x dismiss this message
Did you know you can edit this page?
-
Sign Into Shelfari
-
Choose something to edit
-
Save your contributions
see page history
Description edit
First in a brand new series about a Chicago graduate student's introduction into a society of vampires.
Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn't exactly glamorous, but it was Merit's. She was doing fine until a rogue vampire attacked her. But he only got a sip before he was scared... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters edit
- Merit: Former grad student, now reluctant vampire and about to be inducted into Cadogan House, one of several local vampire groups; roommate to Mallory; estranged from her family with the exception of her grandpa. She is 28-years old, 5'9" and has chestnut hair and blue eyes.
- Ethan Sullivan: Master Vampire, head of Cadogan House. He's tall, gorgeous and is blond with green eyes.
- Mallory Carmichael: Merit's best friend and roommate; sorcerer
- Chuck Merit: Merit's paternal grandfather, retired police officer
- Jeff Christopher: Shapeshifter, works for Ombudsman's office as a computer geek. He's a 21-year old computer prodigy.
- Lindsey: Cadogan vampire guard and new friend of Merit; psychic
- Luc: Vampire and head of Cadogan Security; likes Lindsay
- Catcher Bell: Powerful 28-year old sorcerer, working for the Ombudsman's office.
- Scott Grey: Master vampire leader of Grey house
- Malik: Ethan's second in command of Cadogan house
- Celina Desaulniers: Master vampire, head of Navarre house
- Morgan Greer: Vampire, second in command of Navarre House; has the hots for Merit
- Amber: Cadogan vampire, House Consort
- Joshua Merit: Merit's father, an extremely wealthy and influential man
- Noah Beck: Leader of Chicago's rogue vampires.
- Seth Tate: Chicago mayor
- Pennebaker: Joshua Merit's butler who Merit calls Peabody to annoy him.
- Charlotte: Merit's sister who is married to a heart surgeon
- Robert Merit: Merit's brother
- Meredith Merit: Merit's mother
- Helen: Initiate Liaison, one-woman welcoming committee for new Cadogan vamps and den mother.
- Mark Perkins: Mallory's boyfriend
- Gabriel Keene: Apex (leader) of the North American Central Pack; wolf shifter
- Peter: Cadogan guard; has great contacts
- Kelley: Cadogan guard; mechanical and software genius
- Juliet: Cadogan guard; data specialist
- Conner: One of the twelve Cadogan Novitiates
- Gabrielle: Cadogan vampire and Amber's best friend
Quotes edit
-
“Do you think you'll get a sword?" "What would I do with a sword?”
Mallory, Merit -
“I’m still me.”
Merit -
“Internet,” she said. “You’d be amazed.”
Mallory -
“You were undeserving,” she sniped. “I was unconsenting,” I corrected and slammed the heavy oak door shut with enough force that it rattled the hinges.”
-
“I liked who I was, Mal. My life wasn’t perfect, but I was happy.”
Merit -
“Hi, Dad. It’s the daughter you barely tolerate. Yeah, I know you’re disappointed I’m the walking undead, but vampire guys are seriously hot.”
Merit -
“To drink or not to drink. That was the question.”
Jeff -
“I said ‘sorcerer,’ not ‘Dumbledore’.”
Merit -
“I’m pulling out all my best material.” “Then I’d hate to see the bottom of that barrel.”
- Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
-
Have you ever had a moment where you knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you were in the right place? That you were on the right journey? Maybe the sense that you’d crossed a boundary, jumped a hurdle, and somehow, after facing some unconquerable mountain, found yourself suddenly on the other side of it? When the night was warm, and the wind was cool, and a song carried through the quiet streets around you. When you felt the entire world around you, and you were part of it—of the hum of it—and everything was good.
Highlighted by 47 Kindle customers -
Those moments never seem to last long enough. The song ends, the breeze stills, the worries and fears creep in again and you’re left trying to move forward, but glancing back at the mountain behind you, wondering how you managed to cross it, afraid you really didn’t—that the bulk and shadow over your shoulder might evaporate and re-form before you, and you’d be faced with the burden of crossing it again. The song ends, and you stare at the quiet, dark house in front of you, and you grasp the doorknob, and walk back into your life.
Highlighted by 22 Kindle customers -
“Partly because Chuck asked me to. And partly because you have something of mine. And the time will come when it’s up to you to protect it. I need to know you’ll be ready for that.”
Highlighted by 21 Kindle customers -
Although security and warfare had never been my gig, vampire security was highly contextual and thus incredibly interesting. There were links to history (Vampires were screwed over yesterday!) and politics (House X screwed us over yesterday!), philosophy (Why do you think they screwed us over yesterday?) and ethics (If we didn’t bite, would they have screwed us over yesterday?), and, of course, strategy (How did they screw us over? How can we keep them from screwing us over again or, better yet, screw them over first?).
Highlighted by 20 Kindle customers -
. . . And always through new act and passion new Shines the divine same body and beauty through, The body spiritual of fire and light That is to worldly noon as noon to night; Love, that is flesh upon the spirit of man And spirit within the flesh whence breath began; Love, that keeps all the choir of lives in chime; Love, that is blood within the veins of time;
Highlighted by 18 Kindle customers -
“War is coming, Ethan Sullivan, House of Cadogan. The temporary peace, born of human neglect, is at an end. She is strong. She will come, she will rise, and she will break the bonds that have held the Night together.”
Highlighted by 16 Kindle customers -
Mallory leaned toward me. “FYI, your eyes are silver. I’ll just add ‘horny’ to the list of reasons that happens.”
Highlighted by 16 Kindle customers -
“I’m in love with Ethan Sullivan and we’re going to have teethy vampire babies and buy a house in Naperville and live happily ever after.”
Highlighted by 13 Kindle customers -
RICH PEOPLE AREN’T NICER— THEY JUST HAVE BETTER CARS
Highlighted by 12 Kindle customers -
Weirdly, I felt a prickle in the air emanating from my best friend and roommate. A tingle of something electric. But still sleepy, dizzy, I dismissed it.
Highlighted by 11 Kindle customers
Setting & Locations edit
Contemporary Chicago ... in a parallel universe in which vampires announced their existence about 8 months ago.
- Hyde Park: Neighborhood where Cadagon House is located
- Wicker Park: Neighborhood where Merit and Mallory live
First Sentence edit
At first, I wondered if it was karmic punishment.
Table of Contents edit
1. The Change
2. Rich People aren't Nicer-They Just Have Better Cars
3. You Gotta Fight For Your Right.
4. The Things That Go Bump In The Night . . . Are Probably Registered Voters In Cook County.
5. Just A Quick Bite
6. If At First You Don't Succeed, Fall Down, Down Again.
7. What's In A Name?
8. Fangs Mean Never Having To Say You're Sorry.
9. There's Not Much Wrong That Chunky Monkey Can't Fix.
10. Keeping Watch In The Night
11. Advice For Litigators And Vampires: Never Ask A Question To Which You Don't Already Know The Answer
12. You Can't Trust A Man Who Eats A Hot Dog With A Fork.
13. Two's Company—Three's A Madhouse.
14. Love Is A Battlefield. So Is The City of Chicago
15. Before The Flood
Epilogue
Glossary edit
- Greenwich Presidium (GP): Council of Vampires that regulates those in Western Europe and North America.
- Ombudsman: Group of Police that are the go-between guys for the supernaturals and humans. The head is referred to "Ombud."
- Grey House: One of the three vampire houses in Chicago, headed by Master vampire, Scott Grey
- Navarre House: One of the three vampire houses in Chicago, headed by Master vampire Celina Desaulniers
- Cadogan House: One of the three vampire houses in Chicago, headed by Master vampire Ethan Sullivan
- Sentinel: A formal position in a vampire house. The sentinel is responsible for defending the house itself, not the master.
- Novitiate: New vampire initiate who has yet gone through the Commendation ceremony.
- Commendation: Initiation ceremony for newly changed vampires (Novitiates)
Errata edit
In the second chapter, Mallory and Merit are watching the TV report on Jennifer Porter's death and then Mallory uses the remote to turn off the TV. One sentence later, Mallory points to a shot of Jennifer Porter on TV.
Series & Lists edit
This is book 1 of 8 in Chicagoland Vampires. (standard series)
Followed by Friday Night Bites.
Authors & Contributors edit
- Chloe Neill (Author)
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Penguin Group
Country: USA
Publication Date: April 7, 2009
ISBN: 0451226259
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Penguin Group
Country: USA
Publication Date: April 7, 2009
ISBN: 0451226259
Page Count: 352
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: PS3614.E4432 S66 2009
- Dewey: 813.6
Popular Tags
See all 50 tags
Links to Supplemental Material edit
- Chloe Neill: Author's website
- Chloe Neill's Blog
More Books Like This edit
We’re hiding the summary, themes, awards, movie connections, books with additional background information, books that influenced this book, books influenced by this book, books that cite this book and books cited by this book sections. If you would like to add content to them, you must first make them visible.
