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Cassandra Palmer #2
Claimed by Shadow
Clairvoyant Cassie Palmer has inherited new magical powers-including the ability to travel through time. But it's a whole lot of responsibility she'd rather not have. Now she's the most popular girl in town, as an assortment of vamps, fey, and mages try to convince, force, or seduce her—and her magic—over to their side. But one particular master vampire didn't ask what Cassie wanted before putting a claim on her. He had a spell cast that binds her to him, and now she doesn't know if what she feels for him is real—or imagined…
374 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 3, 2007
438 people are currently reading
6789 people want to read
About the author
Karen Chance
62 books5,231 followersKaren Chance is the author of two New York Times bestselling series, plus a number of novellas and short stories, all set in the Cassandra Palmer universe. A full-time writer since 2008, she was previously a university history teacher, which comes in handy when writing the time-travel aspect of Cassie’s crazy adventures. She loves Las Vegas, the main setting for her novels, but currently lives in Florida near her family home. Visit her website or connect with her on Facebook here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 752 reviews
February 8, 2017
At this point in the series I ship everyone with everyone and would not be opposed to all the characters having a giant paranormal orgy at MAGIC headquarters. But maybe that's just me.
January 19, 2020
Any day that starts off in a demon-filled bar in a casino designed to look like Hell isn't likely to turn out well.
After refreshing the basics of the storyline and the characters’ background, the story speeds up quickly. It is fast-paced, full of action, filled with different kinds of supernatural creatures. You are only at the second chapter, but you already witnessed a battle with mages and the Graeae, a time-travel meeting with ghosts and with a past version of Mircea, saving his life, and some softening of the attitude of the always-sneering Pritkin.
Chance mixes supernatural and fantasy elements, Greek and Norse mythology, smartly borrows from classics and uses historical personalities and facts, and has some really special ideas, such as the magical enchanted tattoos.
It would really be nice if the universe could stop throwing creatures out of fables, myths and nightmares at me. "There's no such thing as gargoyles!" I said just as two of the little monsters pulled a cart out of the door and began tugging it down the hallway.
Cassie, Pritkin and Mac’s journey to Faerie is adventurous and very unusual. Even though it has a very heartbreaking momentum, regarding the future of Cassie it is very important.
The time-travels are thrilling, and give the opportunity for Cassie to show how brave and quick-witted she is. Furthermore, Ms. Chance presents secondary, even tertiary characters making the story more complex and impressive. I enjoyed the sensual aspects of vampirism, and seeing Mircea is always a pleasure.
Characters
Cassie still can’t accept that she is the heir of the Pythia, and still hopes to pass over her Pythia powers to someone else. Finally she comes to the conclusion that embracing the power is the best she could do in the given circumstances. Her reasoning is convincing, logical, and solid, but she is the most unconventional Pythia of all time.
It's hard to look intimidating in a sequined devil costume complete with pointed tail.
Pritkin sneered. It was what he did best, other than for killing things.
Pritkin is lethal, stubborn, and morose as usual, but also a very handy ally of Cassie. Not to mention that he finally takes off his shirt...
My least favorite war mage was heading across the lobby at a dead run. His short blond hair looked like it had been hacked at by a machete, and his icy green eyes were angry. Not that that was unusual: I'd never seen him smile, and normally considered it a good day if he wasn't trying to kill me. Considering that he was wearing his usual knee-length leather coat, the one that bulged with concealed weapons, it didn't look like today would be one of those.
Mac... My heart bleeds for him, but considering Tomas’ words Mac’s deed makes sense.
Mircea... I loved when his passion burst through his collected, elegant surface. It is partly due to the dúthracht geis, but only partly, as the geis can’t create feelings, it only makes them more perceivable and stronger. I really look forward to seeing how he and Cassie will solve this ever-growing and overwhelming situation.
This was no vague frisson of passion. The craving had lain smoldering, waiting for the proper fuel, and now it ignited into a roaring blaze. It was like drowning in a river of molten lava. I felt it in his veins for an instant, pleasure as sharp as pain, before it poured into mine in a scalding wash of desire. I felt myself flounder, falling into heat, falling away from thought to a place that was all-consuming sensation. Fire. Sweet fire.
Tomas... I like him very much! In Touch the Dark you got only glimpses of him, and only through his acts. Here, he gives some explanation, tells about his past, and shows real wisdom and comforting logic.
Billy Joe was fun as usual, especially after his embodiment in Faery. But I honestly felt for him when they came back to this dimension.
Casanova... I love Casanova as he struggles to keep himself and Dante above the water. Or fire...
Myra is a scary antagonist with her sweet, dollish appearance and evil, malevolent personality.
Agnes surely was a very capable Pythia, as even in her death she selflessly helps Cassie and never turns her back on her calling.
All in all
The story is very exciting, smartly built and tricky, and it never lets you take a rest.
It is also full of humor! I really enjoyed Cassie’s narration, the time-travel, the battles, the episodes with the Graeae, Casanova, the gargoyles, and all of the episodes in Dante, especially the one with the zombie Elvis.
My favorite quotes.
August 27, 2022
Entertaining.
I read the 4 first books of the series in a row. Then, I reread them in a row again so I had them fresh to read the 5th one. That means that I have them all scrambled in my mind right now which is why I can’t review each of them separately. This is more a general opinion of the combination of the 5.
This series have many elements that make it an entertaining and interesting read. It has compelling plots, action, miseries to solve, enemies, romantic tension, magic, friendship, humor, a strong female lead, deaths, attractive men, fantastic creatures, time travel, vampires, and much much more.
Nevertheless, I had a few problems with the books, which prevented me from giving them a higher rating:
To me these books have way too much action and the scenes are way too long. The books are a succession of action after action without rest, no pause to collect our thoughts. Due to this huge amount of action the information is dropped in the middle of it, which elongates the scenes. As a result, this can be a bit tiresome at times. With all that activity and turmoil, there is obviously no time for musings, there barely are any reflections; we only know what the characters are thinking because of what they do in each moment while affronting the situation in the middle of the action. I truly believe there is a serious need for more dialogue and thoughts communication here, it needs deepness.
The romance need to be explored further. There is just enough of it as well as enough sexual tension to keep you interested, but not enough to trap you. And after 5 books, it has become annoying to always be left wanting.
Mircea is your typical sexy vampire type. In fact, he is so stereotypical that there are exact copies of him on many other Urban Fantasy books. But I can’t fault the writer much for this since it seems to work every time for most female readers.
Despite my issues with the series, all and all, these books are ok, stimulating and intriguing . And, if I recall correctly, I liked the third one a bit more than the others.
I will continue reading this series.
I read the 4 first books of the series in a row. Then, I reread them in a row again so I had them fresh to read the 5th one. That means that I have them all scrambled in my mind right now which is why I can’t review each of them separately. This is more a general opinion of the combination of the 5.
This series have many elements that make it an entertaining and interesting read. It has compelling plots, action, miseries to solve, enemies, romantic tension, magic, friendship, humor, a strong female lead, deaths, attractive men, fantastic creatures, time travel, vampires, and much much more.
Nevertheless, I had a few problems with the books, which prevented me from giving them a higher rating:
To me these books have way too much action and the scenes are way too long. The books are a succession of action after action without rest, no pause to collect our thoughts. Due to this huge amount of action the information is dropped in the middle of it, which elongates the scenes. As a result, this can be a bit tiresome at times. With all that activity and turmoil, there is obviously no time for musings, there barely are any reflections; we only know what the characters are thinking because of what they do in each moment while affronting the situation in the middle of the action. I truly believe there is a serious need for more dialogue and thoughts communication here, it needs deepness.
The romance need to be explored further. There is just enough of it as well as enough sexual tension to keep you interested, but not enough to trap you. And after 5 books, it has become annoying to always be left wanting.
Mircea is your typical sexy vampire type. In fact, he is so stereotypical that there are exact copies of him on many other Urban Fantasy books. But I can’t fault the writer much for this since it seems to work every time for most female readers.
Despite my issues with the series, all and all, these books are ok, stimulating and intriguing . And, if I recall correctly, I liked the third one a bit more than the others.
I will continue reading this series.
May 30, 2011
I'll admit it. I get a little bit of a one track mind when it comes to books. If there is so much of a whiff of a relationship forming, I fixate on it and build up all of my anticipation around it. I stay true-blue to my couple. 3rd parties are the enemy. There is no indecision or uncertainty... just relationship-worshipping in its purest sense. Until I started this damn series. Never have I felt so torn... so fickle... about who I want a heroine to end up with. I've got to give credit where credit is due, Karen Chance had me rooting for Tomas, Mircea, and even Pritkin to be the ONE to finally seal the deal with Cassie. And even now, I'm not sure where my loyalties lie.
The story picks up just after the events of Touch the Dark. Cassie has escaped the senate, but reveals she stole a few objects of power on her way out of the door. She is looking for Tony, not only because of past issues with him, but because she wants to free her father's ghost, and neutralize Myra, the other heir to the Pythia power. (She thinks Tony is the key to finding them both.)
Just as she approaches a member of Tony's organization to try to get a fix on him, she is attacked by mages. She is forced to make an alliance with the mage assassin Pritkin to escape. They decide to work together to get to Faerie, where they believe Tony and Myra are hiding. Pritkin wants to get to Myra for his own reasons.
While all this is going on, Cassie discovers that Mircea has placed a geis on her... a powerful spell that prevents her from sleeping with other men. If she makes a move to do so, she and the potential partner experience great pain. But this is at odds with the power of the Pythia which is urging Cassie to lose her virginity in order to claim her full power.
Before she can even set out for Faerie, Cassie is being sent back in time. Myra is trying to kill Mircea in the past, to remove his protection of Cassie in the present. Let me stop here and say that altering the events of the past can create some nasty paradoxes. Some are addressed by the author. But admittedly, some left me with more questions than answers. The biggest is this: If Cassie met Mircea in the past and altered the timeline, how could the events of the first book have played out the way they did? Or are we to assume they went differently? If so, how? Clearly, Mircea remembers their past meetings in this book. It creates a bit of a mess in my head. But rather than let it ruin the book for me, I just filed it away as something that didn't quite fit and tried to let it go.
This book is amazingly sexy for only having one sex scene in it. It's full of action, twists, turns and some real emotion as well. There are many plot threads left unresolved, not the least of which is this mess with the geis. I'm looking forward to see how the author goes forward from here and whether the knots in the plot created by time travel manage to unweave or get more complicated. 4 stars.
The story picks up just after the events of Touch the Dark. Cassie has escaped the senate, but reveals she stole a few objects of power on her way out of the door. She is looking for Tony, not only because of past issues with him, but because she wants to free her father's ghost, and neutralize Myra, the other heir to the Pythia power. (She thinks Tony is the key to finding them both.)
Just as she approaches a member of Tony's organization to try to get a fix on him, she is attacked by mages. She is forced to make an alliance with the mage assassin Pritkin to escape. They decide to work together to get to Faerie, where they believe Tony and Myra are hiding. Pritkin wants to get to Myra for his own reasons.
While all this is going on, Cassie discovers that Mircea has placed a geis on her... a powerful spell that prevents her from sleeping with other men. If she makes a move to do so, she and the potential partner experience great pain. But this is at odds with the power of the Pythia which is urging Cassie to lose her virginity in order to claim her full power.
Before she can even set out for Faerie, Cassie is being sent back in time. Myra is trying to kill Mircea in the past, to remove his protection of Cassie in the present. Let me stop here and say that altering the events of the past can create some nasty paradoxes. Some are addressed by the author. But admittedly, some left me with more questions than answers. The biggest is this: If Cassie met Mircea in the past and altered the timeline, how could the events of the first book have played out the way they did? Or are we to assume they went differently? If so, how? Clearly, Mircea remembers their past meetings in this book. It creates a bit of a mess in my head. But rather than let it ruin the book for me, I just filed it away as something that didn't quite fit and tried to let it go.
This book is amazingly sexy for only having one sex scene in it. It's full of action, twists, turns and some real emotion as well. There are many plot threads left unresolved, not the least of which is this mess with the geis. I'm looking forward to see how the author goes forward from here and whether the knots in the plot created by time travel manage to unweave or get more complicated. 4 stars.
July 30, 2024
Otro libro de vampiros sensuales; este libro es un poco peor que la media, por dos motivos: el primero es que el estilo literario es muy malo, pues está lleno de palabras vulgares innecesarias; el segundo motivo, es que la protagonista es una damisela en apuros desagradecida, y con mal carácter, a la que quieren venderte como una mujer empoderada, además de ser una virgen que es experta en el sexo.
September 16, 2008
All the problems of book 1 with less of the back story. Just more plot driven sex and sex driven plot.
Fans of urban fantasy, go pick up something from the Hollows Series, or the Mercy Thompson series. Or Ilona Andrews.
Fans of urban fantasy, go pick up something from the Hollows Series, or the Mercy Thompson series. Or Ilona Andrews.
May 28, 2017
It wasn't just me right? This one was way better than the first one. Yes, I still have a case of major whiplash from all that was happening left and right, and it had a few eyerolling/head banging the wall moments, but I see a genuine progress.
The chase of Myra the evil contender continues through time and space and now she has her evil eye trained on Mircea. As in killing Mircea in the past so that he can't give Cassie his protection over the span of her childhood. Bla bla. That's not the interesting part. The interesting part is that we find out that Mircea put a geis, a magical equivalent of a chestity belt, on Cass when she was a kid. A kind of "Hands off" sign that prevents any hanky panky situation from happening. Except with him of course.
The problem is Cassie needs to finish the ritual of becoming the Pythia for reals and for that she needs to have sex with someone. Someone not Mircea because for some reason that geis thing is all out of wack and if she spends a lot of time with him, they both end up obsessed with each other to the point of mental insanity. But Pythia's power doesn't care about that stuff and so for some time Cassie acts like a cat in heat over any decent looking guy. That was fun. Glad it's over.
Then we have a glimpse of Fairy with it's dragons, rapy tree men (seriously gross thing there) and giant kings. Then Cassie puts on her big girl panties, or rather takes them off, and becomes the actual Pythia. Not saying with who though, 'cause I'm still in denial.
You'd think now that Cassie is in possesion of all that power it'd make a whole lot of difference in dealing with her problems, but nope, still struggling. At least she gains a reluctunt ally out of all of this. Pritkin is still a major asshole, but he's sticking around to help out with the Pythia gig.
"I'll never be the Pythia she was," I warned. "I may not be any good at all."
For the first time ever, I saw what looked like a genuine smile cross Pritkin's face. "Well, that's encouraging. No one who wants power should ever be allowed to weild it."
"Then I'll be great," I said bitterly, "because no one could possibly want it any less than I do."
And that's the thing that bugs me the most about the book. That Cassie doesn't want the power and still, if she needs it her only way of getting it is literally through the man's bed. What kind of massage is that? What about girl power and all that? I'm not a raging feminist, but even I gotta admit that something is not right in this scenario.
All that aside, my favorite thing from this book were these ladies...
They were fucking hilarious, I hope we'll see more of them in the future.
Over and out.
January 8, 2011
4.5 stars
Whew. Poor Cassie - that girl needs a nap more than anyone I've ever met! I read a review on Chance's web site that said something along the lines of this series sort of poking fun at the genre a little bit, and I think that's true. There is so much non-stop action in these books it gets a little ridiculous. But man is it fun!
I was not fully convinced by the first book of this series. I liked it, but it had a lot of issues and so I wasn't compelled to pick up book 2 right away, I waited awhile.
Well, this book was leaps and bounds ahead of book 1. All of the problems there have been fixed. This book was exciting and action packed, but never (well, almost never) confusing. It was pretty easy to follow, and Cassie felt a lot more like her own character and not a bland composite of other urban fantasy heroines. The pace was break-neck, and fun to read. It was fairly easy for me to just go along for the ride and not feel the need to flip ahead to see where things were headed, which I typically have a compulsion to do.
And my has she done a makeover on the character of Pritkin... I was vaguely intrigued by him in book 1, but he has made the complete transformation into full on hottie and ambiguous hero. I'm very excited to see where that goes.
I'm not quite ready to give this book 5 stars, but if the next book stays on this same track, I think this series will move into "favorites" territory.
*Re-read, January 2011.
Whew. Poor Cassie - that girl needs a nap more than anyone I've ever met! I read a review on Chance's web site that said something along the lines of this series sort of poking fun at the genre a little bit, and I think that's true. There is so much non-stop action in these books it gets a little ridiculous. But man is it fun!
I was not fully convinced by the first book of this series. I liked it, but it had a lot of issues and so I wasn't compelled to pick up book 2 right away, I waited awhile.
Well, this book was leaps and bounds ahead of book 1. All of the problems there have been fixed. This book was exciting and action packed, but never (well, almost never) confusing. It was pretty easy to follow, and Cassie felt a lot more like her own character and not a bland composite of other urban fantasy heroines. The pace was break-neck, and fun to read. It was fairly easy for me to just go along for the ride and not feel the need to flip ahead to see where things were headed, which I typically have a compulsion to do.
And my has she done a makeover on the character of Pritkin... I was vaguely intrigued by him in book 1, but he has made the complete transformation into full on hottie and ambiguous hero. I'm very excited to see where that goes.
I'm not quite ready to give this book 5 stars, but if the next book stays on this same track, I think this series will move into "favorites" territory.
*Re-read, January 2011.
September 14, 2008
This is #2 in the Cassandra Palmer series. Cassandra has inherited clairvoyance from her mother and the ability to talk to ghosts from her father (both deceased). In the last book, she learned that she was destined to become Pythia, the time-traveling chief clairvoyant and protector of the timeline. Cassandra's parents were murdered when she was young and she was raised by vampires, so she is fairly well versed in supernatural politics. In this book, she has escaped all the various factions trying to control her and is on the run, looking for Myra, her rival for Pythia who is trying to kill her, and Tony, the evil bastard vampire who killed her parents and is holding the ghost of her father captive. Along the way, she makes some new allies, discovers that she is under a love/protection spell that is driving her mad, sees some deaths that she doesn't want to have happened, is captured in Farie, officially assumes the mantle of Pythia, cuts a deal with the king of the dark elves, saves the life of her master vampire/love interest several times, and a whole lot of other stuff. This book is non-stop action without a lot of gore, and I love it. There's also some steamy romance, but not so much it interferes with the story. The best part of this series is how smart and politically savy Cassandra is - she often outthinks her opponents, not just beating them up.
September 6, 2016
Again good, but not great. Same problems, Cassie needs to get less soft hearted and start killing more people. It really would solve more of her problems. I enjoyed Agnes, Billy, Mircea, and the Graeae.
February 26, 2016
Claimed by Shadow
3.5 Stars
With various vampires, mages and fae all vying for control of her newly acquired powers, Cassie Palmer is, herself, on the trail of the vampire she holds responsible for the deaths of her parents. To make matters worse, the rival for her abilities is determined to destroy the competition by any means necessary including traveling back in time to dispose of the powerful and sexy master vampire who has always been the one constant in Cassie’s life.
***Warning***: Minor spoilers ahead
The action in this installment begins immediately, which is both a good and a bad thing. It is good in the sense that the story is fast paced, but bad as expository information is lacking to the point that it feels as if a novella is missing - it isn’t and the explanations of events in the beginning are forthcoming later in the book.
There are some interesting developments in Cassie’s relationships with the various men in her life -Mircea, Pritkin and Tomas. To begin with the is a questionable trope. On the one hand, it increases the sexual tension and emotional connection that exists between Mircea and Cassie, but on the other hand, it also undermines the relationship as one cannot know if Cassie’s feelings for him are real or a result of the spell.
Pritkin is one of the more intriguing characters in the series. While he and Cassie are obviously at odds on numerous issues and his reactions to her are aggressive and even violent, it is also clear that they are attracted to one another albeit very reluctantly. It will be interesting to see where Chance takes this.
Tomas is the weakest love interest for me. Not only did he , but his whiny beta tendencies do not make him a promising match for Cassie. The fact that he is the one was disappointing as is the one who appeals to the romantic in me.
The actual plot is a mixed bag. The time travel elements are entertaining and it is interesting to see the social interactions and mores of the European vampires in London of 1888. In fact, these are the best parts of the book. The threads that focus on Myra’s machinations are exciting and action packed although the resolution is anti-climactic - . The weakest plot points involve the excursion into as very little occurs there to forward the overall storyline and it seems that it is merely a launch pad for the next book.
In sum, Claimed by Shadows has its ups and downs, but it is intriguing enough to justify continuing with the series.
3.5 Stars
With various vampires, mages and fae all vying for control of her newly acquired powers, Cassie Palmer is, herself, on the trail of the vampire she holds responsible for the deaths of her parents. To make matters worse, the rival for her abilities is determined to destroy the competition by any means necessary including traveling back in time to dispose of the powerful and sexy master vampire who has always been the one constant in Cassie’s life.
***Warning***: Minor spoilers ahead
The action in this installment begins immediately, which is both a good and a bad thing. It is good in the sense that the story is fast paced, but bad as expository information is lacking to the point that it feels as if a novella is missing - it isn’t and the explanations of events in the beginning are forthcoming later in the book.
There are some interesting developments in Cassie’s relationships with the various men in her life -Mircea, Pritkin and Tomas. To begin with the is a questionable trope. On the one hand, it increases the sexual tension and emotional connection that exists between Mircea and Cassie, but on the other hand, it also undermines the relationship as one cannot know if Cassie’s feelings for him are real or a result of the spell.
Pritkin is one of the more intriguing characters in the series. While he and Cassie are obviously at odds on numerous issues and his reactions to her are aggressive and even violent, it is also clear that they are attracted to one another albeit very reluctantly. It will be interesting to see where Chance takes this.
Tomas is the weakest love interest for me. Not only did he , but his whiny beta tendencies do not make him a promising match for Cassie. The fact that he is the one was disappointing as is the one who appeals to the romantic in me.
The actual plot is a mixed bag. The time travel elements are entertaining and it is interesting to see the social interactions and mores of the European vampires in London of 1888. In fact, these are the best parts of the book. The threads that focus on Myra’s machinations are exciting and action packed although the resolution is anti-climactic - . The weakest plot points involve the excursion into as very little occurs there to forward the overall storyline and it seems that it is merely a launch pad for the next book.
In sum, Claimed by Shadows has its ups and downs, but it is intriguing enough to justify continuing with the series.
August 1, 2011
CLAIMED BY SHADOW was even better than the first book in the Cassandra Palmer Series, Touch of Frost. I am amazed how each book in this series exceeds my expectations.
CLAIMED BY SHADOW was a bit different from Touch the Dark in my opnion. We are not constantly surround by those wicked hot vampires. Even though we weren't I love it all the same because we are constantly around hot tempered mage, Pritkin.
Okay. He has a hot temper but I love that hot temper of his. To be honest I was all for Micrea and wanted to push Pritkin down some cliff, but now I have completely switched sides. It's funny how an author can do that, isn't it? Make you hot for the guy you hated in the previous book.
CLAIMED BY SHADOW had funny and sexy moments and I got to see some of my favorite characters again, as well as new ones. I can't wait to see what the Circle and the Vampire Senate has in store for Cassie next. I love Cassie and her fun dialogue. I will never get enough of this girl. I am looking forward to seeing how she handles her new powers.
Like always there is tons of action and lots of descriptive scenes, but I loved it like no other. And god, the ending was killer. I am really looking forward to the next Cassandra Clare book now, because it looks like Cassie and Pritkin will be spending some one and one time together.
More of my reviews at Mystifying Paranormal Reviews
CLAIMED BY SHADOW was a bit different from Touch the Dark in my opnion. We are not constantly surround by those wicked hot vampires. Even though we weren't I love it all the same because we are constantly around hot tempered mage, Pritkin.
Okay. He has a hot temper but I love that hot temper of his. To be honest I was all for Micrea and wanted to push Pritkin down some cliff, but now I have completely switched sides. It's funny how an author can do that, isn't it? Make you hot for the guy you hated in the previous book.
CLAIMED BY SHADOW had funny and sexy moments and I got to see some of my favorite characters again, as well as new ones. I can't wait to see what the Circle and the Vampire Senate has in store for Cassie next. I love Cassie and her fun dialogue. I will never get enough of this girl. I am looking forward to seeing how she handles her new powers.
"Girlfriend," I told her, blinking to clear the blood out of my vision, "you so do not want to fuck with me today.”
Like always there is tons of action and lots of descriptive scenes, but I loved it like no other. And god, the ending was killer. I am really looking forward to the next Cassandra Clare book now, because it looks like Cassie and Pritkin will be spending some one and one time together.
More of my reviews at Mystifying Paranormal Reviews
February 1, 2023
(no original review)
So on re-reading this ... I'm going to be honest, I'm almost baffled that I remember this series so fondly. Cassie is whiny and TSTL on a constant basis in this book, to the point that I seriously struggled to keep reading. I don't know if my tastes have changed wildly in the last decade-plus, or what, but ugh.
This is my lowest rated book of the first 4 (which are the only ones I read), so I'm going to assume this was a temporary dip and she becomes less of a vapid idiot going forward. But we'll see - if she's like this in book 3 as well, I'll probably bow out of the series.
Also: Pritkin is seriously a jackass. How does this guy get redeemed, because I seem to recall it happening. But he is the most condescending, leap-to-bullshit-conclusions jackass in this entire series so far, so I can't imagine a single thing he could do that would redeem the assholery.
So on re-reading this ... I'm going to be honest, I'm almost baffled that I remember this series so fondly. Cassie is whiny and TSTL on a constant basis in this book, to the point that I seriously struggled to keep reading. I don't know if my tastes have changed wildly in the last decade-plus, or what, but ugh.
This is my lowest rated book of the first 4 (which are the only ones I read), so I'm going to assume this was a temporary dip and she becomes less of a vapid idiot going forward. But we'll see - if she's like this in book 3 as well, I'll probably bow out of the series.
Also: Pritkin is seriously a jackass. How does this guy get redeemed, because I seem to recall it happening. But he is the most condescending, leap-to-bullshit-conclusions jackass in this entire series so far, so I can't imagine a single thing he could do that would redeem the assholery.
February 4, 2024
Lo paso muy bien con esta mujer😂😂😂 Son narraciones desordenadísimas en apariencia, como la propia protagonista, ya que al no controlar aún su poder, se producen saltos impensados en medio de una acción (como en "La mujer del viajero en el tiempo" que también le sucedía sin orden ni concierto, sólo que ahí era de verdad desordenado) lo que a veces desubica un poco, sino fuera porque siempre la llevan a momentos muy emocionantes que, luego descubrimos, tienen una razón de ser.
Ella es de estas protas algo metepatas y divertidas, con un poder que le queda grande por lo que la pobre en vez de disfrutarlo, lo padece.
No sé por qué, aunque parece que el hombrotón de esta historia va a ser Mircea, me resulta una figura muchísimo más atractiva Pritkin, incluso con ese carácter que no hay quien lo aguante.
Ganísimas de seguir.
Ella es de estas protas algo metepatas y divertidas, con un poder que le queda grande por lo que la pobre en vez de disfrutarlo, lo padece.
No sé por qué, aunque parece que el hombrotón de esta historia va a ser Mircea, me resulta una figura muchísimo más atractiva Pritkin, incluso con ese carácter que no hay quien lo aguante.
Ganísimas de seguir.
June 4, 2011
Cassie Palmer just can't get a break. A week after the events in Touch the Dark and Cassie is on the run from both the vampire Senate and the mages Silver Circle, both either wanting to use her or kill her. But that isn't when where her problems end they just keep on piling up; Myra the crazy sybil and Pythia-wannabe is still trying to kill Cassie and has found a new way to do it, removing Mircea's protection by killing him; she can't trust her unlikely allie the tenacious and slightly crazy war mage Pritkin and then there is the geis, the part protection spell and part love/devotion spell that seems to have seriously backfired.
Now that I have gotten used to this world and everything in it I have found that I enjoyed this book more then the first one. Like the first one Cassie bounces from life threatening situation to near death experience making this once again a fast paced and exciting read, you are never likely to get bored reading these books as so much is happening! In this book we enter Faery, travel to the 1880's three times, wreck a brother and a casino, bust out of jail and fly away in a tatto parlour, just to mention a few of the interesting things that happen in this book!
I love reading from Cassie's POV, I know first person isn't most peoples favourite POV but I find I like seeing the action and discovering new things from Cassie's eyes. Once again she was a great character tough and practical but not that over-the-top i-have-a-hidden-penis kind that some UF heroines can sometimes get, she also is compassionate and vulnrable in a world where she is almost always the weakest person in the room.
Then there is Pritkin and Mircea, I know she is going to pair up with one of these characters, but I can't decide which one I prefer, I think I sway slightly to the mysterious war mage Pritkin, but then Mircea shows his gorgeous face and all bets are off. I guess I will have to read on!
Here are a few words of wisdom about the laments of being a ghost from my favourite spook Billy Joe:
There was once a ghost named Billy
Who got in a jam rather silly,
He found a beautiful lass,
And quick made a pass,
Forgetting he only had mist for a willy.
Now that I have gotten used to this world and everything in it I have found that I enjoyed this book more then the first one. Like the first one Cassie bounces from life threatening situation to near death experience making this once again a fast paced and exciting read, you are never likely to get bored reading these books as so much is happening! In this book we enter Faery, travel to the 1880's three times, wreck a brother and a casino, bust out of jail and fly away in a tatto parlour, just to mention a few of the interesting things that happen in this book!
I love reading from Cassie's POV, I know first person isn't most peoples favourite POV but I find I like seeing the action and discovering new things from Cassie's eyes. Once again she was a great character tough and practical but not that over-the-top i-have-a-hidden-penis kind that some UF heroines can sometimes get, she also is compassionate and vulnrable in a world where she is almost always the weakest person in the room.
Then there is Pritkin and Mircea, I know she is going to pair up with one of these characters, but I can't decide which one I prefer, I think I sway slightly to the mysterious war mage Pritkin, but then Mircea shows his gorgeous face and all bets are off. I guess I will have to read on!
Here are a few words of wisdom about the laments of being a ghost from my favourite spook Billy Joe:
There was once a ghost named Billy
Who got in a jam rather silly,
He found a beautiful lass,
And quick made a pass,
Forgetting he only had mist for a willy.
September 10, 2011
Claimed By Shadow was a vast improvement over Touch The Dark. The pacing and action still moved at a breakneck crazy pace, more so than book 1, but I enjoyed this, mainly because Chance did not seem so focused on torturing readers with excessive inner monlogues, explanations, and world-building info dumps. I liked Cassie in this book and, as long as I not getting the books mixed up in my head (I knew I should have reviewed these right after reading each), I think I fell for Cassie when the kids joined the picture. I'm a sucker for magical misfits.
Based on my confusion, it is probably obvious I began book 3 directly after finishing this book. I didn't even move before cracking the next in the series, so excuse me if I mix up certain things, though I am trying to avoid anything spoilerish.
One of my favoite scenes involved Elvis as a zombie and the demigoddesses. Any scene with those three involved was hilarious. Many urban fantasies attempt humor but few truly pull it off as this series has done. I love the humor and sass, no matter how ridiculous it is at times. Every once in awhile I consider the fact that the characters go on tangents in the middle of an action scene, typically life or death, but everything seems to pause and stand still so the sarcasm and jokes can fly. I'm ok with it because I know these books for what they are. Funny and action packed.
One of my favorite quotes - "...you are hanging with the wrong crowd when you have beer, guns and about a ton of ammunition, but no clean clothes."
Based on my confusion, it is probably obvious I began book 3 directly after finishing this book. I didn't even move before cracking the next in the series, so excuse me if I mix up certain things, though I am trying to avoid anything spoilerish.
One of my favoite scenes involved Elvis as a zombie and the demigoddesses. Any scene with those three involved was hilarious. Many urban fantasies attempt humor but few truly pull it off as this series has done. I love the humor and sass, no matter how ridiculous it is at times. Every once in awhile I consider the fact that the characters go on tangents in the middle of an action scene, typically life or death, but everything seems to pause and stand still so the sarcasm and jokes can fly. I'm ok with it because I know these books for what they are. Funny and action packed.
One of my favorite quotes - "...you are hanging with the wrong crowd when you have beer, guns and about a ton of ammunition, but no clean clothes."
April 18, 2023
Revisiting it ten years later was fun. I remember the first time I discovered these paperbacks and got immersed in the world of Cassandra Palmer.
It was fun to get sucked back into the crazy time travel, magic, and mixture of paranormal and fae elements.
Tomás' element was hot, even if it felt a bit weird after Mircea, but I get why it had to be done. Pritkin's hotness is starting to show!
To be fair if it wasn't for nostalgia, I would prob drop it from a 5 to a 4 star, but I had so much fun revisiting this.
It was fun to get sucked back into the crazy time travel, magic, and mixture of paranormal and fae elements.
Tomás' element was hot, even if it felt a bit weird after Mircea, but I get why it had to be done. Pritkin's hotness is starting to show!
To be fair if it wasn't for nostalgia, I would prob drop it from a 5 to a 4 star, but I had so much fun revisiting this.
June 1, 2013
I came across this book at my library, and it looked interesting enough, so I decided to try it, even though I hadn't read the first one.
I really, really wish I hadn't.
Warning: Spoilers for the book and Trigger Warning for mentions of rape/non-con/dub-con
Basically, I felt like Cassie had no agency whatsoever and it wasn't just threats to her life (which I expect in a fantasy story), but it was also that her control (especially sexually) was constantly taken away from her. This could have been palatable if this were a dark novel, but I got the impression that it was supposed to be a fun/light romantic thing. Like "Aw, of course she can't resist these people; isn't it romantic/aren't they so great together?" And that really, really disturbed me. Enough that I couldn't even finish the book, which is something I rarely do.
I really, really wish I hadn't.
Warning: Spoilers for the book and Trigger Warning for mentions of rape/non-con/dub-con
Basically, I felt like Cassie had no agency whatsoever and it wasn't just threats to her life (which I expect in a fantasy story), but it was also that her control (especially sexually) was constantly taken away from her. This could have been palatable if this were a dark novel, but I got the impression that it was supposed to be a fun/light romantic thing. Like "Aw, of course she can't resist these people; isn't it romantic/aren't they so great together?" And that really, really disturbed me. Enough that I couldn't even finish the book, which is something I rarely do.
August 1, 2013
Claimed by Shadow had a slow beginning where Cassie is attempting to get to Myra via help from Pritkin and others. Cassie is hampered and frustrated by the power and spell of the geis.
If I had taken the time to read this book straight through I would have been more satisfied. If you put it down and pick it back up you would have to re-read several preceding pages to see if Cassie was in her body or someone else’s, or is it the present time or past, or who was camping in her body when she was in someone else’s. In the first book, Cassie was camping in a male’s body during sex. My imagination goes wild with some erotic moments if I could camp in a female body. YUM! :P
Cassie is flung between vampire senate, mage warriors and now fey in battles and perpetual havoc. I’m becoming a Billy Joe fan. His humor is often LOL stuff.
I enjoyed this book and will definitely go for the next, but do it when I can read it straight through.
If I had taken the time to read this book straight through I would have been more satisfied. If you put it down and pick it back up you would have to re-read several preceding pages to see if Cassie was in her body or someone else’s, or is it the present time or past, or who was camping in her body when she was in someone else’s. In the first book, Cassie was camping in a male’s body during sex. My imagination goes wild with some erotic moments if I could camp in a female body. YUM! :P
Cassie is flung between vampire senate, mage warriors and now fey in battles and perpetual havoc. I’m becoming a Billy Joe fan. His humor is often LOL stuff.
I enjoyed this book and will definitely go for the next, but do it when I can read it straight through.
June 9, 2008
Excellent book. It has been a while since I have read a 'so good you can not put it down' book, but this one qualified!!
This book takes up right where the first, 'Touch the Dark' left off. We follow Cassie on an action filled adventure in her attempt to avoid becoming the new Pythia. The book starts off with breathtaking action and never lets up, right to the ending.
The author worked out the few wrinkles that hindered her first book -- no long winded vamp politics to bore us this time around!!
This is one of the better Urban Fantasies that I have read recently and I am looking forward to the release of the next in the series!!
This book takes up right where the first, 'Touch the Dark' left off. We follow Cassie on an action filled adventure in her attempt to avoid becoming the new Pythia. The book starts off with breathtaking action and never lets up, right to the ending.
The author worked out the few wrinkles that hindered her first book -- no long winded vamp politics to bore us this time around!!
This is one of the better Urban Fantasies that I have read recently and I am looking forward to the release of the next in the series!!
August 4, 2021
Once again, I loved it. Especially Pritkin, because as much of a pain in the behind he is, he is an awesome character.
The story was once again well-developed and kept its confusing twists back and forth as in the first book, though Cassie could have guessed a few things a little bit earlier - maybe. Either way, in my opinion, it worked well.
The background of the whole world and the history behind the relevant characters was once again nicely planned out as well and there were quite a few interesting new bits that popped up.
Can't wait to continue this series!
First Read: December 30th 2013
Second Read: December 16th 2015
The story was once again well-developed and kept its confusing twists back and forth as in the first book, though Cassie could have guessed a few things a little bit earlier - maybe. Either way, in my opinion, it worked well.
The background of the whole world and the history behind the relevant characters was once again nicely planned out as well and there were quite a few interesting new bits that popped up.
Can't wait to continue this series!
First Read: December 30th 2013
Second Read: December 16th 2015
December 3, 2009
This book dragged, much more than the first. A lot of things explained, a lot of questions asked. But I do understand why it had to be done.
It is just sooooooooooo long; you keep reading praying something good will come soon which it does. But the boring stories, explanations in between I could have gone without. It’s not a bad read. A lot more action than actual romance.
A lot of people have said the first 2 books are longish, and do drag on but the next 2 are fantastic. I do hope they are correct.
3 out of 5
It is just sooooooooooo long; you keep reading praying something good will come soon which it does. But the boring stories, explanations in between I could have gone without. It’s not a bad read. A lot more action than actual romance.
A lot of people have said the first 2 books are longish, and do drag on but the next 2 are fantastic. I do hope they are correct.
3 out of 5
August 18, 2012
Damn it, i don.t have book 3 on the phone! The only thing i don.t like in this series is the ending! If i had to wait for the books to come out it would drive me insane!
April 13, 2024
Segunda parte de esta larga saga. La verdad es que no me ha defraudado, pero tampoco me ha chiflado. Podríamos decir que me he entretenido y basta.
Argumentalmente no ha estado mal, aunque la autora ha vuelto a tirar de momento fan-service, cosa que no me ha hecho gracia y me da hasta pena la protagonista.
Espero que en las próximas entregas la pobre deje de pasarlo tan mal.
Argumentalmente no ha estado mal, aunque la autora ha vuelto a tirar de momento fan-service, cosa que no me ha hecho gracia y me da hasta pena la protagonista.
Espero que en las próximas entregas la pobre deje de pasarlo tan mal.
March 11, 2015
Any day that stars off in a demon-filled bar in a casino designed to look like Hell isn't likely to turn out well. - CassieClaimed by Shadow has always been a favorite entry of mine in the Cassandra Palmer series. OK, so it's book two. But Chance hits everything right! Gosh it feels so good! The pacing is perfect matching the present day scenes with time travel perfectly! This is the title that will show readers what this series has to offer with some of the best time traveling plotting ever. No really. And the fact that it only gets better and better with each addition to the series makes it perfect!
Cassie is still reluctant to take on the role of Pythia. Who wouldn't be daunted by the task of being guardian of the time line? Much like Oracle of Delphi, but with way more cool tricks. Oh, not to mention that each powerful magic group wants to have total control of the reigning Pythia and might still knock her out of the running to get a more amiable heir in position. What I love is the reasoning behind why Cassie decides she should take up the role of Pythia, even if it's the last thing she ever wants. And as Pritkin says:
“No one who wants power should ever be allowed to wield it.”On top of that is plenty of drama! The ritual for Pythia entails Cassie to lose her virginity ASAP, but her—secretly placed—magical chastity belt is giving her a magical whammy to only be with one particular vampire . . . Everyone wants poor Cassie to seal the deal. All Cassie wants to do is find Myra, the rival heir, and get things set so she doesn't have to protect the timeline from her. The fat vampire, Tony, is still out there probably wanting revenge and gloating over her paperweight dad. And so many other things! What I love is that every thing is balanced out so well, and Chance does not try to dump everything in at once. Because there is way more going on here then I could put down.
Ah! All of the characters new and old are soooo cool. I loved that Casanova is a incubus who possesses bodies throughout time and is currently in a vampire’s body. (Strange politics!) It's so fun seeing the twists on historical figures that we love, or hate. Oh, and the gargoyles—tee-hee—there are not enough words to express how much I love them! And-and-and, I could keep on gushing! Some of Chance’s takes are so original on the mythology and mythological creatures that it just makes me giddy. Pritkin has turned into a much more tolerable character as the book goes along and I don't want him to die. He gets interesting. Which is great considering how annoying he was in the first book. Mircea and Cassie's time line tango is so hot, and just plain cool. It's going to be a treat to watch their relationship crash-clash-unite, and develop their relationship. Thomas also gets some redemption, but what I like is that he's not a white knight. And I can't say he's horribly bright. He is what he is, and Cassie—and readers—truly don't know him. Which makes it all the more fascinating.
The dark side of the Cassandra Palmer universe is definitely here. Now, I'm not saying the last book was sunshine and roses. But this brings the fear and the horrors of all factions. This is a world where everything is a power play and if I was in it I'd like to be one of those silly humans on the side lines with no clue. (OK, after I had my way with some of the characters.) Despite that there's a perfect balance with the humor and character banter that makes the darkness wonderful.
At this point Claimed by Shadow will let you know whether this series is for you. It's all polished up and shiny! Which, as said before, only gets better. These books are not ones that you can skim or just kind of pay attention to. They need your full attention because there are plenty of juicy tidbits sprinkled through out them, and not all the time traveling events will be wrapped up in one sitting. The books are connected, one of my favorite things about a good series. Cassie still has the vampire senates, Black and Silver circles, Faye, and so many other factions to deal with. Can't wait to have my head go topsy turvy with the next installment!
Sexual Content: An almost rape scene that is pretty chilling, sex, and sexual humor. This is an adult title.
5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!
Origanally posted at Book Whispers.
February 9, 2010
This book picks up where the last one left off with Cassie diving head first into a paranormal world of action, adventure and some (though not nearly enough) vampire lovin’. The author introduces us to a few new interesting characters too.
Did you all know the famed Casanova was an incubus? Me neither but it seems to make a lot of sense. He stirs up trouble when he tells Cassie a secret about Mircea that disturbs her greatly and changes their budding relationship and may be far more dangerous than she ever realized.
Cassie is still attempting to avoid becoming the new Pythia because she doesn’t want the power and the responsibility it entails and is still jumping back and forth between realms and time. It’s still all a bit confusing for me. Billy the ghost, who I wasn’t overly fond of in book 1, shows up again to drive me just a little crazier than I was when I began this series. I keep hoping he’ll go away for good but he always comes back. There’s just something odd and annoying about someone looking over your shoulder all the time and making comments, even if it is a ghost, even if he is often helpful. Or maybe I’m just paranoid.
Anyway, this book is action-packed. It doesn’t slow down once it gets going and so much happens here that I think I’m going to have to give it another listen because I know I didn’t absorb it all. I liked the book, it was more focused than the last and I really enjoy the characters but I do wish the author had added in less action and more emotional/character interaction. I enjoyed learning a wee bit more about Pritkin but I feel like I didn’t get to know Cassie any better than I did in Touch the Dark. It was all “look out”, “get him”, “save so and so”, “must find Myra”, “where are we and whose body are we in?” and I was freaking exhausted trying to keep up.
I’ll continue with the series but now I need a good, rejuvenating nap because my brain aches.
Did you all know the famed Casanova was an incubus? Me neither but it seems to make a lot of sense. He stirs up trouble when he tells Cassie a secret about Mircea that disturbs her greatly and changes their budding relationship and may be far more dangerous than she ever realized.
Cassie is still attempting to avoid becoming the new Pythia because she doesn’t want the power and the responsibility it entails and is still jumping back and forth between realms and time. It’s still all a bit confusing for me. Billy the ghost, who I wasn’t overly fond of in book 1, shows up again to drive me just a little crazier than I was when I began this series. I keep hoping he’ll go away for good but he always comes back. There’s just something odd and annoying about someone looking over your shoulder all the time and making comments, even if it is a ghost, even if he is often helpful. Or maybe I’m just paranoid.
Anyway, this book is action-packed. It doesn’t slow down once it gets going and so much happens here that I think I’m going to have to give it another listen because I know I didn’t absorb it all. I liked the book, it was more focused than the last and I really enjoy the characters but I do wish the author had added in less action and more emotional/character interaction. I enjoyed learning a wee bit more about Pritkin but I feel like I didn’t get to know Cassie any better than I did in Touch the Dark. It was all “look out”, “get him”, “save so and so”, “must find Myra”, “where are we and whose body are we in?” and I was freaking exhausted trying to keep up.
I’ll continue with the series but now I need a good, rejuvenating nap because my brain aches.
August 25, 2018
4 Stars... Cassie and crew travel through time and into the lands of the Fey in order to thwart an attack by a deadly assassin that has the power to change history and alter their present with deadly accuracy... Once again, Karen Chance incorporates historical pieces into her modern day fictional read adding an intricate layer to her storytelling; meeting these historical characters and seeing how their past intertwines into the current story is fascinating... Although I enjoy these details, there are moments where the overly descriptive nature of the writing slows the momentum of the story and creates a detachment for me in the events taking place.. I thoroughly enjoy the world building and the character development which holds my attention as I am reading, but I would like more dialogue and less description of the moments... The romance is interesting but somewhat confusing with the many men vying for Cassie’s affections; it is challenging to see where the ultimate romance lies... I will absolutely continue with the series and look forward to how the storyline will unfold:)
November 21, 2015
4 1/2 stars
Some new characters. and a little of the old characters too. Pritkin is the character that plays the biggest role in this one. Since I liked him in a crazy, deranged sort of way, from the last book, I was all for seeing what he was up to. We get that and a little of all the rest.
My biggest annoyance and taking the 1/2 star happens at the end. Her reaction to other's deaths, even deserved ones, just bothers me. She was raised in a vampire stronghold, she must have seen plenty of it.
So I obviously loved this and am off to read book three. I also have Dorina Basaraba series on my shelf so... plenty of reading before getting to the end
Some new characters. and a little of the old characters too. Pritkin is the character that plays the biggest role in this one. Since I liked him in a crazy, deranged sort of way, from the last book, I was all for seeing what he was up to. We get that and a little of all the rest.
My biggest annoyance and taking the 1/2 star happens at the end. Her reaction to other's deaths, even deserved ones, just bothers me. She was raised in a vampire stronghold, she must have seen plenty of it.
So I obviously loved this and am off to read book three. I also have Dorina Basaraba series on my shelf so... plenty of reading before getting to the end
November 25, 2013
-Más de lo mismo, pero más.-
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. Cassandra, a punto de cumplir los 24 años, sigue en el punto de mira de Antonio (Tony para los amigos) lo que limita el número de personas dispuesta a colaborar con ella por más que haya terminado siendo reconocida como la vidente más poderosa del mundo (en realidad esa es otra de las razones por la que su vida está en peligro). Cuando descubre casualmente que alguien ha puesto sobre ella un dúthracht geis (el equivalente sobrenatural a una enorme señal de “No tocar”) que la señala como “propiedad” de alguien pero que es un arma de doble filo, surgen más preguntas y peligros. Segundo libro de la serie de Cassandra Palmer.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. Cassandra, a punto de cumplir los 24 años, sigue en el punto de mira de Antonio (Tony para los amigos) lo que limita el número de personas dispuesta a colaborar con ella por más que haya terminado siendo reconocida como la vidente más poderosa del mundo (en realidad esa es otra de las razones por la que su vida está en peligro). Cuando descubre casualmente que alguien ha puesto sobre ella un dúthracht geis (el equivalente sobrenatural a una enorme señal de “No tocar”) que la señala como “propiedad” de alguien pero que es un arma de doble filo, surgen más preguntas y peligros. Segundo libro de la serie de Cassandra Palmer.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
July 18, 2008
This one was wild! Lots of plot twists and turns, time travel and tension. Chance did a clever job of slipping seamingly trivial details into casual scenes only to have them come back to bite you on the butt later. Wow! Still a little more erotic than I'm used to reading........that's okay though. There's a another in the series and opportunites for all sorts of spin-offs. Cassie's still trying to hunt down Tony, the evil vampire, and I think I'm going to have to get some kind of a BIG TOUGH LOOKING DOG and name him Pritkin!
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