Claimed by Shadow
by Karen Chance
Book #2 in the Cassandra Palmer Series
Published: ROC – April 2007
Genre: Urban Fanasy
Pages: 374 (paperback)
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Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 stars)
Summary
A recent legacy made Cassandra Palmer heir to the title of Pythia, the world’s chief clairvoyant. It’s a position that usually comes with years of training, but Cassie’s circumstances are a little…unusual. Now she’s stuck with a whopping amount of power that every vamp, fey, and mage in town wants to either monopolize or eradicate – and that she herself doesn’t dare use.
What’s more, she’s just discovered that a certain arrogant master vampire has a geis on her-a magical claim that warns off any would-be suitors, and might also explain the rather … intense attraction between them. But Cassie’s had it with being jerked around, and anyone who tries it from now on is going to find out that she makes a very bad enemy…
The Good
Claimed by Shadow picks up were book one left off. It starts knee deep in action and rarely lets up.
New and old characters still enrich the plot. We get a little more insights on a few characters that are both good and bad. Half the time you don’t know who is on whose side, which only amplifies the intensity and mystery. Pritkin is especially a character I would love to know more about. I know we will be seeing more of him. I have no doubt there is a huge story just waiting to come out of Pritkin.
The problems with the geis and Mircea only intensified the story for me. The pace was fast and the the dilemmas never ending. I was never bored. The White Circle of mages, and many others, who are hell bent on killing Cassie only added another dollop of craziness in an already crazy adventure.
I really enjoyed the part of the book with Mac, Pirtkin, and Cassie, when they traveled to MAGIC. It was scary and heartbreaking. I love when a book makes me get emotional.
Near the end, the Pythia dilemma iwas finally resolved and surprising new alliances were formed. I liked the new powers Cassie had to deal with throughout the book, too. It gave the plot a spin that I didn’t see coming.
The Bad
Cassie’s decisions in this book kind of disappointed me. She was indecisive and even whiny. With how well book one developed Cassie as a character, I felt like book two counteracted some of that work.
The plot in book one was a little rehashed in book 2 but each book had enough differences that made each one unique as well.
The Snuggly
We get a a lot of petting and kissing and a full sex scene.
Overall
The few faults within in the book in no way took away from the great characters and well-written action scenes that made this book so special. I really have enjoyed this series so far. I am always excited when Chane’s next book comes out, I just wish she would work a little bit on Cassie and make her a more inspire-worthy heroine.
