Hard Bitten by C. Neill

Hard BittenIf you haven’t started the Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill, then you don’t know what you’re missing.  Neill is such a fantastic storyteller that it is so easy to get lost, and invested, in the story of her characters that no one should be able to walk away disappointed.  Each novel keeps getting better and better and Hard Bitten will  not only prove that, but I can guarantee that it will illicit very strong emotions in the reader – especially fans of the series.

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 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 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…

In Some Girls Bite, Neill doesn’t just give us a story about a girl who was suddenly changed into a vampire, but of a girl who was changed without consent, one who doesn’t just lay down and accept it.  Neill has shown that she’s not afraid of pushing the boundaries and that is even more defined with Hard Bitten.  That very idea is the one thing that has stood out for me with this novel. No matter what I think is going to happen, it never does and generally it’s the exact opposite.  I can honestly say that I’ve never felt like throwing a book across the room because of something I’ve just read, but I totally had that impulse with Hard Bitten.  It’s wasn’t because the story was bad or Merit just does something stupid; no, it was so totally unexpected that I can’t think of another author who has done something like this, so early in the series.  I cannot wait until next week, when everyone has finally gotten their hands on Hard Bitten, so I can finally express all of my frustration, worry, concern, eagerness that will be present until Drink Deep is released in November.

Honestly, the Chicagoland Vampires are fabulous creatures.  They have such a wide range of emotion and personality that you never know what you’re going to get.  I can tell you there’s a side of a certain character that we were just introduced to that I wasn’t expecting.  I know I keep saying that, but for fans of Jonah, you’re going to be happy with his presence.  When he first showed up on the scene, I didn’t think we would see a lot of him; however, he has quite the interaction with Ethan that proves we haven’t seen the last of him yet.

Overall, there’s nothing much I can say about Hard Bitten that fans of the series don’t already know.  Nonetheless, Neill does it again and delivers a story that exceeds all expectations.  Not only is there some fabulous chemistry between all the characters, but the future is definitely left in question and I don’t know what to expect.  I never would have expected the ending and that’s what I’m fixated on.  Even reading Hard Bitten two months ago, I can still remember vividly what I was doing when I read the last page and I’m still thinking about it.  I’m still obsessing over the events.  For me, that marks a fantastic book and everyone should read it.  Trust me when I say this, take an extra long lunch or take the whole day off, because when Hard Bitten comes out on Tuesday, you’re not going to be able to put it down.

Read Order:
Some Girls Bite
Friday Night Bites
Twice Bitten
Hard Bitten
Drink Deep (Nov. 2011)

Also Reviewed By: Rex Robot Reviews, Book Addict, Mystifying Paranormal Reviews and Mysteriousrose

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

1 Comment

  1. Damn, now I can’t wait to get my hands on it but am thinking that if I’m going to want to throw the book I might want to get it but not read it until Nov. when whatever is happening might be resolved! Nah, can’t do it, must read it right away but your description reminds me of when I was reading the last Betsy book and wanted to throw it after reading the last bit. Can’t wait until Tuesday!

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