Night Owls by Lauren M. Roy Series: Night Owls #1
Published by Ace on 25 February 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 304
Format: eARC
Source: Edelweiss
Night Owls book store is the one spot on campus open late enough to help out even the most practiced slacker. The employees’ penchant for fighting the evil creatures of the night is just a perk
Valerie McTeague’s business model is simple: provide the students of Edgewood College with a late-night study haven and stay as far away from the underworld conflicts of her vampire brethren as possible. She’s lived that life, and the price she paid was far too high to ever want to return.
Elly Garrett hasn’t known any life except that of fighting the supernatural werewolf-like beings known as Creeps or Jackals. But she always had her mentor and foster father by her side—until he gave his life protecting a book that the Creeps desperately want to get their hands on.
When the book gets stashed at Night Owls for safe keeping, those Val holds nearest and dearest are put in mortal peril. Now Val and Elly will have to team up, along with a mismatched crew of humans, vampires, and lesbian succubi, to stop the Jackals from getting their claws on the book and unleashing unnamed horrors
*I received a free ARC of Night Owls from Ace via Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review*
Night Owls is an exciting UF story, with vampires, creeps and warlocks. Interesting premise and well executed plot and storyline. Val is a quite young vampire, but she has already lived through a lot, and having her book store close to campus is her way of trying to live a normal life. Chaz, her unconventional Renfield also works at the book-store, and he’s a great friend who would like to be more.
Elly is on the run from jackals, or creeps as she calls them, since they killed Father Value over a book she knows she has to protect and keep away from them at any cost. She is able to get away from one of them, and to find Professor Highwater’s house, the one person she thinks can help her now that she has no one left. Night Owls has a wide array of paranormal creatures, which really made it interesting, and there is use of runes and other signs from languages long dead as well. As I love mythology, those runes really made my day – even if they are not explained more than the fact that they can be used for magic.
As the jackals close in on the book, the Highwaters are killed while Elly is the only one able to escape – but she no longer has the book which has been delivered to Val’s book store Night Owls. The characters are well fleshed out, even the succubi who are not present at the beginning, and it was really great to see how they were all working together to fight off the jackals in order to save Justin, and the book, from them.
Quite fast paced, Night Owls is full of excitement, vampire politics, paranormal interference and some great fights. I truly enjoyed the fact that some of the action took place inside of a book store, too, and I look forward to learning more about the characters and this world that is nicely shaped already. The writing flows easily, and I enjoyed myself while getting to know Val, Elly, Cavale, Chaz and the others.
There were signs of life in most of the houses: children’s toys left out on this one’s lawn, a few early Halloween decorations in that one’s windows, even a television blaring the twelve o’clock news – but there was an air of abandonment here, like the people who lived in these houses weren’t really there.
Chaz’ impression of other Renfields – what little he could remember through the three-day haze of pain and mind-fuckery – was that most of them were obnoxious fucking sycophants.
Not even a week ago, she’d have ensured her safety and Cavale’s, and let the rest of them fend for themselves. It was what Father Value had taught her from the start: Take care of your own. Anyone else is expendable.
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Twitter: bmreviewsohmy
Sounds like a good one to put on the TBR pile. 🙂
Definitely should go on your TBR pile, Stormi 🙂
This book sounded like so much fun. I am happy to hear that it was good. 🙂
I thought it was really good, Pamela! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
You know my feeling about this one but I’m really happy you enjoyed it. I’ll have to try book 2 to decide I think
Yes, I know you didn’t enjoy it as much as I did, Melliane. I just appreciated the different feel to both the vampires and the urban fantasy part of the story, though 🙂
Thanks for stopping by.
You got my attention just by mentioning vampires, creeps and warlocks! It really sounds like an exciting read, I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
YAY Silvia 🙂 I hope you’ll enjoy it, too! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I’ve been seeing this around a lot on Goodreads the last few days. I’m always excited about new UF series, so I’ll definitely check it out. I’m glad you liked it, Lexxie 🙂
New UF series that start off as well as this one aren’t that easy to come by. I hope you’ll enjoy it too, if you decide to read it, Jessica 🙂
Thanks for stopping by.
I’ve been tempted to give this series a go, especially considering this is book 1. No playing catch-up required. But, for now, I’ll just live vicariously through others’ reviews. Thanks for sharing!
I know what you mean, Carmel. Not having to catch up is great, but at the same time, it’s a whole year between books 🙂
Thanks for stopping by.
This one really intrigued me when I found it for this week’s Tempt Me post. Now that I know that you enjoyed it, it’s going on the TBR for sure!
I saw your new avi on Facebook, but didn’t realize that you had updated your whole header. (I’ve been a little MIA the last few weeks) It looks great Lexxie!!
Thank you Tracie 🙂 I love my new header and avi as well. Silvia from Darkest Sins designed it for me.
I think you’ll really enjoy Night Owls, it’s a great start to a new UF series in my opinion.
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Lexxie, this sounds fresh and fantastic! I love mythology, too, and that there are so many different paranormal creatures featured. 🙂 You know I was already excited about this one. Now I really can’t wait! Great review, my friend.
Happy Friday! I hope your day is wonderful and that your weather is nice. I had a cloudy day today but only snow showers, so that was nice. Of course, we have more snow in the forecast for Saturday. 🙂 **BIG HUGS**
You’re going to love it, Brandee!
I just got home from classes, and I’m exhausted! Even when I arrived at uni, after cycling for 20 minutes, I still didn’t feel completely awake 😀 No rain today, but it is quite cloudy.
Enjoy your Friday, my dear *BIG HUGS*
This sounds like a fun Urban Fantasy! I love when there are various paranormal creatures in one story. I like that the characters were well fleshed out, and enjoy action packed fighting scenes, and books that have Vampire Politics! I’m glad you enjoyed this one! Great Review!
Action inside of the bookstore :D? interesting. Looking forward to reading this series!