Dark Debt (Chicagoland Vampires)

Each book gets better and better. The energy between Ethan and Merit get stronger, more intense, it makes you want to keep going and going and going. The only problem is the book ends before the energy wariness..

I love the story line and writing style but it seems that we are going to just going to continue reading the back of the shampoo bottle; wash, rinse, repeat as necessary. I'm really hoping for the grand plot to be revealed that would drive the series but have yet to see it.

This book was a joy to read from cover to cover. The characters continue to evolve and suck me into their lives. Spoiler here --The wedding scene was simply amazing. I'm glad I was invited into this world just for a little while. I cannot wait until the next installment

*********SPOILERS Ahoy for the whole series!**********
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I admit it: I don't read the Chicagoland Vampires novels for the mysteries. In fact, with the series' more recent books I've sometimes found myself slogging through that aspect a bit to get to what I *really* want - all the things that are woven around the mysteries, such as Merit's personal growth and continuing rise to utter awesomeness, the snark and humor, the friendships, the fun and/or intriguing supporting characters, and of course, METHAN.

But this time out, I found the central mysteries quite a bit more engaging, not so much because they were harder to figure out than in previous installments, but because they felt more personal and connected to Ethan, Merit and all Chicago's vampire houses, as opposed to Dominic Tate's previously unknown daughter, the random shifters, etc in earlier books. If I'm reading a series called Chicagoland VAMPIRES, then I want to read about vampires. And in this, the 11th of 13 planned installments, Chloe Neill is bringing the series back to its roots. It's a good thing.

If you read the synopsis at the top of the page, you know the gist of Dark Debt's plot - Master of Cadogan House Ethan Sullivan's own presumed-dead master, Balthasar, hits Chicago, determined to bring Ethan down and take all he has for his own. And from beyond the ashes, Celina Desaulniers, the series' first and best villain, keeps making trouble, bringing a hitherto-unknown crime syndicate into the mix that threatens to destroy Navarre House as well as decimate so much of the progress American vampires have made.

This book sees the return of Morgan, Master of Navarre House and Merit's sorta ex. Honestly, I was handling Morgan's absence from the series just fine (I'll never, ever forgive that 'slutty leather' comment in Twice Bitten) and the revelation of the nature of his relationship with his late master, Celina, makes him a hypocrite in my eyes, after the way he hassled Merit about her relationship with Ethan in previous books. Still, the peek inside the dysfunction junction that is Navarre House and the introduction of the ominous crime ring The Circle made enduring his presence worth it. Neill seems determined to redeem after his previous jackassery, so hopefully he will finally follow through on growing up and start being part of the solution instead of a problem.

Merit is unusually vulnerable this time around, thanks to a psychic attack that leaves her terrified and off-kilter. Naturally, because she's MERIT, she still comes out swinging (and looks good while doing it!). Just when you think she has achieved all-out awesomeness, she kicks it up another level. Ethan spends less time behind a desk and more time out on the job with Merit, which is always a kick. As a pair, Methan continue their ascent into epic coupledom. Neill truly deserves credit for the way she has built these two up over the course of the series, sidestepping many genre cliches to build an adult love story. They have BOTH grown, and continue to grow, together and apart. They are everything Charlaine Harris wouldn't allow Eric and Sookie to be.

Random tidbits and a few nitpicks:

- In this installment, we see the first stirrings of hierarchical ambition from Merit, as she contemplates a half-serious offer to become the second of another House. What *will* her ultimate fate be? My personal wish is for her and Ethan to be the Ferdinand and Isabella of Cadogan House, ruling wisely and fairly 4eva. Yet the still looming question of what, exactly, current vamp queen Nicole Heart's agenda is makes me think it won't be that simple. Nicole Heart is barely mentioned in this book after her massive splash in Blood Games, which is a bit odd since Balthasar is her master too, and that makes me nervous. She'll be back, I'm sure.

- The sheer perfection of Ethan was on full display this time out. How can you NOT love a man who orders his chef to keep sack lunches prepared at all times in case his girlfriend gets hangry? Or who gets turned on by the sight of her in utterly trashed post-battle disarray? SWOON.

- Merit's reluctance to marry Ethan feels inauthentic at this point - forced, just to put the marriage off until the end of the series. They regularly mention their marriage-to-be and their someday parenthood - so what IS her problem? 'It's too soon' doesn't really cut it once your boyfriend has died and come back to life, you know? Especially when you're as soul-committed as these two are.

- Malik and his newly-revealed accounting wizardry. Love that guy!

- Ethan was in love with Persephone...? Since when? In Blood Games he told Merit that he 'MIGHT have loved her, IN TIME, in a fashion. In the way I'd been capable of then' (emphasis mine). Somehow those very measured words have been translated to flat out being in love in Dark Debt. I don't suppose it actually matters, but it feels a bit of a retcon.

- In addition to Morgan, Neill sets up Merit's loathsome father, Joshua, for redemption in this novel. It didn't especially ring true for me - after nearly 30 years of treating his daughter like garbage and even attempting to PAY for her to be made a vampire for his own financial gain, he suddenly cares because she had a fender bender? Nah.

However, Neill's inclusion of these redemption arcs serve as reminders that there are just two more novels planned in this series, and the wrapping up of long-running plot points and questions has begun (she even answers a lingering question from the first book that I'd thought was long forgotten). As I finished the book, I actually felt a touch of melancholy...what seems to be the series' final arc has been put in motion, and the end is on the horizon, though there's a whole lot to cover before it arrives. No matter what nitpicks or issues I may have with any given book, each time I finish one I'm anticipating the next. Chloe Neill has managed what has eluded so many other authors - keeping a long-running series engaging and fresh, righting the ship when it went a bit wonky (Hard Bitten/Drink Deep) and still surprising in a *good* way.

Like everything would like to see Merit using her magic and sword skills. I would like to see reason she is special and more advance then other young vampires

But I have to say every time I start one day these books I can't stop until I finish it. Great book

I gave up reading this about 1/3 of the way thru. This series has gotten to the point that it doesn't matter which book you pick up - its the exact same formula/plot line as the last few books. i'm done.

I love the direction that Chloe Neill has taken her Chicagoland Vampires series. After eleven books, you have to expect the characters to grow and change as they go through different experiences together. And, yet, I always see glimpses of the characters they were in book 1 shining through from time to time. Which is fortunate, because I fell in love with Merit, Ethan, Mallory and the gang from the very beginning.

Ethan is freaking out - in his very controlled Ethan way - because it appears his maker Balthasar is back from the dead. And, he. Is. Pissed. As if a centuries-old cranky vampire isn't enough, now Ethan and Cadogan has a major criminal enterprise gunning for them after they step in to help out Morgan. Just another day at the office.

Let's face it. I read this series because... METHAN. Ethan and Merit are one of my favorite bookish couples of all time. Especially now that they seem to have finally found their groove. The drama in the Chicagoland Vampires books no longer come from Ethan and Merit's on again, off again relationship. The drama now comes entirely from the situations developing around them as their world continues to adapt to the realization that supernatural beings are real.

Although relationship drama is good sometimes, to be honest, I'm really liking the lack of it in this series now. The various people and organizations out there vying to take down Cadogan House cause enough danger and peril that I get to read about Ethan in uber-protective mode when it comes to Merit, which is SO much better. Protective, concerned alpha male Ethan is so hot.

Just when Ethan and Merit have conquered the GP debacle and Ethan is starting out in the newly created American Masters group, it seems a new criminal empire called The Circle has cropped up. Even worse, it seems to have sunk its claws into Morgan and Navarre House. Navarre owes a debt they're having a hard time paying. There's been no love lost between Cadogan and Navarre, but that doesn't stop Ethan from offering assistance.

It was so good to hear from Morgan again. He was a much more prominent character in earlier books, then almost disappeared with only a mention here and there. Morgan is a fascinating character. He's a green Master. He's kind of the "bad boy" Master of the three in Chicago. He's quiet and stoic and he has this weird mental connection with Merit that's never been explained. I was so excited that Morgan was back and that we were going to get to spend some time with him.

Ethan is usually very composed, but when his ruthless maker Balthasar shows up and starts wreaking havoc around Chicago, Ethan kind of loses it a bit. It was good to see him so affected by something. Especially when Balthasar comes after Merit in a way that really violates her. In addition to Merit, Ethan is completely shaken by this, and I really liked seeing him off kilter.

The usual characters of Mallory, Catcher, Jeff, Chuck, Luc and Lindsay are present in this book too. They all have their roles to play, especially Mallory and Catcher. It's good to see they've gotten past the nasty business Mallory was into a few books back, and relationships have been knitted back together again.

I will NEVER get tired of the Chicagoland Vampires series. As long as Chloe writes them, I'll read them.

I feel that I only read this book because I'm invested in the series. Reading the previous ten books, means I can't stop now. Each time though I expect something more exciting will happen. It's like watching the eighth season of one of your favourite tv-show, the creativity was high in the first few seasons but by now the quality has dropped. Now don't get me wrong, Dark Debt was still very well written, and the plot was well thought out, but to me it still feels repetitive.

Trouble is once again brewing in Chicago. Seriously how many problems can there be in one year of being a vampire. By now I actually wouldn't mind reading about the daily life of Merit, without someone trying to kill her or Ethan. Just to get an idea of what that would entail.

Someone shady from Ethan's past is drawing too much negative attention and needs to be dealt with. Meanwhile one of Chicago's elite is causing a whole lot of other trouble, that needs some further exploring. The usual team is on it of course and as always they are great detectives. This time there was no trouble between Merit and Ethan, so that was certainly refreshing.

As always I will continue following this series. I do still love the characters, the little bits of humor here and there, the solving of the mysteries and vampires on their own are pretty cool. Like I said in my previous review, I'm still waiting for something really big to happen to pique my full interest again. Die hard fans of the series, will of course love this book and if you're a supernatural I always recommend giving this series a chance.

*I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Dark Debt is on a whole other level compared to the other books in this series. Navarre house gets challenged like no other, and through it all the only thing that is keeping it together is Morgan. Even though a coup is almost done and a good chunk of his vampires plot against him, he never wavers in his loyalty and duty to Navarre. My god do I love Morgan. He has grown so much in this novel and the heavy responsibility of having to clean up his house, while protecting it at the same time, has left a sad imprint on our usually jovial Navarre leader. Aside from the Navarre issues you still have Merritt and the Cadogan vampires running around pretending to be detectives, while still being just civilians. I'm sorry but that has always bothered me about this series. In the real world they would have already arrested for interfering with police work, but anyway. And also they, mostly Merritt, are such crummy weak vampires, with the exception of Balthazar, the new villain and Ethan's supposed demented maker, and of course Morgan. Don't know why Morgan's always being criticized for being too human. His glamor/magical abilities are top notch and his lack of tolerance for insults makes him appear like he has a spine, unlike other characters... He kind of reminds me of Gabriel Keene, the leader of all shifters, and also another favorite character. Overall the five star rating is only being given, because of the Morgan storyline. I wish Merritt had fallen in love with him instead. Not that I don't respect Ethan, I do he is one of the most honorable characters in the series. But I think if Merritt had fallen in love with Morgan this would have been a way more interesting series.

★★★★½
I'm not sure if it's just been too long since I read anything from Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires series, but this eleventh installment was just what I needed to snap me out of a quickly approaching reading slump. I don't put every book I drop on my DNF shelf but I've already gone through four deleted books this week...and I was scared lol. I'm glad this book was available when it was.

Dark Debt had a lot of suspense and fun mystery/strategy that kept my attention. Keeping up with all the familiar characters is something I look forward to with each installment and this one rewarded loyal readers with a lovely event at the end. Chicagoland Vampires is such a great urban fantasy/mystery series and I'm so glad I started it. Check it out!

My favorite quote:
“Love wasn’t perfection. It wasn’t always roses and candy. Hell, it wasn’t even mostly roses and candy. Sometimes it was battling back fear that loomed like a leviathan, trying to find a way through misery, being grateful to have a companion who knew your strengths and weaknesses, and loved you not just in spite of them, but because of them. Love was acceptance. Love was bravery. Love was sticking it out.”

Chicagoland Vampires series includes the following installments as of May 2017.
1-Some Girls Bite
2-Friday Night Bites
3-Twice Bitten
4-Hard Bitten
5-Drink Deep
6-Biting Cold
7-House Rules
8-Biting Bad
8.25-Kicking It
8.5-Howling For You
9-Wild Things
10-Blood Games
10.5-Lucky Break
11-Dark Debt
12-Midnight Marked
12.5-Phantom Kiss
13-Blade Bound

My Review:
Overall: 4.25
Performance: 4.5
Story: 4.25

One character made this story...Balthazar...wow, talk about a great and really, really creepy bad guy. It made for a great and really suspense-filled read. I was on pins and needles almost all the way through the entire story, not knowing what might happen next.

As always, this is another great installment to the series. I love how the author has threaded all the various story lines through the stories and we're finally getting some closure on some of those...Mallory and Catcher...LOVE them. There were also some really poignant moments between Morgan and Merit. I feel bad for the guy. He's definitely had a raw deal all the way around...even though he can be a jerk at moments.

And then there's Ethan and Merit. I felt like their love was tested more in this book...which again helped in all that suspense. I continue to love them together and am going to be so sad when this whole series ends (did I read right? #13 is the last? *sob*).

This has been a fantastic urban fantasy series. There's enough romance to satisfy this romance genre girl, but the story remains focused on Merit and the strife in her life. I adore this series!!

Eleventh in the Chicagoland Vampires urban fantasy series for young adults and revolving around Merit, the Cadogan Sentinel.

My Take
Whoa, Merit discovers she's suddenly susceptible to glamour, and she is not liking it one bit. And Ethan, lol, learns the nickname bestowed on him by Merit and Mallory.

Neill pops in reminders of what has occurred in past stories, including Mallory's trying to make Ethan into her familiar, the takedown of the GP, AND the reason why Joshua paid vampires to turn Merit.

Wow, Neill sure does keep the jerks on call, from Merit's blinkered father to the callous Reed.
Yeah, that's always the way…waxing nostalgic about the good old days, but realizing that every day, every age has its good and bad.
There's a focus on Navarre House and its major problem along with an ongoing assessment of Morgan's suitability to be its Master. But nobody could be as bad as Celina had been. Jesus. How blind were those idiot vampires in Navarre?

For such a "brilliant" organization, once Merit and company become aware of it, they uncover quite a bit. Although, the Circle doesn't hold the patent on stupid moves, not when Ethan can't wait to provoke Reed. How dumb is that? Why put him on alert?

I do keep enjoying Neill's take on vampires, I just wish her stories had more depth and less of a juvenile quality. As for the sex scenes…they read more like Neill's publisher suggested she toss some in.

The Story
Merit, Ethan, and the House are on tenterhooks, waiting for the next challenge from Balthasar, Ethan's depraved, returned-from-the-dead maker.

There will not be one challenge, there will be many, and Balthasar is enthusiastically embracing his evil side as he breaks every taboo in public.

Nor is Balthasar Merit's only worry, for Navarre House is deep in trouble while Mallory lays another worry onto Merit's shoulders, and it's so far from what Mallory has always wanted…

The Characters
Merit is the Sentinel of Cadogan House. Moneypenny is Merit's beloved vintage Mercedes convertible she's been banned from driving. The arrogant Joshua Merit is Merit's kingpin father whose Merit Properties current project is the Towerline. Caroline had been Merit's older sister who died in a car crash.

Cadogan House is…
…one of three remaining vampire houses in Chicago. Ethan "Darth" Sullivan is the Master, Merit's lover, and a member of the Assembly of American Masters. Malik is Ethan's second-in-command; he's married to Aaliyah. Luc is head of security. Lindsey is Luc's girlfriend and a House guard along with Juliet, Kelley, and Brody who has some mad driving skills. Keiji is a temp. Margot is the House chef. Helen is the House den mother and now Ethan's official social secretary. The Librarian is the House research and book specialist.

Mallory Carmichael is Merit's best friend and a sorceress who went really bad a few stories back. Part of her remuneration for her actions was organizing Sorcerers Without Borders (SWOB), which is meant to help new sorcerers learn to use their new magicks. Catcher Bell is a sorcerer and Mallory's boyfriend. He's also one of the Ombuddies with…

The Ombudsman's Office, which is…
…the official police liaison between Chicago's cops and supernaturals. Chuck Merit is the ombudsman and Merit's grandfather. Jeff Christopher is a shape-shifting white tiger and computer genius. Detective Arthur Jacobs with the Chicago PD is friendly to supernaturals.

Navarre House is…
…currently led by Morgan Greer who took over from the corrupt and evil Celina Desaulniers. Will is the captain of the Navarre House guards; Zane is one of the guards. Nadia had been the House Second; she's been replaced by Irina, who had been a close friend of Celina's. Katya was Nadia's friend.

Grey House has…
…a preference for sports of all kinds and is led by Scott Grey. Jonah is the captain of the House guard AND a member of the secret RG with Merit as his partner. (The RG is the Red Guard, a secret organization of vampires independent of any House, which keeps watch on vampire Masters.)

The North American Central Pack is…
…the shifter pack in Chicago and led by Gabriel Keene.

Adrien Reed owns Reed Logistics. Sorcha is his rather oblivious wife. Thomas O'Malley has been a friend of Reed's for years; he was best man in his first wedding to Frederica.

The Circle is…
…a powerful criminal organization that holds notes to Navarre House. It hides behind a number of LLCs. Jude Maguire is an enforcer.

The theatrical Balthasar had been Ethan's maker some four hundred years ago. Persephone was the human whom Ethan had loved. Nicole Heart, the current president of the Assembly of American Masters, had been part of their group at the time. She's now based in Atlanta. Rémy is the vampire who took over when Balthasar "died".

The Memento Mori had been…
…a cult who wanted to be immortal without being a vampire. Carlisle Foster and Julien Burrows (the faux one) were fellow prisoners with Balthasar.

The Assembly of American Masters is the new organization in America which replaced the Greenwich Presidium. Diane Kowalcyzk is the mayor of Chicago. Sanford King is a crook who was acquitted. The Order is the American union of sorcerers. Darryl Lee Moody was a thief who became a lesson for Chuck.

The Cover and Title
The cover is a wide range of oranges from the pale, almost brown of the roof tiles on which Merit is crouched in her high-heeled boots and black leather pants and tank top with her katana resting on her shoulder. Her long brown hair is swirling in the wind, the rain pelting down from a deep and bright orange sky and a well-lit Chicago skyline in the background.

The title is Navarre House's problem; its Dark Debt for which Navarre must pay in kind.

Returning to book 10, Blood Games, Ethan's history came into light in that book, in regards to his maker Balthazar, and his sister Nicole. Now Nicole was the one competing against Ethan for the head of the GP title, and apparently didn't hate her maker like Ethan did. So the two were at odds with one another about several things, the biggest one being how they felt about Balthazar. So in book 11, Dark Debt, Nicole is but a faint memory, and this story is all about Balthazar and a new player, not new to Chicago, but new to vampire problems. As head master of Cadogan House, Ethan has faced many challenges, and losses, but one never so deep to his roots like this new threat. Can Ethan overcome his biggest fear and bring the city to rights? This is Dark Debt.

This book has many layers to the story that all connect in your brain in the end. It's hard to pinpoint one particular layer without giving clues as to the true nature of the plot. I can tell you that Merit's father finally steps up to the plate and shows he gives a hoot for once! Considering he was at fault for some of what happened, that is neither here nor there, BUT his business dealings do take a turn for the huh?, and collide with Novar and Cadogan House! Speaking of Novar, Morgan is back in the story line, and old feelings come into play. Morgan and Merit just started dating when she fell hard for Ethan, and ended up dumping Morgan for him. Merit didn't do a very good job of it, and left Morgan very pissed, which lead to a twisted hatred for both her and Ethan. Because of that, Morgan has never stood by Cadogan House, nor lent a helping hand when they needed it. Now that Morgan's house is in trouble, Cadogan steps in to help and Merit gets paired up with Morgan. Boy does Darth Sullivan hate that! Add to that, Mallory spilled the beans by accident, in front of Ethan, his nickname “Darth Sullivan”! I just died when he heard that!

Speaking of Mallory, her wizard boyfriend Catcher is attempting to return to the “Order” now. That was a pretty big deal for everyone to find out considering his past with them. So many changes beginning in this book that have me on pins and needles about the prophecy about Merit and Ethan! One step closer, wee hee! Also, I'm left wondering how Morgan's house issues factor in the series as a whole. He doesn't have a good hold on his vampires and they are revolting within, (all to do with the previous master Salina) Salina supporters that just can't let go of the fact that she was a conniving selfish, witch of a vampire that abused her power. In the beginning I rooted for Morgan cause I thought he was a great fit for Merit, and a cool guy. Ethan is cool but he acts his age, no fun, and too stiff. Morgan was like those old pair of shoes you just can't get rid of cause they are so comfy! So in the end, I give this story two thumbs up! The story line was original, interesting, and leads to some bigger, scarier plot that left me wanting more.

*Editors Note: Please excuse the spelling for the "Houses", or character names, I do not have the print version of this book, just the audio book. Thank you.

Narrator Review

Sophie Eastlake once again narrates for this great series Chicagoland Vampires. Sophie is like a promise of your favorite dish for dinner. You know you love it cause it's your favorite. You know it's whats for dinner, so you don't eat all day. And when you catch the scent of it cooking, your stomach begins to rumble! The anticipation of tasting it is overwhelming, and now you're getting anxious. You want to sit down and eat it so badly you can't stand it! FEED ME! That is what it is like knowing you are going to listen to a book narrated by Sophie Eastlake. Enjoy :)

***I received this ARC copy from PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

It’s no secret that I absolutely love the Chicagoland Vampire series and have since I first spied and picked up Some Girls Bite many moons ago. I’ve loved watching as Merit gets more comfortable in her vampiric skin and witnessing how not only she has grown as a character, but those closest to her as they all face and conquer the issues that they always seem to find themselves in, even when the issues aren't theirs. Now, with Dark Debt, the eleventh book in the series, not only do we get a new story arc with a brand new antagonist at the helm hell-bent on causing problems for Merit and company, but we also get to see some past issues finally come full circle.

At the end of Blood Games, Balthasar, Ethan’s sire , makes it known to Ethan that he is not only NOT dead but in Chicago and in Dark Debt wastes no time in showing himself to not only Ethan, but the entire world. Needless to say this causes quite the cluster, not just with Ethan but with Merit as well, and soon everyone is on the hunt to find out what he is up to and just how he could be alive. Then, because Methan don’t have enough on their plate, they stop an assassination and find themselves on the doorstep of Navarre House and dealing with Morgan Greer. The twists and turns that these storylines took were done very well, which isn’t a surprise since Ms. Neill has never failed to serve up a good story, and even I was surprised at the end at what was really going on.

While the gang is busy trying to get to the bottom of the mysteries at hand we get to see just how far they have all come since we first met them eleven books ago ( one year in series time). Merit has become more comfortable, not only as a vampire, but as a Sentinel and while she has never been a flighty type of girl, I got the sense that she is much more grounded and truly confident in herself. Does she get thrown a loop in this book? Yes, but she deals with it head on and that is something that I’ve always liked about her. She may not like what is going on, but she’ll do what she can to make it work. Ethan, who I will admit I wasn’t all that fond of in the beginning, is amazing in this one. He is still Master of the house and alpha in all the ways that count, but we get to see, for lack of a better word, a softer side to him that gave me some ‘Awwww’ moments. And the solidarity in Methan’s relationship that was seen in Lucky Break is still very much the same in Dark Debt. Merit and Ethan are much more comfortable with each other, as a couple and as Master and Sentinel. Do they always agree? No. Do issues arise? Yes. But any lingering doubts about their relationship are gone.

With Merit and Ethan’s own relationship growing and strengthening is the relationship between all those in Merit’s life, well, most. Catcher and Malory’s relationship is strong and Malory and Merit’s relationship is getting back to where it was when we first met the besties. Jeff is at his uber-techie geek best. Chuck, is well Chuck, and I’d love to have that man as my grandpa, or at least great uncle twice removed. Luc and Lindsey are in a good place, and Luc still delivers all those movie lines we know and love. And then there is Malik. In the previous books he’s always been around, but in something of the shadows, not unusual considering what a force Ethan is, but in this one we get to see another aspect of Malik and I loved it. I hope this is a new trend and we get to see more of the Second. But what I really loved was seeing the ease at which they now interact with each other. In the past when they’ve all teamed up, they’ve worked well together but there was an unease at times because trust is a hard thing to come by, but in this one it’s like they’ve gotten past that hurdle and the bantering between all of them had me laughing outloud. As for the others that come into play, Morgan, Jonah, Helen and everyone’s favorite Mr. Merit, they all get their time and some things come about that even I didn’t see coming.

This was a fun one to read. So much happens that it’s really hard to get it all out without giving into posting spoilers, so all I can say is that this is a must read.
Can’t wait to see what comes next for the Chicagoland Vampire gang!

With trouble brewing in the Windy City, Ethan and Merit have their hands full as connections between Chicago’s Houses, a figure from Ethan’s dark past and a shady businessman go deeper than imagined and even one wrong move could be their last in this exciting Chicagoland Vampire novel.

Spine tingling tension starts pulses pounding from the very beginning as figure from Ethan’s past makes a splashy debut and they have to decide if he is friend of foe and the excitement continues to keep the adrenaline pumping as they discover a shady organization has inserted themselves in vampire’s affairs. Betrayals, hidden agendas, cons and tested friendships and loyalties keeps everyone on their toes as unexpected twists keep tensions high. The well written scenes and details capture the imagination and make it easy for the reader to become completely absorbed in the story as the intriguing events ensure that there is never a dull moment.

Merit and Ethan’s romance is tested as things take a malevolent turn causing quite a bit of friction and turmoil and with enemies changing the rules along with some conflict between family and friends they have very little time for themselves, which keeps the readers on the edge of their seat with anticipation. The strong charismatic characters of the Chicagoland Vampires continue to demand reader’s attention with every twist and turn that the series takes and Dark Debt is no different with all of the exhilarating events that take place and Mallory and Catcher add a bit of surprise and spice to the story as well.

Every visit with Cadogan House is a breath taking experience and there is always such intense action and a deep pull to the characters as Merit becomes stronger as a vampire and as her and Ethan become stronger as a couple, so once again, there was no way that I could deny Ethan and Merit my exclusive attention.

Dark Debt by Chloe Neill
Urban Fantasy -March 3rd, 2015
4 stars

Dark Debt is the eleventh in the author’s popular Chicagoland vampires series. But can easy be read by itself.

Merit is a human that has been turned by one sexy and powerful vampire named Ethan Sullivan. Now romantically involved, they try to find time for themselves and protect their vampire House. However, scheming vampires and humans want their power and wealth. When Merit’s father asks her to attend a gala event she and Ethan are surprised when one of the guests is target by rogue vampires from another House. As she and Ethan fight and save the human from death, they also have to deal with the fall out. They find themselves trying to combat vampire backlash from the negative publicity. If things weren’t bad enough, Ethan is visited by a mysterious vampire from his past. An evil vampire that claims to be Ethan sire. And one that wants to take Ethan’s power base. In addition, the vampire wants Merit for himself - a trophy against Ethan and a plaything he can mesmerize. Can they debunk the vampire villain, protect vampire honor and save time for themselves?

This urban fantasy will definitely keep loyal readers engaged. Ethan and Merit have a deep, and caring relationship that is enjoyable to read. I loved knowing they had each other backs. (Unlike other stories that make the main characters doubt each other all the time.) Even when mayhem is surrounding them they still can count on each other and their friends. Ethan continues to exude suave charm while being undeniably sexy and totally kick ass. While Merit’s tough sword welding skills make her a menace in her own right. The cast of supporting characters gives this series its charm especially Merit’s witchy friend and the other vampires Merit has love/hate relationships within the House. I liked how the author has expanded the books to give it great world building. It was interesting to read about the other Houses and how they are different from Ethan’s leadership. And what Ethan and Merit have to watch out for. There are also a couple of twists and turns especially a surprise from Merit’s cold, money hunger father. While not as dark as most urban fantasies I liked that it has light-hearted moments between the characters. Sort of similar to Jennifer Estep’s assassin series. This world has plenty of books to grow and main characters that will continue to keep Chicagoland fans coming back for more.

Great cast, deep intrigue and a smoldering, sexy vampire leader make this a worthwhile read.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

**Please be aware that although this review will be spoiler free for Dark Debt it will include spoilers for previous books so if you haven't read Blood Games yet I would suggest that you don't continue reading**

I'm a huge fan of the Chicagoland Vampires series and after the game changing events at the end of Blood Games I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of Dark Debt to find out what happens next! I was expecting the plot of this story to revolve around the dissolution of the GP and the newly established Assembly of American Masters but although that does play a role the main part of the story is something that has a much bigger impact on the three Chicago houses. It's difficult because there are so many things that I want to talk about but at the same time I would hate to give spoilers so I'm going to keep this review deliberately vague in regards to the plot. What I will say is that there is plenty of mystery and we are introduced to a surprising new enemy who I think will be keeping the team on their toes for quite a while to come.

Merit and Ethan's relationship has been through the wringer but just when they get to a fairly good place an old face from Ethan's past shows up and threatens to ruin everything. This vampire is old and extremely powerful, likely stronger and faster than Ethan even, so for once he finds it it impossible to keep Merit safe. She is in the firing line and more vulnerable than we have ever seen her and it leaves her shaken and unsure of herself. As much as I love Merit because she's usually so kickass it was interesting to see her in such a difficult situation, she suddenly finds herself no longer immune to vampire glamour and unsafe even when she's inside Cadogan house which is utterly terrifying for her. You should already know that Merit doesn't let anything hold her back for long though and as scared as she is her love for Ethan and her determination not to be his weakness soon have her fighting back harder than ever.

It isn't only vampires who are causing them trouble though and they are actually at greater risk from a human mafia like group who have managed to get their claws into Navarre House. I think anyone who reads the series will probably agree with me that Morgan has been a bit of an idiot since the beginning. His attitude has annoyed me on more than one occasion and I haven't been a fan of his for a long time now so I was surprised to find myself feeling more than a little sorry for him here. His house is in a mess and although he didn't create the situation he certainly hasn't helped it but now he finally has the opportunity to turn things around and it looks like we might be about to see him man up for a change. I'll be really interested to see if this continues over the next few books and if it does Cadogan might just find they have a new ally in Navarre. I expect Morgan has a fight on his hands though so it might not be as smooth has he hopes.

There is a lot going on in Dark Debt, there are plenty of plot twists and the amount of action is just right - enough to keep you gripped to the pages and not wanting to put the book down but still leaving room for the series trademark humour and for the brilliant characters to shine. Mallory and Catcher get a lot of page time and they were adorable, they actually made my heart melt a little! We even get to see a very surprising side to Merit's father, we all know what a terrible father he has been so far but perhaps this might go a little way towards making up for it. Of course Merit and Ethan are always my favourites, I just love seeing them together and their banter never fails to make me smile. As usual they have difficult battles to face here but this time they don't let it pull them apart and it just makes them a stronger couple than ever. I love this whole series but I think Dark Debt is probably one my favourite books so far and I just can't wait to see what happens next, we have definitely been given a hint of things to come too and, trust me, it's going to be a wild ride. I just wish I didn't have to wait for the next book to be published!

I received a copy of this book from the publishers through Net Galley for an honest review.

Oh boy, this series is just getting better! This book might have taken a while for me to read, but that had nothing to do with its lacking, life got in the way and I finally had to tell everyone to go away and let me finish my bleeping book! There was so much development and reinvention in this addition to an established series I’m not sure what I want to talk about first.

Lets start with the setting. I love how Ms. Neill has captured the city and portrays it almost as a character in its own right. Sure there are some clichés that she leans on pretty heavily, food-obsessed Merit references as an example. However, I always feel like I am there though be it a picnic in a small park, running around Navy Pier, or chasing down a bad guy on Michigan Ave while dodging tourists. I can feel, smell and almost taste Chicago when I read this series. Ms. Neill captures the essence of this city, its neighborhoods and people, and she does it right. I also loved the nod to Chicago’s infamous organized crime history that was a major plot motivator in this book.

Moving on to Merit and Ethan: for the love of God please put a ring on these two already. I know they still have s*** to work out, but please I want to see them commit to one another before I am old and gray! Of course with how things ended with Mallory and Chatcher in this book we will probably have to wait another two books before this happens, but we all know they are headed down the aisle. Enough teasing already. I hope they elope. Just send them to Vegas and be done with it and move on to the next topic I want to talk about.

The new bad guy!!! Oh. My. Goodness! I am so excited about this new development. He is deliciously evil and rotten to the core. This is going to freshen up and add some new life to this series. It also explains some of what has been going on behind the scenes a bit, a look at who has been pulling the strings in regards to vampire business in the city. He needs to go down and I am going to be sitting there with Garrett’s popcorn as we get to watch Merit and Ethan put this scumbag in his place.

There was serious development in regards to Merit’s family issues and what the heck is wrong with Navarre house. There might have been serious closure in regard to Navarre and Morgan, but I think there is still a lot of drama left to work out with Merit’s father.

The only thing that held me back from giving it that fifth star was some of the running gags are getting a little old and referenced a bit too much in the book. For example we were constantly being explained about how Luc always references corny movie and TV line. We get it. And Merit’s food habit doesn’t need to be leaned on so heavily. It just distracted from this amazing plot that was unfolding. Still this was a great addition to the series and a must read for fans. Looking forward to what happens next!

My Rating: 4 Stars

Dark Debt, the eleventh installment in Neill’s Chicagoland Vampire series, starts out with a saucy dramatic unveiling as Neill reintroduces a painful reminder from Ethan’s past. Fear, surprise, and a sense of vulnerability sets the stage. Steady pacing, and Neill’s ever present energy and humor keeps the story flowing nicely as we learn of the new challenges Merit, Ethan, and the rest of Chicago are now facing.

Ethan has survived his battle with the GP (General Presidium) and a new consortium has emerged from the ashes-the AMM (Assembly of American Masters). While this was a substantial plotline in Blood Games, it runs silently in the background here as Merit, Ethan, and their supernatural posse has bigger issues to focus on.

This particular installment is heavily character driven with as Neill begins a new long reaching story arc. Per usual, an amount of the book revolves around Ethan and Merit; using the inclusion of new adversaries to showcase the strides they have made in their relationship. While there are sure to be more bumpy rides in their road to happily ever after (both are entirely too Alpha for there to not be) they have settled into a comfortable routine that shows us they are both committed and in it for the long haul. Their sexy chemistry still burns hot and bright between them. I enjoyed seeing them handle problems without one of them pushing the other away as seen repeatedly in the past.

The action is rather low-key, sparking at appropriate moments, as the seemingly separate issues facing the respective houses are investigated. More time is spent in this installment on theories, research, and strategies then the usual slice and dice.The mystery(s) and investigation avenues taken are interesting and strong in suspense. Various subplots push towards resolution easily though Neill leaves enough open to ensure readers will definitely want the next book. We receive some eyebrow raising clues towards the future and I for one am interested in seeing where Neill goes with them. As always, I wished for more inclusion of Gabriel Keene and his pack. The friend based chemistry between Keene and Merit is phenom and always fun to see.

Engaging secondary characters and their sustainable relationships remains a strong aspect in the overall enjoyment of this series. Neill continues to update readers on the aspects of their lives with flare and drama. Catcher and Mallory have reached a pivotal place in their relationship and I was happily shocked by the road Neill takes concerning them. Jonah and Merit are experiencing some rocky times; decisions will have to made soon. Morgan is beginning to grow up and finally seeing the big picture rather than continuing focusing on slights of the past. As always, the dialogue remains sharp and witty, keeping you laughing at some inappropriate times.

Dark Debt reminded me why I enjoyed this series so much. Neill has allowed her characters to grow at their own pace while keeping the storylines fresh and unique. This series remains a dark humorous Urban Fantasy/PNR with plenty of action, suspense, romance, and snark. This is not a standalone though and I do not recommend starting the series here. Convoluted; the series that builds upon itself with each new book.

Rating: B

Dark Debt, A Chicagoland Vampires Novel, Chloe Neill
Genre:  Fantasy/Paranormal romance,
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
I first started reading this series before I had a kindle – so that's a few years back! though I loved those earlier reads I lost the magic of it when Ethan died, though thankfully was resurrected. Somehow though it never quite picked up for me, doesn’t have that “must read” factor of the early books. Maybe its the books, maybe its just that my taste has changed over the years. Its still a great read, just not a five star one for me.
 I actually didn’t get round to buying the last book, and wasn’t going to continue til I saw this for review and got into it again. I’m glad I did as it’s got some of the early magic for me, and I think that's because we’re back to Vampire focus, to the Houses being the main theme. I love the sorcerers and shifters, especially Jeff and the River Nymphs – they were terrific, but want them as secondary plots and not the main focus.
Once again everything hits with a bang and there’s danger from not just one area but two – Morgan, head of Navarre is in trouble, the previous Head, Celina, got the house embroiled into serious debt with some very bad money lenders. He’s struggling too as there is still a large contingent of Celina devotees who aren’t happy with him as Master. As if that's not enough there’s a return of someone from Ethan's past whose making a move to take over everything Ethan holds dear. Of course there’s the new AAM finding its feet too.....
Its a puzzle to work out, involving the Vampires, the CPD, the Ombudsman dept. and the dangers stack up all round. Its a long string of disasters and action, and Merit seems to be in the thick of most of it. For me this has much of the feel of those early books, and the only things stopping it being 5 star from me is – once again its Merit to the rescue, and I get tired of it always being her that is the heroine – she’s only been a vampire for such a short time, not just in Vampire terms but human too – a few years maybe? It seems somehow wrong to me that with vampires hundreds of years old, it’s always Merit that finds the answers. The other problem I had was the solution to Navarre’s problems – after that long and dangerous build-up, once it got sorted it felt very simplistic and anti climatic to me.
Overall though its an excellent read, and one that's brought me back into the series and enjoying the subtlety of some of the dialogue, the snark between Merit and Ethan ( and Mallory), and of course Mallory and Catcher. Those four to me are the core of the series, and need to play a solid role in all books. Darth Sullivan – oh what a great reveal, and Ethan’s reaction! Loved it... He’s come along way from the guy we first met, who had little sense of humour and needed modernising – Merit and her  independence have done him a lot of good, he needed someone to argue with him, to tell him when they thought he was wrong.
I really enjoy the way the plots emerge slowly, building our knowledge little by little, and gradually we begin to join the dots and work out who might be behind things – and why, and of course the way each book is connected, how what happened in earlier novels plays a part in what’s going on now.
Stars: Four and a half, I hovered over four or four and a half, but the two things that bothered me weren’t really worth dropping a whole star.
ARC provided by Netgalley and publishers.

Chloe Neill returns to Chicago and our favorite cast of vampires who call the city home with Dark Debt! Merit is rounding up to her first year as a vampire and it's been one eventual year, to say the least and it's about to get even more crazier with the return of Ethan's maker, the one he thought long past dead.

Balthasar makes his appearance early and known to Ethan and his vampires right away, and the tension is high. Ethan was sure Balthasar was dead years ago after he killed Persephone, the girl Ethan loved all those long years ago. Balthasar is back and ready to take what is his, which essentially, is everything that belongs to Ethan...including Merit.

Other problems hindering Chicago, is fellow vampire house Navarre getting mixed up with debts to the Circle, a sort of mafia to the supernaturals. Celina had racked up a lot of debt and now, the Circle is coming to collect and is demanding blood instead of money.

Caught between both problems, Merit is in over her head. Even more so when strife occurs between her and Jonah when he asks her to do something that goes against everything she holds dear to her.

Needless to say, this was one wickedly intense read! And I ate up those pages!! I love how Merit has stayed true to herself over the almost past year, she's a vampire, yes. She has grown into her role as Sentinel, yes, but she has never lost sight of her true self. The one that we saw in the beginning with Some Girls Bite when she was a newbie vamp, that Merit is still apart of her. But she's also grown. She has accept her role as Sentinel, she has accepted her relationship with Ethan, which took quite awhile to fully form, and then we had Hard Bitten, please never again Chloe!

So yes, Merit is a heroine who has grown, and she keeps growing. There are still problems that occur in her new life, and she deals with them, but she's not alone. And that's the greatest part! She has Ethan, and we'll get to the romance in a bit, but she also has her friends, Mallory, Catch, Jeff, Lindsey, Luc...the list goes on and on. Merit truly has remarkable friends and their bonds with one another is truly endearing! I love seeing such incredible friendships!

And Ethan! Ethan still makes me swoon! True, I found him pompous and an ass in the beginning. While I felt the stirrings of chemistry between him and Merit, I never felt anything genuine between them. Until some books later on! And wow! The chemistry between them is still sizzling! Ethan is definitely an alpha male vampire, but I also like how he never comes off as being overly possessive. He still lets Merit be Merit and doesn't conform her into what he desires. The two are basically perfect for one another, because Merit still continues to challenge him whenever she so desires! Their banter is still delightful as well! The jokes...and I am DYING to know his nickname for Merit that he had called her way back when, when he would discuss her with himself or another character. For he learns Mallory and Merit's old nickname of Darth Sullivan and he mentions he had a nickname for Merit, but we have yet to hear it!

The pacing to this one was pretty fast paced, in the good way! It wasn't at all rushed, and there's never a dull moment! There are plenty of laughs, a few heated moments between Merit and Ethan, and well dispersed moments of kickass action!! I loved it! Truly, this is one of my most favorite Urban Fantasy series! It's just amazing and has everything a reader could want!

If you haven't yet read the Chicagoland Vampire series, now is the time! Don't let the 11 books to date overwhelm you. True, it's a good number, but that means you get to binge read up to this one and oh my goodness, that's a blessing itself, because Hard Bitten!!! I won't tell you what that means, but other readers of the series will know and agree, that was a tough ending to handle and wait for the next one!

The Chicagoland Vampires is the perfect series for Urban Fantasy readers because of its paranormal element, the action, the humor, romance, suspense and of course the snark, which is its own blend of humor entirely!

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

Wherever Merit goes, trouble always seems to follow. Black tie functions attended by Chicago's social elite aren't safe. Even wearing a gown that belong on a red carpet, Merit is able to thwarts an assassination attempt on a a party attendee. Question is, who's behind this latest attack and how is it connected to Chicagoland's vampires.

The Chicagoland Vampires' series, is an absolute favorite of mine. Chloe Neill puts together the perfect balance of action, humor, sex, and wonderful characters. While most series tend to get stale around book 10, Chloe keeps this series fresh with each new book. And DARK DEBT is no different. I also felt that this book brought the series back to it's real roots. It's back focusing more on the vampiric houses of Chicago.

This book turned Merit and Ethan's relationship on it's head. Though Merit is really coming into her own vampire powers, Ethan has always been the rock in their relationship. An unforeseen person from Ethan's past, turns their world upside down. Now it's Merit's turn to be the strong one. Even when Ethan's greatest foe comes after Merit, she has his back. Ethan's fully lets Merit in emotionally. I really loved these two together. Their chemistry is so steamy and all encompassing. No matter what tragic things happen, these two have each other. They have proven over and over again that their love can defeat just about anything.

While this book gave me plenty of Merit and Ethan, DARK DEBT was really about the series' secondary characters. Against my better judgment, I have always love Morgan. He has done some terrible things in the past, but he really get the chance to turn things around. We got to see the charming Morgan, that we haven't seen in several books. Mallory and Catcher, really got to take a front seat in this book, as well. Mallory has fought really hard to earn everyone's trust back. She is given the chance to come to Cadogan's magical rescue. I was so happy to see Mallory and Catcher's romantic relationship taken to the next level. I also really enjoyed that Merit got some resolution with her father, since they have always had such a strained relationship.

Sophie Eastlake's narration, as always, was real treat. She has this perfect dark quality to her voice that lends well to the story. She has created very divers, unique voices for each character. She does such an amazing job telling this story, that the listener can get lost in the audiobook. DARK DEBT is full of deep emotion, from agonizing fear to heart stealing love, and Sophie hits these emotion out of the park!

When Chicagoland's the magical community comes together, there aren't many things that can stand in their way. I just love these deep characters that the author has given us. I was really happy that this book had the feeling of the earlier books in the series. The constant drama and action kept me hooked, and I could put this audiobook down. Chloe Neill has a real knack for setting up story surprises that the reader never sees coming. DARK DEBT has the perfect combination of mystery, action, and characters that you can't help but love. The Chicagoland Vampire series has done it again! I can't wait to see what the next book in this series has to offer. Hopefully, we'll get more Jonah.

***Audiobook was provided by the publisher in trade for a fair review***

It’s been a year since Merit was involuntarily changed into a vampire and during that time she has been appointed Sentinel to Cadogan House, recruited by the Red Guard, become lover and maybe future wife of Ethan, the sexy/scary head of Cadogan House, kept her best friend Mallory from destroying Chicago and so much more. Now, as Mallory and Catcher get ready to spring some news on Ethan and Merit, Balthasar, Ethan’s uber-powerful and seriously disturbed sire appears from the dead with every expectation of replacing Ethan. At the same time, Navarre House headed by Morgan, the new house master with whom Merit entertained a brief love interest, face paying off the mountains of debt left from the previous house master who entwined the House with a shadowy underground crime syndicate known as the Circle. Members of the Circle have determined it is time for Navarre to pay an installment on their debt by killing a released criminal at a high end fund raising event. As fate would have it, Ethan and Merit were at that event just in time to stop the assassination attempt which embroils Cadogan House in the affairs of Navarre House. With threats from Balthasar, open attacks on Navarre vampires and more, Merit and Ethan call upon Mallory and Catcher for assistance but will all their combined powers be enough to save them from the machinations of the Circle and an unknown sorcerer.

This latest of the Chicagoland Vampire series does not disappoint as Neill serves up assorted Chicago fare, brings back several secondary characters from previous titles and throws in an entirely human threat that is as sinister as any vampire. Particularly satisfying is how Ethan and Merit’s love affair has grown past the “are we or aren’t we a couple” stage and deepened into a more supportive, loving relationship. Merit must deal with a few surprises as she adjusts to being a vampire and after everything she and Mallory have been through, it is nice to see a sense of trust returning to their friendship. Morgan too, is growing into his new position as master of one of Chicago’s vampire Houses. The antagonists are complex, motivated and provide the main characters plenty of challenges that will doubtless carry forward into upcoming books. Simply stated, this series rocks.

~ 4 Dark Debt Stars ~

Dark Debt is book eleven in the Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill.

There are so many things I have come to enjoy about this series. The mystery, adventure, action, good food, snarky comments, and the every enjoyable cacophony of characters. Each installment gives us an eventful plot with a mystery to solve and new threats to Ethan and Merit’s relationship. There was so much action, banter, and strategizing that I never got board or felt rushed in Dark Debt.

Blood Games left us with one gripping cliffhanger and Dark Debt starts us off dealing with this new threat. Their were two enemies causing trouble in Chicago; the return of an old figure who is very dark, loves to cause chaos, and havoc plus a fabulous mob twist.

Merit is snarky, funny, has the best comebacks, and is a great kick-ass heroine who can take care of herself. In this story something happens that makes her feel violated. She must over come this new challenge and feelings. Ethan is and has always been very much an Alpha of his world and what happens to Merit shakes him as much as her. He is now more possessive, protective and moody. These two work well as a team, bring out the best in each other, and balance one and other out. This old threat does not change this, but does affect their relationship in some way. As for the mob, well Merit and Ethan will deal with them as a new game is a foot.

Mallory and Catcher, have some big surprises in story for us and some heartfelt moments. Their aww moment was just to good. We learn more about Morgan, his house, and issues. I was surprised to see Morgan man-up along with Merit’s dad. The author also gives us a rift between, Jonah and Merit, that is not yet resolved and I look forward to seeing where this goes.

I can't wait to see where things go in the stories and do hope that one day we get the prophecy to come about for Ethan and Merit. If you enjoy non-stop action-packed adventure with great food and comebacks, then I recommend picking up the series. CNeil has created an exceptional world with her Chicagoland Vampires.

* Disclaimer: ARC provided by Penguin Group Berkley via NetGalley with the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.

It's hard to believe there are now 11 books in the Chicagoland series. And this book kept me just as entertained and interested as the first one. That's hard to do. Most series can't pull it off. What's even more amazing is that though the author herself has said that #13 will probably be the last, I can't begin to imagine how she is going to pull it off. There are still a lot of plot threads hanging out there that will need to be tied off.

Dark Debt took us back to the days when Merit was still learning what it meant to be a vampire. Especially when she learns that she's not as immune to glamour as she thought. She has a steep learning curve and little time to get it right, on top of dealing with the threat to Ethan and the house.

The relationship between Mallory and Merit has begun to be repaired and takes some serious steps forward. It's good to see the original gang getting back to something similar to where they were in the in the earlier books. Although I did sincerely miss seeing more of Gabriel and the rest of the pack.

Sophie Eastlake continues to give a great performance and can't imagine reading the books without hearing her give voice to Merit and the rest of the crew. She has helped to give them a life beyond the printed word.

If you haven't read any of the other books in the series, starting here really doesn't make any sense. You don't begin a book 3/4 of the way through, you start at the beginning - as you should with this series. I really enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars.

What can you really say when one of your top 10 favorite series reaches its 11th book? Not a whole lot that you haven't said in previous reviews, but enough to tell you that it added to the overall series.

Ethan's past has come back to haunt him. Ethan and Merit have to get to the bottom of things before it tears their house apart. I really loved that Ethan and Merit's relationship didn't take any huge hits in DARK DEBT. A lot of the books in the Chicagoland Vampire Series has them on the brink of breaking up, not trusting each other or questioning the others decisions. They have grown into a great team unit and them working together gets way more done than when they are on the opposite side of things.

All of the usual characters are involved and we even get to see Morgan again. Although I don't particularly care for him much, I feel he has grown quite a bit since we first met him. His house is at the forefront of some of the major conflicts in DARK DEBT and it was nice to see him at the table accepting help instead of being a stubborn jerk. Mallory & Catcher brought a whole lot to DARK DEBT. They even stayed at Cadogan House, which tells you how much Mallory has grown back into a person that Merit and Ethan can again trust. They both had a big part in helping resolve the conflict that were brought to the houses attention and I think having them there was one of my favorite parts of the book. I usually like Jonah, but he really disappointed me in DARK DEBT. I'm not sure that his and Merit's friendship will ever be the same.

I don't want this series to end, but I really really want the predictions to finally come in to play. I want to see them play out and not in this is the last book, here is a paragraph of the future kind of way. Having said that, there was a lot of growth in book 11 relationship wise, character wise and past hurt wise and I, as usual, will be waiting for the next book.

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

The Chicagoland Vampires series is one of my all time favourite Urban Fantasy series, and it just goes to show that the series is still going strong with the 11th book in the series. Dark Debt was another ripping installment packed full of action and suspense, all wrapped up in a world that I love to be swept away in.

Merit was a bit unsettled in this book and she found some things a little difficult, but she definitely made up for it in other ways. Merit was just as entertaining as ever and showed plenty of spunk and was calculating when needed. She was always on the go and I began to wonder if she would run out of steam, but she kept trudging on, getting to the bottom of this particular problem.

Ethan had a point to prove and as his past had come back to haunt him. Ethan is one of my favourite characters and I loved his take charge attitude, but he was also willing to let Merit handle a few things on her own. The relationship between him and Merit is still very strong and he showed his possessive and protective side a few times throughout the story.

Morgan and the Navaare house were a major element throughout this book and I liked seeing more of Morgan and the inner workings of his house. He was willing to sacrifice some pride and ask for help when he truly needed it, where in previous books he was a bit more stubborn.

Chloe Neill showed me again what a fantastic story teller she is. She wove together such an incredible story and I loved being in the exciting world she created. There were plenty of fight scenes - which I love - and lots of humour amongst the characters. We even had death by mallocakes which I found hilarious. All my favourite characters made appearances, and I was shocked to see a more compassionate side to one character in particular. If you are a fan of this series, you don't want to miss out on this one.

Complimentary copy provided by the Publisher, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oooh was this one a doozy. I wasn't quite sure what was going on at any moment right up until things hit the fan each time. It made for a very enthralling and edge of my seat read. So many times by the point you get to the 11th book in a series, things become more than a little predictable, but that wasn't the case here. Not only do you have the horror and utter messiness of Ethan's maker wreaking havoc, but there's also humans mucking up things as well. Now you would think "what kind of threat can a human be compared to centuries old vampire?," but trust me, this new player to the game is every bit as much of a risk as anything as Merit and Ethan have faced previously. As I said, it made for one heck of a ride.

I do have to express one small but of a frustration. Merit and Ethan's relationship seems to have gone a bit stagnant for me. I guess I just don't understand Ethan messing around with pretending to propose, and then on the other side, Merit's utter terror at the prospect. She's obviously 100% committed to him and based on the prophecy will bear the first vampire child with him, and yet the idea of marrying him makes her all but run for the hills. Frankly I don't get it, and it kind of lessens their relationship for me. But as the relationship is only part of this series, I can put those frustration aside as the plot and other character dynamics made up for it.

All in all, this was another enjoyable installment in the Chicagoland Vampires series. I always greatly look forward to each new installment, and this one didn't disappoint. Sure to please fans of the series, DARK DEBT is not to be missed!

Dark Debt by Chloe Neill is the 11th book in the Chicagoland Vampires series. I really enjoyed this one. Ethan and Merit take center stage as they work together to uncover plots against them and other vampires. I loved their dynamic together. Ethan is protective and possessive by he’s not afraid to let Merit fight her own battles. He knows how tough she is and treats her as a partner, standing by to lend support as needed. But that’s not to say he stands on the sidelines. He takes a central role in the action and I loved seeing this side of him.

Dark Debt is a thoroughly entertaining novel. There is a lot going on and it keeps your attention from the very first page. The pacing is fast and the flow is seamless. The plot was a good one and the ending is great. There is action, danger and romance woven together in a compelling mix.

The characters are richly crafted with emotion, humor and heart. The enemies are dark, disturbing and treacherous. They don’t make things easy for Merit and Ethan but it’s when the going gets tough that they truly excel. Add in the assistance of others and they are a force to be reckoned with.

Dark Debt has a satisfying conclusion but there is more story to be told as a new enemy has emerged. I’m curious to see what direction it will take in next book. I look forward to that one and more books in the Chicagoland Vampires series.

Dark Debt and the Chicagoland Vampires series is recommended to fans of Urban Fantasy.

*ARC (Advanced Review Copy) received from the publisher, PENGUIN GROUP Berkley/NAL Trade, via NetGalley.

***I received this ARC copy from PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

The Chicagoland Vampires series just keeps getting better and better with each book, I love being able to see the characters grow and take on different situations that are thrown at them.

So much happens in Dark Debt At the end of Blood Games, Balthasar, Ethan’s sire, lets them know is he not dead and he’s coming to Chicago and not only is he letting Ethan know but he’s letting the media in on it also. There’s Mysteries and issues to solve around every corner and one wrong movie can cost them everything. Not only do they have Balthasar to deal with but they have to find out who tried to assassinate a human at an exclusive society soiree they attended because the assassins are vampires..

Not only Merit and Ethan’s own relationship growing and strengthening, But Mallory and Merit’s as well. They are finally getting back to being best friends and depending and trusting one another again and I’m so happy to see this! After everything that has happened Ethan and Merit along with everyone else in the house are all learning to trust Mallory once again.

I’m enjoying this series so much and it’s ever changing and always growing and full of surprises at every turn. Dark Debt is defiantly a must read and it at the top of my favorite books in the Chicagoland Vampire Series so far.

**I received a NetGalley ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
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Summary: When a figure from Ethan's dark past makes a splashy debut in Chicago, Merit and her Master don't know whether he's friend or foe. But they'll have to figure out soon, because trouble is brewing in the Windy City.
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I cried... happy tears, but I cried. (I won't tell you why 'cause I don't want to be a spoiler. You'll have to read it to find out!)

I found this series through the recommendation of another author I love, and am SO glad I took a chance on it! I love how "human" and yet un-human these vampires are. Merit's gastronomical appetite is a huge boon toward helping you like the protagonist, and the fact that she still has ties to her human family also helps. Yet most of the characters have the ability to be completely ruthless and have planning/strategy abilities that rival Master chess players.

Then there are the other supernatural species that take up space in this world where most are not known to exist by humans. I am so glad that it is more than "just" vampires and werewolves because it helps validate the existence of vampires and werewolves in the story in my opinion. (If you are trying to convince the audience that vampires and werewolves exist why would you ignore all the other possibilities?)

Before I found the Chicagoland Vampire series I was tired of vampire books but Chloe Neill's series with a smart, bookish, clever girl turned vampire rekindled my love of the paranormal. Over the eleven books in the series - which I devoured - Merit has come into her own. She's the same sassy girl but as she faces new challenges, scary ones this time, she becomes more confident in her abilities.
In Dark Debt they face two foes, an unwelcome blast from Ethan's past and the mysterious foe that makes the team work hard to figure out how to save the day. All ends happily though, eventually, but there's excitement and action before we get there.
I love Ethan and Merit together, seeing the hard earned trust and commitment
All their challenges bring them closer instead of tearing them apart. There were some amusing moments too, Merit and Mallory's nickname accidentally comes out. Catcher and Mallory pop up too, I won't spoil it but they definitely bring the adorable.
If you haven't checked on the Chicagoland Vampire series go now and start reading, it has a smart, strong heroine, a well conceived world, interesting storylines, and memorable characters. I'm already eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Ebook provided in exchange for an honest review

Why you should read it: The Chicagoland Vampires have always had a special place in my heart, and I've loved rediscovering them on audio! As with previous books readers are treated to a tight-knit family that always has each other's backs and hearts. Merit is in the middle of helping Ethan and, helping Mallory and Catcher, as well as trying to fix her relationship with Jonah. I love how much Merit has grown. Seriously, just think about Some Girls Bite and her relationship with Ethan. Both the relationship and Merit have just gotten stronger and more assured. I love the action in this series. I adore all the secondary characters who really add depth to the plot and, more important, I am a major Ethan fan. If you haven't read this series, start with Some Girls Bite. It has a cookie-cutter cover, but the story is anything but. If you're in the mood for butt-kicking heroines, swords and a whole lot of steam, discover the Chicagoland Vamps!

Head over to the HEA blog to see what Chloe is working on next!

Best of series. I've fallen a little behnd on the series, having missed the last 2 books, but I didn't have any issue following the storyline. The story brings the reader in right off the bat. Engaging overall story for this book. Celina' faults and trouble just keep getting unveiled; the repercussios for all of Chicago's vampires like a ripple in water. One of Ethen's greatest fears in the form of his maker blasts onto the scene causing Merit more problems. And now a new enemy in the form of a crime organization that puts the mob to shame. Are Cadogan vampires ever going to get a rest? Let's hope not so we an continue to enjoy reading about Merit and Ethan.

5 Yummy Ethan Stars;) Chloe does it again! This is a "can't miss favorite" series for me, and is rapidly approaching "epic awesomeness abounds" on my series rating scale. All of the books in this series are excellent, however, I feel Neill has evolved as a writer as the story arc advances. We have been through so much with Ethan and Merit as a couple. I love how, after all of the angst we went through, they are a now a unit. There are plenty of stressors at work in Dark Debt and a lot of tension for our main couple. Merit has matured so much and Ethan is just "all in." His possessiveness and utter devotion is hot.adorable.sigh. Add in a bunch of lovable and unique side characters, and it's just a perfect action-packed read. There were so many great quotes and excellent snark, that the highlighter on my Kindle got a work out. As always, the next book seems so far away. Awesome read!

The past comes back to bite Ethan in his arse in a way that has the vampires of Chicago reeling. The one and only Balthazar is up to no good, and when the lines are crossed things go from angry to downright out for blood.

Seems Ethan's creator, his sire, is out for the blood, the money and the glory. He's willing to do anything and everything he can to make sure Merit, is part of that elaborate package.

Only time will tell exactly what cookies crumble and what blocks stand tall. It's Master vs. Master with a Sentinel on the sidelines.

A not so happy blast from the past for Ethan spurs some panic attacks for Merit and a new moblike adversary for the Chicago vampires starts making trouble as well.

I really enjoyed Dark Debt, it is great to finally see Ethan and Merit solid and they have some nice moments together, in between dealing with threats to Cadigan and Navarre. I love Merit as she is portrayed by narrator Sophie Eastlake, and as a character who can hold her own in a fight as well as rocking a ball gown. I like the premise of the new nemesis for Ethan and Merit - I am so glad that the GP is in the rear view. There is also a very nice moment for Catcher and Mallory. All in all a good episode, looking forward to more.

I am a huge fan of the Chicagoland Vampires series and Dark Debt just added to the reasons why. I enjoy the relationships- whether Merit and Ethan, Merit and Mallory, or any of the other combinations of people/vampires in the series. The action is fast-paced, which I appreciate because if story doesn't pull me in pretty quickly, I move on. I also appreciate that everything is told in a straightforward manner- nothing kills a story like having to go back and re-read for a missed detail. I know that some may consider the series fairly formulaic, and I can see where that may be a problem. But within the formula, so much is still unpredictable and that is what makes me want to continue reading.

**I received an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review**
Dark Debt takes us into Ethan Sullivan's worst nightmare and Merit is dragged through it with him. His maker appears to be back from the dead and Morgan Greer, Master of the House of Navarre, is being blackmailed and the only ones that can help him are the vampires at the House of Cadogan.
As with the other Chicagoland Vampire books, this was a great adventure. During the course of the book I was able to figure out a bit of it, but the ending was definitely not expected. It was great seeing Morgan in the book again as well as see some vulnerability in her father.

Wow this series just keeps getting better and better. Never a dull moment in Chicago with all vampires up to the next challenge. Ethan, Merit and the gang have their work cut out for them with this one. Awesome book and incredible writing. This is one you won’t want to put down. Happy reading.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read the first three books in this series previously and enjoyed them, but I didn't have the opportunity to read the last six in the series, and honestly I'm kind of glad I didn't based on some of the reviews. It seemed that the series went off the rails for a while. This book is much like the start to the series, with the notable addition of Merit and Ethan's relationship. It was great to see Merit kicking some butt again! She is definitely on the short-list of my favorite female characters.

Merit and Ethan goes up against a ghost from Ethans past and a criminal organisation that makes the mobsters look like bunnies. Ethans maker wants revenge for Ethan leaving him centuries ago and he's willing to do anything to hurt Ethan.
This book was so awesome and I highly recommend that you read the whole series.

I was completely lost reading this book. I could not for the life of me remember a good deal of the past events Merit was referring to. And it turns out there’s a very good reason for that. I managed to go straight from book #9 to book #11! Time for me to go find #10 and get caught up. Also, it turns out there’s a novella, <i>Lucky Break</i>, that fits between <i>Blood Games</i> and <i>Dark Debt</i>. Too bad it’s only available on Kindle (as far as I could tell at least).

This is the eleventh book in the Chicagoland Vampires series and was a well done continuation of the story. The 12th book in the series will be titled Midnight Marked and is expected to release in March of 2016. Thirteen books are planned for this series. In this book the vampire politics continue and we finally get to meet Ethan's maker.

Things get dicey for Ethan and Merit when Ethan’s maker shows up in Chicago and seems bent for taking Cadogan House for himself. The situation gets even more complicated when Morgan comes to Ethan seeking aid. It seems that a group of human Mafia called The Circle is out to collect on debt caused by Navarre House’s former master. As with all the books in this series the two storylines end of being related and converge.

I enjoyed this book; it's a good balance of mystery, vampire politics, and action. Additionally it's a solid addition to this series. These books always feel more like soap operas than anything and this book continues in that vein.

There are some big changes for Merit in this book as she finally loses her immunity to glamor. I enjoyed that her and Ethan have a stable relationship throughout based on mutual respect. Although I will be honest and say that the stability of their relationship means that there is a lot less romance and drama in this book on that front. Still I love reading about characters in healthy and stable relationships so I am good with that.

You also really have to feel for Morgan in this book. Navarre House is in a heap of trouble and it’s trouble Morgan has been trying to mitigate from the first day he took over the House. All is revealed and we finally begin to understand what Morgan has been going through and why he has done what he’s done in previous books.

With the GP abolished Neill needed a new big baddie and in this book that’s The Circle. They fill the bad guy shoes nicely and I am curious to see what their agenda is in future books.

Mallory and Catcher are in the book a lot as well; they also have a wonderful stable relationship and have made a lot of progress both in their powers and their stability.

The books ends at a good spot, tying up the main issue but hinting at future issues with The Circle to come.

Overall this was a great addition to the Chicagoland Vampire series and I enjoyed it. We meet some new baddies and find out the deal behind Morgan’s behavior. We also finally meet Ethan’s rather evil Maker. There is a lot of action, lots of politics, and some light romance. If you are a fan of vampire urban fantasy I would definitely recommend this series. I look forward to reading Midnight Marked when it releases.

I love this series so much that I could have confidently rated this book a 5 before reading. And yes, after reading I gave it five trees. There’s just something about Chloe Neill. Her writing just really works for me. It excites me. When I open a new Chicagoland Vampires book I get happy. I get excited whilst reading. I smile when I see all the characters I’ve come to know and love. She turns me into a complete fangirl.

To summarize what happens: Dark Debt was as awesome as this series goes. Morgan actually mans up (no, I'm not joking) and Joshua, Merit’s father, isn’t a complete jerk (it surprised me too) and the Mallory & Catcher thing....wait. No. I can't mention that. That would be a huge spoiler. But trust me, you’re going to love it.

I finished this book a few days ago and it has put me in a complete book hangover. I'm itching for more Merit and Ethan, for more of all the other characters--even the not-so-great ones. I just need more. I sound needy, but Chloe Neill did this to me. Blame her.

The drama continues in Dark Debt. Neither Ethan or Merit can seem to catch a break these days. Then again, deep down they both knew it was only a matter of time before the next problem came along considering the bad follows them around like an unwanted rash. This time it was Ethan's maker, Balthasar. All these years Ethan thought he was dead, but now here he is, flaunting himself in the public eye. But he's not here for a friendly visit, he's here because he wants to destroy everything Ethan has built and take his House and Master status away from him.

As always, the drama was exciting. Merit's humour was on point. And it was a fabulous read. In this book we don't any scenes with the wolves. Gabe, his family, Nick and the rest of his family aren't present in Dark Debt and I kind of missed them. But trust me, the book is so awesome that you won't notice the people we don't see, because Dark Debt has a bigger plot than Balthasar. It sets us up for book #12 and from what I've picked up, it's going to be exciting.

Dark Debt made my heart pound. I was close to shedding a tear or two, and the feels we're just so perfect. And you know, I found this review really hard to write. There were so many things that I just wanted to blurt out and fangirl over but I couldn't, not without revealing spoilers. There are so many things I want to talk about and mention, and avoiding it was hard, let me tell you. I think you'll all really like this one.

After the ending of Blood Games I was excited for this book and Chloe didn't disappoint! I read a few reviews about the book being predictable, and I guess I can somewhat see that, trouble brewing in Chicago and Merit, Ethan and the Ombuddies saving the day. BUT I still really enjoyed everything else that came with the story. Merit and Mallory back as besties, snarky Catcher... new bad guys, old bad guys, old friendships rekindled, BIG parties = Ethan in a tux. Still LOVE THIS SERIES!!! Can't wait for the next one!!

So so so blown away with this one, 11 books in and Chloe can still pack a punch with her stories, I love Ethan and Merit there;s just something about there story that i can't seem to get enough of, This was was by far the hardest for them, What with an old enemy of Ethan's showing up, Chloe has done a wonderful job writing this one, I'm desperate to get to the next one. I need to know where there story is going next and will Merit and Ethan finally get a moment peace.

The entrance of Baltharza, Ethan's maker, was just too coincidental for it to be true. The thing is, he was a very powerful vampire. Ethan is, so imagine how powerful his maker will be. When this vampire pulled the nightmare/magic woo woo with Merit I was really scared. It is also eerily similar to a scene from a book from 'Night Huntress' series by Jeannine Frost with Cat and Bones.

There are two plots to begin with in this book, then the two coalisced into one towards the end of the book. Even though we thought the vampires are it again when in actuality the antagonist here is human. At least that we know for now. Remember Tate? The Mayor from hell? He happened not to be human afterall, and he also had a twin who is the evil one, and he was the good person. Interpersed with this drama is Morgan trying to clear Selina's mess, and so on and so on.

In other words there is no shortage of drama to scintillate Ethan and Merit's life. We also get some down time, a little bit, between Ethan and Merit, but it is just not enough. Nope. These two also need to get on with the proposal and marriage thingy so we can get the blond green eye progeny of Ethan. I don't want their wedding and parenthood happening at the end of the series.

This latest addition to this series is superb. I love it.

I love this latest chapter in Chicagoland! I've had the benefit of reading all 11 books in a row, non-stop. Now there are no more and I have to wait for the next release. Oh well. Too bad I guess. I love the series and highly recommend it. I do feel the author is going overboard now on the sex scenes. I could do without that and that really is my only complaint. Otherwise its a fantastic series with endless adventure!

Another home run for the Chicagoland series. It was good to have Mallory and Catcher back. I wish there had been some interaction with Gabriel Keene. He seemed to be the only one missing. This book kept you guessing and was full of plenty of action. I absolutely love the relationship between Merit and Ethan. Plenty of snark to go around for all too. My favorite book couple of all time. Looking forward to more.

It's ok. I enjoy the series, a bit of fluff reading, decently well written and nicely packaged.
It's not going to make you question reality or anything, but it's a fun romp with a strong female lead.

I enjoyed the mystery along with the mystery unveiled. The relationship between "sentinel" and Ethan is stronger than it had been. The "sentinal" is getting better at fighting and is being praised for this development. The story was like chess and who will make the next move, is anyone's guess. I recommend this book in the series because it puts the past to rest and a new mystery is revealed.