Demon Underground Bk. 1:
Bite Me
by Parker Blue

    BITE ME by Parker Blue
    Category:  Paranormal
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  9/30/08
    Publisher:  Bell Bridge Books
    Reviewed by:  Cat
    Rating:  5 Stars


    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.