Bitter Blood: The Morganville Vampires

~4.5/5[Also available on my blog.]I love this series. I have said this so many times, but I love this series, you guys. I love it.And I know that it's going to have to end at some point, and that it's probably, or should be, getting close to that point, but I still just never want it to end. I love every (well, most?) book(s), and I always want more, and I'm always pleasantly surprised when a new book comes out and it's just as good as the last one. A huge part of me never wants this series to end, but another part knows that the series is getting bigger in number and it should be happening soon. I'll probably accept the ending rather well, but want to cry because it's over.This book was so good. After the draug plot line in the last book, and Amelie's almost dying, this one has a bit of politics, because the town needs a new mayor. Hannah Moses, the previous mayor, has gotten kicked out of office, and they need someone else for it. Claire ends up campaigning a rather surprising candidate, with a not-so-surprising rival. But while all this is going on, Amelie is kind of starting to change the rules into a dictatorship against the humans, and there's something wrong with Amelie, but no one knows what.The whole vampire/human rivalry is just plain frustrating, and Amelie's change didn't really take me by surprise, it more exasperated me, because things like that have happened before. Although the reasoning behind it was a bit of a surprise, and the person behind it all was a tiny bit of a surprise, if only for the fact that I never really paid all that much attention to the character. I loved the resolution for it, though, what Amelie decided to do with the town and to each person involved. Particularly, I loved Claire's taking a stand. I always love it when Claire sticks up for herself, and sometimes she needs to do it more often, and it always excites me when she does it. She did it to Oliver at one point, along with the bit near the end with Amelie. It was fantastic, I really didn't see it coming as I didn't think it would actually happen unless the series was ending or something, but I am super excited for the next book now (as I always am, really).Some interesting things happened between Eve and Michael, and I'm interested to see what is going to happen with their relationship now, and it was definitely nice to see Michael stick up for their relationship after everything had happened. I'm hoping that maybe Amelie won't be as harsh to them anymore, seeing as what the new rules of the town are. I'm also intrigued by what Amelie did to Oliver, which is a bit sad, but I very much respect and like her decision to keep it all fair.There was also a fight between Claire and Shane in this book, and it was so good, even if it was a bit illogical. Shane just needs to trust Claire more; I understand why he has a hard time trusting people, but after a certain point, you need to get over that with certain people, and Claire is one of those people. I have a tiny bit of a hard time believing that Shane would buy into what was happening so easily, although he does tend to act very much like a dramaqueen sometimes, but I also am upset that Claire didn't get mad at him. And it didn't make sense to me, there wasn't much continuity with how at first she said sorry and that she's broken his heart, and yet she told him later that he hurt her and needed to trust her. I think there just wasn't enough of a change shown to how she was upset and then she was angry, there was a tiny bit where she got frustrated with him, but I don't think there was enough.My favorite parts of all these books is when Claire and Shane are together, whether they're serious or fighting or making out. It's the best thing, and I love them both so much, whether together or not (presence wise, not relationship wise; they have to be together relationship wise, or I would not be okay).I had a bit of a hard time in the last book, and maybe the one before it?, with all the point of view changes, if only because I didn't enjoy all the other characters as much as Claire, but that was much better in this book. A majority of the book was in Claire's point of view, which was nice, and there were only a couple of other changes, in order to get in Oliver/Amelie/Michael/Myrnin/Shane's head, and only when it was necessary to see what was happening with them, which I mostly liked. My favorite point of view is always Claire's, but I also really enjoy Shane's, and Myrnin was very fun to be inside the head of as well.The next book is going to be so good, and I am so excited for it. There's going to be a rather big change, and I'm looking forward to seeing what Claire is doing and what Shane is doing with her, and to make it all up to her, and I'm hoping to see Claire and Shane visit her parents, and maybe seeing Myrnin calling her often (because he's going to miss her, right?). As well as the troubles that Claire is going to get into. I'm just super excited, and it cannot get here quick enough.

Now that the largest threat to vampires has been defeated, the vamps in Morganville no longer have anything to fear and it's showing. They no longer feel the need to be constrained by societies rule and have opened a new hunting season. No one, not even the "protected" ones are safe, causing the humans in the town to take up arms. Claire Danvers finds herself stuck in the middle as both sides seem prepared to tear the town apart one piece at a time.As much as I love this series, I can't help feeling a little frustrated with the repeating pattern that things seems to be stuck in. Claire and company will do something amazing/brave/stupid to save the town/vampires/humans and then the vamps show some sort of gratitude and say they will change things for the better. But, by the time the next book rolls around, the vamps have all but forgotten the promises they made, and the gratitude towards Claire, etc is all gone. It wasn't much more than a mild annoyance at this point because each book more than held its own by distracting me with the new big and bad threat. However, after coming down from the insanity of the Draugs and just how much Claire and her friends did for the vamps, you would have though there would have been at least a small grace period. I realize that the series wouldn't be so enthralling if the vamps don't seem like strong threats anymore, but there has to be some other way than making them so incredibly ungrateful. I guess I'm just frustrated because I cannot count the number of times Claire has saved their royally screwed butts, and I want the poor girl to get some sort of credit.Aside from the vamps acting like idiots, the theme of this book seemed to center more around the personal relationships. Don't get me wrong, there was still plenty of action, it's just that this time around there was more going than just trying to survive the latest threat. There's all these different interwoven character relationships and dynamics that play such a large role, yet are sometimes glossed over by the intense action, that it was really nice to see things come to the forefront. In particular, I'm talking about the dynamics between Michael and Eve, Claire and Shane, and Claire and Myrnin, although that last one won't be discussed here to avoid spoilers. As far as the others, I may be in the minority, but I'm not really a supporter of Michael and Eve. I kinda agree with the town that they shouldn't be mixing as it looks to only be leading to heartache or death. Although unlike the town, I don't want them to split up, but that Eve become a Vamp herself. I just don't quite get that one, or what the real hang up is, but I guess tension is really the key to a good book so I can't complain too much. As far as Claire and Shane, well Shane screws up yet again, but this time Claire isn't so quick to forgive him, and that make me rather proud of her. Don't get me wrong I'm still in firmly in the Claire/Shane camp, it's just that I want the boy to finally have to start taking some responsibility for his screw ups.As much as it pains me to do it considering how much I enjoyed this book, I'm going to have to dock my rating by one star due to the series redundancy. It almost feels wrong to "penalize" this book since my problem is more with the series trend as a whole. However, since my frustration came to a head in Bitter Blood, I can't really overlook it any more. That being said, strangely I do have hope for that cycle to be lessened, if not broken in the next book based on the way things ended. Of course, I could be wrong, but I'll still be holding out hope. Don't get me wrong, things won't be all wrapped up in a pretty bow or be all like roses, it's just that the ending points to a new direction that I wasn't really expecting. I'm both anxious and nervous to see where things lead, but at the very least it should make for a change of pace, which is exactly what this series needs. So, putting my repetition woes aside, I have to say that Bitter Blood was a really solid installment in the fabulous Morganville Vampires series. There's action, romance, and drama galore, making for one heck of an entertaining read that you won't want to miss!

Bitter Blood is another great book in the Morganville series. Rachel Caine has written another fantastic book in this series that still manages to impress me. I am always riveted by the story no matter what happens. It is such a change to other vampire books out there as Vampires are living with humans. Some know about them others do not, which keeps the story fresh and original. The characters are amazing and so developed that I always feel like a member of the Glass house myself. I recommend this book mainly to people who have read all the others in this series; as you may not understand this one as much without the knowledge from the other books... This is a great book and I cannnot wait to see what happenes in the next book. I know this series is coming to an end soon but I will never forget about it. One of the best vampire series out there along side Richelle Mead in my opinon. One of the things I love about these books is the fact that everything is not perfect and happy - things go wrong and things change quite quickly. I am unsure how this series is going to end and that is what makes it so enjoyable and interesting to read. Great!

well where do I start, right at the beginning I suppose ,I first came across the Morganville series at the doctors surgery .I love tales about vampires, I spotted this pile of books on the book shelf , you know they have them cheap for charity, there was ten books , one to ten in the series , so I bought them 50p each , and it was the best purchase ever.I just can not put them down, I was never an avid reader until now, I absolutely love the characters , and the stories are just so exciting ,I can not wait to get to the next page, I have read all ten now, and bought the next five books on amazon, I am half way through book fourteen.I am never disappointed , I've read all those books and love them all, I think the author RACHEL CAINE is wonderful, and very talented.xxxxxxxxxxx

I know that choosing five stars might be cheesy, but I just had to.If you like vampire books, you will love this one. It's the latest (and best) of all the Morganville series of books. This is the best so far, because it shows all the characters in their full capacity. That is what they are really like and who's side they are really on. I will try and not give anything away here, but let's just say, what makes this book the best yet is the storytelling. It shows the weakness in even the strongest characters. Very intriguing indeed.I would not recommend you start with this book, as it's number 13, but make sure you get to number 13 ASAP. Every book recommends that people dump Stephanie Meyer. I like Stephanie, but she does not compare with the amazing words that Rachel Caine uses to describe her characters and the plot etc etc etc. I can go on and on.Rachel, you rock

I loved this book as i have with all the other's ... I am loving that some of the chapters are from some of the chara's point of view which makes you understand them a whole lot better .... I loved that you were not sure how this was going to go right up to the very end it could have went in claire and shanes way or the Niomi's way ... Amazing, I am hoping their will be some more but if i am honnest not sure what else can be done with it ... I hope i am proven wrong in this as i love this set of Fanged books :D ... If you are going to get this Please start from Book 1 and then get to Book 13 it helps you understand the bond between Claire, Shane ,Eve and Michale ... Also the Bond between other chara's ...

The Morganville series is a tweenish series of books about a girl named Clair. She moves to Morganville and quickly finds out that the town is run by vampires. She finds solace with a group of misfits who band together to survive. As each book is introduced danger ensues in various ways.This book is great if you've read books like, Twilight, the Gone series or Vampire academy.I am at university and these books take me completely away from academia, which I find perfect for when I need a break. My friend also reads these and loves them and she's in her late 30's, so these books really are for ages 13 - 35 x