fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsurban fantasy book review Chloe Neill Chicagoland Vampires 3. Twice BittenTwice Bitten by Chloe Neill

Vampire troubles have been all over the news in the last few months. Now the shapeshifters, still in the closet, are debating whether to stay where they currently are and help defend the vamps against possible persecution, or retreat to their lands in Alaska. Gabriel, their leader, doesn’t expect this to be a battle of words alone, and so Merit and Ethan are working as his bodyguards.

Violence does erupt, and Merit learns of a planned hit on Gabriel. Now she must ferret out who is plotting against him and stop the assassination. Along the way, she has to deal with shifters’ prejudice against vamps and vice versa.Chicagoland Vampires (Book Series) by Chloe Neill

Meanwhile, Merit’s relationship with Ethan takes a few steps forward… and a few steps backward. The “downs” are made extra poignant by the fact that Merit is so normal. Her heartache is something almost all of us can relate to, and I love the way she held her head up anyway.

As for Ethan, I have to admit that, after an inauspicious beginning, he has grown on me — though there were moments in Chloe Neill’s Twice Bitten (2010) when I wanted to shout at him for being an idiot!

Other plot threads include friendship developments (with Mallory and with Merit’s fellow Cadogan vamps) and an invitation that tests Merit’s loyalty to her House.

I enjoyed Twice Bitten, absolutely loved the ending, and admired Merit for her strength in the face of all kinds of challenges. I can’t wait to start Hard Bitten.

Published in 2010. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene-and to spy for the vamps while she’s at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan’s offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Gabriel, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She’ll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals-not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries-old master vampire.

Author

  • Kelly Lasiter

    KELLY LASITER, with us since July 2008, is a mild-mannered academic administrative assistant by day, but at night she rules over a private empire of tottering bookshelves. Kelly is most fond of fantasy set in a historical setting (a la Jo Graham) or in a setting that echoes a real historical period (a la George RR Martin and Jacqueline Carey). She also enjoys urban fantasy and its close cousin, paranormal romance, though she believes these subgenres’ recent burst in popularity has resulted in an excess of dreck. She is a sucker for pretty prose (she majored in English, after all) and mythological themes.

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