Proceed With Caution:
This book contains attempted rape, child abuse, murder, violence, death, gore, and mentions of suicide.
The Basics:
High Voltage is the tenth book of the Fever series, following what should have been the final book. It starts more than two years after the end of Feversong, and is narrated by Dani, with a handful of chapters from Kat and Papa Roach.
My Thoughts:
High Voltage felt very different from the previous books in the series, which makes sense, since it's kind of a new start. The Song of Making may have saved the world from impending doom, but it wasn't without some unintended side effects. The Unseelie may be gone, and the Seelie are mostly in Faery fighting against their new ruler, but the old gods have risen from their slumber and don't plan on being laid back to rest.
While bringing gods into the world was kind of interesting, it was also just a bit much. It's not like there wasn't enough lore and mythology within the series to work with already. And honestly, this plot point didn't really come to anything. It wasn't in the forefront at all, and we don't even get to see the big showdown at the end. It literally happened off page, and we learn it about from characters discussing it later. Why?!
The focus of High Voltage is very much on the romance and Dani's personal growth. I did enjoy these parts very much. Dani has been through a lot over these last nine books and it was about time for her to get her happy ending. Yes, this reads more like a Paranormal Romance than an Urban Fantasy, and that's just fine with me. Except for the whole lackluster plot thing. I enjoyed watching Dani and Ryodan come together and be who they needed to be before they could be together.
Can we talk about Shazam for a moment? He was first mentioned in Burned, but we didn't really find out anything substantial about him until Feverborn, with him making his debut in Feversong. I can't stand him. I believe he's meant to be a bright spot of comic relief in this dark Dublin, but he's just so annoying. I don't see how Dani puts up with him! She's a fun loving person, although quite a bit more serious after her time in the Silvers, but Shazam is just too much. I couldn't get on board with this friendship or whatever it is.
In the end, I liked High Voltage a lot. At least the romance portion. The plot felt forced and random and wasn't well developed at all. Feversong could have been a strong ending; it didn't need any followup. While I was glad for the happily ever after for Dani and Rydon (and Shazam, I guess), I could have done without it. Or if this was the start of an actual spinoff series, not just another failed attempt before going back to Mac.