Hunt the Moon (Cassie Palmer)

Spelltastic! Rapacious! Phenomenal! Cassie Palmer has opened a can of "whoopass" in Hunt the Moon. Karen Chance has created an urban fantasy junkie's dream! You can find it all in this gem, time travel, vampires, demons, fey, and mages to name a few. Cassie is beyond awesome, her ability to make you come back for more is endless. Hot and steamy vampire love with the sexy and dominate Mircea, are what dreams are made of. Pritkin sheds his duster and gives us a glimpse of the man underneath, and what a man he is! Cassie is the blueprint for a bad ass heroine. Action packed entertainment from the very beginning makes Hunt the Moon a keeper. The best part of the story are the secrets revealed, boy, are you in for a surprise. It doesn't stop here folks! I loved this book! I highly recommend this book and more importantly the Cassandra Palmer series! Thanks Karen, for another unbelievable and memorable kick ass story!

Roughly two years ago, CURSE THE DAWN was released. After such a long and tortured period of living in limbo, the fifth installment to the Cassie Palmer series has finally reached the public. And oh what a wait it was.

In a way, the hiatus was a good thing. Why? I remember when I read the first four books in this series, I was engaged, but not 100% with the writing and characters (this, mind you, was all before I embraced my book addiction; it was when I actually worried about running out of books to purchase and devour). After reading HUNT THE MOON throughout the week, and having it haunt me when I wasn't reading it, I was addicted. That little spark that was lacking in the earlier books was shining brightly, demanding my complete attention.

The writing has improved. I had an easier time picturing everything, and the dialogue definitely was a bonus. I got a real taste of characters via conversations (especially Pritkin this time around). Everything in this book flowed so smoothly and effortlessly that I couldn't help but be enamored.

There is a love-ish triangle in this series, and I thought I was going to hate it. I remember I despised the idea of Pritkin and Cassie being together initially--that is, until the two got down and dirty to save Pritkin's life in a past book. I was always a Mircea fan, but after HUNT THE MOON, I think I'm legitimately torn because both men are so likable, and both have their faults. Kudos to Chance for actually making me question who I want Cassie to be with.

Fans of the series will definitely appreciate this installment because we learn more about character histories. I think I'm also torn between the two men because Chance focused on both equally this time around, permitting them to reveal something substantial that happened in both their pasts, and thus, making them easier to like.

I have two minor qualms with this book: some of the fight scenes, and redundancy. There was a tendency for certain things to repeat themselves--whether it was a certain behavior during an interaction, or something a little more substantial, like a trending when it comes to attacks. I hate to say it, but halfway through the story, I was able to predict the inclination in the fights for shifting, attacking, crazy chase, and regrouping.

As for the fight scenes themselves, I don't remember if I had similar sentiments for earlier books, but I felt lost at some points. I'm not sure if this was because of editing issues, or if I wasn't catching certain details. Even upon rereading these pages, I still felt overwhelmed and confused. It seemed like Chance either got lost or too wrapped up in these scenes. To me, there seemed to be a few consistency errors, but again, I'm not sure if it's my fault or not. For example, in one chase scene, Pritkin was supposedly pulled into the car (or at least, I thought he was), but then then a paragraph later, he was back on the fence, being dragged again. In that very same scene, Cassie told a vampire to drive, then took the wheel back; a few paragraphs later, the vampire was driving again. I felt it happened fairly often with the more intricate fights, which lessened my enjoyment of them since I was having difficulties attempting to envision the overall picture.

Word of warning: there is a cliff hanger in HUNT THE MOON. I, personally, was not agitated by this, but I know a lot of people will not be thrilled... especially after a two year wait for this book coupled with no word of book six's release.

Overall, HUNT THE MOON was an excellent reunion with a wonderful world and characters. Mircea and Pritkin were just as sexy as I remembered, and I actually started tearing up at the end because I thought Pritkin died at one point (but he didn't!). Cassie didn't annoy me as much like she did in the past, and I was hating every moment where I wasn't reading. I think Chance just proved that, despite a reading slump, a creative author can effortlessly wipe away the fatigue any reader may be feeling via an engaging world and characters.

I hadn't realized until the characters said so, but only two months have passed since the beginning of the series. Poor Cassie fills this time period with emergency after emergency, bouncing from threat to threat.

Unlike some other urban fantasy heroines I could name, Cassie's victory never seems guaranteed. It's not like other series, where the only suspense is what new power she'll develop to save the day. Cassie always seems to manage through a combination of luck, ingenuity and teamwork with the supporting characters. Usually by the skin of her teeth. I appreciate that element of suspense!

This new book is no different. There are so many things going on that I'm sure I'll find something new every time I re-read it! The action sequences were many and the love scenes were steamy. Characters grow and produce new insights with every page, making them grow dearer and dearer to me. Particularly Marco, Cassie's main bodyguard. Definitely one of my new favorites!

I really hope that the next book doesn't take as long to come out. As much as I like Karen Chance's short stories and Dorina books, I really want to know what happens to Cassie and Pritkin and Mircea and the rest as soon as possible.

Karen Chance is an amazing writer. But I found in this book (more than the others) that Casandra Palmer was utterly intolerable. Cassie "woes me" attitude and lack of motivation irked me. Furthermore, she was stubborn at the worse times, isn't there imminent danger? Near the end, she finally found her strength but by that point I already gave up on the book. I simply wished for Cassie to have found her strength earlier.
Another issue with the book was the lack of actual connection. When the men are with her, she seems to find her libido and sense of emotion towards them. But she seemed to forget them when they're out of sight. Even after claiming to love Mircea, she still doesn't quite mention him after the Pritkin incident. Ultimately, I found her character unrelateable.

Fast paced breathless adventure..cassandra is back and she rocks in this book. some of the action scenes can be a little hectic, like to many ideas pouncing on each other at the same time..so it reads slightly garbled or maybe just over enthusiastic. he interaction betwenn Cassie and her vamp guards is the source of much amusement and always makes me laugh. the new bodyguard fred is hilarious..note to self: never have a vampire version of a panic attack. the secret stars in this book and others are the graeae's...Enyo, Deino and Pemphredo...their antics are hysterical. i won't go into the storyline to avoid spoilers...but cassie gets her groove back. I highly recommend this series and can't wait for the next one.Hunt the Moon: A Cassie Palmer Novel

The Cassie Palmer series has been interesting, sometime more than just interesting, above average characters, decent and above plots not depending on the stupidity of the characters to move the plot along, and "Hunt The Moon" follows this same pattern except the author appears to get carried away or bored with the writing; the book is mainly silly "Batman-like BIFF BAM BOOM" action scenes, over and over and over, almost 90% of the book (BORING!); and then the author kills off one of the three major characters (DUMB!); we can only hope that this was will be rectified in the future, after all, he was a demi-god and should have considerable recuperative powers; read some of the other reviews and can only assume they were reading a different book than I was ... this is definitely a low point in the series.

Cassie, the time traveling unwilling Pythia, never dissapoints. Yes, the action in all of the series books is at a dizzying pace and amount that nearly belies belief, but just relax and enjoy the story. As usual it's full of sexual tension between Cassie and Mircea, the overly protective vampire master with secrets...and between Cassie and Pritkin, the mage who has barely been able to keep her alive through all the calamities they have faced together.

This portion of Cassie's saga also deals with some chaotically theorized fight before the end of the world , vaguely detailed in mythology, and continues the complications of the Ouroboros spell from the last book. If you don't know what the heck that means than you either need to go back and re-read a book, or you're new to the series so please do yourself a favor and start with the first book in the series rather than getting your self hopelessly confused with all the action.

Two things that bother me: there are now five books in this fast paced series, Cassie has almost died about a hundred times and a huge amount of political and magical intrigue has happened...and we're supposed to believe that's all taken place in less than 2 months? When the first book was published 5 years ago? And Mircea still hasn't mentioned his grown daughter to Cassie who is supposed to be incredibly close and precious to him? Just saying...And that said I still can't wait for the next book, even if I have no idea where the series is exactly going.

The Cassie Palmer series in order:
Touch the Dark
Claimed by Shadows
Embrace the Night
Curse the Dawn
Hunt the Moon

Just like in all the previous books in the Cassandra Palmer series HUNT THE MOON is jam packed with action, fast paced, full of heart pounding situations and all around kick ass. Cassie still has people trying to make sure her job as Pythia never officially starts and she is doing everything she can to make sure it does.

If I get to far into my thoughts on the book I will give away way to many spoilers so I will give my thoughts on the characters and not on the happenings. Cassie continues to get multiple attempts on her life. She is always in danger and always fighting to get out of some trouble or another. She really is a fantastically written and strong character. Marcia is as protective and controlling as always. You can tell Cassie loves him but i think the over-protectiveness definitely makes her turn from him. Pritkin, I LOVE Pritkin. I so cant believe how far he has come from the first book TOUCH THE DARK. I pretty much despised him in the beginning and now I cant imagine the series without him. I really think him and Cassie being together is going to happen I just dont know how it is going to get to that point or when. There is a huge cliff hanger like ending involving him and I'm DYING trying to figure out what the heck will happen next. You can never go wrong reading one of Karen's books her Dorina Basarab series (features Marcia's daughter) is just as fantastic. Book 6 can not come out soon enough.

Hunt the Moon is action- packed and full of adventure. It it were a movie on the big screen, it would be the one with car chases, explosions, and gunfire. The one where people are repeatedly the worse for wear, but just keep getting back up, ready for more. I felt exhausted when I finished the last page, like I had just run a 5K.

Just weeks away from the coronation that will begin her official reign as Pythia, there are several attempts on her life, even as guarded as she is. While the vamps and the Silver Circle scramble to identify this new threat, Cassie must rely on Pritkin for extra protection.

Meanwhile, Cassie is being pulled in two different directions by the Vampire Council and the Silver Circle, who each want to be the one that controls the Pythia. She has news for them - this Pythia will be controlled by no one.

Cassie is also trying to navigate through her complicated relationship with Mircea. She resents his high handedness and control issues, but she is still inexplicably drawn to him.

Cassie discovers more about her origins, specifically her parents. There is great plot twist here, which I will not reveal for those of you who have not read the book yet.

What ensues is a mad cap race through time while Cassie and her friends try to thwart her death and discover who is behind the threat. This book has a lot of juicy scenes between Cassie and Mircea, and Cassie and Pritkin. (Can I just say - I am on Team Pritkin all the way!!) The story ends on what I would call a frustratingly wonderful cliffhanger and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!

~Review by: Book Addict from When Pen Met Paper [...]

Karen Chance has an imaginative new power of clairvoyance and time manipulation for this amazingly resourceful heroine. The coronation of the Pythia (clairvoyant seer/traveler of time) is days away and Cassie has all new mayhem and plots afoot. She is a struggling 24 year old with the expectation of an office she feels untrained and ill-equipped to be the Pythia with her past as a puppet for an evil vampire who murdered her parents. Cassie desperately wants to meet her mother, the former Pythia heir, before she died and travels back in time to a party with Mircea where her mother was present. However, Cassie encounters not tearful reunion but kidnapping, an inept mage, and demigods all out to take out her mother. The multiple action sequences and plots are equally matched with thoughtful character development for an exhilarating (sometimes hilarious) read of this fifth novel from the Cassie Palmer's series, Hunt the Moon, that leaves this reader obsessively awaiting the next novel. If you would like to read more of the review please visit [..]

I always forget how much I truly love the characters developed in this series until the eagerly awaited next book comes out. Then I fall in love with them all over again. I could not put it down and breezed through it far too quickly to only realize that it will be far too long before the next one comes out. Karen Chance knows how to entertain!! And this book is certainly no exception. Please hurry up and write the next one!! This series is in my fave 5 and as a "book-o-holic" that is saying a lot. :)

I absolutely loved this book. It was totally worth the long wait. Now I'm just devastated that it'll be a year at least before the next one comes out.

Cassie is, as usual, being hunted, this time by some deeply supernatural creatures but she is her normal resilliant, resorceful self. Pritkin, her main mage bodyguard and a slew of vamp bodyguards are working overtime to protect their Pythia as her coronation draws closer and the attempts on her life more frequent.

Those who love Pritkin... there are some GREAT moments. Mircea is still firmly in the picture. I don't mind Mircea but Pritkin is the one!

Cassie is such a lovely character and Pritkin is WONDERFUL. More Pritkin please, *love* Pritkin.

I was so entertained by this tale. The action sequences were a touch long at times and occassionally I lost what was going on, but generally, such a pacey fun read.

Karen chance ROCKS!

A year is toooooo long to wait for the next one!

The Cassie Palmer books are very well written, the stories are well plotted, and I really connect with the characters. With that said, there were waaaaaaay too many fight scenes in this book. I can't wait for the next book in the series, but MORE STORY and LESS Fighting !

Karen Chance left John's status up in the air and we need to know that he will be saved (or not) as soon as possible for our own peace of mind.

Strongly recommend this book.

This series began with so much excitement, but I am so disappointed with the direction it is taking. The heroine use to be so smart and quick and she has been reduced to a whining, confused PIA! The plot is too confusing with too many unfamiliar villains and I never know what we are essentially trying to accomplish. Can anyone tell me if this story was about Cassie trying to get a grasp of her power and position or was it a Greek mythology lesson? The entourage of vampires is a little old in my opinion; I mean honestly Cassie is supposed to be so powerful but she basically just sits around and gets "Babysat" by the vamp goon squad. The author spends pages detailing ridiculous arguments between this vamp and that vamp that in no way add any substantial substance to the novel. This was my final purchase and I look forward to finding a new author to fill the vacancy that the Cassie Palmer series has now provided.

Cassie faced a lot of challenges in this book. It kept my interest and of course the love triangle was present. She seemed a tiny bit whiny throughout the book, but overall it was a really great read.

Loved it!!! Some prefer not so much action, but I love it as long as it's balanced with enough relationship development. And this book succeeded perfectly in my opinion. The banter between characters is flawless and laugh out loud funny at times. So well done! We learn more about our main 3, Cassie, Mircea, & Pritkin...and their relationships grow too. Yes, I'm crazy about Pritkin, but I have to admit, I really like Mircea too.... I think he's just terrified of loosing Cassie, especially with his past to draw from and everyone wanting to take Cassie out. He's just got to find the balance. So on one hand I cheer them on...but then I really really want Pritkin to find love & happiness with Cassie. So I'm just CRAZY!!! We also get to know Marco better too, bless his heart... as well as a few other great supporting characters. For me, a solid 5!!!!

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