Iced by Karen Marie Moning
Series:Fever, #6
Publication Date:October 30th 2012
Publisher:Delacorte Press
I think I have been waiting for Iced to get published for what it seems like forever and although I was dying to get my hands on this book, I only realised how much I had truly missed Karen Marie Moning's world when I actually started reading this book. To be honest, there are no words that I can use to describe how much I love "living" in Moning's Dublin. Iced is plainly AWESOME!
This review won't follow my usual pattern where I get to discuss the writing style, or the character development or anything technical. No book written by Moning needs that from me. The writing style is perfect as usual and so are all the rest. Well, at least perfect for me. I can never find anything to bitch about while reading her books. To put it simple, Karen Marie Moning is one of the most brilliant authors currently and her stories are my obsession. Simple as that. So what I'll focus on in this review, will be just the story and my impression of it. Regarding everything else, consider them perfect :)
So, I have to admit that I was scarred like hell to start reading Iced. Fever series is like sacred to me, and this spin off series with Dani as the narrator, scarred me. I was afraid that Dani couldn't pull off being the center of the story for more than one reasons, first of them all, her age. Fever series is seriously hot, full of sexual tension and, well, sex, so reading a story being told from a 14 year old, no matter how different she is from other people her age, was a challenge on itself. Would there be any sex in it? Difficult considering how young Dani is. Would there be any form of romance? Difficult again. So, what would happen with one of the best attributes of this series, which is none other than the sexual tension? How on earth would Moning manage to pull it off? Well, somehow, she managed! Don't know how exactly that happened, but being so fecking brilliant an author like Moning is, she actually managed to write a story around a 14 year old, with hints of sexual tension, without offending the reader. She managed to maintain the whole atmosphere of the Fever series in a story with a really young heroine.
Before anything else, let me tell you that this story, isn't primarily targeted towards a YA audience. Even if the age of the heroine could permit that and even if there's not much sex in there, still it's not YA, not by a long shot. And if you haven't read the rest of the Fever books before, don't start with this one. You'll feel lost. There may be enough details to let the reader catch up with the story, but still, Moning's universe is so intricate and complicated that you'd feel lost. And either way, why miss the opportunity to read this series from the beginning? It's worth your time, believe me!
One other fear I had before starting Iced, was Dani herself. Granted, I was in the minority of people who didn't really dislike her and despite the fact that she killed Alina, I had a soft spot for her. I liked her sassy mouth and her bravado from the beginning, but still, I thought that it would be a challenge to accept her as a main player in the story. But yet again, Moning managed to write her in such a way, that at times, I even forgot all those things that irritated me on her on the previous books. Well, at times, I managed to forget her age and that speaks volumes...
And one of my last fears was how on earth I would read a Fever book where Barrons wouldn't be the main character and wouldn't dominate every single page of the story... Silly, I know, but Barrons IS the Fever series for me. Yeah, I know there are other amazing things about this series and I don't get to disregard them completely, but Barrons was the center of it all. For me at least. So how could I ever read a book where he wouldn't appear often? Impossible.
But, even if Barrons is absent in Iced, apart from a couple of scenes, Ryodan sure makes up for his "loss"! He may not be as hot and sexy as Barrons, but the potential is all there! And I'm pretty certain that by the time Dani is older and we will have the chance to fully appreciate him, Barrons will have some serious competition!
But Ryodan isn't the only possible romantic interest for Dani, although I both hope and believe that he will be the main one. There's also Dancer and Christian. And although I really loved Dancer, I'm afraid I can't say the same about Christian. And not because I didn't like him as a character both in his good and bad times, but because I found it too hard to believe how quickly he fell for Dani. I mean he just loves her and I can't see why! Or to phrase it better, I can see why he is interested in her but not how or when he felt that she's the one for him. It's just too convenient. You have a 14 year old who's really messed up and three seriously sexy guys are ready to die for her. It's just too much. And although I can see why Dancer cares for her and why Ryodan has his eyes set on her, Christian's interest is just too much.
Anyway, I can probably discuss about Iced forever, but the bottom line is that this is one hell of a book, an incredible story written in a way only Moning can do it. Fans of this series will absolutely love it and I'm no exception. I just can't wait for the next one!
Hardcover, First Edition, 495 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book DepositoryFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning comes the first book in her hotly anticipated new urban paranormal trilogy, set in the world of her blockbuster Fever series.
The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out there, and no two days are alike. I’m Dani O’Malley, the chaos-filled streets of Dublin are my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be.
Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans who can defend themselves against the Unseelie. But now, amid the pandemonium, her greatest gifts have turned into serious liabilities.
Dani’s ex–best friend, MacKayla Lane, wants her dead, the terrifying Unseelie princes have put a price on her head, and Inspector Jayne, the head of the police force, is after her sword and will stop at nothing to get it. What’s more, people are being mysteriously frozen to death all over the city, encased on the spot in sub-zero, icy tableaux.
When Dublin’s most seductive nightclub gets blanketed in hoarfrost, Dani finds herself at the mercy of Ryodan, the club’s ruthless, immortal owner. He needs her quick wit and exceptional skill to figure out what’s freezing Fae and humans dead in their tracks—and Ryodan will do anything to ensure her compliance.
Dodging bullets, fangs, and fists, Dani must strike treacherous bargains and make desperate alliances to save her beloved Dublin—before everything and everyone in it gets iced.
I think I have been waiting for Iced to get published for what it seems like forever and although I was dying to get my hands on this book, I only realised how much I had truly missed Karen Marie Moning's world when I actually started reading this book. To be honest, there are no words that I can use to describe how much I love "living" in Moning's Dublin. Iced is plainly AWESOME!
This review won't follow my usual pattern where I get to discuss the writing style, or the character development or anything technical. No book written by Moning needs that from me. The writing style is perfect as usual and so are all the rest. Well, at least perfect for me. I can never find anything to bitch about while reading her books. To put it simple, Karen Marie Moning is one of the most brilliant authors currently and her stories are my obsession. Simple as that. So what I'll focus on in this review, will be just the story and my impression of it. Regarding everything else, consider them perfect :)
So, I have to admit that I was scarred like hell to start reading Iced. Fever series is like sacred to me, and this spin off series with Dani as the narrator, scarred me. I was afraid that Dani couldn't pull off being the center of the story for more than one reasons, first of them all, her age. Fever series is seriously hot, full of sexual tension and, well, sex, so reading a story being told from a 14 year old, no matter how different she is from other people her age, was a challenge on itself. Would there be any sex in it? Difficult considering how young Dani is. Would there be any form of romance? Difficult again. So, what would happen with one of the best attributes of this series, which is none other than the sexual tension? How on earth would Moning manage to pull it off? Well, somehow, she managed! Don't know how exactly that happened, but being so fecking brilliant an author like Moning is, she actually managed to write a story around a 14 year old, with hints of sexual tension, without offending the reader. She managed to maintain the whole atmosphere of the Fever series in a story with a really young heroine.
Before anything else, let me tell you that this story, isn't primarily targeted towards a YA audience. Even if the age of the heroine could permit that and even if there's not much sex in there, still it's not YA, not by a long shot. And if you haven't read the rest of the Fever books before, don't start with this one. You'll feel lost. There may be enough details to let the reader catch up with the story, but still, Moning's universe is so intricate and complicated that you'd feel lost. And either way, why miss the opportunity to read this series from the beginning? It's worth your time, believe me!
One other fear I had before starting Iced, was Dani herself. Granted, I was in the minority of people who didn't really dislike her and despite the fact that she killed Alina, I had a soft spot for her. I liked her sassy mouth and her bravado from the beginning, but still, I thought that it would be a challenge to accept her as a main player in the story. But yet again, Moning managed to write her in such a way, that at times, I even forgot all those things that irritated me on her on the previous books. Well, at times, I managed to forget her age and that speaks volumes...
And one of my last fears was how on earth I would read a Fever book where Barrons wouldn't be the main character and wouldn't dominate every single page of the story... Silly, I know, but Barrons IS the Fever series for me. Yeah, I know there are other amazing things about this series and I don't get to disregard them completely, but Barrons was the center of it all. For me at least. So how could I ever read a book where he wouldn't appear often? Impossible.
But, even if Barrons is absent in Iced, apart from a couple of scenes, Ryodan sure makes up for his "loss"! He may not be as hot and sexy as Barrons, but the potential is all there! And I'm pretty certain that by the time Dani is older and we will have the chance to fully appreciate him, Barrons will have some serious competition!
But Ryodan isn't the only possible romantic interest for Dani, although I both hope and believe that he will be the main one. There's also Dancer and Christian. And although I really loved Dancer, I'm afraid I can't say the same about Christian. And not because I didn't like him as a character both in his good and bad times, but because I found it too hard to believe how quickly he fell for Dani. I mean he just loves her and I can't see why! Or to phrase it better, I can see why he is interested in her but not how or when he felt that she's the one for him. It's just too convenient. You have a 14 year old who's really messed up and three seriously sexy guys are ready to die for her. It's just too much. And although I can see why Dancer cares for her and why Ryodan has his eyes set on her, Christian's interest is just too much.
Anyway, I can probably discuss about Iced forever, but the bottom line is that this is one hell of a book, an incredible story written in a way only Moning can do it. Fans of this series will absolutely love it and I'm no exception. I just can't wait for the next one!
