Book Review: Hard Bitten

Title - Hard Bitten

Author - Chloe Neill

Series - Chicagoland Vampire #4

Genre - YA Urban Fantasy

Format - Paperback

Published - May 30th 2011

Publisher - Nal Trade 

(Goodreads)(Amazon)

Synopsis

Times are hard for newly minted vampire Merit. Ever since shapeshifters announced their presence to the world, humans have been rallying against supernaturals—and they're camping outside of Cadogan House with protest signs that could turn to pitchforks at any moment. Inside its doors, things between Merit and her Master, green-eyed heartbreaker Ethan Sullivan, are tense. But then the mayor of Chicago calls Merit and Ethan to a clandestine meeting and tells them about a violent vamp attack that has left three women missing. His message is simple: get your House in order. Or else.

Merit needs to get to the bottom of this crime, but it doesn't help that she can't tell who's on her side. So she secretly calls in a favor from someone who's tall, dark, and part of an underground vamp group that may have some deep intel on the attack. Merit soon finds herself in the heady, dark heart of Chicago's supernatural society—a world full of vampires who seem to be ready to fulfill the protesting human's worst fears, and a place where she'll learn that you can't be a vampire without getting a little blood on your hands.

Review

Merit hasn’t been a vampire long saved after she was attacked by the leader of Cadogan House. She has already proved her worth earning the job of Sentinel of the house. Her job is to protect the vampires of the house and when a vampire scene threatens to draw attention to the already tense paranormal scene it time to step in. As if out of control raves aren’t enough to deal with for Merit she can’t deny the attraction to Ethan leader of her house and to top it off his sire is in town just waiting for them to screw up.

As Merit teams up with the Jonah her secret Red Guard connection they go undercover to a rave hoping to uncover what’s really going on. Instead they find raging vampires and glamour’d humans not a good mix. Following the trail leads them back to their own home turf and creating the question of who is out to get Merit and Ethan? What would they benefit if the vampires were painted in a bad light? What about the relationship with the recently outed werewolves?

I have loved Merit since the very first book, and still really enjoy her as a character. She’s gotten better as the series has progressed and I really like the way she is going. I have high hopes for her with a few potential love interests but I’m just not sold on the Ethan thing. I really want to be but he just doesn’t do it for me, and maybe that’s because he’s frustrating. I like that we had a chance to see more of Mallory and Catcher they are my favorite supporting characters.

Hard Bitten is the fourth installment in the Chicagoland Vampires Series taking place not long after the end of the 3^rd book. I really like the concept for the vampires the author has put her own unique spin on giving them a refreshing new series. The characters are easy to connect with I really love Merit and her band of close friends each one just enhances the story. Hard Bitten is a fast paced novel loaded with action a little romance and a whole lot of suspense. It was a captivating read that I found hard to put down because I just had to know how it would play out. I really enjoy the authors writing style it’s well done and easy to lose all track of time reading. I admit that I’m not current on the series and playing catch up but it’s such a fun vampire series that I really enjoy. I look forward to getting current can’t wait to see what will happen to Merit next.