Brave the Tempest (Cassandra Palmer, #9)

by Karen Chance

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of Brave the Tempest in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Brave the Tempest is the latest installment in the Cassie Palmer series, and man could I not be happier to have a copy of this book in my hands! I know some fans have only been reading one series or the other (Cassie or Dory), but there is some backstory that is very relevant in Dory’s series (and short stories) that you probably don’t want to miss out on! Plus they’re a blast, so there’s that.
This novel continues the battle that Cassie and her allies (not quite the accurate term, all things considered, but we’re going with it) have been prepping for and dealing with for years. And yes, it lived up to all of my hopes and expectations.
Cassie has had to put up with a lot over the past few months (though it’s hard to believe what has been years for us has only been months for her), and Brave the Tempest didn’t give her any breaks. She’s still learning how to be a Pythia, on top of dealing with multiple senates and courts, plus prepping for a battle to end all battles. One that they’ll hopefully win. And somehow Cassie has to get all of these different factions to work together in order to have any chance of having everybody survive it all.
The Cassie Palmer series (and the Dory series by extension) has been one of my favorite series for a long time now. And while we may be more than a dozen books in now, I still can’t get enough! So I may be just a tiny bit biased in this review. But only as biased as any fan would be.


Brave the Tempest had a lot of expectations riding on it, and yet it managed to meet all of them. I enjoyed every minute of this read, all of the lows and all of the highs. And everything in between.
This novel is a whopping 544 pages, but honestly? It blew by in no time. This series has always been an eventful one – with Cassie having to deal with problems left and right. And Brave the Tempest is no exception to that rule.
There was just SO much that happened here, I’m not even sure where to begin. Cassie was fantastic, as always. I adore her drive and determination. And honestly, I love that nothing Cassie does is ever easy – you’re always fully aware of the cost and ramifications of her actions.
The last few novels in this series have really upped the ante on the emotional level. Cassie has always had to deal with a lot – but suddenly the whole mess felt a lot more personal. And I’m happy to say that Brave the Tempest continued this trend. Though naturally the how and why has altered, thanks to the conclusion of Ride the Storm.
And boy, was this novel an emotional roller coaster. In a good way, I promise. Every battle and conflict that Cassie and her allies have been prepping for are looming on the horizon. And yet more and more keeps creeping up to complicate the matter. I don’t envy anyone in this situation.
The secondary characters in this novel are numerous. As they would have to be, given how many people Cassie has to work with. Yet, I feel like many of them had moments in this novel. Some more than others, naturally. But all of the important players were there. More than that though, it seemed like they’ve all had character growth along the way.
The personal moments in this novel were deeply moving. And I don’t just mean the romantic sort of personal moments. There were several heart to heart moments here, and I feel like they have been a long time coming. I’m happy that Karen Chance made time for them here. I think it was time.
I’ve said it before, but I’m saying it again here. I adore the political shenanigans in this series. The world is just so incredibly complex, with factions and senates all working towards their own goals and frequently getting in each other’s way. It’s so rich and intense. And it may sound odd to say this (being that I’m talking about fantasy creatures here) but it makes it all more believable. Because I don’t believe for a minute that all of these consuls and covens would work flawlessly together for fun.
Some of the politics in this novel quite literally had me squealing. There’s nothing I love more than a good political throwdown. Especially in the supernatural world. And I got exactly what I wanted here. And then some! I’ll skip the details, because they’re so much better first hand. But I will say that Brave the Tempest officially has one of my favorite scenes.
As for the resolution in Brave the Tempest? It’s something I think we’ve been needing for a while now. I know it’s something Cassie has needed. And yes, my statement there is a layered one, because I’m referring to several things that happened. But in my defense, a lot happened at once.
I’m a bit sad that the book is over – but on the bright side, I won’t have to wait long for the next novel! Shatter the Earth (Cassandra Palmer #10) is scheduled for a December release. And yes, I do mean of this year! I’m so excited!