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missyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.5
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
Third in the Dorina Basarab / Midnight's Daughter urban fantasy series revolving around a dhamphir who's been around for 500 years, and we take up exactly where we left off in Death's Mistress with a confused Dorina battling Louis-Cesare. It does involve characters from Chance's Cassandra Palmer series.
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 Mircea 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!
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!
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
Marlowe's irked, to put it mildly, because Dory a) survived when eleven other masters didn't survive the Vampire Games and b) she can't remember a thing.
To survive the battle Dory must let 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 while Mircea comes a'hunting.
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. Mircea 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 Mircea'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 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 hell 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.
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 and Title
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!
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 Mircea 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!"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.
"Then what am I?" [Dorina] challenged, staring up into blazing sapphire eyes.
"A joy."
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…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.
Well, [to] whatever emotion can best be described as "lunch".
"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
Marlowe's irked, to put it mildly, because Dory a) survived when eleven other masters didn't survive the Vampire Games and b) she can't remember a thing.
To survive the battle Dory must let 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 while Mircea comes a'hunting.
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. Mircea 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 Mircea'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 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 hell 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.
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 and Title
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!
lauren_emily_mayne's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this whole series! Dory is such a badass I want to be her! I really really can't wait for the next one which I'm seriously hoping Karen chance is even doing!
michalice's review against another edition
2.0
I picked up Fury's Kiss on publication date, and it just sat on my shelf waiting to be read. When I finally picked this one up I did find it hard to get back into this world again. It took a while for me to remember who the secondary characters were and how they fit into the story, and once it was all fixed in my mind I did find it easier to read.
I liked the idea behind the story, but it just didn't work for me. The many trips back into Dory's memory bored me, and after the first few I did find myself skipping these parts. I did like how we got to witness some of her past through her eyes, but there just wasn't enough of that to keep me happy.
The ending of Fury's Kiss was not something I expected, but I did like this little twist. Overall Fury's Kiss was an OK read for me, it just didn't meet my expectations.
I liked the idea behind the story, but it just didn't work for me. The many trips back into Dory's memory bored me, and after the first few I did find myself skipping these parts. I did like how we got to witness some of her past through her eyes, but there just wasn't enough of that to keep me happy.
The ending of Fury's Kiss was not something I expected, but I did like this little twist. Overall Fury's Kiss was an OK read for me, it just didn't meet my expectations.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
5.0
Fury’s Kiss is the third book in Karen Chance’s Dorina Basarab series and therefore this review may contain spoilers for the previous books. It is also set in the same universe as the Cassie Palmer series and shares some characters so they are really best read together (and in order).
When Dory wakes up in a strange lab, she has no memory of who she is but she knows one thing; she is a dhampir, half vampire, half human and her mission in life is to kill vampires. So when there’s one standing over her, she attacks, even if it is Louis-Cesare who is just trying to help. With her split nature, Dory is used to blacking out but when a team, of first-level masters is killed, she must regain her memories to find out what happened.
The characters in Karen Chance’s books are like friends to me now and I just love returning to their world and being immersed in their stories. I was surprised at first that Dory’s memory loss didn’t last long but soon it starts to come together. There are several memories (in italics) which really won’t make a lot of sense until the end and it’s one of those books that would deserve a re-read with the benefit of hindsight.
The memory loss means you don’t get that oh-so-common recap at the start and I found myself going back to the final chapter of Death’s Mistress just to remind myself where things lay. Although I like that the reader’s sense of disorientation mirrors Dory’s. Just as the Cassie Palmer series has the displacement of the time travel scenes, Fury’s Kiss delves into the landscape of memories and I enjoyed the visualisations.
We learn more about Dory’s dhampir side and you will start to worry for her future but there were some absolute awwww moments which will leave you satisfied. There is also plenty of laugh out loud humour, fast paced action and a good dollop of sexiness. I cannot wait until the next book considering what happens at the end (not a cliffhanger but on-going character development that I want to see continued). Just please write faster Karen! 2013 will see a new Cassie Palmer book but I fear there will be a long wait to meet up with Dory again.
When Dory wakes up in a strange lab, she has no memory of who she is but she knows one thing; she is a dhampir, half vampire, half human and her mission in life is to kill vampires. So when there’s one standing over her, she attacks, even if it is Louis-Cesare who is just trying to help. With her split nature, Dory is used to blacking out but when a team, of first-level masters is killed, she must regain her memories to find out what happened.
The characters in Karen Chance’s books are like friends to me now and I just love returning to their world and being immersed in their stories. I was surprised at first that Dory’s memory loss didn’t last long but soon it starts to come together. There are several memories (in italics) which really won’t make a lot of sense until the end and it’s one of those books that would deserve a re-read with the benefit of hindsight.
The memory loss means you don’t get that oh-so-common recap at the start and I found myself going back to the final chapter of Death’s Mistress just to remind myself where things lay. Although I like that the reader’s sense of disorientation mirrors Dory’s. Just as the Cassie Palmer series has the displacement of the time travel scenes, Fury’s Kiss delves into the landscape of memories and I enjoyed the visualisations.
We learn more about Dory’s dhampir side and you will start to worry for her future but there were some absolute awwww moments which will leave you satisfied. There is also plenty of laugh out loud humour, fast paced action and a good dollop of sexiness. I cannot wait until the next book considering what happens at the end (not a cliffhanger but on-going character development that I want to see continued). Just please write faster Karen! 2013 will see a new Cassie Palmer book but I fear there will be a long wait to meet up with Dory again.
amym84's review against another edition
4.0
This book has been a long time coming. With [b:Death's Mistress|6203049|Death's Mistress (Dorina Basarab, #2)|Karen Chance|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1347782760s/6203049.jpg|6383596] published back in 2010, it's been quite awhile since we've seen what Dory is up to. The events of Fury's Kiss take place a few weeks after the end of Death's Mistress. Dory has agreed to work with the Senate during the impending war. The book opens with Dory not knowing who or where she is, but needing the rescuing of one Louis-Caesar. From hee the story jumps right off. By reading this book, I can almost see why it takes Karen Chance so long in between books. This book is full of twists and turns. Whereas the Cassie Palmer series has the time-travel aspect going for it, the Dorina books seem to have a mind-speak kind of thing going on which Chance tackles very well. The intricaces of going back and forth is done really well.
With a big and important chunk of information missing from Dory's memory the mystery plot thickens. What did they want with Dory? And who are they in the first place? This book is definitely a culmination of events that have been going on since the first book in the series [b:Midnight's Daughter|3072254|Midnight's Daughter (Dorina Basarab, #1)|Karen Chance|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1307519250s/3072254.jpg|3103274]. I don't think it could be a book read alone.
I continue to really like Dory, almost more so than Cassie. She a great combination of toughness and vulnerability. Even though she probably would never admit it, she has a godd heart for those she cares about, and those she deems worthy.
I like the growing relationship between her and Mircea. In Midnight's Daughter things between them are tense to say the least, but we always got the sense that there was more behind that whole story. We got more glimpses and information in Death's Mistress and Fury's Kiss is almost the penultimate of where their relationship has been and where, hopefully, it will go. I still do like Mircea more in Dory's story than in Cassie's. I think I prefer him as the father figure than lover. Karen Chance does her fans proud with giving us a little nod to the Cassie books in a particular scene in this book. Hopefully, she'll continue to throw more of those at us in future books.
The romantic relationship between Dory and Louis-Caesar is another that I really like. They started out as unwanted partners and now their feelings have grown. I think Chance did a good job of not rushing a relationship between these two and also not letting it take too long to manifest either. Dory had to figure out more of who she was before she could let her heart decide who to be with. Her whole life she's been an outcast and isn't used to someone actually caring for her. Her Louis-Caesar's part, I like that he's been patient. I guess it's a characteristic of a vampire, a group that can live forever knows how to be patient. He gives her space and time to figure out her feelings, but he definitely doesn't let her off the hook with how he feels about her. I like that Dory is able to come to terms with someone caring about her. She might try to talk it down a bit, but in the end she realizes it's about what she wants and that's all that should matter.
The only thing I will complain about is that I'm finished. I tried to read the book slowly, but now I'm sad that I have no other Dory or Cassie book to read. Hopefully Karen Chance won't take so long between Dory and Cassie books in the future. Until Then!
With a big and important chunk of information missing from Dory's memory the mystery plot thickens. What did they want with Dory? And who are they in the first place? This book is definitely a culmination of events that have been going on since the first book in the series [b:Midnight's Daughter|3072254|Midnight's Daughter (Dorina Basarab, #1)|Karen Chance|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1307519250s/3072254.jpg|3103274]. I don't think it could be a book read alone.
I continue to really like Dory, almost more so than Cassie. She a great combination of toughness and vulnerability. Even though she probably would never admit it, she has a godd heart for those she cares about, and those she deems worthy.
I like the growing relationship between her and Mircea. In Midnight's Daughter things between them are tense to say the least, but we always got the sense that there was more behind that whole story. We got more glimpses and information in Death's Mistress and Fury's Kiss is almost the penultimate of where their relationship has been and where, hopefully, it will go. I still do like Mircea more in Dory's story than in Cassie's. I think I prefer him as the father figure than lover. Karen Chance does her fans proud with giving us a little nod to the Cassie books in a particular scene in this book. Hopefully, she'll continue to throw more of those at us in future books.
The romantic relationship between Dory and Louis-Caesar is another that I really like. They started out as unwanted partners and now their feelings have grown. I think Chance did a good job of not rushing a relationship between these two and also not letting it take too long to manifest either. Dory had to figure out more of who she was before she could let her heart decide who to be with. Her whole life she's been an outcast and isn't used to someone actually caring for her. Her Louis-Caesar's part, I like that he's been patient. I guess it's a characteristic of a vampire, a group that can live forever knows how to be patient. He gives her space and time to figure out her feelings, but he definitely doesn't let her off the hook with how he feels about her. I like that Dory is able to come to terms with someone caring about her. She might try to talk it down a bit, but in the end she realizes it's about what she wants and that's all that should matter.
The only thing I will complain about is that I'm finished. I tried to read the book slowly, but now I'm sad that I have no other Dory or Cassie book to read. Hopefully Karen Chance won't take so long between Dory and Cassie books in the future. Until Then!
cplumma3's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
pixip's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely love Dorina she is one of my favourite characters in all the series I read and I couldn't wait for this book. I loved delving more into her as a character and seeing a deeper side than the ass kicking smart mouth i loved in the other 2 books. I did feel at times the book was a little disjointed and it took me a while to get into. The storyline was so complex I think it was perhaps a little too clever for itself sometimes. Then ending was quite intriguing and one I didn't suspect would happen. I can't wait for a proper crossover between Cassie and Dory's worlds I imagine that might happen near to the end of both series so enable them to be kept as separate entities.
tessisreading2's review against another edition
3.0
The action kept moving so quickly that there wasn't really a lot of time for the actual plot to make sense, but whatever.