by Terrance Mc Arthur

Details on how to enter to win a copy of Wild Things at the end of this review.

If you want to know where the Wild Things REALLY are, read Wild Things by Chloe Neill. It makes my heart sing! (Enough with the Wild Things jokes, already!)

Neill’s Chicagoland Vampires books are a major urban paranormal series, taking Merit (a gorgeous woman, as are all UP heroines–wouldn’t it be a welcome change to see a homely lady recognized for her fighting skills instead of her ability to fill a wet T-shirt?) from wise-cracking college student to blood-drinking Sentinel, security officer of the baddest vampire house in the Windy City, and major love of the Cadogan House leader (Ethan), in just ten months (in book-time).

Because the mayor wants to get rid of Ethan and all supernaturals, Ethan is charged with murder (It was self-defense/justifiable/…the guy needed to be killed), so he and Merit head for a forced vacation at the mansion of the shape shifter Pack’s leaders, just in time for a traditional festival…and a deadly attack…and they are accused of being responsible. Merit is kidnapped by creatures that are supposed to be extinct, and accused of more bad things, and the only way she can prevent a multi-species war that could engulf the Midwest is to find out whodunit and get everybody to make nice and sing “Kum-ba-ya.” On top of that, a favor is called in by a powerful member of the fang-faced hierarchy, and that obligation could permanently change the playing field for Ethan and Merit…and there’s another world-twister in store for Merit. There’s a nice side-story with Mallory, a disgraced witch who is trying to re-earn everybody’s trust and stay on positive paths.

Neill has opened the gates of the paranormal world to include all sorts of creatures, but this world doesn’t seem cluttered; some multi-book sets have swollen to can’t-tell-the-players-without-a-scorecard proportions, but she hasn’t reached that level of confusion that nearly sank the Sookie Stackhouse books. So far, it’s interesting, not dizzying.

This is a tantalizing mystery, with some frisky fun for Merit and Ethan, and it’s nice to see them still having fun after nine Chicagoland books…fun that will be shared by all those lucky readers.

To enter to win a copy of Wild Things, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Wild,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen May 3, 2014. U.S. residents only.

Check out more fantasy book reviews in our fantasy and fangs section.

Terrance V. Mc Arthur is a Community Librarian for the WoW! (WithOut Walls) Division of the Fresno County Public Library, roaming the Valley to meet the public’s information needs.