Gizmo's Reviews: Review - Bitter Blood by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires # 13)

It has been four months since the vampires, helped by Claire, Michael, Shane, and Eve, defeated the dreaded draug in Black Dawn. It has also been four months since Michael and Eve went against Amelie’s wishes and got married which split Morganville into different groups causing Eve, Shane, and Claire to be declared fang lovers by the human residents and targeted by Captain Obvious.

Claire and Crew really can’t expect things to calm down and go back to normal when humans who hate vampires now put a target squarely on YOUR backs for being vampire lovers after Michael and Eve’s wedding. In regards to Eve who gets put through the ringer in this book, it seems that one way or the other, Caine is headed towards turning her into a vampire in order for this marriage to be able to last. I don’t necessarily agree with this angle since her outcast brother Jason is now a vampire, but I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority when it comes to this issue. Then again, who knows? Maybe it will be Claire finding a cure for vampirism and returning Michael back to a human since she continues to work on a device that is supposed to thwart vampires’ ability to influence humans.

Right from the opening chapter of Bitter Blood things tread towards a dangerous area when a decree, drawn up by Oliver with some help behind the scenes, mandate that all human and vampires residents carry mandated identification cards coded with a tracking device. It also gives vampires free rein to kill any human they want in order to feed. Claire and crew are once again forced to fight for their rights even though they clearly have lost footing and favor with Amelie the founder of Morganville. But, what's puzzling is how easily one person was able to take control of several vampires (including Michael) and humans in order to make her play against Amelie

When reading the Morganville Vampires series, you pretty much can expect the unexpected as well as storylines that are strangely puzzling and dark at times. I mean, yeah we’ve had the draug, and Bishop, and even other vampires invading the town trying to unseat Amelie from being ruler of Morganville. But, the more things change, the more they remain the same in some ways. Bitter Blood once again alternates POV’s from Claire who is the main story, to Oliver, Amelie, Shane, Michael, and Myrnin who once again makes the story more interesting to read as well as entertaining.

Bitter Blood introduces several new characters who arrive in Morganville from a ghost hunting TV show called After Dark. The shocking fact that they were allowed in town at all, should have been a red herring that things won’t go smoothly with this group. Also, Miranda, who is now a ghost, has become a part of the Glass House as a regular participant. She also gets a huge role to play in the conclusion of Bitter Blood as well as a surprise character from Shane’s past.

Unfortunately, I may be getting to the point in the series where I'm experiencing burnout syndrome. I'm not really sure at this point but time will tell since two books are releasing in 2013. While others have gushed about this book, I found, except for the ending, it to be same ole song and dance. Same ole Claire, who has certainly changed a lot and grown up, jumping in and rushing head first to save the day and everyone else for that matter only to be criticized and left emotionally and physically drained. Same ole Shane jumping to conclusions and not trusting anyone let alone Claire. SHOCKING surprise was when (BLANK) kisses (BLANK) under the control of someone else causing all sorts of possible scenarios to play themselves out and leaving all relationships in serious question. Yeah, I'm not going to spoil who kisses whom, but will say that it won't be a shock when it happens.

Unfortunately, by the time I got around to reading this book, the synopsis for Fall of Night was already released which kind of told me that things are going to change and maybe not for the best for Claire and gang. It was pretty much a spoiler for the ending of this book knowing that no matter what happens, Claire was going to find a different path to take than the rest of the group.