Tempting Tuesdays…Ch. 13-15 + Epilogue

Tempting Tuesdays is a read-along of Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill, and hosted by Jenny of Supernatural Snark, Tina of Tina’s Book Reviews, Rummanah of Books in the Spotlight, and Missy at The Unread Reader. And we all know how much I love a good Read-Along…and a good Vampire Urban Romance. It’s the perfect way to start the New Year!

Feel free to follow along or join in at any time. Follow the schedule below:

January 3rd – Chapters 1-4 (Jenny at Supernatural Snark)
January 10th – Chapters 5-8 (Tina at Tina’s Book Reviews)
January 17th – Chapters 9-12 (Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight)
January 24th – Chapters 13-15 + epilogue (Missie at The Unread Reader)
January 31st – Special guest post by Chloe Neill and our grand prize giveaway!

Without Further Ado…My Answers

Questions for Chapters 13-15 + epilogue

1. Chapter 13 opens with Merit describing her new job routine as House Sentinel. Considering that every job Cadogan House is important in helping to make the house run efficiently, which job do you think you’d like to have (guard, cook, social director, gardener, etc.) and why?

Hmm, I think I’d stay on as house librarian. The advantage of immortality is years and years of history and book collecting. I’d stay on to digitize all the old stuff and help house members access the info they need. A useful career pre- and post- bite 😉

Hmm…Just imagining the collection they’d have for me to work with…yum…

2. In the supernatural world of Chicagoland Vampires, politics seem to play an important role in the way the Houses are run. Now that you’ve been introduced to the Rogues, do you think it’s better for vampires to be a part of a House or to live outside of one.

Well, in reality Merit points out for us that the Rogues are truly their own house…Ultimatly I think in the Chicagoland society you have more political power if you’re part of a house. I was most surprised to learn that after becoming an initiate of a house you could switch to another…Thought that whole connection with your creator would keep you tied to one for life err, death.

I think that the real rogues are going to be the faction that turns against humanity. Even the Rogues band together and work with/hide from the humans. The vampires that declare open war on the species are really going to be the anarchists of the group!

3. After Morgan openly asks to court Merit, she feels betrayed when Ethan commands her to accept for the show of alliance it could bring to Cadogan House. Do you think her reaction was warranted?

YES!

I wasn’t a huge “Ethan is a douche” supporter until that moment. Dude has no soul. Literally. Hated him in that moment.

4. When Ethan meets with the perpetrator of the murders, were you surprised to discover who it was? If you suspected someone, were your suspensions correct? What did you think of the perpetrator’s motive? 

I think in my previous post I thought something was fishy with Celia. She was definitely set up to be the villain of this tale. But I agree that the ending really didn’t add up. I think there should have been more plot devices to point us in the right direction. Either that or a better motivation for Celia. I think had we gotten to know her better, to feel her bitterness, it would have made more sense. As it stands now, it all seemed to come out of no where…

5. What was your favorite/least favorite parts of Some Girls Bite?

I liked the tension of Ethan and Merit’s relationship. And I liked the supporting characters. I feel like I was let down by actual character development and the final ending to the relationship/mystery components of the plot. I would have liked to have seen something completely developed in the first book…even if more changes happened in the rest of the series.

6. What do you think is coming up next for Merit, Sentinel of Cadogan House? Will you continue reading this series, and if so, what do you hope to see happen in the next book?

To be honest I don’t know that I’ll continue with this series. I was a bit let down by the final plot choices. Can I have a vote? Anyone got a good reason why I should sally forth?

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Tempting Tuesdays…Ch. 9-12

Tempting Tuesdays is a read-along of Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill, and hosted by Jenny of Supernatural Snark, Tina of Tina’s Book Reviews, Rummanah of Books in the Spotlight, and Missy at The Unread Reader. And we all know how much I love a good Read-Along…and a good Vampire Urban Romance. It’s the perfect way to start the New Year!

Feel free to follow along or join in at any time. Follow the schedule below:

January 3rd – Chapters 1-4 (Jenny at Supernatural Snark)
January 10th – Chapters 5-8 (Tina at Tina’s Book Reviews)
January 17th – Chapters 9-12 (Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight)
January 24th – Chapters 13-15 + epilogue (Missie at The Unread Reader)
January 31st – Special guest post by Chloe Neill and our grand prize giveaway!

Without Further Ado…My Answers

Discussion Questions Chapter 9-12

1. Catcher and Ethan share some personality traits. What makes Mallory, Merit, and even us readers attracted to these guys? Would you date/mate with someone like these guys in real life?

I won’t speak for women in general but I think what makes me so attracted to fictional men like this is as follows:

1. The Ego. While I’m sure it’s eventually beyond annoying, a man with an ego, a man who is constantly self-assured, is attractive. We still take our mating cues from a very basic level. And the man who leads, commands respect, and always has the best plan…means he’ll be a protector for ourselves and our future families. From the Cave to the McMansion the promise of perseverance is always going to turn us on.
2. The Body. Again, this is base. The huge man with the muscles and the sexy [stare, walk, voice, eyes, hair, chin (side note: why is the chin/jaw line always mentioned as being sexy? Anyone truly notice this on a man?) etc.] is just plain attractive. Hot = good sex (in a romance novel), good genes, and good babies. ‘Cause even if you don’t plan on ever having the babies, we’re still hardwired to crave it.
3. The Money. Come on! Even our dear heroines who claim to have no interest in material goodies (case in point, our own layered-tank-top addicted protagonist) still go a little soft when presented with the finer things in life. Whether they be a diamond ring, particularly well-appointed home, or the latest in tech gadgets. We all go a little weak in the knees for something money can buy.
4. Ownership. Yes, Merit is fighting the good fight against feeling owned by Ethan. And when I say “ownership” I’m not talking about actually being property…I’m talking about that feeling when you look at your hubby and think “Mine”. The idea that we could get this rich, sexy, bad-boy to claim us for his and his alone (and that obvi. he’s willing to be mine and mine alone) is a very sexy thought. We all like to think we’re special enough to be someone else’s one and only. It’s an especially victorious feeling if the man in question has had a history of serial-hookups…or serial-mistresses a la Ethan. The more of a man-whore he is, the sweeter the fall into monogamy.

There, the most through answer EVER, lol. No shame in having skimmed that, it’s why I highlight my main point 😉

2. In Chapter 9 we learn of another murder. Do you see any patterns with the previous murder and Merit’s attack? Do you have any guesses as to who is responsible and the motive behind the murders?

I thought in the beginning that the attacker was actually after Merit in particular. She’s coming from a very influential and wealthy family and she’s got vampire super-powers. Had someone known about her future skills she’d be a perfect person to try to convert.

But since the murders are still going on I’m going to have to change my theory.

Given our point in the book I’m forced to look at the key players. I highly doubt that the author is going to introduce a rogue vampire at this point. That’s too easy. So suspects:

• Morgan – I thought it was a little fishy that he did a 180 after shunning and subsequently kicking her out of his club. Not sure what a motive would be though…
• Celina – Could all be a huge plot to bring down the other houses and secure her spot as top Vampire. This seems a little flimsy as it wouldn’t endear her species to the human public, but she’s always seemed a little evil underneath the glamour.
• Joshua Merit – Maybe it’s all political? But why target his daughter/women who look like his daughter? Did he have an inside track knowing Merit would be so powerful, making her a potential ally?
• Ethan – It was awful convenient that he was there the night Merit was attacked. While I don’t think he’s a part of it all…I think he knows who done it.

If a Rogue is entered into the story at this point. It better be a masterful addition. ‘Cause it’s getting awful close to being a pat ending…

3. The commendation is my favorite moment in the book and a significant event in Merit’s life. She has finally come to terms that she is a Cadogan vampire. Were you surprised at all that Merit resisted Ethan’s call and that he made her a Sentinel? Do you think she’ll do well in this position? Why or why not?

I was happy that she didn’t consciously resist the call. I was relieved when it was simply a manifestation of her ability to resist glamour. I’m kinda tired of her constantly fighting the system…

Merit’s observations when comparing herself to the other newbies was right on. She’s already special, already she knows a little too much. Thus a position high up makes sense. I was wondering how Merit was going to deal with the skill set of a Sentinel (awful left-field for an English major) but I thought it was a good play on Ethan’s part. How well she’ll do remains to be seen.

4. Loyalty is a recurring theme throughout the book and much of this series. Why is it so important to Ethan that he needs Merit’s allegiance? Is it solely a Master and Sentinel thing or does it imply something else?

While I think that Ethan wants Merit in a more personal manner I think the need for loyalty springs first from a Master/Vampire relationship. Especially because Merit is proving to be so powerful. Ethan wants the House and vampire world to run smoothly. Merit as a rogue could crash down a lot of walls, whether she means to or not. And I think it would spell bad things for everyone. At least in the beginning she needs to be taught and contained a bit.

5. If you had the opportunity to sit down with Ethan, Merit, Mallory, and Catcher for a bite to eat like in the beginning of Chapter 12, what questions would you ask them at this point of the story?

My only real question in that scene was for Mallory…

“How did you end up with 14 weeks of vacation months into your first job?! That must have been a mind-meld thing, ’cause no employer is giving that kind of time off until you hit 20 years in!”

Yeah, I know it’s a work of fiction. And, I’d be surrounded by vampires and witches. But the 14 weeks vacation came very close to crashing down Neill’s world building.

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Tempting Tuesdays (2)…Ch 5-8

Tempting Tuesdays is a read-along of Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill, and hosted by Jenny of Supernatural Snark, Tina of Tina’s Book Reviews, Rummanah of Books in the Spotlight, and Missy at The Unread Reader. And we all know how much I love a good Read-Along…and a good Vampire Urban Romance. It’s the perfect way to start the New Year!

Feel free to follow along or join in at any time. Follow the schedule below:

January 3rd – Chapters 1-4 (Jenny at Supernatural Snark)
January 10th – Chapters 5-8 (Tina at Tina’s Book Reviews)
January 17th – Chapters 9-12 (Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight)
January 24th – Chapters 13-15 + epilogue (Missie at The Unread Reader)
January 31st – Special guest post by Chloe Neill and our grand prize giveaway!

Without Further Ado…My Answers

Questions for Chapters 5-8

1. In what is a make you blush, steamy scene in the book- Chapter 5 has Ethan and Merit sharing a few hot moments after Merit’s hunger strikes…that is until Ethan becomes a total cad! What do you think of him so far? Strong, masterful vampire, conceited playboy…..lover boy in disguise?

I guess I keep waiting to see how their relationship will work out. Is he really being set up as the Vampire meant for her…or is he really unable to have a monogamous relationship? I wouldn’t say I’m turned off by the behavior. I think it’s kinda hot that he wants her so badly and is unable to act upon it. It’ll make for great pay off later when they do hook-up. I just can’t see how the relationship is really going to work out…

2. Merit and Mallory begin some major training in these next few chapters, resulting in cool Katana Sword facts and Ninja moves. What is the most physically challenging or adrenaline fueled event/activity you have participated in?

Well I just completed my first half marathon this past weekend (a little whoo hoo for me 😉 ).

That training was fun and I felt pushed. But I don’t hunger for the pain that something like a marathon brings. Nope. I’d only train like Merit if it was as easy for me to do as it was for her. Pass me some vampire genetics and I’ll spar for hours. In human form I’ll stick to the easy stuff.

3. Mallory and Catcher have sparks so intense they almost fly off the page…..what do you think of this cozy couple? Did you like the insta-love between them? Do they add to the story?

I wished we would have been more a part of their relationship. I think if they were going to be included in the story line then I wanted to be an eye-witness to their burgeoning relationship. I’d also really love to hear all that Mallory is learning about being a witch. I feel like we’re kind of missing out with that relationship happening in the background.

4. Lets talk Bff’s….Mallory is hands down a terrific friend to Merit, the girls relationship is real, down to earth and fun….not to mention hysterical. What is your favorite memory or favorite thing to do with your bff? Feel free to share pics!

Geeze, one thing? What’s sad is that lately my BFF and I are on opposite sides of the country. She’s all the way up in Massachusetts and I’m down here in Florida. So while that limits most of our activity to phone tag we never miss out on the big stuff in each other’s lives. Like picking out her wedding dress…Wouldn’t have missed it for the world…

5. Things are starting to heat up in the mystery department…the set up at Red, Morgan’s flirty appearance…. Catchers vague answers……as correlation day gets closer for Merit do you think someone is out to get her…or maybe recruit her to another house? Or PS- feed her some more food…because goodnight this girl likes to eat!!!

Haha, I like a girl with an appetite. Something is definitely up. I’m currently pondering the Morgan visit. Is he truly interested in a relationship? Does he want to steal her? Does he want to kill her? Not sure I believe his make-up visit was all innocence. And I’m just waiting for Ethan to crack. Seriously hoping that happens in this book!!!

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Tempting Tuesdays (1)…Ch. 1-4

Tempting Tuesdays is a read-along of Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill, and hosted by Jenny of Supernatural Snark, Tina of Tina’s Book Reviews, Rummanah of Books in the Spotlight, and Missy at The Unread Reader. And we all know how much I love a good Read-Along…and a good Vampire Urban Romance. It’s the perfect way to start the New Year!

Feel free to follow along or join in at any time. Follow the schedule below:

January 3rd – Chapters 1-4 (Jenny at Supernatural Snark)
January 10th – Chapters 5-8 (Tina at Tina’s Book Reviews)
January 17th – Chapters 9-12 (Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight)
January 24th – Chapters 13-15 + epilogue (Missie at The Unread Reader)
January 31st – Special guest post by Chloe Neill and our grand prize giveaway!

Without Further Ado…My Answers

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR CHAPTERS 1-4

1. Let’s say tomorrow a “vampire manifesto” as Merit calls it runs in newspapers across the country announcing their existence. How do you think you would react? If you were hesitant to believe initially, what would it take to convince you they were real?

I think I’d be flabbergasted! I thought it was a little unrealistic that our country was ok with the whole “Vampire” thing within the space of a few months. I think that if a Vampire Manifesto really came out you’d have “fang-hags” right away. (You know all those Twi-hards would be the first to sign up!) But I think we’d end up with a modern-day lynch mob or witch hunt and try to rid our country of them.

I can’t even imagine a modern-day world in which our government calmly investigates Vamperic Houses…instead of rounding up groups of Vampires and begin performing genetic testing a la the Night Huntress series.

2. Since being turned into a vampire means complete removal from your former life and a new job serving your House in some capacity, what do you think you would miss most about the life you live now?

I think I’d miss seeing daylight the most. The view of nature lit bright by the sun. I grew up in Western PA, where they get roughly 30 days of sun a year…30! Here in Florida I get more like 330 days of sun. Since I’ve moved into the light I can’t imagine heading back into grey territory much less full night for the rest of my immortal life. I need my vitamin D!

Plus, all my friends and family would be living during the day…I’d miss all that time with them…

3. What are your first impressions of Merit and how she’s handling all the changes in her life?

I think that was pretty realistic. I get her anger at being changed without permission or desire. Also, having her life ripped away. I think being un-enrolled in college was the biggest blow. Working so hard for all those years and then letting prejudice get in the way of finishing my education. I’d be pissed…

4. When you first read the description of Ethan, what actor/model/person you know pops into your head as the perfect embodiment of him? Feel free to include pictures 😉

Uhm, I’m gonna go with David Beckham.

Granted he was named as the celeb look-alike in the book, but I’m happy to be unoriginal and imagine that body as Ethan.

yum..

I’ve chosen the era of the scarf and semi-Mohawk…oh and the tattoos. Pretty sure that Ethan doesn’t have them but a girl can dream…

5. Do you think Merit’s anger at Ethan himself, not the situation, is justified?

Logically: No. Her anger should be directed toward the situation. Being kicked out of college, angering her parents, losing all that daylight time with Mallory.

Emotionally: Yes. Wouldn’t we all be pissed at the one who actually did the turning? Even if it saved our lives? Even if it came with a new life that meant enhanced genetics and immortality? It’s having that choice taken from you that sets off the real anger. And no matter how rational Ethan’s decision was it was still Ethan’s…not Merit’s and because of that I’d be irrationally pissed at him too…

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