This is a review I've been dreading for a long time. Not because the book is bad or something horrible happens to a beloved character. Nope. I've dreaded this because one of my all-time favorite series is coming to an end.

I wondered how Merit and Ethan's story was going to come to an end. Would their wedding go off without a hitch? Was Gabriel's prediction, from many books ago, going to come true? If it was, how was that possible? And more importantly were the vampires of Cadogen House ever going to catch a break and not have to fend off bad guys.

Chloe Neill does a great job of tying up the series. Merit and Ethan get their happily ever after, but more than that they understand exactly how much they mean to each other. They are true partners. Both in leading and protecting the vampires of their house as well as in their relationship with each other. It was nice to see exactly how much this couple has grown since the first book in the series.

The only loose end, at least for me, was Merit's family. The tension between Merit, her brother, and her father was at an all time high. Yet that wasn't resolved by the time we got to the epilogue. Merit and her mother seemed to have a better relationship and her sister-in-law was supportive, yet it seemed weird that we didn't get a final bit of clarity when it came to the Merit family drama.

If you want to jump into a series vampire series that has a lot of action and a cast of characters you can really get behind, this is definitely one you'll want to pick up. It's a perfect time to get up to speed since the spin-off series will be coming next year.

I absolutely couldn't wait to read Blade Bound and was full of dread at the same time. Seriously love the Chicagoland Vampire series, so I was both excited and sad to read the final book in the series. This review will be full of spoilers about the series, so if you are behind on reading the series, you have been warned.

Chloe Neill gave her readers everything they could have ever wanted with Blade Bound in my opinion. We had the romance between Ethan and Merit I've come to love. Their wedding was everything I had wanted and was so perfect for them. We had the action packed fighting we have come to expect from Ethan and Merit, along with help from all their friends. Cadogan House and friends were as usual the only ones who could come up with the solution needed to solve the problems in Chicago. We even had a few prophecies from Gideon that came to fruition, though I have to say I had not figured out how it would happen. I seriously had all the feels for every single thing that happened in this book. I listened to the audiobook and wanted to pull out my kindle and re-read this story as soon as I finished listening to the book.

I've loved the Chicagoland Vampire series since I read the very first book. Yes, I totally had issue with a few things that happened along the way, but I trusted Ms. Neill to fix the situation and she always has to my satisfaction. I will miss my time with Ethan, Merit and all their friends, but Ms. Neill gave her readers the perfect going away gift. Well done Ms. Neill, well done.

Rating: 5 Stars (A)

BLADE BOUND was a solid end to the thrilling and action filled Chicagoland Vampires series. It has everything you have come to expect from this series, from humor, Merit's love of all of the food (there is an amazing moment involving chocolate that I want to experience myself), drama, cool fight scenes, to demonstrating the true strength of the bonds of love and friendship. I enjoyed finally seeing Merit and Ethan's wedding which turned out just as you would expect from these two. Nice and touching at first and then ending in a massive fight in the streets of Chicago.

The plot moves fast as Merit and her friends try to stop a supernatural force from destroying their beloved city. I loved the final confrontation. It was pretty badass and a perfect final fight for Merit. I loved seeing a bit of all of the characters we've come to know over the past 13 books. I would have liked to see more of Gabriel and the pack but what we got was pretty nice. There were some story lines and groups of people who I would have liked to see how they turned out or some more resolutions. For example what happens to the Red Guard? There was also the resolution of the prophecy that has been hinted at throughout the series. I thought conclusion was a bit too neatly tied together and not really an ending I really felt was needed for Merit.

While I really enjoyed the setting (I love Chicago), I had to question as the conflict escalated to nearly wiping out a major U.S. city, why there seemed to be no mention of national attention. Surely the president or other cities would be concerned that Chicago is looking like it's going to be destroyed by some magical force. Chicago seems to exist in a vacuum here and in previous books in this series which was a bit odd but really never hesitated to ruin my enjoyment of the story.

I absolutely love this series. I cannot believe it is over! No more Merit and Ethan...*****sobbing*****. It was the perfect ending however. I will miss these characters

BLADE BOUND was a thrilling conclusion to Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampires series. The story starts out with Merit’s and Ethan’s wedding. After an attack, Merit, Ethan, and friends once again help to save the city from a sinister supernatural onslaught. This contemporary urban fantasy is suitable for adult audiences.

I love Merit’s character. She grew tremendously throughout this series. She is an admirable character that makes an amazing Sentinel for Cadogan House and protector for Chicago. She and Ethan make an astonishing couple that support one another.

I love that Mallory played an important role in this story. The series began with her and Merit as roommates. I think it is appropriate that she played a pivotal part of the final story in the series. I love Merit’s network of friends. They are all unique and have an instrumental function in Merit’s life and adventures.

The plot was exciting and full of unexpected and creative twists. I enjoyed this story from start to finish. Being a Chicagoan, I have always appreciated the hometown references that Chloe Neill includes in her stories. It makes me feel a bit nostalgic.

Chloe Neill did a remarkable job with the Chicagoland Vampires series. Her character development and writing style are noteworthy. I’m really hoping that there is going to be a spin off series with Elisa, Lulu, and Connor. I am going to miss this series, and am sad that it is ending. I will be re-reading it. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

4.5/5 Stars

It's really hard to review the last book in such a long and epic series. To be honest, it still hasn't sunk in that there will be no more Ethan and Merit books after this one. I can't believe the series is over. I feel like we've come a long ways with the characters. Merit, Ethan, and the gang have changed so much since we were introduced to them in Some Girls Bite. I'm kind of not ready to say good bye to everybody.

Blade Bound starts about four months after the end of Midnight Marked on the eve of Merit and Ethan's wedding. It's been a somewhat peaceful period as everyone waits for the sorceress, Sorcha Reed, to come back to carry out her revenge on the Cadogan House and their allies for foiling her plans.

I enjoyed the heck out of this book and I think Chloe Neill delivered a great ending to the series. There were swoony Ethan moments, some kickass fight scenes, and some delicious food descriptions. This book felt a bit nostalgic as characters that haven't been seen for a few books make an appearance. I loved how Sorcha's magic manifested itself.

While I'm not ready to be done with Ethan and Merit, I'm quite pleased with where their story ended. It still makes me sad that it's over but I'm excited to get details on the spin-off series. I'm so happy we're going to get more of this world! I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that we'll see more of a certain badass necromancer as well as the Master and Sentinel of Cadogan House in the spin-off.

3.5 STARS for this one
4 STARS for the entire series

I started reading Chicagoland last summer and what a entertaining journey it has been! Ethan never failed to stir a vast array of emotions and his development has always entertained me, even when I hated him. I have always adored Merit and watching her emerge from a damsel in distress to badass vampire was thrilling and sometimes bittersweet.

I went into this finale with really high expectations. I absolutely loved the beginning and ending, but the middle was somewhat slower paced and insignificant. It isn't necessarily a negative thing, but I expected more with a finale. For the most part, this seemed more like a normal addition to the series. However, I enjoyed seeing Mallory and Merit interacting and working together.

I'm sad to bid an official goodbye but feel confident we could get a little peek of them in the new spinoff. I will never see mallow cakes or anything Chicago related and not think of Merit, Ethan, and Chicagoland. If you are looking for an easy read, PNR series to lose yourself in, I highly recommend this one.

<Spoiler> I was completely devastated when there no mention of the Cubs World Series win. It's the only positive thing I felt after they won; dying to know how excited Merit would be. </end spoiler>

** A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for my advanced copy.

The perfect story to a series ending.
I have loved Ethan and Merit' story since the beginning, and this book reminds me why. The author's words are strong, the characters are all in here that we have met over the entire series. Nothing for Merit is ever easy so why would marrying her Master, Her love be any easier?

No such thing as a honeymoon when you are Sentinel, and the city needs you.

This story leaves us with a wonderful ending, and I for one am so sad to see it end. I am sure you can read this book without having read any others, but you won't know the characters, so I suggest you start your journey with book one.

Book friends! I'm soooo freaking sad that the Chicagoland Vampires are over and done! Reading this ARC was so hard. I love Merit, Ethan, Mallory, Gabe and the rest of the gang, so saying good-bye is breaking my heart!

It's also incredibly difficult to write this review without giving anything away and I definitely don't want to spoil your journey through Blade Bound. I have three things to say that hopefully won't give anything away.

(1) I really think this story arc should have been two books. And not just because I want more CV books, I swear! There's a lot that happens in Blade Bound and I would have loved some additional depth to it. But I get it, Chloe's ending the series and wanted to make sure she got everything in, but still... *heart-breaking*

(2) I am satisfied with how the series ended, even if I wish the arc had been split into two books and that it hadn't ended at all. *sobs uncontrollably*

(3) I need to know more information about the spin-off series, like now.

I read the last half of Blade Bound in a public place and I am happy to say that I avoided crying like a baby... mostly.

If you are a Chicagoland Vampire fan, then let me know what you think of the last book! Neither of my fellow BiblioJunkies love the series like I do, so they are waaay behind and I can't talk to them about it! I NEED to talk about it!

If you haven't read the Chicagoland Vampires yet - WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! GO BUY SOME GIRLS BITE RIGHT NOW!!! And once you've binged this awesome series, come back and talk with me about it, please!

~Shel

***4 ‘#TeamMEthan4Ever’ Stars***

As much as I hate to say goodbye to this series, I have to admit that I am happy that Merit and Ethan finally get some peace and true happiness after all the crazy they’ve been put through.

I must admit that I wasn’t all that interested in the crazy that went on in this book. It, in fact, kind of bored me since it was all too similar to what has gone on in previous books, though I did like how it ended up being a catalyst for some interesting developments. What I did love, and what my rating is based on, is my love of the characters ~ at least the ones who are solidly on Team MEthan in one way or another. I’ve loved watching not only Merit and her relationships with the various characters evolve, but watching how all of them have grown into whomever they were meant to be. They are all imperfectly perfect, except for Chuck who was pretty much perfect from the beginning and is simply awesome, and have definitely kept things interesting as the series has progressed. Merit and Ethan’s relationship has always been a source of entertainment, even when things got bad, but I loved where they finally ended up and think it’s the perfect ending as well as a possible new beginning.

Reading the final words of this book has left me with a bittersweet feeling. I’m happy with how things were ended and yet I’m left with wanting more (I’ve heard rumblings that there may be a spinoff in the works so I’m keeping my toes crossed that it’s true). But the bittersweet feeling isn’t only due to the series ending. The other part to the bittersweet is that this series is the one that kicked my arse back into being a bookworm. I remember seeing Some Girls Bite laid out on a table at Barnes and Noble and how I had to find out what it was all about based on the cover alone (See. Covers are important and I still have the book in all it’s worn out well read glory) and how I walked out of the store with a new book which I devoured in one day. So while I not only feel the need to thank Ms. Neill for writing such amazing characters, but to also thank her for reminding me how wonderful it is to get lost in the pages of a book and the need to want to do it over and over again.

Oh its a happy sad end of an era with Blade Bound, the last book of the Chicagoland Vampires series. It's hard to believe that all thirteen of these books have taken place in the span of a year or less... sometimes it seems longer, and sometimes it seems like just yesterday that Merit was made a vampire. It's definitely been a crazy eventful year for Merit and Cadogan House.

We begin Blade Bound with the last minute preparations for Ethan and Merit's wedding, and all the details required to make the event "fit for a Master" of the City as Helen would say. This was one of my favorite parts of the book, and I actually felt myself getting a little teary-eyed during the big event! But as history has proven for Ethan and Merit, things never quite go as planned.

Another big bad is emerging (or returning?) and the city is on the cusp, waiting for things to explode. Between crazed delusional people and wonky weather, the tensions are definitely running high. There are still humans protesting supernaturals and blaming them for the destructive and dangerous events that have happened in Chicagoland, and this big bad is not going to help ease those tensions. The resolution for this conflict saw input from the normal gang - the Cadogan vamps, the Omsbuddies and Mallory. Human law enforcement and military got in on the act, as well as the Order, with varying results. Of course there are always those who think they know better and are too arrogant to take advice from the team... so we had some back and forth between city government, The Order and Team Cadogan. I would have liked to see the shifters step in, and there was a small cameo from the fae that I wished would have been developed more. But in the end, we can always count on Merit to get things done.

While I enjoyed this final installment, I was hoping for a bigger bang. The conflict and resolution of the plot in Blade Bound didn't vary greatly from the last few books. A big bad emerges, Merit and the gang investigate and do battle to save the city. I was expecting this last book to be explosive and action-packed, but it just a nice steady story that follows the same formula that we've seen before. That being said, the formula has worked and the stories are entertaining. The wedding aspect was stellar, and I loved the epilogue (though I wished it was longer and more expansive). Overall this has been a thoroughly enjoyable series, one that I will probably re-read at some point in the future.

We've heard rumors of a spinoff for this series, and the epilogue definitely gave me ideas. If my suspicions are right, I think that would be a stellar storyline and would be excited to get my greedy lil' hands on it.

Don't miss the giveaway that Chloe Neill is hosting on her website through April 28th.

The end is here and I'm not ready for the series to be over!

I have enjoyed every moment of Merit's story since she was introduced in SOME GIRLS BITE. Merit is just really easy to like and relate too and the stories are written in such a way that it was so easy to bring everything to life in my mind. I have laughed, I've cried, I've screamed and and I have wanted to throw my book—sometimes at the author even— several times over the series, but I have never wanted to stop reading and finding out more. It has always felt like everything was happening for a reason.

Following Merit and Ethan's love story was just as great. They are such a strong couple and although they butt heads—often—it's clear that they were made for each other. I didn't always love Ethan, but he has grown so much since we first met him and they both make each other better people.

A lot happens in BLADE BOUND and a lot is concluded. Honestly there hasn't been one installment of the Chicagoland Vampires series I didn't love—even though one in particular made me REALLY mad at the author. No matter how you feel about the series, if you have made it this far, you can't stop before finding out how things end.

*Spoiler Alert*
My only real disappointment about BLADE BOUND has to do with the one thing I couldn't wait for since the moment it was mentioned. After all the lead-up to the whole baby thing, I kinda wanted more out of it. I am glad we got a little epilogue, but I would have LOVED to see Merit pregnant and watch the way that Ethan and all the vampires treated her and her response to being handled like a fragile princess. It would have been epic! I am of course very glad that it finally happened and in such a way that made it believable.
*End Spoiler Alert*

All in all, I'm happy with how things ended for Ethan, Merit and the rest of the Chicagoland gang. I don't want to spoil the spin off news for you—so I will let you read what it's about for yourself at the end of BLADE BOUND—but you can bet I will be reading it!

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I started the Chicagoland Vampires series seven years ago so reading the series finale feels like saying goodbye to old friends. I put it off for as long as I could. In Merit’s world, it’s been about a year and a half. (I know, crazy.)

Blade Bound begins four months after Midnight Marked when the Cadogan crew defeated sorcerer Sorcha Reed only to see her escape from police custody. When people in Chicago start hearing voices that cause violent outbursts, Merit and friends think Sorcha’s magic might be responsible. And since one of those outbursts was aimed at Merit inside Cadogan House they have to get involved even if it interferes with their wedding plans.

Sorcha is not my favorite villain in the series. She’s not an evil mastermind so much as an entitled brat. I would have liked to see some loose end from an earlier book come back to bite them. And there’s an element of Sorcha’s magic that doesn’t quite work for me. But then there’s this other part that’s just so cool it mostly makes up for it. It’s as if the author thought, “What’s the one thing these characters haven’t fought yet?” and found a way to work it in.

Blade Bound starts with a wedding and ends more or less the way you’d expect if you’ve been following the series from the beginning. But in between Neill finds opportunities to check in on just about everyone and revisit events from earlier books. My favorite is the time that Jonah taught Merit how to jump off a building. I’m still a little bit Team Jonah despite the last six books of Sullivan swooniness so I’m happy that Jonah got in on the action as much as he did.

Blade Bound also provides plenty of swoon worthy Ethan moments. He’s more often a man in love than a badass Master Vampire, which gives Merit a chance to shine as a badass in her own right. She’s come a long way in that year and a half. It’s nice to see her relationships mature, not just with Ethan but with Mallory and even with her family to some extent.

I enjoyed Blade Bound even though I didn’t think there were any surprises. It’s a sentimental story rather than one that wows, but I think fans of the series will be pleased with how well the nostalgia is woven in to the new. And as much as I hate to leave Merit behind, I’m happy with where she wound up.

All series eventually must come to an end and that includes the Chicagoland Vampires series even though fans do not want to see it go. After all, who wants to say goodbye to the characters we have grown to love and have seen them grow from the beginning to the end in every possible way? Yet, at the same time, fans know that its time to end Merit and Ethan’s story and long journey because let’s face it, they have gone through a lot and deserve their HEA.

Blade Bound starts off with everybody getting ready for the up coming wedding of Merit and Ethan. Although, it includes security all over the place since there’s a high chance that Sorcha, the evil sorceress from Midnight Marked, will finally show up and cause some trouble. Of course it doesn’t take long for the first sign of trouble show up, a vampire sneaks into Cadogan House and is plagued with something that is making him go crazy. It’s also causing him to hear voices and he nearly attacks the first person who bumped into which is Merit. It’s not just him, others begin to act strange due to unknown power that’s causing a mental attack causing the violent behavior. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Sorcha has returned and is bent on causing chaos in Chicago. Now Merit, Ethan, and company must hurry and stop Sorcha before she causes another disaster that may destroy the peace between supernaturals and humans in Chicago.

Overall, Blade Bound was a fitting end to the Chicagoland Vampires series. I have to admit, I did not expect the wedding to be so soon in this novel but it was and boy was it the wedding of the year. Also, it was good to see Chloe Neill wrap up many things in this final installment. Although, Chloe Neill has promised to revisit this world with the up coming spin off series so we might see our favorite characters again. Personally, I do not know who will be in this spin off series but the epilogue does show us two likely candidates or possibly the next pairing of the spin off series! Now we just have to wait and see if its them.

4.5 stars

The Chicagoland Vampires series comes to an end with a bang!
I have been following this series ever since the first book came out. I really enjoyed Blood Bound as a final story with Merit as a protagonist. I know I will miss not only her but all the secondary characters that made the series so special.

Chicagoland is not the best UF (Urban Fantasy) out there, at times I wish we had followed a socndary character's POV (Point if View), just because it seemed more interesting. However Merit and co.'s adventures did keep me coming back for more, even if it was to find out was going on with Mal and Catcher, Gabriel, Jeff, Malik, Luc and Lindsey, Jonah and so on...

All in all, I feel Blade Bound might be the best entry to the series and solid ending. I am glad to know there will be a spin-off and in my eyes there are options for it... I actually wish we get both lol

Blade Bound is a must read of you are a fan of the Chicagoland Vamp series! There is a lot of action and swoon-worthy moments. Here's to more adventures in this great world!

(review will be posted on amazon when the book is released)

Merit and Ethan have had their ups and downs and have always come out on top but now they are up against some ancient magics that might just do them in for good.

Vampires, werewolves, sorcery oh my! What more could a girl ask for?

It is undeniable that Ethan’s and Merit’s love is a love that will survive the test of time...making it even harder to say goodbye to Merit, Ethan and crew. Neill has created a bunch of characters, primary as well as secondary characters, that have bloomed into life through her talented imaginings. Even though Blade Bound provides the perfect closure, this is going to be difficult to any Chicagoland Vampires’ fan.

Blade Bound is a meaty and addicting conclusion to the Chicagoland Vampires series. I abso-freaking-lutly, loved it.

I’m hopeful that even though Ethan’s and Merit’s story has ended that Neill will revisit this world with a spin off series.

I received this ARC copy of Blade Bound from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. This book is set for publication April 25, 2017.

My Rating: 5 stars
Written by: Chloe Neill
Series: Chicagoland Vampires
Sequence in Series: Book 13
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: April 25, 2017
ISBN-10: 0451472349
ISBN-13: 978-0451472342
Genre: Urban Fantasy

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Everything about BLADE BOUND felt like a satisfying progression towards closure. From the humans' animosity towards the supernaturals of Chicago, to Ethan and Merit's relationship, old prophecies, as well as closure of past threats. I was hooked from the first page until the very last word. Trust me when I say this is one action packed, emotional, and more than satisfying read.

We finally get the much anticipated wedding that has been building since the very first page of this series. Sure, Merit and Ethan started out as all but enemies, but the writing was on the wall...and after 13 books I can say that it's FINALLY time. Let me just say it was everything I had hoped for and suited the characters and the vampires well. Of course, in true Chicagoland style, there's plenty of chaos and danger abound in-between all the wedding happiness, and it made for an excellent balance.

BLADE BOUND was one heck of a series ending book. While I'm sad to see this much loved come to a close, I couldn't have asked for a better send off. Chicagoland fans will absolutely love BLADE BOUND. Bravo Ms. Neill, Bravo!

Here it is, the final installment of the Chicagoland Vampires series. Merit and Ethan have come through a lot, and in this book, they face even more. Let me say upfront that I thought this was a fitting ending to a great series. Was it perfect? No, but I’ll get to that. The book had the action, suspense, fun, character interaction, snarky-ness, and great writing we’ve come to expect from this series. We were able to see how far all the characters have come since the very beginning, and how overcoming their problems (hello, Mallory) have made them stronger. I really liked that the wedding was a part of the book and not tacked on at the end, and that we could actually get through it without any “big-bads” coming out of the woodwork. Of course, almost immediately after was fair game. Like I said before, the book wasn’t perfect. It seemed a little subdued, had a little less action, and the actual conflict took a while to get started. And, without out saying much because I don’t want to spoil anything, I figured out rather quickly how the prophesy was going to come to fruition and her “test” wasn’t as fitting as I would have liked. The ending also seemed a little too rushed but with an epilogue which I loved. These are all very minor things and I forgive them because I think this book was a great ending to a great series. There is obviously going to be a spin-off series with one/a couple of the characters introduced towards the end (yay!) which I confirmed as I was writing this. If you are a long-time fan, I think you will love this. If you haven’t read the series, start from the beginning for a wonderful series. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the e-copy of the book which I voluntarily reviewed. This same review will be posted on both Goodreads and Amazon.

Blade Bound marks the end of an era that started in 2009 with Some Girls Bite in a series that has seen ups and downs over the course of thirteen books.

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 Midnight Marked, 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 Twice Bitten. 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 Drink Deep 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.