Reviewed by: Rabid Reads. 
 For me to feel completely satisfied with the CHICAGOLAND VAMPIRES' conclusion, Chloe Neill needed to do three things: 1. Give Merit & Ethan their HEA. 2. Wrap-up the final arc. 3. Go out in style. Did BLADE BOUND pull it off? Yes, yes, and YES! 
 I liked that the author wasted no time in getting with the weddingpocalypse, and that it wasn't rushed for pacing reasons or ruined by sorcery. I'd expected the book to end on this note, so it was a nice surprise that readers didn't have to wait one second longer than the opening pages for something that's been thirteen volumes in the making. I was also thankful that the ceremony wasn't a cog in the wheel of plot development, and that the protagonists actually got to enjoy their special day. 
 This novel followed the same pattern as all of the others that came before it which was another plus because it felt like a Merit & Ethan story. Neill stuck with the familiar instead of trying too hard in an attempt to make history with an unforgettable climax that winds up being somewhat disjointed from the rest of the volumes. There's a Big Bad, the team does a bit of recon, and then the katanas come out. There were still a few bombshells that kept things interesting. 
 This series' quirkiness was out in full force from the literature themed wedding, to Darth Sullivan's pet name for Merit, and the jokes that ensue when Gabriel's prophesy takes flight. We also got plenty of moments with the treasured secondary characters, and the epilogue jumps forward by twenty-one months to ensure that no stone is left unturned. I hate goodbyes however, it's hard to argue with this one when the writing was just so darned good. Chloe Neill, you slay me! 
 BLADE BOUND closed the door on the CHICAGOLAND VAMPIRES, but another one will soon open on a spin-off! ~4.5 Stars