Book Review: Twice Bitten

Twice Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires #3)

By: Chloe Neill

Published by: NAL Trade

Release Date: July 2010

Buy it at Amazon

Source: Library

Audience: Adult

Format: Audiobook

Read my review of books #1 and #2 in the series!

Vampires, Shifters, and Magic - oh my! This was by far my favorite book in the Chicagoland Vampires series so far! Everything heats up in this installment - the romance, the action, and the tempers. I couldn't wait to get back to listening to this one every day during my commute. It occupied my thoughts in between drives quite frequently. The fourth book was just released this week and I instantly scooped it up for my Kindle. I cannot say enough good things about this series.

Twice Bitten follows Merit once again as she kicks some major butt, delivers lots of snark, and seeks to help Cadogan House form an alliance with the Apex of the Shifter packs. I suppose that's all in a day's work for the sentinel of Cadogan House. Every time I think I have seen everything Merit has to offer as a character she shows me something else that helps solidify her place in my female character hall of fame. I just love her. She is so strong and isn't afraid to tell it like it is.

I loved that in this edition we get to see a little bit more of Ethan and get behind his brooding facade. He was never my favorite male character until this book. I still think that there are others who are appealing, but I saw Ethan in a different light. I was sad that there were very little Morgan and Catcher moments in this one. The situations the book focused on didn't truly allow for their characters to be important, but I have to say I missed them. I also loved that in this book we got to learn more about the shifter dynamics and structure. 

I was really happy to have Merit and Mallory work through their arguments from the second book. I just didn't like not having Mallory around as much. However, I am loving the blossoming friendship between Merit and Lindsey. 

I can't wait to get more from my favorite characters in the next book!

As far as the audio on this one goes I do have one major complaint. The same narrator has read all three books, but for some reason she started pronouncing things differently in this one - like some of the house names and last names of characters - I have no idea why this shift occurred but it irked me. It was also interesting that some of the names she said differently at the beginning of the book were back to normal by the end. You would have thought someone would have caught those mistakes at some point before the cd's were produced.

One Last Gripe: I feel like something major is brewing and I am worried about how the next book is going to go.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: All the fighting - Merit totally holds her own and makes the boys cry

First Sentence: It was the beginning of Route 66, the spot where "America's Main Street" began to traverse the United States.

Favorite Character: Merit

Least Favorite Character: Adam

Summary:

Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit, Chicago's newest vampire. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene-and to spy for the vamps while she's at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan's offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Gabriel, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She'll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals-not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries-old master vampire.