Wendy Darling. And she has a snarky dog named Fang who thinks at her in all caps. Bite Me , the first book in the Underground series, surprised me with its butt-kicking heroine, deadpan humor, and an interesting set-up. I really liked Val and Fang, whose relationship is the most compelling one in the book. There are also some great fight scenes and some intriguing secondary characters, including Shade, Micah, Ramirez, and Tessa, and the whole thing is well-written and moves along at a fast pace.
The book could have used some fleshing out, however, in the conflicts with her family. Val handles it maturely so refreshing for YA , but there's not much insight into her mother's or her stepfather's or her sister's characters. They only make themselves known in the context of the main character, so it's hard to get to know them--and therefore it's hard to get a good feel for emotional tension. Some of the plotting in the middle and latter parts of the book could have used some streamlining as well, as there are a LOT of visits to go see this person and that person and a LOT of talking at all those locations.
Plus the whole set-up might've been a little more convincing if Val were simply helping out an underground task force rather than an official police department--I mean, the girl is only Most of all though, Val needs a better love interest than the good-hearted but supremely uninteresting Dan. I thought the scene where Val lends her strength to Dan by using Shade as a conduit was very strong, though, and I'd love to see more of that type of thing in future books. I'm intrigued enough to keep reading the series the next two books arealready out , as I think the author shows a lot of promise.
But please--let's get this succubus a sexier boyfriend! Nicole Peterson. The book starts out with Val's sneaky ass little sister stowing away in her car while she goes out to hunt some vamps. She is approached by an officer of the SCU special crimes unit and he, Dan, lets her know that they know about the vamps and that he had been watching her. He gives her his card and tells her to give him a call if she ever wants to share her secrets on fighting vamps.
When Val and her sister Jennifer get home Val gets in trouble from her mom and step-dad for it. What is her punishment?
The kick her ass out of the house and fire her from her job at the family book store. Totally fair, right? She drives off pissed and stops by the river to do some thinking and that is where she hooks up with a cute little terrier. But it's not just a terrier. He's also part hellhound. Val feels a rapport with the dog, Fang. She herself is part demon. Part Succubus from her fathers side. That's why she hunts vamps.
To try and appease her lust demon with the hunt. She is able to communicate with Fang by way of mind and that is one smart ass dog, let me tell you!
They decide to "hang' together. Now Val has to find a place to live and a job. She calls Dan and gets a job through him and by the next day she has a place to stay, rooming with Dan's sister Gwen. Things are looking up for her and Fang. And then things veer off course again. She finds out that her sister is becoming a part of a vampire movement to find Val.
However, Jennifer gets in over her head. And Dan finds out that she, Val, is part succubus. Does she save her sister? Does she lose her job? Is she able to keep Dan as a friend? Read it and find out my friend I liked it Jessie Ageless Pages Reviews. Straight off the top, I have to disagree with my little blurb copy and pasted above. I don't agree that this is a novel that "spans the gap between young-adult and adult fiction" - I think this is a solid but not spectacular series opener for a definitely young-adult series.
Bite Me more than delivers on the rest of the promise hinted at above: it is edgy, it is fun, and Val and Fang are a comedic duo with flair and timing. Texas definitely has a bad infestation of vampires Bite Me is vampire-slayer Val entine Shapiro's starring show. Eighteen years old, part succubus lust demon and a vampire slayer, Val is far from normal but completely real and grounded.
Echoing her split nature, Val is a half-Jewish and half-Catholic tumult of drama, danger and humor "The name's Val, not Buffy. Do I look like a blonde cheerleader with questionable taste in men? While "Lola" what Val calls her demon doubtless gives Val boons extra speed and strength, accelerated healing she doesn't come without a hefty price.
Val's personal issues with herself and her nature are another strong point for the novel: she consistently struggles to distinguish "demon-Val" and "human-Val" while almost resenting a key part of who she is. The truth about Val she refuses to acknowledge is that she is much more powerful of she works with the Lola part of herself instead of denying her nature and being ashamed by it. She can be either immature or mature her handling of her mother's rejection was surprisingly mature for YA , but she always presents herself as a real person.
The supporting cast is not as rounded out as it would need to be for a higher rating - and one of the main ones this is only a three star review, instead of a four. Val's younger sister Jen is an important part of the events of Bite Me, so it's too bad she lacks any real characterization.
Like her daughter Jen, Val's mom Sharon is also drawn in broad, undetailed strokes. Her substantial and somewhat overwrought issues with Val are left clouded and unexplained - making Sharon appear as a cookie-cutter villain rather than a conflicted woman with a uneasy relationship with her daughter.
Fang is practically human in personality and actions, but the hellhound with humor and heart nearly stole the show several times. The only one that unequivocally loves Val, Fang is one of the most likeable demons in the book. He's stoic and reserved - almost the archetype for a detective but emerges as a sweet and kind companion to balance Val's more dangerous nature. Lieutenant Ramirez of the SCU also has potential for a character - I can see him easily as a father-figure for the vampire hunter - but he as mostly relegated to the background for much of the novel.
I liked the variety the reader experiences during Val's excursions. Not just vampire hunting, or demon powers, Val has to contend with more mundane issues as well. Val believable holds her own, but definitely isn't impervious to a few punches herself.
The New Blood Movement for vampires people donate blood, these vamps don't attack and take blood isn't the most revolutionary idea for supernatural fiction hello Twilight, and Eat, Slay, Love but it allows for some interesting power struggles amongst the nightwalkers.
Slowly, deliberately parsing out information about Val's world and creatures as the novel progresses provided an excellent way for me to slowly submerse myself in Parker Blue's Bite Me , and leave me clamoring for the next in the series Try Me.
Sarah Maddaford. Although it was an overall enjoyable, quick read, I had a couple issues with this book. Why do recent strong evil fighting girls feel the need to reference Buffy? It wouldn't be a crime to mention the connection only once and leave it at that, but we keep hearing the title Slayer and really 40 isn't high enough to justify continued harping on it. Also, how old is Dan supposed to be again? Is he a detective or a beat cop? Maybe he should feel uncomfortable with his feelings for Val, who just turned eighteen and got kicked out of her house at the same time.
It's a big difference in maturity between someone used to living on his own and some one used to the comforts of having parents around to take care of things. The author does get points for avoiding vilifying the step family in order to create conflict, but then loses them with the younger sister being too dumb to survive without nearly ruining her sister's life along with being a sheep to the slaughter.
I'll give the second book a try, but I'm not expecting great things from this series. The dog tries too hard, Ramirez is weird and shady to me and everything is slightly too sexual for my tastes. There's some language, but I don't remember the f-bomb being thrown.
The violence is fairly typical of a girl fighting vampires type book, there's stabbing, blood drinking, decapitation, and martial arts fighting. As for sex, there's making out, and the clear desire for more on the part of both characters as well as Micah working at a strip club and being part incubus with Val being part succubus.
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