A Novel with Thoughts and Ponderings

OVERBITE

Author: Meg Cabot ISBN: 9780061735103 7/2011 PARANORMAL Publisher: WILLIAM MORROW

Overbite by Meg Cabot
Meena Harper has a special gift, but it’s only now that anyone’s ever appreciated it. The Palatine Guard—a powerful secret demon-hunting unit of the Vatican—has hired her to work at their new branch in Lower Manhattan. With Meena’s ability to predict how everyone she meets will die, the Palatine finally has a chance against the undead. Sure, her ex-boyfriend was Lucien Anton­escu, son of Dracula, the prince of darkness. But that was before he (and their relationship) went up in flames. Now Meena’s sworn off vampires for good . . . at least until she can prove her theory that just because they’ve lost their souls doesn’t mean demons have lost the ability to love. Meena knows convincing her co-workers—including her partner, Über-demon-hunter Alaric Wulf—that vampires can be redeemed won’t be easy . . . especially when a deadly new threat seems to be endangering not just lives of the Palatine, but Meena’s friends and family as well. But Meena isn’t the Palatine’s only hope. Father Henrique—aka Padre Caliente—New York City’s youngest, most charming priest, has also been assigned to the case. So why doesn’t Meena—or Alaric—trust him? As she begins unraveling the truth, Meena finds her loyalties tested, her true feelings laid bare . . . and temptations she never even imagined existed impossible to resist. This time, Meena may finally have bitten off more...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

When I closed the book on OVERBITE, I realized I was missing something. What I'm missing I am not exactly sure... a feeling, a connection, something MORE. I suspect had I read INSATIABLE, the story before OVERBITE, I would know exactly what I am missing and everything would fall into place. But, I didn't read INSATIABLE, so this review is just going to start out with the fact that I feel a bit let down, lost, disconnected from, whatever, by OVERBITE.

I never quite get the character connections in OVERBITE. Two men (well, one vamp, I guess) want Meena for their own, but I don't know the history of her relationship with the ex-vamp love that wants her still, nor do I feel any sort of romantic tendencies from the vampire hunter that hopes to protect her from her ex. Not having that background makes it hard for me to really care about any of these characters, other than to simply turn the page and see if what they are doing next is more interesting than the previous page. Honestly, after reading what the vampy ex is trying to accomplish in the story, I don't really like him as a hero. And the hunter is so aloof I'm not so sure I like him either. Perhaps Meena just needed to be on her own?

OVERBITE is a decent read, but not a romantic one. It reminds me of most vampire movies and television series, but really isn't all that thrilling or exciting. Again, perhaps my problem is that I needed to meet this cast from the beginning, instead of coming to find them finished with each other.

Shannon Johnson

Close Window or Back to Previous Page