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Turned into a vampire against her will, twenty-eight-year-old Merit found her way into the dark circle of Chicago's vampire underground, where she learned there was more to supernaturals than met the eye-and more supernaturals than the public ever imagined. And not all the secrets she learned were for sharing-among humans or inhumans. Now Merit is on the hunt, charging across the stark American Midwest, tailing a rogue supernatural intent on stealing an ancient artifact that could unleash show more catastrophic evil on the world. But Merit is also the prey. An enemy of Chicagoland is hunting her, and he'll stop at nothing to get the book for himself. No mercy allowed. No rules apply. No lives spared. The race is on. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
I love that Ethan is back despite how it happened. The GP is still annoying and I am glad the Cadogan house finally found the right way to deal with them. Among the mess of Chicago, things are finally being put to rights. I am anxious to see how the Cadogan vampires move forward with their new initiative. Will things improve or get worse? I don't know but I can't wait to find out.
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy:
allthingsuf.com
Despite the strength, beauty, and immortality of vampires, I rarely find myself envious of their supernatural lifestyle. Merit’s afterlife smorgasbord of the best food the Midwest has to offer, however, has a way of making vampirism seriously tempting. Add to that push-button athleticism and a close-knit community of local vamps, and you have an afterlife recipe that cannot be beat.
Of course, all is not hunky dory in Chicagoland. Merit’s best friend has gone around the bend, and the path of true love has been anything but smooth, but even those setbacks have been a pleasure to read. Somewhere around book two of this series, Merit’s voice really began to work for me. show more Underneath the ponytails and the Mallowcakes is a relatable young woman who has embarked on one hell of an adventure. For every innate power Merit is given, there’s another, equally valuable skill that she has to work for, and it is these practiced changes that make her so interesting as a character.
BITING COLD picks up after the twists and drama of DRINK DEEP, and the magical mayhem is amped up from page one. Anyone brand new to the series should really start at the beginning, but for returning readers, I though Neill did a great job reminding me of key details along the way. I haven’t seen a witch gone this bad since Evil Willow, but Mallory’s descent into darkness has a lot more pain and torment built into the character. Mallory reads more like a junkie who keeps hurting herself, and everyone around her, in pursuit of that last, definitive fix. I liked how Merit is neither unquestioningly loyal to Mallory nor dismissive of their history. Rather, she has understandable spates of anger, sadness, and then more anger. Of course, I myself started to experience some of that anger when Mallory’s mess started to bleed into Merit and Ethan’s love life. Though the plot didn’t skip a beat heating things up from page one onward, the romantic side of things was downright chilly for much of the book. I didn’t mind the prior reincarnation plot line, but I was also more than ready for these two characters to get some quality time. Their time apart gave Merit an opportunity to grow and develop on her own, but now that Ethan’s back further roadblocks were just plain frustrating. Even worse, Ethan really doesn’t stack up well compared to all of the men in Merit’s life that manage to both be smoking hot and respect her capabilities (a combination that often eludes Ethan).
Though I’m slower to forgive Ethan than Merit, my romantic frustrations were resolved over the course of the story. Neill also plays out an interesting and unexpected resolution to a few past magical mysteries while weaving in some continued vampire politicking from prior books. I look forward to exploring that subplot in book #7. Dare I hope that an upheaval of local politics means both Jonah and Morgan will get some time in the limelight? Ethan could still stand a little competition in my book.
Sexual Content: Sex scenes. show less
allthingsuf.com
Despite the strength, beauty, and immortality of vampires, I rarely find myself envious of their supernatural lifestyle. Merit’s afterlife smorgasbord of the best food the Midwest has to offer, however, has a way of making vampirism seriously tempting. Add to that push-button athleticism and a close-knit community of local vamps, and you have an afterlife recipe that cannot be beat.
Of course, all is not hunky dory in Chicagoland. Merit’s best friend has gone around the bend, and the path of true love has been anything but smooth, but even those setbacks have been a pleasure to read. Somewhere around book two of this series, Merit’s voice really began to work for me. show more Underneath the ponytails and the Mallowcakes is a relatable young woman who has embarked on one hell of an adventure. For every innate power Merit is given, there’s another, equally valuable skill that she has to work for, and it is these practiced changes that make her so interesting as a character.
BITING COLD picks up after the twists and drama of DRINK DEEP, and the magical mayhem is amped up from page one. Anyone brand new to the series should really start at the beginning, but for returning readers, I though Neill did a great job reminding me of key details along the way. I haven’t seen a witch gone this bad since Evil Willow, but Mallory’s descent into darkness has a lot more pain and torment built into the character. Mallory reads more like a junkie who keeps hurting herself, and everyone around her, in pursuit of that last, definitive fix. I liked how Merit is neither unquestioningly loyal to Mallory nor dismissive of their history. Rather, she has understandable spates of anger, sadness, and then more anger. Of course, I myself started to experience some of that anger when Mallory’s mess started to bleed into Merit and Ethan’s love life. Though the plot didn’t skip a beat heating things up from page one onward, the romantic side of things was downright chilly for much of the book. I didn’t mind the prior reincarnation plot line, but I was also more than ready for these two characters to get some quality time. Their time apart gave Merit an opportunity to grow and develop on her own, but now that Ethan’s back further roadblocks were just plain frustrating. Even worse, Ethan really doesn’t stack up well compared to all of the men in Merit’s life that manage to both be smoking hot and respect her capabilities (a combination that often eludes Ethan).
Though I’m slower to forgive Ethan than Merit, my romantic frustrations were resolved over the course of the story. Neill also plays out an interesting and unexpected resolution to a few past magical mysteries while weaving in some continued vampire politicking from prior books. I look forward to exploring that subplot in book #7. Dare I hope that an upheaval of local politics means both Jonah and Morgan will get some time in the limelight? Ethan could still stand a little competition in my book.
Sexual Content: Sex scenes. show less
This is a hard review for me to write. Biting Cold is the number one book I have been looking forward to in 2012 and Chicagoland Vampires is in my top 5 favorite series ever! The last book Drink Deep left readers (at least me) dying to read this upcoming installment. For some reason this book just didn't hit it for me, in fact this is my least favorite book in the series. Don't get me wrong I still liked it, but it wasn't what I had hoped for. Biting Cold seems to leave from the typical story due to the Mallory and Tate aspects. Readers learn more about who and what they are taking away focus that had previously been on other characters. Let's just say that there are some BIG surprises in store that I never would have guessed. Whether I show more liked this surprise or where it took the story is a different story. It came out of "left field" for me despite the build up in the previous books and to top it all off, the way everything wrapped up was a little too predictable and easier than expected.The supernatural creatures and relationships tying them together were a shock and opened a whole new door for any creature to make an appearance.
Perhaps the biggest thing I missed in this book is Merit's relationship with all of the other characters. Lindsey, Jeff, Catcher, and the occasional Gabriel have really grown through the series and they seemed to only be superficially present and make a sparse appearance here and there in Biting Cold. Despite this, the two characters I missed the most were Morgan and Jonah. There is just an extra spark that they bring to the book. They are on a couple of pages, but I want them to have some real interaction with Merit. I'm not the biggest fan of Ethan and they lend that option of another love interest. Speaking of Ethan... he is more wish-washy/self sacrificing than ever and constantly keeps Merit on the fence about their relationship. A decision needs to be made. The best part about the book is the ending. While all of the drama with Mallory going big bad evil witch and Tate revealing what he truly is the Cadogan house is still dealing with the ramifications of giving the Greenwich Presidium the blow off when Ethan came back. They don't let up in Biting Cold. Choices will be made that have me clambering to get my hands on the next installment. I may not have loved the book, but my love for the series is just as strong as ever! I give this book a 3 1/2 STAR rating. show less
Perhaps the biggest thing I missed in this book is Merit's relationship with all of the other characters. Lindsey, Jeff, Catcher, and the occasional Gabriel have really grown through the series and they seemed to only be superficially present and make a sparse appearance here and there in Biting Cold. Despite this, the two characters I missed the most were Morgan and Jonah. There is just an extra spark that they bring to the book. They are on a couple of pages, but I want them to have some real interaction with Merit. I'm not the biggest fan of Ethan and they lend that option of another love interest. Speaking of Ethan... he is more wish-washy/self sacrificing than ever and constantly keeps Merit on the fence about their relationship. A decision needs to be made. The best part about the book is the ending. While all of the drama with Mallory going big bad evil witch and Tate revealing what he truly is the Cadogan house is still dealing with the ramifications of giving the Greenwich Presidium the blow off when Ethan came back. They don't let up in Biting Cold. Choices will be made that have me clambering to get my hands on the next installment. I may not have loved the book, but my love for the series is just as strong as ever! I give this book a 3 1/2 STAR rating. show less
Ah, a new narrator! So no more sibilant S. And the Faeries have a more Gaelic accent. But now we have other problems. This narrator doesn't make as much effort to differentiate between the character voices, so it's hard to tell when two women are talking who's who. Margo used to have a slight French accent, now she doesn't.
At least one scene that was for titillation rather than advancing the plot. Could have been cut.
Bonus points for the American Football reference and the especially for acknowledging the Chicago/Green Bay rivalry...
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The trilogy comes to an end with a bang. Some surprises, but if you paid attention to the other five books, not so much. Still just a good time waster read, but then again, I'm stuck in this world show more right now.
I'm starting to wonder how Merit could be doing well as a grad student when she misses things, forgets she has powers, and in general just acts like a twit rather than an intelligent woman who also is a vampire. Seriously, Why did it take a half a book for her to push Ethan to the brink? Why did she not do that sooner? The primary plot line begun, really back in book 1, has closed now, though we have to see the final consequences as things progress.
As I stated, there was at least one scene that could have gone away, or at least shortened, as it didn't advance the plot. I sincerely hope they don't continue to appear in the later books.
Book 7, here I come. show less
At least one scene that was for titillation rather than advancing the plot. Could have been cut.
Bonus points for the American Football reference and the especially for acknowledging the Chicago/Green Bay rivalry...
-----
The trilogy comes to an end with a bang. Some surprises, but if you paid attention to the other five books, not so much. Still just a good time waster read, but then again, I'm stuck in this world show more right now.
I'm starting to wonder how Merit could be doing well as a grad student when she misses things, forgets she has powers, and in general just acts like a twit rather than an intelligent woman who also is a vampire. Seriously, Why did it take a half a book for her to push Ethan to the brink? Why did she not do that sooner? The primary plot line begun, really back in book 1, has closed now, though we have to see the final consequences as things progress.
As I stated, there was at least one scene that could have gone away, or at least shortened, as it didn't advance the plot. I sincerely hope they don't continue to appear in the later books.
Book 7, here I come. show less
I have rarely wanted to lock two characters in one room and tell them to get over themselves and on with it so that the main plot could be dealt with. Seriously, these two have too much angst to deserve to be in the senior positions they are in.
So Tate is back and is discovered to be a supernatural creature of some power and age. He's also after a book, a book that Malory is after and Merit and Ethan are hunting them.
It's interesting for the urban fantasy, the romance doesn't completely convince me.
Oh and by the way, dear cover art supplier cavalry saber =/= katana.
So Tate is back and is discovered to be a supernatural creature of some power and age. He's also after a book, a book that Malory is after and Merit and Ethan are hunting them.
It's interesting for the urban fantasy, the romance doesn't completely convince me.
Oh and by the way, dear cover art supplier cavalry saber =/= katana.
Biting Cold
4 Stars
The Chicagoland Vampires series is definitely not great literature nor is it particularly well-written but for some reason it is addictive, like chocolate mousse - you know its bad for you but you can't help eating it anyway!
Biting Cold is the latest installment in the ongoing Merit/Ethan angst fest. Ethan is back to being a stubborn jackass who needs to be slapped upside the head. Thankfully, he eventually comes to his senses afterMerit kicks his ass and the resultant make-up sessions are well worth the wait.
The plot moves at a solid pace with some interesting twists and turns, especially the introduction of an unexpected villain whose identity and motivation are quite compelling. The action starts virtually show more immediately and the resolution is both exciting and satisfying although the middle is a little too drawn out despite one or two nail-biting scenes.
Mallory's character development is the most annoying aspect of the book. In Drink Deep, Neill made a brave choice in this regard, but now seems to have backtracked while implementing a misplaced politically correct agenda, i.e. the redemption of a selfish and manipulative character who willfully committed evil acts. This is the woman who tried to turn Ethan into a mindless slave and brought disaster on the city, yet suddenly excuses are made as if she is not responsible for her choices. In what warped world is washing dishes for the shifters an appropriate punishment for her behavior. Evil should be destroyed, not redeemed. Likewise, Seth Tate, the villain for the past two installments, also undergoes a completely incomprehensible transformation and is turned into a contrite and selfless hero over night - seriously? It is disappointing that Neill took the easy way out with these characters.
The book ends with some closure but there are questions that remain unanswered. It will be interesting to see what happens next given the possible ramifications of the changes in Cadogen House and the implications for both the GP, the Red Guard and the rest of Chicago's vampires.
Narration: The new narrator, Sophie Eastlake, is a HUGE improvement on Cynthia Holloway. She is much more versatile with her intonation, inflection and voices. Her versions of Irish working class, upper class English snob, Texan drawl and Ukrainian mothering hen are all accomplished with equal aplomb! show less
4 Stars
The Chicagoland Vampires series is definitely not great literature nor is it particularly well-written but for some reason it is addictive, like chocolate mousse - you know its bad for you but you can't help eating it anyway!
Biting Cold is the latest installment in the ongoing Merit/Ethan angst fest. Ethan is back to being a stubborn jackass who needs to be slapped upside the head. Thankfully, he eventually comes to his senses after
The plot moves at a solid pace with some interesting twists and turns, especially the introduction of an unexpected villain whose identity and motivation are quite compelling. The action starts virtually show more immediately and the resolution is both exciting and satisfying although the middle is a little too drawn out despite one or two nail-biting scenes.
Mallory's character development is the most annoying aspect of the book. In Drink Deep, Neill made a brave choice in this regard, but now seems to have backtracked while implementing a misplaced politically correct agenda, i.e.
The book ends with some closure but there are questions that remain unanswered. It will be interesting to see what happens next given the possible ramifications of the changes in Cadogen House and the implications for both the GP, the Red Guard and the rest of Chicago's vampires.
Narration: The new narrator, Sophie Eastlake, is a HUGE improvement on Cynthia Holloway. She is much more versatile with her intonation, inflection and voices. Her versions of Irish working class, upper class English snob, Texan drawl and Ukrainian mothering hen are all accomplished with equal aplomb! show less
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
I approached the 6th installment in Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires series with much trepidation because she's done some pretty crazy things to her characters in the last couple of books and I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I'm sad to say that my worries weren't entirely put to rest as she does fall back into some of her old, less desirable writing habits. Granted, the story does bounce back towards the end and, House Rules does look promising but I'm still not convinced that this will be the last time readers will have to deal with the tired Ethan drama. That point aside, the plot's enjoyable, the action is abundant and the ending gave me hope about the future of this series.
This book takes off running show more right out of the gates; Ethan and Merit are driving to Nebraska to stop Mallory from opening a mega can of evil. I was happy that Neill didn't waste any time in continuing the events from the previous novel but I was also a little confused thanks to the lack of a recap. I found myself struggling to remember the who, what, and why of their current predicament. I was also kinda peeved that Merit and Ethan didn't get the reunion that they so desperately deserved and became doubly so later on when Sullivan backpedals. Again. I was hoping that Chloe would give readers a break after all of the insanity or, at the very least, I would have settled for a quickie in the backseat. Unfortunately, it just wasn't meant to be and we're forced to wait.
My main complaint with this book is that Ethan's can't-be-with-Merit-for-her-own-protection stupidity was back in full force. Haven't we been down this road enough already? For a 400 hundred year old vampire Sullivan sure is dumb. He's an exceptional leader and a masterful tactician but when it comes to love he's a real nincompoop. I'm SO SICK AND TIRED of his indecisiveness and fear of commitment that when it resurfaced yet again I threw the book across the room. Literally. How many times is Chloe Neill going to do this to us? For the past two books I've been on the fence as to whether or not I want to continue reading this series and then she goes and does more of the same. The ending was a step in the right direction but the moment that Ethan reverts back to his nincompoop ways, and I'm talking one tiny slip, I'm done. I do not appreciate being strung along for 3 books; I've given the Chicagoland Vampires way more chances than they deserve only because the first half of this series is incredible but even I have a breaking point.
The plot of Biting Cold is amazing. I loved the story from beginning to end (other than the whole Ethan thing of course) and was happy with how Neill handled Mallory's betrayal as well as explaining Tate's true nature. All of this series' supes come out to play in this installment and it was nice to see them finally working together towards a common goal. I loved the way that this story ended; there were some really interesting developments and I can't wait to see what House Rules has in store for us. It's do or die time Chloe Neill so don't blow it. show less
I approached the 6th installment in Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires series with much trepidation because she's done some pretty crazy things to her characters in the last couple of books and I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I'm sad to say that my worries weren't entirely put to rest as she does fall back into some of her old, less desirable writing habits. Granted, the story does bounce back towards the end and, House Rules does look promising but I'm still not convinced that this will be the last time readers will have to deal with the tired Ethan drama. That point aside, the plot's enjoyable, the action is abundant and the ending gave me hope about the future of this series.
This book takes off running show more right out of the gates; Ethan and Merit are driving to Nebraska to stop Mallory from opening a mega can of evil. I was happy that Neill didn't waste any time in continuing the events from the previous novel but I was also a little confused thanks to the lack of a recap. I found myself struggling to remember the who, what, and why of their current predicament. I was also kinda peeved that Merit and Ethan didn't get the reunion that they so desperately deserved and became doubly so later on when Sullivan backpedals. Again. I was hoping that Chloe would give readers a break after all of the insanity or, at the very least, I would have settled for a quickie in the backseat. Unfortunately, it just wasn't meant to be and we're forced to wait.
My main complaint with this book is that Ethan's can't-be-with-Merit-for-her-own-protection stupidity was back in full force. Haven't we been down this road enough already? For a 400 hundred year old vampire Sullivan sure is dumb. He's an exceptional leader and a masterful tactician but when it comes to love he's a real nincompoop. I'm SO SICK AND TIRED of his indecisiveness and fear of commitment that when it resurfaced yet again I threw the book across the room. Literally. How many times is Chloe Neill going to do this to us? For the past two books I've been on the fence as to whether or not I want to continue reading this series and then she goes and does more of the same. The ending was a step in the right direction but the moment that Ethan reverts back to his nincompoop ways, and I'm talking one tiny slip, I'm done. I do not appreciate being strung along for 3 books; I've given the Chicagoland Vampires way more chances than they deserve only because the first half of this series is incredible but even I have a breaking point.
The plot of Biting Cold is amazing. I loved the story from beginning to end (other than the whole Ethan thing of course) and was happy with how Neill handled Mallory's betrayal as well as explaining Tate's true nature. All of this series' supes come out to play in this installment and it was nice to see them finally working together towards a common goal. I loved the way that this story ended; there were some really interesting developments and I can't wait to see what House Rules has in store for us. It's do or die time Chloe Neill so don't blow it. show less
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Author Information
Chloe Neill writes the Chicagoland Vampires series and the Dark Elite series. She is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. (Bowker Author Biography)
Series
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Biting Cold
- Original title
- Biting Cold
- Original publication date
- 2012-08-07
- People/Characters
- Merit; Seth Tate; Ethan Sullivan; Paige Martin; Catcher Bell; Jeff Christopher
- Important places
- Chicago, Illinois, USA; Iowa, USA; Nebraska, USA
- Epigraph
- "Love is a familiar; Love is a devil.
There is no evil angel but Love."
—William Shakespeare - First words
- Late November
Central Iowa
It shone like a beacon. More than a thousand feet of skyscraper, the lights at the top of its antennas blinking through the darkness that blanketed the city. The Willis Tower, one o... (show all)f the tallest buildings in the world, was nestled in downtown Chicago, surrounded by glass and steel and the waters of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Its bulk was a reminder of where we'd come from . . . and where we were going. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)For now, with his emerald eyes locked on mine, where I was going didn't seem so scary.
- Blurbers
- Kenner, Julie; Havens, Candace; Hallaway, Tate
- Original language
- English
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 677
- Popularity
- 42,600
- Reviews
- 43
- Rating
- (3.85)
- Languages
- 5 — English, French, German, Italian, Korean
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 17
- UPCs
- 1
- ASINs
- 6
