Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Chicagoland Vampires #1
Publication Date: April 2009
ISBN: 0451226259
Page Count: 352
My Rating: ★★★★

Summary: 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 away by another bloodsucker—and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make her the walking undead. Turns out her savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now she’s traded sweating over her thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan “Lord o’ the Manor” Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred- year-old vampire, he has centuries’ worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects her gratitude— and servitude. But an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan’s attitude are the least of her concerns. Someone’s still out to get her. Her initiation into Chicago’s nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war—and there will be blood.

REVIEW

Overall, I enjoyed SOME GIRLS BITE. It had a slightly YA feel to it for some reason (although it isn't; our protagonist is 27), it was more in the writing style, I think. And perhaps some of the dialogue. At the time of writing this, I have already read the first three books back-to-back, so I can tell you this is something that becomes less of an issue with each book.

It's based around vamps and their feudalistic House system. Basically, whichever Master Vamp turns you (and only masters can), you then belong to his or her House. There are three Houses in Chicago, and our leading lady, Merit, is born into the only one that still drinks from the vein, and not from a blood-bank baggie like all the others. She is also (a little predictably) not your average vamp; she displays extra speed and strength after only a few days as a vamp. Something that makes her of interest to several parties.

I felt like the possible love interest was thrown in your face much too early on to be believable in this book. This might have contributed to the YA feel as well. It was just all a bit predictable and, dare I say, a bit cheesy. However, by the end of the book, we had met several interesting characters and had been supplied with what will be the overarching story arc of the series and I am definitely interested enough by all of that to overlook these minor quibbles.