About the Book
Cover Story: Sultry Noir
BFF Charm: Yay!
Talky Talk: Straight Up With a Bite
Bonus Factors: San Gennaro Festival, Underground Cities, Dracula Lore, Hellmouths
Relationship Status: Steamy Summer Romance
Cover Story: Sultry Noir
DIZANG, Meena, you are looking F-I-N-E in that red dress, girlfriend. And I like that you are approaching the obviously gothic looking building in your super sexy dress, but carrying a big fat book in your hand. Priorities, woman!
Warning!!! Overbite is the sequel to Insatiable, which Meghan reviewed last year. THERE ARE SPOILERS FOR INSATIABLE BELOW. So if you haven’t read the first book, don’t read this review! Go out and read the first book! Seriously, what are you waiting for?
The Deal:
When we last saw Meena Harper, her vampire boyfriend, Lucien Antonescu, had almost sort of kind of maaaaaybe turnedintoadragonandburneddownhalfofStGeorge’sCathedral, killing hundreds of his own vampire followers and a few innocent bystanders. This could totally happen to anyone! But it is sort of a boner killer, mostly because you don’t want to have sex with someone who could turn into a DRAGON in the sack. Well, maybe you do. I don’t presume to know you and your life choices.
So that, combined with the fact that Meena Harper has been hired by the Palatine, the Vatican’s super-secret guard of demon hunters, due to her unique ability to tell how people can die, AND the fact that Lucien totally wants to turn Meena into a vampire so that they can live together forever, having dragon sex daily, sort of means that Meena and Lucien had to break up. I mean, it wasn’t awkward and it’s totally fine…except for how now Lucien never tries to contact Meena and Meena is technically working with someone who wants to kill him.
But just when Meena is getting on with her life and maybe finally showing an interest in dating again, all of her past relationships come crashing down on her. Literally.
Now Meena has to balance one dead ex-boyfriend, one undead ex-boyfriend who seems to be meaner and more abusive every day and a potential boyfriend (Alaric, obvs) while trying to figure out who exactly at the Palatine is trying to get her killed. Oh, and she has to save the world. Again.
BFF Charm: Yay!
I’ve always got Meena’s back, and I think she needs a good BFF right about now, particularly since her actual BFF, Leisha, is busy with a new baby and a feigned ignorance about the existence of vampires.
I’d help Meena choose between Lucien and Alaric, and I’d even be a good enough best friend that I wouldn’t tell her to choose Lucien just so I could keep Alaric for myself. I’m so selfless!
Of course, being Meena’s best friend means I might accidentally become a feeding bag for one of the many vampires roaming around New York City, so I really hope we can coat our BFF charm necklace with garlic and holy water.
Swoonworthy Scale: 9
Never before (I think) have I given any Meg Cabot book less than a 10 on the swoonworthy scale. This is because Meg Cabot knows how to deliver exactly the type of swoon I love, which means fluttery feelings and unsure bumbling, but also sexy, sexy second base action.
However, I had to knock a point off because I couldn’t believe Meena was still carrying any sort of torch for Lucien when Alaric was around. I mean, I get that Lucien is gorgeous and wonderful and can turn into a dragon and have sex with you, but Alaric is panty-meltingly hot and wears Armani suits and drives fast cars and has a sword. NO CONTEST.
Talky Talk: Straight Up With a Bite
Fans of Meg Cabot are familiar with her breezy, realistic style, which infuses pop culture jokes and humor with factual explanations of life that manage not to sound like a tour guide. But since this is an adult novel, there’s also sexytimes and more cussing! Yay!
Bonus Factor: San Gennaro Festival
I’ve never been to the Feast of San Gennaro, which is an annual block party in Little Italy, NY, mostly because life hates me. But it sounds amazing. And I got so hungry reading about all the cannolis. Damn I want a cannoli right now. I’d even leave my gun for one.
Bonus Factor: Underground Cities
I love reading about any type of underground city or cavern. I’m so enticed by the idea of people going about their lives just below my feet, and I would totally attempt to join them if I weren’t so afraid of rats, dirt and enclosed spaces.
Meg Cabot weaves a tale of the Minetta Stream, which flows under parts of New York, and some of its dark and curious history, and now I totally want to go there!! With a cannoli. Okay, and the gun.
Bonus Factor: Dracula Lore
I’m sort of a sucker for Dracula’s story; so much so that I even packed The Historian in my carry-on once. I mean, you could press a witch to death with the weight of that book.
Cabot explores a bit more of the Dracula lore in this book, including the origins of Vlad Dracul’s first wife. What can I say? Mr Impaler, you just endlessly fascinate me!
Bonus Factor: Hellmouths
Thanks to both Buffy and Overbite, I now know that the biggest Hellmouths are centered in Sunnydale, Ohio . . . and New Jersey. It makes sense.
Relationship Status: A Steamy Summer Romance
Hey, book. I’ve been waiting to get with you a while. A long while, actually. Remember that date we had last year? Man, that was good times. So when I heard you were on the market again, I snatched you right up.
I was a little worried that some of our sizzle would have fizzled – after all, who can sustain such chemistry that long? But you definitely didn’t disappoint. When you took me out to eat cannolis and then pulled me into an alley to kiss me, I pretty much was ready to marry you right then and there.
But I just can’t settle down with only one book in my life (plus, have you seen your cousin Underworld? He looks fiiiine.), so I’m doing the selfless thing and letting you see other people. But would you mind coming around again so that we can go out on dates every summer? Cause every girl needs some cannolis and kissing in her life.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Harper Collins. I received neither money nor cocktails for writing this review (dammit!). Overbite is available now.
