Review: Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill

Title: Friday Night Bites
Series: Chicagoland Vampires, Book 2
Author: Chloe Neill
Publisher: New American Library (NAL)
Length: 357 Pages
Publication Date: October 6, 2009
Available Formats: Paperback, Mass Market Paperback, Kindle Edition, ePub, Audiobook
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Book Description:

VAMPIRES IN CHICAGO!

You’d think headlines like that would have provoked the fine citizens of the Windy City to take up arms against us blood-sucking fiends. Instead, ten months later, we’re enjoying a celebrity status reserved for the Hollywood elite —fending off paparazzi, who are only slightly less dangerous than cross-and-stake-wielding slayers. Don’t get me wrong. Joe Public isn’t exactly thrilled to be living side by side with the undead, but at least they haven’t stormed the castle… yet.

All that will change once they learn about the Raves, mass feeding parties where vampires round up humans like cattle and drink themselves silly. Most civilized vampires frown on this behavior –but that doesn’t make good copy for first-time reporter looking to impress his high-society family.

So now my “master” —centuries-old yet gorgeously well-preserved Ethan Sullivan— wants me to reconnect with my own upper-class family and act as a liaison between humans and vampires… and to keep the unsavory aspects of our existence out of the media. But someone doesn’t want people and vamps to play nicey-nice —someone with an ancient grudge.

They say that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. But what happens when life unexpectedly decided to give you fangs? Well, you pack your sarcasms as close to heart as possible, you make sure your secret chocolate stash is safe, you strap on your katana and ready yourself to go straight into the lion’s den.

After surviving various attempts on her life and saving the life of the one person that upended her existence, Merit is sent back to her family’s estate in order to rub elbows with her former world. A plan with the hopes of minimizing a progressive threat and garner some good publicity for vampires in the hopes of salvaging their reputation after Celina’s crimes against humanity. We follow Merit as she is forced to relief childhood memories, both good and bad while confronted with vampire prejudice from an unexpected source (I really don’t want to tell as its revealed rather quickly). From that point on the story becomes a race against the clock for Merit, Ethan and the rest of the Cadogan Vampires while they try to avert the major publicity disaster that threatens to tarnish their reputation completely. As they move forward Merit discovers the world of raves and the implications of a group of vampires losing their feeding control.

Because no crazy story is complete without stretching the heroine in all ways possible (both physical and emotional), Friday Night Bites also focuses on Merits attempt at a relationship with, the now Master of the Navarre House, Morgan Greer. Reading (watching?) how the drama unfolds as Merit struggles with her emotions is relatable. Watching Darth Sullivan deal with his is priceless.

Chloe Neill has created a world that is full of drama, action and political intrigue. The series as a whole has a powerful political struggle happening throughout, and Ms. Neill knows how to present it without boring us or driving us away. For someone like me –who hates politics as a whole– that is not just refreshing, it’s greatly welcome.

I enjoyed every minute of the book, especially being on Merit’s head. She is a smart, witty and funny character that has innate strength, self-confidence, and will never let others walk all over her.

Do you like this post? Please link back to this article by copying one of the codes below.

URL: https://soireb.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-friday-night-bites-by-chloe-neill.html HTML link code: <a href="https://soireb.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-friday-night-bites-by-chloe-neill.html">Review: Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill</a> BB (forum) link code: [url=https://soireb.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-friday-night-bites-by-chloe-neill.html]Review: Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill[/url]