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Darkfever: Fever Series Book 1 Kindle Edition

4.2 out of 5 stars 8,796 ratings

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. . . .

Look for all of Karen Marie Moning’s sensational Fever novels:
DARKFEVER | BLOODFEVER | FAEFEVER | DREAMFEVER | SHADOWFEVER | ICED | BURNED | FEVERBORN | FEVERSONG

BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Karen Marie Moning's Bloodfever.

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There are 11 books in this series.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Drawing on elements from the paranormal world that bestseller Moning (Spell of the Highlander) created in her earlier romances, this suspense novel takes readers on a darker journey, one dominated by the search for a powerful Faery magic and bereft of the romantic magic Moning's fans have come to expect. When MacKayla Lane, an ordinary young woman, travels to Ireland to track down her sister's murderer, she is sucked into an extraordinary world filled with ancient secrets, vampires, assorted Fae nasties and other tough-to-kill beings. In the process, Mac learns of her own unusual talents and finds an unlikely mentor in the wealthy and mysterious Jericho Barrons. Moning's newest foray contains suspense and plenty of setup. Indeed, this reads like a fragment of a larger story, an introduction to character and place that, while entertaining, skims the surface. But it's a compelling world filled with mystery and vivid characters, and this, combined with the hint of sparks between Jericho and Mac, will stoke readers' fervor for Bloodfever, the next installment. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

MacKayla "Mac" Lane is a small-town southern girl living a life of suntans and shopping. All that changes when her sister dies in Ireland and a cryptic message on Mac's cell phone raises disturbing questions about the nature of her sister's death. Mac follows the lead to Dublin and the strange life her sister led, on to the darkly dangerous book-dealer Jericho Barrons, and a burgeoning war with deadly Fae that humankind doesn't even realize has begun. Time-travel-romance maven Moning reshapes her Celtic lore for a radically different and engaging new dark fantasy series. Mac's first-person narrative is more than point of view; it's a true recounting of how a sheltered young girl grows to accept the role fate has dealt her. And while moments of sexual awareness hint that a relationship between Mac and Jericho could complicate matters in the future, wisely there is no full-blown romance here to distract from the complex introduction to Moning's new world. Nina Davis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000MAH7SQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Delacorte Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 31, 2006
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.1 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 382 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0440336358
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 11 ‏ : ‎ Fever
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 8,796 ratings

About the author

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Karen Marie Moning
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Karen Marie Moning is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fever Series and the Highlander series. She is a winner of the prestigious RITA award for best paranormal romance and is a multiple RITA award nominee, and a Goodreads Reader's Choice Award winner. An alum of the Immaculate Conception Academy, she attended Purdue University where she completed a BA in Society & Law, with minors in Philosophy, Creative Writing and Theatre. Prior to becoming a full time writer, she worked in the insurance industry directing commercial litigation and intercompany arbitration. She agrees with Jorge Luis Borges that paradise must be some kind of library.

You can learn more about her at www.karenmoning.com.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
8,796 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written with a fantastic plot and ideas, featuring rich characters with an air of mystery surrounding them. The writing style receives positive feedback for its excellent dialogue, and customers enjoy the exciting and mysterious world. While some customers enjoy fantasy/hot romance elements, others note there isn't much romance content. The pacing receives mixed reactions, with some appreciating the slow build while others find it boring, and the storyline is criticized for being hard to follow and having a lackluster plot.

535 customers mention "Readability"517 positive18 negative

Customers find the book well written and engaging, with several mentioning it made them want to continue reading the series.

"...You won't regret it - I promise. :D This series is FANTASTIC! Here's a list of the books: Darkfever Bloodfever..." Read more

"...It really is as good as everyone says - maybe better. This is really the kind of book that you will find yourself going back to again and again...." Read more

"...He is a joy to read, and steals every scene he is in. If Adam Black were the Capt...." Read more

"...parts and repetition in the last three books, but it's still an entertaining story...." Read more

270 customers mention "Intrigue"264 positive6 negative

Customers find the book thoroughly engaging with a fantastic plot and ideas, and one customer mentions it's about having new experiences.

"...There are plots within plots throughout the whole story. Just when I thought I had part of the story figured out, I found out my theories were wrong...." Read more

"...This book has some of the best world building that I have had the opportunity to read...." Read more

"...But she does a great job with this material. Not all audiobooks are wonderful, so I wanted to pass that along." Read more

"...Here it fits and is entertaining. There is no romance or sex in this book (other than two brief scenes - not with Barrons)...." Read more

263 customers mention "Character development"196 positive67 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting that the characters are rich and exciting to catch up with, with one customer specifically praising MacKayla Lane's portrayal.

"...Mac becomes an amazing character - actually she always was one, I just had a hard time getting passed her pretty pink nails, and cute shoes...." Read more

"...What makes the book bearable is the mysterious character Jericho Barrons. He is a joy to read, and steals every scene he is in...." Read more

"...doing the smartest and most logical things, but I felt her thinking fit her character. I see her as Reese Witherspoon in the movie Legally Blonde...." Read more

"...Like he’s not a great character. The minor characters hardly play a role so they aren’t worth mentioning. I will not be investing in this series." Read more

227 customers mention "Mystery content"189 positive38 negative

Customers enjoy the mystery elements of the book, describing it as an exciting and mysterious world with an interesting paranormal setting.

"...It's a many layered story - the first book starts with a mystery that turns into an epic world altering adventure as the story moves on...." Read more

"...In this book we see him save the day, act like an ass, kill, and even paint Mac's fingernails. This man can do anything AND he owns a book store...." Read more

"...She creates a fantastic mood for this book. She's not in the same class as the guy who does the Harry Potter books - he created about 200 voices...." Read more

"...It was not predictable at all, which makes it even better in my opinion...." Read more

178 customers mention "Writing style"137 positive41 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it smooth and readable with good dialogue, and one customer notes that the narrator does a good job with different voices.

"...this series apart from many of its urban fantasy counterparts it the complexity, epic scope, and unpredictability of the story...." Read more

"...Something else I found SO refreshing about this book was the writing...." Read more

"...The reader does justice to all the different voices, from Mac's southern accent, to Jericho's weird mediterrianian whatever it is, to the different..." Read more

"...The FMC’s inner monologue was lengthy but that was fine because it was descriptive...." Read more

172 customers mention "Romance"106 positive66 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the romance elements in the book, with some enjoying the fantasy/hot romance aspects while others point out that the story is not yet fully developed and ends on a cliffhanger.

"...kudos to Mrs. Moning for giving us a kick ass heroine but with a good heart and of course a very high fashion style...." Read more

"...Sadly romance is not a major theme in this story - it's present (and yummie), but takes back seat in the face of the world altering events occurring..." Read more

"...This is an urban fantasy novel, with any romantic hinting, just that - a hint. Fans of Richelle Mead's Succubus or Eugenie series should enjoy." Read more

"...There's a passion to the writing in Scent of Shadows, and a depth of emotion in it, that transcends the urban fantasy genre...." Read more

144 customers mention "Pacing"68 positive76 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it engaging and fast, while others describe it as boring and terrible.

"...But I found it almost unbearably irritating, and detracted from what would otherwise be a fascinating addition to fantasy lore about the Sidhe..." Read more

"...It is well written, descriptive, and moves at a very agreeable pace after the story gets going...." Read more

"...other throughout the book with inaccurate assumptions, lying, and stupidity. They weren't good stories - for me...." Read more

"...Fever is a slow building series, nothing is rushed and there's a reason for every detail and everyone has a purpose for who and what they are...." Read more

70 customers mention "Storyline"20 positive50 negative

Customers criticize the storyline of the book, finding it hard to follow with a lackluster plot and unanswered questions.

"...I almost don't even know where to start with this review. This story was complicated (in a good way). Mackayla is a great character...." Read more

"...I have to say that this book was a little hard to get into at the beginning...." Read more

"...The story from start to finish was amazing, and the end was completely satisfying. All loose ends were tied up beautifully...." Read more

"...The book does end with things unresolved, but I was prepared for it and it seemed like a natural place for things to take a pause...." Read more

Devoured!
5 out of 5 stars
Devoured!
I had never heard about the fever series before a local book club voted on reading Darkfever for January. I really enjoyed this read!! (First 5 star of the year)! The storyline is captivating. The character build is good. The mystery is hooking. I devoured this book quickly and gave up all things in life that weren’t “necessary” so I could read more!! Once I finished book 1, I immediately downloaded book 2!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2011
    Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase
    So over the weekend I found myself completely in the thrall of Moning's Fever series. It's not every day I run into a series earns a solid place on my "Favorites" list, but this series earned itself an unequivocal place of honor. It may even make my top 10 favorite series of all time list. It's a series I can see re-reading many, many times.

    This is actually a review of the whole series (no spoilers, I promise). Since I held off on reading this series for so long because of the first few chapters of the first book, I thought I'd put in a good word in hopes of giving anyone still on the fence about reading it the courge to dive in. You won't regret it - I promise. :D This series is FANTASTIC!

    Here's a list of the books:

    Darkfever
    Bloodfever
    Faefever
    Dreamfever
    Shadowfever

    Basic storyline involves the Fae must like so many other urban fantasy book these days. But it's a darker version of the Fae we find in this series. It's them on our turf, invading our world.

    What sets this series apart from many of its urban fantasy counterparts it the complexity, epic scope, and unpredictability of the story. It's a many layered story - the first book starts with a mystery that turns into an epic world altering adventure as the story moves on. It's party post-apocalyptic adventure, part mystery, part romance, part suspense. It defies genre stereo types. The story is rich, dark, and unpredictable. There are plots within plots throughout the whole story. Just when I thought I had part of the story figured out, I found out my theories were wrong. But I never felt like the author was over complicating things and her truths when she revealed them never disappointed. She just kept me guessing up to the very end - and that in and of itself is a noteworthy accomplishment as it can be pretty hard to surprise me.

    The characters are very likeable. I'd actually looked at this series earlier, but decided not to read it because the sample chapters from the first part of the first book made it seem like main character MacKeyla, is a glorified fashion hungry, pink obsessed Barbie doll. I pegged her as a silly girly girl from those chapters (which is not my cup of tea at all). You might be inclined to do the same thing, but I encourage you - read on. You'll fall in love with Mac, I promise. She's strong, kind, determined, but reasonable (I dislike the common urban fantasy theme of bull headed spunky heroines that constantly make silly mistakes because they are too stubborn to see reason - Mac lacks that folly). She also is powerful in her own right but not invincible. One of the biggest themes present in this series is a strong admonishment to not judge a based on a person's words or appearance - but judge them based on their actions. Mac becomes an amazing character - actually she always was one, I just had a hard time getting passed her pretty pink nails, and cute shoes. The side characters are fantastic too - Barrons being a personal favorite, Dani, V'Lane, Christian - I liked them all.

    Sadly romance is not a major theme in this story - it's present (and yummie), but takes back seat in the face of the world altering events occurring in the rest of the story. Even though it doesn't take center stage, the I found I really enjoyed the romance elements of the story. This author tends to create sort of strong, exceedingly mysterious, possessive, alpha male types. Normally too much alpha throws me off, but it really worked in this story and I found myself suitably swoony. I found it interesting that I sort of fell in love with the males of this story slowly, right along with Mac, and for the same reasons. I wasn't so sure about some of them in the beginning, but their actions won me over (there's that theme again).

    I'd read a some Amazon reviews that warned that the first book started off a bit slow and was a bit weaker prose wise than the rest of the series, but I actually really enjoyed the first book, the series just kept getting better the farther I read. I had such a hard time putting any of the books down - I'd read until I fell asleep, and then pick up again the next day. The story from start to finish was amazing, and the end was completely satisfying. All loose ends were tied up beautifully.

    Another thing I appreciated about the series is the wisdom present in it, and the moral quandaries the story raises. There's the aforementioned lesson about judging based on actions not words that's a constant theme. But there's also an ever present question of right and wrong, good and evil, black and white. The lines aren't so clearly drawn here, and you as the reader have to sort of puzzle through and make your own judgments right along with Mac.

    Okay, so I think I've gushed enough. I highly recommended series! I'd say even a must read for the urban fantasy genre.
    24 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    *4.5 Stars*

    Ok, so I’ll admit that my expectations for this book weren’t very high, but to be fair I think that was part of the reason why I ended up enjoying it so much! The murder mystery aspect reeled me in at the beginning but the direction the story took from there will have me sticking around for the rest of Mac’s journey for sure!

    I saw a lot of myself in Mac so while I was warned that it was possible I would get annoyed with her, all of my grievances were exactly what I expected from her character so I couldn’t be too mad about it. While her reactions could be deemed foolish given the things she was literally seeing right in front of her, she was also a complete skeptic grieving the traumatic loss of her sister and then had everything she thought she knew about the world blow up in her face. All of this to say that while I did get frustrated with her at times, watching her get immediately wrecked following those little tantrums, whether it be verbally from Jericho or physically by a foe, made them easier to tolerate! 🤣 I also knew that her character growth would be a highlight of this series since Mac from the prologue and Mac from chapter one sounded like two completely different people! I’m really looking forward to seeing her grow into a strong FMC!

    On to the more important things, I LOOOOOVVVEEEEE Jericho so far! I recognized that name immediately and while we know literally next to nothing about him and probably shouldn’t trust him, I definitely see the appeal! 🤤 Him calling her Mac and painting her nails at the end?! SWOON! I know that this is a serious slow burn romance but man am I ready for all of the angst and tension!

    Something else I found SO refreshing about this book was the writing. Maybe it’s that Darkfever is traditionally published or maybe it’s the slow burn, but the fact that this whole book was focused on the storytelling with a little bit of romance had me LIVING! Maybe I just needed a break from the super spicy writing style of my usual indie books because this felt like a breath of fresh air! There were also many moments where I had to use the dictionary feature of my kindle because I was seeing so many new words, LOVED THAT!

    All in all, don’t go into this series for the spice because while some characters are lust personified, there is basically no romance so far! 🤭 If I didn’t know that there would be romance in the later books I’d be a bit skeptical but I think the goal with this one was to set the scene for Mac’s story. Well mission accomplished because I am already so invested in this story and these characters it’s crazy! I cannot wait to continue with Bloodfever and see where we go next on this journey with Mac!
    Customer image
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    It's one of the best feelings ever when a book exceeds your expectations!

    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2023
    *4.5 Stars*

    Ok, so I’ll admit that my expectations for this book weren’t very high, but to be fair I think that was part of the reason why I ended up enjoying it so much! The murder mystery aspect reeled me in at the beginning but the direction the story took from there will have me sticking around for the rest of Mac’s journey for sure!

    I saw a lot of myself in Mac so while I was warned that it was possible I would get annoyed with her, all of my grievances were exactly what I expected from her character so I couldn’t be too mad about it. While her reactions could be deemed foolish given the things she was literally seeing right in front of her, she was also a complete skeptic grieving the traumatic loss of her sister and then had everything she thought she knew about the world blow up in her face. All of this to say that while I did get frustrated with her at times, watching her get immediately wrecked following those little tantrums, whether it be verbally from Jericho or physically by a foe, made them easier to tolerate! 🤣 I also knew that her character growth would be a highlight of this series since Mac from the prologue and Mac from chapter one sounded like two completely different people! I’m really looking forward to seeing her grow into a strong FMC!

    On to the more important things, I LOOOOOVVVEEEEE Jericho so far! I recognized that name immediately and while we know literally next to nothing about him and probably shouldn’t trust him, I definitely see the appeal! 🤤 Him calling her Mac and painting her nails at the end?! SWOON! I know that this is a serious slow burn romance but man am I ready for all of the angst and tension!

    Something else I found SO refreshing about this book was the writing. Maybe it’s that Darkfever is traditionally published or maybe it’s the slow burn, but the fact that this whole book was focused on the storytelling with a little bit of romance had me LIVING! Maybe I just needed a break from the super spicy writing style of my usual indie books because this felt like a breath of fresh air! There were also many moments where I had to use the dictionary feature of my kindle because I was seeing so many new words, LOVED THAT!

    All in all, don’t go into this series for the spice because while some characters are lust personified, there is basically no romance so far! 🤭 If I didn’t know that there would be romance in the later books I’d be a bit skeptical but I think the goal with this one was to set the scene for Mac’s story. Well mission accomplished because I am already so invested in this story and these characters it’s crazy! I cannot wait to continue with Bloodfever and see where we go next on this journey with Mac!
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    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • ruth jacobs
    5.0 out of 5 stars The whole lot can be quite addictive. lol.
    Reviewed in Canada on June 17, 2025
    Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase
    A really good book in her series. I am working on getting them all. I do not know what age these are written for, but I am 79, and thoroughly enjoy the fantastic world she writes about!
  • Aline Fonseca
    1.0 out of 5 stars Que arrependimento!
    Reviewed in Brazil on October 9, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    O enredo tinha tudo para me envolver, a construção do cenário é maravilhosa, mas a história é tediosa e os personagens são muito chatos. Além disso, há uma romantização de relacionamento abusivo que é insuportável. Maior decepção que já tive. Além de tudo isso, o livro não soluciona o mistério da irmã e é uma série de 10 livros, ou seja, não vou ler essa série porque, obviamente, não gostei da escrita da autora, e nem vou ter o mistério solucionado que, para mim, era o mais interessante da história. Um grande arrependimento.
    Report
  • Morgsbookrecs
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Fantasy For A Newbie!
    Reviewed in Australia on January 2, 2024
    Set in modern day Dublin, this urban fantasy series is the best one for people who are new and looking to dive into the world of Fantasy. The readers, like Mac, the main character, learn as they go without feeling like they’re going to die of boredom from information overload. You learn things about the world and the magical side of things right to the very end. So you don’t struggle with the feeling like your mind can’t process everything and you can actually enjoy the story. As each book goes on, every book previously is summed up perfectly so if you take a hiatus between books, you don’t have to do a re read.
  • Anja S.
    5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting beginning to a story of the supernatural
    Reviewed in Germany on October 17, 2011
    Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase
    MacKayla's sister is found dead in Dublin - leaving MacKayla only a weird last message on her cellphone as a clue to what might have led to her sister's death. Not trusting the police of Dublin to do a thorough enough job in solving the mysterious murder, MacKayla takes it on herself to unravel her sister's history in Ireland's capital city. She soon finds herself trapped in a world of supernatural beings and discovers her own (and her sister's) role in it. Fate binds her to the mysterious and sexy Jericho Barrens whithout revealing his own rule in the fight between light and dark (though MacKayla and the reader find it hard to distinguish between the two).

    The first book of five is a great start to this new fascination otherworldly story apart from all those vampire and werewolf sagas out there. Though these might play a role now and then, other supernatural beings trouble MacKayla's life more. Keeping Mooning's earlier Highlander romances in mind one might expect a lot of romance and sexuality in the story and while these might play a greater role during the story as a whole (all five books together) these aspects don't concern MacKayla's hunt for revenge much during the first book of the Fever series.

    The whole series consists of (as of Oct 2011):
    - Darkfever
    - Bloodfever
    - Faefever
    - Dreamfever
    - Shadowfever

    My opinion: Definitely a pageturner! I'll be ordering the next book in line soon to learn more about the world MacKayla has stumbled into and to find out whether MacKayla has joined the right side of good and bad... but who knows, in the end there might just be a greater and lesser evil to choose between.
  • Tilly
    5.0 out of 5 stars best series I've read for ages! Different from the norm.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2011
    Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase
    If you've read the Highlander books don't be fooled into thinking this is the same, but just more about the fae. I was halfway through this first book when I realised this and was wondering why the story was not moving quicker...Duh. I've read so many paranormal romance type books in this past couple of years that I'm struggling to find new authors to read. This was like nothing I've ever read. I wish they would make a series.
    As the first book sets the scene and introduces all the players it is the slowest of the group, however even if your not completely capivated by it, you must continue! As you get deeper into the mystery of who's on what side and what's going to happen next, your theories will keep changing. I would just think I was getting a sense of what was going to happen next and then bang!

    I dare you not to be obsessed with Jericho Barrons, he really isn't a nice guy, but I'm still obsessed with him now, and I've read all 5 books twice. I won't spoil the plot, you'll recognise some characters and references from the highlander series, But I will say this, miss moning is not afraid to turn you inside out and upside down! I would definately recommend buying books three, four and five together because of the cliffhanger endings!
    Hope you enjoy it as much as I did and if anyone can recommend something I would be eternally grateful, I love J R Ward, Kresely cole, Larrissa Ione, Lara Adrian, Gena Showalter and some of the Carparthian series. I'm now really stuck!

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