The Highlander's Touch

Title: The Highlander's Touch
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Highlander (Book 3)
Genre: Historical Romance



Lisa Stone has a hard life. When she was fresh out of high school a car crash killed her father and crippled her mother. Since then, her mother has also been diagnosed with cancer and has gone steadily downhill. It appears that she may die any day. Lisa has had to support herself and her mother, works two jobs and worries about everything.

One evening, while working her second job at a museum, Lisa touches an artifact (a flask) which has been cursed and is sent back in time to Scottland where she meets, Circenn Brodie.

Circenn, Cin by his friends, is an immortal Scottish war lord. He was tricked years ago into drinking a potion by Adam Black, which made him immortal. He has lived some 500 years since then and to keep from going mad has given himself certain rules. Some of the rules include: No lying, no women, keep every oath you make and many others.

When Lisa appears in his bedchamber, Cin seems to be drawn to break more and more of his rules. Although he wants to make a life with Lisa and keep her safe in his time, she is torn with wanting to go home to make sure that her mother is not lonely when she dies. Of course, the Fairies meddle with everything.

This was a phenomenal read, one of my favorites so far this year. The two characters had a wonderful pull and I think it was about time we saw a realistic time traveling heroine. It seems like not too many of them want to get back to their normal time and seem accept that they are stuck in the past quite easily. Lisa is not one of those. She tries everything in her power to make it back to her mother and when it becomes apparent that she cannot, she has a little break down.

To Tame A Highland Warrior

Title: To Tame A Highland Warrior
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Highlander (Book 2)
Genre: Historical Romance


Gavrael McIllioch, now called Grimm, is a Berserker. He often looses himself in blood lust and has a fear of killing his mate. He gets a note from someone in his past that simply says, "Come for Jillian." So he leaves to do just that.

Jillian is the daughter of the man who helped Grimm when he was young. Jillian found Grimm, her "beast-boy" and has loved him most of her life. Her father has sent for Grimm because he knows this and it is time for Jillian to marry.

Grimm loves Jillian as well, but refuses to be anything but mean to her. He is afraid if they were to get together then he would kill her or otherwise ruin her life. He also thinks that she would turn from him if she knew he was a Berserker.

To be honest, I've never heard of a Berserker before, so to be honest, I spent most of the book trying to figure it out. I could get a general idea based on what was said in the book, but I wish it had been explained in detail early on. According to Wikipedia: "Berserkers (or berserks) were Norse Warriors who are reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury,"

Aside from that, I thought the story was okay - predictable and not nearly as entertaining as the first book in the series.

Shadowfever

Title: Shadowfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever (Book 5)
Genre: Paranormal Romance



As with all of the fever series, it is very hard to give a description of this book without any spoilers. Let's just say it was amazing, and answered every question that I had had.

Who is the Beast? Check.
What is Barrons? Check.
What is up with Mac and the Prophecies? Check.
How did the Book Escape? Check.
Who Killed Alina? Check.

And so many more. I had noticed previously a small scene that happened that had me thinking the beast was/wansn't a certain character. When the opposite of what I thought would happen happened, I wondered how that was. Well - that was answered too.

Every time you think you have your understanding of what is going on, you are side swiped and everything changes. As a reader, you learn things that same way Mac does and I really felt for her.

This was an emotional book with lots of twists and turns. I cried in the first two chapters, was fist pumping and yelling a few more later, I was in shock, I was in denial, I was frustrated, I was saddened, I wanted revenge, I was hit over the head and my jaw dropped. It all came through in the near 600 pages.

I was pleasantly surprised at the end, in the about the author note that it said she was currently working on a new series set in the fever world. Although I assume it won't center around Mac and Barrons (and I love them), but I am kind of excited to see where the world goes. I'm thinking perhaps it will be about Dani? Her story was left slightly open at the end. Unless it's a totally new character.

As the book says in it's last pages. The end.... ...for now.

Dreamfever

Title: Dreamfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever (Book 4)
Genre: Paranormal



I've only read Dreamfever once before, and you can read that here.

This book (and series in general) has left me with so many unanswered questions. While reading through the series, I realized just how many unanswered questions. There are questions from the first book that we are told we'll find out later - and it's later and I still don't know the answer.

But here we go - Shadowfever is sitting next to me. It's almost 600 pages long and has a beautiful cover. It's time to answer some questions - namely: Who is the beast? What is Barrons? What is up with Mac and the Prophecies? Will Mac and Barrons get some sort of Happily Ever After?

Faefever

Title: Faefever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever (Book 3)
Genre: Paranormal



You can read about the first time I read Faefever here and the second time here.

Faefever fills in many blanks. This book of the series seems to answer a lot of questions and brings in a lot of information about the characters (but unfortunately, not Barrons) and the Fae stories. I felt like while I was rereading this, my eyes were opened once again. With the exception of the ending of Dreamfever and Mac's battle against becoming Pri-ya, I don't remember much of the story line.

I still feel like this is on a different level then the first two. Much like the Harry Potter series, that got dark and serious quite fast, Faefever does the same thing for the Fever series.

For some odd reason, I feel like I love Barrons way more this time around. Maybe because I've been doing my best to envision him the way he is portrayed instead of my own twisted way - and is he Hot.

Bloodfever

Title: Bloodfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever (Book 2)
Genre: Paranormal (Romance?)


There is one major thought that is running through my mind as I reread these books. Who is the Beast (from Dreamfever). I feel like in Dreamfever it points to Barrons, but I feel like that will not be the best for the storyline and I feel like it's too obvious.

It's interesting that in Bloodfever there is a lot of mentions of full moons and rainy (well it IS Ireland) nights. Whenever the moon is full, Barrons isn't around, or Mac hears strange beastly noises from the underground vault.

I feel like the Darkfever and Bloodfever go together well with their story line encompassing Malluce. On some blogs, I've read that people think if this does go ahead and become a movie that the first two books will be made into a single movie.

Every time I read these I pick up more things that I connect to the later books. I love that I can do that, yet the story is not yet finished. I really think that these two books are kind of like the exposition to the Fever story. We are learning the major players and they are feeling each other out. Then in the next two books - all hell breaks loose.

Darkfever

Title: Darkfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever Series (Book 1)
Genre: Paranormal/Romance



In anticipation of Shadowfever, I have started to reread (again) the Fever series. It has been a year and a half since I read the series last, and I want to be ready when the conclusion comes out.

You can see my previous reread post of Darkfever here and the original here. You can look for a description of the book there. I'll just post a few things that stuck out to me this time around.

I felt that the book seemed to be getting to the point where it seemed dated. It has a copyright of 2006. At one point Mac says that her cell phone doesn't have texting capabilities or a camera. What phone doesn't have those things in this day? I laughed a bit as I thought back to myself in 2006. I had a pink LG Chocolate phone and had just started texting. I did so little that I paid per text instead of having a plan. Compared to now, when I have a Droid. There was something else that also said dated to me, but I can't recall what it was.

Every time I reread a description of Barrons, I get a wake-up call. I don't know why, but I don't imagine him at what age he is described as. Darkfever puts him at about 30 and of course very attractive. For some reason, when I imagine Barrons I don't imagine him correctly. I think of him as a little older than that (well let's be realistic, we don't know much about Barrons, he could be over 100 for all we know). I know he has this sexual tension with Mac, and I don't envision him as unattractive, but I don't think of him as drop dead gorgeous either.

I did some searching online and he seems to be compared to Gerald Butler. I will remember that now.

I think this is one of my all time favorite series. I have a very light touch with my books. The spines are never broken, pages never bent. Pick up any of my books and they look brand new. They always have that stiff book feeling. I noticed while reading Dreamfever that my book has started to feel worn in. It is still in excellent condition, but the pages are a little less crisp, the book a little easier to open. It may be the most read book of my collection.

Beyond the Highland Mist

Title: Beyond the Highland Mist
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Highlander (Book 1)
Genre: Romance, Time Travel



In anticipation for Shadowfever, I picked up another of Karen Marie Moning's books. Her series before Fever has gotten really good reviews and I finally picked up the first book. I could see both the similarities and differences between this and the Fever series, and loved it for both.

Adrienne lives in the 20th century until one day she just doesn't. She is transported seemingly out of the blue and ends up in the 1500s. She is forced to take on a new identity and immediately marry a beautiful man. Adrienne does not like beautiful men due to a horrible experience in her past which has left her quite scarred.

The Hawk is renowned for his sexual skills. He isn't overjoyed at getting married, but has been ordered to do so by the King. When he finally meets his wife, he is overjoyed. She is just what he would have picked for himself in a wife if he had been given the chance.

The two are put together as part of a Fae plot to get back at Hawk. Adrienne fights Hawk just about every step of the way, sure that he is going to break her like her previous fiance. Although, she cannot help her self from falling in love with this caring man and his land.

As in the Fever series, I felt a little thrown off initially by all of the Fae words and names, but it seemed less significant in this book. I always enjoy a good time travel novel and this one was no different. The time traveling aspect, while important, didn't play a front role. The couple were afraid that Adrienne would disappear any second (and she does at times), but she doesn't have much getting use to in acclimating to her new surroundings and time.

Adrienne and Hawk are well matched. I highly enjoyed all the little things he does to win her heart and feel saddened each time she shoots him down.

Adam Black, as much as I despised him, was also a well written character. I couldn't help but feel my skin crawl every time he came around. There was something in the nuances of the writing that really made him feel alive and disgusting.

Mini Shopaholic

Title: Mini Shopaholic
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Series: Shopaholic (Book 6)
Genre: Chick Lit



The baby from Shopaholic & Baby is now 2 years old. Little Minnie is quite a handful and has many things in common with her mother, Becky. Minnie's favorite word seems to be, "Miiiiine" and she wants everything when she shops just like her mom.

Although Minnie has more to her then a little shopaholic, she is also a bit of a trouble maker. Enough where her Dad, Luke, suggests that they get some professional help. They try an equivalent to Super Nanny, who says she's just being 2 and is fine, and a professional Nanny Service, who thinks she's so bad they won't get another nanny for them.

Of course Becky is spending like mad, getting into to trouble and comes out on top.

I was disappointed in this book. I was hoping that we would see more of Minnie, but she just seemed around when it was convenient for her to want something and help Becky with some spending. Her character was very flat. I also was hoping for some growth by her in regards to getting better with (or without) the help of a nanny. Unfortunately, the out of control 2 year old was said to be just acting her age and it was over.

I felt like the book just went in circles. Becky promises to stop spending and wears clothes from last season (gasp!) but then is bought a new dress by her Mom. Luke doesn't want to have any more kids and after one quick conversation he's all for the idea. Minnie is bad....and that never changes. Not much growth for any of the characters in a realistic way in my opinion.