Monday, April 14, 2014

Chicagoland Vampire Series - Chloe Neill

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Subgenre: vampires, weres, Chicago!, romance drama
Age Appropriate: Adult
Recommended for my sister: For the most part


"Ponytail Avenger??" - Merit

On late evening, Merit was walking home from doing research for her English Lit dissertation when the worst happens. She is brutally attacked by someone, or something, and wakes up as something else. After a few days of being unconscious, she wakes in her house, only to find out that she's been turned into a vampire! Ethan Sullivan, Master of Cadogan House, found her and saved her from her brutal attack in the only way he thought he could, turning her into a vampire and bringing her into his House. Merit is confused, and upset but nothing pisses her off more than hearing that they've taken her out of school! She can't finish her education, and she thinks it is all their fault - even acknowledging that the school likely would've kicked her out anyway. Between her disappointment, general pissed-off-ness and a normally snarky attitude, Merit and her best friend, Mallory, name Ethan "Darth Sullivan," and spend a goodly amount of time hating him.

When Merit is threatened with a rock and a note thrown through her window, clearly regarding her new vampire status, she takes off to the House to confront Ethan about the situation. There is trouble when she sees him for the first tie since her turning. She's no longer in a confused, drug-like state and he is gorgeous. She feels some sort of instant connection and the reaction is more irritation on her part. She challenges him, loses miserably, and starts her career as a Cadogan vampire with a bang. When she formally joins the house (after much deliberation), her obvious vampire strength is shown by unknowingly resisting the psychic pull she should receive from Ethan. His response? Name Merit "Sentinel" - an old, honored position committed to protecting the House. Thus begins her series of trials and tribulations that contain sorcerors, two-faced angels, other vampires and increasing animosity from humans. WIth her new friends and old, she's pulled into situations that either require her powers as a vampire or her newly developed skills as a private investigator type.

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The first few books are very entertaining. After that the story seems to get a little more convoluted with each adventure. The move from very entertaining to plain ol' entertaining. I admit that I mostly enjoy Merit's sword skills. I always like Urban Fantasy chicks wielding swords. I also like her Ethan, the gorgeous Master of the House - and he seems like a softer Jean-Claude, just as beautiful and conniving but a little less manipulative (just a little, though). I just finished book 9, and I'll be happy to have some more.

This book gets very sexy in some spots. Not as bad as some, but it's still there - primarily in the later books. It's just graphic enough for me to give this an Adult rating (but not enough for caps or colors). As much as I like Ethan, and it really couldn't go any other way with these books, I found myself a little bit on Team Jonah for awhile. There are also some things that I hope they get into more. It feels like they've given Merit a few new roles, but in name only. She uses her new status for new information, but I'll be interested to see if the author expands on it in the future. Honestly, though, I did read the new book in a day. Yay instant consumption! I suppose that means I recommend it!

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Not vampires: The Sianam Series

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