I was given the chance to read Bite Me by Parker Blue and I will be honest, I was hesitate to start it. When it comes to young adult novels, it tends to be hit or miss with me, so I’m not always eager to read them. However, I love it when I’m surprised by a novel.
Barely eighteen-year-old heroine Valentine Shapiro got a raw deal in the parent lottery. Her father was part incubus demon, and her mother’s never forgiven her for that. Although, this makes her perfect for her night job as a bounty hunter. San Antonio’s vampires are out of control, and it’s up to Val, her faithful hellhound Fang, and her new partner, a handsome San Antonio police detective, to get the deadly fangbangers off the city streets. Soon enough she finds herself deep in the underbelly of the city, discovering the secrets of the Demon Underground and fighting to save those she loves. Whether they love her back or not.
In my current mood, a novel has to be really good to really catch my attention and Bite Me really did that. Once I started it, I had it finished in hours and it kept me totally engaged the entire time. One thing I did like about this novel is that the main heroine, while still aimed at the young adult crowd, is still old enough to be treated like an adult. Val is a vampire slayer who received a rotten deal on her 18th birthday. She gets kicked out because “her nature” is a bad influence on her kid sister, even though she does everything to counteract it. But she doesn’t wallow in her bad news, but instead she goes out and tries to survive. She ends up landing on her feet and she still tries to protect her family.
There is one element to the story that I’m not quite sure about yet. I haven’t made my mind up about the romantic element between Val and her new partner, Dan. The thing I’m not sure about is the age difference, but the relationship is still being developed so I’m still waiting to see where it goes.
As for the plot, I liked it. It wasn’t too intense, yet there was still a mystery to solve, and the pace was set at a decent pace. There was never really any moment that the action stalled where there was nothing going on or we were given a long monologue.
Overall, I have to say that I did enjoy Bite Me and I’m hoping that the little hints of a sequel come true. We’re given a very engaging story that is both light enough to appeal to anyone, yet there’s enough intrigue to keep bringing people back. The characters amused me, the plot kept me interested, and the sexual tension was just enough to make it believable of a teenage girl. All I know is that I can’t wait to read more about Val and her trusty sidekicks.
Read Order:
Bite Me
Try Me
Fang Me
Also reviewed by: Casey’s review on Literary Escapism, Darque Reviews, SciFi Guy, Wendy’s Minding Spot, That Teen Can Blog and SomeoneReadItAlready
You raise an interesting point about the romance. Of course her part demon nature is succubus which in itself is a curious choice for a YA novel.
Sounds like another good read! I’m adding it to the TBR list and thanks for continually adding to the books I want to read Jackie! :)