Based on this novella, things are definitely going to be heating up with the war. I loved Dory and Dorina working together...definitely proves Mircea wrong.
Dragon’s Claw is a novella set in the same world as Cassie Palmer and Dorina Basarab. Okay, that last bit should be fairly obvious, considering the main character is Dorina herself. Still, a novella set in that world, what more could a girl ask for? Just wait until the twist, aka surprise character cameo is revealed. It’s more than I could have ever hoped for. Even without knowing the main focus on this novella, it’s probably safe for everyone to assume that it’ll be pure chaos, but in a good way. I mean, this is Dori we’re talking about. The girl is pretty talented when it comes to getting herself in over her head, but on the bright side her sassy attitude seems to help her get through it all. If you’re not up to date on both series, I strongly urge that you wait to read this novella. At the very least read Midnight’s Daughter first, as this will have major spoilers for it, and trust me, you don’t want that book getting spoiled on you.
There were a lot of elements I really loved about this novella. That cameo is an obvious one; the tiger tattoo was a nice touch as well. The plot itself was interesting, and liberally coated with moments of humor. In short; it was the perfect companion to the Dorina Basarab series. I was both excited and hesitant when I heard about this novella. On the one hand I wasn’t sure how on earth this could possibly follow up Midnight’s Daughter, but on the other hand I really really needed to see how Dori and everyone else have been doing. Not because I was worried or anything…I just have found myself missing their world lately. I knew I was going to read the novella one way or the other though. What truly sold me on it though, was the name that Karen Chance let slip in her blog post about it. Pritkin. Pritkin and Dori, meeting? Yes please. Not only does that sound like chaos incarnate, I am a huge fan of having characters from different stories, but the same world, interact. There’s nothing better in my book. I was surprised by the intensity of the plot itself. So let me tell you; if you’re expecting this novella to lower the stakes (no pun intended) at all, you’re going to be in for quite a surprise. If anything it feels like every novel and novella in this world has been upping the ante for years. I’m worried about how explosive this conflict will be by the end…but I’m so looking forward to it. As per usual, there were a lot of fun magical touches. I love that Karen Chance so wonderfully represents magic in its most chaotic form. It’s fun and unpredictable, as is her writing. And honestly, it really does a great job of balancing out the heavier moments in the plot. I’m looking forward to seeing what will be released next, though if I’m being honest it doesn’t really matter what Karen Chance releases, we all know I’m going to read it.