BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Wild Things (Chicagoland Vampires #9)

Once again, I have the amazing opportunity to help the incredible Chloe Neill tell the world about her latest addition to one of my favorite series, the Chicagoland Vampires. WILD THINGS was utterly fantastic, and I can't wait for you all to read it too! Read on for my review, then enter to win some really cool Chicagoland Vampires swag, plus a signed book (U.S. only). Be sure to head over to Chloe's website to enter the international tour-wide giveway. Trust me - it's pretty awesome. 

Wild Things (Chicagoland Vampires #9), by Chloe Neill
To Be Published February 4, 2014
Publisher: NAL Trade
Format: e-book, provided by publisher
Genre:  adult paranormal romance/urban fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Since Merit was turned into a vampire, and the protector of Chicago’s Cadogan House, it’s been a wild ride. She and Master vampire Ethan Sullivan have helped make Cadogan’s vampires the strongest in North America, and forged ties with paranormal folk of all breeds and creeds, living or dead…or both.

But now those alliances are about to be tested. A strange and twisted magic has ripped through the North American Central Pack, and Merit’s closest friends are caught in the crosshairs. Gabriel Keene, the Pack Apex, looks to Merit and Ethan for help. But who—or what—could possibly be powerful enough to out-magic a shifter?

Merit is about to go toe to toe, and cold steel to cold heart, to find out.

One would think that by the ninth installment of the Chicagoland Vampires Series that the stories would be getting stale or ridiculous and our obsession with “Methan” would have run its course.

Wild Things was, in my opinion, the best book yet in this incredible series.

(There will be teeny spoilers from previous installments in the Chicagoland Vampires Series. Sorry, but, by the ninth book, it’s unavoidable – please don’t be mad!)

When we last saw our favorite Cadogan House vampires, Ethan was being encouraged to make himself scarce before the Chicago PD came to arrest him for killing a fellow vampire in self-defense. As much as he hates to do it, Ethan and Merit decide to hide out at the Breckenridge estate. Their self-imposed exile soon becomes a huge inconvenience as supernatural groups all over the city are attacked, and members of each group kidnapped – including Gabriel Keene’s shifters. To try and make things copacetic between vampires and shifters, Gabe asks Ethan and Merit to investigate the attacks and find the kidnapped victims. And, of course, in the middle of all this, a favor Merit promised in exchange for some help is called in, and the ramifications could spell the end of her and Ethan.

Chloe Neill has done a brilliant job planting seeds and letting them slowly grow over time until, before you even realize it, they’ve turned into something amazing. Remember that intriguing prophecy that Gabriel mentioned to Merit in Twice Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires #3) about a baby with Ethan’s eyes that wasn’t Ethan? CLV superfans have been waiting with bated breath for some movement on this. It’s been mentioned once or twice since then, but in Wild Things, we finally, FINALLY hear more about it, including the revealing of it to Ethan. The best part is Ethan’s reaction. I think I read that part three times. And, what’s even better, is there’s still more to come on this subject.

The corruption of the GP was introduced early in the series, with a much finer point put upon it in Drink Deep (Chicagoland Vampires #5). Even though Cadogan House is no longer a member, the GP is still trying to flex on them. Based on actions taken in Wild Things, there’s hope that the GP’s mafia mentality may soon come to an end, although most assuredly, not without a fight.

After all this time, we still get a few delightful surprises in Wild Things. A never-before-seen brand of sup is revealed (and they’re pretty creepy, too), and believe it or not, we finally get the Librarian’s name.

Very nearly all our favorites from CLV books past are featured at least a little. The original Scoobies – Merit, Catcher, Mallory and Jeff – team up again, many times with assistance from Ethan. Luc and Lindsey are there with their usual snark (Luc always has the best one-liners), Malik offers stability and support, and Jonah once again backs Merit up in an RG capacity. We even catch up with Seth Tate, who we’ve not seen since Biting Cold (Chicagoland Vampires #6).

And, there’s no way I can talk about favorites without mentioning the shifters. As you might be able to tell from the name of the book, The North American Pack plays a very prominent role. Gabe, his wife Tanya and his baby boy are front and center nearly the entire way through the book. We are also blessed with appearances from Nick Breckenridge, his brothers, his father, den mother Berna (pun very much intended), Fallon and new hottie shifter Damien, who serves as Gabe’s muscle.

Without a doubt, though, the best part of Wild Things is Merit and Ethan. With all the stopping and starting of their relationship through the first six books in this series, it sometimes felt like we’d never get to this place of stability and comfort. Ethan is finally not afraid to show ANYONE that he’s desperately in love with Merit, even though his PDAs embarrass her to no end. The sureness of their relationship is a wonderful addition. And, thankfully, that doesn’t in any way mean a tempering of the passion. Holy hotness – When Ethan and Merit set their mind to doing something, they do it well and good. It’s fan-freaking-tastic.

If you’re someone who may have started the series early on, but hasn’t finished yet, let this be your call to action. Because, for as much as I LOVED Wild Things, I get the impression that we haven’t seen anything yet.

Giveaway

Enter below for a super cool giveaway for U.S. only residents. It will include the following:

• Limited Edition Cadogan House Novitiate Luggage Tag
• Chicagoland Vampires Tote Bag
• An autographed Chicagoland Vampires or Dark Elite novel
• Plenty o’ swag, including “I Survived Hard Bitten” buttons and Chicagoland Vampires bookmark

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

The fun doesn’t stop here! Want more chances to win? You can also enter Chloe’s Wild Things Grand Prize Giveaway, which runs January 27  through February 7 on Chloe’s web site.
 

Limited Edition Luggage Tags

What is the Grand Prize Giveaway prize?

• A Kindle Paperwhite
• A $50 Amazon gift card!
• A complete set of Chicagoland Vampires Audiobook CDs (graciously provided by Tantor Audio)
• An autographed Chicagoland Vampires or Dark Elite novel
• Two Cadogan House Novitiate Luggage Tags
• A Cadogan House lanyard and BITING BAD All Access Pass
• Chicagoland Vampires bookmarks, pens, buttons, and swag!