So the second time around reading this book I feel about the same as the first. I really wanted to like Karen Chance's 'Cassandra Palmer' series. It seemed to have all the usual urban fantasy hijinks that I love. However due to the mountain of world building thrown at you and the breakneck pace of the first book I just didn't think I could make myself want to read the second in the series.
Later I heard that Karen Chance was starting with a new series and gave this book a shot. And I definitely have to say this is a vast improvement from the other book. While still the first book in a series, I don't think you need to have read any of the Cassandra Palmer series to follow along. There is some explaining of how the world works, but it's not piled up upon you in boring dialogue after dialogue. There's lots of action but it does relent from time to time to give you a break. And even though I'm sad to see Mircea in a paternal role instead of a romantic role, it was still fun to see him in here anyways. Dorina kicked butt in my opinion and the romantic tension between her and Louis-Cesare was pretty hot too. I'm really looking forward to the sequel here for a change so I'm hoping I don't get let down a second time.