The Dark is Descending

Nytefall #3

by Chloe C. Peñaranda

'The blood that binds them, may become the weapon to end them'

Reeling from shocking betrayal, the Star Maiden Astraea must now race against time to break the curse imprisoning her lover, Nyte. She will have to decide if the hand of darkness, or that of her enemy, is an alliance that could bring him back.
But with the loss of daylight and the realm on the brink of ruin, Astraea and her companions must set off on their quests to retrieve the Maiden's broken key, the only weapon that can kill the wrathful gods determined to rule the mortal world.
Dragons will fly and their bonds may choose friend or foe. Gods will face gods, fathers will face sons, and all will face the end of the world. Because when the blood that binds them becomes a weapon to end them, two star-crossed lovers must yield to fate or pay their greatest sacrifice yet.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Audiobook, Vampires, Fantasy Romance, Dragons

417 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 2, 2025

About the author

See also C.C. Peñaranda

Reviews

[Nadja · Rating 1 out of 5]

I genuinely cannot understand how this book has five-star reviews. The Dark Is Descending is 400 pages of disconnected scenes, nonsensical character decisions, zero foreshadowing, and new plot elements introduced only to be instantly resolved or forgotten. It reads like the author made everything up on the spot—and not in a fun, chaotic way, but in a “did anyone proofread this?” way.

This book isn’t a story; it’s a grab-bag of random scenes thrown together with no structure or payoff. Every chapter drops a new “evil,” “twist,” or contrived conflict that gets resolved comically fast or contradicts something from earlier books. Nothing connects. Nothing builds. Nothing makes sense. The “plot”—and I’m using that term with the generosity of a saint—feels like the author took every single idea she’s ever had since childhood, taped them into a single document, and said “Yes. That’s cohesive.” Meanwhile, characters are running around like caffeinated squirrels with trauma, murdering gods between snack breaks, and having emotional arcs that last approximately as long as a TikTok. Every time I thought, “Okay, we’re finally going somewhere,” a new villain or prophecy or cosmic entity crawled out of a portal like “SURPRISE!” and then died two chapters later like “okay bye.”

Let’s talk about that “epic final battle.” You know, the one that starts with the brothers confronting their deranged father, then ends with the crew killing Dusk and Dawn. Except nothing is epic, nothing is emotional, everything is convenient, and the whole sequence lands with the majestic power of a deflated balloon. I genuinely laughed. Cackled. Because how do you hype up big cosmic forces only to defeat them like they’re minor inconveniences? It’s like fighting God with a pool noodle and winning.

And speaking of winning with pool noodles—let’s talk lore. If someone can explain the Nyte/Nightsdeath/Lightsdeath situation to me without getting a headache, good for them, but I personally would rather try to swallow a brick. Nightsdeath apparently wants Nyte’s heart so he can feel (emo), but also claims he is Nyte (doppelgänger emo), while also being a fully separate corporeal being (???) who can fully fight, stab, kill, and monologue. Pick one. PICK ONE. You cannot be “part of Nyte,” “not part of Nyte,” “is Nyte,” and “wants to kill Nyte,” all at once unless you are a Tumblr identity crisis that gained sentience. I felt like I was reading the world’s most confusing Venn diagram.

And Astraea? My god. My sweet summer child. The way she interacts with Nightsdeath makes me believe she accidentally ate lead paint as a child and never recovered. I think a few screws rolled out in the editing phase and nobody picked them up. She’s trying to kill him in one memory, then talking to him like he’s a sad feral cat she wants to rehabilitate in the next. If one more evil man told her “you and I are the same,” I would have reached into the book myself to shake her. She’s propositioning him like "if you aligned yourself with me…" Girl??? He captured you. He wants to kill your boyfriend. He wants your boyfriend’s heart. This is not a negotiation; this is fanfiction written with fever.

Speaking of men telling her nonsense—AUSTER. The walking red flag. The original death dealer. The man who LITERALLY MURDERED HER in the past, tried to kill her again in the present. Manipulated her. Tortured her. Whipped her. Forced Nyte to bond with her by stabbing her. Mutilated Nyte. But Astraea? She has conflicting feelings because “they were close as children.” BABE. CHILDHOOD IS OVER. TRAUMA IS NOW. GET A GRIP.

The way she stands there, slack-jawed, while he parades her around declaring he’ll marry her like she’s a prize goat at a market auction?? I almost threw the book. The “marriage parade” moment is peak stupidity. Auster publicly declares he’ll marry her, and she walks beside him like a guest-of-honor mascot. She has nothing to gain from compliance and everything to lose, and yet she calmly acquiesces. The author apparently mistook narrative shorthand for psychological realism. Astraea’s rationale: “People believe he could make me agree, so I’ll… stand there and hold his hand.” That is not a response. That is someone failing a basic survival skills class.

He spent YEARS plotting to dismember her bonded. And yet Astraea is out here like, “omg childhood memories, we used to be close.” GIRL. CLOSE TO WHAT? THE GRIM REAPER?

Her emotional economy is bankrupt; she makes decisions that defy survival instincts and personal history. While she’s captured, she portals dramatically across rooms to show off her great power, when she could have portaled to SAFETY? To ESCAPE? To NOT get drugged, shackled, puppeted, and enemies-to-lifestyled for the fifth time? Suddenly she forgets her powers like a Sims character who wandered behind a couch and got stuck. She literally lets herself get re-imprisoned after demonstrating she can yeet herself across space. Why escape when you can suffer decoratively, I guess.

The shackles. The shackles deserve their own novella of rage. One chapter she says, “I’m immune, the poison doesn’t affect me.” Next chapter she’s face-down on the floor. Then we learn Lightsdeath could have broken the shackles at any time. But instead of asking of doing that, she waits. And waits. And WAITSSSS... Because apparently, she wants Nyte to wake up from his endless dream or whatever and come and get her so Nightsdeath can kill him. Such a brilliant plan, truly. Meanwhile everyone around her is like “wow we should sedate her more,” and honestly? Correct.

Then we have the infamous crowd scene when she’s with Auster and they get seperated, where she’s drugged, staggering, can barely stand, and her mission-critical thought is “I must find Auster, I can’t let him retreat.” Bestie, you can’t even walk. Retreat from WHAT? The only thing you’re going to do is face-plant into the dirt.

Auster, Auster, Auster… MAKE IT STOP! Why is this character haunting the entire book like a ghost nobody asked for? He’s dead early on, yet the narrative drags him back constantly—flashbacks, mentions, emotional beats, random scenes meant to make readers “sympathize” with him. Everyone keeps acting as if he was misunderstood instead of a manipulative, abusive nightmare. It’s exhausting. We get a weird chapter where he reads to orphaned children — children he orphaned by exiling their parents — and the book apparently wants us to feel sympathy for him. This is character rehabilitation through forced sentimentality. Delightful. And there is a scene in these flashbacks (which were the most pointless thing ever) where Astraea holds a baby like she’s doing a cursed Simba ritual while Auster says she’d be a “great mother”—SIR, SHE IS HOLDING THAT CHILD LIKE IT’S RADIOACTIVE. In what universe is this woman mother material based on THAT performance? She was two seconds away from yeeting it.

Tarren is another logic casualty. Astraea killed his bonded. She betrayed him. And yet she expects his loyalty because they grew up together? Relationships in this book are governed by feel-good nostalgia rather than cause-and-effect. If you were wronged, forgive your wrongdoer because the reader is too lazy to watch a believable betrayal arc — that’s the guiding principle.

But the real moment Astraea hit rock bottom for me was when she said, with a straight face, “They haven’t even begun to search for the key pieces.” EXCUSE ME??? YOU SCATTERED THEM. YOU told Nyte where you put them. And you don’t know what temples you used??? Did you throw them like confetti and say “good luck lol” and black out?

Speaking of the keys—why can ANYONE touch her “bonded only” magical weapon? Drystan tosses it around like a football. Astraea hands it to Zephyr like “hold my purse.” I thought touching it was supposed to vaporize people or something, but apparently it’s just… a very sharp communal baton now. he “rules” of the magic system bend like burnt taffy to whatever the plot requires in the moment. Is it too much to ask for consistent magical rules? Apparently yes.

Astraea acting like freezing to death in the key-finding arc would be an irreversible tragedy despite having been killed at least three times in this book alone. Nightsdeath literally murdered her for sport earlier yet now everyone panics like hypothermia is the REAL danger.

AND LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW WE GET ZERO FORESHADOWING. NONE. NADA. ZIP. Astraea has secret plans she doesn't tell the reader. Characters betray the group out of absolutely nowhere. People pop in with new powers at 80% because the plot demanded it. Drystan apparently could use FIRE the whole time. Fire! And this man just… didn’t mention it?? Drystan, who was freezing to death earlier in the book, had FIRE magic the whole time and forgot to mention it??? This man really said, “Oh yeah… I can fix that,” like he suddenly found a coupon in his pocket. Astraea slipping power-dulling poison into Auster’s sleeping potion? Sure.

Nadia’s betrayal was another joke. Disappears for the whole novel, then she popped in for betrayal then UNbetray herself, because “surprise! It was all part of a plan we never told the reader about!” At this point the plot twists were giving me whiplash.

Nadir’s betrayal — or non-betrayal — is the pinnacle of this. We’re told Nadir is a helpful ally. Then he’s a shocking traitor whom we should never have trusted. Then he turns out to be part of a “great plan” to trick everyone into killing Dawn. Except none of the groundwork for this “great plan” exists on the page. It’s “gotcha” theater sans the “got.” It’s the author playing three-dimensional chess while the reader watches a two-dimensional flipbook.

The novel betrays its characters more than the characters betray one another. The reader is told things happen rather than shown anything. If you, the author, are going to betray us with plot-turn betrayals, at least give the setup. A betrayal with zero scaffolding is not a shock — it’s the author saying “surprise!” and hoping we clap.

The Dora caravan/circus arc had me wheezing. They joined a circus. A CIRCUS. Nyte, literal shadow lord of death, in circus gear. Pink circus pants. Nothing in my life prepared me for that visual. He is supposed to be intimidating, terrifying, darkly ethereal—and suddenly I’m reading about him juggling inflated daggers or whatever while wearing glitter. This is character assassination. This man is supposed to be darkness incarnate, feared by gods, but apparently also can trapeze in party leggings. He’ll rip out someone’s soul at 3 PM and do a jaunty juggling act at 5. If the goal was to humanize him, congratulations—you made him look ridiculous.

They go on a whole Odyssey-style side quest to get a trident for the nymph so they can access the underwater trial. They don’t find it. They give up. They wander off. The entire quest concludes with a collective “oops lol,” and they simply swim off to God-knows-where, as if the plotline decided it no longer wanted to exist.

Then, out of absolutely nowhere, we are informed that Auster raided that exact temple for a key piece. This key piece was one that he did not even know was there, in a temple that he did not know contained it. The convenience of this revelation is not merely aggressive; it is practically violent.

But wait—plot twist! It turns out that it was not even Auster at all. It was Nyte’s father, who now possesses the true key piece.

Drystan somehow brings all the other key pieces that he found entirely on his own, despite it being repeated literally ten times throughout the book that no one should attempt the key trials alone. Apparently, he ignored every warning, wandered off, and single-handedly collected all four other true key pieces in only one section of the continent. He never checks in with the rest of the crew to collect key pieces they’ve collected; he never reunites with anyone to coordinate. He just does it all on his own, completely undermining the narrative tension and the very rules the story established. The other crew members’ efforts are completely irrelevant, and the plot simply hand-delivers the keys to the protagonists as if they were conveniently placed there by fate itself.

Auster’s dead dragon? The one we all watch die? Randomly retconned into being alive enough to re-bond in the next chapter. Does death matter? No. Consistency? Also no.

Eltanin’s tears can apparently wake dragons and heal them, which is dropped into the book like “also, dragons cry healing tears now,” and then never explained. Why do dragons cry? How do tears heal? We get no mythology, no demonstration, just gratitude-based deus ex machina.

Also the travel inconsistencies. Why are they traveling by boat, dragon, caravan, cursed Uber and whatever else when they can teleport via void portals??? The plot was allergic to efficiency. They can apparently teleport through the void at any time, yet they spend a week mingling in a random town and travel by ship for no startling reason. There is zero urgency because the plot is allergic to efficient solutions. Why teleport when you can take a boat and meet three NPCs who will exist only to be mentioned in a later recap? Plot meanders for the sake of padding.

Health and healing inconsistent? You’d better believe it. Nyte is supposedly so injured during the trial that Astraea’s blood—his magical soulmate mate-bonded lifeline—does nothing. But then some random village humans are like: “Oh he’s dying? Pass me the herbal tea and a damp cloth, babes,” and suddenly he’s FINE in HOURS. HOURS. So Astraea’s blood: useless. Random human nurse with a bandage roll: GOD.

Astraea gets stabbed with a dagger coated in Nyte’s blood and it’s apparently mortal when it shouldn’t be. Astraea gets poked—literally just poked—with a dagger that barely scratches her, and suddenly she is teetering on the edge of death. Which is the stupidest logic jump in the entire book. I understand that injuries should be dramatic if they are truly fatal, like a stab to the heart or a decapitation, but these were barely scratches. In any sane universe, these would have been inconvenient at most. But apparently, Nyte’s blood, the same magical miracle juice that has healed Astraea every time she so much as stubbed her toe in the past—is suddenly going to… speed up the poison from a teeny tiny stab wound and kill her faster?? EXCUSE ME?? How does that make sense in ANY universe? This man’s blood has literally resurrected her. His blood is the reason she’s alive half the time. His blood is basically the immortal equivalent of a full-coverage insurance policy. And now the author expects us to believe that if he gives her a sip—JUST A SIP—of his blood, it will EXPEDITE the murder-stab that was only dangerous because it was coated in HIS blood?? How does the SAME substance heal her AND accelerate her death depending on which side of the knife it’s on? Is it sentient? Does it choose violence when applied externally but compassion internally? Did it unionize??? The logic is: “Nyte’s blood heals… except when plot says no, then it kills… except when plot says yes, then it heals again.” Pick a lane, Chloe.

Because if Nyte’s blood is THAT deadly when it enters her bloodstream, then WHY is the solution to 90% of her injuries... What if she cut her lip while drinking it? Would THAT kill her too? “Well the blade was coated in his blood, so now adding more Nyte-jugo will accelerate it!” then riddle me THIS: Why didn’t Nyte die immediately from the ARROWS coated in HER blood? He was shot/stabbed/sliced way more times than she was... Why didn’t HER blood “accelerate”? Why is only HIS blood fast? Why is only HER bloodstream a racetrack??

Even if we accept that Nyte’s or Astraea’s blood cannot magically heal them in this particular situation, the solution is obvious: simply state that the injuries will take a long time to heal. That is tense, believable, and keeps the stakes high without turning minor scratches into instant near-death emergencies. Instead, what we get is Astraea poked once and unconscious for chapters, Nyte sliced on the hand and suddenly on death’s doorstep, and both of them flopping around like rag dolls from superficial wounds.

Medical logic is sacrificial at the altar of convenience. Nyte has been stabbed, sliced, shredded, and arrowed with Astraea’s blood MULTIPLE times, and somehow he’s more fine than Astraea who gets poked with an equivalent of a push pin coated with Nyte’s blood and drops dead like a fainting goat. The math isn’t mathing. It does not create tension or excitement. It creates frustration. It turns minor injuries into unnecessary, illogical drama and makes every “dying from a scratch” moment entirely ridiculous, and the narrative treats them as if a paper cut could end their lives. The author could have easily maintained suspense by having the injuries impair them without turning them into exaggerated death spirals, but instead, the story chooses to inflate minor scratches into near-fatal threats for the sake of convenience and drama.

Nyte forging the key BEFORE collecting the final piece is peak “no thoughts, head empty” energy. Of course Daddy Dearest then slices him with a blade coated in Astraea’s blood—again, why is a slice deadly now??—and steals the half-forged key. Literally every character in this book needs a babysitter.

Dawn literally says Katerina is ALIVE the first time she appears possessing the poor girl like a demonic Airbnb. Then next time we see her, Astraea keeps saying “Katerina is dead” like we hallucinated the previous scene. SHE IS NOT DEAD. Unless the author decided to rewrite her fate between sips of coffee and forgot to edit the earlier chapter. Which, yeah, seems on par...

Then there’s the two-page speedrun death of Dusk. Dawn is dead and there’s no emotional fallout, no narrative breath, just boom new villain ready immediately like this is a video game level select. Astraea figures out his true name from a poem because why not? Everything else has been convenience-driven nonsense, why stop now?

(continued in the comments because I ran out of space and need to rant...)

[Rochelle ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

“as the dusk and the dawn, as the night and the stars, as darkness and as light, it’s you and me defying fate until the end of time.”

i devoured the dark is descending like it was my last meal on earth. however, while my heart has a soft spot for this series, the dark is descending was one of the weakest conclusions i’ve ever encountered in a long time. despite my ravenous desire to read the third and final book in the nytefall series, i was searching for ‘that moment’, but all we had were disconnected scenes; odd character behaviour and decision-making; a weak overarching narrative and various new short plots introduced that were forgotten about, or resolved within moments and without posing significant consequences to the characters. it felt as if the author was throwing together all of the ideas that couldn’t fit earlier on in this series, turning this last installment into a disjointed narrative.

there’s a distinct lack of cohesion and connection between what occurs in this book and what’s already happened in the previous two. each chapter introduces a new evil character, narrative twist, or convoluted and contrived conflict that feels wholly unnecessary; in that it’s resolved within moments you’re left wondering what purpose any of it serves, otherwise finding that it contradicts the earlier books. the characters encountered ridiculous obstacles back to back, making this book lose all of its momentum—the story no longer built emotions or connected narrative-wise.

for instance, the brothers confronting their father was not the exciting conclusion we thought it would be, but instead deviates into a scene where the main characters kill dusk and dawn with no pause in between. we are led to believe for the longest time that nyte’s father is the villain to nyte and astraea, but he’s a mere precursor to the other long list of villains: auster, dawn, dusk and everyone in between. the issue with all of these villains isn’t the fact that there’s a lot of villains, but rather that there’s no mild hint to suggest that these characters are villainous and unable to be trusted, nor do they create this large-scale challenge the characters must navigate. it feels like turning these characters into villains is the convenient method of getting rid of them with little effort.

one show of inconsistent writing is when everyone was searching for the key pieces to astraea’s star-maiden weapon. no one, besides astraea, is able to hold it without permanent consequences, but somehow everyone’s collecting the pieces unharmed and now holding the communal staff? i either lost my memories, or the laws of the baton have changed— to the convenience of the characters. in the end, drystan magically collects all of the key pieces, despite being reminded that no one should attempt the key trials alone, on his own with no assistance and without engaging with anyone else. there’s such little foreshadowing and nothing drives me more insane than when authors don’t bother showing anything. astraea and all of the other characters in this book have these grand schemes they don’t bother telling anyone, let alone the reader. in order for the ‘shock’ to have an effect, there needs to be substantial groundwork to make it work and telling readers instead of showing them is not it.

“you waited centuries for me. there’s no measure of time i won’t wait for you. forever, if need be. in every lifetime eternal until we are triumphant.”

♡ astraea
astraea frustrated me in this book. she’s recovered her missing memories, became the star-maiden and now she’s in hiding from her enemies, looking for how she can wake nyte from an endless slumber. from here on, astraea should be focused, smart and formidable, leaving her enemies cowering or running into hiding as she strives to end them and prevent the kingdom from plunging into eternal darkness. instead, she’s lamenting over conflicting feelings she has about auster because they were once close friends. this is auster, the man who murdered her—attempted a second time—who was emotionally and physically abusive, stabbing her, mutilating her bonded and forcing her into a publicly announced marriage. at one stage, astraea and auster become separated during a commotion and her pressing concern—while drugged and staggering, incapable of walking straight—is to follow him and make sure auster can’t retreat. there’s more to highlight, but the gist is astraea loses all of her emotional maturity and self-preservation, it’s insane she survives.

“oh my starlight, our collision may be a masterpiece crafted for the walls of hell, but should that be next where we meet, you would rule the underworld triumphant.”

♡ rainyte/nyte
in the earlier books, i loved the idea of nyte and nightsdeath being separate entities or different personalities that lived within one host. it was interesting and felt somewhat different, but this book made the concept confusing. nightsdeath wants to consume nyte’s heart so he can start feeling something, which suggests nightsdeath is separate from nyte, but within the next moment he claims he is nyte while also being separate. it does not make sense how nyte and nightsdeath can be the same, but not the same, be part of each other, but also not? to reduce this character further, the circus arc was ridiculous as it sounds. nyte, a feared shadow-wielding lord of death and destruction donned circus pants and started throwing daggers as if the world isn’t about to be thrown into endless darkness. i can’t believe he was reduced to such nonsense.

there’s so much more to mention, but the short version of it is: the dark is descending is an absolute mess that demands much needed editing and cohesion. as we hurtle towards the ending of this book, errors become more glaringly obvious. besides the countless villains, who did not deserve the lacklustre endings they received, a number of surviving characters are mentioned—including irrelevant side characters who appear once, maybe twice—as if they matter. the biggest travesty of it all: nyte’s middle name changing from azrail to azreal. a reader shouldn’t need to re-read previous scenes to make sure they didn’t misunderstand what just happened because of changing tenses, and attempting to understand if we’re in the past, present or somehow the future. not even my love for nyte could save this one.

nytefall series
the stars are dying — 4 stars
the night is defying — 4 stars
the dark is descending — 2 stars

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˖⁺‧₊♡ pre-read review ⋙
feeling so ecstatic, more than words can describe. wildfire reached out to me with an offer of exclusive early access to read the dark is descending, the conclusion to one of my favourite romantasy series! i’m forever grateful for these opportunities.

a massive thank you to chloe c penaranda and wildfire/hachette uk for the gifted e-arc.

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[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This trilogy was just everything. After the devastation of the middle book, this 3rd installment effectively and contently closed out the series. There were so treachery and loss of beloved characters. At some points, it was hard to see the good. Will stay in my list of top series for eternity.

[Mikky]

DNF at 25%

URGH, here we are yet again. I actually quite enjoyed the first book in this trilogy. Nyte is SUCH a fascinating character, it's too bad that this book wasn't engaging in the slightest. There were no scene transitions, and I was lowkey lost for a bit before I would get my bearings again. It's unfortunate to live to see a series you very much enjoyed come to a crappy ending.

If you want to know specifics about how not-good this one was, check out Nadja's review! They make several great points about why this didn't work and goes rather in-depth about it all. It's also very funny!

[Kyli · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a disappointing end to this series.

I feel like the bones were there for a solid book, maybe nothing earth shattering, but it was good. And then it was like every single idea she had got thrown into the plot, and it just became a hot mess of why??

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 4 out of 5]

The conclusion to Chloe C. Peñaranda's Nytefall trilogy arrives not with a whisper but with the cosmic force of colliding celestial bodies. The Dark Is Descending weaves together the intertwined fates of Astraea Lightborne, the star-maiden created by gods, and Rainyte "Nyte" Azreal Ashfyre, the vampire prince cursed with an entity of pure darkness. This final installment delivers an emotionally devastating yet ultimately triumphant exploration of what it means to choose love over destiny, sacrifice over self-preservation, and hope over despair.

Following The Stars Are Dying and The Night Is Defying, Peñaranda's series has built a devoted readership captivated by the forbidden romance between light and dark. The concluding volume faces the monumental task of resolving cosmic-scale conflicts while honoring the intimate character journeys that have defined the trilogy. The result is a bittersweet symphony that succeeds more often than it stumbles, though not without significant pacing challenges that occasionally dim its brilliance.

A World Tearing at the Seams

Peñaranda constructs a dying realm with visceral urgency. The opening chapters paint a landscape in crisis—meteors rain from crimson skies, the land fractures with devastating chasms, and the very stars that once promised eternity now fall as harbingers of destruction. This apocalyptic backdrop serves as more than mere spectacle; it mirrors the internal fragmenting of Astraea herself as she grapples with the revelation that the celestial afterlife she believed in is a lie crafted by her godly creators.

The world-building shines in its exploration of complex power systems. The relationship between souls trapped in stars, the manipulation of starlight matter, and the cosmic balance maintained by primordial entities creates layers of intrigue. Peñaranda demonstrates particular skill in revealing how systems of belief can be weaponized for control—the celestials' mythology serves to consolidate power while perpetuating suffering. This thematic depth elevates the narrative beyond simple good-versus-evil dichotomies.

However, the scope sometimes overwhelms coherence. Multiple dragon awakenings, competing godly factions, vampire resistance movements, and interpersonal betrayals create a crowded canvas where certain elements receive insufficient development. The water dragon Fedora's attack feels rushed, and several supporting characters introduced in earlier books drift to the periphery when their arcs deserve resolution.

The Battle Between Self and Power

At its core, this novel examines the seductive nature of absolute power and the cost of wielding it. Astraea's struggle with Lightsdeath—an entity of pure destructive light—parallels Nyte's ongoing battle with Nightsdeath. Peñaranda crafts these internal conflicts with psychological nuance, showing how trauma, grief, and rage can manifest as something that feels separate from the self yet remains intrinsically connected.

The sequences where Astraea surrenders to Lightsdeath are simultaneously terrifying and mesmerizing. Peñaranda's prose transforms during these moments, becoming more lyrical and detached as Astraea sees the world through the lens of souls to be reaped rather than people to be saved. These passages capture the intoxicating appeal of letting go of moral complexity in favor of absolute judgment. The starlight wolf manifestation serves as striking visual metaphor for power that has grown beyond human scale.

Yet the resolution of this internal battle feels somewhat anticlimactic. After building tension around whether Astraea can maintain her humanity while channeling godlike power, the final confrontations rely more on plot mechanics than character transformation. The moments where she must choose restraint over destruction deserve more page time to fully explore the psychological weight of these decisions.

Love as Defiance and Anchor

The romance between Astraea and Nyte remains the trilogy's emotional foundation, and Peñaranda delivers on the promise of their bond being tested to breaking point. Their separation—with Nyte trapped in a curse-induced sleep while Nightsdeath walks free—creates genuine anguish. The scenes where Astraea must cooperate with Nightsdeath, seeing Nyte's face while confronting an entity that wants to destroy her, are masterfully executed exercises in emotional torment.

Peñaranda excels at intimate character moments even amid epic stakes. Nyte's desperate quest to find a way to save Astraea from the poisoned blade wound, his willingness to become gods themselves rather than lose each other, and his patient

understanding of her grief all demonstrate a love that has matured beyond initial attraction into genuine partnership. Their bond serves not as weakness but as the source of their greatest strength.

The secondary romance between Drystan and his dragon Athebyne, while not traditional, provides interesting contrast. The dragon bonds throughout the trilogy explore different forms of connection and loyalty, enriching the tapestry of relationships beyond the central romance.

Sacrifice, Loss, and the Price of Victory

Where this novel truly devastates is in its unflinching portrayal of loss. Zephyr's sacrifice—choosing to use the key despite knowing it will cost his life—ranks among the most heartbreaking moments in the series. His final words, asking Astraea to protect his children, and the image of him forced to look into his possessed wife's eyes as he dies, demonstrate Peñaranda's willingness to make her readers feel the weight of war.

The deaths of Cassia and Calix, the twins who choose to drink Dawn's blood to become the new dawn itself, offers a poignant meditation on sacrifice as an act of love rather than defeat. Their choice to become the sunrise so Astraea and Nyte can remain mortal transforms them from supporting characters into symbols of hope renewed. Peñaranda's decision to have them literally become every dawn creates a bittersweet immortality that honors their bond with Astraea.

However, Auster Nova's arc concludes with more ambiguity than satisfaction. His transformation from Astraea's childhood friend to her enemy driven by jealousy and betrayal receives adequate buildup, but his final confrontation lacks the emotional catharsis such a complex relationship deserves. The revelation of his deepening corruption and his bond with the dragon Edasich hints at layers of tragedy that remain somewhat unexplored.

Pacing: The Story's Greatest Adversary

The novel's most significant weakness lies in its uneven pacing. The middle section, focused on temple quests to retrieve key pieces, occasionally drags despite the presence of Nightsdeath as Astraea's reluctant companion. These sequences, while necessary for plot progression, interrupt narrative momentum when the apocalyptic stakes demand urgency.

Conversely, the final act rushes through revelations and confrontations that warrant more development. The defeats of both Dusk and Dawn, while spectacular in imagery, feel compressed. The mechanics of using their true names as weapons against them provides a clever payoff to earlier worldbuilding, but the execution in both instances prioritizes action over the psychological complexity of destroying one's creators.

The epilogue restores some balance, providing a satisfying glimpse of the peace Astraea and Nyte have fought to achieve. Their coronation as queen and king consort, the restoration of daylight to their realm, and the closing scene in a phoenix realm connected to Nyte's heritage offers hope for the future while acknowledging scars that remain.

The Dance of Light and Shadow

Peñaranda's prose oscillates between lyrical beauty and straightforward narrative, with the former emerging during emotionally heightened moments. Her descriptions of starlight, shadow, and the interplay between them create memorable imagery. Passages like Astraea's dance channeling magic—"my body was an instrument and my magick a song"—exemplify the author's ability to transform action into poetry.

The dual perspective structure, alternating between Astraea and Nyte's viewpoints, allows readers to experience both sides of their bond. Nyte's chapters provide essential context for his internal struggle with Nightsdeath and his desperate schemes to save Astraea, preventing him from becoming a passive damsel despite being cursed for much of the book.

The flashback chapters interspersed throughout, labeled "Past," offer crucial context for understanding how Astraea and Nyte's relationship developed. These glimpses into their early bond, the conflicts with Auster, and the gradual revelation of their feelings provide emotional grounding for the present-day stakes.

Thematic Resonance and Narrative Ambition

Beyond the romance and fantasy elements, the novel grapples with weighty themes. The revelation that souls aren't peacefully resting in stars but trapped as energy sources for magic speaks to how systems of oppression disguise themselves as benevolent beliefs. Astraea's role as Death's Maiden, tasked with freeing these trapped souls, transforms her from goddess of justice into agent of mercy and liberation.

The question of what makes someone worthy of redemption runs throughout. Nightsdeath, born from Nyte's centuries of suffering, embodies pain weaponized. Auster's villainy stems from wounded pride and jealousy. The gods themselves act not from malice but from an inability to understand mortal value. Peñaranda suggests that understanding motivation doesn't excuse harm, but it does complicate simple condemnation.

The decision to have Astraea and Nyte ultimately choose to remain mortal rather than become gods permanently, despite the cost, affirms the trilogy's central thesis: mortal life, with all its pain and brevity, holds more authentic meaning than eternal power detached from consequence.

[brittany:)]

I think I will start this, this week. Loved book 2, and im excited to see how the story will end✨🤩🌌

[SAMANTHA. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a precious yet action-packed conclusion, Chloe! ✨🥰 The Dark is Descending was the perfect ending to Astraea and Nyte’s wild, emotional adventure. This final installment is packed with trials, multiple battles, shifting alliances, prophecies, and the continued recovery of Astraea’s memories — all unfolding in a race against several ticking clocks.

We follow Astraea on her desperate journey to save Nyte from the curse, all while fighting enemies who were once her allies, danger lurking around every corner. The found family dynamic truly shines here, offering warmth and grounding amid the chaos. And the imagery? Stunning. The poetic, intimate moments between Astraea and Nyte were such a lovely contrast to the high stakes surrounding them.

As always, Chloe drew me in completely. I was invested, I grieved the losses, and I cautiously celebrated the victories. The pacing was perfect, the plot adjustments made so much sense, and the connections revealed in this book brought clarity to pieces I’d missed before. 😉

Honestly, I think this was the strongest book in the series — beautifully written, deeply engaging, and a truly satisfying conclusion. ✨📚

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC, the narrators were perfect to bring this story to life.

[Maggie Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s rare when the finale is the worst book in the series. In this case, it was exceptionally disappointing since I hoped the author would grow with experience. I was wrong. The only reason I rated it 2 stars is for the jacket and cover design being exceptionally cool. Everything else was an absolute slog to get through.

***SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT***

I can start with the fact that whoever edited this book needs to be fired YESTERDAY. On page 329, we’re told a dragon character is dead. There’s a body, and mourning, and sadness. THEN on page 341, she is MAGICALLY alive again and completely fine, and we’re told she’ll “be able to bond again eventually”. WHAT. There were lots of small, annoying things I could deal with in this book, but that one was absolutely ridiculous. I can excuse a death of a minor character being forgotten across multiple books, but for a death to be forgotten LESS than 20 pages later is completely egregious and honestly unacceptable.

Secondly, the pacing of this book is beyond abysmal. The fight where Nightsdeath is killed came out of NOWHERE, was extremely poorly written, and overall just confusing. Then to kill Auster less than 5 pages later was a horrific choice. After that, we jump all across the map doing random side quests interrupted by some of the worst smut I’ve seen outside of Wattpad circa 2013, before jumping straight into the fight with Nyte’s father with absolutely zero preamble. After that, the climax of the book comes on entirely too fast, makes little to no sense, and ends incredibly predictably after a brief fake-out.

I get a little more nit-picky here, but it just goes back to the fact that whoever edited this book needs to seriously rethink their career. There were MULTIPLE TIMES where the sentence structure was so screwed up that I couldn’t tell what was actually going on. Characters pronouns were switched (the nonbinary elf was referred to as “he”), Drystan was referred to as his fathers younger brother (during the start of the trial scene in part 3), and I’m sure they’re are other examples but I just finished the book and I’m so beyond annoyed that I can’t be bothered to go back and check.

One other thing that this book did worse than either other installment of the series is that major plot developments happen OFF THE PAGE. Whatever went on with Nadia switching sides, Drystan and the fire magic, Nyte’s dad suddenly having a dragon that only woke up like 3 hours ago, Nadir being a traitor working with Dusk and Dawn and Auster (because WHY? Money! Naturally!) and then also suddenly switching sides AGAIN to help Astraea but then ACTUALLY they (he? She? I can’t tell if it’s a mistake or not at this point, since randomly they’re using all kinds of pronouns in this book) were helping Astraea all along because there was a plan that happened OFF SCREEN, the blue dragon showing up to save the day (and then dying, and then magically somehow being fine a few pages later), Lilith (I can’t remember who she is or why I should care about her, because she doesn’t directly interact with Astraea AT ALL during the entire book) getting a dragon, Nyte somehow managing to steal blood from Dawn and Dusk, randomly coming up with Dusk’s name out of absolutely nowhere, so so SO many things were dredged up out of NOWHERE and with NO warning, just so the author can go “look at how clever! You never saw that coming did you!?” NO! Because it doesn’t make any sense. There’s no build up, there’s no narrative hints, it’s just random deus ex machinas that provide no relief or excitement. Just frustration, annoyance, and a desire to get the book over with as fast as possible.

Continuing from there, one of the other things that happened entirely off page was any relationship building of any kind outside of Astraea, Nyte, and Drystan. The reason I say it happened off page was because it DIDNT HAPPEN AT ALL. The author had to keep reminding us that Astraea was supposed to care about these people by repeatedly having Astraea call them her “friends” repeatedly. But at no point during the story did I care about these characters or what their relationships to Astraea supposedly meant. Devastating, to be honest, since the supporting cast seemed to be really interesting! It’s a shame we didn’t see anything about them outside of them randomly appearing in battle scenes and talking about their relationships with each other that, again, happened COMPLETELY off screen.

Also, not every series needs dragons. I adore dragons, they’re my favorite part of any fantasy series. Except this one. They serve no purpose, and to be completely honest the series would have been BETTER without them. It reads like a middle school fan fiction: “yeah so this guy is sooooo hot, he’s so hot because he’s a vampire but ALSO an angel! And he has shadow powers! And he’s also got an evil dark side that only the heroine can tame!!! ALSO HE HAS A DRAGON AND ITS BLACK AND PURPLE AND SHOOTS STARS!!!”. The dragons are cool, sure. But, WHY. Why are they in the story, except to add more pointless side quests and side characters who do absolutely nothing except stand around and listen to Nyte and Astraea have obnoxiously loud, bad sex. What’s the point of introducing intelligent dragons if you only use them in place of horses. Why do the dragons colors matter, anyways? Dragons are dragons, not every book with dragons in them needs to do what fourth wing did and make Harry Potter houses out of dragon colors.

On that note: not every series needs to be a multiverse. I am begging you. Adding the fact that Nyte and Drystan had a half brother in that other universe did absolutely NOTHING for this book. It was a shallow and incredibly obvious attempt to tie in another other series where it very obviously didn’t fit and wasn’t needed. Just because Sarah J. Maas did it doesn’t mean it’s now gospel, and honestly I didn’t like when she did it either, but at least there was a POINT to the crossover. This was just… pathetic, actually. Prior to this I’d been considering downloading the other series to check it out, but now I refuse to purely out of spite.

Finally, what pissed me off the absolute MOST about this book was that it had potential. I’ve said it in every review of this series: it could have been so good. The concept is so good. The general beats of the story could be an amazing fantasy series, but where this series falls flat on its face is the execution. The dialogue is clunky, the character interactions feel stiff and unrealistic, and not every chapter needs to end with a witty one-liner or a dramatic prose. Entirely too much time is spent on characters internally monologuing while the plot sails past their oblivious selves. It’s an overly heavy handed attempt at making incredibly flat characters seem intelligent and brooding, or to give emotional weight to scenes that the author can’t do with descriptions or making us actually CARE about the characters and their relationships. This book is the antithesis to the saying “Show, don’t tell”. It’s almost like the author purposefully went out of her way to explain everything via obnoxious internal monologues instead of showing us ANY kind of character actions to back up those monologues.

Overall, this book made me irrationally angry, and it’s one of the few books I’ve ever read that I can say was a complete and total waste of time.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this series! This has been such a great read and I’m so happy I gave this book a chance.

This book was the last in the Nytefall series and although I’m sad to see Astraea and Nyte go it was such a wonderful ending that gave me the HEA they both deserved while not leaving me hanging or feeling rushed.

From the beginning I constantly said to myself! WHAT on EARTH is GOING to HAPPEN next?!?! I didn’t predict a single thing other than I knew that some time if HEA was going to happen.

The plotting was thick and twisty in the book! I loved the side characters as well growing emotional and feeling for all the side characters grief and pain as if they were main characters.

The spice in this book wasn’t as thick as book 2 I still think it was plenty to give the reader the emotions the main characters were experiencing in the book.

10/10 plot 5/5 ⭐️ 4/5 🌶️

[GinasDarkBookshelf · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was told that if I don’t have anything nice to say, to not say anything at all…. So I will try to keep my comments respectful, but honest.

From book 1, this series has been all over the place. The scene structures, world building, character development, and even character introductions were all over the place. There wasn’t any real structure to the story. There were holes and other times aspects that were completely stolen from other well-known fantasy series.

I finished the series because I wanted to know if it got any better (I love a good redemption book where the author takes feedback!) but unfortunately, not much improvement here. I will say there were aspects that I liked. The way chapter 57 ended was one of them. But really other than that the author needs some extra help in developing her stories in a way that will flow seamlessly, all the while keeping the reader intrigued enough with the Easter eggs to keep reading.

This book was lackluster at best and copied at worst. Very disappointing. Especially since this will probably be a best seller. I wish people would use their brains a little more and didn’t get off on bad fast fantasy as much. Don’t get me wrong. I have been known to enjoy a well written, fast fantasy many times. Emphasis on the “well written”.

I do believe this author has potential, but she needs to learn when to cut a scene short, and when it needs more detail. I felt as though we got details we didn’t need and were missing details we should have been given. The “epic battle” scenes were a disappointment. If a battle scene lasts only a few lines, I do not consider it an epic battle.

Blah.
This book wasn’t it….

[Jordan Miner · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75☆ what a whirlwind. this book is 99% chaos and pain and 1% peace. the amount of times I wanted to SCREAM!! omfg these poor characters could not catch a break.

did I enjoy this series simply for the vibes and daddy nyte? yes yes I did and I’m not embarrassed about it tysm.

ty to netgalley for sending me an alc!

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dark Is Descending by Chloe C. Peñaranda is a sweeping, emotionally charged conclusion to the Nytefall trilogy about Astraea, the Star Maiden, racing against time to break the curse that imprisons her beloved Nyte and to retrieve the broken key that is the only weapon capable of killing the wrathful gods threatening to destroy their world of Solanis, a realm now swallowed by eternal night and crumbling under apocalyptic chaos.

This fantastical tale weaves together high‑stakes fantasy, complex mythical factions (including dragons, celestials, and primordial gods), and deeply layered romance, asking what love, sacrifice, and identity truly mean when the fate of everything hangs by a thread of starlight and shadow. It is epic in scope, rich in worldbuilding, and rooted in a bond that refuses to yield even as gods fall and daylight dies.

Turning the final page left me awash with admiration for how Peñaranda balanced mythic peril with personal stakes, because what could have been merely a sprawling fantasy finale became something intimate and heart‑piercing through Astraea and Nyte’s connection. I felt the weight of their choices echoed long after finishing, especially in how love becomes not just a refuge but a force powerful enough to defy divine designs by choice rather than destiny.

The pacing hurtles between infectious momentum and moments that thoughtfully explore grief, resilience, and forgiveness, and I found myself especially drawn to the theme of embracing both light and darkness within oneself and in others. While the sheer breadth of plotlines and cast occasionally felt overwhelming, the emotional core never faltered; it made me care deeply about these characters and the world they fought to protect.

Because of its breathtaking romantic depth, propulsive narrative, and resonant themes about the power and cost of devotion, I would rate The Dark Is Descending a heartfelt 4 out of 5, acknowledging both its ambitious complexity and the raw emotional impact it delivered.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟 I have a love-hate relationship with this author/series. I’ve had a couple glasses of wine so please bear with me while I explain. I truly love her writing style, but the final books have fallen a little flat (compared to previous books) for me for both of her series. I LOVE the middle book(s) and the first book(s) are okay. Like her other series, this last book felt rushed. I think it tried to do too much and needed another round of edits. I caught at least 5 typos—for a trad published book, I expect those to be polished out for the most part by the time I read a finished copy. I think more time could’ve been spent on scenes to build more of an emotional impact instead of trying to fit everything in this book.
Okay for the good—I do love the story in this. It’s unique, which I feel like can be hard for new romantasies. The chemistry between Nyte and Astraea is *chefs kiss*. The magic system and world are so interesting, and I LOVE interconnected series!! There were so many nods to an heir comes to rise, which I adored.
Overall, it’s a good trilogy, and this final boon was good. I think if it had been split into books 3 and 4 with more things (including the found family) fleshed out more, it could’ve been great.

[Ari ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars (Rounded up)

I am rounding up because while there were plenty of issues with The Dark Is Descending, I did end up enjoying it. I really like the vibe of this series. The night and the stars. I have such a weird love/hate relationship with Astraea. While I love the fact that she sees the best in people, and I understand that being like that to fault is a character flaw, I just couldn't get over how she regarded Auster. He did awful things like literally killing her. But she's like "oh we used to be best friends." Girl please.

Another thing that lowered the rating for me was there were some errors that were kind of jarring. Like, this novel switches between different first person PoVs, and then at the start of each part a third person PoV. But sometimes during a first person PoV there would be a couple sentences in a third person PoV. While I am no English or writing expert, it did pull me out of the story.

[Lydia Kyle · Rating 1 out of 5]

The ONLY redeeming quality of this book is that the author and publisher had enough decency to keep it UNDER 400 pages. However, in all seriousness, what even is this?! This book is an absolute travesty of a final installation. The second book should have been the writing on the wall, but I was willing to hope… Here I am, disappointed. This book feels like taking every romantasy trope, putting it in a blender and then asking ChatGPT to piece it back together. The amount of repetitive language alone should be classified as a FELONY.

[Effy the book dragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

well. I didn’t hate it but I’m glad it’s over, does that make sense?

[Dawn Boxley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Aleisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite of the series!

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crying at parts of that ending, iykyk. What an incredible end to the trilogy. The duet narration helped a lot. I loved the other two books and this wrapped everything up so well. I truly have no critiques. This was fast paced, we get alllll the characters, found family, and so much action. Nyte is a top tier MMC and I know Nightsdeath is supposed to be intimidating but you can’t convince me he isn’t just a cinnamon roll instead. We even get bonded dragons!! If you haven’t started this trilogy, you’re missing out. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book!


~ I received this audio eARC free from NetGalley. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Chloe C Penaranda. My opinions are my own and voluntarily given ~

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not stop reading this book. It was so good. The love Nyte had for Astraea had me in a chokehold. I was a little weary about where the story was going near the end of the second book but this book didn't disappoint. I didn't see a few of the plot twists coming and the plot was so good. This book had my in tears more times than I'd like to admit but it was worth it. It was the story and ending this trilogy needed. This is a series I will definitely read again.

[Cecelia Farmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was the perfect end to the series. 😭🖤 were there flaws in this book, sure. but I genuinely loved the story so much. His devotion to her was so unbelievably heartfelt. I'm obsessed with their love.

[Nicole Simkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one! I’ll have to read the first two now 🫡

[Aki · Rating 5 out of 5]

ein gelungenes Ende für diese großartige Reihe. Ein Wechselbad der Gefühle, welches ich absolut genießen konnte. (ja ich habe geweint)
Ich empfehle diese Reihe sehr!

[Faeries& Dragons · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️ : 2.5

It got realllllllly annoyingly long. I wish it had more of the family/friend group activity and bonding time instead of just ordering people around or go to her supposed friends when she wants something. It was also filled with too much lust and then bam another drama. Got too lost in the past and present jumping back and forth, it was not smooth at all.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly I need to give the BIGGEST thank you to Hannah at Headline Books for sending me an early eARC of The Dark is Descending, I think I screamed a little when I got the email. A huge thank you to Chloe and NetGalley also for providing me with the opportunity to read early.

The Dark is Descending was absolute PERFECTION. No notes. None. Chloe, take a bow please, because THIS is how you finish an incredible trilogy. Wow.

I've been obsessed with the Nytefall series since I first discovered Chloe and The Stars are Dying in 2023, when it was originally Indie published. I've been privileged enough to be an ARC reader for The Night is Defying and now the final book, The Dark is Descending and I'm so grateful.

It's one of my favourite romantasy series ever and will be one I reread time and time again. The character growth and development over the course of the 3 books is incredible, especially from Astraea. To follow her transition from a vulnerable and naïve pawn, controlled by the men in her life in book 1, to a confident woman, who has taken back her power and embraced her identity in book 3, was such a powerful journey. Throughout everything, she still retains her humanity and her compassion which is what makes her Astraea and I love that about her.

Nyte has always been a complex male lead. Nytesdeath is his armour, borne of a life of cruelty and I have never championed a villain so hard in my life. He deserved better. There are scenes between Nyte and Astraea throughout the book where Nyte is so exposed and raw that I sobbed. He's a victim as much as he is a villain and though there are some difficult topics, Chloe doesn't shy away from them, instead she handles them with great care and sensitivity. She writes her characters so beautifully, weaving in their emotions and experiences so well, that we as the reader are easily able to empathise and resonate with them.

The plot, as always, was phenomenal. The pacing is flawless; we get plenty of world building and time to process everything that is going on, but we don't ever feel like the story is dragging. I adore the world Chloe has created in the Nytefall series - magic, vampires, celestial dragons, ancient gods, old feuds and new ones, human politics and epic power battles. All woven in around the most extraordinary bonds of family and friendship, complete with a story of love so powerful it transcends realms.

Chloe is an artist. Every emotion just comes through so vividly on the page, that I felt like I was watching the story unfold right in front of me. I sobbed, I laughed out loud, my heart broke and was healed anew, I'm devastated the series has reached its end, but ecstatic because it was everything I wanted it to be and more. Nyte and Astraea will always have a piece of my heart and their love story will be forever etched on my soul.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really should have reread bks 1 and 2 because while I rmmbrd the fmc/mmc, I had no idea who anyone else was or what was going on. This lack of recall really put a damper on my grasp of the stakes and the whole mission, like was it really worth all that? I thought it ended well, and I dfntly plan on doing a full series reread back to back sometime next year. 3 stars for now, but that's more a judgment of me and my inability to rmmbr anything important than of the story.

[Morgan the Librarian · Rating 1 out of 5]

God I’m glad that’s over.

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Warning, I am using the same review for all three in the series. You’ll see why if you read the review.

The Stars are Dying. Well, if they are, I wish they would just get it over with– who cares that Nyte and Astrea save each other? Since the whiny insufferable FMC really should be put out of her misery. Can they save the world? What are celestials, how do they fit with vampires and humans? Where is the world building that explains all this? How did they all end up in the position they’re in? Has the author lost her ever loving mind when it comes to how she describes the abuse that the FMC suffers at the beginning?

I have no idea what is really going on in this universe. Do I care enough about these characters? No not really. What is actually going on here? Who knows? Was this unique in any real way? Not really. Is any of this remotely realistic (within the bounds of the universe the author created)? No god damn way given that the world building don’t really start until book three and by then I didn’t care anymore.

She’s a fallen star. No wait she’s just got magic. no wait she’s a god. No wait she’s got some mysterious power over dragons. No wait she’s a pacifist who abhors killing. No wait she is death incarnate. No wait she’s ever powerful. No wait she can be neutralized by all the bad guys. No wait she can’t. No wait she died. No wait she didn’t. No wait she’s hundreds of years old. No wait she’s just lost her memories. No wait she gets them back just by doing something she used to do. No wait she never was a child. He is three separate people? He in one state just exists in her mind but then he saves her but he don’t really but he did. He is a monster and he’s not but really he has multiple personality disorder because that feels like the only explanation. And it’s not much better with the FMC. She is his starlight but she detests killing and then she just doesn’t and kills all kinds of people. But wait… the list is as endless as the “darkest Nyte”. it is exhausting just thinking about all the contradictions and inconsistencies and holes in the story. The biggest question though for me is WTF is with all of the rave reviews? Have readers just gone much in the brain and lost the ability to track what happens from one page to the next? The only logical answer: Abso-freaking-lutely.

I know and understand that reading is as much a personal taste as anything. Someone loves Parmesan cheese all over their pasta good for them while me, I find it disgusting. Someone absolutely adores surf and turf, me only half the plate would get touched. Those are both a matter of personal preference. However, there are some fundamental basics, that with out, no dish can be decent. Salt, pepper, basic seasoning? Butter? That’s a given.

Here, I’m not the is so much missing and I am so confused, I have no idea what’s actually going on - are we cooking a steak or baking cookies? Hell if I know. To make matters worse, there were some basics that weren’t missing but they were done so poorly that missing might have been better. It is like having a recipe that called for minced garlic, and the chef didn’t know how to do it so they just threw in the whole head of garlic without even peeling it. News flash: that won’t end well. Same thing happened here. The female main character came across as… I don’t know… mentally ill (although that’s not kind to people who are mentally ill) because she was insufferable. It was almost as if the author had from one sentence to the next completely lost track of the sentence right before. In one sentence she was literally saying how much she hated Nyte and would, for example, never sit beside him. And literally in the next sentence, she was falling all over herself to be in his lap. And if he said “do you trust me“ or “trust me“ one more time… geez broken record.

I understand, holding back on the plot, to keep readers guessing as to how things are going to be solved in the end. But in this case, I can’t even really summarize what’s going on and by the end of the first book, I should have a tiny bit of a clue. I know that the characters went through some sort of competition to get a key that the King wants. But beyond that - who knows.

I would swear these were self published if I didn’t know better. I would swear these had never been touched by an editor, but I find that hard to believe given that I see these on the shelves in bookstores. I feel like I was watching a tennis match on fast-forward (at like 100 times speed) with the back and forth that went on and how many times our FMC changed her mind and how quickly she did a complete 180 from “oh I hate you” to “oh I love you”. It really was starting to get exhausting. Will I listen to the second one? Possibly because I have a very long commute and there’s nothing else in my audiobook queue at the moment, but I have expectations that could not be any lower. And I feel very taken in by all of the wonderful reviews and swear I must not have listened to the same book. And since “the stars are dying“ I don’t feel bad giving anything away in a review and rating of this book because I think at this point one star would be too generous.

The Night is Defying was even worse than the first. And you can’t call a plot twist when it’s a subtle is being hit in the face with a 2 x 4. As for the plot of this one and how it advanced the overall story? It didn’t. You could probably skip this entire book and go straight to book 3 and you’d never even realize you missed anything. Except the dragons because the come from absolutely no where. It was like the author realized halfway through writing this book that to attempt to be popular it would need to borrow page from the fourth wing, and so wham-o all of a sudden dragons were important even though they weren’t even mentioned in the first book. However, I still think you probably could have skipped this book entirely and picked up anything you would need out of the third book.

And don’t even get me started on the third book. If I read the word “apex” one more time ever in my life it will be too soon. This author has zero imagination on how to write steamy scenes. Watching paint dry is more titillating. This was beyond bad. The main characters, both of them, flip flopped between “I love you” and “I hate you” more than a politician changes his position and when I one moment the FMC can’t control her power to literally 3 sentences later telling herself that she has mastered her power… I wonder about the state of publishing and the qualifications of editors. Because I assume this had one but I wonder if the editor read/edited the same book. I’d rather sit in the dentist chair, for root canal without any anesthetic, than read this again.

I don’t often review a series all at once. But thank goodness this series ended with 3 and put out of my misery. Do yourself a favor and skip these.

[Ali Alley EscapeThroughABook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good ending to the series (or trilogy rather). I really enjoyed how it wrapped up. I can say there were some things thrown in there I didn’t see coming and some others I did. I feel like the book does fill in some blanks I had, and also lets us get to know how Nyte’s personality and abilities have affected him throughout his life. I also enjoyed watching Astraea really come into herself. We know from the previous books the whole good vs evil but really the good is evil is a heavy theme in this series. I can say I do like that twist in the story but also enjoy how it was not the entire focus just a piece of the puzzle. That’s honestly how I felt about this book. There was a lot going on separately but they all really tied in together and were all one at the same time. Like a giant puzzle. It was very entertaining to read and live in the story as it unfolded. I’m a sucker for HEAs even if they aren’t exactly how we saw them I will forever love a HEA. There are some darker scenes in this book so checking TWs doesn’t hurt for those who need it. It definitely is a darker romantasy (like the rest of the series). The romance isn’t as heavy in this book due to situations happening, and has more of a longing angsty feel for the majority of the book. It is for sure worth reading to finish off the series IMO.

This fantasy romance is book 3 in the NyteFall Trilogy. The romance in this book is a pre established relationship from previous books that has developed new issues they have to overcome. The book does have open door spice. Astraea has to find the rest of the key to wake Nyte and stop her parents Dawn and Dusk from ending her life. Her former bonded has other plans to stop her and keep her as his own. As old life continues awakens she has to fight for love and all they could’ve been.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🎧Audiobook with 📖Physical Copy