March 18, 2013

Review: Friday Nights Bites

Friday Night Bites (Chicagoland Vampires, book 2) by Chloe Neill

fridaynightsbite

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: Paperback
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Friday Night Bites

The story of a young heiress's initiation into the dark society of the Chicagoland Vampires continues:

Ten months after vampires revealed their existence to the mortals of Chicago, they're enjoying a celebrity status usually reserved for the Hollywood elite. But should people learn about the Raves--mass feeding parties where vampires round up humans like cattle--the citizens will start sharpening their stakes.

So now it's up to the new vampire Merit to reconnect with her upper class family and act as liaison between humans and bloodsuckers, and keep the more unsavory aspects of the vampire lifestyle out of the media. But someone doesn't want peace between them--someone with an ancient grudge.


Review:

Chloe Neill is a wordsmith in the Urban Fantasy genre. Her style is so awesome that I could pick out her writing from a line up of other authors. (Err, lineup of writing.)  Friday Night Bites is no exception her power over words is undisputable, and her powers of the supernatural delighting.

Now I'll address the one true problem I had with Girls That Bite, Ethan.  Obviously the leader of Cadogan House isn't just going to vanish. Despite my wishes he, didn't get pushed under a bus and decapitated.  There's still the problem of Merit being attracted to him, but in this case she's trying to resist.  Ethan of course wants her more now and just can’t understand how Merit could say no.  This time, though, I can see the relationship.  Sometimes love isn't all fuzzy bunnies, and you just can't escape it's clutches.  What I do appreciate is that Merit can see the “why not(s)” of their relationship.

Thankfully Neill isn’t just focusing on the Ethan aspect. The yummy Morgan of Navarre House has a romance still steaming up the back burner. (That get seriously mucked up so my pleasure there goes fast. After all Neill needs to make sure Ethan looks like the better option.) Merit's inability to become a 100% vampire is still vexing, but she can finally see it as the right choice even if she had no say in the matter.  There are vampire Raves going on that threatens the peace between humans and the night creatures.  The build up for shifters to take a more prominent place in the next book is clear.  Don't forget that psycho, Celina, already out on the lose and looking for world domination.

Yet . . . yet. Looking past my Ethan loathing. The magic behind the Vampires felt so spotty. Merit gets over one childish aspect from the last book, to alienating her best friend—Mallory—when she was clearly just a concerned friend. Then Merit couldn’t even be strong enough to be there for Mallory like she was for Merit’s vampire transition. How come a book worm turned vampire is suddenly a kick ass warrior? Ballet was not the founding key, trust me I took it for over thirteen years and I know I could not turn it into crazy battle warrior moves at a snap. There are a lot of things that are unexplained or under explained. Some of it readers can look past, or if you do like me you have to gloss it over. Maybe make things up.

Neill is clearly an author to pay attention to in the UF scene.  Her wordsmith ship, witty-witty humor, and ability to portray the human mind (or vampire mind) just amazes me.  (Even if those minds are totally wacked.) This is a series that should not be missed by PNR and UF fans a like.  Readers will find something to love . . . even if there are a few bitter peels to go with it.

Sexual Content: Sexual humor, awkward TMI from roommate sex, some steamy scenes, but nothing over the top.

 
3/5- Adored it, just a few minor details held it back


Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW: Amazon: Goodreads:

Some Girls Bite (1)
Friday Night Bites (2)
Twice Bitten (3)
Hard Bitten (4)
Drink Deep (5)
Biting Cold (6)
House Rules (7)
Biting Bad (8)
Wild Things (9)
Untitled (10)

Some Girls Bite (1)
Friday Night Bites (2)
Twice Bitten (3)
Hard Bitten (4)
Drink Deep (5)
Biting Cold (6)
House Rules (7)
Biting Bad (8)
Wild Things (9)
Untitled (10)
Some Girls Bite (1)
Friday Night Bites (2)
Twice Bitten (3)
Hard Bitten (4)
Drink Deep (5)
Biting Cold (6)
House Rules (7)
Biting Bad (8)
Wild Things (9)
Untitled (10)

No comments: