Karen Chance – Hunt the Moon

The fifth book in the Cassie Palmer series, published June 7, 2011.
Genre: urban fantasy
Cover: very nice



Cassandra Palmer recently defeated a god, which you'd think would buy a girl a little time off. But when your job is being Pythia - the world's chief clairvoyant - you don’t get a lot of R & R. Cassie is busier than ever, discovering her power, figuring out her relationship with the enigmatic sexy vampire, Mircea and preparing for her upcoming coronation.
But someone is dead set against Cassie’s becoming Pythia, and will to go to any lengths to stop the coronation ceremony from happening- including making sure that Cassie is never born.
Now Cassie has to save herself – and the world, if she can find the time…


Cassie is getting tired of training. Physical exercise by Pritkin, who wants her to be able to defend herself, and magical training by Jonah, but it doesn’t yet goes as she wishes, and should be able to. And she is under close scrutiny by her new vampire guards Mircea has put on her. They are to keep her safe from the mages. But they cannot safe her from a weird entity that wants her dead, and almost succeeds in it, until Pritkin gives her something made of solid iron. But who has ever heard of Fey possession?
And Cassie just wants to get ready for her date with Mircea this evening. She might be married to him by vampire standards, but she hardly knows anything about him yet. It would be nice to just date him for a while, and get to know the real Mircea. And for him to acknowledge her as his equal instead of some kind of servant he can keep on a leash. His own pet psychic. Cassie has no intention of becoming that at all. She will be Pythia and be respected, or else.
That evening, Mircea has found a safe venue for Cassie to go back in time to see her mother. (Whom she lost in a fatal car accident when she was 4 years old, contrived by Tony). But unfortunately, Mircea’s research is not so well as he thought, as they witness a mage abducting her mother, and her mother displaying more kinds of the Pythia’s power than Cassie knew existed. And she doesn’t seem to get exhausted by it either, even though she is only the Heir and not the official Pythia.
And some strange Mage’s are in hot pursuit as well, and Cassie is desperate to keep her mother safe. If she dies, Cassie will never have been born! But the mage who abducted her in the first place, is not helping things. He thinks Cassie and Mircea are just another bunch of enemies. But Cassie’s beautiful mother seems to know who Cassie is.

Back in their own time, Cassie is attacked again, this time by one of the mages Jonah wants to court her. If she is seen dating with other mages and perhaps a were or two, her image will benefit from it. She is now seen as a pet of the vampires, and that cannot be allowed. Cassie really doesn’t want to do this, her plate is full enough already.
Like saving Pritkin’s life after he has saved hers from a Dragon! What kind of beings are after her this time? Is Jonah right, are they fighting Ragnarok? Then were are the goddesses she is supposed to help with this final fight?


I enjoyed this book very much, as is usual with this series. It keeps going in directions I don’t see coming. It is great to learn more about Mircea and Pritkin, their personal histories, and the growing relationship with Cassie. I like how she stands up for herself, against those much stronger beings. She survives, she wins, and she lives. The three old crones play a small part again, and I hope to see them go all out in the next book, if there is one. It did end on some sort of cliffhanger though, so I sincerely hope so.
Karen Chance has written another fast paced, action filled urban fantasy. Great characters, they make you laugh and smile and cry, and just feel for them. There is also still room for some love scenes, and quiet time for Cassie and Mircea.
Also, only a short scene for Francoise, and I would really love to see those dresses designed by Augustine for real. They sound so over the top gorgeous.

Looking forward to anything else Karen Chance write, the Dorina Basarab books are next. And I think she is a daughter or sister of Mircea, so I really am curious to discover it.

9 stars

© 2012 Reviews by Aurian