Review ~ Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill

Title: Hard Bitten

Author: Chloe Neill

Series: Chicagoland Vampires #4

Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

Published: May 3^rd 2011

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.

Wow, I'm lost for words!! I am conflicted about this book, and looking at reviews on Goodreads, I’m not the only one. I loved the plot – the suspense, the mystery and all the players that were involved surprised me. However, that ending has left me in shock!!! But after I sit back and think about it, I can see things that were dropped throughout the book that hint at things to come in future books.

Merit is still her sassy self and trouble seems to find her no matter what happens. Pressure from the mayor and from the GP have her on edge and unsure as to the correct actions. But Merit takes her job of Sentinel very seriously and will do everything in her power to defend her house and her vampire family, especially Ethan. Things are still tense between her and Ethan and he has been trying to woo her but she is sticking to her guns. Merit uses a lot of her newly formed alliances throughout this book, which I really liked. These relationships are getting stronger and could work in her favour later on.

Chloe Neill executed the storyline perfectly again. She kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through and had the right mix of suspense, mystery, humour and tension. I loved the story, right up until the last few chapters of the book. That is the thing that undid it for me in the end and I'm not entirely happy with it.  I’m curious to see where things will go from here as the crap has literally hit the fan. Our Cadogan Vampires have some serious life adjusting to do now and I’m unsure as to how that will happen. I am looking forward to continuing the story, I want to know what Merit and the rest of them will do now.

Other Posts from Chloe Neill

Review ~ Some Girls Bite

 Review ~ Friday Night Bites

Review ~ Twice Bitten