Editorial Review
Kerry's got a tough night ahead of her.
What begins as a simple lost-and-found trip to the Laundromat turns into a nightmarish odyssey of murder, vampires, and--quite possibly--true love. Vivian Vande Velde puts a terrifying spin on what should be a typical night in a small town.
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Customer Reviews
Fantasic, a fav!! 
2008-09-03
A great book!! Super sexy, and well written. A fantastic romance/vampire book. There is so much tension between the girl and the vamp, it drives you nuts (in a good way). Great book for all kinds of people.
Good, but just didn't pull me in 
2008-08-02
This was a solid book, a very good story. Unfortunately something was missing. I can't say exactly what it was, but I just wasn't emotionally drawn in. However, it's still a good read, and the ending, in my opinion, is perfect.
A Great Novel 2008-07-12
About ten years ago, I picked up this book for the first time. It has been my favorite book ever since. I wish only that she had made this into a series, because I fell in love with the characters. Another wonderful gift for a teenage girl.
If you enjoyed this book, also check out The Silver Kiss and Blood and Chocolate.
Good and bad points 2008-06-02
Good book but way too short. There could have been more conversation(there was literally a handful of dialogue between the main character & vampire). Alot more detail and vampire history could have been added, it always seemed lacking. When the tale was good, it was GOOD. lots of potential just not enough meat and potatoes lol. The ending was disappointing to top it off.
Fast read 2008-04-27
I've been reading this genre (i.e., paranormal young adult fiction) with a vengeance and this is one of the few books that I read straight through. Really enjoyed it.
Companions Were Flat 
2008-04-05
Kerry's got a tough night ahead of her.
What begins as a simple lost-and-found trip to the Laundromat turns into a nightmarish odyssey of murder, vampires, and--quite possibly--true love. Vivian Vande Velde puts a terrifying spin on what should be a typical night in a small town.
Boring Night 
2008-02-02
This book was okay if you like dull boring books. This book put me to sleep. I was bored the entire time I was reading this book.
One of the author's best 2007-11-04
Vivian Vande Velde is basically my hero. She is a master at taking traditional fairy-tale-like themes and making them fresh and totally unique. Companions of the Night (1995) does that for the vampire story.
Kerry's little brother, Ian, had a simple request: drive to the laundromat to retrieve Ian's stuffed bear. Kerry knew all the reasons she should tell Ian no (she had a big test to study for, it was the middle of the night, she only had a driver's permit and shouldn't be in a car without a licensed driver), but then Ian started to cry and Kerry knew she couldn't say no-not if Ian was going to cry. It was late, there would be no traffic. Getting the bear would be simple.
And it was simple. Until Kerry got to the laundromat and stepped into what looked like a gang shootout. Or a kidnapping. Or a vampire hunt.
Unfortunately, the hunters think that Kerry is a vampire too. So she and the other supposed vampire, Ethan, have to escape. Adventure ensues.
Vande Velde, as is her way, also throws a romantic element into the plot. Happily, she does so without falling into the typical "Dracula seduction" style so common in vampire stories.
Every author has a different take on how vampires function in "real life." I am quite fond of how Vande Velde explains their immortality. The explanation just makes so much sense, it's great. In a way Vande Velde takes the mystique out of the whole vampire thing, trying to create realistic explanations for things like immortality and how a vampire can exist inconspicuously in the modern world. Overall Ethan is an exceedingly likable character even if he is, basically, dead.
Technically speaking the narrative is nicely written. This novel is very much like Vande Velde's other works. In particular, parallels can be drawn between this novel and A Well-Timed Enchantment. Both have a similar plot formula and the narrations style is very modern in both.
Vande Velde also develops the characters of Ethan and Kerry nicely. The book is short, so readers are never bogged down with background information or "back stories" for the characters. Nonetheless, Vande Velde creates very dimensional and, dare I say, very real characters.
Companions of the Night is definitely an action story. The narrative is tightly wound, keeping readers ready for excitement and action.
This book is probably for an older audience than some of Vande Velde's other books, mainly because it features more violence (fights, threats of death) than younger readers (or their parents) might be able to deal with. So, basically, more of a tween and up book than a children/YA one. But also a must-read for any vampire fans out there.
Sink Your Teeth Into... 2007-10-28
Having discovered the vampire genre a couple of years ago, I eagerly look forward to discovering new titles and authors, and particularly those with such good ratings as this one seemed to have. I'm pleased to say I wasn't disappointed; Companions of the Night is an excellent entry in the teen vampire genre, and a rousing good read for anyone.
Kerry Nowiki finds herself thrust into what she at first believes is a robbery when she slips out late one night to retrieve her young brother's lost bear from the local laundromat. When she discovers that the menacing group holding a young man hostage believes he is a vampire, she's appalled at the group's brutality and ignorance. After she helps the young man escape his captors, it becomes evident that he is, indeed, a vampire, and Kerry's in a very dangerous situation that becomes even more so when she discovers that her own family has been abducted because of her association with him. Ethan, the vampire, agrees to help Kerry find her family if she will help him track down the one man behind the vampire attacks; there's no choice for Kerry other than to follow Ethan and act as bait to draw the man out. Along the way, she finds herself becoming the hunted as she and Ethan work together to find the man who is bent on destroying the vampire.
This short novel is full of twists and turns, and I found it intriguing that Kerry is never completely sure of Ethan's feelings. I'm not positive that I buy the relationship between the two, but I do think the author did a credible job of showing us how they had to rely on one another. The action does move quickly and the fact that the author never fully gives away the background information on Ethan adds to the mystery. This is not your average vampire story, and that's a good thing. Well written and fun! Recommended.
It was ok.... 
2007-10-11
This book was alright. I finished it in a couple of hours, and it managed to hold my interest for the majority of the time. It definitely wasn't the best vampire story I've ever read. But it wasn't the worst either. If you want a really good vampire romance story, read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.
