Book Review: Blood Games

I love the Chicagoland Vampires series. Waiting for the next installment inspires the same fluttery feeling in my stomach I used to get as I counted down to when Santa would appear. It would be impossible to talk about this novel without spoiling previous novels. If you haven't read the series, know I highly recommend it, stop reading this review, and go grab Some Girls Bite.

Blood Games was good, but it felt a little slow to me after the fast paced plot of Wild Things. A serial killer is stalking the streets of Chicago and leaving his victims in elaborate poses that hint at supernatural origins. The city is finally starting to loosen up on the vampires that walk among them so Merit and Crew are keen to find the killer sooner rather than later. They don't want vampires being blamed again for crimes they did not commit.

While Merit is helping her grandfather and the CPD track down the killer, she's also balancing vampire politics and fighting against Ethan's secretive nature. She knows something is bothering him, but he refuses to let her in. I always get irked when Merit and Ethan are having relationship issues because one of them is being too stubborn. We've been down that road so many times throughout this series that it's starting to feel stale. The big reveal also seemed anti-climatic to me.

I also am over the vampire politics. It's time to move past all of that and get back to what makes this series awesome: Merit, mystery, yummy food, and vampires that kick butt and take names. I want more of the Red Guard. I want more of the Cadogan vampires. The GP ship has sailed for me.

In spite of my lackluster response to the quarrel between Ethan and Merit and all the vampire politics, I did like this novel. It wasn't my favorite in the series but it does move things along. I loved the serial killer plot and the moments when Jonah makes an appearance. It was also nice to see Catcher and Mallory working on their relationship and getting back to their old normal. This novel wasn't as action packed as I would have preferred, but it did provide some crucial information and character development.

One Last Gripe: A novel without Gabriel makes Andrea a cranky reader.

Favorite Thing About This Book: The last half - things really started to pick up and I ended up binge reading the end

First Sentence: He stood beside me as cameras flashed, a man with a long and lean body, deeply green eyes, and golden hair.

Favorite Character: Merit

Least Favorite Character: Nicole

Summary:

While Merit didn’t choose to become a vampire or Sentinel of Cadogan House, she vowed to fight for her House and its Master, and she’s managed to forge strong alliances with powerful supernaturals across Chicago. But even though Merit has had wild adventures, this may be her deadliest yet...

A killer is stalking Chicago, preying on humans and leaving his victims with magical souvenirs. The CPD hasn’t been able to track the assailant, and as the body count rises, the city is running out of options. Vampires and humans aren’t on great terms, but murder makes for strange bedfellows. Can Merit find the killer before she becomes a target?

Reading Lark

Book Review: Blood Games

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