Review--Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill

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...

**SPOILERS FROM TWICE BITTEN, READER BEWARE!**

Chloe Neill's Hard Bitten is by far the most fabulous book in the series in my opinion at least! Twice Bitten was awesome, but Hard Bitten just blows you away.

After the fiascoes from TB, Merit and the rest of the gang are trying to restore Cadogan house when more trouble turns up at their doorstep. And it's not just the angry protesters either, it's the mayor of Chicago. Due to the recent murders that appear to be vampire related, which causes some of the hostility between the protesters and vamps, the mayor, Tate, wants Ethan and Merit to fix the problem.

But the problem is much bigger than they expected. There's a drug going around that seems to be at the root of the problems, so Merit is determined to find its source and put an end to it. But there are still enemies a foot. Enemies Merit isn't aware of.

Hard Bitten had a good run on mysteriousness, it wasn't hardcore mystery, but enough stuff going around that makes you wonder and form speculations! And there is some serious tension between Merit and Ethan, due to Ethan wanting to break off their relationship last time and then changing his mind. He is determined to do whatever it takes to win Merit back. While Merit is still unsure, she doesn't feel she can truly trust Ethan, but trying to fight her desires to be with him is harder than she thought!

Hard Bitten was a fast paced read and quite fun too! There's always laughs to have with Merit, plenty of snark too! I adore Merit, she is one of the coolest vamps ever. She can have fun and yet still kick serious a$$ when necessary. Although, I still don't recall her wearing the full leather outfit that she's donning on the cover, but I digress.

Overall rating 5/5 stars! Completely spectacular! So can't wait til Drink Deep this November, but the wait is going to be terribly painful!

So here's my friendly advice blogger to blogger, reader to reader, reviewer to reviewer--you get my drift?--if at all possible, try to hold off reading Hard Bitten, because there is the most shocking ending that will...shock you. If you can hold off so you can read Hard Bitten than Drink Deep back to back, that might be a good idea! I've read good reviews about the book so far, but none warning me--that I can recall, come to think of it--about the ending. I'm not saying what the ending is, just that it's shocking and it's going to make waiting til November agonizing.