Book 12.5 and 13

Book 12.5  and 13. . how can that be?

Chloe Neill  wrote a novella for the Chicagoland Vampire series.  Goodreads now shows me as ahead of schedule on my goal of 60 books for the year.  I don't feel right about counting Lucky Break as an entire book.

Lucky Break is a pretty quick read.  Merit and Ethan are trying to have a romantic weekend away from the turmoil of all that supernatural bullshit they deal with.  However, if they wanted that REALLY, I question whether or not they would go stay in the rustic guest cottage of a shape shifter.  Naturally, there is drama before they even can get unpacked.  The shifter husband of their vampire friend has turned up dead thanks to a hard blow to the head.  Merit and Ethan get involved, along with the packleader for the midwest, who is featured in other installments of the series.  The death is part of a longterm feud in the area between rogue vamps and a loosely organized pack of shifters.  There are spoilers for the previous installment in this novella, so best to read it all in order.

Dark Debt is the following, full length installment in the series.  Ethan is just about to settle into his new role in the not very exciting world of vampire politics when his maker, Balthasar, leaves him a menacing note.  But! But!  He's supposed to be dead!  The super powerful vampire has strong powers over glamoring, and he's pissed that Ethan left him for dead centuries ago.  At the same time, Merit's human father calls in a favor so that Merit and Ethan will meet up with a powerful businessman on his behalf.  Meanwhile, a criminal organization called The Circle is menacing one of the other vampire houses in Chicago.  Turns out the previous head of the house was in deep debt to the organization and they have decided it's time to collect.    It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out that the shit is not all hitting the fan by coincidence.  This is not a close series of random events, but a more complicated conspiracy.  As usual, Neill delivers a complicated plot, a lot of ass kicking, a sprinkling of nookie, and descriptions of disgusting Chicago Style Pizza.  THAT IS NOT PIZZA.  Despite the discs of abomination, I still think it's a good, fun installment in the series.