I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Drink Deep
by
Chloe Neill
urban fantasy in Paperback edition that was published by New American Library (NAL) on November 1, 2011 and has 321 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Some Girls Bite, Friday Night Bites, Twice Bitten, Hard Bitten, Firespell, Hexbound, Charmfall, Biting Cold, House Rules, Biting Bad, Kicking It, Blood Games, The Veil, Midnight Marked, Dark Debt, The Sight, Blade Bound, The Hunt, Wild Hunger, The Beyond, The Bright and Breaking Sea, "Slaying It"
Fifth in the Chicagoland Vampire urban fantasy series based in Chicago and revolving around Merit, a newly-made vampire of Cadogan House.
In 2012, Drink Deep won the Cupid and Psyche Awards from The Romance Studio for Young Adult and was nominated in 2011 for The Romance Reviews for Best Urban Fantasy.
My Take
Drink Deep is an exploration of good and evil; a later categorization of magic. Previously magic simply was being neither good nor evil. Now evil threatens the city of Chicago as magic seeks a re-balance.
That said, it’s a disappointing installment in this series. Its resolution was much too simplistic and the potential for a great deal of tension was ignored. The only real tension was Frank Cabot’s harassment and Neill ignored the romantic tension between Merit and Jonah; the interactions with Claudia, Tate, humans, McKetrick, and the mayor; and, between Malik and Cabot. Admittedly, I do love the newest character, but…c’mon…let’s put a little effort into this!
The Story
Cadogan House is miserable with Frank Cabot throwing more and more draconian rules at its inhabitants — think Professor Dolores Umbridge and her wall of rules from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix! Merit and friends soon come to believe that Cabot’s orders are to break Cadogan House and they choose to ignore Cabot’s demands that they ignore the disasters striking the city of Chicago.
Merit and Jonah struggle with the problems and possible solutions in a joint-House effort to aid the humans and supernaturals in direct defiance of Cabot. Not that it seems to be helping. Nor do Mallory or Catcher’s attitudes help as they become angrier day by day with Merit.
Help comes from a most unexpected source and I can only wonder what the future will hold.
The Characters
Merit is the Sentinel of Cadogan House. Appointed by Ethan because of her strengths and her ability to resist glamour. Ethan Sullivan was the Master of Cadogan House; he was staked and killed by another vampire, Celina, in Hard Bitten when he threw himself in front of Merit. Malik was Ethan’s second-in-command.
With Ethan’s death, Malik Washington is now Master of the House, well, if that asshole, Frank would let him. Frank Cabot was appointed as receiver of Cadogan House by Darius of the Greenwich Presidium to determine how the House could have “fallen apart so badly”. Hah! The cowboy boot-wearing Luc was promoted to second-in-command and has become a couple with Lindsey, a particular friend of Merit’s. Kelley was promoted to Captain of the Cadogan House Guard. Juliet is one of the guards. Other members of Cadogan House include Katherine and Margot.
Jonah is the captain of the Guard at Grey House. He has invited Merit to join the RG; he also wants a warmer relationship with her.
Catcher Bell is a discredited mage in love with Mallory, Merit’s best friend, who is learning how to be a sorceress from Simon, a mage within the Order. Catcher is also part of Chuck Merit‘s (Merit’s grandfather) Ombuds office established by the former Mayor Tate. Jeff Christopher, a shifter, is also part of the Ombud’s office with an almost supernatural effect on the nymphs.
The River nymphs control the rivers around Chicago but Lorelei, a siren, is in control of Lake Michigan. Mayor Kowalczyk is heavily influenced by McKetrick and his agenda to eliminate the vampires—good thing they don’t know about the shifters and magic-users! Former Mayor Tate is jailed, heavy in magic, and slipperier than an eel. Claudia, Queen of the Fae, is one scary fairy yet rigidly fair.
The Cover and Title
The cover reflects the red the sky over Chicago turns as old magic terrifies the populace into believing the Apocalypse is approaching. Merit poses in her cropped doubled black leather-over-a-knit tank and her low-rise leather pants, her katana held low at an angle in the middle of one of Chicago’s bridges the still river not moving beneath her feet.
The title is confusing as Frank has put the Cadogan House vampires on a diet.
