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Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit, Chicago's newest vampire. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene-and to spy for the vamps while she's at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan's offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.
Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Gabriel, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She'll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals-not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries-old master vampire.
Actress Cynthia Holloway has performed on stage, film, and television, and she is the voice of Anita Blake in the audiobook editions of Laurell K. Hamilton's bestselling vampire hunter series.
Before reading this book, I recalled how I came across this series. I've never heard of it and did not read any reviews when I decided to purchase its first book Some Girls Bite. I am always happy when I find a book on my own and influence friends int o reading. It is really awesome that I found this book and my bloggers friends seem to love it like I do.
Since this book has not been released yet, I will try to avoid spoilers as much as I can.
So remember where we left off in Friday Night Bites? The Shifter leader - Gabriel Keene and his Apex pack are in town to have some convocation about staying in the area and maybe allying with one of the Vampire Houses. Ethan and Merit were in the center of it all. The story was not as highly political as I would think it would be which suited me just fine. Gabriel is a pretty interesting character he has valor, intelligence and a genuine love for his people and family, a sign of a great leader. I hope to see more of him in the future Chicago Vampire books.
This is by far my favorite book in this series. I love every page of it. This is what I've been waiting for (what we've all been waiting for); a start of something, a pace in the series... A more up close and personal profile of Cadogan House, Master Vampire, Ethan Sullivan. And a newly improved Sentinel of the Cadogan Merit. These two kept me all night robbing me of sleep, whether because of a training scene in the Sparring room, the constant bickering and there is great amount of foreshadowing that heightens their undeniable attraction for each other. Ethan made me swoon, broke my heart, then got me back to swooning some more. And Like I said have improved, in every thing fighting skills, she had fully embraced vampiredom but still has the heart and stubborness of the former human version of herself, and she is really coming out of her own. Even if other elements are trying to influence her.
Chloe Neill did it again, and I think she especially did a splendid job on this one. It has plenty of action scenes that will give you a good imagination on how dangerous and awesome Merit has been. A fair amount of humor. Romance that everybody will be rooting for. Intrigue that will categorize this book as unputdownable. And a heart of a writer that puts in a lot of thought and emotions into her. It has all the elements that will get a reader hooked.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Humans have recently learned that vampires live among mortals. Shapeshifters fear they will be next and debate how to handle what they anticipate will occur shortly.
In that regard to plan on the inevitable, Gabriel Keene, Apex of the North American Central shifters, has convened a conference of the packs to determine their best course of action. He also invites Cadogan House Sentinel Merit and master vampire Ethan Sullivan to attend as security as evidence is strong that an assassin is coming for him and terrorists plan on disrupting the convention. Though only a couple months since she was turned involuntarily, Merit takes her security work seriously, but has trouble focusing with arrogant Ethan nearby.
The third Chicagoland Vampires romantic urban fantasy is an action-packed thriller that never slows down from its opening quick synopsis of the previous two biters (see Friday Night Bites and Some Girls Bite until the biting climax. The rookie vampire and her mentor (she would say tormentor) try to protect a leader of the other prominent paranormal species as many want to prevent an outing. Fans of the saga will fully relish Merit's actions as she continues to adjust to her new life as an undead.
Harriet Klausner
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Twice Bitten is the third book in the Chicagoland Vampire series and picks up almost immediately following the events at the end of book 2. Merit has been receiving these red envelopes with hinting at an invitation to some thing special. I admit that I had this crazy thought that they were some kind of invitation to the Raves that they had been investigating. Turns out I was way wrong. Turns out, Merit has been invited to join the historic Red Guard, the secret police of the Vampire Masters. She is flabbergasted by the invitation, especially with how new she is and with her loyalties still forming in her mind, she requests some time to think about the offer.
When Gabriel, the Apex of the North American Shifters requests Ethan and especially Merit to be part of the security for the up coming pack meetings and massive event called the Convocation. This put Merit and Ethan neck deep in shifter politics. All the while dealing with a break up with her semi-kinda boyfriend Morgan, a fight with her best friend Mallory and the confusing feeling growing between herself and Ethan.
This book took us deeper into the Vampire world, gave us more insight into the Shifter world, let Merit start using all that training she has been getting, thrilled those rooting from a Ethan/Merit pairing then broke our hearts and ended with a bang. I was so much happier with where this book versus book 2. I felt like Merit is really starting to get her head on and grow into the position of Sentinel for her house as well as a bad ass chick. I am really enjoying the direction this book is headed and can't wait to start the next book. I had to give this book 4 stars.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Oct 05 00:00:00 EDT 2011
I can't wait to read the next one. I read a lot of these types of books (Sookie Stackhouse...Morganville..Anita Blake) and Chicagoland vampires are almost #1 for me. Wonderful and exciting!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Mar 21 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I am totally hooked. This was a great book with much drama, action, and romance.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Twice Bitten is the third book in Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires series. I just love this series; each book I have read so far is so good but this one is my favorite so far. We see a new side of Ethan and get a glimpse of what "more" could mean between the Merit and Ethan. Twice Bitten also incorporates much of the shifter world in this story. Again, Merit is essentual in developing aliances and peace between the two supernatural species. I love how each book in this series has it's own mystery element that has to be solved. It keeps each book in the series fresh while still following the main characters.
My favorite quotes:
"Some days it didn’t pay to be a grown-up."
"A friend once told me the hurt that came with the end of a relationship was painful because it was the death of a dream—the future you’d imagined with a lover, a loved one, a child, or a friend. That loss was its own painful, nearly tangible thing. You had to reimagine your future, perhaps in a different place, with different people, doing different things than you might have first imagined."
"Humiliation is like a fine wine. It should be shared between friends.”
“The best revenge is a life well lived.”
Merit is still as snarky and hilarious as ever. I must say that this is a great continuation of the storyline with the added bonus of shifters. Not only is Merit and Ethan being included into pack business but Gabriel hints at the fact that Merit will be protecting his family and unborn child. There is no conclusion to that in this book but the ties between the vampires and shifters are not severed by the end of the book which makes me believe that in due time we will know what that is all about.
I’d also like to touch on the fact that Merit and Ethan get rather close in this book. Ethan has some swoon worthy moments that had me getting that “aw” face. There are parts where he really puts himself out there and becomes vulnerable. For me this was monumental because Ethan has always been, “Sentinel, get in my bed and become my mistress” but in this book he actually shows his true feelings for her and how protective he is over her. There is a part where Merit and Ethan are at the shifters bar with Gabriel when gun fire breaks out and considering Merit is not only one of his guards but stands as Sentinel, you would think that she’d protect Ethan from the gun fire. However, before she has a chance to react, Ethan is on top of her protecting her from the flying bullets. Moments like that really showed how much he really cared for her.
Now maybe this is just me being nitpicky but I don’t like the cover model. Not only is she drastically different from the original model but she doesn’t match Merit’s description. Merit is supposed to have dark hair with bangs, neither of which this model has. Now I could see thinking “maybe Merit went for a new look” except for the fact that the author describes Merit’s hair and how either Merit or Ethan brush her bangs back, you are reminded of the fact that the Merit we know is not the Merit on the cover. And for some reason that bugs me… a lot. I like the covers to actually resemble the characters.
I honestly cannot wait for what else Neill has in store for not only us as readers but for poor Merit and Ethan. Where do the shifters come in? What happens with Ethan and Merit’s relationship? With Celina (big bad villain from book #1) on the loose, will she strike again and if so how? All of these questions are darting around in my head after reading this and I cannot wait to see what happens next. Until next time…
Like with the last one it was going to be a 4.5 but I was like, eh 5 stars is good too. I'm surprised how much has happened so far, especially with Ethan and Merit. You'd think it be prolonged throughout the series. But nope its, just the third in this series. And I especially liked the writing style in this one. And noticing each book with its title means something or happens somewhere in the book. Also Catcher you are awesome. Another good sequel in the series, so far. On the cover, shouldn't she have her hair in a ponytail and her bangs?
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Posted Sun Mar 17 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Loveher writing
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Posted Thu Aug 30 00:00:00 EDT 2012
Following the adventures of Merit in this third series is awesome. I read this book in one night. Ms. Neill weaves a wonderful story that hope will continue in the next book
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.My Review:
I liked this book in the series...lots of action, tons of emotion, lots of Merit kicking butt. I like that, but this also was a book where Merit took some serious shots to her heart too, which made my heart ache for her. But it did make for a fabulous book!!
This was it....the book where things turn a corner for our heroine (isn't book #3 where that happens in all these Urban Fantasy series?) Things heated up between her and Ethan, but when that got to be too much for him, he broke her heart (but you know, the author has already said that there's going to be at least 10 books in this series, so that wasn't such a surprise...in fact, I'm sure it will happen a few more times before it's all said and done and our heroine rides off into her happily ever after.)
But this book really introduced us to the politics of the shifter community rather than the vampire community (although that was still present in this book too.) Long time frenemies, the shifters and vampires have an unsteady alliance, but as things heat up in the vampire world now that humans know they exist, the shifters are becoming edgy. When they become edgy, they tend to take off to the Alaskan wilderness where they are safe. The vampires don't want that....they need the strength that the shifters can provide if they stand by the vampires so Ethan is working hard to forge that alliance. But you know that these books are all about Merit so you know, she has a heavy influence in all this.
I liked Merit so much in this book. She takes a LOT of mental blows, but she's learning to stand on her own and be self-confident in herself as a vampire and as a warrior. She was tough in this one...in so many different ways when she had all kinds of things thrown at her. She's smart, she's quick-thinking, and I just love her character.
Now the debate is....do I move on to Book #4? I'm happy with this series right now and have heard so many grumblings about it from the next book on. I WANT to keep reading, and I fully plan to in the future, but right now, there are only 3 more of the 7 more planned actually out. Do I wait to read so I don't have to wait on pins and needles getting frustrated with the author and the way that she tortures her readers (at least that's what I've heard) or do I settle now fairly happy with where the series stands?? hmmm, decisions, but I'm just not sure I can resist book #4 sitting out there on my table. Maybe I'll just read the first chapter....
Anonymous
Posted Tue Jul 31 00:00:00 EDT 2012
Awesome.
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Posted Tue May 29 00:00:00 EDT 2012
Great book sseriess
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Posted Mon May 07 00:00:00 EDT 2012
Can't wait to read more and more of this series!
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Posted Thu Oct 27 00:00:00 EDT 2011
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Anonymous
Posted Mon Oct 17 00:00:00 EDT 2011
Young moneyswag nothing more to say, swag boy OUT (lmfao)
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Posted Fri Oct 14 00:00:00 EDT 2011
Highly entertaining, kick ass heroine and a twist of love and lust
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Posted Wed Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2011
It just gets better and better cant wait for the next book.....
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Posted Tue Sep 06 00:00:00 EDT 2011
I have looked high and low for another series to keep my interest like Anita Blake and Rachel Morgan. I am on book 4 and can't wait for the next to arrive in stores. Merit is hot and feisty and very worth the read. Fast paced and fun. Start at number one and enjoy the whole series!
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Posted Sun Aug 07 00:00:00 EDT 2011
Another great Meritt book.
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Overview
Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit, Chicago's newest vampire. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene-and to spy for the vamps while she's at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan's offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.
Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Gabriel, and ...