Review: Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Fever (The Chemical Garden Trilogy #2)
by Lauren DeStefano
Publication Date: 16 February 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster(US);Harper Voyager(UK)
Format: Paperback, Review Copy
Rating: 5/5
But the Book: Amazon US/UK|B&N|Book Depo

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind. 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.|Goodreads|

To say that I was excited about the next book in The Chemical Garden trilogy would have been a massive understatement. I read Wither back in September, and since then I have been rife with anticipation over the release of Fever. The fact that I was able to review this title was just the cherry on top of an enormous ice cream sundae, fit to be served in Linden's mansion!
The story continues, in its 'no holds barred' fashion, right off from where Wither ended, which was a factor I really enjoyed. There was no pausing while trying to figure out where the story had a gone, and I could dive right back into the hauntingly beautiful world that could only be created by Lauren DeStefano. Fever follows Rhine and her love interest, Gabriel a house attendant, as they try and escape the evil clutches of Rhine's father-in-law Vaughan. But he isn't the only peril the two are facing, and they soon discover that the outside world is a much more harrowing place than they could have imagined.
I absolutely loved Fever and, just like Wither, I flew threw this book. Sadly it just means that the wait for the next installment is even longer but I just couldn't help myself. This story is too amazing! Rhine is just as awesome as I remembered her in Wither. She is a wonderful character. Steadfast, brave and so caring, she never ceases to amaze me. Loyal in her search for her brother, loving and always concerned for Gabriel and almost motherly towards Maddie, a new character introduced in Fever. It's always a pleasure to read from Rhine's perspective and it's one of the main aspects of these books that I always enjoy.
In Wither the story takes place mainly in the mansion where Rhine is held captive, but in Fever we get to experienced the outside world for the first time. The new characters that are introduced are a mix of horrid, menacing people who seek to take advantage of the young and helpless, combined with genuine, kindhearted and good-natured people who help Rhine and Gabriel in their escape. 
I loved having Gabriel more involved in the story and his true feelings for Rhine shine through wonderfully throughout the story. Linden does make a small appearance and yes, I still have a soft spot for him. I cannot wait to see if these two wonderful young men get a chance to interact more with each there in the next installment, seeing as both of them are in love with the same girl.
Yet again I am left anxiously awaiting the next heart stopping novel in this tantalizing trilogy! Fever has it all, epic romance, harrowing escapes and a nail biting cliffhanger! Lauren DeStefano does it again in Fever and I'll be sitting on the edge of my seat until I find out what happens next.