Midnight Marked

Character list
Caroline Evelyn Merit "Sentinel" = lead character, strong female vampire, member of Cadogan House
Ethan Sullivan = Master vampire, ruled Cadogan House, Merit's maker, boss, and love
Mallory Carmichael Bell = sorcerer, Merit's best friend, newlywed
Catcher Bell = magician, trained Merit how to fight after she became a vampire, married to Mallory, difficult past wiry Ethan, and works for Merit's grandfather
Gabriel Keene = Apex of the North American Central Pack of shifters, Fri Dec to Merit and Mallory
Bernard = cook for the pack, always tries to feed Merit
Chuck Merit = Merit's grandfather,  Catcher's boss, Chicago Supernatural Ombudsman
Jeff Christopher = shifter, computer guru, friend of Merit's, works for Chuck and with Catcher, dating Fallon  (Gabriel 's sister)
Malik = Ethan 's second in command
Luc = Cadogan House guardian captain
Juliet = Cadogan House guard, friend to Merit
Lindsey = Cadogan House guard, friend to Merit, dating Luc
Paige = sorcerer,  dating Cadogan House librarian
Scott Grey = Master of Grey House
Jonah = Merit's Red Guard partner,  Guard captain of Grey House
Morgan Greer = Master of Navarre House
Noah Morgan = Member od the Red Guard, unofficial leader of Chicago rogue vampires
Adrien Reed = enemy of Merit's, leader of Chicago criminal underworld, leader of The Circle
Sean = manage of Temple Bar, Cadogan official tavern
Colin = Sean's brother and other manager of Temple Bar
Caleb Franklin = former member of the pack
Annabelle Shaw = necromancer

Book Summary/Review:

Halfway through the story, and there is tension between the Pack and all the vampire houses, and more importantly between Ethan and Merit.  One dead shifter starts the novel and then Reed is interwoven and his fingerprints are on events, but no solid links to causing the killings.  Mallory and Catcher are married and many of the cast of characters are happy in their love lives.  Ethan and Merit are in an argument, but it seems that it will easily be overcome.  Merit deals not only with Reed but with a vampire that has a special (and unpleasant) connection to her past.  Merit is also in a strange place with Jonah and that is sad, because he was a good partner and balance to Ethan in Merit's life.  Ethan does have a new car after the events of the last book.  I give props to the author, Chloe Neill, because she makes several allusions to pop culture in this book more than other, or at least more memorable ones.  An appropriate Harry Potter reference from Luc and more than a Darth Sullivan reference for Star Wars were the ones that stand out right now.
The ending brought the biggest smile to my face, and the Epilogue is a must read for the full and complete story.  The personal lives of Ethan and Merit are in a great place for the prophecy mentioned in earlier books (and referenced in this book).  The idea that as a team supernaturals defeated the current threat and are working as a team, give great hope as a potential villain is given for the last book in the series.  As always Merit is growing closer to her supernatural family while maintaining her humanity and love of Chicago.  The best thing about these characters is that they keep developing, growing, changing, and becoming part of your world as your read each book.

As a lover of this series it was hard for me to start reading this, as it is the second to last in the series and the last one will be about a year's wait.  The struggle between Merit and Ethan is never good, as these two are always at their best when they are on the same side and working together with peace between them.  The ending made me happy and tied nicely into the start of the book and pieces that didn't make sense but do when you know what was planned.

Personal theory, that I am also strongly considering by halfway through the book that Reed's wife is the real one causing supernatural problems here.  The hints were dropped while at the garden party and when Merit talks about her eyes...in fact hints were dropped early about the wife's eyes and Merit talking about her and describing her...hmmmm waiting to see how that pans out...the ending is not surprising if you have been following this series and author.