REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Biting Bad (Chicagoland Vampires #8)

Biting Bad (Chicagoland Vampires #8), by Chloe Neill
Published August 6, 2013
Publisher:  NAL Penguin
Format: paperback, obtained from publisher
Genre:  urban fantasy
To Buy:  Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Merit has been a vampire for only a short while, but she’s already seen a lifetime’s worth of trouble. She and her Master, centuries-old Ethan Sullivan, have risked their lives time and again to save the city they love. But not all of Chicago is loving them back.

Anti-vampire riots are erupting all over town, striking vampires where it hurts the most. A splinter group armed with Molotov cocktails and deep-seated hate is intent on clearing the fanged from the Windy City come hell or high water.

Merit and her allies rush to figure out who’s behind the attacks, who will be targeted next, and whether there’s any way to stop the wanton destruction. The battle for Chicago is just beginning, and Merit is running out of time.

Reading Biting Bad was kind of like coming home after being away for awhile. All my favorite things were there - Merit, Ethan, Gabriel, Luc, Cadogan House, Mallocakes. Burrowing myself in another book in which Merit and Ethan find themselves in peril yet again was the highlight of my week. Goodness, I love this series. 

Merit and Ethan are just trying to have a normal Valentine's Day for cripes sake. But, McKetrick and his band of merry goons seem hell bent on making sure that doesn't happen. Riots and attacks on important vampire-related buildings are happening seemingly randomly over Chicago. Humans are vilifying vampires to the point of extreme violence. And Merit needs to get to the bottom of it before anyone else dies. And before hers and Ethan's Valentine's Day is completely ruined. 

Ethan and Merit are finally in a comfortable place regarding their relationship. With all they've been through together, it's about time. Although it's not as hot and filled with sexual tension as it once was, the familiarity they have with each other is still nice. What's going on around them takes more of a center stage when we aren't constantly fretting over whether they'll still be together at the end. We know they will be and there's a measure of comfort that comes in that knowledge. And, as an added bonus, we get to see Ethan get romantic, which truly is something special.

"I have eternal life," he said. "But you are my undying passion." He put his hands on my cheek and kissed me deeply. There was passion in his kiss, in the nip of his tongue, but this kiss was about promise. About tenderness. About love. "I love you, Caroline Evelyn Merit."

I really enjoyed getting to know Scott Grey better in Biting Bad. We see much more of him in this book than in any other. We also see a lot of Jonah, which is awesome. I've loved him ever since Drink Deep. 

Getting to see some previously peripheral characters more means we don't see some of our usual favorites much. The Ombuddies are seen only sporadically, as are the shifters.  I also missed hanging out with Luc, Lindsey and Malik. 

But, we did see some more of Mallory, which I appreciated. As much as I hated her there for a few books, she's worming her way back into my affections. 

Holy foreshadowing, Batman. There's tons of it in Biting Bad. If you're a fan of the series, you'll recognize it. I think some big things are going to go down in the next book or two. And that excites the hell out of me.

How does Chloe Neill continue to create book after book in this series and make each one as good as the last? I don't find this series slowing down at all. It's certainly different than it was back in the first or second book, but it's a good different. And an expected different. I would never expect these characters to remain unchanging after all that's happened.

 Biting Bad rocked my socks. It'll rock yours too. 

Giveaway (US Only)

As part of the Biting Bad Blog Tour, the awesome Chloe Neill has supplied me with some kick ass prizes! Fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Biting Cold (Chicagoland Vampires #6), a Chicagoland Vampires tote and some cool swag. Due to crazy shipping costs, I've got to keep the entries to the US only. :( But, don't forget to enter the Biting Bad Blog Tour grand prize on Chloe Neill's website! 


  a Rafflecopter giveaway