#good 9/10 still needs more pritkin

[annalane]

C’mon we all know what you’d want to do with the shoe.

Favorite Quotes:

I sighed. “Hello, Pritkin.”

Mircea is “gracefully made”.

“The prostitutes of this era wear more clothes than you currently have on.”

Favorite moments:

Ch 2. First time he grips her upper arms with too much intensity. [later, he knows it’s not Cassie come to rescue him at his fathers castle when she doesn’t show pain at his grip]

Ch 4 Grabs arm again

Pritkin sitting there while Randolph and Chavez chat Cassie up 💀

Ch 7 Augusta and Mirceas adventures in London hunting the surprisingly tricky Jack the Ripper who may have been trying to impress Dracula. Next solo Mircea book, please.

- The vampires crowd closer as Cassie (trying to get Myra) provides the entertainment for the evening. What did these vamps do before her? lmao

Ch 8. He’s already giving her jewelry and clothes 😍 okay sure it’s an anti-fey charm necklace and a trench coat filled with ammunition but still.

Ch 9. “Cassandra, you have returned to us.” - Consul. Oooh this moment suddenly seems so political. Here, we have the vampires hosting a large gathering so all the other supernatural groups can see how she goes to the vampires and they can control her and predict her and contain her BUT they can’t. Mac also deserves the MVP for Shiva in this chapter, saving her ass right from the start. They weren’t expecting Cassie to have that tat and I love that it gets the consul. The consul needs to be got from time to time.

“We don’t have time to waste on verbal sparring,” an old mage interrupted, glaring at me. “The effect won’t last much longer and you know we can’t afford to explode another.” Then a brunette grabs him by the throat and hushes him up, so...

WAS THIS JONAS? He could be showing himself to be an early ally. He is skilled at coming across as a doofus but actually having distinct motives and making shrewd moves. He could have been signaling Cassie that if she could wait it out she could escape and trying from the start to get her away from the vamps.

-Mircea shrugs off the consul and fights against her. This SO could not have helped her paranoia about him taking over.

-Beginning books Cassie was not ready for Pritkin and needed to date Mircea. Hear me out:

"The kiss was hard and brutal, as if he would eat me alive. There was nothing gentle about it, nothing romantic. And it was just what I wanted."

And I may be reading too much into that one line, but I don’t think Cassie is ready for love. I think, after the way she grew up and being on the run and not having anyone, she’s terrified. She doesn’t want love because that would leave her so incredibly vulnerable when she’s doing her best every day to stay strong. And she shows this by choosing (especially now that we KNOW) one of the most emotionally unavailable vampires ever who she sort of knows from the start she can never trust. But that’s what she wants, because the alternative is even more terrifying. But it backfires anyway because it goes way too far (Vampire. Marriage.) and she does really come to care for him and puts herself in a vulnerable position with him. I’m so overthinking.

-Also, this is her first public ‘show’ but not her last tee hee.

-Also, Mircea soooo deserves this geis torture! And the reason he’s so afraid: Cassie feels an overwhelming sense of ‘my home family love acceptance.’ She forgets her problems and anyone else in that moment. Mircea must be feeling the exact same (multiplied by a century) and this is the first time he could finally forget Elena and be happy! And he is so freaking scared of that possibility.

-Also, everyone is so caught up in the mircass drama to realize the null bomb was fading. Hilarious old vampires watching their new favorite soap opera, Cassandra Palmer.

-I actually really enjoy this chapter and the faded pink shoe is still one of the most powerful visuals from the series, imo.

Ch 10. Cassie totally checks out the Golem’s junk.

Ch 11. Tomas let’s himself be vulnerable with Cassie. He’s super concerned with Cassie coming back to save him. Tomas doesn’t ask Cassie to go back and save his family long dead. He comforts her with practical advice (MacAdams was a warrior. Treat him as such). All he wants is to not be a slave to someone, as he’s been most his life...just like Cassie. If that means doing his best to make unconventional allies to get from under the thumb of manipulative masters then...that’s what his resourceful ass will do. Tomas is looking better and better all the time.

Ch 12. Marlowe is the first one who kneels before her (and one of the only vampires to do this ever)? Damn Marlowe is smooth. Even Mircea couldn’t bring himself to kneel before her (from what I can recall). Although, I do think Marlowe has a healthy admiration for powerful women, so it makes sense.

Ch 14. Their first “Oh Shit” moment.

Questions:

Hmhmhm are the birds of prey that gather round as if waiting for the ‘show’ other fae with the ability to become animals? Very intriguing.

Was this he beginning of Mircea’s foot thing? Did Cassie do this to him?

Why the hell did kit Marlowe come along lmao. He’s become such a Dory character to me now.

[chibioniyuri]

Claimed by Shadow Reread: Chapters 6-10

I got stuck. I like CbS more than TtD, but the earlier books aren’t my favorites. I entertained myself by skipping around favorite scenes in like EVERY OTHER BOOK IN THE SERIES but didn’t think to take notes on the chapters, so that was a wasted two days.

But looking at the release date of RtS kicked a boot up my rear. I’d convinced myself it was releasing on Wednesday, not Tuesday, because I will be at work on Tuesday and can’t devote the day to reading and rereading and bookmarking my favorite spots and rereading again like I could on Wednesday. It was a defense mechanism, I swear. But now... now, I need to finish this.

Chapter 6

In which Cassie has a scorching good time.

And we finally figure out how Cassie got away from Mircea and the Consul last time. Huzzah for shifting as a reflex, that’s a wonderful way to avoid danger that will become so effing useful in the future.

When Cassie mentions all the men she knows being smooth, it makes me wonder if vampires just magically lose all body hair outside of eyebrows and up top, or if they're meticulous manscapers.

When they trigger the geis and Pritkin's laying on the ground, how badly do you think the lust is? He mentions in Hunt the Moon that he feels it all the time, but it must be especially bad now.

My headcanon here is that Pritkin finds the idea of Cassie being a virgin incredulous because he finds her mighty attractive, as the geis's reaction lends credence to. Otherwise, any other reasons are pretty unflattering (i.e. slut-shaming, which fits with his early characterization from TtD but doesn’t fit with his later reactions).

Do you think Mac was the first Casskin shipper?

I like how Cassie’s reaction to any answer she gets from people about the geis boils down to, I don't like that, I'm going to keep looking. At this point, three people have told her the same thing, but she still doesn't believe it. It's pretty much what drives the plot of Embrace the Night.

I think the talk when Mac is looking at her ward is when Mac began trusting her. He's right; most people would take advantage of that power for personal reasons. That Cassie has thought about it and dismissed the idea…. Mac respects that. And we're all pretty sure that Max’s good opinion of Cassie influences Pritkin to swear himself to her service later.

Chapter 7

In which Cassie is hunted by monsters.

Yay, another unprompted trip to the past to save Mircea. This time, we're at the Convocation, which seems to be an excuse to dress up, schmooze with other masters, and maybe murder some humans. Good times.

Dmitri is, hands down, the vilest person we encounter. He walks around with a partially-shifted werewolf skin on his shoulders. I felt sick reading it, and even sitting here typing this, my skin is crawling. I hope Mircea actually killed him there. He's repugnant.

Chapter 8

In which Cassie is harangued by a ghost, talks tattoos, and gets left in the dust.

The idea of Billy Joe using his own essence to smoke and play cards is so weird, yet fascinating to me. But he gives the practical advice Cassie needs to hear regarding taking risks and having regrets.

I like the tattoos and the parlor, but this was a lot of information we see - what, one more time, and only as a convenient method to differentiate between Pritkin and Rosier in EtN?

“If you’re with me, you won’t die.” So come back already =(

And was Mac's moving of the tattoo shop our intro to ley lines? I mean, there was a map like a magical subway system around Vegas, it's plausible.

I can’t help laughing every time she gets left behind because it gives us that gem, “I was only a slightly bitchy clairvoyant, not a wicked witch.”

Cassie likes to take other people’s problems onto herself, especially in the beginning. Everything is her fault. Tomas is in trouble, she has to rescue him. Mac dies; well, he sacrificed himself for me, so his death is my fault. Pritkin’s current predicament, five books in the future, is because of her. It’s kind of…. Ehh, probably the wrong word, but arrogant. Like she’s not acknowledging that they are independent people capable of making their own decisions. She wants to be a strong person that can do things for herself without leaning on anyone else. It’s admirable, especially because she wants to prevent other people from being hurt, but it’s not realistic.

Plus, even in TtS, people tell her that time is malleable, it can fix mistakes, the power will give her warnings if she’s about to interfere too greatly in the timeline. But every time someone dies on her, it’s this is my fault, I caused this rather than something more rational like, there’s a giant battle going on this Fey was likely to die anyway or omg they’re torturing a mage in front of me I need to interfere oh no he died because of me rather than he was going to die anyway.

I don’t want to be callous, but sometimes it’s like.... you can’t freak out because someone you think might’ve survived died because of your interference, then actively interfere to save someone who actually died, not if you’re concerned about maintaining the timeline.

But we’re not there yet.

Chapter 9

In which Cassie stages a rescue and publicly makes out.

Cassie flip-flops a lot throughout this book, I think. First, it’s I don’t want the power, then it’s, if they want to publicly torture and execute a friend, they should be asking my permission because I’m Pythia, and then it’s, should I really do the do with Tomas, because then I will be Pythia. I personally find it frustrating because it takes me a while to make decisions, but when I do, I stick to it. This feels like she wants the power when it’s convenient for her, but she doesn’t want it permanently. It’s true to her character at this point of the story, though, when she’d rather run than fight.

I remember in later books, Cassie finds out that she no longer has visions because the Pythian powers are taking up all the “bandwidth” she has available. It would make sense that, when she’s in the area of the null bomb, she suddenly has free access again and gets the vision of Mircea dying.

So the Consul and Mircea tried breaking the spell on their end, and it doesn’t work. Will this prevent Cassie from trying to find another way to break it, though Casanova, Pritkin, and Mac told her the only people who can break it are the one who initiated it and the mage who cast it? Nope. I swear, the entire third book is just Cassie saying I don’t believe you to everyone who tells her something she doesn’t want to believe. But, we’re not there yet.

Chapter 10

In which Cassie announces to the entirety of Faerie, hey, we’re here on a clandestine mission! and then hikes through a terminally ill forest.

Do you think Pritkin ever wants to just sit in the corner and bang his head against the wall when his plans don’t go according to plan? Especially in the beginning, when he’s still new to the chaos that’s endemic around Cassie? That’s the feeling I get here.

Hey, here’s our first sign that Faerie is like a mirror for Earth because the sun doesn’t hurt the vampires. It slipped under the radar because who would expect Faerie to have the same properties as Earth? It’s Faerie.

The description of the forest is so eternally creepy: a terminally ill person. So, is the forest always like that, or is it reflective of the general state of Faerie?

Why didn’t Marlowe think of ingesting arsenic? Does he go for a more direct and quicker route?

[emberfaye]

Touch The Dark Reread Ch.6-10

I’m going to put this under a read more because it gets so long.

Ch. 6

Cassie has none of her Pythia powers (That anyone knows about) currently yet she just waltzes out of MAGIC like it’s nothing. How tf do people keep underestimating her?

“The Senate, who won’t underestimate you again” HAHAHAHAHAHA yeah, sure Jan

So how old is Cassie? She ran the first time at 14, went back at 17, and then stayed until 20. I know she’s not more than 25, but I can’t remember how long she’s been gone this time. I want to say she’s 22?

I’m super curious what experiences Billy Joe has had with the dark fey

Her hand gets stuck in midair so her first instinct is to kick Cassie dear I can relate so hard

I love this pixie! (Radelle? I know we learn more next book)

Mental note: CAssie knows Italian. Makes sense.

Ch. 7

The descriptions of the were rat/satyr Jimmy is just shudder inducing

I forgot she possessed Tomas haha take that dummy

Everytime I read a description of “crazy warmage Pritkin” I think of that gif from Lilo and Stitch where stitch just landed and is cackling

“Bargaining for my life with a lisp” I love KC’s humor

I still would love to learn more about Etienne and Francoise.

Ch. 8

Cassie reinforced Pritkin’s shields. You go girl

“Pritkin might be hostile...damn good guy to have a in fight”. I’m so amused because it takes a whole paragraph to describe what he’s doing, and then Tomas is “Tomas was doing okay, too.” He gets a few sentences and then Louis-Cesare gets the rest of the paragraph.

Seriously how did I not realize Pritkin was going to be such an important character (regardless of shipping, he really is). 

I forgot that Louis-Cesare was all “you’re delusion” and dismissive of Cassie, I knew I had a bad flavor in my mouth because of him in this book. (my notes were not as eloquent as this paragraph I cussed in caps)

I wonder if Cassie reminded him of Christine?

OH SHIT SHE POSSESSED JONATHAN

Karen Chance is so amazing at tying her worlds together

Ch. 9

Oh man Pritkin pissed me off so bad during this meeting. I know his backstory really explains why, but urgh it just...not flattering.

“LC was apparently a single minded guy” This just made me laugh he really is.

REgarding the feeding on satyrs as punishment: “The scene bothered me...I finally decided that my brain was objecting to the sigh of [Tomas’] fangs”. Cassie was raised in vamp culture, but she’s been slowly distancing herself from it, and already since being on the run again, reevaluating her moral compass and the like, even if she’s too much of a pragmatist and has too many issues to realize it.

This chapter is so good at establishing the different worlds and Cassie’s POV about them. By a standard baseline, what the vampires are doing is straight up abuse. If a human was doing that to another human as punishment with consent (not going to touch on BDSM culture), it would be reprehensible. But Cassie doesn’t even notice or question it until Pritkin’s reacts. And then she is forced to explain it to him, to justify it, and you can see her keep reverting back to her upbringing without even putting her own thoughts on it, which, as a pragmatist, she sees the value in to a degree. And pritkin is made out to be overreacting, whereas Cassie just detaches and ignores.

“The devil you know” is really appropriate in Cassie’s “trust” in Mircea and the vamps.

Stupid Tomas and his jealousy. I’m glad that Mircea at least apologized for baiting him.

Louis-Cesare may be the one with outdated mannerisms but Tomas is literally a fedora away from “m’lady”+nice boys finish last start pack

This feeding scene must have been so hard for Pritkin with all his hangups and demons. (pun intended hahaha I’ll shush now)

Ch. 10

It just occurred to me that Mircea and Cassie both use their style as a way to have control over something. But in Cassie’s case it’s about keeping some form of her personality, whereas Mircea use his style as another way to present his arguments

LC just needed a hug during this chapter but he’ll have to wait until the dory books

“Demon whore!” Okay Pritkin you need a time out and a mouth of soap stfu thank god for character development

“It dawned on me the only person not trying to deceive me tried to kill me” poor cassie honesty is rough ain’t it?