Fever – Lauren DeStefano

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster

Pages:  341

Source:  Received a copy from publisher for review

Genre:  Young Adult Dystopian

Just One More Day!  February 21st this book becomes available!

Warning:  This book is for the more mature reader as it contains sexual content in the form of forced prostitution (human trafficking) some violence  and profanity.

From Goodreads:

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

My Thoughts:

I wondered if I would like this book as much as the first.  It did not disappoint.  It continues Rhine and Gabriel’s story where the first book left off.  Rhine is on her way to New York City to try to find her brother Rowan.  Along the way we meet many new and interesting characters and it seems as if Rhine’s problems increase.  Lauren DeStefano has created a dystopian world in which she brings up topics many authors are afraid to touch.  We get a look at human trafficking and prostitution.  We see Rhine doubt her decision to flee.  Back with Linden she had everything she could have wanted from him, except freedom.  Out in the world she must once again face the real world full of evil people who helped imprison her in the first place.  Just because she escaped Linden doesn’t mean she can or will escape his father Vaughn.  Vaughn is another one who is after her. 

One thing I was disappointed in was Gabriel.  In Wither I felt he took very limited risks.  Between the two of them he came across as the weak one.  I personally didn’t see a lot of growth in him throughout this second book.  Maybe with the introduction of some of the other characters like Silas, there was a reason for this.  I can’ wait to see what the third and final book will hold for us.  I will definitely recommend this book to everyone who really loves dystopian fiction, as well as those who read Wither.  This is a must read book.  The twists and turns are awesome.  You think you’ve figured something out and suddenly you turn around and it wasn’t at all the way you thought it should have been.  The wait for the third book in this series is going to seem to be a long one.  It is one for which I will try to be patient.