Parker Blue

What is with this succubus thing? I feel as if I've read way too many accounts of succbus or part-succubus lately. That being said, I really enjoyed this book.

Can you say found family? Val starts out with her mother, stepfather, and half-sister Jen. Jen is obsessed with Val's vampire hunting--something she does to "take the edge off" her succubus side's desires--and because of this their mother worries Jen could get hurt. One of the surprises for me was that Val's stepfather not only knows show more what she is but actively helps her train and prepare to fight and kill vampires. That's why I was just as blind-sided as Val when her parents kicked her out of the house because they were afraid Jen would get hurt because of her.

Val, of course, lucks into a great job that's made for her and then lucks into a place to live. Suddenly the girl who thinks nobody loves her is surrounded by people (and Fang!) who care. Since found family is totally one of my bulletproof tropes I was so right there for this. At the end, after rescuing her sister who got into trouble without her just fine, Val's stepfather hugs "both his girls." Since daddy issues are yet another of my bulletproof tropes I was right there for that, too.

This was a very satisfying read. Enough paranormal and pop-culture references to make me happy and just the right amount of romance (which is to say not too much). show less

Whereas Bite Me and Try Me were fun and wonderfully tongue-in-cheek, Fang Me takes a turn for the serious as Val now has to determine on which path her future lies. Is her whole identity wrapped up in the idea of her as a slayer, with supernatural strength, speed and healing abilities or is it as a part-lust demon? For Val, she has to make the choice, and this crossroads takes some of the fun out of the story.

To me, the fun is the story. When Fang and Val are bantering back and forth, these show more are some of the best moments of the novels. I wasn't looking for a "loss of virginity comes with serious, life-altering consequences" storyline, as I can get that in almost any other paranormal romance story, both on and off television. To me, Fang Me commits the action about which I warned readers in my review of Try Me; it takes itself too seriously. The consequence of this is that spark that made the first two so enjoyable and light-hearted is now gone.

This underlying seriousness is felt in all aspects of the novel, from Fang's interactions with Val, to her interactions with Dan and Shade, and even her relationships with the vampire and demon factions. The entire novel suffers as a result. Rather than rapidly reading because I want to devour the novel, as I did with the first two, I ended up rapidly skimming just so I could get to the end of the story. I was even disheartened to discover that Ms. Blue is working on a fourth Demon Underground novel. This is not the end result one wants to experience when reading, and it is doubly unfortunate because the first two novels were so fun.

Unfortunately, I do feel that Val's story has run its course. No amount of snark can help overcome a story that takes itself too seriously when it is not meant to be so. Once it started dealing with the issue of fate and destiny, Fang Me became too earnest and did not continue its inherent playfulness which made the first two stories so enjoyable. show less

Try Me follows in the vein of the first Demon Underground novel, Bite Me. Sarcasm and self-doubt combine to continue Val's self-discovery of the demon world and exploration of her powers. Whereas the first novel mostly concerned itself with Val's struggle to find her place in the world, in Try Me Val has accepted her place among the police and now is forced to accept Lola as a power and not a nuisance. Her fight to control Lola and accept the help provided by the Demon Underground affords show more the reader another dimension of Val's personality, fleshing her out to be more than just a teen trying to become an adult.

Fang remains the highlight of the novel. His snark provides many laugh-out-loud moments, as his is the voice of common sense when the situation gets a bit too angst-y. The two characters balance each other perfectly and provide the right level of sentimentality and reason in this urban fantasy.

To take this novel too seriously would be doing Ms. Blue a disservice. While there are undertones of gravitas and life-or-death struggles, Try Me is first and foremost an engaging, fun novel that is meant to cause the reader to chuckle frequently. Val is quirky but likable in her vulnerability and will quickly endear herself to the reader. Fans of urban fantasy looking for a very quick but thoroughly enjoyable novel needs look no further than Val Shapiro and Try Me. show less

The word "snarky" has become a bit overused in recent years, but sometimes, it is such an apt adjective that it begs to be used. This is the case with Bite Me. Val is a sharp-tongued half-demon teen who uses her callous attitude to hide her pain and anguish at being different. The tongue-in-cheek references are fast and furious, but while Val and Fang are hunting down vampires and trying to save her family, this is ultimately a story about love, family, acceptance, and tolerance. Bite Me has show more as much heart as it does pointy stakes.

As with any story about a teenage girl fighting vampires, there are invariably comparisons with Buffy. Ms. Blue confronts this comparison head-on by blatant references to this cult favorite television series. Yet Val is unique, and the references only serve to highlight the differences.

The whodunit part of the novel is slightly predictable but in no way detracts from one's enjoyment of the story. The vampires are creepy but take a backseat to Val's ongoing personal drama. Fang is definitely the highlight of the story. His ongoing commentary is absolutely hilarious and worth reading the story just to get to know his character.

In looking for a break from a run of heavy, serious literary fiction, Bite Me was a welcome diversion and palate cleanser. It is not so much a paranormal novel so much as it is a teenage, coming-of-age story with a paranormal setting. Val is so vulnerable in spite of her tough-girl attitude, that she quickly endears herself to the reader. Fang provides the down-to-earth and fantastic counterpoint to the teen drama, making sure that the story does not get too melodramatic. The result works tremendously well, creating an engaging, funny, but touching story that just happens to have vampires. What can be wrong with that? show less