Claimed by Shadow (Cassandra Palmer)

In book 2 we find Cassie in Hell. Wait, my mistake. She’s at an incubus staffed bar in Dante’s Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas — decorated to look like Hell — surrounded by the 3 Graeae sisters. With war mages coming at her from every direction the Graeae provide the perfect distraction for her to do what she does best...run. Because Cassie doesn’t have time to be killed by the people who are supposed to be protecting her. No, she has Tony, the heinous vampire who raised her, and Myra, the murderous rival for the Pythian power, to catch. Only they’re hiding out in Faery, an extremely dangerous place. She also has the little problem — ok, major problem — of the Pythian power pulling her back in time through the centuries to fix who knows what! And this is where Cassie proves how smart she is. With her eyes wide open to all the possibilities, she teams up with Pritkin and his retired war mage buddy Mac. Sure they might kill her or turn her over to the Silver Circle. But the way the Circle is after her that may happen anyway. And who else is she gonna trust, the Senate (vampires)??? I love Mac. He is a fabulous character. He believes in Cassie when no one else does, even herself. He is also a magical tattoo artist which is pretty dang cool. We also get to re-meet some minor characters from book 1 while in Faery and Cassie has more problems added to her to-do list. That list is getting pretty long! What I love about Ms Chance is that every piece of information has a purpose. It’s an Easter egg for later in the book or later in the series. The tiniest details come back around and prove important. Fabulous, intricate writing. And across two series with one timeline!! If you haven’t read the Cassie Palmer and/or Dorina Basarab books you must start now! TW: rape scene (spoiler alert, Cassie saves herself in the nick of time but the scene gets close enough to be traumatic. It is only a few paragraphs and easily skippable without losing important story pieces. Once the roots start ripping off her shorts jump forward 12 paragraphs to avoid.)

Cassie is hiding out in Vegas. She's on the run from any goons Tony sends as well as a wayward acolyte Myra. She's keeping her things in a skating rink locker and stealing outrageous outfits from casino locker rooms to interrogate Casanova. He used to be Tony's second in command and he might know how to get to him in Faerie. She has to get to Tony before he gets to her. She wants to take him down and she wants the paper weight that currently traps Cassie's father's ghost. She also does not want to be Pythia. Then cruel, annoying Pritkin enters the scene. They may make it to Faerie together, but will they make it in one piece? Claimed by Shadow is all around great. The warmages get a front seat in this novel rather than the vampires. We learn more about the magic within this world by following Pritkin around through the backhalf of the novel. We also get more action scenes, and Chance knows how to write a riveting action scene. Cassie speaks more in this one, I suspect because she's out of the clutches of the vampires. She has more agency all around when she's away from them. In fact, one of the main problems, the geis enchantment placed on Cassie, compounds the vampires' rampant disregard for her agency. I love Claimed by Shadow. I hope you love it too.

This book has everything that a paranormal romance lover could want! As with the first installment of the series this book has vampires, mages, clairvoyants,ghosts, satyrs and witches. But we have new characters in the creapy Dark Fey,the charming incubi, gargoyles that remind me of gremlins, and the weird sisters from mythology. Cassie, our heroine, is back at the vampire owned Vegas casino Dante's to try and find the hiding place of Antonio, the master vampire who wants her dead, and more importantly Myra, the other clairvoyant or sybil who wants her job and so therefor wants her dead. At the casino she learns from the incubi that apparently Mercea, extremely powerful vampire and Cassie's near lover, had placed a geis (spell) on her when she was a child so that she would feel love for him and he would be able to protect her. But something has now gone wrong with the geis and she and Mercea are nearly obsessed with each other. Oh and the White Circle of Mages has decided they don't want her as Pythia and are making a power grab, which means their all about to try and kill her. Is their anyone who isn't trying to kill her? Apparently yes, as help arrives in the unexpected form of Pritkin, the oddly powerful mage who likes to sneer at Cassie.Add to that the the power of Cassie's new role as Pythia( basically the Queen of clairvoyants and an extremely powerful position) wants her to solidify her power base by having sex with someone and things get steamy between these rivals. With help from a ghost, a golemn, a magical tattoo artist, and even a few vampires the two set off on an adventure to Fairy to find Myra- with a sidetrip to save Tomas, her vampire crush/bestfreind who betrayed her! This was a very good book! Cassie does finally take a lover which I kind of found anti-climactic. She does loose people whom she cares for. Some of the things in my description may make you think this book is going to be too Tolkenesk but trust me this book is main stream cool with surprises. If your an adult who secretly really likes the Harry Potter books but also loves a good romance, you'll definitley want to pick this book up and you won't be disappointed!

"Claimed by Shadow" centeres on a young lady with clairvoyant powers, who is half-way to becoming "the" magical time-travel cop -- against her will. Her enemies include vampires and mages who wish either to control her every move or see her dead. Rather than succuming, she chooses to risk it all, and confront her main enemy, the vampire who raised her. She picks up two mage "alies" with their own agenda along the way. Expect time travel, surprises, and complex personalities. This novel is a wonderful surprise, enjoyable throughout. Developments along the way are fun and entertaining in their own right -- this isn't the sort of book where you can read the last chapter and pretty much have read the whole book. I liked it much better than the first, and it can certainly be read in isolation. There is quite a bit of graphic adult topics (aka lust & sex) that will offend sensitive readers; and this cannot be avoided as it is sprinkled throughout the book.

CLAIMED BY SHADOW picks up shortly after TOUCH THE DARK as Cassie Palmer is now the reluctant Pythia. Myra, the supposed heir to the Pythia, was rejected by the powers in TOUCH THE DARK but that hasn't stopped her deviousness. After all, if Cassie is killed before the ceremony is completed, the powers of the Pythia will go to someone else. Cassie certainly doesn't want the powers for herself, but she also doesn't want to see these powers in the hands of the wrong person either. The Senate is also chasing after Cassie and she finds herself teamed up with the war mage, Pritkin. Meanwhile, Cassie's wards are failing and she has a geis on her that is making her separation from the vampire Mircea more difficult by the moment. Who can Cassie trust when it seems there is danger lurking in every direction she turns? CLAIMED BY SHADOW is one high speed thrill ride! I couldn't stop turning the pages as the story sped along, chock full of exhilirating action coupled with superb characters. Karen Chance takes the series to new heights with her sophomore effort as CLAIMED BY SHADOW keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The various twists and turns of the plotline are fiendishly clever! Karen Chance has produced some extraordinarily memorable characters. Who can't help but love Mac? The unusual aspects of both his store location and his numerous tattoos make him stand out but it is his steadfastness and heart of gold that make him so beloved. Billy, the ghost, of course returns and Ms. Chance has quite the surprise in store for him. Karen Chance proves that she is a force to be reckoned with in CLAIMED BY SHADOW. Just one note of caution: this series should most definitely be read in order as the underlying plots continue throughout both books and there are threads still left to be finished even upon the conclusion of CLAIMED BY SHADOW. Don't miss out, however, as CLAIMED BY SHADOW is one book you won't be able to put down! COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

I'm not here to write a summary, read the one provided. This review is meant to defend the book from what others have mentioned. It was claimed basically (I am only paraphrasing) that Cassie is a weak willed, wimpy, good for nothing heroine. I'll come out and say it, she's no Anita Blake (even if you no longer like them, just think of the first 9 or so books), but she's not meant to be. Cassie reacts like a normal person, she doesn't want to be a superhero, and this book allows her to grow into her power somewhat and to begin to accept it. I feel that it is a good follow up to Touch the Dark and look forward to the next in the series. Before you judge her actions, put yourself in her shoes. If as much power as she has to deal with was dumped into your lap, would you take it in stride? Or would you been sitting in a corner, rocking back and forth, crying for Mommy? Honestly, it's probably somewhere in between the two. So, for realistic coping with huge powers and great danger, pick up the book.

I love this series! It keeps getting better, especially now that Cassie is starting to claim her position. I liked her a lot better in this book even than in the first, and I loved the first. She saves the day twice (I won't give details, but two main characters would be dead without her). She also takes on a huge new responsibility, one that will change her entire life, and is understandably nervous about it. She'd be crazy not to be. But when she decides to do it, she really goes for it! She didn't whine or complain, she just got busy. This book filled in a lot of information about things I wondered about in the first book and introduced some great new characters. I loved Pritkin, Billy Joe, Mac, the Graeae-basically everyone in it. I can't wait to see where she goes from here!