Friday Night Bites

Friday Night Bites
By Chloe Neill
Chicagoland Vampires #2

Arrrrrrgg!!!! Why do I keep doing this to myself? I read a mediocre or unexceptional book but think it may have potential so I buy the second book just to be disappointed. I thought this series would get better and that the protagonist would get a personality but I was wrong.

This book was worse than the first book. Reading this book was like watching a slug move across from the lawn over the sidewalk to the other side of the lawn where a big cat is sitting waiting to pounce on it. You have to wait forever for it to get there, watching its slow process and you know the cat is going to pounce on it when it hits the other side which will at least be a little exciting, if not a little show more sad for the slug but when the slug finally gets to the other side, the cat sees a chipmunk and decides to run after it instead. It’s good for the slug but a letdown for the audience because let’s face it, slugs are gross and not good for the garden. I may have gone way off course with that analogy but the point is that this book was slow. I had to endure almost every minute of Merit’s life, from the minute she got up to the minute she went to sleep. It was agonizing.

The plot was predictable again…in fact, it was the same threat as the last book because of course, instead of killing the bad guy…or in this case…bad gal, they sent her away to the vampire council in Europe which is the stereotypical vampire council with powerful old vampires who are disconnected from humans and modern society so they let Celina go. So, of course, Celina is back to cause trouble. It appears the author is going to milk the Celina threat for a long time.

Merit, the protagonist, never did grow a personality…in fact, she just got worse. She has a best friend named Mallory who supported her and was by her side when Merit was turned into a vampire but when Mallory needs her help, she blows her off until the last minute. When Mallory tells her that she thinks she is putting Ethan who has been nothing but a jerk towards Merit before everyone else because Merit secretly wants him, Merit gets ugly with Mallory. I think Merit is pathetically obsessed with Ethan. I hate women like her. The author seems to be trying to make Ethan and Merit’s relationship be mysterious and romantic but to me Ethan’s power over Merit and the way he treats her is abusive. I hope readers, especially young adult readers, don’t think this kind of behavior is okay.

It took me days to get through this book. I wanted to just stop reading but I forced my way through it. I won’t be reading another book in the series.

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Friday Night Bites, the second in Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires series, picks right up where Some Girls Bite left off. Newly made vampire Merit is sentinel of Cadogen House and dating the master of Navarre House, Morgan Greer, while secretly crushing on her own master, Ethan Sullivan.

The novel begins with Merit finally moving out of her friend Mallory's house and into Cadogen House. Not even twenty-four hours later, she is roped into returning to her family's high society ways that she tried so hard to escape before when an anonymous source leaves information about a damaging story being written by an old friend from her childhood. The vampires' celebrity is already precarious due to Celine's efforts in the previous novel. The show more story could spell disaster for the peace the vampires have with Chicago's humans. To make matters worse, Celine has been released and Mallory is being sent to another city to learn more about her abilities.

The Chicagoland Vampires series has become one of my favorite vampire series. The Chicagoland universe is intriguing with its vampire politics and hierarchy. Merit's snarky comments are hilarious and the tension between her and Ethan is delicious. Merit's struggle to adjust to her new life inspires sympathy, making her a thoroughly likeable character.

Friday Night Bites ends on a note that suggests the next installment will take off with a running start. Chloe Neill's website has Twice Bitten, the third in the series, up for publication in July 2010. Neill also has a young adult novel, Firespell: A Novel of the Dark Elite, coming out January 5th. show less

I was blown away by the first book in this series, immediately fell in love with Merit, Mallory, Catcher, Ethan, and Morgan, and was amazed by the intricate plot. This second book did not disappoint. In fact, I literally have to buy the third book tomorrow. It left me on a huge cliffhanger. Not okay.

One of the things I love most about this series, is the writing style. Since it is told in first person from Merit’s point of view, we get all of the snark and sarcasm. Two things which I highly admire in kick ass females. And Merit is bringing it all. This book picks up where the last one leaves off. She is about to move into Cadogan House to fully take up her position as Sentinel and play nice with Ethan.

Alright, I have to admit. While I show more was not a fan of the love/hate relationship between Merit and Ethan in the first book, I love how their relationship is evolving in this one. In this book, Merit is coming to terms with the fact that yeah, she wasn’t able to give consent, and Ethan wanted to save her. She is coming to terms with being a vampire and she is realizing that she is pretty bad ass. However, all is not going as great as she would want it. All of her relationships are suffering. She and Mal no longer live together, She and Ethan can’t seem to get over this weird, intense connection, and she and Morgan, the Master of the Narvarre House, is just working as well as he wants it too.

On top of this drama, Merit has to deal with Ethan’s plan of integration. She left her social obligations to her family along time ago. But in order to get information and such, Ethan forces her back in. All sorts of chaos ensues. Her father is a self-serving bastard, as always. Her mother is gossipy. And her ex-boyfriend seems to want to rip her throat out.

In Friday Night Bites, we also get to see more of the shifters. In the first book, we are introduced to only one, Jeff, who is absolutley precious, and others are just mentioned. But by the end of this book, it is obvious that shifters are playing a bigger role here, which I believe the third book will pick up on.

If you have not read this series yet, you need to! It is absolutely brilliant and I dare say I loved the second book better than the first. The characters are all evolving into their own worlds, Merit as a vamp and Mallory as a sorcerer. The steaminess and tension is very well paired with mystery and plotweaving. I highly recommend this book to all urban fantasy lovers. show less

It has been a while since I read book 1 but as I eased into this book, I remembered book 1 vividly. There is just something about this book and this series that you don't forget. I felt bad for poor Merit as she isn't really told much but expected to know everything anyways. Plus she has been through so much that most people would just throw the towel in at some point. I love the little bit of shifter drama thrown in with the vampire drama. I am definitely looking forward to book 3.

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 show more 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.

*This review also appears on my blog, Journey with Words. show less

Ever had one of those series that had all the wrong things to it, yet grabbed you and wouldn't let you go? This series has done that to me. I am not proud to say I'm listening to these books, but hey, they're brainless entertainment while I drive to and from work.

Criticisms of this one: Why is EVERYONE hot in this world? She never sees anyone who isn't average or ugly. Even the mayor is described as handsome. UGH! Find an average person at some point, girl.

Narrator has that dratted sibilant S as she reads and it distracts. Houssse. Vampsss. Annoying enough that I want another narrator, but I survive.

Story had a few unique twists. The bad girl from the previous book shows up and had the undercurrent of stress on everyone. Sometimes, I show more shake my head at the stupid things the main character does. I think she has more brain dead moments than undead moments at times.

Oh and the big thing mentioned in the blurb, the Raves, are a secondary plot that barely effects the novel. Almost like it's an after thought, other than it triggers the primary plot. So again we sit on meh, but damn I got to get the third book now. show less

Giving it another read before I comment.

Oddly, I disliked it more on the second read then on the first. Probably a 2.5 star book for me. Roughly the first 200 pages are a breezy, snarky romp through Chicago vampireland. Merit takes a dance class with her roommate (snarky comments on Barbie instructor's jazz hands), moves into Cadogan house (J Crew catalog forwarded from her old address), learns to guard Cadogan house (life-size poster of Morgan appears in her room), attends a party at an ex-boyfriend's house as part of Ethan's maneuverings and has a reunion with her father, and trains with Catcher (snarky comments about he and Mallory's sex life). In between lots of eating, a little mourning about her old life and flirting with Ethan. show more Then at close to page 200, the story buckles down and starts to develop tension. Merit and Mallory fight, which leads to tension with Merit and Catcher. She attends another family party, is hit on by the mayor who seems to otherwise dislike vamps, and is accused by the ex-boyfriend of threatening his brother. The ex threatens to expose everyone to the paper, including information about unauthorized vampire raves. He knows details that can only have been provided by an insider, which means Ethan has been betrayed again. As the investigation into the brother continues, Merit decides he's a were, which threatens to escalate were-vamp violence. Then, in the last 50 pages, she exposes and fights with the traitor, breaks up with Morgan, fights with Celina, once again attacks Ethan, gets knocked out by Mallory's witchy skills, and goes through the change a second time. To say this book has pacing issues is an understatement.

In retrospect, what is interesting about this from the urban fantasy perspective, is that very little of it is 'supernatural.' It's a book that wants to be chick-lit, but centers around vampires instead of, oh, models, or New York women. Oh, and the vampires get silvery eyes when they are turning vampy, which is probably better than sparkles. The book is mostly about Merit continuing to adjust to the idea of being a vampire, but most of what that means is stereotypical (needs to drink blood, sleep during the day, is faster than humans and will live a very long time) placed into context of the ordinary. She eats a lot. Gossips with other vamps about Ethan. Dates Morgan. Has gal-pal conversations with Mallory. Oh, and no longer is her Chucks-and-glasses wearing bookish grad student self, instead wearing designer gowns and strappy heels. Continues to fret about Ethan, before and after kissing him. The mystery here is so-so, with uneven tension and pacing. The vamps are basically people that drink blood and have sun allergies, so as far as fantasy or world-building goes, it's mediocre. As chick lit, it's probably a "B," with fun dialogue and a good sense of the heroine's lifestyle. show less