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williamsdebbied's review
2.0
Twilight has inspired me to look for more vampire books, but none can compare so far. Companions of the Night is an action-packed, melodramatic story, but the characters simply don't have the appeal (the "bite") of Bella and Edward. Readers who are looking for lots of action may like this one, but readers who prefer well-developed, compelling characters would do better with Stephenie Meyer's Twilight, [b:New Moon|49041|New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2)|Stephenie Meyer|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/414jgcy2FAL._SL75_.jpg|3203964], and Eclipse.
sunrow's review
4.0
Loved the concept of this story, and while it definitely kept me hooked til the end, I felt it didn't go in the direction I had hoped.
hownovelofher's review
3.0
OOF. I think I was going to rate this 4 stars until the MC professed her love for a character she’d known for less than 72 hours
declaired's review
4.0
Vande Velde is one of my go-to children's authors, and Companions of the Night is such a delightful vampire story. Sexy, mysterious, manipulative asshole vampire Ethan, and sort-of-kidnapped/sort-of-fugitive sixteen year old Kerry, and a nice twisty plot for something so short. It's also a book about how you are responsible for your own decisions (and not anyone elses).
nancyotoole's review
3.0
Sixteen-year-old Kerry doesn’t usually spend her nights at the laundry mat looking for lost stuffed animals. She just couldn’t stand to see her little brother, Ian, cry over his missing toy. Kerry’s plan is to run in, find it, and then leave with enough time to get her homework done before bed. She doesn’t plan on the three men who come barging in with an injured college student. These men claim that this frightened, pale skinned boy is a vampire, and they suspect that she might be one too. Although Kerry and the boy manage to escape, she’s about to learn that her problems have only begun. The next day, after school, she comes home expecting to see her family, only to find her house empty. Written on the wall is a message in red just for her: “Vampire, we have your family.”
Companions of the Night is a novel that falls into the ever popular sub-genre of “young/innocent woman falls into the dangerous worlds of vampires.” Although it doesn’t have as rich of a world as Robin McKinley’s Sunshine, and the romance is not as compelling as Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, I cannot deny that it’s an enjoyable little read. I found it well-paced, with just enough mystery to keep the reader constantly curious about what’s happening next. I like the fact that the vampires in this world (from the two we meet) are not obviously “good” or “evil” but somewhere in between. Reading the book, it’s not always obvious who Kerry should side with, making it easy to understand her inner struggle about who to trust. Kerry is a likeable heroine as well. She’s not perfect. She makes mistakes and doesn’t always know what to do, but she has a quick mind and is easy to relate to.
Companions of the Night is great for someone looking for a fast, fun read. Another thing I enjoyed about it was, despite the fact that it was written in 1995, it rarely felt dated. I suspect that a young adult audience today could relate to it just as much as I did when I first read it at thirteen.
Companions of the Night is a novel that falls into the ever popular sub-genre of “young/innocent woman falls into the dangerous worlds of vampires.” Although it doesn’t have as rich of a world as Robin McKinley’s Sunshine, and the romance is not as compelling as Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, I cannot deny that it’s an enjoyable little read. I found it well-paced, with just enough mystery to keep the reader constantly curious about what’s happening next. I like the fact that the vampires in this world (from the two we meet) are not obviously “good” or “evil” but somewhere in between. Reading the book, it’s not always obvious who Kerry should side with, making it easy to understand her inner struggle about who to trust. Kerry is a likeable heroine as well. She’s not perfect. She makes mistakes and doesn’t always know what to do, but she has a quick mind and is easy to relate to.
Companions of the Night is great for someone looking for a fast, fun read. Another thing I enjoyed about it was, despite the fact that it was written in 1995, it rarely felt dated. I suspect that a young adult audience today could relate to it just as much as I did when I first read it at thirteen.
beecatbell's review
5.0
I like that the vampire is a jerk. He's undead, and he doesn't ever have to explain himself. I like that the female lead thinks for herself. I like that she isn't defined by her looks.
One more thing - I admire the blunt, matter-of-fact way sex is described in this book. No, nobody HAS sex in it. It's not a steamy erotica. Rather, the vampire simply explains that, yes, sex is part of the appeal of vampires and that, yes, both parties usually enjoy it. That's it. I really do admire any YA author that doesn't shy away from the fact that sex exists.
One more thing - I admire the blunt, matter-of-fact way sex is described in this book. No, nobody HAS sex in it. It's not a steamy erotica. Rather, the vampire simply explains that, yes, sex is part of the appeal of vampires and that, yes, both parties usually enjoy it. That's it. I really do admire any YA author that doesn't shy away from the fact that sex exists.