Release Date: April 07, 2009

Publisher: NAL Trade

Age Group: Adult

Pages: 341

Description:

They killed me. They healed me. They changed me.

Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn't exactly glamorous, but it was mine. I was doing fine until Chicago's vampires announced their existence to the world-and then a rogue vampire attacked me. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker... and this one decided the best way to save my life was to make me the walking undead.

Turns out my savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now I've traded sweating over my thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan "Lord o' the Manor" Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four hundred year old vampire, he has centuries' worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects my gratitude-and servitude. Right...

But my burgeoning powers (all of a sudden, I'm surprisingly handy with some serious weaponry), an inconvenient sunlight allergy, and Ethan's attitude are the least of my concerns. Someone's still out to get me. Is it the rogue vampire who bit me? A vamp from a rival House? An angry mob bearing torches?

My initiation into Chicago's nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war-and there will be blood...

My Review:

As one of Chicago's newest vampires Merit has a lot to learn about vampire society especially the part about obeying your Liege.

After being turned into a vampire (because she was attacked and would have died) by Ethan Sullivan the head vampire of Cadogan House Merit must now swear an oath of loyalty to protect and serve both Ethan and the house. The only problem is Merit has issues with the whole swearing an oath to the house and her new Liege Ethan. Merit has serious issues with Ethan, I mean he turned her into a vampire, which she never asked for, but she has some other feelings for him too which she finds hard admitting to herself. Apart from Merit's feelings towards Ethan, he also has some feelings for her too but he seems to be surprised by this but does ask Merit to be his mistress to which she replies no, what century are we in! Boy the sexual tension between these two characters is hot! Apart from vampires there are also a host of other supernatural beings that are introduced such as shifters and sorcerers and other vampires from the different houses.

Whilst most of the book deals with Merit trying to come to terms with her new lifestyle there is also an investigation going on to determine who tried to kill Merit which we find out at the end of the book.

Merit was by far my favourite character, she was headstrong, loyal, smart and took no crap from anyone. Ethan on the other hand, what can I say apart from the fact I can't decide if I love Ethan or hate Ethan sometimes I loved him other times I wanted to scream at him for being stupid! Arghh so frustrating!

By the end of the book you know that there is something different about Merit from other vampires and I'm sure this will be explored more in the next book because there is a lot more to know. I can't wait for the next book I need to get my hands on a copy ASAP!

** As I review mainly young adult novels I thought I better mention that this book is geared more towards an older audience **