Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Rhine and Gabriel may have escaped the beautiful prison of Wither’s mansion, but they are far from escaping danger. First they’re chased for stealing a getaway boat, and then the fleeing pair ends up in the eerie den of Madame, an old woman who collects girls and sells them to the highest bidders. Worst of all, Vaughn, Rhine’s sinister father-in-law, seems to be on her trail every step of the way. Rhine remains determined to get to her brother in Manhattan—but the road they are on is long and perilous. Now that Rhine has finally regained her freedom, what lengths will she need to go to in order to keep it?



**Please don't read any further if you haven't yet read Wither. I don't want to ruin it for you, since spoilers are pretty much inevitable!**


As soon as I read Wither, I was desperate to get my hands on Fever to find out what happened next. Luckily I was able to be part of a blog tour for the book and dove into it the moment I found it in my mailbox!


In Fever we're reunited with Rhine and Gabriel as they're escaping from captivity. Unfortunately they stumble into another form of prison almost immediately, being held against their will by an old woman running a sort of prostitution ring. Rhine astounded me yet again by her strong will and determination to survive against the odds. Not only was she fighting for her life, but she was also trying to save Gabriel; she shows again and again how she tends to put the needs of others before her own. Gabriel is there for her as best he can be, however he is battling his own problems throughout much of this book, so it's basically up to Rhine to ensure their safety and survival. There are so many wonderful characters in this book; from the girls forced into prostitution to old familiar faces I wasn't expecting to see. They all enhanced the story in their own way.


Rhine and Gabriel definitely became closer in this book, as they were able to finally spend more time together. I don't feel like they are necessarily meant for each other though. Sure, there's a connection there, but they haven't had the opportunity to just be together without fearing for their lives or being wary of prying eyes. I'm anxious to see what happens between them in the next book. Regardless of the circumstances, I still hold a candle for Linden. In another reality, he and Rhine would have been perfect together. But with the future being so bleak, a lot of people are forced to do things out of desperation so we'll never know what might have been, or if they even would have met under other circumstances. It's clear that Rhine still thinks about Linden as well and it seems like she's very conflicted as far as her feelings for him are concerned.


One of the best things about this series is the unpredictable plot. This book enthralled me from page one and no one could pry me away from it until I had finished. I had no idea what would happen next and I loved that fact. I enjoyed being able to read it and not have any clue as to where the story would take me next.


As with Wither, Fever was beautifully written. The author, Lauren DeStefano, uses such vivid descriptions that I can imagine I'm there in the story. Too much description can be irritating and distracting, but DeStefano has nailed it down to an art form; her writing just flows and is amazingly gorgeous.


Fever did not disappoint in the slightest. It was an amazing new addition to the Chemical Garden series, with harrowing suspense, secrets, mystery, and an ending that will leave you craving more. I can't wait to buy a finished copy, it is certainly a book that has earned a permanent space on my bookshelf.