This review was first posted on http://www.rubysreads.com. 
 Shadowfever started off with a bang. The thing that I thought was least likely to come about had, in fact, happened. If you've already read the book, you know what I'm talking about. You're probably also familiar with the feeling that I had--disbelief. I knew that whatever seemed to be wasn't actually so. I doubt few people were surprised by the early-to-mid-book "twist". It was expected. I don't even think Moning herself thought she had anyone fooled. 
 I practically gobbled the first fifty or so pages of Shadowfever. It's hard to tell--I haven't really gotten the hang of the whole Kindle "page" system. Though I have to admit I haven't really made that much of an effort. I wonder if I should... Anyway, like I said, this book sucked me in as effectively as Darkfever did. I was sooo glad about this because I wasn't as enamored of the middle three books as I'd hoped I'd be. Despite that, I was ravenous in my desire to get to the first big reveal that Shadowfever was going to bring. I was fully prepared to revel in its deliciousness. Which is why I am so very, very, sorry to say that, for me, Shadowfever did not live up to my expectations. 
 Moning says in the afterward for Dreamfever that there will be triumphs. This is true. There are triumphs and--I hope I'm not spoiling anything for you--a happy ending. But there aren't answers. Or, at least, not enough. Every time Mac has gotten an answer in any of the books, it's only resulted in fifty more questions. I was okay with that--well, it frustrated me, but I was willing to put up with it--because I thought all the angst and the not knowing would be resolved in the last book. I didn't expect that we would get all the answers because, as you know, I think that at least four of Barrons' eight will get their own books. I pretty much expected the who and what of what they were/are to be only partially revealed. 
 The operative word here is "partially", especially if we're talking about revelations. Remember that niggling worry I had about finding out that Mac could be saved pain and harm by the simple act of giving her some information? Well, it comes to pass. To total fruition. But that isn't even my major complaint with Shadowfever. Mac not only doesn't get answers about Barrons, it becomes okay that she doesn't. Accepting not knowing becomes the hurdle that Mac has to overcome in order to be with him. The message this story tells is that Mac was an idiot to spend so much time and energy trying to figure out what Barrons was. For one thing, (unsurprisingly) he told Mac so little in order to protect her. For another, it doesn't matter what Barrons is or has done or will do, or could be or is willing to share with Mac. And it's a judgment on Mac that she took so long to realize this and that was a message that really frustrated and upset me. Barrons tells Mac not to make him into a hero or even an anti-hero because he's not either, and boy is that the truth. 
 In addition to triumphs, there were also surprises in Shadowfever. I knew there would be. I wasn't surprised to find out that Barrons was not what Faefever and Dreamfever suggest that he be, especially after the fake character interview KMM did with Barrons. If you don't know what I'm talking about, ignore that last sentence. Some of the surprises I saw coming and some I didn't. I had my fingers crossed for a happy ending--I'm one of those people who absolutely hates sad ones--but I wasn't happy even when I got what I wanted. I know that's kicking a gift horse in the mouth, but I can't help it. The ending was too perfect, too twee, too domestic. It involves grilling steaks and a dinner party, for heaven's sake. And we never get to see Mac's final showdown with her sister's murder. (I'm not telling, so don't ask me). That was a scene I desperately wanted to see. I think we still might. 
 I'm sad to have been disappointed in this book. I also have no doubt that I'll be in the minority. The Fever series has rabidly loyal followers. I've been a rabid fan a time or two myself. What I will say is that, whatever I thought of the end to Mac's story, I'm still looking forward to the next series that takes place in the Fever World. Hope springs eternal, they say. Which is my way of saying that the next series will be even better than this one.