Actions Speak Louder Than Words

"It's our actions that define us.
What we choose.
What we resist.
What we're willing to die for."

--Karen Marie Moning, Bloodfever

Genre: Adult Paranormal

Publisher: Delacourte Press

Pages: 303

Publication Date: October 16th, 20

Source: Bought

Find on Goodreads

Previous Books in Series: Darkfever

Goodreads 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.…

The Journey

(WARNING FOR SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOK IF YOU HAVE NOT READ) takes us back with Mac who is still struggling with her sister's death and trying to find her niche in where she belongs in this Fae infested world. And I get her struggle. She has no idea who to trust, who's telling the truth, who she can confide in, all while still trying to mourn the loss of her sister. My heart ached for her. While I'll talk about what bugged me down below, I have to give Mac mad props for the path she is on to self-discovery. She has been turned 180 degrees so many times she doesn't know up from left. She starts to put her foot down and talk back, which you all know I love, and I thought she was a lot smarter in who to be wary of. We also meet other sidh-seers and I was fist pumping when she didn't take no shit from there. I couldn't stand the women she met so I loved that she didn't trust them either. I especially loved every moment when she talked shit and threatened people with her spear...cuz that happens. Amazeballs.

Barrons

While I thought the first book was a little lacking in the swoon department, this book turned up the heat! Barrons with his slightly destructive tendencies, barely concealed innuendo, and alpha male assertions. Rawr. He continues to be an enigma in this book but we start to also crack that facade he built up. Like wow, those cracks were hard won and totally worth it. He and Mac are still on their hunt for the book and takes them to some questionable places. The final destination of the book, no spoilers, was brutal as it was amazing. The character development really kicked up a notch when they find themselves in a very, very bad situation. Obviously, I can't tell you what that is. OH and when Barron gets jealous, I totally get all warn and tingly inside, just sayin'.

The World

I love this paranormal setting that Moning created set in Ireland so freaking much! I seriously want to go back to Ireland so badly while reading it! I'm going to have to find an Irish pub around here to sate my addiction. I can see the Temple Bar District in my head and I love how she intertwines the streets of Dublin as we know it and the Dark Places. I see the juxtaposition in my head as clearly as it were right in front of me.

The Southern Charm

Now, this could just be a personal thing. Mac really got on my nerves for about the first 2/3 of the book. Her world went from sunbathing by the pool to killing Fae in her spare time. I get the abrupt world changing thing, really I do. However, even if her world wasn't totally thrown upside down, I still would not be able to tolerate her rose-colored view on what she believes the world is, or was in this case. She refers to herself as a Daddy's girl and her favorite colors are still pink and rainbow, she bitches all the time that she can't wear pastels anymore...I mean, come on, people. Pink and rainbows?! What the actual fuck. I am not dissing on Southern Belles in general because my BFF Hannah is also from Georgia and she's like my sister from another mister so I love the Southern Belle charm. This was overkill to me, though. I was choking on this naive view of life. The irony of her growing from this viewpoint to the current one is not lost on me, I get that's part of the point of the story but it was too much in my humble opinion. Pink and rainbows...honestly...

Reserved Seating

I could not put this book down. It is such a quick read and I'm itching to get my hands on the next book, HURRY UP AMAZON, so I can find out what happens next! If you're looking for an adult paranormal series with great world building built on sexual tension then you should give this series a try.