Wednesday 25 January 2012

Twice Bitten - Chloe Neill

Twice Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires, #3)Twice Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires #3) - Chloe Neill
Grade: Adult - UF
Rating: 5/5 stars


Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. 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. 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.

Merit must accept the assignment, even though she knows that she’ll probably regret it. And she’s not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, 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. (Description from Goodreads)

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Like normal, when finishing a book within a series I adore, I find it hard to start a review without sounding repetitive. It's incredibly hard not to gush about how much I love Merit and Ethan and their supernatural adventures. 'Twice Bitten' picks up where 'Friday Night Bites' left off and we're thrown into an action packed story that never stops moving. What's not to love?

I love the drama and chaos that surrounds the vampires in this series. The fact that the vampires are out in the public eye means there's no chance to hide from humans. I like that this is both a help and a hindrance to the vampire cause. It makes you cautious about what might happen next in the vampire community.

We get to see more of the hidden supernatural side in 'Twice Bitten'. It's exciting to see how the shifters and sorcerers fit into the world; how different they are from what we've seen before or previously been told. I loved having Mallory explain more of her lessons to Merit and seeing her use a bit of her magical powers to demonstrate her skill (I just love Mallory) and seeing the shifters on their own terms, not just as a vampire enemy was enlightening. It's funny though, despite being a different kind of shifting community than I'm used to, the animosity between vampires and shifters still remains, I like that there's something familiar to hold onto, even within completely different series.

There is something unbelievably awesome about the dialogue in this series. Chloe Neill nails the "real" feel of her characters. You can imagine yourself discussing eating habits and best friend or boyfriend drama exactly the way Merit and her crew do. The witty banter and arguments are so normal and funny; I can't get enough of it, and I look forward to reading more of it in the next book.

And, of course, can't end this review without discussing Ethan. I love that he's such an important part of the series so far. He's not one of those potential love interests that only pops up occasionally, and so you're left desperate for more. I know he's not on every page - though I'd love it if Merit and Ethan were joined at the hip - Ethan's presence is unforgettable and he is so involved in every aspect of the story that you can't help loving him and loving his role; even if he does make a few strangle-worthy mistakes.

Eagerly awaiting Merit's next adventure.

5/5 stars

Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

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