Review: Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill

Hard Bitten
Book 4 of the Chicagoland Vampires Series

Author: Chloe Neill
Publisher: New American Library
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
ISBN:  9780451233325
Release date:  May 3, 2011
More info at:  http://www.chloeneill.com/

Received book from publisher to review.

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...

This review makes me nervous.  Why?  Because there is so much I want to say, but cannot.  I suppose I could have some spoilers, but I've always believed that some things aren't meant to be spoiled.  Hard Bitten has a couple of those moments.  If you love this series as much as I do, trust me...you do not want to be spoiled at all when it comes to this book!  You are going to want to go into this book not knowing a thing.  So I'll try my best to just tell you what I did and didn't like about it.

Hard Bitten picks up right where book 3 of the series, Twice Bitten, left off at with the vamps of Cadogan House rebuilding after the attack from the shapeshifters.  Now that humans are aware of the shapeshifters, they are protesting anywhere and everywhere they can against the vamps and shifters.   But that is just only one of the problems that the vamps have to deal with.  Humans are being found with their blood drained and there is a witness that claims that he saw the vamps attack one.  They were out of control and seemed to be under the spell of bloodlust.  This does not look good for the vamps and Merit must get to the bottom of what is going on.  Not only must she do this, but she still has to work close to Ethan (I love you, I hate you) Sullivan who she has not forgiven for his actions in Twice Bitten.  Ethan regrets what happened of course and does everything he can to make things better between the two of them.  They still have to work together and do their best to do so.

Our favorite characters from the series make appearances.  Catcher and Mallory are still together and hilarious with their discussion to Merit about their sex life.  I always love that they don't hold back when they talk to her about it.  Merit's grandfather is just as supportive as he always is.  Jeff steps up to the plate and really helps Merit when she needs him.  He is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters in this series.

So we've got Merit once again using her smarts to figure out what is really going on with the support of those closest to her.   I'm so glad that she has the support that she does, including Ethan.  They make a great team and that is shown in this book.  Ethan finally sees just what Merit is made of.  She is strong, confident, smart, and will do what she has to do to protect him and any members of the house.  These are the makings of a great heroine, and Merit is going to need all of these things to deal with all of the things coming her way.

I'm giving Hard Bitten a rating of:

I have to say that most of the book was just alright to me, until something happens that is so profound it left me in shock.  There is a scene that takes place in this book that was absolute perfection.  Chloe Neill did a wonderful job writing it and it totally blew me away.  I mean this scene still rocks me to my core when I think about it.  I'm not going to tell you what it was about, but if you are a fan of this series you need to read this book.  I experienced an array of feelings with this one and cannot wait for the next release in the series. Drink Deep will be released in November of this year and until then, I will be obsessed about what happens next.  Read the book and join countless others and I in the wait to see what Cloe Neill has up her sleeve for us.