Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Tempting Tuesdays: Chapters 13-15 + Epilogue


Welcome to week four 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.

Missie is the host this week, so be sure and visit her site to link up your posts! This is the last week for discussion posts, but be sure and check back next week for Chloe's special guest post as well as the announcement of our grand prize winner. Thank you so much to everyone who participated and to my fellow hosts, this has been a blast!

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 13-15 + EPILOGUE

Chapter 13 opens with Merit describing her new job routine as House Sentinel. Considering that every job Cadogan House is important in helping to make the house run efficiently, which job do you think you'd like to have (guard, cook, social director, gardener, etc.) and why?

Well, I most certainly would never be the cook. I'm miserable in the kitchen. Correction. Epically miserable. That's a far more accurate description. You don't want to eat at my table unless you like all of your food with a nice black char on it ;-) I think I would probably want to be a guard like Lindsey, as that way I would be forced to workout and stay in shape (something I neglect to do now) and I would keep plenty busy. Should there be a lull in my guard duties and I find myself bored, I'd at least have Luc in the operations room with me so I could occupy myself ogling him. Dream job accomplished.

In the supernatural world of Chicagoland Vampires, politics seem to play an important role in the way the Houses are run. Now that you've been introduced to the Rogues, do you think it's better for vampires to be a part of a House or to live outside of one?

While I don't always agree with the strict rules and regulations governing the House system and would most likely push against its rigid structure as Merit does, I still think I would prefer it to the unknown. We know so little of the Rogues in this first book, and while living with them could be the greatest life ever, it could also have more rules than the House system and could easily be more violent without the protection of the very politics that make the Houses so frustratingly complicated. At this point, better the evil I know than the one I don't.

After Morgan openly asks to court Merit, she feels betrayed when Ethan commands her to accept for the show of alliance it could bring to Cadogan House. Do you think her reaction was warranted?

I do. While Merit may buck Ethan's authority and take offense (as she should) to his less-than-flattering offer of being his mistress, there's clearly a spark between them and the potential for something interesting. He spends 99% of the book aggressively campaigning for her loyalty and her trust, and the moment he has it, he dangles her out there like some Cadogan prize available for the taking as long as the bid is high enough. He proves to her in that moment that she's not just a person and not just a Cadogan vampire, she's a chess piece on his sprawling and ever-changing board, and what woman wouldn't feel that slight from someone she's attracted to?

When Ethan meets with the perpetrator of the murders, were you surprised to discover who it was? If you suspected someone, were your suspensions correct? What did you think of the perpetrator's motive?

This is another one of those questions that's hard for me to answer knowing everything I do from the remaining books in the series, so I'll just say this: That woman can't get her comeuppance soon enough.

What was your favorite/least favorite parts of Some Girls Bite?

For me the relationship between Merit and Mallory is one of the highlights. Their banter keeps things light when the weight of all the drama Ethan brings settles in and starts pushing down, and I can't help but love their mutual appreciation for snark. It makes me think we would be friends if they were real :-) I also really love the tension between Ethan and Merit, there's something beautifully painful about them together, and theirs is a relationship where you know each book is going to add a new layer to their connection, and I love starting a book with the promise of increased tension and electricity sparking right there at my fingertips.

What do you think is coming up next for Merit, Sentinel of Cadogan House? Will you continue reading this series, and if so, what do you hope to see happen in the next book?

This is one of my favorite urban fantasy series, so I've already read them all and am now not-so patiently waiting for Biting Cold which I believe comes out in August. To those who have read this book and have questions regarding Ethan and his motives, all I can say is keep reading!

30 comments:

  1. I'd definitely be the cook. For example, tonight I made brownies. And for dinner I made risotto with butternut squash and salmon. I love cooking.
    I think the strict rules is necessary for vampires - creatures who have a lot power natural advantages over humans and need reasons not to misuse them.

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  2. I love this book! The characters are easy to relate to, i love the relationship between Merit and Ethan and after the cliff hanger i cannot wait until Biting Cold comes out! My only dislike of this series is that i would prefer to have the issues between her and her family laid out earlier in the books!

    xoxo

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  3. Oooooohhhh, politics and vampires! I never thought they could mix so well LOL! And oh my gosh, you and me the same, Jenny! The kitchen is not my biggest fan either!! But heeeeey, I would eat your crunchy food -- like my mom's boyfriend says: more fiber, right? LOL! x)

    But I think you would be a kick-butt guard! It would be such an exciting job, and all of the hottest boys probably ARE guards too so... ;) Awesome answers, Jenny! It sounds like so much fun! Don't you just love re-reading books? :) <3

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  4. I would be a TERRIBLE gourd. But I would love to ogle Luc :D

    Thank for hosting the read-along Jenny. I will be definitely reading this series further, Catcher and Jeff might have something to do with it but hey as long as I keep reading the series right? ;)

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  5. LOL- Jenny you need to come over, Ill teach you how to make some yummy dishes for you and the hubs...;D

    I cant wait to finish this series, Ive only read the first book so Im in for a big treat....Im going to pace it out though so Im all ready for the new book in August.

    This was fun- we must do it again....

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  6. Alison - Can I move in with you? Your husband wouldn't mind right? Mine certainly wouldn't if it meant he got dinner like that every night:)

    Sara - Yay! I do too, it's a favorite:) I agree with her family, I would love to have had some things between her and her dad put on the table a bit sooner as well:)

    Mimi - Awwww, thanks Mimi! And I would gladly feed you my crunchy food, you're welcome anytime:) And all the hottest boys are definitely guards, it's a win-win really!

    Prangon - Right? Maybe you could just work in the operations room but not be a guard. Then we could commence Operation Ogle.

    Tina - Thanks Tina! *gets in car and drives to Michigan* And we'll definitely do it again! Definitely when Greco's book comes out if not sooner:)

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  7. I think I'll work better as a guard too! We could work together and ogle Luc, which I'm sure will drive him nuts and flatter him at the same time.

    Thanks again for letting me join in the fun! It's been a fabulous experience. :)

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  8. Jenny! I'm totally on board with you when it comes to ogling vampire cowboys! But you are on your own with that exercising business.

    Oh, and don't get me started on epically miserable being in the kitchen makes me. I can't even boil water so there is no way that job would work for me. LOL

    And YES! You are a very street smart girl with the whole, better the evil you know bit. Seems like you'd be the kind of vampire that would quickly rise to Master while I'd be out deciding that it's a good time for me to get some sun bathing in then burn to a crisp. *sighs*

    And yes, I love Mallory and Merit's relationship. It seems very genuine.

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  9. Rummanah - YES! There shall be much ogling. And maybe fondling too. Hard to say really. Sometimes my hands just have a mind of their own:)

    Missie - I fully recant my above statement regarding working out. I've decided you're right, I will have a vampire metabolism and therefore will not need to work out at all. Thank you for bringing my error to my attention!

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  10. Love your answer to number 3. I while I was offended on a basic level as a woman. I hadn't fully conceptualized that Merit had just given Ethan her whole trust and loyalty. The whole pulling the sword and deferring to her master thing. And what does he do...go ahead and use her like the vampire lemming that she is. Not cool.

    Since you've loved the whole series I want to trust in the fact that this gets better/more involved. Right now I'm feeling a little frustrated at the lack of developments...

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  11. Great as always. You and Wendy Darling have convinced me to keep reading. I want more Catcher and Jeff.
    You are right the relationship between Mal and Merit shines!
    Dang it I want to know Merit's full name.
    I guess I won't plan on dinner at your house anytime soon!
    I can't wait for Hounded!

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  12. So here is the thing and I say this with lots o love.....

    Back off Luc he is mine!

    Now that we have that out of the way! I have to thank you for giving me reasons to stick with the series!

    (((( huggles )))))) for that :)

    Now because I know you lost track of the first statement....back off the Cowboy Vampire---he is mine! :)

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  13. I really enjoyed Mallory and Merit too. Like Mallory said, she's her sister in every way that matters. I think Merit was instrumental in Mallory adjusting to becoming a vampire.

    I'm really looking forward to the next book.

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  14. I thought Mallory and Merit together were great. They were like best friends and Mallory didn't freak out when she found out Merit was a vampire. She was extremely supportive. And I loved the back and forth between them. The did really seem like friends. I loved that.

    And I totally agree about Ethan using her as a pawn. The nerve! But he's still so cute.

    Heather

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  15. LibrarianReads - Exactly! Here he'd been all over her about trust and loyalty and the moment he's put to the test, his loyalty to her is set aside in favor of his loyalty to the House. Nice:) I hope you continue the series, there are many a revelation later on!

    Heidi - I love Jeff! He's so adorable:) And I can tell you Merit's real name if you'd like:)

    Felicia - Fine. You can have him. I will accept payment for my generosity in this matter in the form of books ;-)

    Christy - I love Merit and Mallory, they keep me laughing all the way through these books!

    Heather - Despite Ethan's general asshattery at times, I still love him. There's probably something wrong with me, but I can't help it!

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  16. Dude!!! I set off the smoke alarm more than I do anything else in thd kitchen!!!! Seriously! Lol

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  17. Although, I have not yet read this series, your questions have intrigued me! This is on my tbr pile!

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  18. I wonder if there is some job that involves dressing hot vampires. This could lead to naked men. I approve.

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  19. Being a guard sounds like a good job if you like working out. I hate exercising but if there are hot guys around, I might just get motivated to work out.

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  20. You all need to stop eet! Yes, I'm getting the first one and will read in order!

    *fans Jenny* ;)

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  21. Man, I totally missed this read along. And I so want to read this one!! It sounds so exciting and I can't wait to get to it in the future. =)

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  22. Ugh, I hate cooking too! I think guard duty could work ;)
    I'll definitely be checking out the next book, I'm very curious to see where things go!

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  23. I really liked Morgan for the longest time, until he proved to be such a whiner, hah. I love Merit and her BFF's relationship, and I love that you can see the sparks between Merit and Ethan right from the very beginning.

    It's been fun to vicariously re-read these through your readalong, Jenny, it make me want Biting Cold even more!

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  24. I don't know if I would be a good guard at all. And it is so true what you said about the lesser of two evils is the one you know about. I couldn't agree more. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. How many books are there?

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  25. Re your husband moving in...Does he fix things? My husband says I can have an affair if the guy fixes things around the house. I'm guessing he'd feel similarly if your husband just moved in for the food :-) Similarly, I've told my husband he can have an affair if the girl is a good housekeeper. :-)

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  26. Girl, how I’d looove to kiss your feets and cuddle with you after I brushed my teeth in Heaven. The question becomes: will I need to? HawrHawr Truly, I love you, miss gorgeous, and I don't wanna spend my eternity Upstairs without you. God bless you --- Write to this sinfull mortal -or- put your lovely visage on my followers if you don’t know how to be resurrected.

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