Book Review: Burned (Alex Verus #7) by Benedict Jacka

Burned (Alex Verus #7) 
by Benedict Jacka

April 5th 2016 by Ace
Paperback, 336 pages

Mage Alex Verus is back in the seventh in the “gorgeously realized”* urban fantasy series from the national bestselling author of Veiled.

I’m used to people wanting me dead. But, this time, I’m not the only one on the hit list—and time is running out...

Diviner Alex Verus finally made one too many enemies on the Council of Mages, and now one of them is angry enough to have him executed. Fighting for his life is nothing new, but this kill order also calls for the death of Alex’s dependents—and there’s no way that he’ll let Luna, Anne, and Vari take the heat.

With only a week before he’s history, Alex will have to figure out how to disassociate himself from his friends, scrounge up allies on the Council, and hopefully keep his head attached to his body.

But saving himself is going to bring him into direct opposition with his former master and the Dark mages surrounding him. And, this time, escaping with his life might mean losing his soul...

Oh, Alex, how I have missed you.

So imagine you are hanging out at your place, just you and your blink fox hanging out, when you get a phone call that will throw the rest of your week way off track.

Alex and his stubborn attitude of trying to stay neutral after leaving Richard years ago is coming back to bite him in the ass. Alex finds out the hard way that his attitude/mentality has earned him more foes than friends. Not only will Alex need to figure out how to save himself, but also those that are close to him.

Council politics are the driving force for what is going on behind the scenes and what puts Alex into the life or death situation by the end of the book. This driving force will also make others choose Council Law or friendship as their priority.

This, I have to say, is the one time I was shocked that Alex and his divination magic did not see any of this coming. I know Benedict has been working hard on the next book, and I for one cannot wait for the book, since Burned was left on quite a cliffhanger.

review: Cursed (Alex Verus #2)

review: Choosen (Alex Verus #4)
review: Hidden (Alex Verus #5)

review: Veiled (Alex Verus #6)

4.5

DanielleD

About the Author:
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Benedict Jacka became a writer almost by accident, when at nineteen he sat in his school library and started a story in the back of an exercise book. Since then he's studied philosophy at Cambridge, lived in China, and worked as everything from civil servant to bouncer to teacher before returning to London to take up law.

A Second Opinion Book Review: Burned (Fever Series Book 7) by Karen Marie Moning

Burned
Fever Series Book 7
by Karen Marie Moning
Paranormal Romance Hardcover, 512 pages

Published January 20th 2015

by Delacorte Press

Plot:
It’s easy to walk away from lies. Power is another thing.

MacKayla Lane would do anything to save the home she loves. A gifted sidhe-seer, she’s already fought and defeated the deadly Sinsar Dubh—an ancient book of terrible evil—yet its hold on her has never been stronger.

When the wall that protected humans from the seductive, insatiable Fae was destroyed on Halloween, long-imprisoned immortals ravaged the planet. Now Dublin is a war zone with factions battling for control. As the city heats up and the ice left by the Hoar Frost King melts, tempers flare, passions run red-hot, and dangerous lines get crossed. Seelie and Unseelie vie for power against nine ancient immortals who have governed Dublin for millennia; a rival band of sidhe-seers invades the city, determined to claim it for their own; Mac’s former protégé and best friend, Dani “Mega” O’Malley, is now her fierce enemy; and even more urgent, Highland druid Christian MacKeltar has been captured by the Crimson Hag and is being driven deeper into Unseelie madness with each passing day. The only one Mac can depend on is the powerful, dangerous immortal Jericho Barrons, but even their fiery bond is tested by betrayal.

It’s a world where staying alive is a constant struggle, the line between good and evil is blurred, and every alliance comes at a price. In an epic battle against dark forces, Mac must decide who she can trust, and what her survival is ultimately worth.

Karen Marie Moning is the best-selling author of the Highlander and Fever series. Burned is book 7 of the Fever series, which features MacKayla Lane who is a sidhe-seer with immeasurable power and a witty and quick temper personality. Moning delivers again with some in-depth looks at other characters in the series such as Ryodan and Dani O’Malley. Throughout the Fever series there are so many questions that have been left unanswered Burned finally addressed some of those long awaited mysteries.

This is a must read! If you haven’t read any of the other books in the series you really need to first or you will be lost and won’t enjoy the book. Loved the way the story line continued on from the previous books but still included lots of new twists, turns and explosive surprises. Was equally happy to see this wasn’t the end of the Fever series but there should be many more books to come.

Giving this 5 sheep

DeniseB

Read Katie's 2 1/2 Sheep rating here

Book Review: Burned Fever Series Book 7 by Karen Marie Moning *no spoilers*

Burned
Fever Series Book 7
by Karen Marie Moning
Paranormal Romance Hardcover, 512 pages

Published January 20th 2015

by Delacorte Press

Plot:
It’s easy to walk away from lies. Power is another thing.

MacKayla Lane would do anything to save the home she loves. A gifted sidhe-seer, she’s already fought and defeated the deadly Sinsar Dubh—an ancient book of terrible evil—yet its hold on her has never been stronger.

When the wall that protected humans from the seductive, insatiable Fae was destroyed on Halloween, long-imprisoned immortals ravaged the planet. Now Dublin is a war zone with factions battling for control. As the city heats up and the ice left by the Hoar Frost King melts, tempers flare, passions run red-hot, and dangerous lines get crossed. Seelie and Unseelie vie for power against nine ancient immortals who have governed Dublin for millennia; a rival band of sidhe-seers invades the city, determined to claim it for their own; Mac’s former protégé and best friend, Dani “Mega” O’Malley, is now her fierce enemy; and even more urgent, Highland druid Christian MacKeltar has been captured by the Crimson Hag and is being driven deeper into Unseelie madness with each passing day. The only one Mac can depend on is the powerful, dangerous immortal Jericho Barrons, but even their fiery bond is tested by betrayal.

It’s a world where staying alive is a constant struggle, the line between good and evil is blurred, and every alliance comes at a price. In an epic battle against dark forces, Mac must decide who she can trust, and what her survival is ultimately worth.

I never thought I would associate negative feelings toward this saga. Ever. I feel like the biggest traitor known to this world. After waiting almost two years for this one, I'm sadly disappointed. Even saying that makes me feel sick to my stomach! I've loved this series for years now. Worshiped Barrons. Laid gifts of Unseelie dead at his feet and tattooed his name across my heart. To feel how I feel now? It's gutting me.

The very start of this book has some interesting tidbits you didn't know about. That gives the reader hope that TONS is in store. After the opening pages are gone, we take a drop off and it pretty much stays on that decline until the middle half. Then back to a lull until the final few chapters.

Where was Dani? She's in it alright but not much. I wanted more Dani! Dani was the only gal who had soooooo much going on! Mac spends a large amount of the story retelling every little thing that's happened up to this point. I'm sorry but the amount of new readers jumping in at book 7 of this saga are far and few between. This means Karen drags the die-hard fans through that recapping mud. Over and over. For many pages! It's time consuming and wastefully cheap.

Mac talks in her head way too much. Save me from the rambling inner dialog! She's reverting back to the whiny child-like gal we meet in book one. Her growth is slowed down. What happened to Mac? She's losing her badass self to all these men in her life. The only gal who's standing up to the 9 alpha males is not her. I can't say who it is exactly, without a spoiler. But the point is, Mac is whack. Gods I hate saying that but the truth hurts!

Jo bothers me to no end. Same with Kate at this point, some kind of movement was needed with her and Kasteo. What's their purpose other then wasting time in a story that dead ends? These gals are getting swallowed by the alpha men who could care less about the human world, yet don't want to live anywhere else. Lor was frankly the most intriguing of the side character cast, but he's wrapped up too soon as well.

Barrons is who he is and I'll always have a big soft gooey spot for the guy, but what happened? Why are Mac and Barrons once again on opposite ends of the emotional stick? After all the progress they made in book five, I'm disheartened to read they are once again falling backward. The Silvers are eating them whole. Barrons seems more focused on whatever secret chess game he's playing, instead of continuing to work with Mac. I mean HELLO she's carrying the damn book inside her body!

Gah! I'm sad. I feel like I got ripped off with this installment. The book is almost $12 and over 500 pages but it left me frustrated and unfulfilled. My heart is hurting and only turning Pri-ya with Barrons can save the day.

Getting 2 and 1/2 Sheep 

KD