Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Shadowed Steel by Chloe Neill Series: Heirs of Chicagoland #3
Published by Berkley on May 4, 2021
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 336
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Audiobook, Barnes & Noble, Apple
Elisa Sullivan is the only vampire ever born, and she bears a heavy legacy. After a sojourn with the North American Central Pack of shifters in the wilderness—where she turned a young woman into a vampire to save her life—Elisa returns to Chicago.
But no good deed goes unpunished. The ruling body of vampires, the Assembly of American Masters, is furious that Elisa turned someone without their permission, and they’re out for her blood. When an AAM vampire is found dead, Elisa is the prime suspect. Someone else is stalking Chicago—and Elisa. She'll need to keep a clear head, and a sharp blade, to survive all the supernatural strife.
The Heirs of Chicagoland series continues with the gang back in Chicago. I appreciated the last book because it gave us more time with Connor and Elisa alone, so we got to see their relationship building. Their relationship continues to develop in Shadowed Steel. Her friend, Lulu, still seems silly but loyal.
The primary story here is the AAM (Vampire rules watchdog group) wants to hold Elisa accountable for the human she turned to vampire as she is not a Master. She only did so because the human would have died because of the Pack. Their plan is to lock her up and test her, and force her to join a Vampire house under the control of a Master.
Elisa has no interest in being in a house, having the control of a Master, becoming a Master or creating any vampires in the future. She enjoys her work in the Ombudsman office. I suppose Elisa will always be a bit of a “special snowflake” considering who she is and Connor, but she does a good job of figuring things out and managing her own problems here, not relying on her friends or family to solve them.
The villains were easy to spot and one motive was clear. The other motive and details were much harder to see and had to be untangled throughout the story. Shadowed Steel is a solid installment with world-building, character development and an interesting mystery.
About Chloe Neill
Chloe Neill is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Chicagoland Vampires and Dark Elite series.
She was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest–just close enough to Cadogan House and St. Sophia’s to keep an eye on things. When not transcribing Merit’s and Lily’s adventures, she bakes, works, and scours the Internet for good recipes and great graphic design. Chloe also maintains her sanity by spending time with her boys–her favorite landscape photographer/husband and their dogs, Baxter and Scout. (Both she and the photographer understand the dogs are in charge.)
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
Friend or follow me at Goodreads.
- Hunting the Truth by Kathleen Donnelly @KatK9writer @CarinaPress - September 24, 2023
- Sunday Post – 24 September 2023 @kimbacaffeinate @readingreality - September 24, 2023
- The Traitor by Ava Glass @AvaGlassBooks #Ballantine@randomhouse - September 21, 2023
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- C21-Spring
I’m glad you enjoyed this book. I haven’t read a lot of Urban Fantasy novels lately.
It’s one of my favorite genres.
Sounds like this series is pretty solid! Glad you loved this, I’m so curious to try it?
I enjoy this author. This is a spinoff from the Chicagoland Vampires and honestly while you could read this series on its own, you would miss a lot by not reading the original series.