Curse the Dawn by K. Chance

Curse the Dawn is the fourth Cassandra Palmer novel by Karen Chance and the magnetism of the Cassie Palmer series continues on.

Cassandra Palmer may be the all-powerful Pythia now, but that doesn’t mean people have stopped trying to kill her. Most of the supernatural power players don’t want the independent minded Cassie as chief clairvoyant—and they’ll stop at nothing to see her six feet under.

The Vampire Senate does support Cassie in her position, but their protection comes with a price: an alliance with the sexy master vampire Mircea, who has claimed Cassie as his own.

But even the vampires will have trouble keeping Cassie alive now that the self-styled god Apollo, the source of the Pythia’s power, has it in for her in a big way. To save her life—and the world—Cassie’s going to have to face down her creator once and for all.

I loved the character interactions in Curse the Dawn.  We actually see a side to Mircea that we’ve only been given a glimpse of before; but his attention does make Cassie question it.  Does he truly have feelings for Cassie or did it all come from the geas that they both were under?  While this bugs Cassie throughout the novel, I’m thinking we’ll get to see more of it in the fifth novel.  I think we’ll also get to see a little of Dorina as well since Cassie found a photo album in Mircea’s rooms of her.  At least, Mircea’s “girlfriend” is never acknowledged, but that’s who I’m thinking it is.  I interviewed Chance last fall and I had asked her if Dorina and Cassie would ever meet and I was told they would.  Will it be the next novel, I’m thinking there’s a good chance.

Either way, there is some spectacular chemistry between Cassie and the two men in her life.  If she wasn’t trying to hook up with Mircea (hopefully that isn’t a spoiler considering the ending of Embrace the Night), I would seriously wonder if she wasn’t setting herself up to fall in love with Pritkin.

As for the plot, it was okay.  Cassie’s interactions with all of the players was good and I really enjoyed it; but all of the action scenes seemed a little too drawn out for me.  There was one chase scene that I really didn’t care for.  Nothing interested really happened during it and yet it was a pretty lengthy chase.  I wasn’t too long, but it seemed that way.  Does that make any sense.  Although, I really think that Cassie is going to start growing up a little after Curse the Dawn.  She tries to get more information on being Pythia, but the people who want her in the position are holding out on her; the people who should be supporting her are after her; and the only person who could truly train her is dead.  She’s in a tricky situation, but she’s starting to make her own choices and standing up to those who would try and use her as a puppet.  Granted, that hasn’t happened to much yet, but I think we’re going to start seeing a whole  new Cassie in future novels.  I’ve heard there is a fifth novel in the process, but I haven’t heard anything about it yet. I’ll be doing some research tomorrow.

Overall, I did really enjoy Curse the Dawn, the latest installment to the Cassandra Palmer series.  Chance is one of my auto-buy authors and I haven’t been let down yet.  Seriously, if you haven’t tried this series yet, you really should.  While I wait for the release of the fifth book (whatever and whenever it may be), I’ll just have to eagerly await the second novel in the Dorina Basarab series, Death’s Mistress, which comes out January 5, 2010, and hope that Cassie appears there.

Read Order:
Touch the Dark
Claimed by Shadow
Embrace the Night
Curse the Dawn

Also reviewed by:
Darque Reviews
Vampire Genre
Scooper Speaks

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

6 Comments

  1. Karen Chance is one of my auto-buy authors too. She can do no wrong! Lol.
    I LOVE Pritkin. I can see Cassie and Mircea having a HEA…but a little time with Pritkin could be fun….
    I think it’s mainly the way they interact (though I thinks there’s chemistry there too) I enjoy the way the act around each other.
    Plus *SPOILER* I love it when they switch bodies. Cassie shaving Pritkins legs may be the funniest thing I’ve ever read.

    -Greek Bee

    P.s – I can’t wait for Dory & Cassie to meet either, I had hoped it might happen in this book, but I can see why it didn’t.

  2. Me three! Just reminds me tho how much shopping I’m getting behind because I’m reading more and more new authors and series! Her books are addicting!

    I have to go check what the Dorina Basarab series is. I’m blanking on that right now!

  3. MIDNIGHT DAUGHTER is first book! Just checked. I must make sure I have and read. Shame I missed this somehow! Thanks for the reminder Jackie.

  4. MIDNIGHT’S DAUGHTER – Dorina Basarab…last name sound familiar, she’s Mircea’s daughter. It’s quite different from the Cassie series, but all in the same world and we even get Louie (can’t think of his full name) as well. I like it.

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