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Chicagoland Vampires #12
Midnight Marked
As the Chicagoland Vampires series continues, Merit and Ethan find themselves in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, where winning may require the ultimate sacrifice...
A vampire’s grudges don’t stay dead long...
Merit is one of Chicago's most skilled vampire warriors; these days, she doesn't scare easily. But she and Master vampire Ethan have made a new and powerful enemy, and he won't give up until he owns the Windy City.
With his last plan thwarted, he's more determined than ever to watch Cadogan burn. Ethan has put the House's vampires on high alert, but their enemy will stop at nothing, including pitting vampire against vampire...
In this deadly game of cat-and-mouse, the stakes are life or death—and winning might mean sacrificing everything...
A vampire’s grudges don’t stay dead long...
Merit is one of Chicago's most skilled vampire warriors; these days, she doesn't scare easily. But she and Master vampire Ethan have made a new and powerful enemy, and he won't give up until he owns the Windy City.
With his last plan thwarted, he's more determined than ever to watch Cadogan burn. Ethan has put the House's vampires on high alert, but their enemy will stop at nothing, including pitting vampire against vampire...
In this deadly game of cat-and-mouse, the stakes are life or death—and winning might mean sacrificing everything...
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2016
327 people are currently reading
5924 people want to read
About the author
Chloe Neill
45 books10.1k followersChloe Neill is the New York Times bestselling author of the Heirs of Chicagoland, Chicagoland Vampires Novels, Devil's Isle Novels, and Dark Elite novels. Chloe was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest. When she's not writing, she bakes, works, and scours the Internet for good recipes and great graphic design. Chloe also maintains her sanity by spending time with her boys--her husband and their dogs, Baxter and Scout.
Connect with Chloe at www.chloeneill.com.
Connect with Chloe at www.chloeneill.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 602 reviews
March 7, 2016
● Marital buddy read with my dear yet contemptible wife Jilly ●
It is with deep regret that we have to inform you about the sudden death of the series formerly known as Chicagoland Decaffeinated Vampires. Thisdiet delightful collection of super light lovely stories was a cherished companion for many a dark night. And for many many years. Well I pretty much binge read the whole thing in a week about two years ago, but you're not supposed to know that. Please join us unaffected Inconsolable Decaf Vamps Addicts (IDVA™) in praying for the souls of special snowflake Merit, formerly hot Darth Sullivan, and their boring beloved surpernatural clique.
This death was as unexpected as it was shocking. And painful. Oh dear, was it painful. Now if you will allow me, I will hand over to Doctor Dull, our decaf specialist, who will try and explain the causes of this unfortunate passing as best he can.
☠ Acute Boredomitis ☠
Yes, sometimes this book is terribly boring. Other times, it is just plain uninteresting. It can get pretty lackluster, too. But hey, it is not ALL bad. Oh no. At times it gets extremely flat as well. And tiresome. And tedious. And uninspiring. And...and...I wish I had more adjectives to properly convey how I really feel, but I am a lowly, uneducated non-native English speaker and my vocabulary is very limited. But Anyway.
Had you forgotten what the previous eleven instalments (yes, ELEVEN ) were about? Worry not, for Chloe Neill cares so much about her poor Alzheimer-prone readers that this book is recap paradise. Such a thoughtful author. She recaps. She repeats. She recaps and repeats while recapping and repeating. And that, my Little Barnacles, takes real talent. That, my Little Barnacles, is the mark of a superiorly gifted author.
But there is so much more to this book. Oh yes. Much much much more. And it's not ALL about utter, complete boredom and non-stop recaps. Oh no. This book has a fascinating plot, too. Oh yes, absolutely. Ever wanted to know more about crappy alchemy? No? Too bad. Yes? Oh good, you're in for a real treat. The "I want to OD on alchemy" kind of treat, also known as the "all I never wanted to know about alchemy but wasn't afraid to not ask" kind of treat, also known as the "if I hear the word alchemy ever again I will annihilate all life on this planet" kind of treat. I feel so lucky I had the opportunity to read this book andbe force fed learn all this uninteresting super cool stuff I never gave a damn about in the first place always wanted to not read about!
As an added bonus, and this series being what it is, you will get the Diet, Decaf Alchemy Treatment (DDAT™). Because our gifted author wouldn't want to bother her nitwitted readers with the complexity of actual alchemy. I told you she was a thoughtful woman. She wouldn't want her dimwitted readers to have to use one of their two grey cells while reading this book. This would be much too exhausting for these poor, harebrained beings. Chloe Neill, thank you. From the bottom of our little featherbrained little heads. Okay, let me be honest for a minute: the alchemy might not be of the highest quality here, but at least the scatterbrained readers get a shitload of it. So they should get their fix for a century or two. Chloe Neill, you rock. Thank you SO much.
☠ Severe Cheese Allergy ☠
This is a very painful ailment indeed. Believe me, I know. I have been suffering from this condition for years. And it is actually a miracle I am still alive to talk about it. Such is not the case with our decaf vamps here. To think I was convinced that they were immune to this deadly disease! Oh well, I guess I can't be ALWAYS right ALL the time. Death by cheese. What a tragic end for our diet friends. The "I LUURRRRVE YOU" machine gun (of sinister memory) claimed many victims in this one. Such a harrowing experience.
☠ Extreme Runway-itis ☠
I bet you have never heard of this one. It is one of those orphan diseases that there is no cure for (because lack of funding for research and stuff). The symptoms? A proficiency to describe what everyone looks like and/or is wearing in detail. In MUCH MUCH MUCH DETAIL. So painful for thereader ailing victim. In extreme cases, the person suffering from runway-itis will also show a tendency to dissert on lipstick color and other captivating make-up related issues. And in the final stages of this nasty illness, the patient might even start discussing hair styles.
Excruciating painusually sometimes ensues. Especially for the reader's book. It appears that in most some frequent rare cases the reader develops an allergy to severe runway-it is, said allergy resulting in his/her book being thrown against the nearest wall. The damages sustained are usually sometimes irreparable. Such is the horrifying disease known as runway-itis. I sincerely hope it is not contagious. For the sake of books decaf vamps everywhere.
☠ Intense Methanized Drama-itis ☠
What would this series be without the ritualistic Methan Relationship Dramas (MRDs™)? So charming. So delightful. And not repetitive or annoying at all. Absolutely not. The MRDs™ are SO entertaining. Well, they might have been the first twenty times. Multiply that by the number of instalments in this series, raise the result to the power of 100, and there is a slight possibility that theridiculous fascinating MRDs™ might become slightly annoying. But only slightly. Just a little bit. Kind of.
But hey, as long as there is GREAT make up sex, who cares, right? Well, there is none, and I do. Care, I mean. About the lack of GREAT make up sex. To be honestly honest, I seem to recall there was aboring sex scene involving a library desk (poor thing) in this book. It was as exciting as corn porn. So cool. I loved every second of it.
»» And that is why, my dear Little Barnacles, this series died a slow, painful, horrible death. To think I got a little excited over the previous ELEVEN instalments in this series (must to my dear friends' utter dismay and confusion, I might add). I have to say that this surprising and very uncharacteristic lack of judgement on my part was not my fault. Oh no. It's just that I was young andstupid naïve when I read said ELEVEN instalments. But now I am ancient and wise, so all is well in the world once again.
• • • •۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ°۰۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ°۰• • • •۰
Pre-review nonsense:
Have trouble sleeping? Read this book. It works better than all the sleeping pills in the world. Two lines from this amazingly entertaining masterpiece and you won't wake up for days. And that's a promise.
►► Full review to come. If I ever wake up from this vamp-induced, cheese-filled coma, that is.
It is with deep regret that we have to inform you about the sudden death of the series formerly known as Chicagoland Decaffeinated Vampires. This
This death was as unexpected as it was shocking. And painful. Oh dear, was it painful. Now if you will allow me, I will hand over to Doctor Dull, our decaf specialist, who will try and explain the causes of this unfortunate passing as best he can.
☠ Acute Boredomitis ☠
Yes, sometimes this book is terribly boring. Other times, it is just plain uninteresting. It can get pretty lackluster, too. But hey, it is not ALL bad. Oh no. At times it gets extremely flat as well. And tiresome. And tedious. And uninspiring. And...and...I wish I had more adjectives to properly convey how I really feel, but I am a lowly, uneducated non-native English speaker and my vocabulary is very limited. But Anyway.
Had you forgotten what the previous eleven instalments (yes, ELEVEN ) were about? Worry not, for Chloe Neill cares so much about her poor Alzheimer-prone readers that this book is recap paradise. Such a thoughtful author. She recaps. She repeats. She recaps and repeats while recapping and repeating. And that, my Little Barnacles, takes real talent. That, my Little Barnacles, is the mark of a superiorly gifted author.
But there is so much more to this book. Oh yes. Much much much more. And it's not ALL about utter, complete boredom and non-stop recaps. Oh no. This book has a fascinating plot, too. Oh yes, absolutely. Ever wanted to know more about crappy alchemy? No? Too bad. Yes? Oh good, you're in for a real treat. The "I want to OD on alchemy" kind of treat, also known as the "all I never wanted to know about alchemy but wasn't afraid to not ask" kind of treat, also known as the "if I hear the word alchemy ever again I will annihilate all life on this planet" kind of treat. I feel so lucky I had the opportunity to read this book and
As an added bonus, and this series being what it is, you will get the Diet, Decaf Alchemy Treatment (DDAT™). Because our gifted author wouldn't want to bother her nitwitted readers with the complexity of actual alchemy. I told you she was a thoughtful woman. She wouldn't want her dimwitted readers to have to use one of their two grey cells while reading this book. This would be much too exhausting for these poor, harebrained beings. Chloe Neill, thank you. From the bottom of our little featherbrained little heads. Okay, let me be honest for a minute: the alchemy might not be of the highest quality here, but at least the scatterbrained readers get a shitload of it. So they should get their fix for a century or two. Chloe Neill, you rock. Thank you SO much.
☠ Severe Cheese Allergy ☠
This is a very painful ailment indeed. Believe me, I know. I have been suffering from this condition for years. And it is actually a miracle I am still alive to talk about it. Such is not the case with our decaf vamps here. To think I was convinced that they were immune to this deadly disease! Oh well, I guess I can't be ALWAYS right ALL the time. Death by cheese. What a tragic end for our diet friends. The "I LUURRRRVE YOU" machine gun (of sinister memory) claimed many victims in this one. Such a harrowing experience.
☠ Extreme Runway-itis ☠
I bet you have never heard of this one. It is one of those orphan diseases that there is no cure for (because lack of funding for research and stuff). The symptoms? A proficiency to describe what everyone looks like and/or is wearing in detail. In MUCH MUCH MUCH DETAIL. So painful for the
Excruciating pain
☠ Intense Methanized Drama-itis ☠
What would this series be without the ritualistic Methan Relationship Dramas (MRDs™)? So charming. So delightful. And not repetitive or annoying at all. Absolutely not. The MRDs™ are SO entertaining. Well, they might have been the first twenty times. Multiply that by the number of instalments in this series, raise the result to the power of 100, and there is a slight possibility that the
But hey, as long as there is GREAT make up sex, who cares, right? Well, there is none, and I do. Care, I mean. About the lack of GREAT make up sex. To be honestly honest, I seem to recall there was a
»» And that is why, my dear Little Barnacles, this series died a slow, painful, horrible death. To think I got a little excited over the previous ELEVEN instalments in this series (must to my dear friends' utter dismay and confusion, I might add). I have to say that this surprising and very uncharacteristic lack of judgement on my part was not my fault. Oh no. It's just that I was young and
• • • •۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ°۰۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ•۰° •ิ°۰• • • •۰
Pre-review nonsense:
Have trouble sleeping? Read this book. It works better than all the sleeping pills in the world. Two lines from this amazingly entertaining masterpiece and you won't wake up for days. And that's a promise.
►► Full review to come. If I ever wake up from this vamp-induced, cheese-filled coma, that is.
February 22, 2016
"We may fight again, Sentinel. We may rail at each other until the sun breaches the sky. But the truth is this. I love you. And I found you once, that April night. I will always look for you, and I will always find you."
If you were to ask any one of my friends, they’d tell you just how much this series holds my heart. It’s not merely the genre or the author, but a deep-rooted connection to these characters. From book one on I’ve been an avid and invested fan-From the first eyebrow raise and swivel of a chair, Ethan stole my heart. It was insta-love at it’s finest…and oh boy do I hate insta-love. What a hypocrite I am.
Throughout the series there have been many ups and downs, in-betweens, and tremendous character growth. Ethan and Merit have been through it all-with and without each other. Stubborn and not to be trifled with, they make an intimidating team. But with each new book, there are many challenges to face, and though they are close to the end, it seems trouble still has a way of finding them.
"Do you remember, Sentinel, the first words you ever said to me?"
I grimaced. "No. But I bet they were rude."
I’d be lying if I said this was my favorite installment….It would also be a gross overstatement to say I didn’t like it. Literally so much has happened to these two people, this house, and all their friends that it’s about that time where things start to get complicated and begin to circle to a close. I think I know where this author is leading….and I’m more than okay with it. And speaking of such things..
OH-EM-GEE. I just…I can’t….I mean…FINALLY. I am beyond words excited for a certain development that might have finally happened! For 12 books I have waited and waited and waited on a baited breath…to no avail. Ms. Neill is the tease of all teases, messing with my heart at each and every turn. Once again I found myself losing breath with every smoldering look, touch, and caress my boy gave Merit, and I became an unintelligible fangirl every time his name was mentioned. As one of my top guys, I will never forget this man…he just exceeds any and every expectation in each installment, putting himself in danger just to keep the girl he loves safe. I will NEVER get tired of my man putting his life on the line for his girl….he will always own me in ways I don’t even understand. Just…sighs all around.
He formed a box with his fingers. "I believe it has cars."
I just shook my head. "How have you lived here so long without a ride on the Ferris Wheel?"
"I'm a vampire," he said, as if that was the obvious explanation.
I just sighed.
So, you know, while I wish more things would have transpired (patient I am not), I was more than happy with the direction this story was going. I’m a greedy greedy Ethan whore, him being my only vampire book boyfriend, so is it really that bad that I wanted just a little MORE?? I mean, that’s hardly a crime. It says so much that I have stuck with this series through thick and thin, following this wonderful author on her journey to make Ethan and Merit’s lives as complicated as possible. I don't read long series-AT ALL-so it really is a big deal I've come this far. Chloe Neill’s writing and hilarious banter between characters remains some of my favorite-ever-and now I cannot wait to see how the story concludes. I will miss my dear Ethan so so much….but if his starry eyed look for Merit in this installment is any indication, I know I’m in for a spectacular treat next year. I just hope I can wait. Ugh.
For more of my reviews, please visit:
******************
Fucking FINALLY!
Allll the feels.
Review to come NEXT WEEK!
February 6, 2018
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Last re-read of the series*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
Re-read: 06.02.2018
I've realized in my re-read, that though I find Gabriel quite hot, he's kinda selfish. I mean, he ask for help many time, yet never offers to help back. He withholds information that could help and he doesn't really show his appreciation of said help, nor do he show respect to Ethan. It's sorta bothering me. A lot, actually. And I definitely don't like how Merit is taking Gabriel's side (sorta) and how everything/everyone seems to blame Ethan for things. Also, it doesn't feel right that Merit seems to be more... not necessary smart, better than Ethan when Ethan has hundreds of years of experience. Even a human seems to be ‘better, smarter and more powerful’ than Ethan the Master Vampire. It just doesn't seem/feel right. Overall, I did not have any luck re-reading this series. I should've never done it in the first place...
The characters:
— Caroline ‘Merit’ ‘Mer’ Evelyn Merit (becomes vampire at 27, but is 28 in years), Sentinel of the Cadogan House.
— Ethan ‘Liege’ ‘Darth Sullivan’ Sullivan (394, though became a vampire at 30), master of the Cadogan House —> dead, but is back from the dead.
— Mallory ‘Mal’ Delancey Carmichael (28), Merit's bestfriend and a fourth-class sorcerer, a master of the First Key; power.
— Charles ‘Chuck’ Merit (in his sixties/seventies?), Merit's grandfather is the Ombudsman; a ‘liaison’ between the regulars and the sups.
— Chuck's team:
↳ ∘ his secretary, Marjorie (50),
↳ ∘ the computer prodigy and a shape-shifter, Jeffrey ‘Jeff’ Christopher (21),
↳ ∘ a fourth-class sorcerer and a master of the Second Key; weapons, Catcher Eustice Bell (29),
↳ ∘ and there's also a Housed vampire who works for him that not even his colleagues knows about.
— Joshua Merit, Merit's dad sucky dad.
— guard of the Cadogan House, Lindsey (115) and who is also a psychic, and a good friend to Merit. Also dating Lucas.
— Lucas ‘Luc’,
— Malik Washington,
— Morgan Greer, Master of Navarre House, (72, though looks 28) Merit's sorta ex and a weak man.
— Gabriel ‘Gabe’ Keene, Apex of the Central North American, Jeff's pack leader (love him).
— Darius West, head of the Greenwich Presidium and a total dick.
— Seth Tate (36), former mayor of Chicago and a fucker. A part of him, that is; His twin brother Dominic was evil and lived inside of him. Seth is technically good. He's .
— Scott Grey, Master of Grey House.
— Noah Beck, the leader of Chicago’s independent vampires and a Red Guard ‘RG’ (a vampire Secret Service, of sorts).
— Jonah, the Guard Captain, Grey House and a Red Guard, has a crush on Merit.
— Franklin Theodore Cabot, was the appointed receiver of Cadogan House (Darius West, head of the GP, had decided he didn’t like the way the House was run, “Frank” had been sent to Chicago to inspect and evaluate the House). He sucked big time.
— Berna, shifter, and ended bar and worked the kitchens at Little Red (the Ukrainian Village watering hole where the Pack hung out in Chicago).
— Diane Kowalcyzk, Chicago’s new mayor.
— ‘John Q.’ McKetrick, a former military type with a raging hatred of vampires. He now the head of the Office of Human Liaisons, or OHL.
— Michael Donovan, was the House Cadogan's security auditor (in book #7). A Rough, who turned out to be evil.
— Damien Garza, a member of the Pack.
— Celina Desaulniers was the former Navarre Master; she’d been forced out of the position after an attack on Ethan. Killed by Merit's hand after Celina killed Ethan.
— Adrien Reed, a powerful and dangerous business man who is cunning and sadistic. An enemy of the supernatural.
“Fear doesn’t stop a warrior. It pushes you further.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy.
Series: - Series, Book Twelve.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Ethan ‘Liege’ ‘Darth Sullivan’ Sullivan.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Sure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Umm, sure?
Will I read this again in the future? - Probably not.
New Rating - 3 stars.
First read review:
Not the best (to be honest, a bit disappointed), but still good. Because Ethan. Hello?! Hell we even got a bit more of Gabriel, who, btw, I think should appear a whole lot more.
Rate: 3.5/4-3 stars.
March 1, 2016
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.
The CHICAGOLAND VAMPIRES series is twelve installments deep, so it’s kinda crazy that Merit is only now celebrating her one-year vampire anniversary, but there you have it! It’s been a heck of a journey thus far, and Chloe Neill wrote the ideal story to honour such a momentous occasion. The latest antagonist is at it again, all of the beloved characters get their due, and I just loved the ending. The action and romance were in perfect harmony, and there were so many little things that made me smile that reading over my notes in preparation of drafting my review made me doubly appreciative.
I liked how the author brought a thread that I hadn’t even really thought about since book 1 to the fore; it was such a fitting choice given where we’re at in this universe’s timeline, and answered a whole whack of questions that I’d figured would remain mysteries. The House called in Paige’s help for this particular riddle which made me happy, and just when I thought that Neill had covered the spectrum of supernaturals she brings in a necromancer! I’m unsure if Annabelle will be added to the list of rotating secondaries, but I hope so because she was quite interesting (and useful).
The Chicago flavour that’s injected into every novel is something that I always look forward to, and in this addition instead of familiarizing fans with another hole-in-the-wall food joint, we got a little history lesson on Belle River. I’m not sure how much of it was fact/fiction, and my internet research didn’t pan out, nevertheless it was thought-provoking. The humour was as good as ever with Merit-isms like “alphapology” and despite the absence of a local dish to add to my wishlist, the heroine made sure to bring a battle snack. Merit & Ethan fulfilled a fantasy of mine too—they did it in the Cadogan library!
There was one important slip that spoiled the anonymity of the big bad way earlier I would have preferred, and that was his/her name. The villain basically had a flashing sign over their head with an arrow pointing to them that said “I did it”. It’s like naming a character Luna, and not expecting readers to guess that that character is a werewolf. So, that took some of the thrill out of it for me because half the fun is trying to guess who the wrongdoer is. And, of course this person somehow managed to thwart the legal system, and fly the coop which means we’ll definitely be seeing them again.
The training wheels came off in MIDNIGHT MARKED. Happy one-year vamp birthday, Merit!
The CHICAGOLAND VAMPIRES series is twelve installments deep, so it’s kinda crazy that Merit is only now celebrating her one-year vampire anniversary, but there you have it! It’s been a heck of a journey thus far, and Chloe Neill wrote the ideal story to honour such a momentous occasion. The latest antagonist is at it again, all of the beloved characters get their due, and I just loved the ending. The action and romance were in perfect harmony, and there were so many little things that made me smile that reading over my notes in preparation of drafting my review made me doubly appreciative.
I liked how the author brought a thread that I hadn’t even really thought about since book 1 to the fore; it was such a fitting choice given where we’re at in this universe’s timeline, and answered a whole whack of questions that I’d figured would remain mysteries. The House called in Paige’s help for this particular riddle which made me happy, and just when I thought that Neill had covered the spectrum of supernaturals she brings in a necromancer! I’m unsure if Annabelle will be added to the list of rotating secondaries, but I hope so because she was quite interesting (and useful).
The Chicago flavour that’s injected into every novel is something that I always look forward to, and in this addition instead of familiarizing fans with another hole-in-the-wall food joint, we got a little history lesson on Belle River. I’m not sure how much of it was fact/fiction, and my internet research didn’t pan out, nevertheless it was thought-provoking. The humour was as good as ever with Merit-isms like “alphapology” and despite the absence of a local dish to add to my wishlist, the heroine made sure to bring a battle snack. Merit & Ethan fulfilled a fantasy of mine too—they did it in the Cadogan library!
There was one important slip that spoiled the anonymity of the big bad way earlier I would have preferred, and that was his/her name. The villain basically had a flashing sign over their head with an arrow pointing to them that said “I did it”. It’s like naming a character Luna, and not expecting readers to guess that that character is a werewolf. So, that took some of the thrill out of it for me because half the fun is trying to guess who the wrongdoer is. And, of course this person somehow managed to thwart the legal system, and fly the coop which means we’ll definitely be seeing them again.
The training wheels came off in MIDNIGHT MARKED. Happy one-year vamp birthday, Merit!
March 4, 2016
The 50 pages of actual story was pretty good. It was the over 200 pages of filler that bored me. I don't know what exactly is going on here, but someone needs to get their head in the game! This one was phoned in for sure.
I have a mildly interesting story to tell you
So, in this one we have Ethan and Merit going to a baseball game only to discover a dead body near some writing that seems to be magical in nature. They are trying to decipher the writing, which they think is linked to alchemy, while also trying to figure out who is behind the murder. Eventually, they figure it out and stop the evil plans and predictable villain. It was pretty cut and dry.
Here's the problem: the writing that is magical alchemy? We are treated to every bit of minutia as they are trying to decipher it. And, we get to hear Merit and Ethan and everyone in between tell other people about the writing in detail. It's like hanging around with a bunch of math geeks who are enraptured by an exciting new equation. Boring! It was boring the first time we read about it, and it was boring the 20th time they told someone else about it. And, IF there is anything interesting about solving algebraic problems, it is the getting the answer part. So, do they "break the code" and get the right answer? No, no they don't. Instead we get a deus ex machina save.
aww, thank you, Science Cat. That explains everything!
If there was anything good about this book, it would be that you don't have to worry about reading the last one first to remember what's going on because we are given endless recaps. Endless.
Not only was I terribly disappointed in this book, but so was my book-wife, Sarah.
I have a mildly interesting story to tell you
So, in this one we have Ethan and Merit going to a baseball game only to discover a dead body near some writing that seems to be magical in nature. They are trying to decipher the writing, which they think is linked to alchemy, while also trying to figure out who is behind the murder. Eventually, they figure it out and stop the evil plans and predictable villain. It was pretty cut and dry.
Here's the problem: the writing that is magical alchemy? We are treated to every bit of minutia as they are trying to decipher it. And, we get to hear Merit and Ethan and everyone in between tell other people about the writing in detail. It's like hanging around with a bunch of math geeks who are enraptured by an exciting new equation. Boring! It was boring the first time we read about it, and it was boring the 20th time they told someone else about it. And, IF there is anything interesting about solving algebraic problems, it is the getting the answer part. So, do they "break the code" and get the right answer? No, no they don't. Instead we get a deus ex machina save.
aww, thank you, Science Cat. That explains everything!
If there was anything good about this book, it would be that you don't have to worry about reading the last one first to remember what's going on because we are given endless recaps. Endless.
Not only was I terribly disappointed in this book, but so was my book-wife, Sarah.
May 15, 2021
Forever; he said silently, just for me. And for an eternity after that. 🥰
I’ll never have enough of Ethan and Merit and all the other supernaturals that make up their family. But now I only have one more book to go. 😕
I’ll never have enough of Ethan and Merit and all the other supernaturals that make up their family. But now I only have one more book to go. 😕
November 19, 2025
What can I say, I’m a Chloe Neill fan and I flat out love her storytelling. Midnight Marked, for me, was a marvelous adventure in the masterfully developed Chicagoland Vampire world.
Ethan’s creator, thought long dead, has returned and wants what he thinks his due…everything Ethan has which includes Cadogan house and Merit.
Has Ethan grown powerful enough in the past few centuries to take on his master? You are about to find out.
Merit has never backed down from a challenge but it seems Ethan’s master has learned a few new tricks…like invading Merit’s dreams.
But this past master isn’t the only enemy coming back to haunt Merit and Ethan, greed and grudges have carried over from one that is truly dead, putting all the houses at risk and another focusing their machinations on vampires and the power.
If that isn't enough, it seems that there are strange, magical, sacrificial murders occurring throughout the city of Chicago. Merit must uncover the plot before the fragile balance in the supernatural world unravels.
I love how Merit and Ethan have become a well-oiled partnership, that support each other’s strengths and compensate for their weeknesses. Although…their choices for food may not always jive they have the perfect partnership. I half wonder where Neill might take us next. The prophecy of a vampire child looms with the portent of a great sacrifice hanging over their heads. We’ve seen so many changes and amazing characters’ growth.
I wouldn’t have given up one second of this adventure and highly recommend any urban fantasy fan to check out the Chicagoland Vampires. I simply loved having an opportunity to dive back into this world with Midnight Marked, its a ride no one should miss.
I received this ARC copy of Midnight Marked from Berkley Publishing Group - NAL in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication March 1, 2016.
Ethan’s creator, thought long dead, has returned and wants what he thinks his due…everything Ethan has which includes Cadogan house and Merit.
Has Ethan grown powerful enough in the past few centuries to take on his master? You are about to find out.
Merit has never backed down from a challenge but it seems Ethan’s master has learned a few new tricks…like invading Merit’s dreams.
But this past master isn’t the only enemy coming back to haunt Merit and Ethan, greed and grudges have carried over from one that is truly dead, putting all the houses at risk and another focusing their machinations on vampires and the power.
If that isn't enough, it seems that there are strange, magical, sacrificial murders occurring throughout the city of Chicago. Merit must uncover the plot before the fragile balance in the supernatural world unravels.
I love how Merit and Ethan have become a well-oiled partnership, that support each other’s strengths and compensate for their weeknesses. Although…their choices for food may not always jive they have the perfect partnership. I half wonder where Neill might take us next. The prophecy of a vampire child looms with the portent of a great sacrifice hanging over their heads. We’ve seen so many changes and amazing characters’ growth.
I wouldn’t have given up one second of this adventure and highly recommend any urban fantasy fan to check out the Chicagoland Vampires. I simply loved having an opportunity to dive back into this world with Midnight Marked, its a ride no one should miss.
I received this ARC copy of Midnight Marked from Berkley Publishing Group - NAL in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication March 1, 2016.
March 19, 2016
3.5 - 4 ★'s
This is my one of all time favorite urban fantasy series...and couples but unfortunately, things have gotten a little same ol', same ol'. The gang comes upon something and of course, they totally take it on, humans always think the worse of them except for Ethan's groupies and there's battles and some injuries but everyone pitches in to help.
This time there was alchemy involved and at least it was interesting. I liked Mallory and Catcher's roles but I thought there might be some more "wrapping up" since the next book is the last one. :( (But it's a good thing, I hate when authors drag out a series!)
The saving grace was the ending and the epilogue...Ethan ~sigh~
Favorite quote:
♥ "I’ve looked for four centuries to find you. I cannot fathom a world without you in it. Without your heart, and without your honor."
This is my one of all time favorite urban fantasy series...and couples but unfortunately, things have gotten a little same ol', same ol'. The gang comes upon something and of course, they totally take it on, humans always think the worse of them except for Ethan's groupies and there's battles and some injuries but everyone pitches in to help.
This time there was alchemy involved and at least it was interesting. I liked Mallory and Catcher's roles but I thought there might be some more "wrapping up" since the next book is the last one. :( (But it's a good thing, I hate when authors drag out a series!)
The saving grace was the ending and the epilogue...Ethan ~sigh~
Favorite quote:
♥ "I’ve looked for four centuries to find you. I cannot fathom a world without you in it. Without your heart, and without your honor."
March 21, 2016
the Chicagoland vampires series is one of my best series to read, I mean only one word to describe it 'ETHAN' that about sums it up, where do I sign up for Ethan to bite me,
12 books in and still just has strong, and this book would be in the top 5 books of this series,
but the ending is soooooo wrong, how can it be left like that, now I have to wait for the next installment to come out, hope it isn't too long xx
12 books in and still just has strong, and this book would be in the top 5 books of this series,
but the ending is soooooo wrong, how can it be left like that, now I have to wait for the next installment to come out, hope it isn't too long xx
March 1, 2016
Merit has been a vampire for a year now. She’s gained some incredible friends and learned a ton of skills that she never would’ve otherwise. Some incredible things have happened over the several books of the series but I feel like despite being in the midst of a supernatural war, Merit and Ethan have kind of settled down a little bit.
A murder has occurred and it looks like it’s been done by one of them. That’s not good news when the tension between Houses is already brimming. After a brief update on Catcher and Mallory in the beginning, Neill goes straight into the action. A lot of the story focuses on the murder mystery with some twists along the way.
Ethan remains to be an enigma, never revealing too much but enough to stay alluring. My only complaint is that since we’re twelve books into the series, I would love a little more insight into his character. I feel like we have hit a plateau with his character and I would love something that would once again engage readers.
In terms of the romance, I do feel that Merit and Ethan have reached that comfortable stage in a relationship. The last books have been a little more steady. I wouldn’t mind seeing Neill shake things up a bit here as well. I do sense that the end is near but a little extra drama wouldn’t hurt the series.
Read my alternate review at Fresh Fiction
December 13, 2015
As the Chicagoland Vampires series comes closer to its big finale, the excitement is reaching an almost unbearable level. Midnight Marked, the penultimate book in this excellent, beloved series, brings just a tiny bit more of everything: more romance, more action, more friendships, more enemies, and more danger than ever before.
Ethan and Merit are still right in the middle of a supernatural war, and as they fight prejudice, misunderstandings, and outright malice coming from all sides, they somehow always come out on top and learn alongside each other. At this point, they are a well established couple, comfortable around each other though not always harmonious, and it’s good to see them growing stronger and finally working together.
I always mention the timeline of this series because it makes me somewhat uncomfortable. I would have preferred a much longer period between the events of the first book and now. Only a year has passed since Merit has become a vampire, and considering everything that’s happened to her, I have a hard time believing everything from her character development to her romance with Ethan. It’s just too much for such a short time – the intensity of their emotions would have been far more credible had they been given enough time to develop. As it is, they jump from one supernatural battle to the next, twelve total at this point, and they still have time for friendships, prophecies, resurrections and forgiveness.
Merit is finally learning to accept her family, flaws and all, and perhaps even making peace with the fact that they are who they are and that they’re highly unlikely to change. I love that this aspect of her life isn’t at all black and white, that her father has horrible flaws as well as redeeming qualities. It adds an extra layer to her character and brings complexity to her actions that otherwise wouldn’t exist.
Ethan, for his part, remains the stubborn, high handed, secretive idiot, but I find that oddly comforting. Having him change his ways in asingle year after 400 years of existence would have been almost ridiculous. As it is, he infuriates me, but I understand, and the tiny improvements I notice make me absurdly happy.
I’m already dreading the goodbye that’s ahead of me. I’ve spent so much time with these guys, learned to love them and even despise them at times (Ethan, ahem), and I already know I’ll miss them like crazy. But let’s not borrow trouble or grief. There’s the big finale ahead of us and I just know it’s going to be spectacular.
A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.
June 30, 2016
I'm such a fangirl when it comes to this series, Merit is awesome, Ethan was chained in my book boyfriend harem years ago and I absolutely love all the side characters we've met along the way. It's kind of amazing to think that all of the events of the last 12 books have been crammed into one, very action packed, year of Merit's life. That's right, she's just now getting to celebrate one year of being a vampire and you can trust Ethan has big plans for her!
Merit and Ethan have both come such a long way since we first met them. Merit has come into her own since she was turned, she is now a fierce warrior and she's really come to care for Cadogan House and all of the vampires who are now part of her extended family. I wouldn't say Ethan has mellowed because that guy is still as alpha as it gets but he has learned to trust Merit and he's even able to admit when he's in the wrong which is quite an achievement really considering the unapologetic arse he could be at the beginning of the series! As a couple they still have their ups and downs and when they're arguing the whole world knows it but they no longer walk away when things get tough, instead they hash things out like rational adults and they're both secure enough in their relationship to know that they'll be able to deal with any problems that are thrown at them. I'm enjoying seeing this more mature side to them but I'm hoping we don't see them become too settled - I like a bit of spice just to keep things interesting!
In Dark Debt we finally found out who the mastermind behind a lot of their recent troubles is but knowing it and proving it are two very different things and they're a long way from having any evidence against them. I'm sure you didn't expect the mastermind to sit back and wait for them to come to him though and he's definitely bringing his A game in this instalment. In fact, if Merit and the others aren't able to stop him it'll have dire consequences for the whole of Chicago.
Merit and Ethan have worked hard to build up a working relationship with the Gabriel and the NAC Pack and that is all threatened when a vampire murders a shifter and they're the first on hand to find the body. Some of the shifters have just been looking for an excuse to start a war and now they're all on very dangerous territory if Merit can't prove they had nothing to do with the death. As the bodies start to pile up and old enemies come crawling out of the woodwork our favourite characters are all really up against it in Midnight Marked.
I don't want to say too much more about the plot but this series continues to be one of my favourites and I'm loving the direction things are taking. We get some really interesting developments in their fight to save Chicago and some completely swoon worthy moments between Merit and Ethan so I'm very happy with the way things turned out here and I'm already looking forward to the next instalment.
_____________
Thoughts before reading:
This has been the BEST month for ARCs! Thanks Netgalley & Berkely :-) I'm soooooo excited for this book *happy dance*
Merit and Ethan have both come such a long way since we first met them. Merit has come into her own since she was turned, she is now a fierce warrior and she's really come to care for Cadogan House and all of the vampires who are now part of her extended family. I wouldn't say Ethan has mellowed because that guy is still as alpha as it gets but he has learned to trust Merit and he's even able to admit when he's in the wrong which is quite an achievement really considering the unapologetic arse he could be at the beginning of the series! As a couple they still have their ups and downs and when they're arguing the whole world knows it but they no longer walk away when things get tough, instead they hash things out like rational adults and they're both secure enough in their relationship to know that they'll be able to deal with any problems that are thrown at them. I'm enjoying seeing this more mature side to them but I'm hoping we don't see them become too settled - I like a bit of spice just to keep things interesting!
In Dark Debt we finally found out who the mastermind behind a lot of their recent troubles is but knowing it and proving it are two very different things and they're a long way from having any evidence against them. I'm sure you didn't expect the mastermind to sit back and wait for them to come to him though and he's definitely bringing his A game in this instalment. In fact, if Merit and the others aren't able to stop him it'll have dire consequences for the whole of Chicago.
Merit and Ethan have worked hard to build up a working relationship with the Gabriel and the NAC Pack and that is all threatened when a vampire murders a shifter and they're the first on hand to find the body. Some of the shifters have just been looking for an excuse to start a war and now they're all on very dangerous territory if Merit can't prove they had nothing to do with the death. As the bodies start to pile up and old enemies come crawling out of the woodwork our favourite characters are all really up against it in Midnight Marked.
I don't want to say too much more about the plot but this series continues to be one of my favourites and I'm loving the direction things are taking. We get some really interesting developments in their fight to save Chicago and some completely swoon worthy moments between Merit and Ethan so I'm very happy with the way things turned out here and I'm already looking forward to the next instalment.
_____________
Thoughts before reading:
This has been the BEST month for ARCs! Thanks Netgalley & Berkely :-) I'm soooooo excited for this book *happy dance*
February 23, 2017
{An alphapology. The apology made by the alpha male, wich isn't really an apology, but more a reason for insane behavior.}
This should be a real word, God knows that behavior is so familiar. Am I right?
Due to my unstable emotional state I wasn't really into the book at the beginning, **boy drama, that's all I'm gonna say**, but as usual with good books it sucked me in anyway. The story was really cool and entertaining, the villains appropriatly disgusting, the heroes as per usual - the Cadogan team. I mean, is anyone other than them ever fights the bad guys? It must be quite tiring to save everyone all the time. Merit thought so too, so she gave a piece of her mind to the RG assholes. They're kinda crappy organisation for chasing all the wrong tales and making her jump through hoops. They were left thoroughly chastised.
I really enjoyed the introduction of alchemy and necromancy to the story. The more magic the better, I say. Gives Mallory room to shine. Shifters played a big part in this one too. Gabriel and Ethan playing nice with each other is just as fun as them having a pissing contest. Family is crazy that way. And speaking of family, papa Merit seems to grow out of his jackass attitude. I'm cautiously optimistic.
On an unrelated note, in what kind of fucked up world Merit is living that everything that's contained in book 1 through 12, happened in one year's time? Seriously? Can a girl catch a break already?
Over and out
October 31, 2016
Midnight Marked is the 12th book in Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampire Series and sadly there will only be one more book after this one.
It's now a year since Merit was turned and a lot has happened since. A war between the supernatural's is on the go..........and Chicago is in danger again!!!!
I have loved watching Merit and Ethan's journey...they are now at a good place.
And the ending.........hell, why do we have to wait such a long time before the next book?????
It's now a year since Merit was turned and a lot has happened since. A war between the supernatural's is on the go..........and Chicago is in danger again!!!!
I have loved watching Merit and Ethan's journey...they are now at a good place.
“I love you, Ethan, and I love this city. And however much I fought, I love this goddamn House. It's part of me, and I'm part of it. I'm not going to stand here and watch a man tear down everything that you've build. I'm not. And if that means I have to chase another man who threatens this House, or apologize to you more than I like, so be it. I don't want that, but I can live with it. Because I can't live without you.”Another thing I enjoy about this series are the secondary characters. The friendship between Merit & Mallory is such fun....l
“Did I mention I love your nail polish? " I asked.I enjoyed this story. Fast paced, action packed with some twists I wasn't expecting.
"You did not, but thank you. Times like this, you gotta have a bright spot. You gotta have something to lighten the mood. Catcher's homemade waffles and enormous dick usually do the trick.”
And the ending.........hell, why do we have to wait such a long time before the next book?????
September 18, 2017
★★★★½
Such an eventful addition to an amazing series! Just one more book left...and a novella. It's almost over!
My favorite quote:
"It’s easy to be an asshole. And harder to do the right thing. We do it anyway.”
Such an eventful addition to an amazing series! Just one more book left...and a novella. It's almost over!
My favorite quote:
"It’s easy to be an asshole. And harder to do the right thing. We do it anyway.”
March 2, 2016
Ethan and Merit, have been through just about everything. There life together is chaos. This installment of the story while nearing the end of the series did not go gentle for them, but they finally a real pair. Their relationship seems solid, they always end up side by side.
A supernatural war is on and the fur is flying. It is the same bad guy just ramping up his volume. I really hope this villain gets it soon ! Adrian Reed, in an arrogant manipulative jerk who needs to die !
I can't believe Merit has only been a vampire for a year, it seems so much longer. A year to develop her skills, fall in love, win, fail and crash and burn, busy busy girl. She shows the house just how much of a sentinel she is and they are thankful for it.
Ethan, well he is still Ethan. He can be a total jerk if you add water. He is also protective, sexy, powerful and hot.
I enjoyed this book much more than I expected. It answered some long asked questions and teased on some long awaited answers for others. The action was strong, the mystery intriguing and the love was in the air. I can't wait for the final chapter in the lives of these houses.
A supernatural war is on and the fur is flying. It is the same bad guy just ramping up his volume. I really hope this villain gets it soon ! Adrian Reed, in an arrogant manipulative jerk who needs to die !
I can't believe Merit has only been a vampire for a year, it seems so much longer. A year to develop her skills, fall in love, win, fail and crash and burn, busy busy girl. She shows the house just how much of a sentinel she is and they are thankful for it.
Ethan, well he is still Ethan. He can be a total jerk if you add water. He is also protective, sexy, powerful and hot.
I enjoyed this book much more than I expected. It answered some long asked questions and teased on some long awaited answers for others. The action was strong, the mystery intriguing and the love was in the air. I can't wait for the final chapter in the lives of these houses.
August 28, 2024
The Chicagoland Vampires needs to be read in order.
Midnight Marked is book twelve in the Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill. It’s full of action, adventure, and mystery.
I’ve had my highs and lows with this series and I think I’m ready for it to end.
In the past year Merit has gone from a reluctant vampire to doing whatever it takes to keep her vampire family safe. She's now celebrating her one-year vampire anniversary and her relationship with Ethan is strong. It’s been one interesting journey to this point.
A lot of questions that I thought would remain mysteries where answered. We also see the House call in Paige for help with this particular mystery. And, when I thought we wouldn’t be getting any new supernaturals in the mix, Neill brings in a necromancer. I enjoyed Annabelle an added secondary character to the world and story. She was quite interesting and useful. Their is also no shortage of humor added into the mix while these characters try to figure out who or what is causing problems in good old Chicago.
My only issue and this issue has run throughout the series is that I never feel that Ethan and Merit are equals. He calls her Sentinel and she calls him Master. With a group, that seams ok, but when they are together it just feels wrong, not right. Their relationship and how it's portrayed is the one thing I've had trouble with throughout the series.
Audio Note: I did try the audiobook first, but I stopped it after 2-5 min in. I hated the male voices for Ethan and Catcher. They sounded so wrong. I couldn't do the book in audio, so I read it like all the previous editions. (Narrator: Sophie Eastlake)
Rated: 3.5 Stars
Midnight Marked is book twelve in the Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill. It’s full of action, adventure, and mystery.
I’ve had my highs and lows with this series and I think I’m ready for it to end.
In the past year Merit has gone from a reluctant vampire to doing whatever it takes to keep her vampire family safe. She's now celebrating her one-year vampire anniversary and her relationship with Ethan is strong. It’s been one interesting journey to this point.
A lot of questions that I thought would remain mysteries where answered. We also see the House call in Paige for help with this particular mystery. And, when I thought we wouldn’t be getting any new supernaturals in the mix, Neill brings in a necromancer. I enjoyed Annabelle an added secondary character to the world and story. She was quite interesting and useful. Their is also no shortage of humor added into the mix while these characters try to figure out who or what is causing problems in good old Chicago.
My only issue and this issue has run throughout the series is that I never feel that Ethan and Merit are equals. He calls her Sentinel and she calls him Master. With a group, that seams ok, but when they are together it just feels wrong, not right. Their relationship and how it's portrayed is the one thing I've had trouble with throughout the series.
Audio Note: I did try the audiobook first, but I stopped it after 2-5 min in. I hated the male voices for Ethan and Catcher. They sounded so wrong. I couldn't do the book in audio, so I read it like all the previous editions. (Narrator: Sophie Eastlake)
Rated: 3.5 Stars
March 18, 2016
What can I say? CV has been an epic series for me and then? Then I got bored! The last book ended up with 5 stars but not before picking it up 3 times... This book got a 3rd attempt but I struggled big time...
I can't comprehend the amount of trials and tribulations that Ethan, Merit and The House have been dragged through, including the 'death' of Ethan, within 12 months!!! I mean 'come on', Mallory had her massive bout of blackness, Catcher got with her, married her... The pack are now allies but really only allies for a tiny touch of time considering it's only a year!!! Oh, and Morgan! When you think about it, Morgan was there before Ethan so although Merit is only 1 year old, her relationship isn't!!!
I'm giving myself a headache!
I loved this series but somewhere I made it a challenge to get through the books and although I still gave 5 stars, I think, on reflection, I awarded the stars for achievement..
Many will love this book and the last one to come, for me, the journey is over, I don't care about the prophecy, I'm done.
I can't comprehend the amount of trials and tribulations that Ethan, Merit and The House have been dragged through, including the 'death' of Ethan, within 12 months!!! I mean 'come on', Mallory had her massive bout of blackness, Catcher got with her, married her... The pack are now allies but really only allies for a tiny touch of time considering it's only a year!!! Oh, and Morgan! When you think about it, Morgan was there before Ethan so although Merit is only 1 year old, her relationship isn't!!!
I'm giving myself a headache!
I loved this series but somewhere I made it a challenge to get through the books and although I still gave 5 stars, I think, on reflection, I awarded the stars for achievement..
Many will love this book and the last one to come, for me, the journey is over, I don't care about the prophecy, I'm done.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2017
I'm still loving this series and knowing there is only one left makes me sad. I'll probably put off reading it for awhile.
Anyway, this book was great! I like that Merit doesn't let their personal problems get in the way of protecting the city. She is a good, strong character. Malory played more of a helpful part in this book. Which I love! Lots of talk about the miracle baby that was prophesied.
Anyway, this book was great! I like that Merit doesn't let their personal problems get in the way of protecting the city. She is a good, strong character. Malory played more of a helpful part in this book. Which I love! Lots of talk about the miracle baby that was prophesied.
January 21, 2018
3.5 stars
I don't love this series but it's so close to the end my weird book ocd won't let me not finish this series. This one was way better than the last few. Probably cuz there was limited Ethan time and a lot of time with side characters. (especially Catcher who never ceases to make me all *heart eyes*
I don't love this series but it's so close to the end my weird book ocd won't let me not finish this series. This one was way better than the last few. Probably cuz there was limited Ethan time and a lot of time with side characters. (especially Catcher who never ceases to make me all *heart eyes*
April 24, 2016
As the Chicagoland Vampires series heads toward the final installment, things should be settling down and trouble should be keeping some distance. Such isn't the case for the great city of Chicago and the sups that inhabit it. If anything, it seems Ethan, Merit, Cadogan, and the rest of the supernaturals are attracting more trouble than ever, this time around from Adrien Reed, the savvy and cutthroat businessman that has his eyes set on owning the city. Adrien poses a very daunting threat because not only does he have money, power, and people in his pocket, but he also despises supernaturals and will go to great lengths to dirty their image and make sure his hordes of followers do the same. Just as the vampires were beginning to make peace once again among the human population, Reed comes out of the woodwork threatening everything the vampires have worked for, and now they have to work twice as hard to prove themselves to be everything they've told the humans they are. Add to that, someone in the city is using alchemy and all signs point to Reed. Alchemy is just as treacherous as Reed is, so it's almost as if they are fighting two battles this time around.
Going in to this twelfth installment, I was a little nervous, wondering if there's really anything left to explore in this long-running series. While there has been some repetition in the last few installments pertaining to various adversaries and politicking, Neill manages to still breathe life into each installment, proving that there is indeed plenty of story left to tell. But, as with all things, everything must come to an end and Neill is subtly tying up loose ends, making sure all questions are answered, yet leaving one very important plot thread wide open. It's that small little detail that has me mighty excited for the upcoming final installment.
All told, Midnight Marked was just as fast-paced and exciting as its 11 predecessors, and has me eagerly awaiting the finale to this fantastic series. As I've stated before, many parts of this series are coming to a close, but Neill left some important aspects open, which I'm sure will be concluded in the final installment. Readers and fans of this series will know straight away what that one not-so-minor detail is, and I'm sure they're just as anxious as I am to see how that's going to play out for our beloved Ethan and Merit. While I wouldn't call Midnight Marked the most original or ground-breaking installment of the series, it still maintains all of the elements that made me adore this series to begin with -- phenomenal characters, plenty of action and excitement, and a dash of humor and romance to balance it all out. 3.5 stars, highly recommend this entire series :)
**eARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
**Cliterary Genius 2016 A to Z book challenge, letter M.
Going in to this twelfth installment, I was a little nervous, wondering if there's really anything left to explore in this long-running series. While there has been some repetition in the last few installments pertaining to various adversaries and politicking, Neill manages to still breathe life into each installment, proving that there is indeed plenty of story left to tell. But, as with all things, everything must come to an end and Neill is subtly tying up loose ends, making sure all questions are answered, yet leaving one very important plot thread wide open. It's that small little detail that has me mighty excited for the upcoming final installment.
All told, Midnight Marked was just as fast-paced and exciting as its 11 predecessors, and has me eagerly awaiting the finale to this fantastic series. As I've stated before, many parts of this series are coming to a close, but Neill left some important aspects open, which I'm sure will be concluded in the final installment. Readers and fans of this series will know straight away what that one not-so-minor detail is, and I'm sure they're just as anxious as I am to see how that's going to play out for our beloved Ethan and Merit. While I wouldn't call Midnight Marked the most original or ground-breaking installment of the series, it still maintains all of the elements that made me adore this series to begin with -- phenomenal characters, plenty of action and excitement, and a dash of humor and romance to balance it all out. 3.5 stars, highly recommend this entire series :)
**eARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
**Cliterary Genius 2016 A to Z book challenge, letter M.
November 4, 2016
As I set down to write this review, I noticed something odd on the Goodreads page for Midnight Marked. When the hell was it announced that book #13 will be the last? It can’t be coming to an end! I need my Merit and Ethan fixed dammit!!!
Okay, now that I have that rant out of the way…
Midnight Marked as I have now discovered marks the ticking time bomb of the end of this series. Ethan and Merit are still waging war with the supernatural and human communities of Chicago. Just when you think “Oh, look, a calm and peaceful moment” the proverbial shit hits the fan and off we go on another wild and crazy adventure. While I received a very early copy of this book, I can’t dive into everything about this book because who likes spoilers, am I right? I will say that Midnight Marked will leave fans happy and yet anxious for what’s to come in the final book. The think the biggest shocker for me was the plot twist that brought certain events from the very beginning of this series full circle. I did not see that coming at all. I think one of the best portions of this book is Merit finally settling into her role as Sentinel and finding her inner warrior princess. She’s had battles and near death scrapes before, but Midnight Marked truly set her up to be the best Sentinel Cadogan House has ever seen. She may love the man she’s protecting, but her love for him only fuels her duty to her Master and her house. Merit truly shines in this book.
Midnight Marked lays the ground work for what’s to come in the final book and it is spectacular. As I binge read this book in a single day at work (Sorry, boss), a familiar sense of foreboding and dread crept into my bones. I know that in just a year’s time that I will have to say goodbye to two of my favorite characters. I honestly don’t think I’m ready to do that just yet. Does that mean I’m not ready for grand finale? No, I am ready to see how this series wraps up, but after the events of one of the earlier books, I’m scared to death about what’s to come at the same time.
May 5, 2016
2.5 stars, it was actually better than I expected.
This series is a good (or actually bad) example of why a seat of the pants/stretch it out as long as the author can series doesn't work versus why a series that is planned and has a defined story arc and ending does. Like Devon Monk's Allie Beckstrom books and Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books (though some people might dispute that he isn't stretching it, it feels extremely controlled to me) later in the series show clearly that they're built on elements introduced early in the series, even little tiny things suddenly become key points of significance. And the story arcs make sense, you know how you got from here to there and you still care when you get to the end. With this series, we're on yet another villain I don't care about. Who is this guy and why does he matter? Last book had a new villain, this book has a new villain. What connection is there to anything that matters in this series, anything that mattered looking back to that day a whole year ago when this all began? If this took place over ten years, or even a few years, OK, sure. Merit is right, too much stuff has just happened to them in one year and it's nuts. Too many villains, too many plots. A good series needs more than a ridiculously invincible heroine with a few sidekicks. Sorry Ethan, but that's how the series treats you, you're one of Merit's sidekicks. Look at Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series too. It stretched out for too long as well, had too many books in the middle that were mostly filler, but at least it had that long arc of a story holding it together. This series makes no sense if you look at all of the books and everything that's happened, it's just a big mess.
Recap is good when you're reminding me about the new villain who I didn't remember from the last book because he came out of nowhere. Adrian? I didn't remember him at all. But mentioning in every book that Merit lived with Mallory and saw too much of Mallory and Catcher having sex and yada yada in the same words every time isn't necessary. Just say Merit was glad she didn't live with her anymore when Mallory was talking about her sex life, no details necessary, we get it. The awkward way that the author uses the first-person perspective to infodump was totally wackadoodle. Who was Merit explaining everything to? She was lecturing me in her head about who everyone was for no reason? "My grandfather, Chuck Merit, was Chicago's....Catcher does this...Jeff is his...." a whole paragraph is job descriptions. Because she didn't know what they did? More recap for people who haven't read the last eleven books. What kind of first person POV book does that? Work it into the story. Try. Try to work it into the story. Or don't do first person.
Here's another example of terrible first person point of view recap: "Towerline had been spearheaded by my father, one of the most powerful real estate developers in Chicago..." Who was she thinking this to? She didn't know who her father was and what he does? The author could have had her think to herself that he dad would be pissed to see the picture in the paper because he had to give up the deal (that's what the rest of the paragraph was about, in equally awful recap mode), something that a person would actually think when they saw an article in the paper that related to their past and their family. It could have been presented in a way that explained it in context instead of more internal infodumping.
I still hate the leathers, I will always hate the leathers. And she made it worse again with the boots. Thinking that the night might call for action, she put in her leathers and high-healed boots. Because everyone with a brain in their head wants to fight in high-healed boots. Hey, how about open-toed sandals next time? They're super cute too.
It also bugged me that Ethan's character was totally sacrificed on the alter of Merit's perfection. He was just a stupid, raging, temperamental idiot who needed Merit to manage his moods or he'd ruin his House and life. Despite having managed for more than 400 years without her. Because perfect, magical Merit rules the world with her amazing fighting skills, incredible insights and perfect strategies. Even though a year ago she was just a grad student.
Despite all of that, it wasn't as awful as I expected, but boy was it frequently dumb. Like when they sent the master vampire down from the big final battle to protect the one human who'd been incapacitated, even if it was someone important to Merit, instead of keeping all of their very few big guns in the important battle. Dumb dumb dumb. You'd sacrifice the whole city to protect that person? Seriously, dumb. Or Mallory told Merit that she had a charm that would protect her from the big magic that was going to terrorize the city starting really soon, and Merit thought to herself that she'd have to remember to go get that and several hours later she did. Because right away didn't seem like a good idea or anything. Lucky they had time to all suit up in their leathers before the big final scene, it would have been awful if they had to go looking dowdy and without proper bad-assery. Through for as often as they fight I'd think they'd have some better battle gear by now. They can afford the best modern tech, the most lightweight Kevlar lined clothes would deflect some of the slashes in a fight if not any of the stabbing moves. More than leather would. And for as often as this woman gets shot you'd think Ethan would try to protect her.
All right, sorry for another whiny hate read review. I really would have stopped reading the series if it wasn't almost over, it's hard to give up when you find out there are only two books left. And as always, I'm reading them for free from the library, I would not have paid for them for quite some time. But I keep reading because I do like some of the characters, even if I don't always like what they're doing. They still feel like friends and I do want to see what happens to them. I just wish things had been done better for them in this series, I always feel like it had so much more potential than what actually played out.
This series is a good (or actually bad) example of why a seat of the pants/stretch it out as long as the author can series doesn't work versus why a series that is planned and has a defined story arc and ending does. Like Devon Monk's Allie Beckstrom books and Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books (though some people might dispute that he isn't stretching it, it feels extremely controlled to me) later in the series show clearly that they're built on elements introduced early in the series, even little tiny things suddenly become key points of significance. And the story arcs make sense, you know how you got from here to there and you still care when you get to the end. With this series, we're on yet another villain I don't care about. Who is this guy and why does he matter? Last book had a new villain, this book has a new villain. What connection is there to anything that matters in this series, anything that mattered looking back to that day a whole year ago when this all began? If this took place over ten years, or even a few years, OK, sure. Merit is right, too much stuff has just happened to them in one year and it's nuts. Too many villains, too many plots. A good series needs more than a ridiculously invincible heroine with a few sidekicks. Sorry Ethan, but that's how the series treats you, you're one of Merit's sidekicks. Look at Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series too. It stretched out for too long as well, had too many books in the middle that were mostly filler, but at least it had that long arc of a story holding it together. This series makes no sense if you look at all of the books and everything that's happened, it's just a big mess.
Recap is good when you're reminding me about the new villain who I didn't remember from the last book because he came out of nowhere. Adrian? I didn't remember him at all. But mentioning in every book that Merit lived with Mallory and saw too much of Mallory and Catcher having sex and yada yada in the same words every time isn't necessary. Just say Merit was glad she didn't live with her anymore when Mallory was talking about her sex life, no details necessary, we get it. The awkward way that the author uses the first-person perspective to infodump was totally wackadoodle. Who was Merit explaining everything to? She was lecturing me in her head about who everyone was for no reason? "My grandfather, Chuck Merit, was Chicago's....Catcher does this...Jeff is his...." a whole paragraph is job descriptions. Because she didn't know what they did? More recap for people who haven't read the last eleven books. What kind of first person POV book does that? Work it into the story. Try. Try to work it into the story. Or don't do first person.
Here's another example of terrible first person point of view recap: "Towerline had been spearheaded by my father, one of the most powerful real estate developers in Chicago..." Who was she thinking this to? She didn't know who her father was and what he does? The author could have had her think to herself that he dad would be pissed to see the picture in the paper because he had to give up the deal (that's what the rest of the paragraph was about, in equally awful recap mode), something that a person would actually think when they saw an article in the paper that related to their past and their family. It could have been presented in a way that explained it in context instead of more internal infodumping.
I still hate the leathers, I will always hate the leathers. And she made it worse again with the boots. Thinking that the night might call for action, she put in her leathers and high-healed boots. Because everyone with a brain in their head wants to fight in high-healed boots. Hey, how about open-toed sandals next time? They're super cute too.
It also bugged me that Ethan's character was totally sacrificed on the alter of Merit's perfection. He was just a stupid, raging, temperamental idiot who needed Merit to manage his moods or he'd ruin his House and life. Despite having managed for more than 400 years without her. Because perfect, magical Merit rules the world with her amazing fighting skills, incredible insights and perfect strategies. Even though a year ago she was just a grad student.
Despite all of that, it wasn't as awful as I expected, but boy was it frequently dumb. Like when they sent the master vampire down from the big final battle to protect the one human who'd been incapacitated, even if it was someone important to Merit, instead of keeping all of their very few big guns in the important battle. Dumb dumb dumb. You'd sacrifice the whole city to protect that person? Seriously, dumb. Or Mallory told Merit that she had a charm that would protect her from the big magic that was going to terrorize the city starting really soon, and Merit thought to herself that she'd have to remember to go get that and several hours later she did. Because right away didn't seem like a good idea or anything. Lucky they had time to all suit up in their leathers before the big final scene, it would have been awful if they had to go looking dowdy and without proper bad-assery. Through for as often as they fight I'd think they'd have some better battle gear by now. They can afford the best modern tech, the most lightweight Kevlar lined clothes would deflect some of the slashes in a fight if not any of the stabbing moves. More than leather would. And for as often as this woman gets shot you'd think Ethan would try to protect her.
All right, sorry for another whiny hate read review. I really would have stopped reading the series if it wasn't almost over, it's hard to give up when you find out there are only two books left. And as always, I'm reading them for free from the library, I would not have paid for them for quite some time. But I keep reading because I do like some of the characters, even if I don't always like what they're doing. They still feel like friends and I do want to see what happens to them. I just wish things had been done better for them in this series, I always feel like it had so much more potential than what actually played out.
June 7, 2018
This one is my favorite so far! Merit kicks some ass and Ethan is swoon worthy. I will say that I saw the twist coming from a mile away but I still greatly enjoyed this one. This has been a great series and I'm looking forward to reading the last one.
November 10, 2017
Midnight Marked
3.5 Stars
The vampires and the shifters in the Windy City find themselves at odds when the body of a shifter is discovered and a vampire is the suspected killer. As the facts emerge, Merit and Ethan are once again immersed in the machinations of a recent foe whose future plans for Chicago will have dire consequences for every supernatural.
While entertaining overall, this installment in the Chicagoland Vampires doesn't really add anything particularly original or exciting to the series.
The secret society plot from the previous book plays out in a predictable fashion and the inclusion of alchemy into the storyline is rather confusing (as alchemy tends to be), and its contribution is minimal at best.
In terms of the romance, it is clear that Merit and Ethan will always overcome all obstacles. Consequently, the conflict between them in this book feels forced mainly due to the fact that Ethan's spoiled and boorish behavior is completely out of character.
Finally, the inclusion of details concerning Mallory and Catcher's relationship is nauseating. My intense dislike for both of them is no secret and the series would have been better if they had both been disposed of early on.
All in all, it is evident that Neill's CLV books have lost momentum, but I am hopeful that the series will end on a high note in the final installment.
3.5 Stars
The vampires and the shifters in the Windy City find themselves at odds when the body of a shifter is discovered and a vampire is the suspected killer. As the facts emerge, Merit and Ethan are once again immersed in the machinations of a recent foe whose future plans for Chicago will have dire consequences for every supernatural.
While entertaining overall, this installment in the Chicagoland Vampires doesn't really add anything particularly original or exciting to the series.
The secret society plot from the previous book plays out in a predictable fashion and the inclusion of alchemy into the storyline is rather confusing (as alchemy tends to be), and its contribution is minimal at best.
In terms of the romance, it is clear that Merit and Ethan will always overcome all obstacles. Consequently, the conflict between them in this book feels forced mainly due to the fact that Ethan's spoiled and boorish behavior is completely out of character.
Finally, the inclusion of details concerning Mallory and Catcher's relationship is nauseating. My intense dislike for both of them is no secret and the series would have been better if they had both been disposed of early on.
All in all, it is evident that Neill's CLV books have lost momentum, but I am hopeful that the series will end on a high note in the final installment.
June 9, 2016
This review was originally posted at The Book Nympho
I switched between the egalley and library audiobook to get the book finished faster. I listened to the last half while cleaning the house and coloring. I was a little underwhelmed by the story so I changed the speed of the audio to finish even faster.
I've had highs and lows with the series, Midnight Marked was a low. I didn't care about what happened for most of the book. I think I'm just ready for the series to end which is a sign that I would drop a series but since there is only one book left I'll read it to see how Neill wraps it up.
Midnight Marked started to wrap a few things up to pave the way for the last book, Blade Bound.
I'm still not a huge fan of Sophie Eastlake's male voices.
I switched between the egalley and library audiobook to get the book finished faster. I listened to the last half while cleaning the house and coloring. I was a little underwhelmed by the story so I changed the speed of the audio to finish even faster.
I've had highs and lows with the series, Midnight Marked was a low. I didn't care about what happened for most of the book. I think I'm just ready for the series to end which is a sign that I would drop a series but since there is only one book left I'll read it to see how Neill wraps it up.
Midnight Marked started to wrap a few things up to pave the way for the last book, Blade Bound.
I'm still not a huge fan of Sophie Eastlake's male voices.
October 6, 2016
This was another fun book in the Chicagoland Vampires series. Look, these aren't meant to be high literature but they are light and quick to read. Sometimes that's just what I need.
I appreciate how Neill takes the now familiar main characters and give them opportunities to keep evolving. The plot has good pacing, although this one dragged for me in some places. The story balances the "mythology" and romance threads with the current villains story.
I also enjoy Neil's tongue-in-cheek writing style, with liberal snark and laughs. The addition of "alphapology" to our lexicon is timely and I'll use it often!
However, this twelfth installment seemed less creepy and intense than earlier installments. I'm concerned Neill is veering into the formulaic, which would be a shame.
I appreciate how Neill takes the now familiar main characters and give them opportunities to keep evolving. The plot has good pacing, although this one dragged for me in some places. The story balances the "mythology" and romance threads with the current villains story.
I also enjoy Neil's tongue-in-cheek writing style, with liberal snark and laughs. The addition of "alphapology" to our lexicon is timely and I'll use it often!
However, this twelfth installment seemed less creepy and intense than earlier installments. I'm concerned Neill is veering into the formulaic, which would be a shame.
March 4, 2016
I have an ear infection, so I don't feel the best to begin with. I can't do a real review because I just keep staring at my screen going "huh?"
This one was heavy-handed and predictable. I had a lot more fun yelling at the book & "discussing" it w/the MacHalo buddy read group. I don't know if I can justify wasting any more audible credits on this series.
This one was heavy-handed and predictable. I had a lot more fun yelling at the book & "discussing" it w/the MacHalo buddy read group. I don't know if I can justify wasting any more audible credits on this series.
April 2, 2016
B.O.R.I.N.G.!!! No, let me clarify, it wasn't just boring, it was absurdly, mind-numbingly, depressingly boring, uninteresting, and uninspiring.
O.M.G. I could go on and on...
Herein lies the problem with this book, and this series in general: there was nothing new and exciting to offer with the main storyline and characters so the author just made something cheesy up and perhaps hoped that the series could get by for one more book...
Please allow me to elaborate further... AND, fair warning, there will be spoilers. I won't even try to hide my spoiler-y comments.
Problem #1 Unnecessary and uncharacteristic DRAMA
Let's first recall the charming, sophisticated, and sexy Ethan Sullivan introduced to us at the start of the series... Now fast-forward to book #12. Suddenly, Ethan has become an impulsive, childish 400-year-old vampire who acted out based on emotions. Seriously, I wasn't even sure if I was reading about the same character, but apparently I was. Ethan wanted to go head-to-head with Adrian Reed (the antagonist of the story) and he did. Ethan had a fall-out with Gabriel Keene (the alpha of the weres). These men were all acting childish and everything but strategic. I had no idea what was going on. Then of course, there had to be drama between Merit and Ethan. Sometimes I do believe that couples have to go through difficult times together in order for their relationship to strengthen. However, the disputes that occurred between Merit and Ethan just felt contrived and I didn't buy any of it. I just felt like it was one drama after another and none of it helped to move the story forward or further develop characters. In fact, the behaviors of the characters had regressed.
Problem #2 Alchemy!!! We have to solve the ALCHEMY problem!!!
So I had a basic understanding of what alchemy meant. It was basically an ancient form of chemistry which people used to transform matters. Well, as reader, I was treated to this explanation, oh I don't know, may be a bajillion times. It was always the same explanation though - a bunch of symbols, with ciphers, blah blah blah and transforming lead into gold blah blah etc.
All ready! I got the gist of it. Now move on to explain it a bit more in depth perhaps? Oh no, we were just treated to more of the same things. Instead, the study of the symbols that the supposedly bad guys used would be left to the hands of a couple of individuals who'd spend time in the library to decipher. All right, this really wasn't the problem, except these people found NOTHING of import NOTHING throughout the book until an important hint was retrieved to help "break the code".
So in the end, nothing was really explained about the principles and uses etc. of alchemy besides what was summarized above. The author just kept on repeating the same old same old, again and again... The over-abundance of ALCHEMY was like noise in the background after awhile.
Problem #3 The technology WIZ that Jeff was!!!
In order to solve mystery, of course we should leverage technology as best as we could. This was where Jeff came into play. He was the were-tiger that served as a technical guy on Merit's grandfather team serving the supernatural community. It had always been recognized that he was a genius in computers and all things technology. We would get to see just how much of a genius he was in this book. Before moving on, please keep in mind that the story basically spanned a period of a few days. I didn't keep a detailed timeline view but I was certain that everything from discovery of villainous acts to the final showdown took less than a week.
First, Jeff helped Merit hack into various bank systems within Chicago to look for any safety deposit box that may belong to the shifter whose death Merit and Ethan was looking into. So okay, while it seemed like an extremely hard thing to do, perhaps it wasn't improbable. So Jeff set up his systems to run the hack algorithm while other investigative work occurred.
Then, Jeff apparently also decided to help with coding out a "predictive" algorithm which hopefully could help decode the mysterious hundreds of lines of alchemy symbols that they found. Again, he was able to build this predictive system and have his systems run while other things were going on.
Oh but that wasn't all, towards the end, Jeff also supported Mallory and Catcher in building a device that could detect alchemical energies over large areas, covering Chicago so that they could locate other potential alchemical sites.
OMG. Was it just me? Why did this feel so non-sensical and unrealistic? Even if Jeff was a genius, how was he able to do all of the above over a few days? So assuming he did not sleep and he was able to get it right the first time, the complexity of the work that he was doing would likely take teams of experts weeks and months to accomplish with many prototypes and rounds of testing.
Jeff was basically the pancea to all problems technology-related in this book. Simply magical!!
Problem #4 Merit the detective
I might have mentioned this before in a review of an earlier book in the series. The author really didn't know how to write mystery, let alone setting up Merit to be the "detective" to solve said mystery.
Case in point... A shifter was found dead and Merit/Ethan believed that a vampire and a sorcerer were involved, largely due to the presence of a bunch of alchemy symbols found at the crime site. So when they found this place in an isolated area (the Hellriver) where they discovered some similar symbols, they decided that the sorcerer must have something to do with the place.
Seriously? That was all it took? Where was the line of reasoning in all of this. It was like the author just wanted her story to flow a certain way so she used these obvious clues to try to tie seemingly disparate things together. However, from a mystery perspective, there was nothing mysterious about any of it.
Here's another example of Merit's (not) excellent problem-solving instinct... a necromancer informed Merit and Ethan that she found alchemy symbols in some cemetery. When the necromancer explained the situation, she told Merit something about "a man in suit was in that shed and then later left..." So automatically Merit thought it was the culprit vampire they were looking for and Ethan also added a comment that "all vampires wear suits".
At this point, I was ready to strangle somebody. A person leaving a shed full of alchemy symbols would make him a suspect. However, just because he was wearing s suit didn't automatically equate him to being a vampire. Also, I would have thought that it would be more likely the sorcerer who was there because he freakin' just walked out of a shed full of the damn symbols!!!!!
The storytelling and overall mystery-solving elements of this book was so poorly executed, I had no idea how to further describe it.
Problem #5 Final showdown!
After all the detecting non-sense, coupled with Jeff's magical touch on all technologies and Mallory/Catcher's invincible sorcery skills, they had a final showdown with the bad guys and of course the good guys won. The author tried to make it dramatic and climactic, but in reality, it was just contrived. Everything up to this point felt non-sensical and honestly by then I had already lost interest.
Really, all it took was some magic that Mallory/Catcher learned overnight (remember they didn't really know anything about alchemy before this and apparently it was very different from the magic that they practiced) to unwind the work that the bad guys did.
O.M.G. I can't even begin to describe how stupid that seemed.
There were other problems with this book too, which would be too numerous to name. The main issue, as I mentioned at the beginning already, was that this book was BORING.
I know I'm on a rant here, but I just have to let it out. One more time... BORING!
In my opinion, the author force-fed the story rather than let it flow/progress organically. I'd take a well-written story with good pace and great character development versus unnecessary drama and unrealistic plot development. Merit apparently resolved her issues with the Red Guard by just yelling at them, and it was like a wake-up call to those dumbasses. Well, I guess all multi-hundred-year-old vampires could use some yelling at if that was all it took to influence their ways of things. Perhaps Merit could try to yell at Ethan some more to correct his childish behaviors.
A few books ago, I had already mentioned in my reviews that I felt this series was heading a downhill trend. I really tried to stick it out longer. However, after the last book (which was bad already), and after the disaster that was this book, I've decided that I wouldn't waste more time on this series. I mean, if I happen to come across new installments at the library in the future, I might pick up one just to see how things are going, but I certainly wouldn't be adding any of the future books to my reading shelf proactively anymore. Not even the prospect of Merit and Ethan's marriage (yes, he FINALLY proposed at the end of the book) would turn my thinking around.
O.M.G. I could go on and on...
Herein lies the problem with this book, and this series in general: there was nothing new and exciting to offer with the main storyline and characters so the author just made something cheesy up and perhaps hoped that the series could get by for one more book...
Please allow me to elaborate further... AND, fair warning, there will be spoilers. I won't even try to hide my spoiler-y comments.
Problem #1 Unnecessary and uncharacteristic DRAMA
Let's first recall the charming, sophisticated, and sexy Ethan Sullivan introduced to us at the start of the series... Now fast-forward to book #12. Suddenly, Ethan has become an impulsive, childish 400-year-old vampire who acted out based on emotions. Seriously, I wasn't even sure if I was reading about the same character, but apparently I was. Ethan wanted to go head-to-head with Adrian Reed (the antagonist of the story) and he did. Ethan had a fall-out with Gabriel Keene (the alpha of the weres). These men were all acting childish and everything but strategic. I had no idea what was going on. Then of course, there had to be drama between Merit and Ethan. Sometimes I do believe that couples have to go through difficult times together in order for their relationship to strengthen. However, the disputes that occurred between Merit and Ethan just felt contrived and I didn't buy any of it. I just felt like it was one drama after another and none of it helped to move the story forward or further develop characters. In fact, the behaviors of the characters had regressed.
Problem #2 Alchemy!!! We have to solve the ALCHEMY problem!!!
So I had a basic understanding of what alchemy meant. It was basically an ancient form of chemistry which people used to transform matters. Well, as reader, I was treated to this explanation, oh I don't know, may be a bajillion times. It was always the same explanation though - a bunch of symbols, with ciphers, blah blah blah and transforming lead into gold blah blah etc.
All ready! I got the gist of it. Now move on to explain it a bit more in depth perhaps? Oh no, we were just treated to more of the same things. Instead, the study of the symbols that the supposedly bad guys used would be left to the hands of a couple of individuals who'd spend time in the library to decipher. All right, this really wasn't the problem, except these people found NOTHING of import NOTHING throughout the book until an important hint was retrieved to help "break the code".
So in the end, nothing was really explained about the principles and uses etc. of alchemy besides what was summarized above. The author just kept on repeating the same old same old, again and again... The over-abundance of ALCHEMY was like noise in the background after awhile.
Problem #3 The technology WIZ that Jeff was!!!
In order to solve mystery, of course we should leverage technology as best as we could. This was where Jeff came into play. He was the were-tiger that served as a technical guy on Merit's grandfather team serving the supernatural community. It had always been recognized that he was a genius in computers and all things technology. We would get to see just how much of a genius he was in this book. Before moving on, please keep in mind that the story basically spanned a period of a few days. I didn't keep a detailed timeline view but I was certain that everything from discovery of villainous acts to the final showdown took less than a week.
First, Jeff helped Merit hack into various bank systems within Chicago to look for any safety deposit box that may belong to the shifter whose death Merit and Ethan was looking into. So okay, while it seemed like an extremely hard thing to do, perhaps it wasn't improbable. So Jeff set up his systems to run the hack algorithm while other investigative work occurred.
Then, Jeff apparently also decided to help with coding out a "predictive" algorithm which hopefully could help decode the mysterious hundreds of lines of alchemy symbols that they found. Again, he was able to build this predictive system and have his systems run while other things were going on.
Oh but that wasn't all, towards the end, Jeff also supported Mallory and Catcher in building a device that could detect alchemical energies over large areas, covering Chicago so that they could locate other potential alchemical sites.
OMG. Was it just me? Why did this feel so non-sensical and unrealistic? Even if Jeff was a genius, how was he able to do all of the above over a few days? So assuming he did not sleep and he was able to get it right the first time, the complexity of the work that he was doing would likely take teams of experts weeks and months to accomplish with many prototypes and rounds of testing.
Jeff was basically the pancea to all problems technology-related in this book. Simply magical!!
Problem #4 Merit the detective
I might have mentioned this before in a review of an earlier book in the series. The author really didn't know how to write mystery, let alone setting up Merit to be the "detective" to solve said mystery.
Case in point... A shifter was found dead and Merit/Ethan believed that a vampire and a sorcerer were involved, largely due to the presence of a bunch of alchemy symbols found at the crime site. So when they found this place in an isolated area (the Hellriver) where they discovered some similar symbols, they decided that the sorcerer must have something to do with the place.
Seriously? That was all it took? Where was the line of reasoning in all of this. It was like the author just wanted her story to flow a certain way so she used these obvious clues to try to tie seemingly disparate things together. However, from a mystery perspective, there was nothing mysterious about any of it.
Here's another example of Merit's (not) excellent problem-solving instinct... a necromancer informed Merit and Ethan that she found alchemy symbols in some cemetery. When the necromancer explained the situation, she told Merit something about "a man in suit was in that shed and then later left..." So automatically Merit thought it was the culprit vampire they were looking for and Ethan also added a comment that "all vampires wear suits".
At this point, I was ready to strangle somebody. A person leaving a shed full of alchemy symbols would make him a suspect. However, just because he was wearing s suit didn't automatically equate him to being a vampire. Also, I would have thought that it would be more likely the sorcerer who was there because he freakin' just walked out of a shed full of the damn symbols!!!!!
The storytelling and overall mystery-solving elements of this book was so poorly executed, I had no idea how to further describe it.
Problem #5 Final showdown!
After all the detecting non-sense, coupled with Jeff's magical touch on all technologies and Mallory/Catcher's invincible sorcery skills, they had a final showdown with the bad guys and of course the good guys won. The author tried to make it dramatic and climactic, but in reality, it was just contrived. Everything up to this point felt non-sensical and honestly by then I had already lost interest.
Really, all it took was some magic that Mallory/Catcher learned overnight (remember they didn't really know anything about alchemy before this and apparently it was very different from the magic that they practiced) to unwind the work that the bad guys did.
O.M.G. I can't even begin to describe how stupid that seemed.
There were other problems with this book too, which would be too numerous to name. The main issue, as I mentioned at the beginning already, was that this book was BORING.
I know I'm on a rant here, but I just have to let it out. One more time... BORING!
In my opinion, the author force-fed the story rather than let it flow/progress organically. I'd take a well-written story with good pace and great character development versus unnecessary drama and unrealistic plot development. Merit apparently resolved her issues with the Red Guard by just yelling at them, and it was like a wake-up call to those dumbasses. Well, I guess all multi-hundred-year-old vampires could use some yelling at if that was all it took to influence their ways of things. Perhaps Merit could try to yell at Ethan some more to correct his childish behaviors.
A few books ago, I had already mentioned in my reviews that I felt this series was heading a downhill trend. I really tried to stick it out longer. However, after the last book (which was bad already), and after the disaster that was this book, I've decided that I wouldn't waste more time on this series. I mean, if I happen to come across new installments at the library in the future, I might pick up one just to see how things are going, but I certainly wouldn't be adding any of the future books to my reading shelf proactively anymore. Not even the prospect of Merit and Ethan's marriage (yes, he FINALLY proposed at the end of the book) would turn my thinking around.
February 4, 2018
Ethan, Merit, and their friends are planning to take in a Cubs game when they stumble upon the body of a Shifter. Two holes in his neck point to his killer being a vampire. When a vampire is spotted in the area, Ethan and Merit give chase. The pursuit ends with Merit being shot in the arm. As the group investigates, they find symbols painted on a wall near the body. These symbols point to alchemy. Merit and Ethan know it is Adrien Reed and the Circle behind the murder. Now they need to figure out what exactly the symbols mean.
The 12th book in the Chicagoland Vampires series is a bit predictable. As usual Cadogan House leads the way in finding out who is behind the mysterious symbols that are showing up around Chicago. Mallory and Catcher play a larger part in the plot than usual. I feel like Mallory has finally earned her way back into the trust of the vampires at Cadogan House. My rating: 4 Stars.
The 12th book in the Chicagoland Vampires series is a bit predictable. As usual Cadogan House leads the way in finding out who is behind the mysterious symbols that are showing up around Chicago. Mallory and Catcher play a larger part in the plot than usual. I feel like Mallory has finally earned her way back into the trust of the vampires at Cadogan House. My rating: 4 Stars.
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