A brand new permutation of comments today, Abigail and Kristina had both posted comments before I arrived on the scene, but left the Best/Worst to me. Teamwork! I loved the sinister shadow of DUALED, there was no hesitation on my favorite (and given how often I complain about overly Photoshopped dudes, my least favorite should not be a surprise).
 | Title: Charmfall
Sexual Content: References to sex, kissing. Rating:
Good - A fun read with minor flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying. |
 | Title: Drink Deep
Sexual Content: Kissing, references to sex. Rating:
Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. |
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Description: Playing a scantily clad vampire victim in an off-Broadway play, struggling actress Esther Diamond now may be the target of someone who claims to be a genuine bloodsucker...
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| Julia’s Thoughts | Abigail’s Thoughts |
| Absolutely love this cover! | There is no mistaking a Dan Dos Santos cover. He’s genius. This is genius…his covers really tells story. |
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 | Title: Hard Bitten
 Sexual Content: Kissing. References to sex. Rating:
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Times are hard for newly minted vampire Merit. Ever since shapeshifters announced their presence to the world, humans have been rallying against supernaturals--and they're camping outside of Cadogan House with protest signs that could turn to pitchforks at any moment. Inside its doors, things between Merit and her Master, green-eyed heartbreaker Ethan Sullivan are ... tense. But then the mayor of Chicago calls Merit and Ethan to a clandestine meeting and tells them about a violent vamp attack that has left three women missing. His message is simple: get your House in order. Or else.
Merit needs to get to the bottom of this crime, but it doesn't help that she can't tell who's on her side. So she secretly calls in a favor from someone who's tall, dark, and part of underground vamp group that may have some deep intel on the attack. Merit soon finds herself in the heady, dark heart of Chicago's supernatural society--a world full of vampires who seem too ready to fulfill the protesting human's worst fears, and a place where she'll learn that you can't be a vampire without getting a little blood on your hands...
If TWICE BITTEN was about the flash and bang of giving into attraction for the first time, HARD BITTEN is about the chemistry and conflict of evaluating a long term relationship. Half way through this book, I was struck by how much I've grown to love series. Not just for the characters and the action within, but also for the decisions Chloe Neill has made as an author. Neill takes the long view, just as her immortal heroine Merit is learning to do, and never is that so apparent as in HARD BITTEN. Neill doesn’t pick the spikes and crashes of sugar-high romance, but rather writes the worries and growth of complex, interesting characters.
Though I had had a less passionate response to previous Chicagoland Vampire novels, HARD BITTEN clicked with me right from the get go. Merit and Ethan’s relationship discussions are nuanced and emotionally intelligent, making it both interesting and enjoyable to read their interactions. As for the action, the Chicago populace is up in arms against vampires, and I loved how something as mundane and recognizable as fear and prejudice (and picket lines) drew all of my favorite supporting characters together against a gathering storm. Around all of these circumstances was the menace of Celina and the not so benign neglect of the Presidium, but it is definitely the day to day that held my focus.
My mid-book musings turned out to be truer than I knew. The ending of HARD BITTEN was a risk I never would have expected to see, one that makes it very difficult to write a review that doesn’t consist of me typing “holy cow” over and over and over (because seriously, Holy Cow). This book has a dramatic ending in the best of ways, and it is the cruelest of pleasures to wait for DRINK DEEP in November.
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Calling all Chicagoland Vampires fans! Just a few short days until the release of HARD BITTEN (May 3, 2011 by NAL Trade). Our review will be up soon, but in the meantime, Chloe Neill dropped by with some delicious Merit themed goodness and NAL sent two extra finished copies of HARD BITTEN for me to giveaway. Details below.
You can read all the previous Top 10 Lists HERE
by
Chloe Neill
10. Goose Island Brewery I'm not much of a beer person, but you can't beat the root beer at Goose Island Brewery. And you might see a Goose Island nymph!
9. Rosebud Restaurants It's a gorgeous Italian restaurant with lots of locations near the Loop, including my favorite Rosebud Trattoria. Order the vodka pasta. Trust me. :)
8. Alinea Restaurant It might be expensive. It might be a little weird. But this place gets rave national reviews, and it's taking food in Chicago to all new places.
7. Like meat? Then Chicago's the place for you. Check out the Publican, Gene and Georgetti's, or The Purple Pig Chicago to get your meat on!
6. Swirlz . In my humble opinion, Chicago's cupcakes beat out any famous New York bakery. (And I went to school at NYU! I've had lots of them!) Drop by Swirlz in Lincoln Park for a chocolate cupcake and a "HAPPY" T-shirt. You'll be glad you did.
5. Crust Chicago: Organic Eatery + Lounge. This is a small, organic restaurant in Wicker Park, where Mallory lives. The pizza has this handmade, chewy crust, and it's FANTASTIC.
4. Lou Mitchell's Restaurant. You can't beat a breakfast restaurant that hands you a freshly-made donut hole when you walk in the door.
3. Mallocakes! You'll have to read HARD BITTEN to learn about this one. Trust me--it's worth it.
2. Deep dish. If it's not three inches thick and full of cheese (and meat!) then it's hardly worth the trouble. Try Giordanos or Lou Malnati's Pizzeria for great Chicago deep dish.
1. Two words: Red. Hots. It's the Chicago-style hot dog, and it is *fabulous*. All-beef hot dog. Onion. Pickle. Green relish. Sport peppers. Tomatoes. Celery salt. Poppyseed bun. Food of the gods. And now I must go have one. To Hot Doug's perhaps?
Giveaway provided by NAL
Two winners will each receive a copy of HARD BITTEN by Chloe Neill
Published on May 3, 2011
Times are hard for newly minted vampire Merit. Ever since shapeshifters announced their presence to the world, humans have been rallying against supernaturals--and they're camping outside of Cadogan House with protest signs that could turn to pitchforks at any moment. Inside its doors, things between Merit and her Master, green-eyed heartbreaker Ethan Sullivan are ... tense. But then the mayor of Chicago calls Merit and Ethan to a clandestine meeting and tells them about a violent vamp attack that has left three women missing. His message is simple: get your House in order. Or else.
Merit needs to get to the bottom of this crime, but it doesn't help that she can't tell who's on her side. So she secretly calls in a favor from someone who's tall, dark, and part of underground vamp group that may have some deep intel on the attack. Merit soon finds herself in the heady, dark heart of Chicago's supernatural society--a world full of vampires who seem too ready to fulfill the protesting human's worst fears, and a place where she'll learn that you can't be a vampire without getting a little blood on your hands…
Click HERE to read an excerpt
Giveaway Guidelines
Open to US only
Leave a comment that includes a way to contact you if you win
Winners will be announced on May 3rd
Interested in offering a giveaway on All Things Urban Fantasy? CONTACT ME
 | Title: Hexbound Author: Chloe Neill Series: Dark Elite #2 Cover Art: N/A Genre: Paranormal YA Reading level: Young Adult Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Signet (January 4, 2011) ISBN-10: 0451230795 ISBN-13: 978-0451230799  Source: Publisher Reviewed by: Abigail |
3/5
Good - A fun read with minor flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.
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