Author: Chloe Neill
Publication: NAL Trade; 1 edition (February 5, 2013)
Description: In a city full of vampires, trouble never sleeps.
At the tender age of twenty-seven, Merit became a sword-wielding vampire. Since then, she’s become the protector of her House, watched Chicago nearly burn to the ground, and seen her Master fall and rise. Now she’ll see her mettle—and her metal—tested like never before.
It started with two . . . Two rogues vanishing without a trace. Someone is targeting Chicago’s vampires, and anyone could be next. With their house in peril, Merit and her Master, the centuries-old Ethan Sullivan, must race to stop the disappearances. But as they untangle a web of secret alliances and ancient evils, they realize their foe is more familiar, and more powerful, than they could have ever imagined.
My Thoughts: HOUSE RULES was another fine entry in the Chicagoland Vampires series. There are a number of plot threads that move along in the one. Cadogan House is formally withdrawing from the Greenwich Presidium but not before the aged and tricky vampires in the GP try another trick or two to leave House Cadogan vampires broke and homeless.
Merit completes her entrance into the Red Guard and, even though it is supposed to be a secret, has to tell Ethan about it which rocks their relationship. She also has to deal with one of Ethan's former vampires, now the Master of a House in California, who really wants a relationship with Ethan. Merit has momentary doubts about her own relationship with Ethan and there is jealousy on both sides for Ethan and Merit to work through.
And, third, someone is killing vampires in pairs. The first pair killed were Rogues. Since Ethan wants a better relationship with Chicago's Rogue vampires, he and Merit investigate. Merit also gets some help in her investigation from the Pack and from her Red Guard partner Jonah. Merit is also trying to rebuild her trust in her best friend Mallory who is under the control of the Pack as she battles her addiction to Black Magic.
I liked the way that Merit is forging relationships among the various vampire Houses and with the other supernaturals in Chicago. I liked that she was able to have a civil conversation with her father and get over some of the bitterness that she has toward him. I especially liked that her relationship with Ethan weathered the trials that it faced in this episode.
I am looking forward to more in this series. I want to see how Cadogan House manages in the new order without the oversight of the GP. I am especially eager to see how relations with supernaturals in Chicago change now that Merit's old enemy McKettrick has been appointed to a position by the mayor and has semi-official support for his hate campaign against all supernaturals.
Fans of strong, smart, kickass characters can't go wrong getting to know Merit.
Merit completes her entrance into the Red Guard and, even though it is supposed to be a secret, has to tell Ethan about it which rocks their relationship. She also has to deal with one of Ethan's former vampires, now the Master of a House in California, who really wants a relationship with Ethan. Merit has momentary doubts about her own relationship with Ethan and there is jealousy on both sides for Ethan and Merit to work through.
And, third, someone is killing vampires in pairs. The first pair killed were Rogues. Since Ethan wants a better relationship with Chicago's Rogue vampires, he and Merit investigate. Merit also gets some help in her investigation from the Pack and from her Red Guard partner Jonah. Merit is also trying to rebuild her trust in her best friend Mallory who is under the control of the Pack as she battles her addiction to Black Magic.
I liked the way that Merit is forging relationships among the various vampire Houses and with the other supernaturals in Chicago. I liked that she was able to have a civil conversation with her father and get over some of the bitterness that she has toward him. I especially liked that her relationship with Ethan weathered the trials that it faced in this episode.
I am looking forward to more in this series. I want to see how Cadogan House manages in the new order without the oversight of the GP. I am especially eager to see how relations with supernaturals in Chicago change now that Merit's old enemy McKettrick has been appointed to a position by the mayor and has semi-official support for his hate campaign against all supernaturals.
Fans of strong, smart, kickass characters can't go wrong getting to know Merit.
Favorite Quote:
"I joined the Red Guard."
Ethan's face went white, and his eyes went huge. He stared at me, and my heart fell to my knees.
"You—you..." He tried to speak, but he was furious enough that he couldn't get the words out. "You did what?"
I cleared my throat, trying to find my voice and remember why I'd made the decision that I had. Because I'd been given the choice to serve, and I knew my choice had been right. "I joined the Red Guard. I'm a member now."
Yet another reason to go and start reading this series. EVERYONE loves it and claims I will too. Nice review!
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