Although not all my reviews are spoilery, which I do not consider this one to be, here is a little warning just in case.
However, this review assumes the reader has read MV12.
All page numbers are taken from the UK Edition, this cover. 

Review Written: 19 November 2012

Bitter Blood by Rachel Caine

I have that feeling of dread. Every MV book I finish, the nearer I am to the end of the series. I'm not emotionally ready even though I have a year to prepare.

Enough of my emotions and on to the review. Morganville has changed - the vampires are becoming more 'vamp' like, and town leader Amelie is making more than a few changes as far as the human/vampire dynamic is concerned.

This book has plenty of drama - Eve and Michael's marriage has put a few noses out of joint; the vampires and the humans are angry and will do everything in their power to try and break it off. A group of ghost busters are in town which of course, spells bad news. After having saved Claire previously, young, troubled Miranda is now the token house ghost and seeing her deal with this new life is upsetting.

And angst, lots of teenage angst. The delicious chemistry between Claire and Myrnin continues. Don't get me wrong, I love Claire and Shane and want them to be together forever and ever and ever (which I rarely wish in teenage books), but Myrnin's admiration for Claire is a beautiful thing. Their friendship in general is a beautiful thing. Back to Shane and Claire, I just squeal everytime they have a 'moment' together - there is also none of this weaker girlfriend business either. Shane knows his girlfriend can kick butt, the reader does too, and I really like strong female characters. I've said it before, and I shall say it again - Caine really can write a strong females well, making the emotional side of them simply part of their character and not a sign of weakness.

Can we now confirm that Oliver is Oliver Cromwell? He was called a 'Roundhead' and was a man who turned his country against their King. I know no other Olivers in history who managed to achieve this! Also, we FINALLY got a TINY peak at a vampire back story - Myrnin's actually and it really doesn't sound like a happy one. However, even though it was a minor glimpse, I really enjoyed it. I liked Myrnin before but this book made me love him. [Perhaps picturing him as Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock also doesn't help!!]

We have shocks a plenty - this is a spoiler free review but pages 173 and 460 are certainly two examples which made my eyes widen and mouth drop.

I can't say much about the ending, again spoilers, but it closes the book nicely rather than leaving us on a cliffhanger. There is an underlying problem however (started in the previous book) - Claire and MIT. Will she or won't she go? What will this mean for the famous foursome? All I can say now, is bring on book fourteen!!

NEXT REVIEW: SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE'S THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES