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Nytefall #2
The Night Is Defying
The exciting second volume in USA Today bestselling author Chloe C Peñaranda's Nytefall series, where history is doomed to repeat, and star-crossed lovers must face a choice between their hearts or the world...
Vicious Nightmares Need Peaceful Dreams.
Shaken from the aftermath of the Libertatem, the newly found star-maiden Astraea is determined to keep her freedom, even at the cost of betraying her heart. But time is running out to recover her memories with the hole it will unveil her killer.
Embarking on a journey to discover her past, Astraea’s awakening power spins the hourglass on a history threatening to repeat itself. While Nyte tries to regain control of the vampires hungry for bloodshed, a sinister plan by his brother to overthrow him sparks a dangerous feud. But are they willing to wear the blood of their kin to see it through?
For nothing in the past ever stays buried. Friends have turned into foes, brothers have turned into enemies, and what was written in the stars long ago ignites again in two hearts that were never meant to be. Letting Astraea go would save the world from darkness, but Nyte is no hero. It seems no monster is heartless, and no angel is without sin.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Vicious Nightmares Need Peaceful Dreams.
Shaken from the aftermath of the Libertatem, the newly found star-maiden Astraea is determined to keep her freedom, even at the cost of betraying her heart. But time is running out to recover her memories with the hole it will unveil her killer.
Embarking on a journey to discover her past, Astraea’s awakening power spins the hourglass on a history threatening to repeat itself. While Nyte tries to regain control of the vampires hungry for bloodshed, a sinister plan by his brother to overthrow him sparks a dangerous feud. But are they willing to wear the blood of their kin to see it through?
For nothing in the past ever stays buried. Friends have turned into foes, brothers have turned into enemies, and what was written in the stars long ago ignites again in two hearts that were never meant to be. Letting Astraea go would save the world from darkness, but Nyte is no hero. It seems no monster is heartless, and no angel is without sin.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 28, 2025
1711 people are currently reading
33083 people want to read
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June 12, 2025
the rarity of us—it was as magnificent as it was tragic.
this review may (or may not) contain ˚.✦ spoilers ✦.˚ for the stars are dying.
i prefer writing my reviews soon after finishing a book to ensure my feelings are encapsulated and my thoughts are expressed in a coherent manner. it doesn’t always happen, such is the case with this review for the night is defying, the second installment of the nytefall series. my mind continues to race with theories and all of my emotions, after reading the ending, still leaves me reeling over what will happen next. like most fantasy series, there is bound to be a burden of information as it’s crucial to continue expanding the worlds and develop the characters we’re following. this book continues where the first one ended and leads readers towards action-filled scenes where the world hurtles towards its inevitable collapse; a world where the fae and humans are threatened by vampires and corrupt power figures are hiding behind false pretenses as the stars die and the world falls into eternal darkness.
astraea endeavours to further unlock her forgotten memories and as she does, we learn more about nyte and astraea’s tragic history in this book. told in dual perspectives and incorporating numerous flashbacks, the missing knowledge in the stars are dying is revealed through various characters’ recollections. what i love is that the night is defying introduces a few more elements of world-building and clarifies a number of unclear questions that surfaced in the previous installment through these methods, making it an interesting and engaging format. this does raise newer questions that i’m sure will be answered in the next book, the dark is descending. i really loved the further exploration into althenia and learning the culture of the celestials in greater detail, and appreciated getting to find out more about the aspects of the world’s politics. while the focus of this series is uncovering astraea’s lost memories, i find it to be an interesting aspect and an important element when framing the overall conflict to understand the politically charged environment, as the tension brewing between the celestials and the vampires worsens, and contributes towards astraea’s difficulties in finding answers.
astraea could taunt and test me to the very edge too, but unlike anyone else, whether in rage or passion, i desired every piece of her.
♡ astraea
as astraea continues to relearn who she is and discovers certain secrets that alters her entire understanding, this doesn’t hinder astraea but rather allows her an opportunity to strengthen and become formidable during her quests. for someone who carries the title ‘star-maiden’ and wields a weapon with unimaginable powers, i love that she’s not one hundred percent in control of it and hasn’t mastered the full potential of the star-maiden staff, as it goes for most female lead characters in other fantasy series. i appreciated her slow going process of learning to be the star-maiden that everyone expects her to be, her struggles and how she overcomes them and her mistakes she corrects, but in the end she learns from all of her experiences. she doesn't become a perfect, or all-powerful person but she does grow, learn and change, and towards the end of the book we witness astraea no longer bend to everyone else’s wants and see her strive for her desires instead. there’s a fine balance she’s having difficulties maintaining—the expectation that she will end nyte and retake her position as star-maiden, hidden within althenia and behind the safety of the veil; meanwhile, finding a solution to the constant quakes and stopping the eternal darkness from descending without sacrificing the connection she has with nyte, who’s destined to be hers and the world’s downfall. her struggles are raw and come across as unending, as she battles with crushing expectations, fragmented memories and new powers while suffering from a fate she never chose.
“come for me starlight. show me how bright you shine for your enemy.”
♡ rainyte/nyte
nyte being the villain is oftentimes something that is mentioned in this series—that there’s no chance this man, not of the realm, could ever learn to love or understand what ‘sacrifice’ entails. this is someone who underwent traumatic events and who was never allowed to be himself, but instead was torn away from his realm as a child, turned into a vampire against his choice and forced into a situation of controlling others with brutal tactics and without remorse. in this book, we learn more about the villain, how the misunderstood earned his status and reputation as nightsdeath. i loved reading nyte’s chapters, something we didn’t have much of in the last book, as it allowed us to uncover his motivations and understand him better. the way nyte yearned for astraea, both in the past and in the present, made me fall in love with him for the second time. this is someone who’s been mistreated and who doesn’t know what ‘love’ means, yet he was attentive to astraea’s needs and desires without fault and without hesitation; with no ulterior motive or expectation for something in return. the way this man, who’s this feared, almost invincible creature knelt down, in front of the vampires, for the love of his life to ensure she was safe made me swoon. it was the most basic, simplistic action but his actions have always been louder than words—and there’s nothing hotter than a love interest who demonstrates his feelings by showing it.
“there is no star in the sky that shines as bright as you.”
“there is no darkness that defies the night like you.”
♡ nyte + astraea
i love forbidden romance and when it’s been mixed with star-crossed enemies to lovers, the romance becomes all the more enticing and riveting. we have two characters destined to hate each other become bonded mates, despite what fate has set out for them. the juxtaposition of past and present perspectives enhanced the romance, as we were privy to nyte’s inner thoughts and emotions. this is someone who was mistreated, forced into becoming a villain and he’s never been loved before, but the way nyte fell pathetically in love with astraea filled me with absolute giddiness. i’m a firm believer in “the villain deserves her”, especially when he becomes the villain for her but not towards her and he was, without fault, devoted to astraea.
“i’ll meet you in the darkness… now, then, and always.”
♡ the side characters
it’s no secret that one of my all-time favourite tropes is the found family. the bonds that were formed and introduced in the first installment are further expanded and strengthened in this book. despite her recent losses, astraea learns to manage her sorrow and begins discovering who her trusted friends and allies actually are as her enemies close in. once reluctant allies within the libertatem trials, astraea and zathrian have formed an unwavering bond with rose, creating the trusted circle of friends; meanwhile, astraea builds a community amongst the mistreated fae and outcast celestials. in this book, we see nyte allow his barriers to come down more as he becomes friendlier with the band of nightmares, rather than relying only on himself. i have a soft spot for drystan—despite his villainous attitude—and zephyr, and loved them being featured more in this book. the vibrant side characters in this series have been an excellent addition, providing an engaging richness to the world-building and enriching our leading characters.
i know this series doesn’t receive much love for numerous reasons: the pacing is jarring and the writing too poetic; the overall premise isn’t different, therefore no interesting or exciting; astraea’s lost memories feel like an afterthought as smaller issues amongst the long-plot of the series take precedence. however for me, this series always seems to reach me at the right moment and so has become a favourite of mine to read! i believe this series is one of those that readers will either love, or not care for. my advice? it’s best to approach this without the highest of expectations otherwise you will be disappointed. the final few chapters were nail-biting and action-filled, leaving me excited for the conclusion in the dark is descending, with my mind already swirling with theories!
nytefall series
the stars are dying — 4 stars
the night is defying — 4 stars
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˖⁺‧₊♡ pre-read review ⋙
i haven't read the stars are dying (the editions for this series are stunning) and the publishing house approved my request for the arc, to my shock and heartfelt appreciation, so this series is next on my tbr list!
a massive thank you to chloe c penaranda and wildfire for the gifted e-arc.
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March 21, 2025
I'll be the first to admit, I was not the biggest fan of The Stars are Dying. It didn't feel very original and I found the pacing pretty slow. That being said, I thought the world building was quite whimsical and that the series had potential for growth. I've read many series where I didn't love book one, but I adored the later books in the series. And I was really hoping that The Night is Defying was going to be one of those cases. Unfortunately, just like its predecessor, The Night is Defying failed to rouse my interest.
My first issue with this novel is that there isn't good separation between the two timelines. At least in the audiobook version, there is no "past/present" signifier at the start of each chapter. So when I first started reading, I didn't realize I was reading excerpts from the past and found myself very lost. My next problem is that the romance felt pretty underwhelming to me, especially in the past timeline. The enemies-to-lovers romance isn't that engaging, as it felt like it was just following the motions of what is expected from a romantasy like this. The love triangle felt forced, the smut got boring, and there were many lines of dialogue that felt painfully cliche.
On the subject of cliche, my biggest problem with this book is that it isn't just unoriginal, no, it is a straight rip off of ACOTAR. I'm not even a fan of ACOTAR, and yet I couldn't help but get defensive on Sarah J Maas's account. Here are just a few of the similarities between this book and A Court of Mist and Fury:
-the love interest is a powerful non-human who is representative of the night
-the love interest has black hair and only dresses in black
-the love interest has an "evil" persona that he lets the world believe of him for the greater good but the main character sees through it
-the love interest is only soft for the main character
-the setting is night time inspired
-the main character and love interest have a magical binding where if she calls he will come
-the main character and love interest have a group of powerful friends with a nickname (the "tribe of nightmares" vs the "inner circle")
-the main character is light incarnate and her whole body glows during sex
-after escaping captivity the love interest shows the main character how his world works
-the main character gets wings in the second book and the love interest teaches her to fly
-the love interest has both shadow powers and a monstrous form
-the main character and love interest have to go searching for magical objects
-the main character was sheltered in the first book but is now coming into her powers (she's a little overpowered now) and gains she sass/personality back
-the main character and love interest are bonded mates
...
There's more similarities, but the most egregious are the ones that show that Nyte is literally just copy-and-paste Rhysand.
Aside from the cases of potential copyright, I just could not get into this author's writing style. I found the writing quite blunt and a lot of the dialogue ripped from other popular books. At times it felt like I had gone on TikTok and searched "best romantasy micro tropes" or "enemies to lovers" quotes. It's that cliche. In fact, at times it felt like the plot was being dictated by the tropes. Often times the characters had no rational for their actions. The only reason they do things is because they have to in order to set up a trope. There is one scene in particular that drove me crazy. It goes like this: The main character sneaks into a den of vampires that can easily kill her. The love interest hides her with his shadows for her safety. But when she toys with him he says "No more of this game. I'll let you handle yourself" and reveals her to the den of killers. He does this intentionally, and yet immediately after doing it, he acts like he didn't mean to drop his shadows. He yells "Anyone who touches her will have their limbs torn off," or something to that effect. It just goes to show that he had no reason for any of his actions. They just had to be done so that we could get to that popular "touch her and die" line.
So overall, with no attachment to the romance, no love for the writing style, and constant reminders of better books that this felt like a variation of, I really had no reason to care for the events of this book. I kept reading, hoping that something would grab my attention. But ultimately, nothing did. I'm sure there are some people who will love this book, especially in those moments after reading a popular book when you need something similar to fill the void, but for me this was the nail in the coffin. I'm done with this series, and perhaps even the author for now.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!
My first issue with this novel is that there isn't good separation between the two timelines. At least in the audiobook version, there is no "past/present" signifier at the start of each chapter. So when I first started reading, I didn't realize I was reading excerpts from the past and found myself very lost. My next problem is that the romance felt pretty underwhelming to me, especially in the past timeline. The enemies-to-lovers romance isn't that engaging, as it felt like it was just following the motions of what is expected from a romantasy like this. The love triangle felt forced, the smut got boring, and there were many lines of dialogue that felt painfully cliche.
On the subject of cliche, my biggest problem with this book is that it isn't just unoriginal, no, it is a straight rip off of ACOTAR. I'm not even a fan of ACOTAR, and yet I couldn't help but get defensive on Sarah J Maas's account. Here are just a few of the similarities between this book and A Court of Mist and Fury:
-the love interest is a powerful non-human who is representative of the night
-the love interest has black hair and only dresses in black
-the love interest has an "evil" persona that he lets the world believe of him for the greater good but the main character sees through it
-the love interest is only soft for the main character
-the setting is night time inspired
-the main character and love interest have a magical binding where if she calls he will come
-the main character and love interest have a group of powerful friends with a nickname (the "tribe of nightmares" vs the "inner circle")
-the main character is light incarnate and her whole body glows during sex
-after escaping captivity the love interest shows the main character how his world works
-the main character gets wings in the second book and the love interest teaches her to fly
-the love interest has both shadow powers and a monstrous form
-the main character and love interest have to go searching for magical objects
-the main character was sheltered in the first book but is now coming into her powers (she's a little overpowered now) and gains she sass/personality back
-the main character and love interest are bonded mates
...
There's more similarities, but the most egregious are the ones that show that Nyte is literally just copy-and-paste Rhysand.
Aside from the cases of potential copyright, I just could not get into this author's writing style. I found the writing quite blunt and a lot of the dialogue ripped from other popular books. At times it felt like I had gone on TikTok and searched "best romantasy micro tropes" or "enemies to lovers" quotes. It's that cliche. In fact, at times it felt like the plot was being dictated by the tropes. Often times the characters had no rational for their actions. The only reason they do things is because they have to in order to set up a trope. There is one scene in particular that drove me crazy. It goes like this: The main character sneaks into a den of vampires that can easily kill her. The love interest hides her with his shadows for her safety. But when she toys with him he says "No more of this game. I'll let you handle yourself" and reveals her to the den of killers. He does this intentionally, and yet immediately after doing it, he acts like he didn't mean to drop his shadows. He yells "Anyone who touches her will have their limbs torn off," or something to that effect. It just goes to show that he had no reason for any of his actions. They just had to be done so that we could get to that popular "touch her and die" line.
So overall, with no attachment to the romance, no love for the writing style, and constant reminders of better books that this felt like a variation of, I really had no reason to care for the events of this book. I kept reading, hoping that something would grab my attention. But ultimately, nothing did. I'm sure there are some people who will love this book, especially in those moments after reading a popular book when you need something similar to fill the void, but for me this was the nail in the coffin. I'm done with this series, and perhaps even the author for now.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 24, 2024
An action-packed sequel to The Stars Are Dying! This is one for fans of Crowns of Nyaxia, the first book especially with all its vampy competition vibes. But this second book has all the tropes and vibes we know and love, being an intense story of forbidden love, enemies to lovers and a woman trying to learn who to trust amidst gaining her memories back of past lives lived.
I did find this one a little repetitive at times, with certain sentiments being recapped a lot (like everyone telling Astraea to trust her instinct every few chapters). It almost felt like there wasn't quite enough material for this book to stand by itself, and so it was fleshed out a little with more of the same. But I can't say I hated it, especially when there's a reason I wanted to continue this series in the first place - to get more of it.
Admittedly though I am a sucker for a MMC being a simp for our main gal, and Nyte for sure holds no reservations with his fawning over Astraea. It makes for an addictive read for the romantasy folks as we hit all the serotonin marks, alongside a high-stakes fantasy plot with changing alliances and secrets around every corner.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of the book.
I did find this one a little repetitive at times, with certain sentiments being recapped a lot (like everyone telling Astraea to trust her instinct every few chapters). It almost felt like there wasn't quite enough material for this book to stand by itself, and so it was fleshed out a little with more of the same. But I can't say I hated it, especially when there's a reason I wanted to continue this series in the first place - to get more of it.
Admittedly though I am a sucker for a MMC being a simp for our main gal, and Nyte for sure holds no reservations with his fawning over Astraea. It makes for an addictive read for the romantasy folks as we hit all the serotonin marks, alongside a high-stakes fantasy plot with changing alliances and secrets around every corner.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of the book.
January 26, 2025
the longer i sit with this book, the more i love it 🥹
spoiler free review here we go! (note: spoilers for book 1, so proceed with caution if you haven’t read The Stars are Dying)
💫 The Night is Defying picks up right where we left off in The Stars are Dying in a whirlwind of starcrossed fantasy.
this book is FULL of yearning and heartwrenching romance, as Astraea fights to unlock more of her forgotten memories. dual pov gives the reader insight into the past through the memories of others (pain) and i really loved being in Nyte’s past and seeing the world through his lens.
as established in book 1, Nyte being “the villain” is a main theme in this book. i LOVED learning about the different species and how history, politics, and religion shape their outlook on Astraea’s bonds. (kind of reminded me of Dune & the bene gesserit, which i love!)
Astraea (my shaylaaaa🥺) is so strong in this book. her development is TOP TIER and this journey pushes her to her limits and then some. i love a soft fmc who also pushes herself to become her strongest self.
the romance in this book is what takes the cake for me. (also established in book 1) the starcrossed lovers trope will forever be my favorite because the pain is oh so good 😭 Nyte is top tier book boyfriend (husband??) and the way he fights to protect Astraea makes my heart ache.
the one reason this isn’t a 5 star book for me is because I felt that at some points there was a lot of dialogue without a lot of action. by no means do i need a book to be 100% action, but i felt that the talking dragged on at points where we could have been showing instead. i still LOVED the story, characters, and am so excited for where this series is going!!
spoiler free review here we go! (note: spoilers for book 1, so proceed with caution if you haven’t read The Stars are Dying)
💫 The Night is Defying picks up right where we left off in The Stars are Dying in a whirlwind of starcrossed fantasy.
this book is FULL of yearning and heartwrenching romance, as Astraea fights to unlock more of her forgotten memories. dual pov gives the reader insight into the past through the memories of others (pain) and i really loved being in Nyte’s past and seeing the world through his lens.
as established in book 1, Nyte being “the villain” is a main theme in this book. i LOVED learning about the different species and how history, politics, and religion shape their outlook on Astraea’s bonds. (kind of reminded me of Dune & the bene gesserit, which i love!)
Astraea (my shaylaaaa🥺) is so strong in this book. her development is TOP TIER and this journey pushes her to her limits and then some. i love a soft fmc who also pushes herself to become her strongest self.
the romance in this book is what takes the cake for me. (also established in book 1) the starcrossed lovers trope will forever be my favorite because the pain is oh so good 😭 Nyte is top tier book boyfriend (husband??) and the way he fights to protect Astraea makes my heart ache.
the one reason this isn’t a 5 star book for me is because I felt that at some points there was a lot of dialogue without a lot of action. by no means do i need a book to be 100% action, but i felt that the talking dragged on at points where we could have been showing instead. i still LOVED the story, characters, and am so excited for where this series is going!!
January 30, 2025
4.5⭐
I'm not okay! I'm heartbroken, furious and utterly in love! This book is sooo much better than the first one, mostly because we started to know about Astraea and Rainyte's past together and how all of this happened!
Astraea is incredible in this book, she is more interesting and more flexible! I like her compassionate toward all the species and how she embraced her powers!
Nyte is one of my favourite MMCs that i ever read about! He is there with Raihn and Samkiel to me!!! The way everyone hates him? Cast him as the villain to every story? I cried so hard! His feelings for Astraea, his conflict toward his brother were so tragically written! Also, his lines were incredible, i found myself highlighting like there is no tomorrow!
The origin of Nyte's powers and who his mother is, was one of the best twists ever!
I loved the introduction to the celestials realm and everything about them!
Drystan is one of the smartest characters ever! I'm in love with his genius yet reckless plans!
And don't get me started on the spice 🥵🥵 it was a lot but never boring, i loved every scene!
Wtf was that ending though? I can't wait for the next book and for Astraea's revenge to fall upon everyone!
The past scenes of Nyte were my favourite part of this book, alongside anytime Nyte appeared or he talked! I'm in love with him!
I'm not okay! I'm heartbroken, furious and utterly in love! This book is sooo much better than the first one, mostly because we started to know about Astraea and Rainyte's past together and how all of this happened!
Astraea is incredible in this book, she is more interesting and more flexible! I like her compassionate toward all the species and how she embraced her powers!
Nyte is one of my favourite MMCs that i ever read about! He is there with Raihn and Samkiel to me!!! The way everyone hates him? Cast him as the villain to every story? I cried so hard! His feelings for Astraea, his conflict toward his brother were so tragically written! Also, his lines were incredible, i found myself highlighting like there is no tomorrow!
The origin of Nyte's powers and who his mother is, was one of the best twists ever!
I loved the introduction to the celestials realm and everything about them!
Drystan is one of the smartest characters ever! I'm in love with his genius yet reckless plans!
And don't get me started on the spice 🥵🥵 it was a lot but never boring, i loved every scene!
Wtf was that ending though? I can't wait for the next book and for Astraea's revenge to fall upon everyone!
The past scenes of Nyte were my favourite part of this book, alongside anytime Nyte appeared or he talked! I'm in love with him!
January 8, 2025
“I didn’t fall for you twice because I never stopped loving you. Through everything that tried to separate us––forgotten memories, lost time––it’s always been you…Starlight”✨🥹💫
“it’s those who are quickest to condemn a monster that are harboring something more vicious of their own.”✨💫🌌
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ll be honest—after the first book in the Nytefall trilogy, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue. The world-building and magic system felt messy, and the info-dumping left my head spinning. But let me tell you, Chloe fully redeemed herself with The Night is Defying! I am so glad I decided to keep going because this book was everything I wanted and more.
The story picks up right where book one left off, with Astraea embracing her role as the star-maiden and Nyte finally free from the Veil. The way Chloe used a dual timeline to show their past and present was perfection. Watching Astraea fight to regain her memories while also seeing how her relationship with Nyte developed was so emotional. I loved seeing them rekindle what they had, even with the world stacked against them.
This book had me hooked. It’s packed with action, high stakes, and plot twists that left me absolutely gagged. Add in some brand-new villains, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Astraea and Nyte’s dynamic is so well done—messy, raw, and impossible not to root for.
And that ending? Chloe, you’re evil. I need book three ASAP because I’m not okay after this! If you weren’t sure about continuing the series after book one, trust me—this book will completely change your mind. It’s emotional, thrilling, and absolutely unforgettable.
*Thank you Macmillan for the ALC, and Bramble for the ARC*
“it’s those who are quickest to condemn a monster that are harboring something more vicious of their own.”✨💫🌌
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ll be honest—after the first book in the Nytefall trilogy, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue. The world-building and magic system felt messy, and the info-dumping left my head spinning. But let me tell you, Chloe fully redeemed herself with The Night is Defying! I am so glad I decided to keep going because this book was everything I wanted and more.
The story picks up right where book one left off, with Astraea embracing her role as the star-maiden and Nyte finally free from the Veil. The way Chloe used a dual timeline to show their past and present was perfection. Watching Astraea fight to regain her memories while also seeing how her relationship with Nyte developed was so emotional. I loved seeing them rekindle what they had, even with the world stacked against them.
This book had me hooked. It’s packed with action, high stakes, and plot twists that left me absolutely gagged. Add in some brand-new villains, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Astraea and Nyte’s dynamic is so well done—messy, raw, and impossible not to root for.
And that ending? Chloe, you’re evil. I need book three ASAP because I’m not okay after this! If you weren’t sure about continuing the series after book one, trust me—this book will completely change your mind. It’s emotional, thrilling, and absolutely unforgettable.
*Thank you Macmillan for the ALC, and Bramble for the ARC*
September 21, 2025
Oh, that ending was mean and uncalled for! Granted, it could have been worse. I could have been waiting for the next book for over a year, but instead, it's less than 3 months. I will live, but boy does it still sting.
Astraea was not great this time around. I understand her need to hang out in secret with her supposed first bonded chosen by the gods, blah, blah, blah. It felt icky from the start. Why would she put her trust in this guy that Nyte clearly has reasons to distrust? Also, Nyte hasn't ever given her a reason to distrust him, so why wouldn't she take his word for it in this one instance? It's only made worse when Nyte refuses to give her timely information so she can make a decision based on facts and not what she's being fed from the SOB.
Nyte was even a tad bit too understanding of Astraea's need to be around her other bonded. It was frustrating how he wouldn't try to reason with her and pass along some relevant information. Though, on another note, he was amazing as a character overall. He adores her and actively plans to burn down the world to be with her. He's my type of guy ♡
Astraea was not great this time around. I understand her need to hang out in secret with her supposed first bonded chosen by the gods, blah, blah, blah. It felt icky from the start. Why would she put her trust in this guy that Nyte clearly has reasons to distrust? Also, Nyte hasn't ever given her a reason to distrust him, so why wouldn't she take his word for it in this one instance? It's only made worse when Nyte refuses to give her timely information so she can make a decision based on facts and not what she's being fed from the SOB.
Nyte was even a tad bit too understanding of Astraea's need to be around her other bonded. It was frustrating how he wouldn't try to reason with her and pass along some relevant information. Though, on another note, he was amazing as a character overall. He adores her and actively plans to burn down the world to be with her. He's my type of guy ♡
February 7, 2025
This reads like it was mostly written by AI. The story is predominantly bad dialogue, and absolutely nothing happens. The time jumps between chapters are confusing. Almost nothing is explained with detail, just simply stated and lacking any real depth. This is a far cry from the first book… no way it was written by the same author. I can also now say, I completely agree with so many others that this author is stealing intellectual property and thinks we won’t notice because “there’s only so much you can do with romantasy!!!!”
Want to read
January 31, 2025Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC of this book!
Unfortunately I'm going to DNF at 42%.
The transitions between place and time and in between have no meaning and no explanation and it's so distracting I can't keep going on.
I absolutely love the narration and maybe one day I'll come back to finish this because I did enjoy the first book but this one is just too long with the poorly executed transitions.
Unfortunately I'm going to DNF at 42%.
The transitions between place and time and in between have no meaning and no explanation and it's so distracting I can't keep going on.
I absolutely love the narration and maybe one day I'll come back to finish this because I did enjoy the first book but this one is just too long with the poorly executed transitions.
November 5, 2025
2.25 Stars - Dnf @ 18% - I could not get into this story. It is jumping all over the place and I just don’t feel close to the characters. I am not going to force myself to finish something I do not enjoy, as this was just not for me.
July 3, 2025
Was this book better than the first? Yes, slightly.
Was this book a good book? Absolutely not.
Still so many errors! “Me” instead of “my”. Missing words. Sentences that literally made NO SENSE. Literally 9 pages in we get this beauty of an editing error: “Souls would never cycle to the stars; the soulless would become another insatiable force and their greed would them instead.” Would them what? lol. I read some out loud to my husband and even he agreed they were nonsensical. Not just the topic, but words and structure. I think Peñadanda gets ahead of herself trying to write lyrical prose, but it just leaves unnecessary prepositions at the end of her sentences and convoluted jumbled run on sentences. Her editor let her run wild, and honestly, it’s very disappointing. And look, I’m not saying I could do better, it’s just embarrassing to send a book with an agent, an editor, and a publisher to print and then charge people $35 for something that reads like a self-published KU book. Please, please just edit these texts better, I’m begging.
But, on that note, I will not be reading book 3 - will they save their world? I don’t care. Will their love save them and reunite them? I’d bet money on it, but I won’t read more than a synopsis to find out. I can’t put myself through reading this slogging (and frankly sloppily edited) prose again. If you’re torturing yourself through book 2 also because you already bought it like I did, do yourself a favor and skim it. If you don’t read every word on the page and stop trying to make them make sense (when they literally don’t) it’s slightly more enjoyable.
Was this book a good book? Absolutely not.
Still so many errors! “Me” instead of “my”. Missing words. Sentences that literally made NO SENSE. Literally 9 pages in we get this beauty of an editing error: “Souls would never cycle to the stars; the soulless would become another insatiable force and their greed would them instead.” Would them what? lol. I read some out loud to my husband and even he agreed they were nonsensical. Not just the topic, but words and structure. I think Peñadanda gets ahead of herself trying to write lyrical prose, but it just leaves unnecessary prepositions at the end of her sentences and convoluted jumbled run on sentences. Her editor let her run wild, and honestly, it’s very disappointing. And look, I’m not saying I could do better, it’s just embarrassing to send a book with an agent, an editor, and a publisher to print and then charge people $35 for something that reads like a self-published KU book. Please, please just edit these texts better, I’m begging.
But, on that note, I will not be reading book 3 - will they save their world? I don’t care. Will their love save them and reunite them? I’d bet money on it, but I won’t read more than a synopsis to find out. I can’t put myself through reading this slogging (and frankly sloppily edited) prose again. If you’re torturing yourself through book 2 also because you already bought it like I did, do yourself a favor and skim it. If you don’t read every word on the page and stop trying to make them make sense (when they literally don’t) it’s slightly more enjoyable.
February 15, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book was so much better than the first one.The romance ,spice and character development was done beautifully.Honestly just the politics completely bored me to absolute DEATH.💀
🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book was so much better than the first one.The romance ,spice and character development was done beautifully.Honestly just the politics completely bored me to absolute DEATH.💀
February 23, 2025
I am not even gonna try to finish this. The first book certainly had many issues, but overall, it was very fun. Maybe because its been too long since I read it, but I have no idea who these people are or what is happening.
Who ARE these people??? There is nothing distinguishing these side characters from one another or reminding me of their purpose to the plot. Our main characters, Nyte and Astraea, are achingly hot and cold. Nyte is supposed to be a “villain” but he is just another asshole who is obsessed with Astraea; Astraea lacks agency and is constantly flipping between hating and loving Nyte. And I did not care. Was it toxic and she should hate him or was it complex and worth patience? Im more compelled to lean toward the former, but I truly did not care enough. Whatever she felt about him, I just wished it was consistent enough for me to have any faith and trust in the character.
The plot is extremely convoluted; I called the first book similar to a Cheesecake Factory menu because everything about this story is excess. While enjoyable, there’s just ridiculously too much offered. Includes every trending romantasy trope since Twilight, none done in any transformative way; what you get is something so bloated it loses all coherency. I was forgiving of the writing when I read the first, but it has since been picked up by a publisher and there is still no sign of an editor. The sentences run on so much that I question my sanity. You have to reread a sentence 5 times until you gaslight yourself into understanding it.
Overall, this is just really rough to get through and not worth my time.
Who ARE these people??? There is nothing distinguishing these side characters from one another or reminding me of their purpose to the plot. Our main characters, Nyte and Astraea, are achingly hot and cold. Nyte is supposed to be a “villain” but he is just another asshole who is obsessed with Astraea; Astraea lacks agency and is constantly flipping between hating and loving Nyte. And I did not care. Was it toxic and she should hate him or was it complex and worth patience? Im more compelled to lean toward the former, but I truly did not care enough. Whatever she felt about him, I just wished it was consistent enough for me to have any faith and trust in the character.
The plot is extremely convoluted; I called the first book similar to a Cheesecake Factory menu because everything about this story is excess. While enjoyable, there’s just ridiculously too much offered. Includes every trending romantasy trope since Twilight, none done in any transformative way; what you get is something so bloated it loses all coherency. I was forgiving of the writing when I read the first, but it has since been picked up by a publisher and there is still no sign of an editor. The sentences run on so much that I question my sanity. You have to reread a sentence 5 times until you gaslight yourself into understanding it.
Overall, this is just really rough to get through and not worth my time.
February 15, 2025
⭐ 4.5 CHLOE BROUGHT BACK YEARNING WITH THIS BOOK. I ATE AND LEFT NO CRUMBS!!
Let me sit with my thoughts for a bit and come back with some rambles and shambles.. but my goodness this was what I needed to read after my OS feels. I will say this though the way this series is SO UNDERRATED actually hearts my heart.
****UPDATE****
This book. The way my heart is beating for these two so much. Like heart wrenchingly good and that romance that is always pouring through. Absolute perfection. Astraea is such a fierce FMC and the way she fights to remember her memories. Ohh my sweet summer child. Like her development is top tier. Her softness is beautiful but her strength is inspiring.
NYTE NYTE NYTE. Maybe if I chant his name enough he will actually show up because this man right here is what book HUSBAND goals are made of!! His protectiveness over her is just addicting.
Basically this story owns a lot of my soul and that after that ending I do not know how to actually function BUT I just would 🤺 for them until the end and beyond.
I adored learning about the new information we were given and know my mind is still very much stuck on them.
The history, the politics the ROMANCE. Everything!!
Cannot wait to catch up with them real soon 🥹🥹
Let me sit with my thoughts for a bit and come back with some rambles and shambles.. but my goodness this was what I needed to read after my OS feels. I will say this though the way this series is SO UNDERRATED actually hearts my heart.
****UPDATE****
This book. The way my heart is beating for these two so much. Like heart wrenchingly good and that romance that is always pouring through. Absolute perfection. Astraea is such a fierce FMC and the way she fights to remember her memories. Ohh my sweet summer child. Like her development is top tier. Her softness is beautiful but her strength is inspiring.
NYTE NYTE NYTE. Maybe if I chant his name enough he will actually show up because this man right here is what book HUSBAND goals are made of!! His protectiveness over her is just addicting.
Basically this story owns a lot of my soul and that after that ending I do not know how to actually function BUT I just would 🤺 for them until the end and beyond.
I adored learning about the new information we were given and know my mind is still very much stuck on them.
The history, the politics the ROMANCE. Everything!!
Cannot wait to catch up with them real soon 🥹🥹
October 13, 2025
oh boy
What a mess of a book. Was it even edited at least once? The repetitions made me want to smack my iPad into the walls. It took me forever to finish this second volume, and I think the weird pace of the action may be responsible for it.
But let’s say we can, as readers, ignore the inconsistencies, the weird phrasing or the lack of editing that makes this book feel like a lump of words was thrown onto the pages ….My biggest problem is:
How many times can you as an author reiterate that you have created the most powerful characters…only for them to get their ass served page after page. Listen…if you want to tell me every chance u have your FC is the most powerful or the MC is the greatest assassin, why are they acting like rag-dolls during confrontations?
+
There were times in this book I didn’t know what I was reading: was it YA, was it teenage angst, was it fanfiction, a fantasy novel or a bdsm wannabe fic? The inconsistencies gave me whiplash…my message here: less is more. Choose your line and stay within it.
What a mess of a book. Was it even edited at least once? The repetitions made me want to smack my iPad into the walls. It took me forever to finish this second volume, and I think the weird pace of the action may be responsible for it.
But let’s say we can, as readers, ignore the inconsistencies, the weird phrasing or the lack of editing that makes this book feel like a lump of words was thrown onto the pages ….My biggest problem is:
How many times can you as an author reiterate that you have created the most powerful characters…only for them to get their ass served page after page. Listen…if you want to tell me every chance u have your FC is the most powerful or the MC is the greatest assassin, why are they acting like rag-dolls during confrontations?
+
There were times in this book I didn’t know what I was reading: was it YA, was it teenage angst, was it fanfiction, a fantasy novel or a bdsm wannabe fic? The inconsistencies gave me whiplash…my message here: less is more. Choose your line and stay within it.
January 30, 2025
I read this book far too fast and now we wait in the middle of a cliffhanger…
This book was everything I wanted! It gave us answers to questions, insights into the past, and the full circle moments we were waiting for. It balanced the plot and spice perfectly and I felt myself drawn to the story the entire time.
Here are a few of my favorite things…
- the dual pov is everything
- I love how patient he was to let her choose and be free. Even the way he showed her the memories prioritized what she needed
- the found family!! So many good moments
- I didn’t know we needed dragons but I’m so happy they are here
I can’t wait for more to this series!
Would I recommend? Yes!
This book was everything I wanted! It gave us answers to questions, insights into the past, and the full circle moments we were waiting for. It balanced the plot and spice perfectly and I felt myself drawn to the story the entire time.
Here are a few of my favorite things…
- the dual pov is everything
- I love how patient he was to let her choose and be free. Even the way he showed her the memories prioritized what she needed
- the found family!! So many good moments
- I didn’t know we needed dragons but I’m so happy they are here
I can’t wait for more to this series!
Would I recommend? Yes!
Read
March 9, 2025The Stars are Dying, the Night is Defying, my eyeballs are crying from this poorly written, poorly plotted excuse for a romantasy series. DNF’d.
If you rated this anything above a 3 (and that’s being generous) I cannot help but questions your reading comprehension skills.
The only reason I read book 2 after the horrible editing of book 1 was because of hints at bigger plot developments only to have those plot points revealed in the most asinine ways. This could have been great written by anyone else with even a spec of editing but apparently the editing of this book was done by a child. And that’s discrediting children.
To publish this book with so many spelling mistakes is baffling but even more so to publish with such inconsistent timelines that the book doesn’t make sense is unforgivable. Everyone involved (except whoever did the cover art) should be fired.
I know I’m being harsh but to put so much money into the design of a book without actually reading the book is insane. Brava to the author who pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes to get this published.
I wish I could remember the exact quote but there was a spelling mistake along the lines of “I reached through the air for me blade” and nothing pulls you out of a story more then a poorly placed spelling mistake that makes you feel like there is a leprechaun present.
The saying don’t judge a book by its cover is right, it could be sooo much worse inside.
If you rated this anything above a 3 (and that’s being generous) I cannot help but questions your reading comprehension skills.
The only reason I read book 2 after the horrible editing of book 1 was because of hints at bigger plot developments only to have those plot points revealed in the most asinine ways. This could have been great written by anyone else with even a spec of editing but apparently the editing of this book was done by a child. And that’s discrediting children.
To publish this book with so many spelling mistakes is baffling but even more so to publish with such inconsistent timelines that the book doesn’t make sense is unforgivable. Everyone involved (except whoever did the cover art) should be fired.
I know I’m being harsh but to put so much money into the design of a book without actually reading the book is insane. Brava to the author who pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes to get this published.
I wish I could remember the exact quote but there was a spelling mistake along the lines of “I reached through the air for me blade” and nothing pulls you out of a story more then a poorly placed spelling mistake that makes you feel like there is a leprechaun present.
The saying don’t judge a book by its cover is right, it could be sooo much worse inside.
February 5, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ I read the first book in July of 2023 and didn’t do a reread, so it took me until about the 20% mark to gather my bearings, but that’s a me problem. I do remember having mixed feelings about book one and found it confusing, and I’m happy to say this book was a major step up. This book actually made sense which I loved lol
Anyways, I liked seeing Astraea grow more into herself and become a force to be reckoned with. And I still love Nyte—I’m always a sucker for a morally grey shadow daddy. Their relationship developed so much in this book, and you can really feel the love between them when you’re reading.
The plot was nonstop and I was truly never bored. Some of the plot twists had my jaw on the FLOOR. That cliffhanger was ass though but I can’t wait for the next book!!!
Anyways, I liked seeing Astraea grow more into herself and become a force to be reckoned with. And I still love Nyte—I’m always a sucker for a morally grey shadow daddy. Their relationship developed so much in this book, and you can really feel the love between them when you’re reading.
The plot was nonstop and I was truly never bored. Some of the plot twists had my jaw on the FLOOR. That cliffhanger was ass though but I can’t wait for the next book!!!
March 25, 2025
Honest to God… these books jump around and make no sense half the time. It’s like the book is a full blown manic episode, jumping all around and not making sense half the time.
Sorry.
Sorry.
October 6, 2025
The ending of this book, broke my heart. What a way to end a book, after writing this review I’m going to be diving straight into the next one to find out how it ends.
After the end of the Liberatatem, Astraea is reeling with the news that she is the Star Maiden but before she even has time to digest that, she has to try and reclaim her lost memories. Astraea’s powers are awakening and Nyte is doing his best to help her learn them but neither of them are ready to face the truth, that one of them must fall for the world to survive. For when Night falls the world will be drowned in Starlight. With enemies at every turn, new allies coming forward, who can they trust? What are they willing to sacrifice to be together?
What a trip this book was, that ending what a devastating way to end this book. I’m glad I have the Arc of the final book to dive into but that would have broke me if I’d had to wait to find out what happened next. I loved learning more about Astraea and Nyte’s shared past, getting glimpses into who they were and what they meant to each other, they spent so long looking for a solution. All the side characters Nyte’s brother, Rose, Zaph, Nadia and Zephyr I loved them all, I got a bit an antsy during the fighting scenes worried about who we were going to lose next. Zephyr what a dark horse he was in this book! Didn’t see that one coming. Auster though what a creep, he didn’t deserve to breathe the same air as Astraea. Overall really enjoyed this book, but sad as this one is the second in the trilogy and that means it’s coming to an end. Can’t believe I waited so long just to read this.
After the end of the Liberatatem, Astraea is reeling with the news that she is the Star Maiden but before she even has time to digest that, she has to try and reclaim her lost memories. Astraea’s powers are awakening and Nyte is doing his best to help her learn them but neither of them are ready to face the truth, that one of them must fall for the world to survive. For when Night falls the world will be drowned in Starlight. With enemies at every turn, new allies coming forward, who can they trust? What are they willing to sacrifice to be together?
What a trip this book was, that ending what a devastating way to end this book. I’m glad I have the Arc of the final book to dive into but that would have broke me if I’d had to wait to find out what happened next. I loved learning more about Astraea and Nyte’s shared past, getting glimpses into who they were and what they meant to each other, they spent so long looking for a solution. All the side characters Nyte’s brother, Rose, Zaph, Nadia and Zephyr I loved them all, I got a bit an antsy during the fighting scenes worried about who we were going to lose next. Zephyr what a dark horse he was in this book! Didn’t see that one coming. Auster though what a creep, he didn’t deserve to breathe the same air as Astraea. Overall really enjoyed this book, but sad as this one is the second in the trilogy and that means it’s coming to an end. Can’t believe I waited so long just to read this.
December 7, 2025
Interesting book 2, it builds a more diverse world with the introduction of more characters and areas of the world. The lore is more developed as well. The 2 main characters are lovable but kind of cliche for a romantasy. The plot itself is very action packed and I absolutely loved listening it and the spice goes up in this book.
I feel like I did a disserves not re-readinf book one because out of the gate there was a character I don't remember being introduced in the first book 😅
The narrators were okay. The male narrator although "sultry" all his characters sounded the same so it was hard to figure out half the time who he was trying to narrate. The female narrator was very good and had te voices for her female characters. This is a duet narration.
Overall a interesting story that I'm happy to continue reading/listening too!
Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book!
I feel like I did a disserves not re-readinf book one because out of the gate there was a character I don't remember being introduced in the first book 😅
The narrators were okay. The male narrator although "sultry" all his characters sounded the same so it was hard to figure out half the time who he was trying to narrate. The female narrator was very good and had te voices for her female characters. This is a duet narration.
Overall a interesting story that I'm happy to continue reading/listening too!
Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book!
February 15, 2025
Def would not recommend- didn’t even finish lol. Essentially no plot, very explicit, and over the top on the obsessive love situation
January 20, 2025
Good Lord Ms Penaranda how could you do me like that???
Leaving me sitting on that cliff until the next one comes out??!! OMG! 😳 So addictive!
During this installment, we also get a bit more of the backstory of Astraea and Nyte. The story continues where we left off at the end of the book, with Astraea coming to terms with being the star maiden and all that entails. Through noble efforts, Astraea is working on returning some of her memories and Nyte is free from the veil.
Do not start this book if you cannot binge it! It's packed with high stakes, new characters and significant plot twists that will leave you spinning in circles with your jaw dropped! This is an addictive love story that has you rooting for Astraea and Nyte through it all. It's magical to watch their love grow and turn into something else! This one is one of the stars ⭐️ like there is something else here and I'm excited about the next installment because this is quickly becoming one of my favorite series because there is so much here. Love, injustice, power plays, and of course, there is a betrayal that you won't see coming that is so intense that most of you will join me sitting on that cliffhanger!!!
I received the audiobook to listen to and review, and let me just say the narrator fits the story perfectly! The tone and the way she read the story there were so many times that I was pacing around my house because the narrators really brought the story to life!!!
Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this truly exciting opportunity! I fell in love with the series all over again!
Leaving me sitting on that cliff until the next one comes out??!! OMG! 😳 So addictive!
During this installment, we also get a bit more of the backstory of Astraea and Nyte. The story continues where we left off at the end of the book, with Astraea coming to terms with being the star maiden and all that entails. Through noble efforts, Astraea is working on returning some of her memories and Nyte is free from the veil.
Do not start this book if you cannot binge it! It's packed with high stakes, new characters and significant plot twists that will leave you spinning in circles with your jaw dropped! This is an addictive love story that has you rooting for Astraea and Nyte through it all. It's magical to watch their love grow and turn into something else! This one is one of the stars ⭐️ like there is something else here and I'm excited about the next installment because this is quickly becoming one of my favorite series because there is so much here. Love, injustice, power plays, and of course, there is a betrayal that you won't see coming that is so intense that most of you will join me sitting on that cliffhanger!!!
I received the audiobook to listen to and review, and let me just say the narrator fits the story perfectly! The tone and the way she read the story there were so many times that I was pacing around my house because the narrators really brought the story to life!!!
Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this truly exciting opportunity! I fell in love with the series all over again!
Want to read
August 30, 2024EDIT
Not this book changing its publication day from January 14, 2025 to January 28, 2025 to avoid ONYX STORM PUBLICATION DAY XD LMFAO. Maybe it is a marketing strategy and I am not really sure how publishing this book AFTER the release of a MASSIVE SEQUEL (Onyx Storm from the Fourth Wing Empyrean series) is better than doing it before... but it is the only thing that came to mind with the change of the publication day.
EDIT
I guess it is time to delete this. Just giving time to a commenter to read my reply out of common courtesy. I do not want them to think I ignored them. It is becoming tiring how others invade other people's reviews with thoughts they clearly disagree on, and start unnecessary discourse. I get it if you liked the author or loved her books.
That is why I always write a disclaimer that my reviews are not for her fans or for people who even remotely feel the opposite that I do about her books. But time and time again, people just choose to create something that could result to toxicity, and for what?
I myself do not engage in positive reviews of others who are fans of this author's works. I respect their opinions and I don't tell them what to write or what to do with their spare time. I have never infringed upon another's reviews and ask them to spend their time on better books because I think the book they rated positively is actually trash.
I do not comment on their reviews questioning their decisions on how they rate their books or asking them if they are the author's family or friend that was why they were biased in their review, neither have I asked them if they are a part of the author's hype team that was why they rated all of her books five stars, even the ones that are not officially released to the public yet.
You'd think being a grown up means being mature but apparently adult is just a name slapped on based on age and not mental maturity. If you do not like what I have written or if you disagree with my opinions, at least respect them. Respect me. As I have respected you and the others who have different views than I do. It is not that hard. It only takes basic human decency.
Edit:
Is it just me, or does this title sound specifically like the rearranged title of Brigid Kemmerer's, "Defy the Night"? XD
Edit:
DISCLAIMER
This is NOT for the author or her flock/followers/loyalists/herd/family/friends or for the people who liked her books. I never sent her my reviews or my thoughts and I always have a disclaimer that if you are her or if you support her, then my review/thoughts/opinions about her books are NOT FOR YOU.
I don't come into the reviews of the people who liked her books and argue with them or tell them that they are wrong or that their thoughts are invalid. Please respect my space and my personal thoughts the same way I grant everyone respect for having their own opinions as well.
Thank you.
Also, yes, this book isn't out yet. But I'm not rating it LOL I just want to comment about it and share my thoughts about reading it. There is one rating here, however, that I believe should not be valid since the person obviously has not read the book yet because, like what I have mentioned, it's not yet released. If you wish for this little thought bubble to be deleted because you feel like its inappropriate to have it for a book that is not yet released, please send me a private message and I will delete it.
And then let us also contact the reviewer who rated the book four stars without having read it to ensure that fairness is granted to all honest and genuine GoodReads reviewers because the account who gave this book four stars have not reviewed any other books on GoodReads and I feel like it's even more suspicious than sharing thoughts about reading the sequel of the book that was read by a reviewer.
January 14, 2025 OOF.
I can't say I'm excited for the release of this book. On one hand, reading it will lead to the discovery if it has improved, on the other, I've been let down before by the other series by the same author when I gave it a chance to recover itself. I also have issues about giving my support to those who deserve it so...
I guess we shall see XD
However, I am gonna say this: I'm pretty sure I'd be reading Onyx Storm, though. And if given a choice between the two, I'd choose Onyx Storm LMFAO Don't judge me! XD
Anyway, this book isn't even out yet, but it already has a four-star rating from a GoodReads account with no other reviews...
But of course, this is okay, right? Whereas one-star ratings for a book that hasn't come out yet is considered bad? RIGHT.
LMFAO SMH.
This is also under Chloe C. Peñaranda, while the first book which reviews have tanked since it's released when more people outside of the author's flock has read it has now been moved to the author's old author name, C.C. Peñaranda. Before she went full on Sarah J. Maas and used her full name plus middle initial and last name. Because that's how much she adores SJM XD
OOPS Have I made the mistake of writing this? Will this end up screen shotted and shared across all the author's social media, painting me as a bully and a villain, and then the herd would come and report me and my comment and my account and have it deleted... again? XD
This is not a laughing matter but I am laughing so hard right now. Alright. I might delete this later on. I'd give it a day. If nothing happened, I'd keep this. But if something happened while I keep my eyes peeled LOL I'll deleted it because obviously, it would have reached the author's radar and I don't want my account to be deleted again XD
So all of you who might have read this and my other reviews, if I suddenly disappeared, you know why LOL and you know what the reason is. Perhaps the truth is far closer than what I initially thought and all bets are off when it comes to keeping it hidden.
Not this book changing its publication day from January 14, 2025 to January 28, 2025 to avoid ONYX STORM PUBLICATION DAY XD LMFAO. Maybe it is a marketing strategy and I am not really sure how publishing this book AFTER the release of a MASSIVE SEQUEL (Onyx Storm from the Fourth Wing Empyrean series) is better than doing it before... but it is the only thing that came to mind with the change of the publication day.
EDIT
I guess it is time to delete this. Just giving time to a commenter to read my reply out of common courtesy. I do not want them to think I ignored them. It is becoming tiring how others invade other people's reviews with thoughts they clearly disagree on, and start unnecessary discourse. I get it if you liked the author or loved her books.
That is why I always write a disclaimer that my reviews are not for her fans or for people who even remotely feel the opposite that I do about her books. But time and time again, people just choose to create something that could result to toxicity, and for what?
I myself do not engage in positive reviews of others who are fans of this author's works. I respect their opinions and I don't tell them what to write or what to do with their spare time. I have never infringed upon another's reviews and ask them to spend their time on better books because I think the book they rated positively is actually trash.
I do not comment on their reviews questioning their decisions on how they rate their books or asking them if they are the author's family or friend that was why they were biased in their review, neither have I asked them if they are a part of the author's hype team that was why they rated all of her books five stars, even the ones that are not officially released to the public yet.
You'd think being a grown up means being mature but apparently adult is just a name slapped on based on age and not mental maturity. If you do not like what I have written or if you disagree with my opinions, at least respect them. Respect me. As I have respected you and the others who have different views than I do. It is not that hard. It only takes basic human decency.
Edit:
Is it just me, or does this title sound specifically like the rearranged title of Brigid Kemmerer's, "Defy the Night"? XD
Edit:
DISCLAIMER
This is NOT for the author or her flock/followers/loyalists/herd/family/friends or for the people who liked her books. I never sent her my reviews or my thoughts and I always have a disclaimer that if you are her or if you support her, then my review/thoughts/opinions about her books are NOT FOR YOU.
I don't come into the reviews of the people who liked her books and argue with them or tell them that they are wrong or that their thoughts are invalid. Please respect my space and my personal thoughts the same way I grant everyone respect for having their own opinions as well.
Thank you.
Also, yes, this book isn't out yet. But I'm not rating it LOL I just want to comment about it and share my thoughts about reading it. There is one rating here, however, that I believe should not be valid since the person obviously has not read the book yet because, like what I have mentioned, it's not yet released. If you wish for this little thought bubble to be deleted because you feel like its inappropriate to have it for a book that is not yet released, please send me a private message and I will delete it.
And then let us also contact the reviewer who rated the book four stars without having read it to ensure that fairness is granted to all honest and genuine GoodReads reviewers because the account who gave this book four stars have not reviewed any other books on GoodReads and I feel like it's even more suspicious than sharing thoughts about reading the sequel of the book that was read by a reviewer.
January 14, 2025 OOF.
I can't say I'm excited for the release of this book. On one hand, reading it will lead to the discovery if it has improved, on the other, I've been let down before by the other series by the same author when I gave it a chance to recover itself. I also have issues about giving my support to those who deserve it so...
I guess we shall see XD
However, I am gonna say this: I'm pretty sure I'd be reading Onyx Storm, though. And if given a choice between the two, I'd choose Onyx Storm LMFAO Don't judge me! XD
Anyway, this book isn't even out yet, but it already has a four-star rating from a GoodReads account with no other reviews...
But of course, this is okay, right? Whereas one-star ratings for a book that hasn't come out yet is considered bad? RIGHT.
LMFAO SMH.
This is also under Chloe C. Peñaranda, while the first book which reviews have tanked since it's released when more people outside of the author's flock has read it has now been moved to the author's old author name, C.C. Peñaranda. Before she went full on Sarah J. Maas and used her full name plus middle initial and last name. Because that's how much she adores SJM XD
OOPS Have I made the mistake of writing this? Will this end up screen shotted and shared across all the author's social media, painting me as a bully and a villain, and then the herd would come and report me and my comment and my account and have it deleted... again? XD
This is not a laughing matter but I am laughing so hard right now. Alright. I might delete this later on. I'd give it a day. If nothing happened, I'd keep this. But if something happened while I keep my eyes peeled LOL I'll deleted it because obviously, it would have reached the author's radar and I don't want my account to be deleted again XD
So all of you who might have read this and my other reviews, if I suddenly disappeared, you know why LOL and you know what the reason is. Perhaps the truth is far closer than what I initially thought and all bets are off when it comes to keeping it hidden.
January 26, 2025
Second book in a planned trilogy so may be spoilers for book one, but none for this one
We join Astraea as she has her freedom, but still not her memories. She is spending time with Nyte but also a figure from her past, Auster, has appeared causing some conflict in her mind
Without knowing who she was, and who these people really were to her before, Astraea needs to find her place now and decide if head or heart are more important
All the while, she is also finding her place with a new group of friends, and trying to balance that with old grudges and connections
It did take me a while to get through this book, typical middle book journey, but I really enjoyed the journey and seeing characters grow and find their places
But that ending, really got me, the journey just built up perfectly and I cannot wait to see how it all ties up in book 3
This installment is out next week, 28 Jan, thank you to NetGalley and Headline books for the review copy, all opinions my own
We join Astraea as she has her freedom, but still not her memories. She is spending time with Nyte but also a figure from her past, Auster, has appeared causing some conflict in her mind
Without knowing who she was, and who these people really were to her before, Astraea needs to find her place now and decide if head or heart are more important
All the while, she is also finding her place with a new group of friends, and trying to balance that with old grudges and connections
It did take me a while to get through this book, typical middle book journey, but I really enjoyed the journey and seeing characters grow and find their places
But that ending, really got me, the journey just built up perfectly and I cannot wait to see how it all ties up in book 3
This installment is out next week, 28 Jan, thank you to NetGalley and Headline books for the review copy, all opinions my own
September 22, 2025
J’en ai mis du temps, mais wouah ; c’était tellement intense
April 8, 2025
"I was growing too soft. How irritating."
The Night Is Defying was a semi-letdown. I found myself disliking the storyline between her two mates; it was tiring. Not much happened to further the story or to keep my interest. The pacing just wasn't working.
Drystan is still one of my favorite characters, but he needed more page time. He's smart, cunning, and always plans ahead, even if they are reckless and a little ruthless.
We met a lot of new characters, Auster by far being my least favorite. I loathed him; he was just screaming red flags everywhere. 🚩🚩
Zephyr, on the other hand, was a new favorite. He's one of the only reliable, sane, and honest characters in the whole book.
The ending was, once again, the best part; it makes me want to pick up the next book just to see what happens.
The Night Is Defying was a semi-letdown. I found myself disliking the storyline between her two mates; it was tiring. Not much happened to further the story or to keep my interest. The pacing just wasn't working.
Drystan is still one of my favorite characters, but he needed more page time. He's smart, cunning, and always plans ahead, even if they are reckless and a little ruthless.
We met a lot of new characters, Auster by far being my least favorite. I loathed him; he was just screaming red flags everywhere. 🚩🚩
Zephyr, on the other hand, was a new favorite. He's one of the only reliable, sane, and honest characters in the whole book.
The ending was, once again, the best part; it makes me want to pick up the next book just to see what happens.
February 8, 2025
Astraea and Nyte's love story continues. This book is so much better than the first book. We learn much more about their previous lives and more about the important people in their lives. I really loved this book and can't wait to read Book 3 once it is published. It is a long time to wait for more....
I listened to the audio version (by McMillan Audio (read by Jackie Prior and Corbin King) ... and it was perfect! The guy sounds exactly like Nyte. Delicious! ;-) I read the first book in hardcover, and this was better! Enjoy!
I listened to the audio version (by McMillan Audio (read by Jackie Prior and Corbin King) ... and it was perfect! The guy sounds exactly like Nyte. Delicious! ;-) I read the first book in hardcover, and this was better! Enjoy!
July 7, 2025
4.75⭐️ The first book in this series was pretty good, but this one was even better! I felt like I was way less confused and got a lot of answers and backstory. There were a couple moments during this one that had me gasping! Thank you for the ARC and audiobook arc. This was so good and the audiobook was done so well! Now I’m sad I have to wait to long for the final book 😩😆
February 22, 2025
So much potential that was ruined by grammar errors, inconsistent timeline, and uncoordinated plot.
There were multiple times where I'd re-read a whole chapter because I felt like I was missing something. Half the time, I had no idea what was going on. I loved the first book so I had high hopes for this one.
I will definitely not be reading the third book.
There were multiple times where I'd re-read a whole chapter because I felt like I was missing something. Half the time, I had no idea what was going on. I loved the first book so I had high hopes for this one.
I will definitely not be reading the third book.
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