The Vult

by Katelyn Young

The Vult has strict rules that could never be broken. Rule Don’t kill humans. Rule Keep the feed short. Rule Stay out of the sun. Rule Don’t tell anyone what we are. To save Amber’s life, Deklan Powers was going to have to break the fourth rule. Deklan is one of five vampires living at The Vult. All Deklan wants out of his immortal life is for everyone to be happy. When feeding at a college party, he stumbles upon an unusual girl. Deklan wants to know more about her so, he follows her to Willow Peak, where he catches her doing something unspeakable and he has no choice but to intervene. Amber Edge is your regular college senior, except for the fact that she has no idea what she wants to do with her life. One night she gets drunk and tries to end her life, but she is stopped by a strange man. Amber and this stranger quickly become friends, but their friendship reaches a boiling point when old enemies of his come to town.

182 pages, Paperback

Published November 6, 2021

Reviews

[McKenzie Burns · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story had so much potential, and the blurb is definitely what intrigued me to pick it up. It did fall short of my expectations, however. I think if there had been a little more character development and the story moved a little slower, it could have been a great vampire tale. The premise is definitely unique enough for it to achieve that, it just needed to be fleshed out a little more. It’s a pretty short, quick read, given the genre.

I also had to dock stars because this story massively needed a copyedit, particularly with punctuation, consistency and redundancy. I found myself taken out of the story at least two to three times on most, if not every page due to errors. Without these errors, I would have considered this a solid 3-star read.

[Selena Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is something that I never thought I would read and enjoy. It is my first vampire read and I really did like it. The story was well written and the pace of it was really easy to follow. The author’s descriptions of vampires and their culture was phenomenal and really gave a unique spin on what we normally think about vampires and the way they interact with the world and humans. I felt like I was watching a really good vampire movie in my head the whole time. I also liked that it was told through both a human and vampire perspective. The bond between the two main characters was very endearing and even though it was in a romantic capacity, I really appreciated the care they had for one another. My favorite part of the book was the action and how well it was described and the fact that some of the vampires were Black, which besides Vampire in Brooklyn, I’ve never been exposed to. The way the author threw in the twist at the end was also very well done and I’m glad I decided to read this book and expand my horizons on the books I choose to read.

Recommendation: I think this is a good fit for readers who are into vampires, young adult, black fantasy, and want to support a black female indie author.

[E.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amber’s life has always been one of uncertainty. Now in college, she is faced with the ongoing dilemma of her future. What is she supposed to do? Why does nothing really bring her joy? In a drunken stupor she considers ending her life, when a man who claims to be a vampire enters her life. Deklan comes forward as a friend, finally letting her see the beauty in life. But he has his own troubles at home in the Vult. Will his newfound friendship with Amber put the Vult and his way of life at risk? Will it put Amber at risk?

In a fast paced story about vampires and friendship, Katelyn Young takes the classic vampire tropes and spin them on their head. The girl doesn’t want to be a vampire. The vampire doesn’t want the girl. It’s story instead about friendship, and that alone is so beautiful.

Despite the length of the book, Young also dictates the rules of being a vampire – instantly playing on more famous and debunking parts of their tales. That’s the beauty of vampires in stories: so many rules can be redefined based on modern beliefs and expectations. That being said, I love what Young did with vampires.

While I had a few hang ups, especially around the dialogue, ultimately I really enjoyed the Vult. The pacing flowed well overall, yet it felt like the beginning of something bigger – almost like a prequel to another tale. The story ends on a decision that could so clearly create a new trajectory for the characters. So I do hope Young plans to write another book in the series. (And perhaps she has and I just missed it.)

I think anyone who likes a fun, fast paced vampire story that focuses on friendship will absolutely love The Vult. Definitely check it out.

[Katlyn Symansic · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a good book but it was nothing like I was expecting. It was an interesting take on vampires and friendship that I didn’t expect. I enjoyed that but when I read the description and then ended up reading the book it felt like it didn’t add up. I was like there was stuff missing and I don’t know what. I saw this recommended on TikTok but I feel like it wasn’t represented properly.