Review: Kiss of Night

Kiss of Night by Debbie Viguié

Summary (from Goodreads): Centuries ago, Raphael was a blasphemous knight who fought in the Crusades purely for his own mercenary benefit, and to satisfy his taste for killing. Now, condemned for his evil passions and hypocrisy, he wanders the earth a vampire, cursed with first-hand knowledge of the supernatural world he once denied existed. The powerful relic he still possesses from his days as a Crusader has been stolen by a rival vampire who has recruited an army of soulless underlings to aid him in spreading evil. At the time he learns this, Raphael has been hunting this vampire for nearly a century, and it seems the final battle is destined to take place in Prague.br For help in this quest, Raphael must enlist the aid of two humans, David and Susan, who suddenly find themselves immersed in a world they never imagined, entangled with supernatural forces they can’t control. Susan, in particular, finds herself conflicted as she struggles with her inexplicable attraction to Raphael. In the end, both Susan and Raphael will be called upon to exercise courage and faith, and in the process, the question, “What would happen if a vampire truly accepted God?” is answered.

My Thoughts: Kiss of Night by Debbie Viguié is a very well-written vampire story with a Christian twist to it. A very unexpected twist, in my opinion. Vampires exist because some men (and a few women, I suppose) are so evil that they need extra time to find God. It’s an interesting concept that, while I can see a big hole in it (what about those who aren’t super-evil, but don’t come to God? Why do these particular people get extra time while others just go to hell?), it works for the purpose of this story. And it’s a welcome new twist on the whole vampire lore front, too. I loved that some things were dispelled (invitation to enter is polite, but not necessary) while others were upheld (garlic and wooden stakes are useful tools). I expected just about every aspect of vampire lore to be declared incorrect, so it was nice to have a healthy mix of “fact” and “fiction.”

Raphael – love him. Yes, he’s a vampire, but I haven’t seen as much of the monster as he claims to have. Sure, he was ruthless in his life, but I don’t think we’ve seen enough to see him as truly evil. Perhaps, as the trilogy progresses, we’ll see more. I hope so. At any rate, I felt he had as good a heart as a vampire can have, and clearly he’s on the path to redemption – or at least Christianity. I’m not so sure about him and Susan, though. Their “bond” or whatever seems forced. It’s so out of character for her to behave as she has as a result of meeting him that I find it really hard to buy into.

David – love him, too. And the instant attraction to Wendy is another that’s just wrong to me. I want him with Susan. If Raphael must be with one of them, then he can have Wendy. I’m not sure why, but that’s how I feel about the pairings!

The ending was a good place to stop, but left a lot out there. I didn’t feel it was a major cliffhanger, but things are most definitely not resolved. I’m very eager for Kiss of Revenge, the sequel coming in 2012!

Source: Huge thanks to Sarah Reck with Faith Words for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read It: Get your own copy HERE. (This is a Powell’s Books link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission at no cost to you. Your support is appreciated!)

WIN IT: I’m currently holding a giveaway for 1 copy of this book, open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. The giveaway ends October 22, 2011. The giveaway post is HERE.

Challenges: Counts for the 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge and iChallenges 2011.

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FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.

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