Review: Friday Night Bites - Chloe Neill

Vampires in Chicago!

You'd think a headline like that would have made the fine citizens of the Windy City to take up arms against us bloodsucking fiends.  Instead, ten months later, we're enjoying celebrity status and fending off the paparazzi, who are only slightly less dangerous than angry stake-wielding slayers.  Don't get me wrong: Joe Public isn't exactly thrilled to be living side by side with the undead, but at least they haven't stormed the castle...not yet...

But it might just be a matter of time.  There's a first-time reporter sniffing around vampire society, and if he uncovers the Raves - mass feeding parties, where vampires drink themselves silly - we could be in trouble.  The fact that it's majorly frowned upon by vamp society won't make a difference to that kind of a headline, or to a new reporter who's out to impress his family.

So now my 'master' - the centuries-old yet gorgeously well-preserved Ethan Sullivan - wants me to reconnect with my own upper-class family and act as liaison between humans and vampires...and use the opportunity to keep the less savoury aspects of vamp existence out of the media spotlight.  Tough job, when it seems someone doesn't want vamps and humans to play nicely - someone with a serious, ancient grudge...

Chicagoland Vampires Series:
Some Girls Bite
Friday Night Bites
Twice Bitten
Hard Bitten
Drink Deep
Biting Cold
House Rules
Biting Bad
High Stakes (Novella in the Kicking It anthology)
Howling for You (Novella)
Wild Things
Blood Games
Lucky Break (Novella)
Dark Debt
Midnight Marked
Phantom Kiss (Novella)
Blade Bound
Slaying It (Novella)

Heirs of Chicagoland Series:
(Spin off set approximately 20 years on from the end of the Chicagoland Vampires series)
Wild Hunger
Wicked Hour

Visit Chloe Neill's website for more information

Review:
It's been 2 months since Merit was turned into a vampire and she is starting to come to terms with her new life, even going so far as to move into Cadogan House in order to do her job better.  Vampires have become big news since they told the world of their existence nearly a year ago and although they are treated like celebrities wherever they go not everyone wants to live in peace.  With an old enemy out to cause trouble Ethan needs Merit and her family connections to help figure out what is going on and to help find a way to protect his people.  Merit thought she had been able to leave her rich snobbish family behind but she is forced to step back into the family fold for the good of Ethan and Cadogan House.

Friday Night Bites is the second book in the Chicago Vampires series by Chloe Neill and I'd recommend reading the books in order starting with Some Girls Bite to make the most of the full back story.  Although I think Some Girls Bite is probably my favorite of the two books Friday Night Bites is still an enjoyable story and well worth reading.

I mentioned in my review of the first book how much I love Merit's character and I'm pleased to say this hasn't changed, in fact I think she is one of my favorite urban fantasy heroines.  Although she is working hard to fit in with her new vampire family she is prepared to stand up for herself even if it means going against master vampire Ethan.  One of my favorite things in the first book was Merit's relationship with her best friend Mallory and I think that is one of the things I missed in this installment.  Although the two still have a strong bond they aren't getting to spend as much time together now that they're no longer roommates.  Mallory has a lot of things to deal with after a discovery she made in the first book so I'm hoping that as she gets used to her new abilities the two of them will get their friendship back on track in future installments.

Merit has been casually dating Morgan for a couple of months now and although I was never Morgan's biggest fan I have to say I was a bit disappointed in Merit for the way she treated him at times.  Although she was initially forced to date Morgan by Ethan I would have had more respect for her if she'd called it quits sooner rather than keep stringing him along.  I'm hoping we don't see more of that in the third book.

What can I say about Ethan?  He is arrogant, has a bad attitude and is prepared to use Merit in order to get what he wants - hardly your typical hero - but there is something about him that I love.  One of the best things about Friday Night Bites was that we get to see more of Ethan and Merit spending time together.  The chemistry between the two of them is off the scale (when are they going to finally get it on already?  It's obvious it's going to happen!) and I love watching them banter and try to get dominance over each other.  We get to see more of a softer side to Ethan in this installment, he is still keeping himself closely guarded but every so often he let's Merit in and that is when I really start to fall for him.  I'm looking forward to seeing more of that as the series progresses.

If you haven't discovered this series yet I'd urge you to give Some Girls Bite a try.  This is a series with a strong female heroine, a snarky sense of humor, chemistry to die for and enough action to keep the pages turning and I can't wait to start reading book 3 Twice Bitten.

Source: Purchased

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