Demon Night

The Guardians #3

by Meljean Brook

Meljean Brook returns to explore the seductive corners of the dark, as a forbidden attraction tempts danger under the canopy of the Demon Night.

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: 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, who's 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. Will it be enough to save Charlie when the demon night falls?

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires, Fantasy, Angels, Demons

439 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 5, 2008

About the author

Book info: I am the author of the Iron Seas steampunk romance series. I've written a guide to the world (including a map) on my website.

I also write a paranormal romance series, the Guardians. That series guide is also on my website, including a "The Story So Far" feature, which allows you to catch up on all of the books that previously released in the series if you start after the first installment.

Goodreads info: I am slowly, slowly adding to my shelves and reviews. It's unlikely that I will join many book discussions (especially of my own work) simply because I don't want to stifle reader conversation.

Bio: Meljean was raised in the middle of the woods, and hid under her blankets at night with fairy tales, comic books, and romances. She left the forest and went on a misguided tour through the world of accounting before focusing on her first loves, reading and writing–and she realized that monsters, superheroes, and happily-ever-afters are easily found between the covers, as well as under them, so she set out to make her own.

Meljean lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[aarya · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a fundamental law of the universe that all great PNR series are mediocre for the first few books. Someone should conduct an investigation and fix the problem because it makes recommending my fave PNR unnecessarily difficult. Meljean's voice *drastically* changed with DEMON NIGHT and thank god for that.

I do think it's funny that my review for Colin/Savi was like "vampire bloodlust is so gross" and now I'm like "hmm, maybe the bloodsuckers have a point." Hypocrisy, thy name is Aarya.

ALSO: it is an actual crime that this series has *never* gone on sale in the last ten years (source: eReaderIQ) and I want to scream at someone in Berkley's team. I finally gave in and one-clicked the lot after DEMON NIGHT because I wanted to support Meljean, but I wasn't happy about it.

Read via library.

[Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was actually just meh. Vaguely disliked the hero - he seems very emotionally stunted.

Probably my favourite thing about it is that the heroine, Charlie, is a dyed blonde. I tend to dislike blonde heroines - irrational and unfair, I know - but considering how many fake blondes there are in real life, the preponderance of real blonde heroines in books has always put me off.

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the record: I AM OVER VAMPIRES. I've been off the genre for a few months, so going back to this was a struggle, but I enjoyed The Iron Duke so much that I really wanted to try the author's other books, and I'm glad I did!

I think the biggest strength of the author is to create deeper characters than you'd generally see in the genre, and also to avoid the cliche trap. A Cowboy Guardian Angel sounds kinda hokey when I type it, but it was a relief from the cliched confident and urbane dude we usually see as a hero. Some of the lore was kinda confusing, but I really liked the shades of grey in the storytelling. Charlie was a really flawed character and because of that I was way more invested in her than some flawless perfect chick getting her man at the end.

Like I said, the whole "bite me during sex and I'll bleed and enjoy it" is something I really am not into lately, but I really enjoyed the characters and the world created. Fans of JD Ward, Kenyon, Feehan, Frost and others in the genre will feel right at home here. I'll be picking up others in the series down the road.

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmm. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I liked the book before it. I’m firmly entrenched in the world-building in this series, which is pretty cool. I understand how things work and I feel like I know most of the key players. I’m definitely down with the series. But I had trouble connecting with this heroine, and even worse, I was frustrated by what felt like ridiculous impediments to their HEA.

Both the hero and heroine were new characters to the series. Ethan is a Guardian, assigned to watch over a human woman named Charlie. Charlie’s sister Jane is unknowingly a player in a demon scheme to replicate vampire blood. They want to turn Charlie into a vamp in order to manipulate Jane into helping them. Ethan doesn’t intend to let that happen. So he positions himself as her next door neighbor and is there to help her when the bad guys make their move.

Charlie is a weak woman. This isn’t my interpretation, but rather a point driven home quite frequently in the story. She has a history of drinking away her problems and leaning on various crutches to get her through tough times. She even destroyed her own voice in a drunk driving crash, obliterating her exceptional ability to sing. Now she is trying to better herself, but she is deathly afraid that she will again succumb to her own weaknesses. And what greater weakness than falling in love, right?

Ethan is an old cowboy who made a couple of wrong turns before becoming a Guardian… and one or two since. He’s sultry and sexy in an “aw shucks, ma’am” kind of way. That appeal is one of the few things that saved the book for me. Because his relationship with Charlie was a hot mess. These two wanted each other from the get-go, but their fears, coupled with an inability to express their feelings and needs complete cripple their momentum. Every conversation where they would pussyfoot around what they needed and wanted… every time they left vital things left unsaid… every time they miscommunicated… my patience grew thinner and thinner.

The action part of the plot was fairly good, though I thought Jane was a complete tool and got off way too easy for the lack of regard she showed her sister. The sex was hot. And I feel like the series is developing well overall. But this couple and their whiny crap didn’t hold a candle to Colin and Savi. Hopefully, the next romance will work better for me.

Rating: B-

[Katie(babs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meljean Brook is the type of author who continues to blow away readers with her incredible writing. Demon Night is another wonderful submission to her world that showcases the war between the Guardians of Heaven and the Demons of the underworld. And of course don't forget those vampires and other creatures that are bent on destruction.
But with Demon Night, you have two incredible and endearing characters that will go against all odds to be with each other or die trying.
Ethan a.k.a Drifter, is a Guardian (angel) who lived during the Old West. He is a true cowboy and his twang is his trademark. He mission is to protect a human woman, Charlie. But Ethan is quite stumped over Charlie. He has a bit of a crush on her. Charlie is unlike any woman he has met.

Charlie is damaged. She has quite a past from problems with alcohol, disappointments and trouble seems to follow her where ever she goes. But she is a survivor and her days are filled working as a bartender and keeping in touch with her dear sister, Jane. But when her new neighbor, Ethan moves in next door, her life changes forever.

Charlie is being watched and stalked by the undead who want to make her their own. Ethan must keep her alive and protect her. But what is an angel suppose to do when he falls in love with a human? How can they be together?

If you are a fan of paranormal, fantasy, spiritual and scorching hot romance, Demon Night is the must read. Charlie and Ethan's romance maybe a bit more subtle than her past books,(remember Hugh and Lilith's?) but you will be amazed yet again and will not be able to put this book down till the very end.

Past characters show up along with new ones. Even though some may think this is an everyday ordinary romance, it truly isn't. Demon Night is so much more and beyond anything you will read. I recommend you start from the beginning of this series to get the full taste of what you will be in store for.

Kudos to Ms. Brook for her imagination and coming up with the characters of Charlie and Ethan and their quest for happiness and love.

[Sayuri_x · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

I found it slighlty confusing at first as it is the 5th in a series (The 3rd full length) but after the first few pages, I was completely hooked and just couldn't put it down. You don't really need to have read the previous books as this is a great stand alone novel, you just miss some of the worldbuilding.

The book revolves around Charlotte 'Charlie' Newcombe and Ethan 'Drifter' McCabe. Drifter is a 'Guardian' sent to protect Charlie from a vampire threat she is unawre of.

I'm not going to give any more plot details away, I don't want to spoil any of it, suffice to say there are vampires, angels, demons, some hot angel/vampire action all bound up in a tightly plotted, well written novel.

Word to the wise, there are sections of this book that are just not safe for work, so don't be trying to read it on your lunch hour ladies or you be frustrated something awful.

And see if it on your 'to read' list, do yourself a favour and make it the next one off your pile. You will not regret it and if you do, you can come round here and leave me a snarky comment. I don't mind, I can handle it. I can't imagine there many out there who won't be utterly entranced by this book.

[Melindeeloo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brook's Latest Guardian Would Make Even An Angel Want To 'Fall' ,

Before reading Demon Night I just couldn't imagine 'cowboy' guardian Drifter, who was a very minor character in Demon Moon, being a very interesting leading man. Well I'll admit right here, I was wrong. But then I should know better, after all author Brook managed to make the very vain vampire Colin in Demon Moon into a great leading man and she does an even better job here with `Drifter' Ethan McCabe who is really no cowboy.

For 140 years Ethan has been a Guardian, fighting demons and protecting humans. When the lovely but seemingly fragile Charlie is targeted by a group that plans to turn Charlie into a vampire to use her to `motivate' Charlie's research scientist sister to their cause, Ethan is assigned to protect Charlie. Ethan plans on keeping Charlie safe from a distance, because up close there is something about Charlie that is just too distracting and in his business distraction could cost Ethan his head or Charlie her life. But when the villains become bold, Ethan's plans change and suddenly keeping Charlie very close seems like a very very good idea.

Charlie sees a hero in Ethan, but he's never been a white hat kind of guy. While Ethan is a Guardian he's no angel, before becoming a Guardian he died an outlaw's death in the old west. But Ethan is so solid and gorgeous that Charlie can't help but want him, even as she tries to keep herself from needing him, because Charlie doesn't allow herself to be needy and dependant, she is no longer that broken woman. Soon the connection between Charlie and Ethan grows and Ethan promises to `provide' everything she needs, but what Charlie really wants from Ethan, what she really needs from him is the one thing she can't ask for.

Ethan is a great hero and Brook does a terrific job of giving him the feel of being from another time. There's something just a bit quaint in way he strings together the words he uses when he speaks, even after taking into account the "aw shucks ma'am" affectation that he uses to get people to underestimate his intelligence. Also there's a difference in his attitudes that make him not a modern man, from his physical modesty to subtle way of expressing his feelings and the difference in what his words mean to him that Charlie doesn't pick up. Ethan is also puzzle. The prolog gives a hint of his unsavory past, but when Charlie first gets someone to tell her about Ethan's past it is hard to reconcile the difference between his beginnings with the outlaw thief and murderer became, We just have to wait until Charlie hears it from Ethan's own lips to figure it out. Part of what makes Ethan such an effective romantic lead is the way that he holds himself so tightly. Ethan's rigid control could have stolen emotional intensity from his relationship with Charlie, if Charlie didn't challenge his control so thoroughly. But instead, Ethan's restraint actually builds the tension between them so that when Ethan's restraint breaks from time to time he and Charlie really sizzle.

I have enjoyed every single one of Brook's novels and she has another winner here. It is a smart read and there is so much in Demon Night that is well done. And with Brook's books coming in at 50 to 100 pages longer than your typical paranormal romance, Brook has the space to take the time necessary to allow us to gain a deeper understanding of her characters as she develops the complicated and satisfying relationship between her leads. She is also able to explore the world that she has created for them more thoroughly than would be possible in a shorter book. Brook's world is an interesting one, one where good and evil are blurred and are sometimes a matter of perspective, some of the `good guys' have much to atone for and some of the `bad guys' are working for the greater good but use the ends to justify less than sterling means and her mythos which includes fallen angels, the demons, vampires and Guardians and demon prophecies hangs together well. Oh and lest I forget, Brook does steamy very well. In one of the hottest scenes in the book, both Charlie and Ethan are fully clothed and barely touch but wow!

So now I can hardly what to see what Brook dishes out next. She has Demon Unbound coming in November of 2008 and a short in the First Blood anthology out in August 2008. If you are new to the Guardian series, Demon Night works pretty well as a standalone read even though there are characters that appear here and events referenced from previous books. Brook does a pretty good job of briefly filling in some of the history but if you're a new Guardians reader, Brook's website has a page just for you, it's designed to get new readers up to speed on the world of the Guardians and what's gone before, the spoilers for previous books are minimal. If you are going back and starting at the beginning of the series, Brook has the reading order of the series starting with the short in "Falling for Anthony" from the Hotspell anthology as the first story though it falls chronologically in the middle of Demon Angel. Personally, I thought the short worked better when I reread it after Demon Angel because it was more fun having an idea of who all the characters were first and knowing a bit more about the world made the story make more sense than when I read it the first time.

My recommended reading order:
Demon Angel (The Guardians, Book 2) - Lilith and Hugh
Hot Spell "Falling for Anthony" - Colin's sister and Colin's transformation
Wild Thing "Paradise" - Selah and Lucas
Demon Moon (The Guardians, Book 4) - Colin and Savi
Demon Night (The Guardians, Book 5) - Drifter and Charlie
First Blood
Demon Unbound

[Starfire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid 9/10 for this one. I'd been holding off on starting it because it was the first book in the set that didn't revolve around a character I already felt like I'd met and come to know through previous books and short stories. But I'm really, REALLY glad I finally kicked myself up the butt and did.

One of the things Meljean Brook does *wonderfully* is flawed, complex characters who manage to be strong and competent despite their flaws. And in the heroine of this book, Charlie Newcombe, Ms Brook does NOT disappoint. Charlie's someone who's been through an alcoholic hell of her own making and is determined never to go back there again. She's become a perfectionist (in the almost-crippling, negative sense of the word), someone who knows her determination to be strong is so out of balance as to be a weakness, but she keeps doing it because it's the lesser of two evils, and any lapse in her own control is likely to send her reaching for the bottle again.

Watching her change slowly over the course of the book as the world of vampires, guardians, nosferatu and demons intersect with her neatly ordered life is... difficult, but wonderful.

And given that the ending actually made me *cry* happy tears while sitting in my car at work reading in my lunch hour, I think it's fair to say the writing style worked for me.

Can't wait to start book 4 - meanwhile, this one gets a solid 9/10

[Μαρία Γεωργοπούλου · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why there aren't more stars?????This book is GREAT!!!It's worth more than 5 stars!!!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ethan "Drifter" McCabe, a sigh-worthy Guardian who manages to bring sexy back to suspenders-- Wait, were suspenders ever sexy? Probably not but who cares and oh gawd, who can even think straight when Ethan's wearing them?! YUMM-ee!!! Eehhm...what was I doing? Oh right, typing up my review of DEMON NIGHT.

Ethan, once a rebel outlaw of the American West where no lock could contain him, is still busting through locks a century later with his Gift. Well, every lock except for one. When Lucifer revealed the symbols for the shielding spell, word got around pretty quick on how to use them for protection. When activated by blood, the symbols shield the inhabitants within any space from any outside attack except natural disasters like fire and smoke. The problem is that if someone is stuck or trapped behind the spell, no one can retrieve them, locate or sense their psychic energy nor can they pass them any messages for the spell prevents the inhabitants from reading, hearing, or seeing any form of communication. Ethan's inability to break through this particular lock not only frustrates him but it will also soon haunt him.

Over the course of the last two months, Charlotte "Charlie" Newcomb has been indulging in steaming hot sexual fantasies starring her new next door neighbor, Ethan McCabe. His slow and rumbling western drawl flows sinfully over her senses, arousing every single nerve ending within her body along its way, but she's never actually laid eyes on him. A wall divides the porches of their apartments but there's comfort and safety in that wall. Finally on an upswing after detonating her life with drugs and alcohol, the last thing Charlie needs is a man but there's no harm in dreaming. Unfortunately when a pack of vampires come after her, Charlie is soon forced to discover that her neighbor is not only dropped dead gorgeous in a hot rugged cowboy kind of way with his hat and duster, but he's also her Guardian and Charlie's heart is in serious trouble of falling head over heels in love.

While the reasons for the vampire attack on Charlie are perplexing, it's Ethan's rampant emotions where Charlie's concerned that weigh heaviest on his mind. Knowing that it's Charlie's inherent nature to be needful and clingy, Ethan swiftly erects emotional walls to distance her with what he thinks will be her inevitable behavior. But as he comes to truly learn who Charlie is deep inside, Ethan realizes (with no small amount of shock) that Charlie's strong inner neediness is combated by a will of unbreakable determination. With each moment in her presence, Ethan grows to admire Charlie's unshakable backbone and her determination to make the best of a dire situation with unswaverable bravery. Suddenly, instead of Charlie's need, it's Ethan's need that drives him to provide for Charlie not because she necessitates it but rather that he's just dying to be the one to give her everything and anything she desires. Le sigh....

Ethan and Charlie soon discover that it's the Demon Sammael that is ordering the vampire attacks on Charlie in an attempt to transform her into a vampire. Prior to the successful closing of Hell's Gates for the next five hundred years, several hundred demons escaped to Earth. Free from Lucifer's Punishment for the time being, the demons are grabbing for power and have begun infiltrating vampire communities and using them as a means to break the Rules. The Rules prevent demons and Guardians from disrupting Free Will and killing humans but the Rules don't apply to vampires and nosferatu. Typically Guardians would slay any vampire who broke the Rules and both Guardians and demons slay nosferatu due to their mutual hatred, but without Lucifer's enforcement the demons have found a way to break the Rules without getting their hands wet with human blood.

Sammael hopes to use Jane, Charlie's sister, as leverage for the transformation. Jane was the only person capable of hauling Charlie out of her downward spiral and truly saved her life. It's because of this and so much more that leads Charlie to do anything where Jane is concerned. When Ethan informs Charlie that Jane's beloved boyfriend is not Dylan Samuels but rather the Demon Sammael, Charlie's first instinct is to remove Jane from danger but Sammael won't let her go without a fight and demons can be oh so convincing especially when it involves their precious agendas. Jane's genius capabilities with DNA is coveted by Sammael and he'll do anything to keep her beside him even to the extent of transforming Charlie into a vampire. Jane will be that much more motivated in her DNA work if it'll help Charlie and her...uncontrollable urges.

Unfortunately, Sammael isn't the only threat. Recently, entire vampire communities have been exterminated in the breath of a single night. Something new is stalking Earth, something that will be more than a threat to not only vampires but Guardians and humans as well. In the midst of locating Michael - Doyan and leader of the Guardians - in the hopes of discovering a means to neutralize mankind's new enemy, Charlie and Ethan fall hard for each other. But despite the fact that Ethan has provided everything Charlie would ever need and more, he still hasn't given her the one thing that she wants and can never directly ask for.

I know that I'm beginning to sound a bit like a broken record but I must point out this fact, again, that DEMON NIGHT is unlike anything I've ever read. How Brook manages to pull this off with every novel is seriously beyond me but it's something that I've come to expect and thankfully it's something that's consistently delivered.

A quick shout out to Western Romance lovers: DEMON NIGHT is a must read!

Ooooo Ethan...he's a man's man but he also ignites lust and sin within the opposite sex. He's unfailingly polite with cultivated manners that has you instantly knowing that his momma raised him right. His giant but comforting stature offers the kind of protection that every woman, even the most independent and strongest, yearn for. While Ethan's slow drawl makes him appear slow in thought, it's actually a rouse allowing him to choose his words carefully, giving him the opportunity to remain one step ahead in any conversation. Yet this behavior also leads him to draw quick conclusions especially where Charlie's concerned. I admit that in the beginning I felt the urge to knock some sense into Ethan's thick skull for trying to distance himself from a woman of incredible worth, but Charlie did it for me with a nice swift right uppercut. You go, girl! In essence, Ethan's and Charlie's struggle really stems from her inner battle against ragin need and his desperation to provide. Thankfully Brook spends a lot of time (that this reader soaked up with utter glee) fleshing out their relationship.

Charlie is also an extremely likable heroine. Her background isn't common in romance but if you know me at all then you've come to expect that I'm not a lover of squeaky clean heroines. What makes Charlie's past so interesting is that although she is damaged, it was all inflicted by her own hand. There's no murky childhood or brutal boyfriend, Charlie simply took herself and her talent as a singer for granted. Now, where she may have been weak she's unfailingly strong yet her soul is still vulnerable and it's these combined attributes that has Ethan falling over himself to ultimately be Charlie's hero. Sigh...Ethan... *mentally shakes head* That cowboy is so distracting!

And now my favorite part: The sexual tension. I've read authors who can create unbelievably ripe sexual tension but top it off with anti-climatic sex. I've also read authors who cultivate just the opposite. Brook is neither of these, instead her characters have so much incredible chemistry that the pages simply can't contain the steam they create. Oh, and the sex is off the charts explosive. Ethan is a man of amazing control and when it snaps...wow. This physical and mental control is a common trait amongst Brook's heroes but it's an absolute blast to see their rigid restraint crumble in the face of their heroines and Ethan is no exception.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third in the Guardians paranormal-romance series revolving around a subspecies of angel created from humans who have sacrificed themselves to save another. The couple focus is on Ethan McCabe and Charlie Newcomb and takes place in Seattle.

My Take
This was a bit confusing as I'm reading Darynda Jones' series about a Charley and this one starts with a Charlie. I recommend both series, just don't read them at the same time!

I do love the stories Charlie comes up with! I would read this if all I had were the fantastical tales she creates on the spur of the moment.

In this story, the demons are researching blood trying to find a way to produce artificial blood for vampires. A subplot is the protective spell that only Guardians knew until a demon threat required their sharing it with San Francisco vampires. Well, you know what they say about a secret shared. Yup, everybody knows it now. A few symbols, your blood and only you can pass through the barrier. Definitely puts a crimp in the Guardians' policing.

Brook really creates an amazing and intricate storyline. It's been awhile since I read the short that started me on this series but I'm already wanting to go back and reread the series. This whole series is a buy for me.

The Story
It's a rough night at the bar and Charlie is kicking back, enjoying her smoke break when the vampires attack. Despite her speed in calling to Old Matthew and Vin, the vamps are faster but somebody appears behind her back. Saves her. Then disappears. Except for this feather. And she could have sworn it was Ethan.

Once home, she's grateful to hear Ethan McCabe out on his balcony. He makes her feel safe. A good thing as the vampires are stalking her, planning to Turn her. They're not the only ones interested. An old boyfriend of Jane's, Mark Brandt, also wants to meet up with Charlie.

Then a nephilim shows up. A demon no one can kill. Combined with Sammael's efforts to kidnap and Turn his lover's sister, the danger to Charlie is off the charts. Ethan and SI are desperate to save Charlie and identify this new demon as they can only kill it in one form.

The Characters
Charlotte "Charlie" Newcomb is damaged. She had the most incredible voice and didn't treasure it. Instead she lost herself in drink and that last car crash damaged her throat; she'll never do better than a gravelly tone ever again. She also has some cognitive problems with processing. But it was enough to jerk her awake to what she was doing and now she is struggling to make amends. Partly by working at Cole's Hard Time Bar and Grill as a bartender to pay Old Matthew back for the damages she caused. At home, she indulges in opera, classics, torch singers. She always spins a great story. Vin is another of the bartenders there.

Ethan McCabe, a.k.a., Drifter, is a Guardian. He sacrificed himself to save his younger brother, Caleb; a pointless sacrifice. His human cover is as a representative for Ramsdell Pharmaceuticals. His Gift is the ability to open steel or magnetic locks. His past. Well, let's just say he has a very sad history.

Jane Newcomb is her very smart sister who works at Legion Laboratories. She just doesn't know it's a front for a demon business. Most of the human scientists at Legion work there because the demons are turning their relatives into vampires. Ethan can't figure out why they haven't gone after Charlie, yet. Jane's boyfriend Dylan Samuels also works at Legion. He's also known as the demon, Sammael. Back in Ethan's Wild West past, Sheriff Samuel Danvers runs a tight, clean town. When the McCabe Brothers show up, he intends to tidy them up.

Colin Ames-Beaumont and Savitri "Savi" Murray play a small part (their story is in Demon Moon. Lilith, aka Agent Milton, is the daughter of Lucifer but rebelled and now lives with Hugh Castleford, a fallen Guardian; they head up Special Investigations (SI), a paranormal department of Homeland Security put together by Michael, the first Guardian with all Guardian powers, and Rael, one of Belial's demons, who is also U.S. Congressman Stafford. Sir Pup is Lilith's three-headed hellhound. Caelum is the otherworld home of the Guardians. Selah is another Guardian. Jake and Rebecca are novice Guardians.

Senator Bill Brandt and Mark Brandt, an old boyfriend of Jane's who works as legal counsel to Senator Gerath. Manny is the current head of the Seattle vampire community; he took over when Vladimir and Katya were found dead. He's a dealer and a pimp. And he owes Ethan.

The Cover and Title
The cover is actually rather thoughtful with a short-haired Ethan McCabe on the alert looking off to the side, wearing a thick black leather jacket over his bare chest...mmmm...nice chest. The background is a gritty urban buildings at night.

The title could refer to so many things; it's really rather vague.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

August 14, 2013 [review update]
I first read this novel more than five years ago and have just finished re-reading it as part of my mission to re-read and catch up in this series as the concluding novel in this series, Guardian Demon just released this week. I didn't think it was possible, but I actually enjoyed this book even MORE this time around. I think it may have something to do with having just re-read the first two books in the series within the last month, so the world building and series story arc is so fresh in my mind. Regardless, my immense enjoyment of this novel the second time around is also a testament to the quality of Ms.Brook's writing. It's just so timeless with her excellent use of language, humor, drama, complexity and intensity. Plus it's pretty damn sexy even if you're not into that and skip the sex scenes.. the magnetism between Ethan and Charlie and the development of their relationship is just so well written. Anyway, if you haven't started reading this series yet and are a bit daunted by catching up with all 8 books and numerous novellas, don't delay it any longer. Pick it up and start reading.. I don't think you'll regret it!

[original review from 2008 below]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Utterly fantastic!

[review originally posted on my blog, the happily ever after.. in January 2008.]

Guardian Ethan McCabe, a.k.a. Drifter, has been living next door to his human female charge, Charlie Newcomb, as she has become the possible target of an organized vampire attack. From the onset of the novel, the attraction between Ethan and Charlie is subtle yet unmistakable as they interact from the safety behind the wall separating their apartment balconies. When circumstances bring them face to face, there is no denying the inevitable romance that develops between the Guardian and his charge. While Ethan is guarding Charlie, the newly established Guardian organization, Special Investigations, is trying to determine who or what is behind a series of serious disturbances within vampire communities around the globe. Making things even more complicated for the Guardians, Charlie's scientist sister, Jane, is immersed in research that unknowingly to her, has tremendous significance to vampires, demons and consequently the Guardians. The situation gets even more dire when the ultimate demon from Hell shows up. So as the Guardians attempt to find connections between all of these activities, and as the implications of Jane's research are revealed, the the story becomes more and more engrossing, and of course Ethan and Charlie fall deeper in love.

Demon Night is an intense novel teeming with incredibly real characters, fierce action, and undeniably heart wrenching plot twists. The love story of Charlie and Ethan is a wonderful blend of humor, tenderness, and passion. Charlie is a complicated character, one who has made some serious mistakes in her past that have been tremendously difficult to make amends for. Despite the odds against her, Charlie has survived and although she is vulnerable and somewhat insecure, she makes huge strides in developing her self worth which in turn strengthens her bonds with the people she cares about and gives her the confidence she needs to maintain control of her life. Ethan is a troubled cowboy turned Guardian, a combination that makes for a very sexy, easy going, reliable hero who takes your breath away with his relentless dedication to protecting Charlie and searching for what she truly needs. Of course, the way he talks and carries himself, and the way he kisses doesn't hurt his image much either.

Meljean Brook has a wonderful talent for seamlessly blending the overarching plot of the series with the story arc of the individual novel. She writes scenes that make your pulse race and your eyes widen. And just when you think the situation is stable, and a conflict is resolved, another plot twist has you right back on the edge of your seat. Meljean consistently delivers emotional intensity straight through to the very end of the story, and of course gives her characters the happily ever after they truly deserve. Demon Night is an exceptional novel that should not be missed. It will leave you amazingly satisfied yet wanting more.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is my new addiction. Ethan is a guardian who has been keeping an eye on Charlie. Charlie is an ex-singer who is struggling to recover her life after a self-destructive streak. She's being watched by the guardians because her sister is currently dating a demon who wants to find a cure for vampires' bloodlust. Unfortunately, the demon has made plans for Charlie in order to secure her sister's cooperation. I wasn't too enamored with this one. The storyline was good, but I felt like it dragged in some places. I also wasn't really able to get on board with Charlie and Ethan's relationship. I loved Ethan and Charlie was a pretty great heroine, but something about them together just didn't click for me. The side characters in this one were pretty great though. We see a lot of Jake, a young guardian who was a Vietnam vet before being changed. He offers a lot of humor to story and its great to see the way he interacts with Charlie. I also enjoyed how Brook used this story to muddy the lines between good and evil. The first two books really have that demons are pure evil vibe going on. Even the first one does despite having a demon heroine, because her "goodness" is subtly attributed to her being only half demon. This one starts to blur those lines through showing the relationship between Charlie's sister and her demon boyfriend. Yes, he has an agenda but it comes across throughout the story that he really does love his girlfriend. However, the sister's attitude to what he does to Charlie pissed me off. But then, the sister in general annoyed me.

This is a really great paranormal series, but seriously if you're going to start reading these books do it in order.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first two books of this series, and I really, really wanted to love them. I think Meljean is a class act, funny, interesting, and I really wanted to love her books. I'd have to say that I liked those books, but I didn't have a sense of urgency about reading this book. The TBR pile is large, and I kept pushing this book back in favor of other reads I was more excited about. Then I read Meljean's blog entry about trying Demon Night if you couldn't get into the earlier books in the series. I took her up on it, and I'm glad that I did.

This is a great book. In previous books, I sometimes felt as though the book was smarter than I was, like I was constantly missing something. I reread sections of those books more than any other books in recent memory. Constant rereading took me out of the story and diminished the effect of world building and characters that I could see were interesting if I could just stay invested in them. This book solves that problem without dumbing down the plot, the world, or the characters. This is still a smart chick's romance, but the head scratching is gone. Like Nalini Singh, Meljean Brook has written a book that centers firmly on the central couple while still developing the world and moving the larger story arc forward. I finished this book, hit the kindle store for the next one, and started reading it immediately. In my house, that's that highest praise a book can receive.

[May Mostly Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

แม็กซ์เคยบอกรึยังคะว่าเมลจีน บรู๊คเป็นนักเขียนหน้าใหม่ที่น่าจับตามองมากที่สุด เราประทับใจมาก ๆ กับเรื่องสั้นเรื่อง Falling for Anthony ที่เธอเขียนในหนังสือรวมเรื่องสั้นเรื่อง Hot Spell และรักเธอเพิ่มขึ้นอีกเมื่อได้อ่านหนังสือเรื่องยาวเล่มแรกของเธอเรื่อง Demon Angel แต่กลายเป็นแฟนเธออย่างสุดชีวิตกับเรื่อง Demon Moon

แต่การอ่านหนังสือของเมลจีนไม่ใช่เรื่องง่าย ไม่ใช่ภาษาอ่านยากหรอกนะคะ แต่เพราะเมลจีนเป็นนักเขียนที่เชื่อมั่นในความฉลาดของคนอ่านอย่างมาก ดังนั้นวิธีการเล่าเรื่อง การลำดับเรื่องราว และการเขียนเรื่องของเธอต้องการสมาธิทั้งปวงของคนอ่าน แม็กซ์ำไม่อาจใช้วิธีอ่านแบบคร่าว ๆ ที่ใช้กับการอ่านหนังสือเล่มอื่นได้ การอ่านหนังสือของเมลจีนต้องการความสนใจทุกอย่างที่แม็กซ์มี เราต้องปิดโทรทัศน์ นอนลงบนเตียงในห้องที่แอร์เย็นสบาย อยู่บนหมอนอันโปรดก่อนจะเริ่มอ่าน เราต้องทุ่มเทร้อยเปอร์เซ็นต์ในการอ่านเรื่องของเมลจีน

ไม่อย่างนั้นเราจะไม่สามารถรับรู้ความงดงามในเรื่องราวของเธอได้

แม็กซ์ไม่ได้คิดจะข่มขู่คนที่คิดจะอ่านงานของเธอหรอกนะคะ เพราะมันยิ่งกว่าคุ้มค่า แต่ถ้าคุณเผลอไม่ใส่ใจกับบางประโยค หรือบางตอนในเรื่อง คุณอาจจะพลาดหลงประเด็นที่สำคัญมาก ๆ ของเรื่องไปก็ได้


Demon Night ของเมลจีน บรู๊ค

ตามลำดับในเรื่องแล้ว เล่มนี้เป็นเรื่องขนาดยาวเล่มที่สามในชุด ต่อจาก Demon Angel และ Demon Moon แต่ถ้านับรวมเรื่องสั้นเข้าไปด้วยแล้ว เล่มนี้ถือเป็นเล่มที่ห้าแล้วค่ะ แต่เราคิดว่าคุณไม่จำเป็นต้องอ่านเรื่องสั้นหรอกนะคะถึงจะรู้เรื่อง

แต่ส่วนเรื่องยาวนี่ อาจจะต้องอ่านนะคะ เพราะมีการเชื่อมโยงระหว่างกันพอสมควร แต่ก็ไม่ถึงขนาดว่า ถ้าไม่เคยอ่านเลย จะอ่านเล่มนี้ไม่รู้เรื่อง เพียงแต่การอ่านเล่มนี้จะเป็นการสปอยล์สองเล่มแรกเท่านั้นเอง

ชาร์ลี นิวคอมป์ (ชื่อจริง ๆ ของเธอคือชาร์ล็อตต์) เป็นพนักงานเสริฟในบาร์เล็ก ๆ แห่งนึง เธอไม่น่าที่จะตกเป็นเป้าหมายการทำร้ายของกลุ่มแวมไพร์ แต่เพราะพี่สาวของเธอเป็นคนสำคัญในกระบวนการที่อาจจะเปลี่ยนแปลงชีวิตแวมไพ ร์ได้ ชาร์ลีจึงกลายเป็นเป้า และคนคนเดียวที่คุ้มครองเธอได้ก็คือเอธาน แม็คเคบ

เอธานหรือที่รู้จักกันในนามดริฟเตอร์ (ที่มาของชื่อเขาคงต้องไปหาอ่านกันเองในเรื่องนะคะ) ไม่ใช่มนุษย์ หรืออย่างน้อยเขาก็ไม่ใช่มนุษย์มาร้อยกว่าปีแล้ว นับจากวันที่เขาจบชีวิตลงในฐานะของโจรนอกกฎหมายเมื่อร้อยกว่าปีก่อน ด้วยเหตุผลบางอย่างเอธานได้รับโอกาสที่สองในการมีชีวิต คราวนี้ในฐานะข��งผู้พิทักษ์ และหน้าที่ที่เขาได้รับมอบหมายในตอนนี้ก็คือ การคุ้มครองชาร์ลี

อย่างที่บอกนะคะ การเล่าเรื่องของเมลจีนอาจจะเข้าใจยากนิดนึง โดยเฉพาะคนที่ไม่รู้จักชุดนี้มาก่อน ดังนั้นขอแม็กซ์ปูพื้นแบ๊คกราวด์เรื่องนิดนึงแล้วกัน

ในอดีตสมัยที่มีการสู้รบกันระหว่างเทพบุตรที่อาศัยอยู่ในสวรรค์ ฝ่ายที่พ่ายแพ้ซึ่งนำทัพโดยลูซิเฟอร์ถูกขับไล่ออกจากสวรรค์ให้ไปอาศัยอยู่ใน นรก ส่วนกลุ่มเทพที่ไม่เรื่องข้างใดเลยก็ถูกลงโทษที่เลวร้ายยิ่งกว่า นั่นก็คือ ถูกสาปให้กลายร่างเป็นนอสฟาราตู สิ่งมีชีวิตที่กลัวแสงอาทิตย์ และต้องมีชีวิตโดยพึ่งพาเลือด นอสฟาราตูนี่เองเป็นที่มาของแวมไพร์ ซึ่งเป็นมนุษย์ธรรมดา แต่ถูกเปลี่ยนให้เป็นแวมไพร์โดยนอสฟาราตู (คนที่ถูกเปลี่ยนโดยนอสฟาราตูจะมีความแข็งแรงเหนือกว่าคนที่ถูกเปลี่ยนโดย แวมไพร์ เพราะเลือดเข้มข้นมากกว่า)

แต่แล้วสงครามระหว่างเทพที่ตกสวรรค์กับเทพบนสวรรค์ก็เกิดขึ้นอีกครั้ง คราวนี้เทพที่กลายเป็นปีศาจไปแล้วได้เกณฑ์เอามังกรมาเข้าร่วมรบด้วย ในขณะที่เหล่าเทพฝ่ายดีกำลังจะพ่ายแพ้ มนุษย์นามไมเคิลเป็นเพียงคนเดียวที่กล้าพอที่จะเข้าช่วยเหลือ เขาและดาบของเขา (ซึ่งเล่าเอาไว้ในเรื่อง Falling for Anthony) ฆ่ามังกรสำเร็จ

และไมเคิลได้รับการตอบแทนด้วยการเปลี่ยนเป็นผู้พิทักษ์ เขาได้รับอำนาจจากเทพบุตรเหล่านั้นให้มีพลังในการเปลี่ยนมนุษย์ธรรมดาที่ได้ เสียสละชีวิตเพื่อช่วยเหลือคนอื่นให้กลายเป็นผู้พิทักษ์เช่นเีดียวกับเขาได้ และเหล่าเทพบุตรก็จากไป ทิ้งสวรรค์และภาระในการคุ้มครองมนุษย์จากปีศาจไว้ในมือของไมเคิล

แต่แล้วเมื่อไม่กี่ปีก่อน ไมเคิลก็สูญเสียกองกำลังเกือบทั้งในกองทัพผู้พิทักษ์ของเขา ไม่ใช่จากความตาย เพราะมันยากมากที่จะฆ่าผู้พิทักษ์ แต่เพราะการเลือกของเหล่าผู้พิทักษ์เหล่านั้นเอง นั่นก็เพราะว่าหลังจากกลายเป็นผู้พิทักษ์แล้ว พวกเขามีทางเลือกที่จะไปสู่สุขคติได้ทันที (ศัพท์ในเรื่องเีรียกว่า Ascend) การไปสู่สุขคติหมายถึงพวกเขาหมดภาระในการเป็นผู้พิทักษ์อีกต่อไป และไปใช้ชีวิตที่อยากใช้ (เข้าใจว่าคงจะคล้ายกับนิพพานในศาสนาพุทธของเราน่ะ) กองทัพของไมเคิลเกือบทั้งหมดเลือกที่จะไปสู่สุขคติ ทำให้เขาขาดคนในการสู้รบกับปีศาจที่ยังคงหาทางทำลายมนุษย์อยู่

จากเหตุการณ์ในเรื่อง Demon Angel ซึ่งแม็กซ์ไม่เล่านะคะ เพราะเดี๋ยวจะขัดกฎการสปอยล์เข้า อีกอย่างมันก็ไม่ค่อยจะเกี่ยวกับเล่มนี้หรอกค่ะ ทำให้เหล่าผู้พิทักษ์ย้ายมาตั้งสำนักงานบัญชาการใหญ่บนโลก (เดิมอยู่บนสวรรค์) และเริ่มทำงานร่วมกับสิ่งมีชีวิตอื่นมากขึ้น (เช่นกับพวกแวมไพร์ และปีศาจกลุ่มที่ต่อต้านลูซิเฟอร์)

ที่เล่านี่แค่แบ๊คกราวด์ของชุดเท่านั้นเองนะคะ อันที่จริงถ้าคุณอ่านเรื่อง Demon Night ก็จะได้ข้อสรุปพวกนี้เหมือนกัน แต่มันจะค่อย ๆ มา และไม่ได้เล่าตรงไปตรงมาอย่างที่แม็กซ์เล่า

อย่างที่พูดแต่ต้น หนังสือเล่มนี้ต้องการการทุ่มเทเต็มที่ของคนอ่าน และแม็กซ์ก็ให้เต็มร้อย ผลลัพธ์ที่ออกมาแม้จะได้คะแนนไม่ถึงร้อย แต่ก็ไม่ผิดหวังเลย แม็กซ์ชอบความฉลาดมาก ๆ ของเมลจีนในการวางพล็อตเรื่อง โดยเฉพาะ (สปอยล์) การวางให้ปีศาจแซมมาเอล และเอธานเคยเผชิญหน้ากันมาก่อน การเล่าเรื่องของเมลจีนที่ใส่รายละเอียดเล็ก ๆ น้อย ที่คุณต้องสังเกตถึงจะรู้ แต่มันเป็นรายละเอียดที่น่ารักมาก ๆ ในเรื่อง

เล่มนี้คล้ายคลึงกับเรื่อง Demon Moon นะคะ ตรงที่พล็อตเรื่องภายนอกแทบจะไม่มีความสำคัญเท่าไหรนัก ทุกอย่างอยู่ที่ความลึกซึ้งของตัวเอกมากกว่า ทั้งชาร์ลีและเอธานเป็นคนที่ไม่สมบูรณ์แบบ ทั้งคู่มีอดีตที่เปราะเปื้อน ชาร์ลีเป็นนักร้องเสียงใสที่สูญเสียทุกอย่างเพราะความอ่อนแอไปกับเหล้า เอธานเสียอนาคตรวมทั้งชีวิตของเขาไปกับการแก้แค้น แต่เมื่อทั้งคู่อยู่ด้วยกัน คุณก็รู้ได้เลยว่า ทั้งสองเหมาะสมกันมากแค่ไหน

อันที่จริงเราไม่ได้ทำใจว่าจะชอบเรื่องนี้ขนาดนี้นะคะ เพราะรู้สึกว่าเอธานไม่ใช่ตัวละครที่น่าสนใจนัก (จากที่เขามีบทในเล่มก่อนหน้า) และเราไม่อยากอ่านเรื่องที่นางเอกดูเป็นคนอ่อนแอตามพล็อตเรื่องที่ออกมา แต่ชาร์ลีไม่ได้อ่อนแอ ไม่ใช่ว่าเธอถือปืนไปยืนสู้กับผู้ร้ายหรอกนะ แต่เธอเข้มแข็งในส่วนที่สำคัญที่สุด และที่สำคัญเอธานรักเธอมากพอที่จะปล่อยให้เธอยืนได้ด้วยขาของตัวเอง และนี่คือสิ่งที่ทำให้แม็กซ์เชื่อว่า ความสัมพันธ์ของทั้งสองจะไปรอด เพราะเอธานได้เล่นบทเป็นเทพบุตรฟ้าประทานมาให้ชาร์ลี เพื่อทำให้ชีวิตของเธอดีขึ้น เขารู้ถึงความอ่อนแอของเธอ และปฏิเสธที่จะส่งเสริมบทนั้นให้เด่น เพื่อความเป็นแมนของตัวเอง (เหมือนที่พระเอกในโรแมนซ์หลายเรื่องทำกัน) เขารักเธอมากพอที่จะใจร้ายกับเธอเพื่อให้เธอเข้มแข็ง แต่ในเวลาที่สำคัญที่สุด เขาก็เตรียมตัวที่จะสละตัวเองเพื่อเธอเช่นกัน

สิ่งที่ทำให้เราแปลกใจที่สุดในเรื่องกับไม่ใช่เรื่องของเอธานและชาร์ลีนะ คะ แต่เป็นเรื่องของคู่รอง พี่สาวของชาร์ลี และดีแลน ชายที่เธอรัก (สปอยล์) เรา ชอบนะคะที่เมลจีนเขียนให้เราเห็นอีกด้านของปีศาจ ว่าพวกเขาก็มีความรักเป็นเหมือนกัน ความรักที่ดูไม่ดีนัก แต่ก็เป็นความรักแท้แน่นอน

โดยรวมเป็นเล่มที่อาจจะสู้กับ Demon Moon ไม่ได้ แต่เอธานก็ไม่ใช่คอลิน (พระเอกเรื่อง Demon Moon ที่น่ารักมากกกกกก) ซึ่งนั่นไม่ใช่ความผิดของเขา

คะแนนที่ 80

[Edoftheworld · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fighting to give either 3 or 4 stars for this book.

4 stars because I love Charlie. She is strong, unlike fragile and weak females. She has attitude and a courage to face life. How can one still want to live after going through and losing what she had? Truly admiriable. Yes, her life was a downward spiral a few years before, but she got up. And went head on against life, avoiding things that she likes because then she would not be dependent on them, like before.

Also, though this book is twice the thickness of the usual books that I have, I didn't feel bored at all! Instead, I had to keep myself from sleeping just to finish this book. [Laughs] I love the conversations between Ethan and Charlie. It was too sweet. Talking through a wall separating them... So romantic. [Grins]

But I considered 3 stars because near the end, Charlie was adamant about Ethan showing her that he needs her, even though she had chosen to not depend on anyone or thing. She was a little too needy; she kept asking him to need her etc.

Other than that, the action and most of the story was great. Therefore, 4 stars! :)

Ed

[Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story by Meljean. The story of Ethan and Charlie is another amazing and emotionally satisfying tale. Meljean does a great job of presenting two sides of a love story. Normally, I am not a big fan of the "emotional baggage barriers" that can artifically separate a couple from each other and their HEA. I think it's because if the couple would just attempt to talk they would see each is being silly. But not so with Ethan and Charlie. Each has fears and the story is developed just right that I am swayed to each person when I read their POV. I love the Guardian series!

[Bree · Rating 5 out of 5]

<3

Reread in April 2013.
Re-read in October 2011.

[Natasha A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a bit to get into because I skipped the first two in the series but I definitely enjoyed. I'm going to have to check Ms. Brook's website to see if there is a Guardian encyclopedia...

[Moarbooxpls · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love the author and am enjoying the series overall but this one was not my favorite.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In short: Check out the quotes, remember that I love Meljean and that I'm a very picky person. Yes, you will most likely love at least one installment and go crazy about Michael, which is why you'll love the rest of the series as well. Or you'll fall in love with the worldbuilding, the complex characters, you name it. And then, you. will. love. the. series.

In long:

Demon Night was amazing. I've already read all the books that have been published until now – so the first 7 novels and novellas – but Charlie, the heroine of this novel, was probably one of my all-time favorites. Meljean Brook created a world I want to live in. Her characters are so mind-blowing, real and fleshed out, they could step out of the books and no one'd believe they were just some piece of fiction. Although, in comparison to the extremely complex heroine the hero, Ethain, felt a little like arm-candy.

Most of the times, when you buy a PNR novel, you are in for a entertaining, but flat read. They're either too flat, too forced, too light, too 'author-tried-way-too-much-and-it-shows'-ish. But say no more, buy a book written by Meljean Brook and you shall never suffer from PNR-ia again.

I didn't expect these novels to be so damn.. clever. Insightful. And I mean on a level that speaks to the reader. My future-wife really thought about what she wrote. She creates exceptionally enjoyable stories, with – no matter if we're talking about her novels or novellas – thick plots and strong personalities. And when I'm saying strong I'm not talking about strength as in being a kick-ass heroine or an alpha-hero. I mean that their personalities are very authentic and believable. Neither flat nor stubborn in the way that some authors tend to write. They give their protagonists (and antagonists) a charactertrait and cling to it, eg creating a very indipendent heroine and then forbidding themselves to write the heroine depend on something, anything, while that is a human thing to do, even if you're all indipendent. (Of course there are worse things, for example the heroes who're allegedly open-minded and all that and then laugh at transgenders.)

Here is a good scene:

Gingerly, Charlie ran her fingers along his left suspender until her hand rested against his. A light touch, a connection that wasn‟t asking or taking anything.

He seemed grateful for it, though; he turned his wrist to cup her hand in his palm. “I can't help but think that maybe my sacrifice didn't mean anything to him. (..) So it's tore me up some, Charlie. It would feel awful good to slip into your arms, and I want you so bad I'm damn near dying for it. But I don't know that my head's on straight after the blow Caleb laid on me. And I don't know if I'd be taking what you're offering for wanting you or because I'm hurting. I just know I ain't going to use you as a salve.”

Charlie understood that all too well. “All right,” she said softly.

His fingers flexed around hers. “All right?” His brows lowered over his eyes with his frown.

Had he expected her to argue, to talk him into letting her fuck his grief away? (..)

But he probably knew this about her, too, so there was really no reason not to explain. “Mine crept up on me instead of hitting me fast, but after a while, it was the same—so that if I didn't have a… a salve, I couldn't function, and I'd start planning my day around just getting it,” she said quietly, and had to swallow before she continued. “And you tell yourself that it makes you feel good—but really, you're just getting by. Because you feel like shit with it, but you really feel like shit without it, so you need it to get through the day. And after a while, you're desperate to get through the day without it, but know that stopping will feel worse than going—and you don't know if you're clinging to it as much as it's clinging to you. But you're constantly looking for a way to get rid of it without hurting yourself… but there's no way. And eventually you hate it as much as you need it.”

She tugged lightly on Ethan's suspender before meeting his direct gaze with a sincerity she hoped he couldn‟t mistake. “So I never, ever want to be anybody's salve.”

Charlie and Ethan both were lovely together. He's a Guardian and his mission is to protect her. She's a human with a history of needing things – people, alcohol, you name it – and in the middle of some supernatural shit. Her sister plays an important role there and I have to admit that while I don't even try to understand most of the secondary chars half of the time, I could understand Jane. That didn't keep me from wanting to put her through some shit, though. - Yes, I know. I should learn how to forgive one day.. Hmpf.

It was an awfully complex sibling-conflict/situation. See, Jane once told Charlie to either grow a pair and get her shit together or walk out of her life. And while I see how that's exactly what old-Charlie needed to hear, I also feel like Jane simply gave up on her sister and didn't deem her worth the effort. Which.. hurts. Me. Yes. The literary character hurt me, Daddy. Go, hit her! But when Jane was in a similiar situation the 13-years old part of me thought: Now, let's tell her the same damn thing! Of course, as soon as I put myself in her shoes I couldn't and was satisfied enough with what Charlie said.. as long as I didn't think about the other person involved in the Jane-situation too much.. And.. urgh. It's just.. And.. Arg! See? This is why I don't like to think about the secondary characters' intentions too much.)

As I've mentioned before, Ethan was a little pale compared to awesome Charlie. But then, why not compare him to other paranormal heroes? Because he's definitely one of the more colorful paintings on the wall, with a history, with friends and a funky way of talking.

Demon Night, the whole Guardian series, is unique. Charlie and Ethan, the plot, Jane and her problem. I instantly felt a connection to all of them, which is one of the best things happening in my book-life lately. (If people can have a lovelife, I now have a booklife, so what? Huh? HUH?)

Let me explain what's making this story so special: One of the bad guys here is.. sort of good. Not the do-gooder-good sort of hero, but he truly loves. See, I read some novels this year where the authors gave the villains a lead role and while I accepted them and thought it was interesting to get a glimpse inside of their heads, seeing them in love etc. all those novels aren't nearly as good as the little parts the bad guy in Demon Night got.

I don't want to spoil you, so let's just call the bad guy Karl. Yes, like the Llama, but I won't even give him a hat, because he's not a Llama.. Karl is a full-blood-demon. Not like Lilith (with a penis), but a real demon. Someone who should actually be unable to feel love, but he does. He has some principles and he really is in love – in his own weird way. But he stays a demon, an asshole, actually. When it comes to him, the reader (or at least I) is torn between feeling hatred and being loyal to Charlie and Ethan or accepting that it's simply his role in the game and adoring how he is an asshole except when the one he loves asks him to stop being one. Because.. he does. he doesn't change his personality, but part of it is loving her and he changes how he behaves for her. Isn't that cute? But I hate him. Of course. Asshole that he is. Hot, cute asshole.. Shithead. Damn.

But my favorite part will forever be Charlie. Right after the part I've quoted above comes this one and I think it explains Charlie's personality perfectly - As well as it shows Ethan's intelligence!

He'd figured Charlie all wrong.

Ethan watched the tight curves of her waist and hips as she trotted up the stairs, the lean length of her legs. She'd called her body the result of her dependency, but it was evidence that he'd overlooked when he'd been focusing on the inside and avoiding what he'd perceived as a weakness.

The emotional neediness was there; he hadn't been mistaken in that. But like the fool who missed the forest for the trees, he hadn't seen the whole right in front of him: Charlie knew herself so well that she'd created a layer of pure steel that was physical and emotional, keeping those tendencies contained. She'd channeled weakness into strength, and he'd wager anything that if she found herself being trapped by her need, she'd chew her arm off escaping it—knowing that the brief agony of loss was better than a slow starving death.

Had it been her lack of shields? He hadn't had to expend any effort getting in. He'd noted how well she chose which emotions she revealed, but only considered it relevant as to his need to get into her head to read her. Maybe that was why he'd missed seeing how strong she'd built the gate that led into her emotions; it had swung open so easily to admit him, he'd never imagined that she'd built an impenetrable lock on the other side.

And when she'd closed it, she'd surely gotten a part of him caught up in there.

The plot was very interesting, especially after having watched the season premiere of Supernatural the night before I read Demon Night.. Now, no, there are no what-was-their-name inside of Castiel, but Brook introduces the reader to her own version of Nephilim and they ain't cute. I was already wondering what she'd do and whom she'd use as the big-bad-motherf-cking evil after having closed the gates to hell, but this was unexpected and I'm very curious about what's going to happen next. (Well, I was, when I finished the novel, which is why I finished the first 7 novels in what felt like three minutes.)

“The only other beings I've heard of having the black wings are the nephilim,” she said, and a flicker of recognition crossed Castleford's face. “Another one of Lucifer's experiments—the nephilim were the offspring of demons and humans.”

“I remember reading something of them in the Scrolls several hundred years ago, but I'm certain there was no mention that they'd been born of humans,” Castleford said slowly. “And demons aren't fertile—was it done through a ritual?”

Lilith shrugged. “I never got the details. I don't even know that the demon who told me had the details, or was just passing it on.”

For the other Michael-suckers out there. She's (=Meljean's) foreshadowing a darker part of his past and/or persoanlity.

Did I mention that I love Meljean? Meljean, I love you!

[Tuti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone is going after bartender Charlie Newcomb, and Guardian Ethan McCabe (a.k.a. Drifter) is sent to protect her.

Drifter is in one of the previous books, but I can't remember much about him. I don't remember wanting to know more about him. Neither he nor Charlie is boring or annoying, but there is also nothing really exciting about them. I guess I am not into the cowboy type? I do appreciate his protectiveness toward Charlie and that he would do anything for her, which sounds like most of this author's heroes, come to think of it. Charlie shows some lives once in a while, but the needy ending is really killing it for me. Some of the previous characters make some appearance, but Colin shows up just once and barely speaks, and in his very rare appearances Hugh does not seem to have any character at all, which is unfortunate for the heroes of the previous books.

The story is more engaging than Demon Moon. There is at least a coherent plot that the author follows. Sammael's actions and motivations are a bit hard to follow, and I am guessing that it's intentional because he's supposed to be a demon. I don't like the cliffhanger at the end, because I like stories finished up nice and tidy, but it's not necessarily a bad thing.

[Divania Timmal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was...just okay. Neither character did much for me. The millions of references to Charlie's neediness became a bit frustrating. I also found the end drama about figuring her out really stupid. It was unnecessary and just pages' worth of hurt feelings and internal monologue. Also, how slow could either of them be?! I was just like, COME ONNNNNN now this shouldn't be this difficult to guess!

The story was also a bit confusing. I am usually fine with following complex plots, but this was just convoluted for no real reason. Too many things were happening, and they weren't well described. Many conversations were just confusing, and not in a wonderful, George R.R. Martin kind of way.

I'm honestly more interested in reading about Colin and Savi. They both just seem more engaging. Ethan was a tad boring. I found his "Miss Charlie"s quite cute, but otherwise he spoke in circles and didn't have much of a personality aside from being dutiful. And Charlie was whiny. Too much getting hurt by every little thing, and too many references to how slow she was.

[Emily S · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many things happening. I love everything Meljean writes and this is no exception. The worldbuilding, the action, the spice 🔥🔥🔥 I did like the bloodlust aspect much better in this book, new side characters were hilarious. I have very minor gripes and that was that Charlie forgave her sister too easily and Ethan's slowness in getting what Charlie wanted. It's actually very similar to Yvenne and Maddek (showing each other that they loved each other without saying it) but it was obviously done a lot better in a heart of blood and ashes. Different world different circumstances so I understand. Also I felt a bit slow for not initially getting that the stories Charlie told were meant to be mocking so theres that 😅 I really loved the capabilities that the couple combined together and how much sound Charlie saw. I'll never get over the author's ability to make me love such wildly different fictional characters.

[Joprah · Rating 5 out of 5]

da best novel ever

[Katerina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very unlikable female lead.

[Nicola Schmidt · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite what I expected - another brainy paranormal romance from Meljean Brook! I did enjoy it, although not quite as much as the first and even a little less than the second in the Guardian series. I found it to be quite as I expected (not a bad thing) - a sizzling hot romance, an overall plot that is not really very memorable, and some "huh?" moments as I struggle to keep up with some of the characters' internal journeys.

In this case, the romance is between Ethan, a high plans drifter of a Guardian (with a drawl no less) and Charlie, a recovering addict human bartender. Charlie's sister is working on important scientific research related to creating living blood (that vampires can drink) and thus Charlie and her sister get dragged into the Demon / Guardian conflict. Ethan is Charlie's guardian. When she gets turned into a vampire he becomes her "provider" in more ways than one. Charlie and Ethan are suffering from a common problem for characters in Ms. Brook's books, and that is that they are extremely internally conflicted, and they are unreasonably wrapped up together in their own internal conflicts. I appreciate the connection being portrayed, but in this particular case it seemed a little too much for the situation. Now when Hugh and Lilith, who have been mortal enemies for 800 years and then become lovers while directly battling Lucifer for control of their lives, in book 1, have such an extreme connection, I bought it. The conflict was so dire, the history supported such a connection, it was powerful to me. In this book, I felt Ethan and Charlie had this amazing strong, basically psychic connection, that I didn't quite buy because they just met, and neither of them is as personally remarkable as Hugh and Lilith are. So maybe what I am saying is, the scale of the romance outweighs its characters and plot, and this made the book feel unbalanced to me.

What I did enjoy about this book though, was that Ms. Brook explored some new angles. She writes great psychological romances, where everybody thinks alot. So the element of Charlie's status as a recovering addict, and how that informed her character, her response to the paranormal events going on around her, and most especially how it informed her falling in love and learning how to be OK in love and not totally lose herself, was really fascinating. Ethan had a little bit less of an internal struggle, but he was not neglected in the history department either.

I appreciated seeing characters I know, including Lilith, Hugh, Savi, and Colin. I was really tantalized by what I saw of Michael. He seemed different to me in this book then in previous books. I am hoping he's got a book in this series somewhere because I would like to see this new darkness explored in him. I definitely plan to keep reading this series when I am in the mood for it.

[Estara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a series nicely balanced: the characters are the most important ingredient, but the plot and world are necessary and play major parts because otherwise the characters would only emo-angst or triumph without challenge.

Demon Night, which is the third full length novel in the Guardian series, clarified a few things to me which I had only dimly recognised before. The protagonists are all people who in the course of the book have to adapt to the troubles and triumphs that the world/plot throw their way and none of them get out unchanged and none of them get out triumphant with no more shadows hanging over their life, having overcome everything that was thrown at them.

In Demon Night we have a heroine who destroyed her own life and career through alcohol and a guardian hero who sacrificed his life for his brother only to find out that his brother was still tricked by a demon into being hanged. Charlotte is dragging herself out of the chaos she created by her own fingertips (and the fact that she got an ultimatum from her sister as a boot in the behind), but Ethan only sees that she was dependent at one time and is really scared she may latch onto him, and so he tells her to her face. Charlie can’t see how far she’s already come from her all time low and agrees with him, which is the major love obstacle for the rest of the book until Ethan figures out that she has become much stronger emotionally than him, then the author focuses on Ethan as a bit of a slow guesser emotionally so that that HEA takes until the last pages (I don’t think that was necessary really, but it also wasn’t a hurdle to the rest of the story).

What I like is that Charlie doesn’t get thrown her HEA either and it comes with major changes, too. She gets forcefully turned into a vampire (and Ethan gets the guilt that he couldn’t save her from that although he had prior warning and was ordered to protect her beforehand), she does NOT get her singing voice back magically and she gets the impression that guardian Ethan only becomes her food out of guilt. She also loses her sister to the blandishments of a demon: Jane just can’t believe she cannot reform Sammael. The sisters will never be as close again (and Charlie is a stronger person than Jane anyway: she never sets her an ultimatum as her sister had done to her).

Ethan hast to adapt to having failed his brother and Charlie and to forgive himself for that. It takes him awhile to understand that she wants love from him and not nourishment, really. He then takes on the guardianship for the vampires of Seattle and the awareness that even more dangerous demons (called nephilim) have been loosed on earth.

[Chechoui · Rating 3 out of 5]

You don't have to have read books one and two to jump into this book. The covers of books one and two are just so awful that I couldn't bring myself to check them out from the library, so I had to skip to book 3. Yes, I am a cover snob. Brook creates a very interesting world that draws you in. I like that the protagonist, Charlie, unfolds slowly and her past is not laid out for you, but rather you get hints here and there throughout the book to put together. I felt like the book started off strong but ultimately I had to give it three stars because it fell into the predictable cycle that have me wary of romance books. I'm really over female characters not feeling like they deserve happiness, and I'm also really over couples who are unwilling to communicate and express their needs, so people just go around upset, hurt, and pissed off because they don't know the other person wants. The immaturity kills me. It's a bummer because the book was a four-star book, but about halfway through, once the main characters try to figure out the relationship, it really fell flat for me, and I had to push myself to get through the rest. It really makes me question romance books and how this is a successful formula. Is this what female readers really want? non-assertive women that you want to throttle for being stupid? Where are my strong female leads who aren't afraid to express their needs as well as their sexuality?

I will give props to this book having a huge plot twist in it halfway through that I won't spoil. It definitely keeps the reader on her toes.

I do hope the novice Jake gets his own book; he seems like a promising character and fun. And the world that was created with guardians, demons, angels, and vampires is very interesting. Also I feel Lilith's Hellhound really needs to be prominent in a book.

Also if you haven't already do yourself a favor and read this author's steampunk series, Iron Seas. I think it is better! I suggest starting with book 3, Riveted.