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    Dark Debt
    Dark Debt
    Dark Debt
    Audiobook11 hours

    Dark Debt

    Written by Chloe Neill

    Narrated by Sophie Eastlake

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    A vampire never gets old, but neither do his enemies. When a figure from Ethan's dark past makes a splashy debut in Chicago, Merit and her Master don't know whether he's friend or foe. But they'll have to figure it out soon because trouble is brewing in the Windy City.

    At an exclusive society soiree attended by the upper echelons of the human and supernatural worlds, Merit and Ethan barely stop the assassination of a guest. When the target turns out to be a shady businessman with a criminal edge, Merit suspects a human vendetta. But the assassins have fangs.

    The connections to Chicago's Houses go deeper than Merit knows, and one wrong move could be her last.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateMar 3, 2015
    ISBN9781494572631
    Dark Debt

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    Reviews for Dark Debt

    4/5

    126 ratings18 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Good story. Characters and storyline remain well developed. It was nice to see Morgan redeem himself....I was shocked /surprised by his offer at the end. I am disappointed with the Jonah cliffhanger.
    • 5/5
      I love her books. they fun reading lots of mystery.
    • 4/5
      Ah, the gang is back in form! The last book was full of angsty emotions and Relationship Issues, neither of which I find very entertaining. I started reading Dark Debt and it didn't take many pages before thinking I was in for more of the same; after about a third of the way in, I was starting to feel resigned... and then the story went in a different direction and got really interesting, and I was hooked. Merit and Mallory are back working together and the fast-paced, hilarious-at-times dialogue between the main characters was back: I was laughing out loud in at least two different places. Dark Debt became a perfect example of why I love this series. The Chicagoland Vampire series is Urban Fantasy, but it falls somewhere to the left of grittier series like Mercy Thompson and Kate Daniels and much farther to the right of series' that have a more chick-lit vibe to them. These vampires are tamed (relatively) and extremely political. Mostly, the series is a fantastically fun, and often times funny, way of looking at greater issues of equality, inclusion, fear-mongering and their ilk without actually confronting the reader with them by name. Just a thoroughly entertaining read.
    • 3/5
      Ethan's sire, long presumed dead, arrives in Chicago bringing trouble with him. It's great to see Merit, Ethan, and all their friends and allies teaming up; they're stronger and far more interesting together.

      [I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.]
    • 4/5
      Dark Debt
      4 Stars

      A ghost from Ethan's dark past returns to threaten both his house and his love for Merit. At the same time, a secret society with nefarious ties to Chicago's Houses rears its ugly head, and the city's vampires must uncover and prevent their malevolent agenda.
       
      There's never a dull moment with Ethan and his Sentinel around, and this installment is no different. The action starts immediately with a confrontation on the front steps of Cadogen House moves on to an assassination attempt and then to high speed chases.
       
      The secret society storyline transitions the series into a new and intriguing direction. Cults and secretive organizations are a favorite trope of mine and Neill does an admirable job ratcheting up the tension both with this as well as the secondary plotline involving the machinations of Ethan's old foe. There are one or two really intense moments that raise the pulse rate. 
       
      Ethan and Merit have finally found their groove. It is wonderful to see them working as a unit to handle both the good and the bad that comes their way.
       
      Now for the two problematic elements. First (which I may have mentioned before) is the portrayal of the vampires. In the first few books, they were mysterious, powerful and kickass. However, as the series has progressed, they seem to have devolved into nothing more than stronger than average humans who drink blood and sleep during the day. Not that there is anything wrong with this per se, but for me vampires should come with a little more oomph!
       
      Second and more significant is Mallory and to a lesser extent Catcher. To be honest, I cannot stand either one of them. Mallory is a whiny little b*tch and her monstrous actions have been glossed over too easily. Catcher's patronizing and condescending behavior toward Merit as always rubbed me the wrong way, and I could care less that they are getting their HEA.
       
      Nevertheless, Merit's adventures in Chicagoland are highly entertaining and I'm looking forward to seeing where the Circle storyline goes.
    • 3/5
      This has been an interesting entanglement of plots. What looks like it might be two come together as one at the end of the book. Very slick the way the author merged the two together. Merit is still a kick butt type vampire, but I'm not sure I like how the author is messing with her in this book. It seems like she said "I need something to break to make the book more compelling. I know! Merit!" I'm actually getting tired of things constantly breaking...Okay so the big bad of the next book (or next few possibly) was introduced in this book. Good to know. Towards the end, the scene made sense this time, so not needing to cut it, fortunately. The mingling plots worked well this time and will lead to a much stronger finish to the series than it began. This is a good thing. Glad Merit got the chance to avenge a demon in this book. And glad that certain characters clarified everything to the reader's satisfaction. And Jeff! I want the story of him and the river nymphs, dang it. That has got to be an epic story!
    • 5/5
      Good story. Characters and storyline remain well developed. It was nice to see Morgan redeem himself....I was shocked /surprised by his offer at the end. I am disappointed with the Jonah cliffhanger.
    • 4/5
      Quite good, this shows Merit learning more about what being a vampire means and what Ethan means to her, the end made my heart melt.A vampire comes to town who has a lot of power and his main target seems to be Merit, but can she cope with his power and his apparent hold over her, while also battling a criminal group who seem to be determined to have power over everyone.Entertaining.
    • 5/5
      Dark Debt is the eleventh book in Neill's Chicagoland Vampire series, and Merit and Ethan face a threat from Ethan's past. Merit and Ethan find themselves trying to solve two mysteries (one from Ethan's past and one current one threatening the three Houses of vampires). Merit and her friends find themselves trying to figure out what is going on when vampires attack a human at an important event setting off a chain of events that has Merit and company scrambling for answers.Even though this is book eleven in the series, it was actually the first book in the series that I have read. While it took a little bit for me to catch up with the characters and story line, I found that I really enjoyed Neill's world and the story. Merit is very well developed in this book, and I enjoyed watching her overcome an internal struggle as well as all of these outside forces as she faced something that she had taken for granted before which was her immunity to other vampires' magic. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters especially Merit's friends Mallory and Catcher. The book has many twists and turns keeping the reader guessing and definitely plenty of action. Overall Dark Debt proved to be a great read that I would most definitely recommend. I enjoyed this book so much that now I want to go back and read the previous books in the series. I am definitely looking forward to Merit's next adventure.Received a copy of Dark Debt through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      **I received a NetGalley ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
      --------------------------------
      Summary: When a figure from Ethan's dark past makes a splashy debut in Chicago, Merit and her Master don't know whether he's friend or foe. But they'll have to figure out soon, because trouble is brewing in the Windy City.
      --------------------------------

      Ethan and Merit - what more needs to be said? This powerhouse couple keeps evolving, and I can never get the next book fast enough!

      I cried... happy tears, but I cried. (I won't tell you why 'cause I don't want to be a spoiler. You'll have to read it to find out!)

      I found this series through the recommendation of another author I love, and am SO glad I took a chance on it! I love how "human" and yet un-human these vampires are. Merit's gastronomical appetite is a huge boon toward helping you like the protagonist, and the fact that she still has ties to her human family also helps. Yet most of the characters have the ability to be completely ruthless and have planning/strategy abilities that rival Master chess players.

      Then there are the other supernatural species that take up space in this world where most are not known to exist by humans. I am so glad that it is more than "just" vampires and werewolves because it helps validate the existence of vampires and werewolves in the story in my opinion. (If you are trying to convince the audience that vampires and werewolves exist why would you ignore all the other possibilities?)
    • 4/5
      This is the eleventh book in the Chicagoland Vampires series and was a well done continuation of the story. The 12th book in the series will be titled Midnight Marked and is expected to release in March of 2016. Thirteen books are planned for this series. In this book the vampire politics continue and we finally get to meet Ethan's maker. Things get dicey for Ethan and Merit when Ethan’s maker shows up in Chicago and seems bent for taking Cadogan House for himself. The situation gets even more complicated when Morgan comes to Ethan seeking aid. It seems that a group of human Mafia called The Circle is out to collect on debt caused by Navarre House’s former master. As with all the books in this series the two storylines end of being related and converge.I enjoyed this book; it's a good balance of mystery, vampire politics, and action. Additionally it's a solid addition to this series. These books always feel more like soap operas than anything and this book continues in that vein. There are some big changes for Merit in this book as she finally loses her immunity to glamor. I enjoyed that her and Ethan have a stable relationship throughout based on mutual respect. Although I will be honest and say that the stability of their relationship means that there is a lot less romance and drama in this book on that front. Still I love reading about characters in healthy and stable relationships so I am good with that.You also really have to feel for Morgan in this book. Navarre House is in a heap of trouble and it’s trouble Morgan has been trying to mitigate from the first day he took over the House. All is revealed and we finally begin to understand what Morgan has been going through and why he has done what he’s done in previous books.With the GP abolished Neill needed a new big baddie and in this book that’s The Circle. They fill the bad guy shoes nicely and I am curious to see what their agenda is in future books.Mallory and Catcher are in the book a lot as well; they also have a wonderful stable relationship and have made a lot of progress both in their powers and their stability.The books ends at a good spot, tying up the main issue but hinting at future issues with The Circle to come.Overall this was a great addition to the Chicagoland Vampire series and I enjoyed it. We meet some new baddies and find out the deal behind Morgan’s behavior. We also finally meet Ethan’s rather evil Maker. There is a lot of action, lots of politics, and some light romance. If you are a fan of vampire urban fantasy I would definitely recommend this series. I look forward to reading Midnight Marked when it releases.
    • 5/5
      Sucked me in and didn't let go until the very end! Loved every minute!!
    • 4/5
      I pretty much devoured this in one sitting. I think one of the signs of a good writer and story is that after 11 books I still want to read more about Merit and her ragtag group of pretty awesome friends. She’s actually someone I could see myself being friends with.

      In this one, someone from Ethan’s past shows up, which is a huge surprise because Ethan thought he was dead. Not only do they need to figure out what is going on with that, but there is a group called the Circle, that has been targeting vamps of Navarre House. Could the timing of this person showing up, and the nefarious activity from the Circle, be tied together?

      Now that the GP is defunct, a new organization is handling the vampire houses, and since most things are still in a bit of chaos, it’s up to Merit and Ethan to find out what is going on, with a little help from their friends.

      There was plenty of drama to keep Merit busy not to mention a little quality time with Ethan. Her sarcastic wit, and his dry sense of humor are a perfect match. She also got to spend some quality time with Mallory, her best friend, who is still trying to make amends for things she had done in the previous books. I love the relationship Merit has with her grandfather, especially since she doesn’t have a good relationship with her father.

      Through it all Merit is fighting and chasing bad guys who want to take over Cadogan House. This girl can definitely kick ass!

      This series is an extremely fun read and I highly recommend it.

    • 5/5
      This is the eleventh book in the Chicagoland Vampires series. Ethan's maker Balthasar, long-believed dead, has come to Chicago with revenge on his mind. He wants to claim all the Ethan has built; he feels that he is owed because he is the one who created Ethan. If that weren't enough, a criminal organization that makes the Mob looks like amateurs has decided to take on the vampires. Their opening move is to sink Navarre into debt, ably abetted by Celina's extravagant tastes. Now, Morgan is left to try to pick up the pieces.Merit comes under attack because of her closeness to Ethan and Balthasar's psychic gifts are triggering vampire vulnerabilities that Merit thought she had escaped. I could feel Merit's horror and terror as she is almost mind-raped by Balthasar. It shakes her confidence and ruins her closeness to Ethan for a while until she comes to terms with it. The story has a lot of kick-butt action as Merit and Ethan investigate both the Circle and Balthasar. I like Merit's smart remarks. I also like that we got to see quite a bit of Mallory and Catcher in this one as they are planning their marriage while providing magical protection to Cadogan House. This was an excellent entry into this long-running series. I'm eager to see where the story arc with the Circle goes. I'm also eager to see if Merit ever accepts Ethan's proposal should he finally get around to making one.
    • 4/5
      Every few books the direction of the series changes somewhat. For the most part doing this has kept the series fresh. In this one Ethan’s maker, Balthasar, whom Ethan thought died long ago; shows up amid a flurry of reporters for a reunion with his “child,” believing everything Ethan has should belong to Balthasar. And a serious problem within Navarre House comes to light which is only the tip of the iceberg of another huge problem.But this one took me awhile to get into because while we’re faced with new threats, the overall tempo of the story felt a little slow for a good chunk of the book. I was glad I stuck with it, especially as more things were revealed. Keep some tissues handy; happy tears. I like most of the characters a lot and boy, does Merit’s father surprise us at one point. The threats are interesting and ongoing, so we’ll see more about them in at least the next book. But I was really surprised at what appears to be some inconsistencies both with a timeline in one night as well as a vampire’s speed and strength.On the whole, though, I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the next release.
    • 4/5
      What can you really say when one of your top 10 favorite series reaches its 11th book? Not a whole lot that you haven't said in previous reviews, but enough to tell you that it added to the overall series. Ethan's past has come back to haunt him. Ethan and Merit have to get to the bottom of things before it tears their house apart. I really loved that Ethan and Merit's relationship didn't take any huge hits in DARK DEBT. A lot of the books in the Chicagoland Vampire Series has them on the brink of breaking up, not trusting each other or questioning the others decisions. They have grown into a great team unit and them working together gets way more done than when they are on the opposite side of things.All of the usual characters are involved and we even get to see Morgan again. Although I don't particularly care for him much, I feel he has grown quite a bit since we first met him. His house is at the forefront of some of the major conflicts in DARK DEBT and it was nice to see him at the table accepting help instead of being a stubborn jerk. Mallory & Catcher brought a whole lot to DARK DEBT. They even stayed at Cadogan House, which tells you how much Mallory has grown back into a person that Merit and Ethan can again trust. They both had a big part in helping resolve the conflict that were brought to the houses attention and I think having them there was one of my favorite parts of the book. I usually like Jonah, but he really disappointed me in DARK DEBT. I'm not sure that his and Merit's friendship will ever be the same.I don't want this series to end, but I really really want the predictions to finally come in to play. I want to see them play out and not in this is the last book, here is a paragraph of the future kind of way. Having said that, there was a lot of growth in book 11 relationship wise, character wise and past hurt wise and I, as usual, will be waiting for the next book.* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      Merit and Ethan help stop an assassination attempt that winds up being connected with the Chicago Houses.Dark Debt is a fantastic story with tons going on. There are new adversaries and lots of mystery.Merit is one of my favorite heroines of all time. Even though she is a vampire, she is very human. She makes mistakes, sometimes she is scared, and she is smart. She learns from her past and becomes a stronger person, growing throughout the series.Being a Chicagoan, I appreciate Merit’s love of food. We definitely, crave good food in Chicago. You can get just about any ethnic meal you can imaging, and most of them even deliver. My brother moved to Washington State. When he comes home to visit my mom always gets upset because he won’t eat her home-cooked meals. My mom is an excellent cook, but when he comes home, he has to get in all the great stuff you just can’t get everywhere else. He tells her, he can eat her cooking when she visits, but he cannot get the same food in Washington. His Chicago meals will always include multiple runs of pizza and Italian beef combos. I admit; I love my mother’s cooking, but I have to support my brother in this case. So every time I read about Merit’s food obsession, I smile. It is Chicago to the core.I like how Ethan keeps hinting that he is going to propose to Merit and look forward to when it happens. They make an extraordinary couple.Ethan’s maker Balthasar makes an appearance in this story. I appreciate Ethan even more after getting to know Balthasar. He is conniving and untrustworthy. He makes a fascinating opponent throughout the novel, as well, well as a few others. I enjoyed the character development of Morgan Greer. We learned a lot about him in the book and some stuff that was going on behind the scenes at Navarre House. I gained a new respect for him and am interested in seeing his character progress.Catcher’s speech at the end is classic. It is so very Catcher and perfect. You’ll know what I’m talking about when you read the story. Which is a must, by the way Chloe Neill continues to do an amazing job with the Chicagoland Vampires Series. Dark Debt was a well-written and noteworthy novel. It was a thrilling read that kept me entertained. This is a must-read series for anyone who enjoys paranormal or urban fantasy novels.Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.Chicago has a reputation for good food, crappy weather, and organized crime; Chloe Neill makes a point of including the first two in practically every installment, but the third had yet to surface. DARK DEBT rocketed into the previous book’s cliff hanger with little delay while also paving the way for a new mafia plot thread that will in all likelihood become this series’ latest story arc. The secondary characters were the headliners of this novel for me with Mallory & Catcher at the head of the pack.Merit is ever so gradually becoming a ‘real’ vampire after her unorthodox transformation in SOME GIRLS BITE, and the most recent undead trait that she has to contend with is glamour. She’s skated by on immunity for ten books, but the time has come to pay the piper. Her pound of flesh came at a pretty high price, and I was afraid that it would be yet another obstacle between her and Ethan. Speaking of Cadogan House’s master, his solution was uber uninspired, so I was happy that 1. Merit vetoed it, and 2. She conquered her snag.The author nimbly pulled the wool over our eyes as far as antagonists go. There were two enemies stirring the waters of Lake Michigan in this installment; one was obvious until he wasn’t while as the other stayed on the DL until he could deliver a direct hit. I really enjoyed how this story’s plot developed, Neill never does anything without a reason, and even though her ploys don’t always make sense at the time, they eventually complete their circuit in a rewarding way, so I look forward to seeing where she takes her gangster thread.Mallory & Catcher were the masters of all things feels in this novel. I wish I could blurt out the why of it, but their aaww moment was too good to spoil. Morgan’s been the gum at the bottom of the CHICAGOLAND VAMPIRES shoe since day 1, therefore I was kinda stunned when he manned-up, and I found myself genuinely liking him. The same can be said of Merit’s dad, he’s definitely not a candidate for father of the year however after his actions in this book there may be hope for him yet. Jonah on the other hand… what a hypocrite!Chloe Neill strikes again with DARK DEBT!