Friday Night Bites

October 15, 2009
Ten months after Chicagolands vampires revealed their existence, theyre enjoying major-celeb status, complete with T-shirts, bumper stickers, adoring fansand not a stake in sight. Should Ravesmass feeding parties in which vampires corral humans by the herd and drink themselves stupidbe exposed, however . . . Sure, civilized vampires would never be found at such, uh, events, but wouldnt they make fantastic copy for a first-time reporter? The Chicagoland vampires leader wants grad student (recently) turned vampire Merit to reconnect with her influential human family, liaison between vampires and humans, and keep Raves out of the media. But someone with an ancient grudge doesnt want peaceful coexistence between the living and the undead, and Merit has to unmask that someone. Neill is still learning her craft. Her characters are romance stereotypes, the plot is predictable though competently executed, the setting could be any city, and the language is just above average for romance fiction. Still, the book, as much romance as fantasy, will probably please fans of both genres looking for a lighthearted romp.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)