Tempting Tuesdays: Chapters 9-12

Welcome to week two of the Some Girls Bite Read-Along! For those of you who don't know, the wonderful ladies behind Tina's Book Reviews, Books in the Spotlight, The Unread Reader and myself are hosting a read-along of book one of Chloe Neill's outstanding Chicagoland Vampires urban fantasy series. Each week we'll pose and answer five questions about the book and then hop around to the other blogs who have signed up to check out everyone's answers! For all the details about the event and our grand prize giveaway, be sure and check out the introductory post HERE.

Rummanah is the host this week, so be sure and visit her site to link up your posts! Missie is the host next week and has the discussion questions posted on her blog today.

January 3rd - Chapters 1-4 (Jenny at Supernatural Snark)
January 10th - Chapters 5-8 (Tina at Tina's Book Reviews)
January 17th - Chapters 9-12 (Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight)
January 24th - Chapters 13-15 + epilogue (Missie at The Unread Reader)
January 31st - Special guest post by Chloe Neill and our grand prize giveaway!

CHAPTERS 9-12

Catcher and Ethan share some personality traits. What makes Mallory, Merit, and even us readers attracted to these guys? Would you date/mate with someone like these guys in real life?

Honestly, I think most of their appeal for me is in the fact that they're fictional and pure fantasy material. While the thought of curling up to my idea of Ethan (I LOVE YOU GABRIEL AUBRY) each night is hugely appealing, I know I would grow tired of his brooding nature and his games if I had to contend with them on a daily basis. I find him infuriatingly sexy because I only spend time with him while reading and don't have to deal with his attitude on days when the laundry is piling up and I haven't washed even so much as a sock, when I've completely ruined dinner, or when the dogs have thrown up on the carpet. Multiple times. Instead I have my husband who can laugh with me over all of those things and then run to get us McDonald's since what I've made is inedible. I don't have interact with Ethan, I just have to picture him looking pretty. And naked. And that's enough for me ;-)

In Chapter 9 we learn of another murder. Do you see any patterns with the previous murder and Merit's attack? Do you have any guesses as to who is responsible and the motive behind the murders?

This is me completely avoiding this question because I'm a cheater and know who's behind everything. I'm one of those people who reads the back of the book first, so even though this is a reread for me and I know the answer by default of that fact, I still knew whodunnit even the first time around because I'm that girl.

The commendation is my favorite moment in the book and a significant event in Merit's life. She has finally come to terms that she is a Cadogan vampire. Were you surprised at all that Merit resisted Ethan's call and that he made her a Sentinel? Do you think she'll do well in this position? Why or why not?

I'm not surprised she resisted his call in the least. She's exhibited unusual gifts for a new vampire from the beginning, so I think the fact that he's not omnipotent when it comes to her isn't a huge shock. I also think it adds a necessary dynamic to their relationship on both sides–for Merit, now she knows that any time she obeys a direct order from Ethan she's choosing to do so of her own free will and because she believes in what he's asking, and for Ethan, he now knows her following an order is because he's earned her loyalty instead of forced obedience on her. It levels the playing field a bit.

And yes, I think Merit will rock as Sentinel.

Loyalty is a reoccurring theme throughout the book and much of this series. Why is it so important to Ethan that he needs Merit's allegiance? Is it solely a Master and Sentinel thing or does it imply something else?

I think so much of why Ethan demands more from Merit than he does his other vampires has to do with the way she was changed. For most initiates, they choose to be part of Cadogan House and are one of a limited few who are selected to be added to their ranks, and as such, their loyalty is automatic and unwavering given it's something they requested and were granted. Merit has no such automatic loyalty because her choice was taken from her, and so Ethan I think fears that she poses a threat to Cadogan given her questionable transition and therefore is more intense in his pursuit of her allegiance.

If you had the opportunity to sit down with Ethan, Merit, Mallory, and Catcher for a bite to eat like in the beginning of Chapter 12, what questions would you ask them at this point of the story?

First, I would ask Merit, Mallory, and Catcher to please excuse us so I could be alone with Ethan. Then I would leap from my seat and catapult myself into his lap while proceeding to give him a kiss the likes of which he's never seen before and which may not be appropriate for public viewing. After I finished copping a feel, I would return to my seat and order more food than any one person should be allowed to eat because all of this talk about Olive Garden over the past week has made me ravenous. I need breadsticks immediately.