Drink Deep

Chicagoland Vampires, Book 5

By: Chloe Neill

Narrated by: Cynthia Holloway

Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Clouds are brewing over Cadogan House, and recently turned vampire Merit can't tell if this is the darkness before the dawn or the calm before the storm. With the city itself in turmoil over paranormals and the state threatening to pass a paranormal-registration act, times haven't been this precarious for vampires since they came out of the closet. If only they could lay for a bit, and let the mortals calm down.

That's when the waters of Lake Michigan suddenly turn pitch black - and things really start getting ugly. Chicago's mayor insists it's nothing to worry about, but Merit knows only the darkest magic could have woven a spell powerful enough to change the very fabric of nature. She'll have to turn to friends old and new to find out who's behind this, and stop them before it's too late for vampires and humans alike.

Bite into another Chicagoland Vampires novel.

©2011 Chloe Neill (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A wonderfully compelling vampire heroine." (Julie Kenner)

Much better than last book

Where does Drink Deep rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I loved the book because they brought back Stephan!!

What about Cynthia Holloway’s performance did you like?

I love her voices she uses for the characters.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was so happy when they came together and they looked into each others' eyes. I was so glad for their reconnection. I was so...ooo frustrated before. What a relief!

Any additional comments?

I hope the author doesn't split them up AGAIN!!! Reading their fights wears me out to the point I've almost given up on reading about them anymore!

Thank goodness Cynthia Holloway is gone

Would you listen to Drink Deep again? Why?

I listen to the series fairly frequently.

How could the performance have been better?

Get a different narrator. Seriously. All the interrogatives are flat; no upswing on the intonation at the end of a question. And the mispronunciations... "supposably", "undoubtably", "Dar-eye-us" (it should "Dare-ee-us", and she got it right early on in the series), "doc-tor'-al", among other sins. All the men drawl, and her pauses at commas are just weird. It's like she doesn't pre-read her copy. It is, quite frankly, appalling. I can only assume she works really, really cheap. I'd be thrilled to rebuy the series if it was re-recorded by someone who can read the English language correctly.

Darker than previous books, but still good

This is the fifth book in the Chicagoland Vampires series. It did a good job of mending some of the disappointment (gut wrenching sadness and anger) that I felt at the end of Hard Bitten. This review is spoiler free for Drink Deep but does contain some spoilers for Hard Bitten...so if you haven’t read Hard Bitten yet...well you’ve been warned. The sixth book in this series, Biting Cold, is scheduled for an August 2012 release.

I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook (like all the previous ones) was incredibly well done. I highly recommend this series on audiobook.

---Spoilers for Hard Bitten Ahead!!!----

Merit and Cadogan House are still reeling from Ethan’s death in Drink Deep. Cadogan House has a Greenwich Presidium representative mucking around in House business and generally making everyone’s lives miserable. Then things really start getting crazy; the lake turns black and starts sucking in magic and then the skies over Chicago turn red. With public opinion about vampires at an all time low Merit has to figure out the mystery behind the strange happenings if she is both going to save her race and Chicago.

This book was a lot darker in tone, the characters obviously haven’t recovered from the events in Hard Bitten, and there is a huge hole where Ethan should be. Everyone is more than a little glum and this book didn’t have the fun of previous books. Things also move a bit slower in this book and there isn’t as much action as in previous installments.

Jonah really comes to the forefront of this story. Him and Merit end up partnering on a number of investigations because Cadogan House is short on guards. I really enjoyed him as a character; he was the one character who did have some fun banter back and forth with Merit. Merit grows some as a character and is forced to decide what Cadogan House means to her minus Ethan. We also see more of Tate off and on in this book.

As I said this is a dark book and most of the characters are going through some emotional turmoil. Mallory was in the story some and I usually love her character; but her character was devoid of any humor and took some very dark turns in this book.

The book ends well, with some big surprises that should please fans of the series. If you were going to give up on the series after Hard Bitten I recommend reading this book. It is kind of a transition book, but the continuing storyline looks very intriguing.

Overall a decent addition to the series. Much darker than previous books and slower moving. Jonah plays a much bigger role in the story and Merit does show some growth as a character as well. Recommended to fans of vampire urban fantasy. I can’t wait to see what happens in Biting Cold.

good read

love the story. It has it sad moments, happy moments, silly moments. Got to say some moments that I laughed out loud.

Another 5star book

This was another amazing 5 star book in this series. It’s still unpredictable, entertaining, with amazing characters and magic in abundance. Although not all the magic is good. I enjoy all the different problems that arise and how the characters work through them together and on there own. Merit is an amazing vampire and star of the series, she goes to all lengths necessary too save lives, Chicago and stamp out evil.

Great series

Chloe Neill hit another home run with this new addition to the Chicagoland vampire series! Once again Cynthia Holloway did an amazing job bringing the story to life!

Not her best work

Well, I was nervous to read this after the last book. It seems to drag. The end is ok though. I will continue to listen to the series, but it lost a lot of appeal.
As for the narrator, I hate her!
Still worth a credit.

Well written

I was so upset by the conclusion of the last book that I almost discontinued listening to the series. Then, after reading some of the reviews of this book that included hints of the surprise ending, I cheated by listening to the last chapter first. I have never done such a thing before in my life. I just couldn’t help myself. After deciding to listen to more of the series and completing this book, I must admit that this book is the best written book, in the series, so far. My only disappointment is the lack of any intimacy, in this series. Hey, it’s a vampire series, and vampires and intimacy should always be included.
-V from Kansas

Such drama but I loved it

This book is great. There was so much drama and real surprises. Things really happened that I didn't see coming. The narrator in this series is really very good.

Drink Deep

Well I did kind of suspect but I sure as heck did not see that coming!!

Things are heating up in Chicago and Merit is right smack dab in the middle of it all and not by her choice.

I really like the new relationships she is making, I don’t think she is moving on per say I think she is living on as he would have wanted.

Again I am loving the narration.