Ethan and Merit have just left a party at her parents’ house. (I won’t mention the nature of the party so as not to spoil the Big Thing that happens at the end of Midnight Marked, which means that this is probably not one of those novellas that you can read out of order in the series.) On the way home from the party Merit receives a call for help from her necromancer friend Annabelle. Merit and Ethan then find themselves patrolling a cemetery in their formalwear looking for a grave robber.

Someone’s stolen a skull and raised a ghost. Merit calls in her grandfather and the Ombuddies to help investigate. She even encounters Chicago’s very own version of Ghost Facers, the Paranormal Action Network, also looking for the summoner. And then the ghost follows her home. Vampires are being attacked in the tunnels under Cadogan House and the case becomes much more personal.

One thing I loved about this story was the amount of Chicago history that it incorporates, starting with those tunnels. Then there’s the possible connection between the ghost and Al Capone. Merit’s usually so focused on the city’s food, and I love that too, but it’s nice to see other aspects of Chicago in the series. My other favorite moment is Merit shutting down a vampire bashing relative. She’s probably all of us at a big family gathering, but it feels especially pointy this year.

Phantom Kiss is set two months after Midnight Marked and two months before Blade Bound, which will be the series finale. I liked having this extra little slice of life before I have to say goodbye to these characters. I even got to see Merit fighting side by side with Catcher, which took me back to the early days of the series. I just wish this story was longer. I was surprised what a quick read it was. But fans of the series won’t want to miss this opportunity to spend a little more time with Methan and the gang before the end.

Phantom kiss is a Novella in Chloe Neil's Chicagoland Vampire series. Merit and Ethan are getting married and Merits mother is throwing them a shower. But on the way home they stop at the cemetery and find out there a ghost out there. Which follows them home. Now there's a ghost of a serial killer out there. Now they need to get rid of him before others are hurt! Great Novella in the series. Action adventure keeps you wanting more! Can't wait to read the final installment of the series!

Chronologically, Phantom Kiss is the novella that bridges the gap between Midnight Marked and Blade Bound, the last book in the series. How is this series so close to being done? Guys, I'm not ready for it to be over! I love Ethan and Merit and the gang so much!

Ethan and Merit are preparing for their wedding when Annabelle, their friendly neighborhood necromancer, calls them to investigate a weird grave robbery. Soon they find Cadogan House has become a haunted house and they have to figure out how to get rid of a ghost who doesn't want to be gotten rid of.

I enjoyed the hell out of this story! It was the perfect length to give us a Chicagoland fix while waiting for the last book. This novella is a nice addition to the series but isn't essential to the overall arc of the series (To my knowledge anyway! I haven't read the last book.) And it was fun while expanding the world a bit past the vampires and shifters we've become accustomed to in the series.

I loved the ghost story angle and that we got to see more of Annabelle! She's quickly becoming one of my favorite characters in the series and I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that she'll get a novella or a book of her own. It was fun reading about Merit and Ethan having to learn how to fight a ghost and I loved seeing another side of the supernatural in this world. The plot progression is well done with surprising little twists along the way with a conclusion that was great while keeping the humor and snark we've come to expect in the series.

Overall, I loved it and I'd recommend reading it if you're a fan of the series. It'll help a bit with the wait for Blade Bound.

The end of the series is close but this novel was good, it’s always nice to see Merit and Ethan.
Phantom Kiss is a story about ghost, Merit and Ethan are involved because Annabelle asked them for help. The ghost is a badass who can beat a vampire and all the team is ready for him.
In this book you can also see Mallory, Catcher, Jeff, Luc, Lindsey, Margot and Merit’s grandfather, mother and sister.
It was a good book to read during the wait of Blade Bound, it’s a very fast reading and the story is full of action at a fast rhythm.
One more book and the series will come to an end, but I hope it will be the end I want, so finger crossed.

As a huge fan of the Chicagoland Vampires series I love it when Chloe Neill writes these novellas to help tide us over until the next full length book releases. Phantom Kiss was a great way to slip back into this world and it definitely left me more eager than ever for the April release of Blade Bound.

Merit and Ethan's evening starts with a wedding shower organised by Merit's mother and sister and ends with a trip to a cemetery to investigate a freshly disturbed grave. Frankly I'm not sure which of the two events is more terrifying but the fallout for the open grave has far more serious consequences. I don't think we've seen much ghostly action throughout the series so that was a nice change of pace and I thought it was hilarious to see how the Cadogan vampires reacted to the idea that the house may be haunted.

As always I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Merit and Ethan working together and we get to see all our favourite familiar faces like Mallory, Catcher, Jeff and Merit's Grandfather. We also get to spend more time with local necromancer Annabelle which was great, I really like her character and hope we'll see more of her in the final book.

I'm so sad that this series is coming to an end but I have very high hopes for Blade Bound and can't wait to see Merit and Ethan get their happily ever after.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Fans will be pleased to know that Phantom Kiss has all the things we love about the Chicagoland Vampires series. Yes, it may just be a novella but it has a well written plot with plenty of action!

Phantom Kiss starts off with Merit and Ethan attending their wedding shower at the home of Merit’s parents. After the shower ends, Merit and Ethan get a call from Annabelle, a necromancer, about a desiccated grave belonging to a thug that worker for Al Capone. Upon arriving back to Cadogan House, strange things to begin to occur and it isn’t until someone is attacked that Merit and Ethan realize that one responsible is a ghost they accidentally picked up at the cemetery. Now they have to find a way to get rid of this ghost otherwise they will find themselves living in a haunted house where the ghost enjoys doing harm.

Overall, I thought Phantom Kiss was an enjoyable read for a novella.Yes, this sets the stage for Blade Bound, set to be released on April 25 2017, but at least it was another great installment to the Chicagoland Vampires series. I’m sure fans will enjoy this novella once it is released.

This series has been awesome since the beginning, and this one is as well. It is a short e-novella but that does not stop her from packing it with details. The story revolves around Merit and Ethan's wedding shower, and the events that occur directly after because as we all know things happen almost every time they step out of Cadogen house. I love the characters, and the story flows smoothly keeping you hooked until the end. I give it 4/5 stars.

I'm torn about the ending of the Chicagoland Vampire Series. PHANTOM KISS added a fantastic adventure to this series that will be ending with the release of BLADE BOUND on April 25, 2017.. When you love a series you never want it to end; I truly love Chicagoland Vampires.

That being said, how did Neill pack so much into PHANTOM KISS? Neill did skimp, it has all the characters we've come to love, just the right of steam between Ethan and Merit and a fun and exciting plot with a twist. A Ghostly adventure to devour.

I received this ARC copy of Phantom Kiss from Berkley Publishing Group - InterMix. This is my honest and voluntary review. This book is set for publication Jan. 17, 2017.

My Rating: 5 stars

Written by: Chloe Neill
Series: Chicagoland Vampires
Print Length: 82 pages
Publisher: InterMix
Publication Date: January 17, 2017
Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
ASIN: B01LZM8426
Genre: Urban Fantasy

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Phantoms Kiss is a novella in the Chicagoland Vampires series and reminds me of why I have come to adore these characters and the action packed storylines, this one being about a crazy ghost.

After a recent attack by a dark sorcerer everyone at Cadogen House is on edge so when they learn that graves are being disturbed an undead are being raised it puts everyone on alert especially when it shows up and attacks within their walls.

Chloe Neill packs a lot of punch in this short novella, there are a few shock twists, many witty moments and the banter and smexy times between Merit and Ethan shows us just why they are so perfect together. We also have the rest of the crew in this book and each play a pivotal role.

I can’t wait to read Blade Bound on the 25th April, after reading a small snippet it is sure to leave us all entertained.

Phantom Kiss is a novella serving as 12.5 in the Chicagoland Vampires series. Merit and Ethan are just two months from their wedding. After attending a joint wedding showing, the couple is once again sidetracked by supernatural duty to help protect Chicago from all manner of paranormal beasties. When they get a call detailing that someone is disturbing graves and stealing skulls, they are on high alert that a past foe, a powerful sorceress, might be back in town.

When a dangerous spirit seems to have followed them home to Cadogan House, Merit and Ethan realize that vanquishing this evil spectre might be a challenge.

This is a quick, exciting read with just enough supernatural flair! I enjoyed the banter and visits from some of the series' favorite characters. Neill makes it easy for fans to fall right back in with characters and the tone of familiarity between not only Merit and Ethan but the rest of the gang. My only request was that the story be longer so as to build up the sense of intrigue but overall it was engaging and well written.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Follow the author on Twitter: @chloeneill



#PhantomKiss #ChicagolandVampires #novella #MeritAndEthan #mystery #ghosts #romance

Loved this novella and the tone it is setting for the final book. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!

I’m generally not a short story/novella person, but as I have been with Merit since the beginning, I went ahead and requested this title. I have no regrets whatsoever. Events in this title take place right before the last book in the series, Blade Bound. Annabelle contacts Merit about a disturbed grave she finds, and in the course of the investigation, Cadogan House becomes haunted with a malevolent spirit. Will Ethan, Merit, and company be able to banish it before someone gets seriously hurt or worse? One of the things I really love about this series is the easy and comfortable interaction between Merit and Ethan. You can feel the love between them, and that love is front and center in this one. Another thing that I really respect about this series, and is also present in this novella, is that Ethan lets Merit protect him, even when his instinct is to protect her. It’s so nice to see a man do that in some urban fantasy/paranormal romance. At any rate, this novella is a great in-between book with plenty of action and nods to all the main characters. It was bittersweet to read this as I will really miss this wonderful, fun, well-written series. Highly recommend to all fans of the Chicagoland Vampires series!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the e-copy of the book. This same review will be posted on both Goodreads and Amazon.

In between the proposal and the wedding are all those planning sessions, showers, and exorcisms.

Final thoughts: It's short, like a couple of chapters from a regular Chicagoland novel, so it doesn't have a lot of "meat" to it. It added some depth to the characters and the story, but it's not unforgettable. More than anything, I'm just worried about how this will all finally end in the next book, especially because we've had no further information on a Merit/Ethan kid, despite that being pretty dang important in the early books.

*Source* NetGalley
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0

*My Thoughts*

Phantom Kiss bridges the gap between Midnight Marked (Chicagoland Vampires # 12) and the final novel in the series, Blade Bound (Chicagoland Vampires # 13). It has been 2 months since Merit and her allies found a way to defeat a pair of adversaries that were a major thorn in Ethan's side. That being said, one of those adversaries has escaped and is now in the wind. The not knowing if this adversary will return or not, hangs over the fact that it is now TWO months until Merit and Ethan's wedding date.

Which pretty much means acting like nothing is happening. Smiling while attending the couple's wedding shower put on by her mother & sister, and meeting with Merit's sometimes supportive family members who each have their own opinions about Merit's vampire status. But, let's move on.

After being alerted to someone disturbing a grave in Almshouse Cemetery by one of my favorite new characters to the series necromancer Annabelle Shaw, Merit & Ethan soon find themselves involved in yet another curious mystery. A mystery that involves Paranormal Investigators, the usual suspects like Mallory, Catcher, Jeff, & Grandpa, ghosts, a wine cellar, and a bit of Chicago history.

As we countdown to the final novel in the series, author Chloe Neill gives readers a little catch up on what our favorite characters have doing since defeating their adversaries. With the release of Phantom Kiss novella, you also get a sneak peek into the final novel. Some of us are holding our breaths to see how author Chloe Neill wraps up this series, and sends Merit, Ethan, and the cast of the Chicagoland Vampires stage right where they will take their final bows.

Expected publication: January 17th 2017

Merit and Ethan are dealing was something a little different this time around when they discover Cadogan House is being haunted by a ghost. The Master and Sentinel have their work cut out for them as they try to discover who is haunting them, and why, as well as navigate the fields of prewedded bliss.

Phantom Kiss is a nice in-between novella before we get to the finale of this series. One of the things I liked best was that it reminds readers where we're coming from after Midnight Marked and hints at where we'll be starting out in Blade Bound.

I thought the haunting was particularly great idea. I kind of wish this could have been utilized in a full-length book as opposed to being constricted to a novella. I loved the history that ghosts typically represent, and the history of Chicago is so interesting. I would have liked it expanded upon for sure.

I always find novellas fun to read. They're short and sweet and typically not weighed down with as many impending storylines as the main full-length books; they can just be. Plus, it's never a hardship to revisit some of my favorite characters. Phantom Kiss does get me excited for the next book, despite the fact that it's the end of the series.

Phantom Kiss was everything and more I have come to expect from the world of the CLV, and the mind of Chloe Neill. It was absolute bliss, and always makes me want more! The first chapter of Blade Bound was an added bonus, and a nice tease in the series finale for die hard fans like me.