Dreamfever by K.M. Moning

Freaking fabulous!  That is what Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning was.  The fourth book in the Fever series is so utterly wonderful that you really must be reading this series, if you’re not already.

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.

Not only does Moning suck us back into Dublin and the ongoing battle, but she doesn’t let us go until the end.  Seriously, I was so attached to this book that I had such a hard time putting it down.  Even now, I have four other reviews I need to write yet I can’t think of anything but Dreamfever.  It’s still running rampant in my head and all these questions are bouncing around.  That right there is what I love about this series. Even after finishing it, I want more.  Who did the Beast turn into?  What is Barrons?  What happened to V’lane?  All of the possibilities are screaming for a chance to be considered and I have no way of giving them their answers.  (I have my thoughts, see below for a spoiler section)

What Moning does with her characters is truly magnificent.  Mac goes through so many different emotions that its hard not to be there with her for each one.  She is thrown off the cliff in Faefever and to watch her struggle back from it is amazing.  She is still naive in many ways, but she’s learning and growing more and more that there’s no doubt that she’ll be truly fabulous when it matters.  Barrons is such an enigma.  We get to learn more about him through his struggles in bringing Mac back AND through other interesting encounters, but Moning leaves us with more questions than any real answers.

The plot itself was great.  We’re given a lot of new developments that helps further the story along, plus Mac gets put into situations that are kind of funny. I loved it when she thought she had the upper hand only to find out that she so didn’t.  This goes back to her being a little naive still and it definitely adds a fun element to the story; also a hair raising element when her actions have bad consequences, but that’s part of life.  Mac is definitely a flawed character and the plot spins around that very much.

Overall, I am loving the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning.  Dreamfever is a great addition and a must read for any fan.  It further the characteristics of both Mac and Barrons, moved the plot along and left me constantly thinking.  Personally, when a novel makes you think about what could be happening, that’s when you know that it has succeeded in being a fantastic novel.  It brings your imagination to life and all sorts of possibilities can occur.  The only thing I’m not liking is that I heard the next book, Shadowfever, is going to be the last in this series and I don’t know if I’ll be ready to leave it yet.  This is one of the downsides to any book/series that is fantastic.  I will give out one warning, Dreamfever ends on a major MAJOR cliffhanger and I have no clue when Shadowfever will be coming out.  Seriously, after reading Dreamfever, you’re going to be knocking down Moning’s door for the next installment.  If you haven’t started reading the Fever series, I would normally say go out and get it now, but you might want to wait until Shadowfever comes out.  Moning likes to end with cliffhangers, but this series should definitely be on your radar.

Read Order:
Darkfever – excerpt
Bloodfever – excerpt
Faefever – excerpt
Dreamfever
Shadowfever (TBA – not soon enough)

Also reviewed by:
Leslie’s Psyche
Romance Rookie
Genre Go Round Reviews
Cindy Reads Romance

—- SPOILER ALERT —- SPOILER ALERT —-

There’s been a lot of speculation as to what Barrons is.  One that I’ve seen consistently is that he’s a vampire.  I don’t think Barrons is a vampire; however, I want to say he’s more.  As in more than just on Barron – he’s a multiple. That’s my guess. With the way Dreamfever ended, I would almost bet that the beast transformed back into Barrons and that’s why Mac felt like she lost everything.  I can’t think of any other character that would make her have that reaction.  But, I can’t see Moning killing off Barrons either.  I think that when Mac gets back to Dublin, she’s going to find Barrons there. Maybe feeling a bit out of sorts and a little irritated at Mac, but I’m thinking that either the IYD beast is either the second half of Barrons or is so closely connected that they resemble each other.  This could also explain the mysterious eight.  Dani describes them all as being like Barrons.  What if they are?  What if there is more than one Barrons running around.  That would also explain the fourth prince and why his markings were similar to Barrons.  Maybe there are multiple Barrons out there and they may not all have the same agenda.

I actually believe that Barrons is the Unseelie King and that’s why the Fae are afraid of him.  That would also explain why he could kill other Fae.  The King killed the Queen so long ago, so I would assume the King and Queen could kill any Fae.  This would also explain who the woman was that V’lane hates Barrons for killing.  This would explain with the Dark Fae fear him.  This would also explain why he could touch the Seelie artifcats since the King was originally Seelie.  This would also explain the connection to the beast since the King was the one who created them.  This could also tell us who the woman was that Barrons was carrying through the Silver.  It could have been his concubine.  We’re told that the Kings concubine died after the King killed the Queen, but what if the concubine was killed in retatiliation and the child Barrons grieved over was theirs.

Yeah, while I think that the beast turns into Barrons, I sincerely doubt that Moning would kill him before the final battle or the walls go back up.  Mac isn’t ready for that and I’m hoping for a HEA between the two of them.  I may not get it, but I can’t see him being gone yet.

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

18 Comments

  1. I really don’t think Barrons is the Unseelie King. The Fae he killed in that dreamy thing was not the Queen because in the book it went over how she died in the war between the unseelie and the seelie by the King. I think he skewered her with the sword.
    Wow..that is probably why V’lane has issue with JZB!! He stole his princess, now V’lane is calling Mac princess or something. Lol. Maybe she really is getting a fairy tale ending. Ahaha what if she’s turning into a fairy princess?
    Alsoo… when you’re reading over the series, look at the important parts that dreamy eyed guy comes up at.
    1. Right before V’lane tries to get it on with Mac at the museum.
    2. He runs beside her before the hunter gets her
    3. Works with Christian. Maybe he’s learning about druidry or something?
    4. At Chester’.

    To me something is up with that dude. We never get a name. After he sees Mac, something drastic happens after. Maybe he’s always watching her to see if she’s safe and reports back to someone. Or maybe this theory means I really need to get a life. Lol.
    Another alsoo… Barrons seems to be the leader of his little posse and I doubt their the Draghar because their were 13, including some chick.
    And yeah, maybe the beast is Barrons but he’ll probably live! Mac did the impossible and came back from Pri Ya and on top of that was turned by 3 unseelie princes! So Barrons should be able to bounce back from a little chest wound like that:) (fourth rapist had tatoos!!)Lucan??.. God i hope not!!… but as jzb says, don’t assume somethings dead until you burn it and watch the ashes.

  2. I just finished reading Dreamfever. Faefever earlier today and it had me wanting to scream my protest at the end of the book. Since I was in class, I refrained from screaming “Where are you Barrons? Save her you jackass!” I can imagine how well that would have gone over with the teacher, and how I would have looked. I hated he ending. It was the beginning of the day and knowing I had the next book at home sitting on my bed drove me crazy all day. As soon as I got home I scooped it up and quickly devoured it.
    After thinking back, considering how KMM loves to foreshadow, reading different speculations, my scatterbrained thought process went off when I remembered something. In the beginning of the book Mac called Barrons her beast, repeatedly. Then when IYD arrived, she called him her beast as well. I think KMM is hinting that IYD and Barrons are all together.
    Somewhere, something was said in the book that made something ding in my head, Barrons was the Unseelie King. I can’t remember what it was exactly, something trivial, but all of a sudden it just seemed like… That was it. I tried other possibilities but none seemed appropriate and left me disappointed. If he is the King, there are still severaly things left unaswered for, and mainly, if he loved his concubine and went mad after her death, what about Mac?? I don’t want to believe he is using her. I’m praying intensly that Mac and Barrons have a HEA, so much so I am probably giving God a headache with all of my buzzing down here.
    Can’t wait for Shadowfever!!

  3. Stick with me here people, I know it’s going to sound crazy, but I think the IYD Beast is V’Laine.

    1. It’s just Barrons’ attitude to put V’Laine as the IYD number…he hates him but knows he will protect her. The beast jumped popped in…like V’Laine always does.

    2. When Mac last saw V’Laine, she called him past those wards which caused him to double over and “snarl” at her. Then she kept wondering where he was and what happened to him

    3. Whoever she killed is definitely male – she mentions that the beast is male.

    4. It would explain her ‘OMG What have I just done?!?!’ reaction. She’s afraid of the prophecy that says she will ruin the world and is afraid that the book sees bad in her. If she has just accidentally killed the Seelie Prince, it’s going to seem like proof that she is bad to her. Plus V’Laine (aside from the rape like attempts) has always helped her and been there for her.

    5. Barrons has dirt on V’Laine which is why V’Laine keeps his secrets, so that the favor will be returned. Does Barrons know that V’Laine can be the beast and does he take care of him when he is…like by feeding him the bloody woman he brought from the mirror? Is V’Laine the beast under the garage? OR has Barrons turned some other Fae into a Beast like Mac may have done to V’Laine and takes care of it.

    But Ryodan was expecting the beast and knew information about it. Assuming he hasn’t betrayed Barrons did he some how know that V’Laine was the beast or did he think it was the other beast that Barrons had below the garage?

    It’s not perfect, I haven’t figured it all out, but I think it is possible I’m right. If I’m wrong, then it probably is Barrons but I hope that whoever it is doesn’t stay dead.

    Also, I wonder if Mac is turning into something a lot like whatever Barrons is. He asked her ‘What are you?’ after the last book encounter, she heals faster (at least from cuts), can walk through wards, can resist voice to a degree and can use voice herself. Mac seems to be turning more Barrons like by the minute.

    Thoughts?

  4. Oh and plus V’Laine has always been afraid of the spear, taking it away when he saw her, so it makes sense that the spear would kill him.

  5. I think Barrons is the guy who was taken and kept in a cage. The one who wrote the cards that Dani took pictures of in the 3rd book. It would make sense, dontcha think? It explains the disconnect, the longevity, etc.

  6. I do not think it was Barrons she killed as she was with him in the garage an still heard the monster from underneath her, but it could be Christian, because he was undergoing transformation and turning all black, and disappeared. It could be he started transformation because she called IYD and not from the unseelie flesh. It also could be a barrons look alike, one of the 8 Dani saw. I think she is smart enough to tell the difference between them and Barrons though, What if it is her O’connor mother? Hell I hate cliffhangers, I hope Karen gets better, I am eagerly awaiting the release of Shadowfever.

    Also,I squeeled when there was mention of Adam in the book, I am a die hard Adam fan, :)

  7. “Mac is about to come face-to-face with a soul-shattering truth-about herself and her sister, about Jericho Barrons”

    Anyone know what JZB was, that we learned? I don’t remember a soul-shattering truth about Barrons, so perhaps that really was him she helped kill.

    • Or it could be her sister. That’s what I’m wondering. That Barrons knew that Mac’s sister wasn’t dead, but she wasn’t necessarily “alive” or herself as well. That it was better for her family to believe her dead than to see what she had become. I can see that being soul shattering.

  8. Celtic folklore is filled with myths involving hounds and beasts. Early tales involve 9 hounds with one being the leader. The stories change and evolve from minor to Cu Chulain (?) Or the Hound of Culaan. Anyway, I have wondered if Barrons isn’t linked to this in some way. Another story involves Arawn and rivalry between light and dark fae for the affections of one woman. Hounds play roles in this as well. It would explain the 8 others who seem to be like him. Ryodan seems to be questioning Mac in terms of the prophecy. Perhaps he was trying to stop her from bringing the wrong prophecy about and trying to trick her away from JZB.

  9. I actually suspected that Barrons was Cruce, just with a changed name. It would explain his familiarity with the Silvers and lack of fear of where they may lead.

    I suppose I could see Mac being that depressed over Christian…he’d be the first actual friend she killed and she twisted into something else with Unseelie. However, I think it’s far more likely to be Barrons. Christian would be a big loss but not the biggest. Barrons is the one she always expects to save her, to whom she keeps returning. Without him, she really has no safe place to go even if she returns to Dublin.

    I will agree with what some others have pointed out. She thinks he’s dead…but she thought Malluce was dead also. She doesn’t yet *know* that he’s dead.

  10. So in my mad desire to never see JZB dead I convinced myself that V’Laine must be the beast. No, it is Barrons and it’s okay. I forgot his rule “never trust anything is dead until you’ve poked around in it’s ashes.” Mac will believe Barrons dead, will probably be captured by the LM before Ryodan can explain (if he is still alive that is) that yes it is Barrons but no he is not forever dead (he had to kill him because Barrons can’t think as the beast and the death would be a temporary state to get Mac to safer territory…unless Ryodan is a traitor…). She will finally realize what he means to her – no room for denials when you think someone is dead and lord only knows what crazy shit she will do before Barrons pulls himself together and shows up to shock her. Mac will show a disgusting display of emotion at said time I’m sure that Barrons will pretend to hate while he reminds her about the dead and ashes comment and berates her for not listening to him (what else is new?).

    Why did we hear the beast in the garage when Barrons was present with Mac? Because Ryodan and crew also turn into said beasts. (Just look at the savage glee that the beast had killing anything that moves…remind you of anyone?!) And the clincher friends, this explains the Ryodan-Mac alpha/omega conversation:

    “Ryodan: Is he using a middle name?

    Mac: The initial Z.

    Ryodan: Ah. The Omega. Ever the melodramatic one.

    Mac: And the Alpha? I said drolly.

    Ryodan: He’d probably try to make a great case for that.”

    The alpha and the omega: the first and the last. Barrons is the leader of this little pack of beasts, hence the alpha, but he uses Z (since omega is the last letter in the greek alphabet, Z is the best equivalent in our alphabet) for omega to push home that he is also the last of the beasts. The be all, end all – how perfectly Barrons. I’m sure there’s more to it that we’ll learn in the next book but I am convinced.

    I think it’s possible Barrons may still have a connection of some sort to the Unseelie King as well…the silvers conversation showed him taking the whole Unseelie King/Concubine story a little too personally…and Mac some kind of connection to the concubine I believe.

    I wait impatiently for January.

  11. Ok, here’s my take.

    I think the beast is Alina. Maybe the body that was shipped back wasn’t really hers. Just a wild guess.

    I think that Jericho is Cruce. I think he had a band of men who did, something, who knows, but they weren’t good guys. I think it was his child killed in the desert and it made him rethink the kind of person he was before. His band of men are still around, some are good, some are bad, some are just loyal to him because of the past.

    Maybe the concubine the unseelie prince took was Jericho’s wife, because she was still alive when the child was killed, as his concubine. So Jericho cursed the Silvers and then spent time hunting in there for his wife. Maybe that was the dead woman he brought out of the Silvers that Mac saw.

    There you have it – my total guess. I think I’ll stick to this theory until the last book comes out unless someone can change my mind. Jericho is now a good person who Mac will end up with. I’m still curious about her past – haven’t thought about that yet…I wonder who her father is…

  12. I don’t think that the beast was Barrons at the end of the amazing Dreamfever! Why would Ryodan be fighting Barrons/Beast if they are “friends” or at least, not enemies? Also if it was the beast in the basement of BB&B then its very unlikely that Barrons and it are the same. Mac heard the Beast roaring while she was standing next to Barrons so how would that be possible? I feel like the beast might have turned into someone that whoever looks at it loved the most. What if the beast turned into Alina? Alina could have died in the human world and turned into that creature as some sort of karma or reincarnation. Mac could have felt like she lost everything all over again and this time, she couldn’t blame anyone but herself.

  13. In random order…
    The Beast is JZB as Mac had referred too him when she was Priya. He is not dead cuz Mac is dreaming, hence the title. He was UK who fell in love with Mac in prior life/time.

    Ryodan and the other guys that look like Barrons are the “Gallowglass/Mercenary
    Warriors” Nana spoke of.

    I got next idea from Pirates of Caribbean~ Islas Cruce
    She took comfort when her father would tell her pirate stories.
    Mac is Isla (Queen Sidhe Sheer) and Cruce (Fae Prince) DAUGHTER! Making Mac the best of both worlds and mortal since she was not created by song of making. This is why she can touch and sense all hollows. JZB was Seelie B4 he was UK and fell in love with her and kept her willingly as his concubine. The queen wouldn’t make her fae which he knew she could do after The Queen herself turned JZB fae upon release from his cage where she had kept him for years. Cruce cursed all things JJZB/UK after he thought his daughter committed suicide.
    I think JZB realizes Mac is his concubine but is still upset at her for suicide or leaving him, that’s why he wont reveal his feelings of love only grief. I think when he spoke to Fiona that he meant his heart belonged to Mac, this is his one chance to be with Mac now that he’s (promised) changed/seelie (light) again and thats why he can walk in the shadows.

    Mac def reincarnated Concubine as hinted by her own refernce, Mac 4.0!

    I think Dani was the one who was sending Alina’s diary pages (via Ro) that’s why she is happy to learn sisters forgive for everything.

    I think-Vlane was in love with Concubine also and that’s why he and Barrons are at odds.
    But I think Rowena worked with Vlane to hide Mac and her Sister from Barrons and that is why the have beef and Mac’s last name happens to be (V) Lane. :)

    Still don’t know what was found in Alinas body.
    Still don’t know who shadow was that moved and bumped into Dani while saving PRIYA Mac.

    I am stuck with DreamyEye Guy. I was sure he was Christians twin Christopher. But now I think he has a gripper inside him.

    The Box (Dark Hallow) given to concubine for lonliness. I think this is The Box Mac keeps padlocked in her head. And if she unlocks it like Barrons invites her to it will reveal his and her true feelings for eachother.

    Why would Nana call Mac Alina?

    Lastly, there are a lot of unnamed twins and triplets in highlander series. Could they amount to the 8 in the prophecy? At least the ones that live in present day.
    Or are they for future Highlander books.

    I have no clue who killed Alina. My only guess is the book. It talked to Alina too. So when Alina refers to it as He or Him we’re mislead. But maybe its the book itself that isn’t what he says he is an is coming for her and wont let her out of the country.

    I think the woman brought thru the mirror is Alina, and she is in the basement healing.

    Lastly, could it be possible Jack and Rainey drank from the cauldron?

  14. Oh and…
    Dani’s super speed is a form of sifting. I think Mac could sift if she tried because she is pert fae.

    And I think Isla took the fall for Kayleigh, who released the book after Cruce choose Isla.

  15. I love this series and can’t wait for Shadowfever.

    Barrons cannot be a vampire because there are times that he is with Mac during the day. He had coffee one morning with her father and the Sunday before Fiona turned off the lights and left a window open atBB&B, she saw Barrons leaving the bookstore when she arrived for work in the morning. She questined Mac what they were doing together.

    I think the beast that Mac “killed” was Barrons. I think that is possible because I seem to remember that there was more than one beast howling from below the garage on at least one occasion. I think that when Mac dialed IYD, that called Barrons from whereever he was, but Barrons is not dead; he will arise in the last book, but it may take some time.

    I think Barrons was the leader of the mercenaries that were created by the UK to fight for him. I think the UK made them part man and part beast and that is why they like to kill, or perhaps the beast part of him is a curse of some sort.

    Barrons was the last warrior created and therfore the best, but something caused him and the others to to rebel against the UK. One person suggested that the UK concubine was his wife and the dying child he held was theirs. I think that is quite likely because of his deep hatred for the fae. I think it is possible that the concubine and his son were betrayed by a fae prince and Barrons raped and killed the fae prince’s wife and children before he tore the prince’s heart out.

    Over the millenia, Barrons has become almost immortal, very powerful, and a magical being in his own right. He learned the druid arts, but is not a Keltar druid; he is the other kind of druid (the ones that follow the earlier beings that fought the fae, Drahghar or something like that. I think the UK was one of these beings).

    The electricity that Mac feels when she is around him is his druid magic and the fact that she is his true soulmate. I think Barrons has finally figured out that Mac is his soulmate, and that must really rock him to the very core of his being.

    Barrons wants the Sinsar Dubh to bring his dead wife and child back to life, and to rid himself of the beast part of himself. He is fighting his love for Mac because he see that love as a betrayal of his dead wife and son and also a betrayal of everything he has worked for over the millenia. He is nasty to Mac and tries to push her away even though he knows she is critical to his obtaining the book. I got that idea from Fiona when she appeared in the alley and mocked Barrons for not telling Mac what is going on. Barrons threw a knife at Fiona to get her to shut up.

    I may be all wet, but this is what I think.

  16. I think that Barrons is the beast that mac killed, along with the other eight men that look so much like Barrons as Dani pointed out, and that they are immortal which is why Ryodan didn’t mind killing the beast because he knew he was immortal, also meaning Ryodan isn’t dead. I also think the ‘last chance’ that Barrons accidently slips about Mac to Fiona is his last chance to be cured of being a beast (sort of like a werewolf.) Even though Mac and Barrons are awesomeee, together I’m not sure. I personally think Barrons doesn’t have any romantic feelings towards Mac and vice versa other than they are both aware of how sexy the other is. I believe he does care for Mac however, partly because the lifting of his ‘curse’ depends on her, and because, as Mac had seen, he is a compassionate man and unlike Fiona believes has a heart. Lastly, I think Mac will see the beast as Barrons, beliveve his dead, sift to another world in the mirrors, thinking all this time that he’s dead, until the very end where he shows up alive.

Comments are closed.