BITE ME

When a high school senior finally decides to confront her former friend—and maybe more—about their fractured relationship, the night spirals into violence.

Poe Parker is tired of being shut out by Jolie Prescott. Determined to get answers, Poe follows Jolie home after a volleyball game, but before they can speak, two vampires drag her into the bushes. They bite Poe even as she screams for Jolie to run. What Poe doesn’t realize is that Jolie has been secretly training as a vampire hunter with her Uncle William. The pair kill Poe’s attackers, but because Poe was bitten, Jolie is obliged to drive a stake into her as well. Later, Poe awakens in her coffin, fully undead, consumed with anger, and determined to take revenge on Jolie for turning her into “a monster.” She has the support of her new vampire nest, and along the way, she uncovers a larger mystery that draws the group together. Dugan introduces intriguing side characters and subplots, but many feel underdeveloped and lack meaningful arcs. The first half of the book is well fleshed out, but as new elements are introduced, it begins to feel rushed. Seaton’s comic book–style artwork enhances the story’s dramatic tone and fast pace, and her strategic use of red for flashback scenes clearly distinguishes past from present. The leads present white, and there’s some racial diversity among the supporting cast.

An uneven vampiric tale blending themes of revenge, lost Sapphic love, and self-acceptance.