Review: Demon Night - Meljean Brook

Title: Demon Night

Author: Meljean Brook

Published: February 2008

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Stand Alone/Series: The Guardians, Book 5.
Book 1: Falling For Anthony, Hot Spell anthology
Book 2: Demon Angel
Book 3: Paradise, Wild Things anthology
Book 4: Demon Moon

From the Author Site: Charlie Newcomb worked hard to get her life back together. But all that is shaken when she’s set upon by three vampires desperate to transform her beauty into something evil. Because Charlie is the vital link to something they want—and need. It’s Charlie’s flesh and blood sister, a medical scientist whose knowledge could be invaluable to the predators.

But to get to her, they must first get to Charlie, now under the intimate protection of Ethan McCabe. As her Guardian, Ethan is attracted to her vulnerabilities—as well as her strengths. The closer he gets, the more protecting her becomes not just his duty, but his desire. But will it be enough to save Charlie when the demon night falls?

Review: This could be read out of order, there is enough of the world and its history to keep a new reader from being confused. The story was a bit slow in the beginning but picked up after about 75 pages into the book. From that point on it was non-stop action and flip-the-pages riveting that I have come to expect from Meljean.

Charlie is the sister of a scientist, Jane, that the demons want to keep from their project. One way to control keep that control is to turn Charlie into a vampire. Ethan has been assigned to keep this from happening and to find out just what the demons are up to.

Charlie was not my favorite heroine material. I found her to be a bit whiny at times with the whole 'poor little old me' routine. But once she gets over that, she was a much more interesting character. In the beginning she is just getting but day to day, struggling to make a new life for herself. Then she notices the vampires and she finds out her mysterious neighbor Ethan's secret.

Ethan, aka Drifter, was definitely heroic even if he didn't think so. A bank robber in the late 1800s turned Guardian. It seems so appropriate that his talent is for unlocking locks. I loved how Meljean kept his 1800s idioms (the whole "Miss Charlie" and suspenders).

We get to see a lot of Guardian Jake since Ethan is his mentor. I found him to but a lot of fun. Kinda of the wise-cracking little brother most of the time, but with glimpses of what he will be once his powers develop. I can't wait for his story. Also the lines of good and evil is blurred with the Sammael-Jane relationship. It will be interesting to where this all goes.

Keeper?: Yes

Recommendation: Yes

Rating: 4.25