TITLE: Biting Cold (Chicagoland Vampires 06)
AUTHOR: Chloe Neill
GENRE: Paranormal
PUBLISHED: 8/07/2012
RATING: ★★★☆☆
PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon / Barnes&Noble
MOBILISM LINK: Mobilism
Review: Biting Cold is the latest book in the Chicagoland Vampires series. It's set after the events of the fifth novel Drink Deep. While you could read this book by itself, I don't recommend it. There are no novellas to contend with so the plot proceeds as expected. I have included *SPOILERS* for those who haven't read the previous book(s) so be warned!
Biting Cold starts out in a precarious position. While his condition is in doubt, Ethan remains back from the dead. Merit and Ethan are embarking on a road trip to deal with the Maleficium and Merit's former best friend, now adversary, Mallory. The humans in Chicago, led by the evil new mayor, are also a looming threat to Chicago's vampires and other supernaturals. Then, to top it off, an old enemy goes off the chain and adds to their troubles (along with an unexpected ally.)
How does the author dig her characters out of the hole she's put them in? Very well as it turns out, though not perfectly. You're not kept waiting long for some of the problems to be resolved and something new to be served up. There's also a new hitch in Merit and Ethan's romance which serves to ratchet up the tension.
It's worth revisiting Ethan's death at the end of book 4. This was a shocking and very emotional experience for many readers of the series. Our emotional connection was strong enough that some of us probably bawled our eyes out. While Merit managed to hobble along without him until the end of book 5, it did create a new problem. What was the author to do? It probably would have been the most authentic to leave his death stand. This isn't a series that aims for a high and artistic literary goal though - this is a series that entertains those of us who are fond of this group of motley characters. So the author went with choice number 2 - find a way to bring him back. While it does still somewhat cheapen his death, she does find a half-way plausible route to do so and thus gladdens the heart of many an Ethan fan.
Many previous characters from this well built world come into play, and there is a little comic relief on occasion. This is an area I feel the author could be a little stronger in without going overboard and changing the books tone. The gnomes were a great touch! When you get to that part of the book, you'll see what I mean.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes I did! I found it to be an above average book for the series and an entertaining read.
Would I recommend it to others? I would if you've read the previous books with some enjoyment.
