Fury's Kiss (Dorina Basarab)

Karen Chance is an AWESOME writer!! The fight scenes can be a bit overwhelming, but I appreciate the challenge! ! There is no speed reading Karen!! You really get your moneys worth!! The complexity of the plot is awe inspiring to me!! She writes quality not quantity. Also Karen is HILARIOUS! !!!

I love all of karen chances books and short stories. This is no different. It was fantastic. I liked how she explained about 'dory'/dory's past. I always, always enjoy her books and this one was just as good if not better than the others in this series.

Long awaited and didn't disappoint. Karen, can you write a bit faster? I could wait to finish this book and was disappointed that I got to the last page too quickly. This Ms. Chance's best series with all the elements we love: sex, action, romance tied up in a compelling story.

It wasnt her best work, but it wasnt bad either. Like some of the other reviewers said, this book required a lot of patience and I found myself skimming large sections to get to the 'meat' of the story.

<spoilers>
I also follow the Cassie Palmer series and I was a little unhappy that in the only crossover scene. I actually had to go back and re-read it since I skimmed so much of the book. When I first finished it, I thought Cassie had just walked out and read through the rest of the book frantically waiting for her to come back and toss Dory on her behind.

Cassie usually talks more, and I still think she would have told her off, argued with her, something before zapping her elsewhere.

Why can't Cassie and Mircea just live happily ever after already?! <sigh> How many times must the poor man prove himself?

I loved the Pythia books so I started this series and it is wonderful. I love Dory/ Dorina, love seeing this world through the more Vampire-centric lens, and cannot wait to see where Karen takes us next. More books please!

I enjoyed other books by this author. But this one really disappointed me. The writing is just very lazy. The author doesn't seem to put herself in the place of the reader. She doesn't take the time to make sure that what she writes makes sense, and will be understood by the person reading.

And she doesn't bother making sure she's not babbling mindlessly. For example, there's a section where she says, "I don't really know anything about character X or where he came from." And then she IMMEDIATELY proceeds to explain every detail of his life. Excuse me? If you don't know anything about him, how is it that you're able to recount his entire life story?

The book is full of poorly written sections like this. She jumps around with no explanation. It's very choppy. I don't mind reading books where it jumps around a lot, but a less lazy writer includes segues, or takes other steps so that the reader won't be just battered around, constantly having to figure out what the author's intentions are now.

http://kickassurbanfantasy.ga/

Fury’s Kiss is the third book in Karen Chance’s Midnight’s Daughter Series, featuring Dorina Basarab. It starts off with Dory waking up in a strange place, no recollection of what has occurred, or who has come to rescue her. Her lucidity is short lived, however, and she wakes up in her own bed, absolutely horrified that she is wearing….pink.

During an impromptu meeting with Mircea, Kit, Ray and Louis-cesare (with Claire looking on disapprovingly) we discover that Dory was sent out on a mission for the senate the night before, and out of 11 MASTER vampires, she was the only one left alive. And they want to know why. Dory’s position with the senate is put on “temporary suspension” by Mircea until he gets answers.

For risk of spoilers, I don’t want to reveal too much about the details of this novel. One event kind of leads to another here, and it was definitely an exciting read. However, I want to point out the major highlight of the novel. We get a much deeper look into Dory’s dual nature as a human/vampire hybrid. While it’s been discussed in previous novels, it’s the highlight of this one, with several exciting surprises. I love the unlikely partnership between Dory and Ray as well, they are hilarious! Reminds me of Billy Ray in the Cassie Palmer novels.

This novel keeps in pace with Chance’s normal style of non-stop page turning action. But beyond that, I think if you follow the series, this book is worth the read not only for the developments in Dory’s character, but a few events that put the vampire world on it’s head, and I can’t wait to read about in the Cassie Palmer series as well. Chance explains on her website, that she almost looks at these as one series, but with two different main characters. I was impatiently waiting for the next book in the cassie series, but after reading this, I am anxious for the new release in both.

Reviewed by SUZANNE & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

Dory wakes up in a lab with no idea of who she is or where she is with a red headed vampire crashing in saying he is trying to save her. But that is least of Dory's problems, with the Fey plotting and the vampires scheming Dory may just be facing an enemy she can't defeat.

I have been waiting for this book for so long! The Dorina Basarab series has definitely become one of the my favourite urban fantasy's. Packed full of manic action that gets your adrenal glands pumping, interspersed with funny, romantic and tender moments to soften the frantic pace; it is a rollercoaster of a read.

So much happens in this book; we breach the subject of Dory's vampire side, something that I hope you be explored more in the next book. We also see Dory's relationship with her father, Mircea, developing beautifully, as well as things between her and Louis Cesare really heating up. Dory alse seems to have acquired a vampire servant, Ray, and I doubt if I am alone in saying the hilarious, but sometimes touching, banter between Ray and Dory were some of my favourite parts.

What I really like about this series is that each book builds up from the next one; the relationships between the characters gets more complex and intense; the various factions and plots are getting more intricate and Dory's character has come to vivid life as we get to know her more deeply.

I am now dying to read the next book as Fury's Kiss had some highly unexpected events take place at the end and I can't wait to see what will happen next!

*ARC provided by publisher

Being a dhampir, half-human, half-vampire, Dorina Basarab has lived a very long and rough life. Hated by vampires due to her uncontrollable and deadly rages, it's a miracle she wasn't killed long ago. Even so, she had finally started to gain some control over those periods of rage, but her latest case working for the very creatures that despise her must have tipped the scales. She wakes in a unknown lab with the rage consuming her, almost costing Louis-Cesare his life. After calming her down, the Vampire Senate realized that the answers they so desperately need are hidden behind that rage fog, and they would do anything to get them, for it could mean the difference between victory or defeat in the war.

Prior to reading Fury's Kiss, out of Karen Chance's two series set in this world, my favorites were definitely Cassie's books. However, now that I have finished Fury's Kiss, I have to say that the scales have tipped in Dory's favor. Granted I realize some of that is probably due to the fact that Dory is fresh in my mind while the last Cassie book was released over a year ago, but there is more to it than that. Dory has grown so much from the angry and bitter woman we first met. She's still rather wary of most of the vampires (completely understandable due to her terrible history with them), but she also has made great strides in learning to work with them. Between her father, Radu, Louis-Cesare, and even Ray, she makes great inroads in this book towards opening herself up. Now, instead of blind mistrust standing in her way, it is more her own insecurities that seem to be her biggest road block. Of course, when you have been treated a vile thing your entire life, and are terrified of yourself because you hurt others in uncontrollable rages, it would be rather hard to have a good sense of self worth. That being said, Dory seemed to slowly be opening up to the idea of accepting and hopefully embracing both sides of herself, which will go a long way in overcoming those insecurities.

Another thing that makes this series so great is the dance of a romance between Dory and Louis-Cesare. Perhaps a more apt description would be a game of cat and mouse now that Louis-Cesare has made it rather apparent where he stands on the issue. Dory, isn't so certain, but a lot of that is due to insecurities, which like I mentioned previously, she has made great strides in that area. I really enjoyed the steamy moments between them, even as the sexual tension was ratcheted up several knots leaving me more than a little frustrated at times as I just wanted them to finally get their groove on. That being said, I really feel like they have finally started to settle things and head in the right direction, making me one very happy camper.

I have to admit that I was a little intimidated by the size of this book as the ARC copy I read had 536 pages. Whenever a book goes over 400 pages (and sometimes even when the page count is less), there always is that concern that parts will drag as it hadn't been condensed down enough to its best form. That wasn't even a possibility of a concern for Fury's Kiss as it was non-stop from start to finish. Seriously, I cannot even begin to express how impressive it was to read a book of that length without having a single dull moment. Even if I wasn't already incredibly satisfied with all the other elements of the book, that feat alone would have earned it a high rating. So when you add in the yummy romance, the great character growth, and the heart pounding action, Fury's Kiss more than earns a resounding five star rating. Seriously, run, do not walk to your nearest book store and snatch this puppy up as it is an absolute must buy!

Third in the Dorina Basarab / Midnight's Daughter urban fantasy series revolving around a dhamphir who's been around for 500 years. It does involve characters from Chance's Cassandra Palmer series (it starts with Touch the Dark).

If you enjoy urban fantasy and vampires. Just buy the series. You'll want to read and re-read it forever.

My Take
Oh lordy, it is just too funny from the get-go! Dory is out of her mind and battling with Louis-Cesare, who is trying to rescue her while Marlowe and Mercia are snapping commands at him. I've never heard Louis-Cesare so snarky!!

Chance does an amazing job of writing a fight scene with so much going on that you almost wish it were video so it would be easier to keep up! Of course, we'd be missing all that rich chatter between vamps and in Dory's mind. I just couldn't read fast enough to find out what was happening next!

How can you not love the following:
"...Christine. ...was a responsibility, a mistake I made when young and foolish, and from whom I came to believe I would never be free!"

"Then what am I?" [Dorina] challenged, staring up into blazing sapphire eyes.

"A joy."

There are several vague elements in this story that Chance drips in here and there. Just enough to make you nuts and race on, hoping to come across more information.

Massive culture clashes in here, and especially between Dory and Louis-Cesare. He's given her his memories, and he expects her to rummage around in them. Only Dory finds that just horrifying, and L-C misinterprets her feelings, questioning whether she wants to be with him or not. Oh lord, then there's the contingent of royal fey guards camped in the backyard. And their hooking up with the hippies next door, LMAO! What a party that was! Vampires invade Claire and Dory's house---to cook and clean. There is lots and lots of fighting, battles, and changing alliances as well as the fight games to determine replacement senators, new weapons, and new enemies and allies. And all that's outside what Dory is experiencing with her two halves finally catching up! Eeek!

"...since [the mages] rapidly went from confused and pissed off and homicidal...

Well, [to] whatever emotion can best be described as 'lunch'."

Mmm-mmm-mm, I just love how Louis-Cesare loves Dory. Soft and slow, taking his time. He'll do dishes and wants to know her favorite color. I want one... Oops, seems he can go a little too far. Although, Dory's reaction does tip her off to some new developments with her power.

"I want to remember everything, every movement, every scent, every sigh..."

We finally learn something of Dory's early history and more of Louis-Cesare's! And, HAH, all those Mircea-haters have to take it back! So there... Man, Chance is so complex in this one. I'm really impressed with how she's managed to keep it all straight!

You are so not gonna be bored! This was absolutely the best in this series of really great stories. Lots of resolution with Dory finding herself and being elevated for being that self. Louis-Cesare is just to die for. And Mircea gets his rewards---yes, vindication! And what he has to go through to get it...I just cried.

I am so hating that I have to wait for number 4!!

The Story
We take up exactly where we left off in Death's Mistress (Dorina Basarab, #2) with a confused Dorina battling Louis-Cesare. Marlowe's irked, to put it mildly, because Dory a) survived when eleven other masters didn't and b) she can't remember a thing.

It's the games as well. The vamp equivalent "of the Olympics, the World Cup, and the Super Bowl, all rolled into one". Too many senators have died and the senate has to fill up them seats.

As part of the battle to save the Senate and herself, Dory lets Dorina out and her personal battle is on. Louis-Cesare is there for her. And here, and then over there, and then somewhere else as they flee through both Dory's and L-C's memories trying to escape the murderous Dorina. It's a good flight and fight as it helps Dory discover what is truly important in life.

Mircea comes hunting them through their memories and time and gets attacked. But he allows the attacks, putting all his power into helping Dory and L-C.

Dory is given the seat of a senator because she helped battle the very few loyal vampires. She almost died. She killed in mental combat the traitor. Louis-Cesare is also reinstated as a senator for his fighting, although his ban will be back in place once the war is over.

The Characters
Dorina Basarab is dhampir. Half-human and half-vampire. Dorina is her other half and the equivalent of a first-level master, totally insane. Mercia Basarab is her father (see the Cassie Palmer series); he's a senator on the North American Vampire Senate and was cursed with vampirism, not bitten. Radu is Mercia's younger brother, brilliant, and totally not with that whole concept of blending in.

Louis-Cesare de Bourbon is in love with Dory (and vice versa, but don't let Dory hear you say it! She's deep in denial.) There are hints that he's a twin of He's the a son of Louis XIII (from Alexandre Dumas' The Man in the Iron Mask tale) and was turned by Radu. L-C is also a master swordsman. He had been the Enforcer for the European Senate, but he got caught out in his nasty little secret (Death's Mistress). Verrell is L-C's chef.

Lord Marlowe is, yup, Kit Marlowe from Elizabethan England and he just happens to be a vampire and the spymaster for the Vampire Senate. Ray is a cheesy master vampire who should have been dead-dead. Lawrence is one of Marlowe's vampires and Dory's partner on the spectacularly failed mission.Anthony is a master vampire and the European consul, who owes Dory. The tiny, yet extremely powerful Ming-de is the empress of the Chinese court. The truly terrifying Hassani is the African consul.

Geminus was the bad vampire in Death's Mistress, a senator, and the senate's weapons-master. He was also deeply involved in smuggling and now, Varus, his right hand man, has taken over. Zheng-Zi, a.k.a., Scarface, was one of Ray's whom Dory bombed the Hades out of, hence the nickname. He's coming after her. Cheung is Ray's old boss and he wants Ray back. Now. Slava is a vampire who runs a BDSM pleasure house and seems to be working with Æsubrand. Jonathan is the necromancer.

Part of Dory's household:
The house is alive. Kinda. Nothing can be changed or repaired, except by the house. Ymsi and Sven are twin troll brothers; Ymsi is the one with the Victorian level of prudery after a fellow troll housemate, Olga, had a little chat with him about privacy in the bath. Stinky is Dory's ward/son/pet, a Duergar-Brownie, whom she rescued in Midnight's Daughter (Dorina Basarab, #1.

Of the fey:
Claire is her best friend and half-dragon. She is engaged to Heidar, the Blarestri fairy king's son. Their son Aiden is a few years old and finally wearing the talisman, which is supposed to protect him. Caedmon is the Blarestri fairy king. Æsubrand, who will be Claire's cousin by marriage, is also a homicidal prince who wants Aedin and Claire dead as they're interfering in his fey kingdom domination plans; Efridís is his mother, who was married off to the Svarestri king, Aeslinn, by the Blarestri.

The Black Circle consists of mages who practice black magic; the Silver Circle, well, let's just say there hasn't been a whole lot of difference between the two as far as Cassie Palmer is concerned! The Corps is the police unit of the Silver Circle. The Irin are the Fallen angels, the Watchers.

The Cover
The cover is a cocky little Dorina in her black leather pants and vest with her hair pinned up, wearing studded leather gauntlets on her wrists. Her body is facing away from us, but her head is in profile, chin tucked to her shoulder as she sneaks a peek at us, one arm bent and holding a smoking gun. It's one of Dory's favorite places---an alley.

The title is, oh, so appropriate as our Dory discovers her other half and does indeed get Fury's Kiss...ouch!

What can I say? This author is a paranormal wordsmith and I am addicted!
Fury's Kiss is the third book in Karen Chance's 'Midnight's Daughter' novels. It continues with effortless transition from previous novels into the well known characters and carefully unfolding plot that I love. I was thrown right back in the thick of the action, my imagination immersed in this intriguing world of sexy vampires and sadistic fey.
Fury's Kiss once again follows the endearing antics of Dhampir, Dorina Basarab. Half human and half vampire, Dorina is capable of just about anything - bursts of aggression, acts of compassion, and enough dry wit to leave grit between your teeth.
Dorina, usually so capable and a convenient weapon for the vampire senate, is suddenly thrown off guard when she wakes up in the center of a smuggling/murder investigation. With memories seemingly stolen under her very nose, she begins to suspect that the vampiric half of her nature may be responsible - month long blackouts ending in carnage a usual result. But as the layers of deception are peeled back and more players are drafted via nefarious intent, Dorina is compelled to put the assorted tensions with her all-powerful father, Mircea in the past and allow him to metaphysically riffle through her brain.
Digging up the present can be tricky. But what happens when the the past is made present? What happens when memories of a childhood long forgotten could be the very reason Dorina is so unwilling to trust now?
Fury's Kiss had me on the edge of my seat. Like with all Karen Chance novels, the characterization is eerily consistent and dialogue so witty and emotionally driven that I feel almost compelled to yell direction. With such beautifully crafted imagery and an over-packed stadium worth of action and gorily detailed violence, I was never left wanting - except perhaps for the next installment.
A novel as good as this struggled to unearth criticism and since I enjoyed it enough to debate about putting it down, I can safely rate Fury's Kiss five out of five fangs - simply gripping!

Amazing! Without a doubt, Karen Chance has delivered her magnum opus with Fury's Kiss. My ARC was composed of 536 pages of non-stop action, multiple complex story lines, and thrilling romance. The book is massive. None of it is filler. It could have easily been divided into two smaller books. It is to Chance's credit and of course her publisher, Signet, that she did not shy away from the magnitude of this project.

Chance writes with a skill level that is rarely challenged in this genre. Intense, detailed, and intelligent scenes that demand an involved reader. At the same time, her characters are robust and sympathetic.

Dory is notoriously stubborn and emotionally detached - most times causing herself more harm than good. She carries the proverbial "chip" the size of a boulder on her shoulder. In Fury's Kiss, fans will be pleasantly surprised to see Dory finally make breakthroughs in several key relationships. Without giving too much away, Dory and her father Mircea will break new ground in their strained relationship in the most unexpected of ways. This story line allows Mircea to evolve from a secretive diplomat senator into a protective dedicated father.

Ever stalwart, Louis-Cesar also plays a huge role in this novel. Dory is finally forced to decide if she will commit to Louis-Cesar and the risk of being hurt both by him or by others using him to get at her.

Claire is back along with a detachment of randy fairy soldiers to protect her. This story line goes into some very funny places.

Fury's Kiss brings back several characters from her previous novels and introduces Ray, a seemingly third rate vampire trying desperately to stay alive (relatively speaking). Ever scheming, slippery and the punch line for every joke, Ray is the comic relief and Dory's Ace in the hole.

When a seat becomes available in the Senate during the investigation, all hell breaks loose as contenders fight each other in open season style combat. Last man standing wins the Senate seat.

The villains have new toys including vampire zombies, ice rays, and illegal ley line portals. But most of all - the villains have powers that no one has ever witnessed before making Dory and the rest of the crew feel completely at a loss. A mysterious winged stranger saves Dory from the zombies and introduces a whole new group into the mix - fallen angels.

Do not be diverted from this novel if you are new to Chance's works because she will give you enough background to keep you afloat but you will miss out on the inside jokes (including a short scene between Dorina and Cassie from Chance's other series The Cassandra Palmer Series).

Fury's Kiss is a game changer. Forget everything you ever knew about Dorina Basarab because a new Dorina is in town and she is larger than life.

I ♥ Fury's Kiss. Dory is just an awesome kickass chick, a tad crazy, headstrong, a hell of a fighter... and she has a hottie as a boyfriend. I want to be Dory!
In this story she was up against formidable opponents, but Dory keeps comming up with those crazy plans and she never gives up, no matter how bleak the chances are of coming out of it alive.

Fury's Kiss is another fab story in the amazing world Karen Chance created for this series and the Cassie Palmer series. I really love both series!

I actually started out reading Karen Chance with this series, not the Cassie Palmer one. it's usually the other way around. But a smart own on her luck dhampir mercenary was more interesting to me than fluffy Cassie. So I do prefer this series to the other.

Here's what my take away is from both series. I like the stories... and it is a testament to the strength of the characters and the world she builds that I keep reading them DESPITE the author's writing style.

What's wrong with the writing style? It's jerky. One action scene after another, lots of internal dialog and then a scene just ends. Boom. And you are on to the next scene being TOLD how the last one ended. Instead of living through it. Drives me absolutely crazy. If you can put up with her writing style, its a nice world with interesting and in some ways, unique characters. And she doesn't slow down the interesting parts and speed up the uninteresting. Just describes every little thing, relevant or not in such detail, then then BOOM. Skip to next scene. If she would just STOP. DOING. THAT. her writing would be so much better.

This book was really long. I like that though. I get longer with the characters. Although I won't lie, I had a headache when I finished from trudging through her writing style. A book of this length from an author with a better writing style (Iona Andrews, or Patricia Briggs, or Jim Butcher) would take me a day at most. This took me three days (when I was sick at home and had plenty of time to read, mind you) because the actual pacing/writing is so painful that I have to slow down/re-read stuff because I missed the important stuff hidden in the piles of unnecessary details stuck in there, then pick up the thread of the plot, then move forward. And then all the sudden there is the longest action scene that just will NOT END, until when you FINALLY understand what is going on and you are into it and BOOM. You are jerked to a stop when she ends another scene abruptly.

I just finished it and I feel battered. Really. That's the only word for it.

I still don't understand what the Dorina/Dory melding is going to mean. And after that rough ride, I'm not sure I'm going to buy the next book to find out. Which is sad. Cause like I said. The story is good. The writing though. Not so so much.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:

I knew I had missed the world of MIDNIGHT'S DAUGHTER, but I didn't realize exactly how much until I dove into Fury's Kiss and was reunited with Dorina Basarab.

The enchanting world of sexy and dangerous (and often times utterly entertaining) Master Vampires, Fey Warriors, Mages of both the Light and Dark persuasion, and more, all wrapped up in an action-packed, suspenseful plotline with heat, heart and intrigue.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the previous installments of both series of this world, but there was something special about this book. I think because we got to see the OTHER side of Dorina, the more vulnerable side - the more human side if you will.

I also loved it because it brought back, in stunning display, pretty much all of my other favorite characters as they each played their role.

Unexpected heroes, thrilling allies, dirty secrets and more abound in this installment and if I wasn't on a review schedule I think I'd read it again.

I can't go into detail of what happened during the book because just about everything I would say would be spoiler, so I'll just say this... LITERAL ADDICTION gives Fury's Kiss 5 Skulls and highly recommends it. I do, however, recommend that you read the previous installments before this one as there is a lot of history that is used to set up the premise of this book. It may even be a good idea to read the CASANDRA PALMER series as well before starting the DORINA BASARAB books as you get insight into several of the key players in those books (and they're fabulous).

This is the third book in the Dorina Basarab series. I have really enjoyed the previous books in this series. I also read the first three books in the Cassie Palmer series, but stopped because I didn't enjoy them as much. This was an excellent and action packed book, but at times I got a bit lost in the politics...let's face it it's been a really long time since the second book in this series released.

Dory is working with the Vampire Senate on uncovering a smuggling ring that's smuggling goods into our world from Fairy. At the beginning of the book she wakes up in a cage in a lab in full rage mode; luckily Louis-Cesare is there to fight her until she realizes she's been rescued. Dory has to unravel the mystery of what is going on, despite her huge gaps in memory.

This book saw a lot of character growth for a lot of characters. Dory learns a ton about her past. Her and Louis-Cesare definitely heat things up a bit. I have to admit I loved this...I've been rooting for Dory and Louis-Cesare right from the beginning and am so excited to see them making some headway in their relationship.

Additionally Mircea is in this book a ton as well. A lot is uncovered about Mircea and Dory and their father/daughter history. Both make huge leaps in character growth in this book as well. It was wonderful to see Mircea and Dory start to have a true family relationship; some truly needed balance was brought into Dory's life for once.

Dory is one of my favorite urban fantasy heroines. She can be hilariously funny and there were a number of scenes in this book that had me laughing out loud. She is known for her dhampir rages that turn her into a killing machine that all vampires fear. We get to experience some of those rages in this book. Dory is also incredibly loyal and always very concerned about hurting those she loves. Oh, I should mention that she can totally kick-butt too.

The action scenes in this book are plentiful and incredibly well done. That's part of what I love so much about this series. Lots of guns, and lots of kick-butt fighting scenes.

We get a good glimpse into Dory's home life as well which has become increasingly complicated. We also find out that Radu is claiming that Dory is his master; he is hilarious as well and added a lot to the story.

The book is engaging, fast-paced and very well written. My only complaint is that I got a bit lost in all the vamp politics at times. It has just been so long since the second book was released, I was having trouble remembering who everyone was and what their angle was.

Overall an excellent addition to this series. We learn a ton about Dory's past and see a lot of character growth between Dory and her father Mircea, we also see a lot of growth between Dory and Louis-Cesare. This book is action packed, at times hilarious, and full of excellent mystery. This whole series is highly recommended to those who love urban fantasy. I am eager to see what happens next and am hoping we don't have to wait years in between books this time!

Fury's Kiss by Karen Chance
Urban Fantasy - Oct. 2nd, 2012
4 stars

Fury's Kiss starts out fast and furious as the heroine half vampire (dhampir) Dorina Basarab finds herself without her memory and being attacked. When she comes back to reality she realizes that she can't remember anything about her latest assignment. An assignment which resulted in the death of a very powerful first order vampire. Why was she saved and what did the people who killed her partner want with her? As Dory tries to regain her memory she is aided by a wisecracking vampire named Ray and the totally hot vampire Louise-Cesare. When is it discovered that her vampire half may hold the key to unlock crucial memories things get more hairy. As a dhampir she is very unstable as her human and vampire war with each other. Most dhampirs are immediately killed or go mad. Can she risk her sanity? Vampire politics and Dory being at the very bottom of the totem pole make for exciting reading as Dory feels impelled to find out the truth even if there is no safety net in sight.

This book was disorienting at first, as the reader and heroine have no idea what is going on. Dory's new sidekick Ray makes this book lighter and even funny at times. I liked that the author brings more of the relationship between Dory and Louise-Cesare into the story and gives it more `romance' and complexity. As Dory journeys to try to find answers and instead finds a full on attack there seems no end to the action. Although I found the first half of the book a little slow the second half more than makes up for it as I could not stop turning the pages turning! Thrilling and totally cool -enemies are blown away as Dory gets back her groove. This was a mesmerizing read and while not my favorite in the series, the strong writing, plus the intense/tight writing style make it a must read.

Intense, high octane, and utterly ruthless this is series urban fantasy readers will crave more of!

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

Working undercover with teammates trying to learn how magical weapons were being smuggled out of Faerie, Dorina Basarab the dhampir awakens to a bloodbath in a lab which she is the sole survivor except for a male staring at her. She tries to kill him, but master vampire Louis-Cesare prevents her from doing so.

The Vampire Senate demands answers to what went wrong as they assume the worst of Dory as everyone knows the hybrid dhampir species fly into berserker rages rather easily. Dory has controlled her urges by going after rogue vampires and evil demons. She does not recall what happened that led to the massacre as if her memory cells were tampered with. As she seeks the truth, Dory faces mad scientists wanting to continue their experiment, fallen angels with malice, and a more malevolent violent vampire subspecies.

The third Midnight's Daughter urban fantasy (see Death's Mistress) is a dark exhilarating thriller filled with nonstop action yet also enables the audience to look deep at the self-destructive dhampir species. Dory holds the storyline focused as she investigates what occurred in the lab only to run into a horde of nasty adversaries with Louis-Cesare and perhaps her dad having her back. Fury's Kiss is a strong entry in a fabulous saga.

Harriet Klausner

If you haven't read anything by Karen Chance, first, what are you waiting for, go out and read her books!, and second, you need to start with the Cassandra Palmer series. Dorina Basarab is a spin off of that series. The two series take place in about the same time frame. There are even crossovers of many of the characters.

In true Karen Chance form, this book is an action packed detail oriented thrill ride. Although I don't love this series as much as the Cassie Palmer series, I do love it. Dory is the same snarky soft center in a hard shell girl that she always has been, but we also get to find out about her "other half," Dorina. Because, although Dory is half human-half vampire, her two sides don't seem to mesh. And of course there is Louis-Caesar. And even an appearance made by Cassie, everyone's favorite Pythia. Not that she is named, although I can't wait to see the encounter from her POV.

This book has it all: action, romance, and humor, much much humor. Karen Chance is great at taking any situation and putting a humorous spin on it, and I find myself laughing out loud when I read her books.

Another winner by one of my faves. Can't wait for what's next!

See the review at [...]

I prefer the Dorina story line to Cassie's, although I enjoy both. Dory is a conflicted, flawed character for whom one roots to find some degree of peace. The fully developed supporting characters are all here - Louis Cesare, Mircea, Kit Marlowe, Claire, Stinky, even Ray Liu, whom I liked much better in this book than the last. No spoilers here, just a suggestion that you stick with it - while the story start slowly and disjointedly, halfway through the story picks up speed and ends with gangbusters. I was so satisfied with the end I read it twice immediately. I can't wait for the next one.

I saw on Karen Chance's website (the timeline between the Cassie books and the Dorina books) that she's always viewed the two series as one. I hadn't felt that way until this book. I think some of that is due to the fact that the I had to re-read certain parts to understand what was happening. That's a somewhat common occurrence in Cassie's books, mostly during the time travel sections. In Fury's Kiss, there were a couple of italicized portions, scenes happening in Dory's mind, flashbacks and lots of frenzied fighting that, while wonderfully written made re-reading necessary. However, the level of excellence in the writing, the characters and superior world and amazing story completely negate any "whoa, what? gotta read that again" moments I had.
Two scenes that stand out are young Dory and Mercea in Venice and one of the most sensual love scenes ever...and the couple never physically touched. And an ending that opened up so many possibilities for the series.
I've always been a Pritkin girl. His chemistry with Cassie is off the charts. Mircea absolutely shines in the Dory books, I love him!...oh my, am I a Mircea girl now? I have no idea how the author will work it but either way, I'll be both elated and devastated.

Forgot how much I missed this character! She's the epitome of kick butt chick with endearing faults and unsecurities! The author seems to like the jumping through time and worlds thing. At times it can get a little confusing and almost mind boggling how she even keeps up with those crazy parts! She does the same in her other books, so I'm getting used to it, but still find myself just mostly scanning those parts to get to the next period of calm. That would be the only fault with this series. I love the humor. I love the endearing qualities of the characters and I love, love, love Dory! Louis-Ceasar isn't bad either. I enjoyed getting more details about Dory and Mercia's early years. Enjoyed the book overall very much. I hope there are more to come!

Action that kicks in on the first page and rarely lets the reader take a breather, a great twisty plot in the background, some major delving into the histories/personalities of the most interesting players in the series including Dory, some nice smexy moments (sigh), and a change for Dory which looks to take the series in a direction that I just can't predict. Just a tick off for a few long italicized flashblacks at the start, but after that Fury's Kiss was so good that I don't know how to write a review that does it justice. Loved this book.

I must be missing something because I just could not get into this book. I found myself rereading pages because I couldn't figure out what was going on. It's hard to enjoy a book when you are lost. That's not to say it's not a good book. It just wasn't a good book for me.

Dorina Basarab (Dory) often takes jobs for the Vampire Senate but this latest job leaves her with a sketchy memory and surprise surprise a lot of bad guys wanting a piece of her. This is another action packed roller coaster of a tale that will leave you breathless and wanting more, more, more.

Spin offs are frequently not as good as the story they are spun from. The Midnight's Daughter series (Dorina Basarab) is as good if not better than the Cassandra Palmer series from which it was spun.

As intricate as a spy novel, Karen Chance brings all of the threads dangling up until now together in a complex and riveting plot. It took a while to get a new book from her but was definitely worth the wait!

This was 500+ pages of total awesomeness. Chance is at the top of her game with this book. If you want the full experience of its awesomeness, be prepared to start reading and not want to put it down. There is so much going on that I wanted no distractions while reading. Dory kept be hanging on the edge of my seat the entire time. Single words to describe: Action, intrigue, surprise, loyalty, love, and purpose. This book brought it all and more!