Reviewed by Cat for TeensReadToo.com
Val Shapiro doesn't patrol the streets of greater San Antonio hunting vampires for kicks, nor is she fulfilling some sacred, ancient prophecy. She's just trying to cope with life as a demon/human offspring and sate the lust of her succubus half (Lola) by dusting vamps after dark. When her little sister, Jennifer, tags along on the nightly hunt without permission, Val returns home to find herself kicked out and forbidden from making further contact with her family, all on her eighteenth birthday.
Having met up with Special Crimes Unit hunky detective Dan Sullivan while patrolling the night before, it's not long before Val's on her way to earning a living from her slaying duties. With her new half-terrier/half-hellhound sidekick, Fang, in tow, and Dan's sister, Gwen, as a roommate, Val's just in time to investigate the New Blood Movement. While NBM's leader, Alejandro, says the group wants nothing more than an improvement in vampire/human relations, Val and her SCU colleagues have their doubts. When a rash of innocent humans are targeted by rogue vamps and New Blood's most recent volunteer disappears, Val's no longer letting Lola out just for kicks.
In some ways, Parker Blue's BITE ME treads familiar ground, specifically a young girl hunting big bad beasties in the night; but that trope is turned on its head in several ways. The slayer herself is half-demon and has not taken up the call of vampire hunting to fulfill a lifelong destiny. Val is, quite simply, an isolated, neglected young girl with limited options when it comes to satisfying her demon's desires. Ms. Blue takes the idea of self-determination a step further by not making vampires evil by nature.
Obviously, there are vampires who drink humans dry, but the members of the New Blood Movement demonstrate their ability to make the choice for themselves. We can make a similar assumption about demons, given Val's choice to protect people who would otherwise be defenseless against creatures with superhuman abilities. The importance of choice becomes even clearer when Val meets fellow half-demon Micah Blackburn and sees how he employs his incubi powers as a dancer at the club Purgatory rather than seducing unwitting females.
The best thing about BITE ME, though, has to be its characters, due mostly to the portrayal of their humanity - yes, even in the demons and vampires. Val may be sarcastic and sassy while kicking vampires to the curb, but she's also a little lost and unsure. Dan may be a salt-of-the-earth detective and devoted sibling, but he's not without prejudice against all things supernatural. Stepfather Rick is obviously torn about keeping his wife happy and protecting their daughter, Jennifer, at Val's expense. My favorite character has to be Fang. With his ability to sniff out vampires, telepathy, snarky humor, and motorcycle goggles, he's the cherry on top of the BITE ME sundae.
Val Shapiro doesn't patrol the streets of greater San Antonio hunting vampires for kicks, nor is she fulfilling some sacred, ancient prophecy. She's just trying to cope with life as a demon/human offspring and sate the lust of her succubus half (Lola) by dusting vamps after dark. When her little sister, Jennifer, tags along on the nightly hunt without permission, Val returns home to find herself kicked out and forbidden from making further contact with her family, all on her eighteenth birthday.
Having met up with Special Crimes Unit hunky detective Dan Sullivan while patrolling the night before, it's not long before Val's on her way to earning a living from her slaying duties. With her new half-terrier/half-hellhound sidekick, Fang, in tow, and Dan's sister, Gwen, as a roommate, Val's just in time to investigate the New Blood Movement. While NBM's leader, Alejandro, says the group wants nothing more than an improvement in vampire/human relations, Val and her SCU colleagues have their doubts. When a rash of innocent humans are targeted by rogue vamps and New Blood's most recent volunteer disappears, Val's no longer letting Lola out just for kicks.
In some ways, Parker Blue's BITE ME treads familiar ground, specifically a young girl hunting big bad beasties in the night; but that trope is turned on its head in several ways. The slayer herself is half-demon and has not taken up the call of vampire hunting to fulfill a lifelong destiny. Val is, quite simply, an isolated, neglected young girl with limited options when it comes to satisfying her demon's desires. Ms. Blue takes the idea of self-determination a step further by not making vampires evil by nature.
Obviously, there are vampires who drink humans dry, but the members of the New Blood Movement demonstrate their ability to make the choice for themselves. We can make a similar assumption about demons, given Val's choice to protect people who would otherwise be defenseless against creatures with superhuman abilities. The importance of choice becomes even clearer when Val meets fellow half-demon Micah Blackburn and sees how he employs his incubi powers as a dancer at the club Purgatory rather than seducing unwitting females.
The best thing about BITE ME, though, has to be its characters, due mostly to the portrayal of their humanity - yes, even in the demons and vampires. Val may be sarcastic and sassy while kicking vampires to the curb, but she's also a little lost and unsure. Dan may be a salt-of-the-earth detective and devoted sibling, but he's not without prejudice against all things supernatural. Stepfather Rick is obviously torn about keeping his wife happy and protecting their daughter, Jennifer, at Val's expense. My favorite character has to be Fang. With his ability to sniff out vampires, telepathy, snarky humor, and motorcycle goggles, he's the cherry on top of the BITE ME sundae.
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