Cat Johnson Braves Doll Lil’s Word Association Challenge!

Author: Chloe Neill
Title: House Rules
Release: February 5th, 2013
Reviewer: Teresa
Series: Chicagoland Vampires #7
Source: Library
Purchase: | Book Depository

In a city full of vampires, trouble never sleeps.

At the tender age of 27, Merit became a sword-wielding vampire. Since then, she’s become the protector of her House, watched Chicago nearly burn to the ground, and seen her Master fall and rise. Now she’ll see her mettle—and her metal —tested like never before.

It started with two . . . Two rogues vanishing without a trace. Someone is targeting Chicago’s vampires, and anyone could be next. With their house in peril, Merit and her Master, the centuries old Ethan Sullivan, must race to stop the disappearances. But as they untangle a web of secret alliances and ancient evils, they realize their foe is more familiar, and more powerful, than they could have ever imagined.

Its been six months since the last time see saw Ethan and Merit. Malory has a love hate relationship with Berna and the world is good… well maybe not. As we know the house is revolting against the Greenwich Presidium rule after everything they did in Drink Beep. Everyone is coming down from the Tate’s and Mallory’s release of evil. The vamps are trying to keep a low key now that they have not friends or love in the Mayor’s office.

Now Cadogan House is preparing for its divorce from the GP and there’s a killer on the loose. When it rains it pours in Chicago. Not only will Merit have to use her head to help Ethan with the GP. She also has to figure out how to keep everyone she cares about safe. And the things she’s been dreading since she made her decision about the RG (Red Guard) comes to a head. In House Rules Merit uses every resource she has in her arsenal to help the house and I do mean “every”.

House Rules takes us back to the funnier books in the series, with Merit, Luc and others having one liners. We get things like Lucsey (Luc and Lindsey) and Methan (Merit and Ethan) just to give you a little taste of what you might find. I laughed and chucked throughout the whole book even with the series issues going on. We also see how Ethan’s death and resurrection have and are affecting and redefining him and the house. I know people don’t like or believe in the story because CN killed Ethan off and then brought him back. But I’m here to say the changes in Ethan blend whom he was and is together nicely. We get to picture what Ethan would have been like as a human if he’d come back from war alive. House Rules brings Ethan’s warrior training, nature and history together with his vampire strength, strategies and political ideals. He truly has become a man who can be Merit’s equal and lead a house of Rogues.

We get to see some of our favorite characters and not so favorite. We also meet some new ones that aren’t so likeable. McKetrick makes an appearance. We also see Kelley, Juliet, Luc and Lindsey. Margot makes some awesome food as always. Malik goes back to being second as he gives Ethan control of the house once again. Helen helps with the transition of the house. The librarian, Paige along with a new character named Michael Donovan and Lacy try to find loop holes the GP might use against the house. Merit gets to hang with Chuck “grandpa” Merit, Jeff Christopher and Catcher. She also gets to play cards with Gabriel and we get to meet a few more brothers Christopher, Ben, and Derek. With a murderer on the loose we meet up with Noah, Jonah, Morgan Greer and Scott Grey. And of course we see the GP Darius West who we’re met before and now we meet Harold Monmoth who was the man that helped Celina when she was human.

As the house becomes a house of Rogues we also see what help the RG will give the house. And the best part Ethan goes off on a few people, which has been a long time coming as far as I’m concerned.

I had a blast reading this latest installment and I hope the next six months goes by quickly. If this book is any indication the next one will be wickedly hilarious and one that you won’t want to put down. Put your reservations a side and take a chance to fall in love with Ethan and Merit all over again.

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