Review: The Veil

THE VEIL
The Devil's Isle #1
Chloe Neill
Urban Fantasy
NAL
336 pages
Available August 4th
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Seven years ago, the Veil that separates humanity from what lies beyond was torn apart, and New Orleans was engulfed in a supernatural war. Now, those with paranormal powers have been confined in a walled community that humans call the District. Those who live there call it Devil's Isle.

Claire Connolly is a good girl with a dangerous secret: she’s a Sensitive, a human endowed with magic that seeped through the Veil. Claire knows that revealing her skills would mean being confined to Devil’s Isle. Unfortunately, hiding her power has left her untrained and unfocused.

Liam Quinn knows from experience that magic makes monsters of the weak, and he has no time for a Sensitive with no control of her own strength. But when he sees Claire using her powers to save a human under attack—in full view of the French Quarter—Liam decides to bring her to Devil’s Isle and the teacher she needs, even though getting her out of his way isn’t the same as keeping her out of his head.

But when the Veil threatens to shatter completely, Claire and Liam must work together to stop it, or else New Orleans will burn…

MY THOUGHTS

The Veil is an intriguing start to a new series, starting out a bit slow as we're introduced to a post-paranormal invasion New Orleans but gradually picking up speed until we're looking to the next book with more than a little anticipation. Ms. Neill nicely sets up rising tensions between humans and Paras–with Sensitives like Claire smack dab in the middle–and while things aren't quite as explosive either physically or emotionally in this first installment as we might have hoped going in, it's clear the potential for both is there moving forward.

Claire is someone easy to follow for several hundred chapters, perhaps not quite making the same memorable impression as Merit right out of the gate, but she's got fight and fire in her along with a healthy dose of common sense, and that makes for a young woman we can't help but want to get to know better. Liam, while again not quite outshining Ethan in terms of memorability, is perfectly enjoyable, the mounting tension between he and Claire something that keeps us turning the pages. It's clear that the romantic journey for the two of them is going to be a long one, but one that will undoubtedly be worth the wait as the battle to keep the Veil firmly closed begins.

As mentioned previously, it takes this story a little while to get going, a bit of history as to how the world came to be as well as backstory on Claire and Liam individually keeping things at a rather sedate pace until we finally get to understand what's happening with the sudden increase in wraith attacks. Once we reach that point however, the final third of the story flies by, giving us a peek of what's to come should the Veil ever be opened again before leaving us satisfied with our stopping point for this first installment.

Rating: 3.5/5
 

Find Chloe:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Dark Debt

DARK DEBT
Chicagoland Vampires #11
Chloe Neill
Urban Fantasy
368 pages
NAL Trade
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
A vampire never gets old. But neither do his enemies. When a figure from Ethan's dark past makes a splashy debut in Chicago, Merit and her Master don't know whether he's friend or foe. But they'll have to figure out soon, because trouble is brewing in the Windy City.

At an exclusive society soiree attended by the upper echelons of the human and supernatural worlds, Merit and Ethan barely stop the assassination of a guest. When the target turns out to be a shady businessman with a criminal edge, Merit suspects a human vendetta. But the assassins have fangs....

The connections to Chicago's Houses go deeper than Merit knows, and even one wrong move could be her last....

MY THOUGHTS
Dark Debt, the latest in the enormously entertaining Chicagoland Vampires series, sees Merit and Ethan further settling in to a stage in their relationship fans of the series likely never thought possible after the first couple installments, the two of them butting heads to such a degree it was impressive neither ended up concussed. While the build up of their romance was delicious in its tension, there’s something infinitely satisfying about the two of them as an established pair, and their utter togetherness is on full display in this newest installment.

Established couples can sometimes be tricky in terms of reader interest, the end of the chase often signifying the end of the aforementioned will they/won’t they tension, leaving us bereft of what attracted us to them in the first place. Ms. Neill proves, however, that couples secure in their feelings for one another can continue to be every bit as interesting–and even preferable for those of us who could do with a little less drama in romantic relationships–as the couples still trying to tentatively figure one another out. There’s a certain amount of comfort in the knowledge that while whatever Merit and Ethan face externally might be a powerful threat to their general happiness and well-being, it won’t be a threat to their relationship as a whole.

Dark Debt sees that exact situation come to fruition as a figure from Ethan’s past threatens to see history repeat itself in a way that will prove disastrous to all of Chicago, and Ethan in particular. Though his Maker finds a chink or two in Merit and Ethan’s romantic armor, the two of them remain steadfast in the certainty and safety they have in one another, bringing a smile to our faces as we delight in how far the two of them have come.

One of the more intriguing aspects of this series has always been the fact that despite Ethan being a Master vampire and far more powerful than the much younger Merit, she is the one defending and protecting him, throwing herself in harm’s way to prove that badassery isn’t something reserved only for the centuries-old. Ethan, for his part, does quite a bit of protecting of his own, but he always lets Merit fight the battles she needs to fight rather than seeking to stow her safely on the sidelines. The two of them together get stronger with each installment, and it here’s hoping we get to glory in their banter and their battles for many more books to come.

Rating: 4/5

Find Chloe:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Biting Bad

BITING BAD
Chicagoland Vampires #8
Chloe Neill
Adult Urban Fantasy
368 pages
Releases August 6th
NAL/Penguin
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Merit has been a vampire for only a short while, but she’s already seen a lifetime’s worth of trouble. She and her Master, centuries-old Ethan Sullivan, have risked their lives time and again to save the city they love. But not all of Chicago is loving them back.

Anti-vampire riots are erupting all over town, striking vampires where it hurts the most. A splinter group armed with Molotov cocktails and deep-seated hate is intent on clearing the fanged from the Windy City come hell or high water.

Merit and her allies rush to figure out who’s behind the attacks, who will be targeted next, and whether there’s any way to stop the wanton destruction. The battle for Chicago is just beginning, and Merit is running out of time.

MY THOUGHTS
The eighth installment of the Chicagoland Vampires series, Biting Bad returns us to a world that has become beautifully familiar, the cracking of the spine allowing us to wander into the waiting arms of Merit and company who simply radiate comfort and warmth after such a prolonged relationship with them. While Biting Bad doesn’t introduce any new villains to wreak havoc on Merit’s already infinitely complicated life, it does see the expansion of an already existing problem while giving us plenty of time to enjoy the new stability of Merit’s relationship with Master of Cadogan House Ethan Sullivan. It’s perhaps not the most dramatic or intense of the series, but there’s something hugely satisfying about this story just the same, the romance between Merit and Ethan that was previously defined by gratifyingly high peaks and frustratingly low valleys finally finding even ground.

Merit is someone whose shoes are easy to slide back into no matter how long it’s been since we were with her last, always a woman eager to help in any way she can as she continues growing into herself now that she’s both vampire and Sentinel of her House, as well as girlfriend to its rather stoic and undemonstrative Master. Her sense of humor is charmingly wearing off on Ethan though, the banter between the two of them laced with genuine affection free of the weight of their respective positions in the House, and it brings both relief and joy to see the two of them completely open in their communications, secrets and hidden feelings a thing of the past as they both work hard to ensure they have the future they so desperately want.

Though all is gloriously well on the romantic front for the two of them, things in Chicago continue to deteriorate as public hatred for vampires reaches a breaking point, and while the riots and the reason behind them are significant and have far-reaching implications, our happiness with regard to Merit and Ethan simply overshadows any worries the riot revelations cause. As a result, Biting Bad doesn’t feel quite as action-packed as some of Merit’s past adventures have been, remaining a bit more even keel and thus granting us time to breathe and focus on the two people who are the heart of this series.

We’re left with our couple in a rather precarious position, though it’s not a cliffhanger in the truest sense and given our trust in Ethan and Merit is at its all-time highest by the time we reach the last page, we have little doubt they'll sort out what needs sorting. Overall, Biting Bad is as enjoyable as always if a bit slower than previous books, Ethan and Merit finally shining from the pages in a way we’d been hoping for all along.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Chloe:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: House Rules

HOUSE RULES
Chicagoland Vampires #7
Chloe Neill
Adult Urban Fantasy
352 pages
NAL/Penguin
Available February 5th
Received from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
At the tender age of 27, Merit became a sword-wielding vampire. Since then, she’s become the protector of her House, watched Chicago nearly burn to the ground, and seen her Master fall and rise. Now she’ll see her mettle—and her metal —tested like never before.

It started with two . . . Two rogues vanishing without a trace. Someone is targeting Chicago’s vampires, and anyone could be next. With their house in peril, Merit and her Master, the centuries old Ethan Sullivan, must race to stop the disappearances. But as they untangle a web of secret alliances and ancient evils, they realize their foe is more familiar, and more powerful, than they could have ever imagined.

MY THOUGHTS 
The Chicagoland Vampires series is one that has gained in popularity due in large part to Ms. Neill’s trademark sense of humor and her proficiency in writing witty banter, with a smoldering sexual tension between Merit and deliciously frustrating Master vampire Ethan Sullivan only feeding an already ravenous hunger for the books as a whole. The past couple books have been a bit darker in tone, the playful camaraderie between Merit and both Ethan and Mallory replaced by a somber tone as death and darkness stunned Merit’s world and turned it on its head, but House Rules sees a return of the rapier wit we’ve come to appreciate from Merit, and it’s nothing short of delightful to watch her wield it as she challenges Ethan the way she did in earlier books. Though there is a certain amount of levity threaded through this seventh installment, the seriousness of Cadogan House’s impending defection from the ruling council of vampires is present and accounted for; drama, romance, and mystery all combining to remind us of why we love Merit and company so very much.

Ethan and Merit’s relationship has always been an entertaining battle of wills, Merit’s distaste for authority clashing repeatedly with Ethan’s expectations of obeisance and obedience, and their struggle to patently deny the chemistry between them has been a highlight of each book. The continuation of their stop-and-start relationship in the previous two installments has notched their antics down a touch from amusing to mildly frustrating, but luckily Ms. Neill gives us an Ethan and Merit in House Rules who have learned from their past mistakes and are admirably fighting their knee-jerk reactions to perceived slights in order to set a new standard for their relationship – one of strength and unity rather than fear and doubt.

Though there is no shortage of romantic drama for our leading couple in this story, the way they deal with it shows a great deal of growth, with Ethan in particular making some significant progress in the relationship maturity department. When a few revelations shake the fragile foundation they’ve begun to rebuild, House Rules has them bracing for impact rather than running and ducking for cover as they have before, with Ethan attempting to express his feelings vocally rather than shuttering them away behind his Liege and Master mask. Though he has a long way to go before anyone might describe him as communicative or demonstrative, what we see in this book gives us hope they are on their way to becoming the powerful couple we've always known they could be.

In addition to a strong comedic and romantic performance from both Ethan and Merit, we’re also given a solid mystery in this installment, a serial killer targeting vampires with seemingly little motive keeping us on our toes throughout even as we grit our teeth in frustration at the actions of the Greenwich Presidium against Cadogan House. Ms. Neill successfully juggles several different plotlines, giving each of them due attention while blending them together to form a single cohesive story, and we walk away from this story blissfully satisfied in a way we haven’t quite been for the last couple books.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review: Biting Cold

BITING COLD

(Chicagoland Vampires #6)

Chloe Neill
Urban Fantasy
337 pages
NAL
Available August 7th
Received from publisher for review

Warning: Review contains spoilers from previous books, but no spoilers from Biting Cold.

THE STORY (from Goodreads)

Turned into a vampire against her will, twenty-eight-year-old Merit found her way into the dark circle of Chicago’s vampire underground, where she learned there was more to supernaturals than met the eye—and more supernaturals than the public ever imagined. And not all the secrets she learned were for sharing—among humans or inhumans.

Now Merit is on the hunt, charging across the stark American Midwest, tailing a rogue supernatural intent on stealing an ancient artifact that could unleash catastrophic evil on the world. But Merit is also the prey. An enemy of Chicagoland is hunting her, and he’ll stop at nothing to get the book for himself. No mercy allowed. No rules apply. No lives spared. The race is on.

MY THOUGHTS

Biting Cold is a bit more serious and somber in tone than earlier books in the series, the witty banter between Merit and her cohorts subsiding as Chicago faces perhaps its strongest and most lethal foe yet. Luckily for us though, Ms. Neill has returned to us a beloved character, and we greedily devour pages that are missing her trademark humor but are ripe with the romantic tension between Ethan and Merit responsible for our addiction to the Chicagoland Vampire books in the first place. We happily trade some of the laughs for the electric sparks leaping back and forth between our two protagonists, craving a peace and happiness for them we know is not in their immediate future, and loving the return of a relationship that has the ability to make us smile wider than we ever have before while simultaneously frustrating us more than we ever thought possible.

While the end of Drink Deep left us hopeful that a sexy and gleeful reunion between Ethan and Merit would be forthcoming, Biting Cold proves to us that even death hasn’t fundamentally altered Ethan, and he remains indecisive and impulsive—making personal choices in the heat of the moment that hurt Merit and send whatever progress they’ve made back several steps. They are a couple reminiscent of those assigned to Dante’s second circle of Hell, picked up and violently tossed about by the intensity of their attraction while a cruel wind forces them to repeatedly circle one another without ever getting any closer. Merit continually reaches out to Ethan only to have her hand batted away when he allows his fear to overwhelm his heart and mind, and while we may groan when he plays his alpha and Liege card, it’s easy to see that his actions are not just a power play as they might have been three books ago, but rather they speak of a genuine concern for a woman who means more to him than his own life.

Merit is as strong as ever in this newest installment, jumping into danger from the first page and refusing to give up her pursuit of it until we reach the conclusion. We root for her the entire time, whether she’s battling evil, trying to save her best friend, or attempting to untangle the emotionally complicated knot that is Ethan Sullivan, wishing we could could pick up a katana and stand beside her to show the world what we’re made of. She handles the romantic situation with Ethan admirably, wanting to fight him when he pushes her away, but understanding that beating him into submission is a far cry from the willing surrender she wants from him. She gives him time and space when necessary, but also pushes when she sees him hiding behind his fear for her safety, proving to him again and again that she is a match for him in every possible way.

Biting Cold is a solid addition the Chicagoland series, both delighting us and upsetting us with a couple that has an uncanny ability to work themselves under our skin and set up house for the duration of our reading experience. We’re given a complete story in this installment, a lot of our questions about Mallory and Mayor Tate answered while events are nicely set up for the next book, and those readers like me who are more than a little in love with Gabriel Keene and his shifters will revel in their inclusion this story. All in all, Biting Cold, while notably missing in humor, is a joy to read and what’s to come for Cadogan House will no doubt prove interesting.

Rating: 4/5

Tempting Tuesdays: Special Guest Post by Chloe Neill

Today I'm ridiculously excited to welcome author Chloe Neill to the blog to help us wrap up the read-along for Some Girls Bite. She's here to give us a little insight into her writing journey and the eventual development of Merit and Ethan, so welcome Chloe and thank you for being a part of the read-along!

Dear Reader:

Is it surprising to learn that I used to get panicky about writing assignments? That my only English class in college was "African Novel"? that I promised myself I would never, ever get a job that required me to write?

And yet, here we are. :)

In high school and my first year of college, I thought I was headed for a career in the visual arts. A "starving artist" of the New York variety, or maybe an illustrator. (I didn't know much about commercial graphic design back then, or surely it would have topped the list, too.) I did not like to write; hated it, in fact. I wasn't good at constructing sentences, and the act of doing it made me nervous and fretful to the point of distraction.

It was probably a fateful decision, then, that I attended a liberal arts college that prized writing over multiple choice exams . . . and that led me away from studio art in my second year. I wrote a paper as a sophomore, a short essay intended to examine the women's rights movement. Instead of jumping into a discussion of the history, I started by writing the story of a fictitious woman named Hillary.

In other words, instead of simply writing a summary, I wrote a story. It got a good review from my professor, I recall, but that didn't change my mind one iota. Writing was not for me.

The song didn't change after grad school, or in a summer job as I watched my employers lock themselves in their offices to finish drafts. The proposition of having to write for a living, on a deadline, horrified me.

But then, after a string of random occurrences, I got a job as a kind of pseudo-reporter. I watched things happen; I wrote about them. I wrote about them every day for months on end. And in that process, I got more comfortable constructing sentences, putting clauses together and shaping paragraphs.

I learned, in the most basic sense, how to write.

Still, that was it. I read--had always loved to read--but I was quite content to leave the fiction writing to others. It didn't even occur to me to write fiction. After all, I only barely liked writing at my job. Why do it for fun?

Unfortunately, one sad day around that time, an important relationship ended. I healed by reading. And then reading more. And more and more and more. I devoured 8 or 10 paperbacks a week, usually romance, usually in a series of some type because I loved recurring characters and inside jokes.

Eventually, I ran out of things to read. I couldn't find a series I enjoyed or a romance with enough sparkle to hook me.

I thought, at first, I'd try my hand at fan fiction. I loved Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series. Since I read faster than she published, I decided to imagine myself into the books to fill time until the next episode was released.

After about 2,000 words of Dark Hunter fan fiction, I felt silly. These weren't my characters; they were hers. It felt weird to play the game using someone else's cards.

So, on Labor Day in 2005, I opened a Word file and I started to write.

When I wasn't in class (grad school, at the time), I was writing. Weekends, I was writing. I wrote the same way I'd read--voraciously. I created a family of characters and a bevy of sarcastic inside jokes. I plotted seven books in a paranormal romance series, one romance per book, and I plastered a wall in my apartment with sticky notes--ideas and quips for later books.

I finished the manuscript on New Year's Day. It wasn't very good--and I have a rejection letter to prove it. But I'd done it, and it hadn't been nearly as bad as I'd imagined.

A few months later, I started my second manuscript, which I called THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER. (Seriously. Isn't that terrible?) It took six months to write and six months to edit. When I was reasonably confident I was done, I sent it to one publisher--Penguin.

A few months later, we mutually decided that SOME GIRLS BITE was a much better title. :)

Today, I have a day job (in which I write) and a writing career (in which I write). I write a LOT, and there are still times when the words don't come and the fear rises up. But I'venow written ten novels, and each seems to reinforce one central idea: A book is crafted one sentence at a time. Don't worry about the last sentence in the manuscript--worry about the next sentence in the manuscript. You can deal with everything else later.

Thanks for listening. And reading.

Love,

Chloe

Thank you for stopping by Chloe! And a huge thank you again to Missie, Tina, and Rummanah for being such fabulous co-hosts and to everyone who participated each week and made this read-along such a blast.

For more information on Chloe and all her wonderful books, you can find her here:

Website
Cadogan House
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
Amazon

WINNERS!

Below are the three Tempting Tuesdays winners, congratulations ladies, you've all been emailed!

GRAND PRIZE

Winner:
Christy @ Love of Books

CHARMFALL

Winners:
Heidi @ Rainy Day Ramblings
Chantaal @ The Wandering Fangirl

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!

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.

Tempting Tuesdays: Chapters 5-8

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.

Tina is the host this week, so be sure and visit her site to link up your posts! Rummanah 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 5-8

In what is a make you blush, steamy scene in the book- Chapter 5 has Ethan and Merit sharing a few hot moments after Merit's hunger strikes...that is until Ethan becomes a total cad! What do you think of him so far? Strong, masterful vampire, conceited playboy.....lover boy in disguise?

This question is a little hard for me to answer since I've read all the books in the series so far and I think my opinion is therefore a bit biased based on everything I know about him both as a man and as Master of Cadogan House. Suffice to say though, I find him a delicious combination of infuriating and appealing, and I spend most of my time alternating between wanting to kiss him on the lips and wanting to knee him in the groin. Some chapters my lips tingle with the desire to fly off my face and onto Merit's to get to just a little taste of him, and other chapters my knee just bounces, waiting in vain for him to materialize so it can introduce itself to his manhood. Love it.

Merit and Mallory begin some major training in these next few chapters, resulting in cool Katana Sword facts and Ninja moves. What is the most physically challenging or adrenaline fueled event/activity you have participated in?

Riding horses! I started when my aunts and uncles splurged to get me riding lessons for I think my 7th birthday (it may have been Christmas, I can't remember), and my dad, bless him, enthusiastically encouraged me thinking I would lose interest after the pre-purchased number of lessons was up. Wrong. That first day at the barn triggered the start of my rather epic campaign for a horse of my own, a dream my amazing, wonderful parents made happen when I was 12. My first horse was named Sleepy and I had him for a couple years before I bought my beloved Alibi who I had until I left for college. I've been kicked, bitten, bucked off, knocked off by tree branches, and jumped many a jump all by my lonesome when Alibi decided he didn't want to jump with me and let me face plant in the dirt on the other side more times than I can count, but riding is the most fun I've ever had in my life :-)

I posted a picture of me and Alibi a little while back, but I thought I'd include another one just because I adore him and miss him still even after all these years:


Mallory and Catcher have sparks so intense they almost fly off the page.....what do you think of this cozy couple? Did you like the insta-love between them? Do they add to the story?

For me, the insta-love with them doesn't bother me as much as it usually does. I think part of it's because they're secondary characters and their romance is not the main focus, so I'm more accepting of their decisions/behaviors since Ethan and Merit consume so much more of my attention. I definitely think they add to the story though, I love when there's a strong cast of characters and not just a strong hero and heroine, the story is all the richer for it in my opinion.

Lets talk Bff's....Mallory is hands down a terrific friend to Merit, the girls relationship is real, down to earth and fun....not to mention hysterical. What is your favorite memory or favorite thing to do with your bff? Feel free to share pics!

Okay, before I answer this, I just need to prepare everyone for the lameness what you're about to read. It's such a small and simple and silly thing, but sometimes those are the things that wind up being the most memorable right? My best friend is a wedding planner, so given that I design wedding stationery, we have a lot of common ground. Every now and then the wedding industry (and life in general) can get a bit crazy and we both just need to take a breather. So we go to Olive Garden. Or as we call it, The Garden. Yes, you read that right. I love Olive Garden! We eat salad. And breadsticks. And swap funny client or family stories until we're snorting and spitting said breadsticks across the table in a way that probably scars fellow Garden patrons for life. Complete win.

Things are starting to heat up in the mystery department...the set up at Red, Morgan's flirty appearance.... Catchers vague answers......as correlation day gets closer for Merit do you think someone is out to get her...or maybe recruit her to another house? Or PS- feed her some more food...because goodnight this girl likes to eat!!!

I'm going to avoid answering the main part of this question since I won't be able to do so without sharing spoilers, and am instead going to focus on the eating remark since my answer to the previous question has now made me hungry. What I wouldn't give for a vampire metabolism! Think how many Garden breadsticks I could eat. I could even do the never ending pasta bowl! *dreamy sigh*

Tempting Tuesdays: Chapters 1-4

Welcome to week one 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.

I'm the lucky host this week, so if you're participating, please be sure to link up your discussion post for the first 4 chapters in the linky below and don't forget to check out Tina's blog for next week's questions for chapters 5-8.

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 1-4

Let’s say tomorrow a “vampire manifesto” as Merit calls it runs in newspapers across the country announcing their existence. How do you think you would react? If you were hesitant to believe initially, what would it take to convince you they were real?

Based on my undying (ha! I amuse myself) love for all things vampire, I would probably be pretty quick to believe that vampires were real. Who wouldn't want to believe hotness like Ethan, Bones, and the entire Black Dagger Brotherhood were out there just waiting for us to discover them? And then pounce on them. And then make them fall in love with us so we can spend the rest of our days, er nights, with them. Okay, perhaps I just went off on a tangent that led into slightly obsessive territory, but seeing as we've all met Ethan now at this point, it's understandable right? ;-)

Since being turned into a vampire means complete removal from your former life and a new job serving your House in some capacity, what do you think you would miss most about the life you live now?

I'd really miss my dogs. Oh! And also my husband. Probably should have started with that one. Aside from my dogs and my husband though, I'd also really miss my job. I love being able to run a business from home, and like Merit, I'd have a hard time giving up on that dream and accepting that my life had to take a different direction when the circumstances surrounding that change were a result of an event I had no control of and no say in.

What are your first impressions of Merit and how she’s handling all the changes in her life?

I love Merit! She's got a fabulous sense of humor, a great deal of snark–which I certainly appreciate–and while she's understandably upset about being turned without permission, she works the anger out of her system pretty quickly and gears up for a whole new life with probably far more grace and maturity than I would be able to muster.

When you first read the description of Ethan, what actor/model/person you know pops into your head as the perfect embodiment of him? Feel free to include pictures ;-)

I gave away my pick for Ethan back in the introductory post, but since Mr. Gabriel Aubry is just so darn pretty to look at, I'll go ahead and post his picture again. Yum.


I just love that little smirk on his face in this picture, it seems very Ethan-esque. That kind of "I know I'm pretty. You know I'm pretty. I know you know I'm pretty, so let's just admit you want me out loud so we can move on to more than just looking at one another" type of smirk. So infuriatingly sexy.

Do you think Merit’s anger at Ethan himself, not the situation, is justified?

I don't think she's truly angry at him, I just think he's just something tangible and real for her to focus her feelings on as she transitions from mortal grad student to woman with an unknown immortal future. If I were in her shoes, he would most likely bear the brunt of my anger and hurt too, and I think he shoulders it well, allowing her to work out her aggression on him without simply shutting her down as he certainly could as her new Master.

Please link up your discussion posts below so we can all visit!

Cover Reveal: Toxic by Jus Accardo + Reminder

I'm really excited today to be a part of the reveal for Jus Accardo's second book in her paranormal young adult series Toxic (scheduled to release May 1st from Entangled Publishing)! Toxic is the sequel to Touch, and while I haven't had a chance to read Touch yet, I've heard AMAZING things about it from fellow bloggers and can't wait to get my hands on it.

When a Six saved Kale’s life the night of Sumrun, she warned there would be consequences. A trade-off. Something taken for the life they gained. But Dez never imagined she’d lose the one thing she’d give anything to keep… And as if it’s not enough Dez finds her immunity to Kale fading, the Six brought in to help Kale learn to control his killer touch starts drooling on him the moment they meet. Worse than that? Jade can touch Kale. But bimbo Barbie is the least of Dez's problems.

After Dez and Kale got away at Sumrun, her father lost not only his most powerful weapon but an important piece of the Supremacy project. Forced by Denazen to remedy the situation, he poisons Dez and offers her a choice—surrender to Denazen for the cure…or die. Determined to find a solution that doesn’t involve being bagged and tagged—or losing someone she loves—Dez keeps the poison a secret. But when a rash of Denazen attacks hit a little too close to home, Dez is convinced there’s a traitor among them. Jade.

Sacrifices, broken promises, and secrets. Dez will have to lay it all on the line if there’s any hope of proving Jade’s guilt before they all end up Residents of Denazen. Or worse, dead...

Also, I just wanted to post a quick reminder for those of you who signed up for the Some Girls Bite read-along that the first Tempting Tuesdays discussion post goes live tomorrow! I've re-posted the discussion questions below, and you can find the full introductory post and sign up HERE. Yay Ethan and Merit!



DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR CHAPTERS 1-4

1. Let’s say tomorrow a “vampire manifesto” as Merit calls it runs in newspapers across the country announcing their existence. How do you think you would react? If you were hesitant to believe initially, what would it take to convince you they were real?

2. Since being turned into a vampire means complete removal from your former life and a new job serving your House in some capacity, what do you think you would miss most about the life you live now?

3. What are your first impressions of Merit and how she’s handling all the changes in her life?

4. When you first read the description of Ethan, what actor/model/person you know pops into your head as the perfect embodiment of him? Feel free to include pictures ;-)

5. Do you think Merit’s anger at Ethan himself, not the situation, is justified?

Coming Soon: Tempting Tuesdays, A Some Girls Bite Read-Along

TEMPTING TUESDAYS

If you take a twenty-seven year-old grad-student-turned-vampire with a penchant for sarcasm, add it to the drama of being turned without permission, then factor in an arrogant but absurdly attractive Master vampire who's unused to having his buttons pushed, what do you get? Well, I'll tell you. You get Chloe Neill's Some Girls Bite, the first book in her hugely entertaining Chicagoland Vampires series!

The lovely Tina at Tina's Book Reviews, Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight, Missie at The Unread Reader, and I are going to be hosting a read-along for Some Girls Bite starting January 3rd and running every Tuesday through January 31st, and we cannot tell you how excited we would be if you guys would join us! For those of you who are unfamiliar with how a read-along works, fear not, it's really easy. Sign up using the below linky (we'd love it if you could grab a button and do a short post announcing your participation to help spread the word), buy or borrow a copy of Some Girls Bite, and take a look at the questions for chapters 1-4 listed at the bottom of this post. Those five questions will be discussed here on Supernatural Snark to kick off the event on January 3rd. Simply put a post together wherein you answer the questions and then come here to link up your answers so that everyone participating can hop around, read, and comment like a giant virtual book club. Fun right? Right ;-)

Below is the schedule for the event so you can follow along. The second five discussion questions will be posted on Tina's blog on the 3rd so you'll have plenty of time to answer the questions before we all post again on the 10th.

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!

Everyone who signs up for the read-along and participates each week will be entered in our grand prize giveaway, with the winner announced on each of our blogs on the 31st. The prize pack (pictured below) includes a Sentinel 04 t-shirt, a copy of the second book in the series Friday Night Bites, and a copy of Chloe's newest release in her young adult series Charmfall. In addition to the grand prize winner, two additional winners will also receive copies of Charmfall.

International participants: The giveaway is open to you as well (as long as The Book Depository delivers to your country), though we will be substituting the t-shirt and Charmfall for the next 2 books in the Chicagoland Vampires series after Friday Night Bites, so you will receive Friday Night Bites, Twice Bitten, and Hard Bitten.



If you're not familiar with this series, it's an adult urban fantasy series, but I beg all of you wonderful readers who typically stick to young adult fiction exclusively not to write this one off. It's ripe with romantic tension (think Rose and Dimitri in Vampire Academy) and has loads of humor, and I honestly cannot recommend it enough! Have I convinced you yet? No? You need more? Well, it just so happens that Ethan Sullivan (Master of Cadogan House) has been one of my past book boyfriends, so I leave you with the below image as my final attempt to get you on board (you can see the full post and read some snippets HERE):

SOME GIRLS BITE

Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn't exactly glamorous, but it was Merit's. She was doing fine until a rogue vampire attacked her. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker-and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make her the walking undead.

Turns out her savior was the Master vampire of Cadogan House. Now she's traded sweating over her thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan "Lord o' the Manor" Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred- year-old vampire, he has centuries' worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects her gratitude- and servitude. But an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan's attitude are the least of her concerns. Someone's still out to get her. Her initiation into Chicago's nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war-and there will be blood.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR CHAPTERS 1-4

1. Let’s say tomorrow a “vampire manifesto” as Merit calls it runs in newspapers across the country announcing their existence. How do you think you would react? If you were hesitant to believe initially, what would it take to convince you they were real?

2. Since being turned into a vampire means complete removal from your former life and a new job serving your House in some capacity, what do you think you would miss most about the life you live now?

3. What are your first impressions of Merit and how she’s handling all the changes in her life?

4. When you first read the description of Ethan, what actor/model/person you know pops into your head as the perfect embodiment of him? Feel free to include pictures ;-)

5. Do you think Merit’s anger at Ethan himself, not the situation, is justified?

GRAB THE BUTTONS:

Please feel free to grab a button for the event and we look forward to having you join us in January!

Review: Drink Deep

DRINK DEEP (Chicagoland Vampires #5)
Chloe Neill
Urban Fantasy
321 pages
NAL/Penguin
Available November 1st
Received from publisher for review

Warning: Review/synopsis contains massive spoilers from book 4, Hard Bitten, but no spoilers from Drink Deep.

THE STORY
Things for the vampires of Cadogan House are getting darker by the minute. Master vampire Ethan's death has left them all bereft and uncertain of their future, and the continued scrutiny of the vampire ruling council as well as the increasing fear from Chicago's human residents is only making a difficult situation worse.

Merit is perhaps feeling Ethan's absence on deeper level than her fellow initiates despite her relatively new status as a Cadogan Vampire, with disturbingly visceral dreams of her friend, her Master, and her lover haunting her with more frequency. While she struggles mentally and emotionally however, her beloved city falls under a new supernatural attack.

The lake turns black briefly before returning to normal. The sky turns bright red and back again. The new mayor and all her followers are eager to pin the occurrences on the vampires, but the truth is none of Chicago's preternatural creatures seem to know the cause of the strange happenings. All anyone seems to know is that soon natural and supernatural are going to come to a head, and Merit is going to be smack in the middle of it without the man that has always served as her anchor.

MY THOUGHTS
Drink Deep is one of those books that has us staring at the cover sightlessly before reading, lost in our thoughts and caught up in the tumultuous emotional state the previous book left us in, itching to break the spine but also dreading doing so as we wonder if our hearts can endure another shredding and still continue beating. Before the first page is even turned we find ourselves plagued with questions, curious as to whether Ms. Neil will remedy some of the events of Hard Bitten or if each page we read will serve as a single stitch pulling those painful wounds closed, thereby forcing us to move forward with Merit into a life after Ethan. So it is with both a little hesitancy and a great deal of anticipation that we begin this newest installment, hoping for the best but prepared for the worst as we settle into a series that has been shockingly unpredictable and gloriously memorable.

Merit has always been a young woman of strength and substance, free of the entitlement that accompanies her family's name and truly independent by nature. That independence has allowed her to go toe to toe with a Master vampire and not be cowed by the force of his immense personality while also maintaining an admirable caution when it comes to matters of the heart after said Master found himself repeatedly trying to balance his feelings for her with the duty to his house. Post-tragedy Merit is still beautifully recognizable to us despite her obvious pain, dealing with her grief with far more grace than most might be capable of, and returning to her role as Sentinel damaged but certainly not broken. The strength of her emotional loss is tangible without being overwhelming, reminding us of what is missing yet never drowning us in a flood of despondency that prevents us from engaging in the latest of Chicago’s many supernatural problems. She’s strong but still vulnerable, hurting but not closed off or untouchable, and a true leader while remaining humble and so very human.

Drink Deep is a bit slower than its predecessor, and though such a pace is a necessary reprieve from the grueling intensity previously experienced, it does take just a touch longer to get into as a result. Ethan’s absence is glaring, the trademark romantic tension and witty banter between him and Merit something we miss more than we can express in words, but it just proves to us again and again how much of ourselves we’ve invested in this world that the loss of one character could devastate us so utterly. Despite our mourning for Ethan and everything he brought to the Chicagoland Vampire table, Ms. Neill still manages to create some truly fascinating developments for the residents of Cadogan House and the preternatural population as a whole, and she leaves us in a much healthier place at the conclusion of this tale than we were at the same time one book prior. Though our hearts are not quite healed, we find ourselves on the mend by the time we reach the last page, looking forward to the next book with a copious amounts of hope instead of pain.

Rating: 4/5

CHLOE NEILL ON TOUR!

To celebrate the upcoming release of Drink Deep, Chloe will be stopping by a couple different bookstores with fellow fabulous author Rachel Caine where they'll be hosting a "Bite Night Bash" for their readers. Readers who purchase books at the store will be eligible to win free raffle bags filled with notebooks, pencils, vampire swag, books and other cool Penguin gear goodies!

What wouldn't I give to live in Nebraska or Minnesota right now so I could attend! Details about the events are below for all you lucky people who will be in the area:

Thursday, November 3rd

BARNES & NOBLE
Oakview Mall
3333 Oakview Drive
Omaha, NE 68144
402-691-4557 (phone)
7 PM

Meet Rachel Caine & Chloe Neill!


Sunday, November 6th

BARNES & NOBLE
2100 North Snelling Ave
Roseville, MN 55113
(651)-639-9256 (phone)
2 PM
Meet Rachel Caine, Chloe Neill, and Andrea Cremer (author of the Nightshade series)!

Come to the bookstore, meet the authors, have your books signed, and participate in a raffle drawing to receive cool prizes!

Review: Hard Bitten

HARD BITTEN (Chicagoland Vampires #4)
Chloe Neill
Urban Fantasy
350 Pages
New American Library/Penguin
Available May 3rd
Received from publisher for review

Warning: Review does contain spoilers from previous books and alludes to certain events in this book though no specifics are given.

THE STORY
In the aftermath of the shifters' announcement of their existence, things in Chicago for Merit, Ethan, and their fellow vampires are a bit uneasy. The human population is not reacting well to the news that yet another supernatural species is living among them, and they have taken to picketing and rioting in front of Cadogan House to show their disapproval for the individuals they once so thoroughly accepted.

To make matters even worse, Mayor Seth Tate reveals to Merit and Ethan a witness statement wherein a man claims to have seen a multitude of vampires take the lives of three women in a frenzy of bloodlust. He assigns Merit and Ethan the task of putting an end to such behavior with a less-than-veiled threat of his retaliation if they don't gain control of the vampire population.

When a visit from a member of the ruling council of vampires pays Chicago a visit, Merit finds herself without Ethan's direct help in solving their human political problem while he deals in vampire politics. Paired with Jonah, Merit uncovers a disturbing new drug circulating the vampire raves–one that causes the erratic behavior the witness described–and as she delves deeper, she realizes the threat is even greater than they imagined and the potential fallout much more catastrophic.

MY THOUGHTS
Hard Bitten is a pivotal book in the Chicagoland Vampire series, presenting us with shocking new information and sending our emotions into indescribable turmoil as we deal with change and loss on a scale we haven't experienced before. While this book could have easily fallen into the trap of a middle book in a series where the character interactions become predictable and the action fails to be as impressive as it was previously, instead Ms. Neill takes a decidedly riskier route, testing us as much as she does her characters as we all struggle to come to terms with seemingly irreversible events. This fourth installment is like beginning the series anew–though the characters are comforting and familiar, the startling revelations place us firmly back on square one as we eagerly anticipate the next book to help us relearn how to put one foot in front of the other in this world.

Merit and Ethan are as fun, humorous, and infuriating as ever, their complex relationship returning to the slightly-guarded-but-still-sexually-tense state that existed prior to the progression of physical intimacy in the last book. Though they seem to have taken a step back in some respects, there is an openness and candor to them now that satisfies our clawing need to see them together and happy. Where before they engaged in an intricate dance comprised of sarcastic flirting and laced with a bit of good-natured antagonism used to mask the admission of any true feelings, we now have the honest confession of fear, hurt, and betrayal adding an emotional intimacy to their connection. This new rawness is mesmerizing, causing our hearts to ache a little less with each quiet acknowledgment as we know the strength it takes each of them to reveal a vulnerability to the other, and we long for the moment when a touch between them will be free of all the complications and can be a more simple and treasured thing.

Ms. Neill does a beautiful job with the plot in this series, each book focusing on a new but related problem to the vampire race being openly known to humankind, and this continuation of that world sees the escalation of previous personal, political, and supernatural battles to such a degree that putting the book down to take a breather becomes an impossibility. The heightened tension, the augmented danger, and the increased significance of repercussions for actions taken culminates in an ending that thoroughly swipes our legs from under us, leaving us shaking in uncertainty as to the future and our hearts bruised, broken, and in desperate need of repair. We are robbed of a vital component of these books–confusion, anger, and searing pain coalescing to create a bone-deep chill as our minds work frantically to concoct scenarios in which the events we've just witnessed will be remedied and the glowing happiness we felt at the end of the previous book will be restored.

This is a story where an extreme reaction is impossible to quell–tears will fall, teeth will grit, and fists will clench in anger as we both praise Ms. Neill for so thoroughly engaging us in her world and its characters while simultaneously questioning why she chose to hurt us so deeply. Despite our pain, we can't help but look forward to the next book, hoping that the explanations for, and reasoning behind, the conclusion of Hard Bitten will be partially illuminated. We have little choice but to place our complete faith in Ms. Neill's very capable hands, knowing she must have a plan and forcing ourselves to take comfort in the knowledge that we will be privy to it in time.

Rating: 5/5

Review: Hexbound

HEXBOUND (Dark Elite #2)
Chloe Neill
Paranormal Young Adult
246 pages
Penguin
Available Now

THE STORY
Lily Parker hasn't been a student at St. Sophia's School for Girls in Chicago for very long, but in that time she's met a best friend, discovered a latent magical ability, developed a crush on a werewolf, and learned her parents have been hiding things from her – things possibly related to her new status as a girl with paranormal abilities. That's a lot of change in a short period of time.

She's adjusting though, learning about being an Adept, someone who releases their magic back into the universe around age twenty-five; and being a Reaper, someone who seeks to hang on to their magic but must harm others in order to maintain it. And because there is never a dull moment in Lily Parker's life, strange new creatures make their presence known, attacking her and fellow Adepts Scout, Jason, and Michael in the tunnels under St. Sophia's.

Lily has had hardly any time to attempt to focus and harness her power over Firespell, and the one person who can teach her how to use it just happens to be a Reaper. While tracking down these new fiends and dodging Reapers, she's also trying to find time to nurse a budding relationship with Jason and attempting to uncover more information on her parents and the real subject of their research overseas. A girl's work is just never done.

MY THOUGHTS
In typical Chloe Neill style, Hexbound gives us a story infused with wit and humor and positively brimming with paranormal action. The words we're attempting to read have a tendency to blur periodically as the pages shake in time to our laughter-induced convulsions resulting from an abundance of snarky retorts, and we instantly feel at home with characters who are accessible, enjoyable and comfortingly familiar. Ms. Neill has a way of writing that seems so beautifully casual, as though we are surrounded by old friends in a warm, cheerful environment despite events often taking place in dark, dank tunnels with characters to whom we've really only recently been introduced. Lily and Scout's penchant for sarcasm immediately draws us in, welcoming us into the fold of Enclave Three and serving to temper the gravity and seriousness of their mission with a sass and flippancy that keeps us continually snorting in amusement.

Both young ladies are endlessly entertaining, the strength of their friendship growing with every snarky quip, and theirs is a healthy relationship we both appreciate and relate to. So often in young adult literature the friendship between two female characters is strained, the connection often fading as jealousy and pettiness infect all aspects of the relationship and leave either one or both wallowing in self-pity or guilt over the words and actions ultimately leading them toward the dissolution of the friendship. With Lily and Scout we see two young women who are thriving, their joys and pains supported by, and shared with, the other as they're able to communicate effortlessly over matters of great or little importance.

The story itself moves quickly, and while we may not walk away from this tale having learned anything profound or been pushed to the very edge of our emotional limits, we are nonetheless entertained by the bits of mystery and romance spread throughout, and find ourselves smiling upon concluding this installment for no other reason than we had a good time reading it. Though there are several different plot threads co-existing in this story, Ms. Neill handles them deftly, addressing each one in turn so we are never left completely in the dark or idly wondering, but are given just enough information to keep our interest piqued as we eagerly await additional details. Lily's life continues to increase in complexity, the family drama put on the back burner a bit in this book but certainly not forgotten, and her romantic and magical entanglements gain in prominence. Werewolf Jason and Reaper Sebastian are both significantly more than they appear to be, and both have fascinating interactions with Lily that give us pause as we ponder what will come of all the things that go unsaid while simultaneously sorting through all the ramifications of the revelations spoken aloud.

Ms. Neill's stories are always a welcome escape, a quick jaunt into a world that makes us laugh and keeps us guessing, and while we don't necessarily emerge from it fundamentally altered by the experience, we do close the back cover feeling pleasantly fulfilled, as though we were just handed a bag of our favorite candy and told we could indulge in as many as we'd like.

Rating: 4/5