance sweet and I'm glad we have some closure with them in this book by the end. We also see Gwen and Drustan from the last book too - Gwen is heavily pregnant with twins - 2 more months to go for her, I wonder if that will be in another book?

All in all, the book wasn't bad, but compared to Kiss it fell a little flat, but it was still very entertaining and diverting. Quick read and sexy as anything.

3.5/5

February 16, 2011 Update: 

Audiobook Review:

As usual I loved Phil Gigante's narration and his Scottish males voices are perfect.  Sexy, throaty, thick with passion and in Daegus' case - downright grrrowly!  Daegus is unbelievably sexy and well hung, even more so on audiobook.  I preferred this book on audio than in print.  Chloe and Dageus's sex scenes were something else and hot as hell!  But, I still have a problem with his voice for the heroine, they always sound a "wrong" to me, not how I would imagine talking, his heroine's come across much better in print, but I do like his voice for Nellie, Sylvan's (now) wife.  This is a must read/listen for the series and we get more of the fae lore setting us up for future highlander books and Moning's Fever series as well.

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Kiss of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

Book Description:
A laird trapped between centuries... Enchanted by a powerful spell, Highland laird Drustan MacKeltar slumbered for nearly five centuries hidden deep in a cave, until an unlikely savior awakened him. The enticing lass who dressed and spoke like no woman he'd ever known was from his distant future, where crumbled ruins were all that remained of his vanished world. Drustan knew he had to return to his own century if he was to save his people from a terrible fate. And he needed the bewitching woman by his side.... A woman changed forever in his arms... Gwen Cassidy had come to Scotland to shake up her humdrum life and, just maybe, meet a man. How could she have known that a tumble down a Highland ravine would send her plunging into an underground cavern to land atop the most devastatingly seductive man she'd ever seen? Or that once he'd kissed her, he wouldn't let her go? Bound to Drustan by a passion stronger than time, Gwen is swept back to sixteenth-century Scotland, where a treacherous enemy plots against them ... and where a warrior with the power to change history will defy time itself for the woman he loves....

One of the nice things about being home sick for a weekend with a bad cold and cough is I am at my leisure to read romance novels all day long and no one can bother me because "I am sick in bed." I already read and reviewed one book this past weekend, and this was my second - which I adored! I basically read it in one day. I must say, these Karen Marie Moning Highlander time travel romance novels are getting better and better as the Highlander series continue!

This is the story of Gwen and Drustan. Gwen is a modern day 25 year old virgin. She's carrying around some baggage and decides to go to Scotland to lose her virginity. Of course she has no idea she's going to meet the ideal man to do it (who cares if he's over 500 years old!) Well, she gets her wish. Not only is the sex great and highly passionate, but the build up is great and you don't have to wait until the end of the book! There's a great scene of him trying on clothes in a dressing room with a snotty salesgirl and a very passionate kiss (as in "the" kiss in the title). Their first encounter happens sort of early on, but then there is the problem that our hero, Drustan, sends them both back in time - but not together! So, we get to experience our hero and heroine, Gwen and Drustan having to meet and court all over again! I loved it!

If you like Highlander romances, this is very good, and I'm eager to read the rest of the series. Drustan (as usual) is larger than life, intelligent and a great lover as well. Gwen is feisty, extremely smart (a physicist) but lacking a bit on the self esteem. She goes after her man when she travels back in time to the 16th century and nothing stands in her way. I loved reading about how she adapts to the "other" Drustan and life in his castle. I enjoyed reading about the little romance between Drustan's father, Silvan, and their housekeeper Nell as well. My one gripe was the ending was a little offbeat in present day, and I was a bit disatisfied with it, I'd prefer it if it had stayed in the 1500's instead of present day. But, that was minor in the grand scheme of things, it was still a really good book!

5/5

P.S.

February 2, 2011 - Audiobook Review:

As usual, Phil Gigante did a great job narrating, his voice for Drustan and Silvan were perfect, not to mention Daegus.  But, again, I have a problem with his voice for Gwen, she doesn't click for me on audio the same way she did in print.  Still, this is my favorite of Moning's Highlander series - a real treat, and Gigante makes it!

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The Highlander's Touch by Karen Marie Moning

Book Description:
A Warrior Of Immortal Powers
He was a mighty Scottish warrior who lived in a world bound by ancient laws and timeless magic. But no immortal powers could prepare the laird of Castle Brodie for the lovely accursed lass who stood before him. A terrible trick of fate had sent her 700 years back in time and into his private chamber to tempt him with her beauty--and seduce him with a desire he could never fulfill. For this woman he burned to possess was also the woman he had sworn to destroy.

A Woman Caught In The Mists Of Time

When Lisa felt the earth move under her feet, the fiercely independent 21st-century woman never dreamed she was falling...into another century. But the powerful, naked warrior who stood glaring down at her was only too real...and too dangerously arousing. Irresistibly handsome he might be, but Lisa had no intention of remaining in this savage land torn by treachery and war. How could she know that her seductive captor had other plans for her...plans that would save her from a tragic fate? Or that this man who had long ago forsaken love would defy time itself to claim her for his own....



***
What can I say? I loved this book! I hadn't expected to like it so much, since I was less than thrilled with the two previous Karen Marie Moning books that I've read, but this one was really entertaining, at times poignant in which I had tears in my eyes, and other times the sexual tension between them was hot and their ultimate connection was everything the reader has been hoping for.

Circenn, laird of the Brodie is an immortal Scottish highlander who is over 500 years old but looks like he's 30. Lisa Stone who inadvertently time travels to the Scottish highlands of the early 14th century has no idea. They meet because he has put a curse on this flask of fae elixir that she has touched in the 21st century. Due to various complications, he has vowed to kill any man that brings the flask back to him (I told you it was complicated.) Once Circenn meets the beautiful Lisa he can't bring himself to kill her, thus making him break this sacred vow he made - this gnaws at his honor. Of course, there is an instant attraction to each other. He is the ultimate alpha hero - 6 foot 7 inches, good looking, chiseled features, muscular, long silky dark hair and a huge -- ahem. Well, let's just say, he is certain to please any woman in the bedroom. How can Lisa resist such a man?

But, Lisa has to get back to her own time because she has numerous responsiblities! Her mother is dying of cancer and she has to take care of her. Working two jobs and paying off a mountain of medical debt she is worried her mother will die and she won't get to see her before that happens. Circenn doesn't have the ability to send her back, and the only one who can (a devilish fae from Beyond the Highland Mists), Adam Black, will kill her on sight - or this is what Circenn believes will happen if he asks for Adam's help.

The long and short of it is, Lisa falls for Circenn, but cannot cope with the fact that she has no way of getting back to her dying mother. She feels incredibly guilty and torn that she has brought this all on herself due to her own curiosity of touching the dratted flask while at her night job of cleaning at the museum. She is showered with love and affection from Circenn but can't really enjoy herself with this hanging over her head. Then she finds out he's immortal and that opens up a whole lot of other problems. Circenn loves her, but hates the idea of having to watch her grow old and die eventually and hopes that perhaps he can convince her to drink the fae elixir and become immortal like him. Will she do it, or forsake him once she finds out he's immortal and somehow go back to her dying mother?

I won't spoil the ending, but you'll recognize some familiar historical characters such as the Knights of the Templar and Robert the Bruce. And as mentioned earlier, the trouble making fae, Adam, from Moning's first book. There are revelations concerning Adam and Circenn and a magical, fantastical ending that is completely over the top, but makes it all end happily. Don't expect any realism in this book, it's a pure fantasy, paranormal romance which makes for a fun read!

4.5/5

P.S.

January, 2011 - Audiobook Review
I loved the audiobook, narrated by the incomparable Phil Gigante, but prefered the book in print.  Primarily, I think it was because as much as I love Gigante's voice for Circenn, his female voices leave much to be desired.  Lisa's voice sounded too high and not gritty enough for how I imagined her to be in print.  Someone that has gone through as much as she has should sound a bit older and wiser and not so "dumb!"  She came across better in print.  But, his voice for Circenn is wonderful - albeit it sounded like he was doing an imitation of Sean Connery!  But hey, I love Sean Connery, so I don't mind! *grin*  Gigante is the creme de la creme with his highlander voices - yumm!  His French accents are great too for the Templars.

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