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snoopydoo77's review against another edition
4.0
OMG. This is it folks. This is the FINAL book of the Chicagoland Vampire series and I must say it is bittersweet. There were some books where I wasn’t sure if I gonna stick with the series but in the end I did and I’m glad that I did.
It was an overall enjoyable ride with Merit and Ethan. I always find it hard to review the final book of a series and this is no different in this case. Anyway, I will try to make it short and sweet without giving anything away and without only reviewing just end of the series, if that makes any sense.
The book starts in full prep of the wedding and what may or may not be in stall for our beloved characters. The wedding is actually happening even with some killer security all over the place since it is kind of a big deal not only for Methan but for Chicago as well. I have to say that the wedding, which includes the bridal shower, dress, reception and the whole thing was just beautiful and fit for Merit. It had Merit and Ethan written all over it while still catering to Chicago and of course her parents.
Of course it doesn’t take long before Chaos breaks out and Chicago is once, more in danger. Methan and gang are of course right in the middle and willing to help, but not everything goes smooth and they once again end up being the target for humans. It gets so bad that the humans including the Mayor are ready to hand over not only Merit, but also Mallory to end the whole thing. Of course that doesn’t go over well with neither Ethan nor Catcher.
We see almost everyone and all supernatural races throughout the book once to help or at least they are mentioned to what happened to them. That includes the Fae , the council of vampires , the pack of shifters and of course the Order, plus some others.
I wish we would have seen more of Gabriel and his pack given he was a big part of the series and let’s not forget the prophecy her foresaw but overall it was okay.
In the end the of course defeat the “big bad” with the help of not only the order but also the RG.I liked how everyone came together in the end to figure it out and fight.
Merit in this book was a bit more, hmmmmm sad maybe…… she kind of grieved for things she couldn’t have or may or may not have in the future. But in the end she picker herself up and knew what to do. I liked how while kind of sad she was still super happy with Ethan and being married to him, it was odd seeing her married but it really fit her. Of course she kicks butt in this book, just like all the previous book and I don’t think there is much that can take her down. It is kind of hard believe that it has only been a little over a year for her since her journey as a vampire began. But she came very far and I was happy for her outcome.
Ethan, well it was no secret that most the books I was either not sure about him or didn’t like him. Only the last few books had I started to like him. Well Ethan managed to finally win me over with this book. I really like him in this book for what he did and the way he handled things. Not only with Merit but also people, vampires and humans alike. He became funnier with each book as well I guess more relaxed. It was nice to see him that way funny, relaxed, but still very alpha and protective. He came a long way from the stiff vampire who ate a hotdog with fork and knife and had very little humor that we met in book one. Oh and we finally learn the nickname he has for Merit and it actually is really fitting.
Mallory and Catcher were a big part of this book and a big part of solving the problem but I think what came over most was the friendship between the four of them and of course between Merit and Malory . At one point in the series I wasn’t sure if I ever could forgive Mallory but I really think I can and did. She did some truly bad things and it took time to heal for everyone but in the end it all worked out.
I always liked Catcher and what he stood for and I liked his relationship with Mallory I don’t think there could have been anyone else for them. They were perfect for each other and balanced each other out greatly even or more so after everything that went down throughout the series.
Okay, now to some thoughts of the overall ending of the series, it will be spoiler free.
Most things in the series will be tight up by the end of the book, what happened to some of the supernatural races or other little things, some things were either not mentioned or just left hanging. Some characters that were in previous books and are still very much alive are not even mentioned which was kind of disappointing but I can understand that not everything can be included sometimes. They were not major characters or storylines so it was not so bad.
Thing with the AAM and the RG are mentioned and some things are solved. The RG thing, well not sure about that it was almost too neat and easy, and if that case could have been solved like that a few books ago. It kind of made no sense.
Now to the prophecy that we been hearing about for forever………. I liked the outcome but again it was a bit too easy again……. I saw it coming that way at a certain point at the book it was predicable (in this book) and kind of a cop out I thought, At least for something so big we been waiting for almost the entire series. There were also some minor issues I had with but don’t want to mention or I would spoil some and really it was nothing big anyways.
I heard that there is supposed to be a spin off series but to be honest I have not checked of it has been announced about who and where. But I think I have some ideas after this books.
Overall I thought it was a great ending to a great series, while it had it lows it many more highs and I enjoyed this book and series. I really will miss Methan and the gang.
I rate the book 4★. The series I guess would be a 3 ½★ - 4 ★
Some of my favorite Quotes
Luc saluted. “Sire.” He glanced at me, grinned. “Mrs. Sire.”
“Nope,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m going to nope that one right there.”
***
“I hope to God that is Chris Pratt riding a velociraptor.”
***
“Happy Darth Sullivan Eve.”
***
“I am your husband, and your friends, and you lover. And I am also a soldier. I am a vampire. I am monster, in no small part.” The Emerald shifted, transmuted to quicksilver- one element battling another. “And if I must show them in that order ti protect you, I will. Should it come to that, God have mercy on their souls. Because I will have none.”
***
Luc saluted. “Sire.” He glanced at me, grinned. “Mrs. Sire.”
“Nope,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m going to nope that one right there.”
***
“I hope to God that is Chris Pratt riding a velociraptor.”
***
“Happy Darth Sullivan Eve.”
***
“I am your husband, and your friends, and you lover. And I am also a soldier. I am a vampire. I am monster, in no small part.” The Emerald shifted, transmuted to quicksilver- one element battling another. “And if I must show them in that order ti protect you, I will. Should it come to that, God have mercy on their souls. Because I will have none.”
***
*I received a free copy from the publisher via Netgalley and chose to leave a voluntary review. Thank you!*
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
My Take
Yep, it's the last of the Chicagoland Vampires in this generation. You'll just have to keep an eye out for Wild Hunger, the first in the Heirs of Chicagoland coming in 2018. It should be just as fun as this series has been.
Meantime, "who's getting married in the evening! Ding dong! The bad guys are gonna chime…" 'Cause, yeah, that's how they roll in Chicagoland Vampires. A disaster every minute. God forbid Merit and Ethan actually get the whole wedding thing. Although, Merit did have a nice start on it with the bachelorette party Lindsey and Mallory planned. The things you can do with chocolate…talk about YUM!
The ideal bachelorette party is one where you can "objectify his body and his brain …'cause he gives good word…"It does sound as though the ceremony and the decor were gorgeous. And that dress! Oh, lordy. It sounds so pretty.
It's pretty much the same ol', same ol' with a nice bit of tension, as the core gang tries to figure out how to take down the bad girl and her new pet. At the same time, Neill has woven in Gabe's prediction about the child.
And for some reason, Neill just had to toss in a really lame trope to, what? Create some tension? Drama? It was superfluous and unnecessary. Worse, Neill never went anywhere with it. Oh, she did resolve it later in the book, but what was the point of even bringing it in?
I do like that Merit and Mallory call people on their crap, lol. That fairy snarks, and Mallory snarks right back — you go, girl! I liked how the girls summed up Sorcha's actions. And too true they were.
It's this attitude that Neill has toward her characters and the plot beats that makes me characterize the series as young adult. And no, I don't mean to be offensive to young adult readers. Neill simply doesn't put thought into her scenarios. Can the cops and politicians really be this obtuse about how useful the Order will be? Do they seriously not check them out? They've experienced what the Houses can do, and compared to the Order…hmphh, I know who I'd trust. As for their deciding so quickly about Sorcha's demands…yep, their response is juvenile as well. Neill could at least have written some argument into this…*eye roll*…
Crack me up: "How exactly, did one bottle blood that was 'shade grown'?"
Spoiler
Then there's Ethan's worries about Merit eating for two…he figures he'll have to go into bankruptcy if she's eating twice as much as she usually does. Elisa may only use one word for all occasions, but the way Neill writes of her, you grasp every nuance, lol.What's the deal with this Cadogan House tradition that has never been done before??
Okay, yeah, the ending was cute and about time, but it was too easy. Especially after the actions of the politicos throughout the story. One press conference and ta-dahhh??
The Story
Since the night of her brutal attack and unwilling transformation to vampire, Merit’s stood as Sentinel and protector of Chicago’s Cadogan House. She's saved the Windy City from the forces of darkness time and again with her liege and lover, Ethan Sullivan, by her side.
Now the House has been infiltrated and Merit is attacked by a vampire seemingly under the sway of dark magic, Merit and Ethan realize the danger is closer than they could have ever imagined. As a malign sorcery spreads throughout the city, Merit must go to war against supernatural powers beyond her comprehension. It’s her last chance to save everything … and everyone … she loves.
The Characters
Merit "Duchess" has stood as the House Sentinel and protector almost from the very start in Some Girls Bite, 1. She's been much less conspicuous as the House social chair. Mallory Carmichael, the shadowed girl, is her dearest friend, maid of honor, and a sorceress with issues. She's married to Catcher Bell, a sorcerer.
Merit's father, Joshua, is more interested in doing business with Merit Properties while her mother, Meredith, obsesses with committees and social doings. Charlotte is Merit's sister (and her bridesmaid); Olivia is her little girl (and the flowergirl). Her brother, Robert, and his wife, Elizabeth, aren't interested in Merit now that she's a vampire…and since she queered his deal with Adrien Reed.
Ethan "Darth" Sullivan, a.k.a., Bloodletter, is the Master of Cadogan House and Merit's love. Balthasar had been Ethan's sire. Amit Patel is the most powerful vampire in the world and a Very Strong Psych as well as Ethan's best man.
Cadogan House is…
…one of four vampire houses (think sorority/fraternity) in Chicago. Malik is Ethan's second-in-command and married to Aaliyah, a writer. Helen is the House den mother. Luc is captain of the House guards and is sweet on Lindsey, another guard and one of Merit's friends. Juliet "Jules", Kelly and Brody (he's an excellent driver) are more guards. Margot is the House chef. Katherine plays a mean cello and her brother, Thomas, plays the violin. Paige is a sorceress who is dating the Cadogan Librarian. Peter Cadogan was the first Master.
Other Houses in Chicago include…
…Grey House where Jonah is the captain of the guards as well as Merit's partner in the Red Guard. Scott Grey is their master. Morgan Greer is head of Navarre House.
Lacey Sheridan is Master of Sheridan House in San Diego and had been in love with Ethan. Nicole Heart is the head of Atlanta's Heart House and founder of the Assembly of American Masters, which replaced the Greenwich Presidium (Blood Games, 10). Victor Garcia is head of Cabot House in New York (Blood Games).
The Red Guards (RG) are…
…a secret organization of vampires who keep an eye on the Masters and how they treat their vampires.
The Ombudsman's Office is…
…the official liaison between the supernaturals and the police. Chuck Merit, Merit's grandfather, is the ombudsman. Jeff Christopher, a tiger shifter, is the computer ace. Catcher Bell is another of Chuck's.
Chicago PD and politics
Detective Pulaski is in charge of the crazed mob incident. Jim Wilcox is in charge of SWAT. Special Agent Mikaela Pierce is with the FBI Paranormal Response Unit. Detective Arthur Jacobs has been a longtime supporter of the ombudsman and Cadogan. Mayor Diane Kowalcyzk has come a long way. Lane Conrad is her jerk of a chief of staff.
The Order is…
…a hopeless union of sorcerers and sorceresses and led by Al Baumgartner. He'll partner up with the egomaniacal Simpson, Tangetti, and Morehouse.
Sorcha Reed (Dark Debt, 11) is the Maleficent of Chicago, a wicked sorceress who escaped (Midnight Marked, 12). The Towerline building was the fiasco Merit's father regrets. Logan Hill had been the vampire who had attacked Merit in Some Girls Bite. The Danzig Manuscript is a grimoire from the 17th century written by Portnoy. The Egregore is Sorcha's Trojan horse.
Gabriel is the alpha for the North American Central Pack; Tanya is his mate and Connor is their son. Fallon Keene is Gabriel's sister and dating Jeff. Shay Templeton will be the wedding photographer. Sean and Colin are brothers who own Temple Bar, the official Cadogan watering hole. Mrs. Bly wants her human nephew in Cadogan House. I'm not sure what Experience is, but I'll guess it's a business that caters to any experience you want. Annabelle Shaw is their friendly neighborhood necromancer (Midnight Marked, 12). Seth Tate, a former Chicago mayor, is the "good" half of the twin being and is still imprisoned; Dominic had been his "bad" half. Regan is his magically enhanced niece. Claudia is the queen of the fairies who betrayed Cadogan House. Emain Ablach is the green land, fairy land that Claudia can see but not visit. Paxton Leonard is one of the gatekeepers of precious documents at the University of Chicago Library. Nick Breckenridge is a journalist with the Tribune, a shifter, and an old friend of Merit's.
Winston Stiles is a vampire with too many issues. Rosemary Parsons was the rioter with the knife. Pham is tapped to help on the boat being crushed. Stephen is the kid who goes overboard. Taylor is trapped under a building, all because of Tootsie.
The Cover and Title
I suspect the man on this cover is intended to be Ethan, but if it is…ugh… He's definitely not the pretty boy I'd thought he was supposed to be. I know, I know, I'm so shallow. It's dark, this cover. All deep grays and blacks of a stone staircase with balustrade rising up to the yellow-lit front door flanked by pots of yellow mums. Merit, her long black hair moving in the breeze, the blade of her katana resting on the shoulder of her black leather jacket, as she stands clad in worn blue jeans and high-heeled knee-high boots, one knee bent on the step above. The man with her is in black as well, crouched several steps above her, one hand on his knee, the other holding his own katana, an elbow resting on his other knee. The author's name and informational blurbs are in white at the top of the cover. The title is in a deep coral across Merit's knees while the series information is below that in yellow against a black background with a yellow outline and elaborate ends.
The title is the key to their and the city's salvation, to become Blade Bound…and safe.
theeniemartinko's review against another edition
5.0
witchylevy's review against another edition
5.0
lauren_miller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
there were so many things I enjoyed about this series because I went in having read the sequels. it was fun to know things and watch how they came to fruition—though I still found myself surprised and shocked plenty of times! In the end, while Sorcha's ending kinda felt like a copout, the actual ending and epilogue were pretty satisfying (and adorable!). I'm actually looking forward to reading Heirs of Chicagoland now knowing all that the first series entails. It'll be interesting to take in the new characters and Elisa's perspective on becoming a novitiate, dating you know who, etc. against the background of her parents' story.
overall, I really did find this to be so much fun! sure, there were a lot of convoluted plot lines and bureaucracy for days, but in the end, the characters (all of them, side characters especially) were engaging and created such a great found family vibe, the breadth of the world-building was impressive, and the depths of emotion that this series wrung out of me... it was all worth it. I would absolutely recommend to those interested in paranormal fantasy and paranormal romance.
amym84's review against another edition
4.0
I'm always apprehensive to read series enders, especially when those series are so near and dear to me like the Chicagoland Vampires. Not only is it sad to see these characters that I (and other readers) have become accustomed to getting at least one book released every year (sometimes 2 plus novellas), there's an amazing amount of trepidation to find out if the author will end the series satisfactorily. The ends are always a gamble.
So how do things stack up with Blade Bound? Well, I felt like there was a lot of ground that needed to be addressed / covered. Maybe not a lot of ground per se, but some big important things that I know I wanted to see tackled before we say goodbye (or at least goodbye for now).
First, things in [b:Midnight Marked|20556439|Midnight Marked (Chicagoland Vampires, #12)|Chloe Neill|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1433339862s/20556439.jpg|38695984], were left open when evil sorceress Sorcha Reed escaped from her imposed prison. So, it's no big guess as to say that everyone is kind of waiting for Sorcha to make her appearance again. They're just wondering what kind of revenge she's going to enact on those who ruined her initial plans.
Then, there's Merit and Ethan's long-time-coming nuptials. Since the beginning of the series these two have been an UF couple staple. Even through the rough times, they've deserved their happily-ever-after. I was happy with the time that Chloe Neill took to show their happy day on the page. Even though she peppers it throughout with shots of unsettlement. Everyone knows that the lull in bad things happening can only last for so long. For me, Ethan and Merit finally getting to say their "I do's" was inevitable. But that's not saying I didn't enjoy it. If anything, Blade Bound just showed their relationship, and the future of their relationship, growing even stronger. Probably the strongest we've ever seen it within the series. Yes, they've been a committed couple for a few books now, but they've still had their struggles. Here, their relationship felt more mature.
This, then, brings me to the final thing I needed to see tied-up in Blade Bound. Something involving a certain prophecy given by Gabriel Keene the leader of the North American shifters back in the book [b:Twice Bitten|7060582|Twice Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires, #3)|Chloe Neill|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1441494976s/7060582.jpg|7312508]. This was a big one for me because for roughly ten books now this prophecy has been looming in the background of all actions and decisions made by Merit and Ethan. That one day they would be parents to the first vampire-born child.
With everything that has happened and ends up happening in the course of this book, Merit begins to question whether or not she would want to bring a child into a world that has seen its fare share of evil and danger.
Since all of these topics are covered within the story (in one way, shape, or form), I didn't really feel like there was anything unpredictable about how events proceeded. No unforeseen twists thrown in as a parting farewell. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I don't really believe the place for throwing in new twists and tantalizing storylines is in the final book in a series. It is precisely for tying up the remaining storythreads. Answering long-standing questions.
I enjoyed what Chloe Neill chose to focus on: namely, what I felt, was getting back to that core four person relationship in Merit, Ethan, Catcher, and Mallory. These four started out the series somewhat begrudgingly working together. Of course Catcher and Mallory formed their own unit almost immediately while Merit and Ethan took a bit longer to get their acts together. Things diverged for the friends somewhat when Mallory went through her evil phase around the [b:Drink Deep|9815702|Drink Deep (Chicagoland Vampires, #5)|Chloe Neill|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1296789716s/9815702.jpg|14706158] timeline. So probably my most unexpected, yet happy-it-happened thing from Blade Bound was that I was finally happy with the footing Mallory and Merit are on since the beginning of the series.
In fact, a lot of this book felt like we were coming full circle. Yes, we get a glimpse, or even a mention, of pretty much all pertinent events that have occurred throughout the series, but the main focus is on Chicago itself and vampires in particular. Having the vampire population ousted by Celina just before events in the first book have caused quite the whirlwind, and to think this series, from beginning to end, only takes place within the span of a little over a year's timeframe. In that context there's a lot that happens, so it was nice to see things kind of getting back to basics as the case may be.
Overall, I enjoyed Blade Bound. While I wasn't utterly surprised by how things wind up, it was a good read. One I equally didn't want to put down, but also didn't want to finish because that would mean the end.
Now, I know that Chloe Neill is doing a spin-off series. At this point I don't think it's been revealed who the spin-off will follow, but reading the end of Blade Bound gives a possible clue. My interest is definitely piqued. No, I'm not going to even post my guess here so I guess we'll have to wait and see on publication day.
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
isa77's review against another edition
2.0
Just have to say that I thought it was going to be a bang and the only thing it was was a clash and a thank lord it's over...
kate_and_books's review against another edition
3.0
First off though I would like to say that this series could have easily been four/five books shorter as a lot of the plots were reused. Too many books with Celina, and one too many books with Sorcha here.
The vampires of the house were more of a side thought then anything else and it was odd when they were thrown in there. The good thing about the book was that although I skipped books ten to twelve it was like I missed virtually nothing.
Ethan seems to have turned into a decent vampire so there is hope for him yet. Merit well she could have done a lot better, she could have had Jonah. Oh well who am I to complain?
All in all I like the author's style and there is talent but don't over milk the cow.
wannabekingpin's review against another edition
4.0
About: On her return from wedding preparations Merit hurries into Sullivan’s office to leave him a note. But instead of finding him there, or just an empty room as was more expected, she runs into a poorly looking man. He, looking irritated, and like he had no sleep for weeks to go, is getting more and more agitated, demanding the screaming to stop. After a short little brawl that ends him in a hospital, where he does recover, the episode reoccurs on a broader scale. Mostly among people who were at the epicenter of Alchemical Magic explosion from the previous book. People are driven nuts by the voices in their head, fighting each other, fighting others. And if that’s not enough, the rest of the Chicago is about to turn against vampires and other supernaturals too. For the air is tinged with an odd smell, and ever dropping cold that has already encased their lake in solid ice, and will likely kill all the flora that isn’t used to surviving Chicago’s winters. Something dark is brewing, and it is very, very angry…
Mine: Wichcraft and Alchemy got separated very clearly here. Author used such real life mystery sources as Voynich manuscript for a big portion of the magic present, and while I believe the translation of the said manuscript was much too simple, I do still like what was made using it. And how they fought against it. Other than some good battles, and Merit’s sudden loss of apetite while in moral debates over whether she even wants a child in a world like this, it wasn’t all that bad and teeth-rotting sweet as I feared. I shouldn’t have said “other than” there, I know, makes no sense. Anyway, Merit and Sullivan got married. They had a baby at the very end of the book, thus skipping the often annoying part of a lot of fiction where hero is going through her first pregnancy. They all gathered for a birthday party with their kids, and each one had a very different experience on parenting. A fair ending.
From what I gather now, I think author simply got too big of a goal set for her, or set for herself. Three hundred pages per thirteen books can’t be an easy task even if you do have lots and lots of ideas. Thus some books lost their plot quality, some even very greatly. But, other than that, and this time I am using it in the right place, on the right time, her humor always remained good and simple, cracking me up time, and time again. Vampires were decent, for I still don’t appreciate them being so human-like. Shifters were even better. So the last book gets a solid 4 out of 5 from me. And now they got to the bottom of my e-shelf, for I am absolutely done.