A Twist of Night and Day

The Asteria Chronicles #1

by Aubrey Winters

Never trust a faerie... No matter what we say.

He hated me, and I hated him. I was perfectly fine with that until one night changed everything.

His entire family was murdered before his very eyes--and despite how much I hated him, I couldn't let him die. Now, we're on a mission to hunt down one of the deadliest Elder fae creatures that ever existed.

If we fail? All of Asteria could be in danger.

If we win? I'll end up working for my enemy.

Genres: Fantasy, Fae, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Young Adult, Ebooks, Romantasy

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 28, 2021

Reviews

[halima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes: bully to lover, hate to love, fantasy romance, forced proximity, guy falls first, he’s obsessed with her
The cover and world-building of this book is amazing. This book was giving The Cruel Prince vibes and I overall loved it! I’m so glad I bought the sequel as well cause the book ended in a cliffhanger. Hopefully, the sequel has more romance, since this book barely had any.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a copy of A Twist of Night and Day by Aubrey Winters in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

Never trust a faerie... No matter what we say.

He hated me, and I hated him. I was perfectly fine with that until one night changed everything.

His entire family was murdered before his very eyes--and despite how much I hated him, I couldn't let him die. Now, we're on a mission to hunt down one of the deadliest Elder fae creatures that ever existed.
If we fail? All of Asteria could be in danger.
If we win? I'll end up working for my enemy.

My mother never made me feel hated or ashamed because I am a halfling. She tells me that there is greatness in being human—that humanity makes me different from the other fae in a good way, and that it is my human side which will make me a better ruler one day than she ever could be.
I don’t believe her, but her words make me feel loved.

I love how there is a mother who is powerful and badass and isn’t a complete bitch to her kid. She’s a loving mother. We need more of this.

I am here, and I will do this. And I will win.

Slay, Queen!

Dark blue sparkles engulf the entire jar before it all disappears; I’ve sent it to my reserve. Regardless of lesser or high fae, every faerie has one. It’s a little like our own personal pocket in the Other Realm where we can store our things. It’s not infinite, but the stronger the faerie, the more we can carry in our pocket realms. I usually fill mine with weapons.

This reminds me of video game inventories. I think that’s very creative and I haven’t read this in a book before!

Just because the people are no longer here doesn’t mean the memories have to fade.

I just love this line.

“I think I love you.” His eyes glow against the setting sun, a strange look on his face.

Uhhhhh.... what?? Big nope right here! And it’s not from the character that you would think.

4/5 Stars!

[Alicia Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a digital copy of this book for an honest review.

And I honestly must say, I fully enjoyed this!
It has a lot of ACOTAR/The cruel prince vibes which is just up my street and I love the story.

I adore the characters dynamic, we all love a good enemies to lovers, and I love Astrid’s personality and her not wanting to be a princess but lowkey might end up queen anyway lol
Castiel gives me massive Cardan vibes and I love it so much!

I think the world building is very similar to ACOTAR which I love but it’s also one of the reasons I couldn’t fully give it a 5 star review - just felt a bit too familiar to me.

I also think the ending was a bit out of the blue but I know there’s a book 2 coming so I’m intrigued to see how it develops!

Aubrey’s writing style is also really appealing to me and I find it super easy to go through without being too simplistic.

Definitely worth reading and looking forward to the next one 🥰

[Elizabeth Lavender · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read, that pulled me in so much that I finished it the same evening I started it. Astrid was likable from the first. Castiel not at all at the beginning, but no one could have with what we were shown. However, when Castiel’s entire family is murdered and Astrid and Castiel must work together to prevent a similar fate for the other courts, things change quickly. Secrets they each buried become unearthed. They only thought they knew the other person. Now they see through new eyes the other person’s world and find they have more in common than they ever thought. A bold exterior hides a world of pain, of rejection, and insecurities, and gradually it’s peeled back before our eyes. The two must put aside their internal demons and rise up together to battle to save their realms from a never-ending bloodbath. They discover they are stronger together, appreciating what they each bring to the battlefield to defeat this threat. Will it be enough though? Or what will the cost be? It’s a deadly gamble. Winner takes all. Loser well… loses all, one court at a time.

[jagodasbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an arc for an honest review

As promised this is basically a mixed "Cruel prince" and "A court of thorns and roses". At first I didn't like it because it was like I was reading a cruel prince again just set in Prythian and this thing lasted until like 90% of the book, when it really blew up.

As for the characters - they were fine, maybe a little annoying, but fine.

[Lana | Libraryofabibliotaph · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing you notice about this book is the intriguing cover. It promises a story of courts and heirs, darkness and elder ones. If you like books like the Cruel Prince and a Court of Thorns and Roses, you’ll definitely like this book as well.

From the very first sentences I had a good feeling about the main character, Astrid. She’s really explicit in what she thinks, has a good sense of humour and is courageous too. But on the other hand she’s just like you and me, worrying about mundane things like falling of the stairs in front of everyone. She’s half human half faerie, which makes her kind of an outsider. Although throughout the story, you don’t notice that many differences between her and the pureblood faeries.

When Castiel is introduced, I immediately liked him as well because though he is portrayed as a giant bully at the beginning of the story, you just feel there’s more to it. Luckily you get to know him better throughout the story. A minor spoiler here, when they strike their deal, you can notice he doesn’t really promise her what she asks, but leaves more options, or should I say positions, open as well. If you read the book, you’ll know what I mean. This leaves room for further development of the characters and their relationship as well.

The dark faeries in exile as villains are a nice touch as well, but they create kind of a weird ending to book one in my opinion. Maybe a few more chapters here would have been nice so the story wouldn’t just stop in what feels like the middle of a scene for me.

The evolution of the storyline is well thought through, there are several small details that are being mentioned again later one, which I really liked because it makes you keep your head into the story. Something I found a bit strange is the big similarity with ACOTAR concerning the names of the courts, except for the one extra court this book has and the neutral area with a different name. The concept of realmwalking also resembles winnowing a little bit too much in my opinion. The same goes for the Cruel Prince, the story of Castiel really reminds me of Cardan sometimes, there are even some similarities between the relationships of Jude and Cardan on the one hand and Astrid and Castiel on the other hand. Of course it makes the story more likeable, because these are really great elements, but they make the story a little bit less original and more predictable. Nevertheless, the rest of the story is original and you want to keep reading to know how it will continue.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and finished it pretty quick because of the interesting story and the length of the story. I look forward to reading the next part of the series.

Thank you for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Brittany Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What first caught my eye was definitely the cover, and then a very close second was the blurb. I see people comparing it to the Cruel Prince and ACOTAR and yes I can see the similarities (thankfully it's been a while since reading those so I had an open mind going into this book).

Astrid isn't sure she is ready to be Queen. She is more comfortable in the shadows and out of sight than in it; she is a half-faerie so she was always bullied for that as well. She is just as concerned about falling flat on her face as any of us. She gets a chance to change her fate and be an enforcer for the Day court - something she would rather be than Queen.

Castiel is the popular guy in school who doles out the bullying and thinks a bit too much of himself- though we get the feeling that there is more hiding under the surface. He is the eighth born of the Day court and he is looked down on by every member of his family. One night he finds his whole family slaughtered and him next when an unlikely savior comes along. When his court is threatened of being taken over by the dark fae he sets out on a trial to try to win it back.

Castiel and Astrid find themselves thrown together and working side by side to accomplish a single goal. As they spend more time together they start to see that not everyone is what they seem and that circumstances, as well as feelings, can change at the drop of a hat.

The world-building is excellent in this book. You can get a feel of their surroundings and the different realms so easily because of the details that are laid out for you beautifully. I feel that the writing really flowed and was easy to follow the whole time. We do get a few reminders throughout the book on how things happen which is great as it does make it more believable as you go along. The characters have great banter with each other as the book carries on. They start out really frosty towards one another but by the end of the book you can really see a change in both characters.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all fans of Fae stories. It leaves you on a cliffhanger and boy does it give you whiplash! I can't wait to read book two!

[anjuli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm....not sure what to say except that I was disappointed with this one. I really liked the blurb and the cover!! It had all the elements of stuff I usually prefer to read and enjoy - fae, love/hate relationship, adventure, prince/princesses etc. But it felt short for me despite it having possible potential. This had very, very strong vibes of the The Folk of the Air Series 3 Books Collection Set By Holly Black series and part of the reason I picked it up. *sigh*

Some of the issues I had was that the story was mostly tell and barely any showing. I prefer a mixture of it as it helps establish the story, history and depth of characters. However, in this the relationship or I should say hatred between Castiel and Astrid was already there. We were repeatedly told how much he tortured FMC during her academy years but, I had no reference for it. I merely had to take the author's word for it. We saw a mere glimpse of the said torture in the first chapter but it was not enough for me to believe into the depth of it. Another part I had issues with the lack of supporting characters and their establishment of relationships with the main characters. They were there for few sentences and then gone.

Astrid and Castiel had a "stormy" academic life. She loved her sisters. The bad faeries were bad. Astrid was the best of her generation at everything except healing magic. Castiel was bad at everything and "cruel" to her. The supporting torturing characters with Castiel were also bad etc.. I felt zero connection or enthusiasm because it was all told to us. There were events but it just felt lacking to me. I was reading it hoping it would get better somehow but it did not. The ending was also like wtf only because it did not make sense, at all. It also ended abruptly. But I have to give credit for the detailed battle scenes in the book.

Sad to say, I will not be continuing with this series. It just wasn't for me.

[Tayler - 25 - Canada · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have received an ARC for an honest review. (It is already available to the general public)

Final Rating 1.5/5

Be aware that the reasons I disliked this book may be the reasons you love it ! Don’t let my review deter you, but these are my thoughts.

The concept of this book blew me away. It had everything I normally love: enemies to lovers, badass female lead, high fantasy and more. I DNFd this book at 90% because the plot fell apart and the flow of the writing wasn’t to my taste.
I really tried to give this book a chance but I no longer have the motivation to finish it.
The grammatical errors made it obvious this book was self-edited or lacked professional editing. Additionally, the formatting is not done correctly for the kindle edition and this made the spacing of the words incredibly awkward and inconsistent.

The relationship between the two main characters lacked depth and their personalities were not developed enough. Despite this being marketed for fans of ACOTAR and the Cruel Prince I do not feel that A Twist of Night and Day fits well in this category.

[The_CozyMomChronicles · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Twist of Night and Day is the kind of book that promises magic, mystery, and a slow unraveling of secrets—but it doesn’t always deliver them in the way you hope.The story follows Astrid, a girl who is half-human, half-fae, and daughter to the Queen of the Night Court. Her bloodline places her close to power, but her human side marks her as other. From the beginning, you can feel the tension she carries: the push and pull of belonging and rejection, of strength and uncertainty, of identity still taking shape. And yet, there’s something deeper hinted at beneath her surface—something beyond even her half-fae nature that the story only begins to tease.

Astrid’s paired with Castiel, a fae prince from the Day Court who spent decades tormenting her at school. His presence is cold, commanding, and laced with complicated energy—he calls her “Flower,” a nickname that at first feels cruel but later hints at something more layered. Their mission is to hunt down a deadly Elder creature, the Forescua Serpent, in an effort to save the realm of Asteria. It’s a premise with real promise: two people with painful history forced into alliance, navigating a fractured world where ancient power still lingers and danger moves in shadows.

The fantasy elements of the story are where it shines most. The contrast between the old guard of the Elder fae and the rising younger generation creates an interesting political and magical tension. The world has depth—the creatures are unique, the courts distinct, and the hint of something larger brewing beneath the surface feels like the beginning of something epic. You get the sense that Aubrey Winters has a strong vision for this world, even if it doesn’t always fully come to life on the page.

Where the story struggles, though, is in its execution. The pacing is slow, especially in the first half, and emotional development between characters often feels distant. The romance, or the potential of it, stays on the back burner far longer than expected—and while that makes sense in light of the twist at the end, it makes the earlier chapters feel emotionally thin. The writing, while occasionally descriptive, can be repetitive—Castiel’s eye color is mentioned so often, in so many different shades of blue, that it becomes distracting. Astrid’s internal resistance to becoming queen is another repeated refrain that begins to lose weight the more it’s stated. Small grammar and spelling errors crop up here and there, and some transitions between scenes feel abrupt or underdeveloped, as though the story is skipping necessary emotional beats in favor of moving the plot forward.

Still, there’s something about the final twist that shifts everything. It reframes much of what felt emotionally distant, and suddenly, the story has teeth. You begin to understand why the romance was kept at arm’s length, why Astrid feels hollowed out and unsure, why Castiel holds back. It’s not just a reveal—it’s a turning point. And it’s enough to make continuing the series feel not just worth it, but necessary.

A Twist of Night and Day reads like a beginning—not just of a series, but of an author finding her rhythm. The world is there, the magic is there, and the characters are on the edge of becoming more. It’s not perfect. It’s not polished. But it has a pulse. And sometimes, that’s enough to keep turning pages.

[LeafPages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for sending me an -e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly where do I start with this book? I loved it! I straight up read this in one sitting and I have absolutely no regrets.

First of all, I loved the Faerie customs and laws. They were interesting and just transported me to this slightly dark magic world. From the beginning, it captured my attention.
I loved the names of the characters and places, it really brought the world to life. I love the name Astrid and the names of the courts.
It had many similarities to The Cruel Prince by Holly Black; fae characters, sister figures, rowan berries, a bully male fae, enemies to romance trope, strong main character. There was even one scene that was a little similar to it. But there one key difference between this book and The Cruel Prince; I ACTUALLY LIKED THE CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK. That's not to say I don't like the characters in TCP but I like the characters in this book more. I can't quite put my finger on why but perhaps it was because they didn't harbour dark or cruel thoughts. I loved that there was royalty in this as well. And the main character has silvery white hair which I thought was great. Did I mention that the fae have pointed ears and wear ear caps on the point like jewellery? That's pretty awesome, in my opinion.

Also the way in which the plot was delivered and the author's writing style was easy to read and fast paced. It's quite a short book but I didn't feel that it dragged in any way.
There's some violence and action scenes in this book but it's not really graphic, which I prefer sometimes.
I also loved the magic in this book, it was so interesting to see how it was used by the characters.
This is just a plus but I also liked the elegant motif on the chapter headings.

If you like The Cruel Prince then I would recommend this to you, especially if you are trying to find a similar book.

I'm so glad I reviewed this book because it got me out of my reading slump and now I have something to daydream about :) I can't wait to read the other books in the trilogy!

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an arc of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I had such high hopes for this book. The cover is what drew me in first. I mean look at it it's so pretty. And then with it being pitched for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Cruel Prince my two favorite series I was all in for it. Now the summary of this book could use some work. Based off of what's given you think it's going to be a slow enemies to lovers but in reality I don't think the characters in this book even knew eachother. They hated eachother in school but then once forced on this mission they immediately stopped hating eachother. We didn't even find out why they didn't like eachother in the first place. Also once they are alone together he starts suddenly being good at magic that he never showed in school because he didn't see why he should have tried. It just didn't come off the same way as The Cruel Prince did. Now this world had courts that really just seemed like a knock off of A Court of Thorns and Roses. While this book is supposed to be an adventure I felt like there was no world building and besides the author telling us we are at a place I would have thought it was all set in the same place. Things in this book were repeated and the author did a lot more of telling than showing. The ending didn't make sense and felt like a cheap way to end it and set it up for the next book. Our main character isn't likeable. She was bullied for being different in school but she's somehow the best at everything she does and has very few flaws. I felt like she was too perfect. The love interest just seems so flat. He doesn't want to rule and watched his whole family get murdered. He's got friends from the other courts who apparently in his time of need wouldn't be willing to help or take him in. Overall it was a let down for me. I think it has the possibility to be great but needs more work and some original stuff.

[Short and Sweet Reviews by Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, Aubrey Winters, for providing a copy of A Twist of Night and Day (Asteria Chronicles book 1). I have reviewed honestly.

A Twist of Night and Day features, but is not limited to, the following themes:
○ YA fantasy
○ Fae
○ Faerie realms
○ Cruel fae prince
○ Light bully romance
○ Unlikely duo
○ Enemies to friends
○ Kickass FMC

My overall rating for A Twist of Night and Day is…

4.5 Stars!

This book gave me major Cruel Prince vibes! Dare I say, this series has the potential to outrank the infamous Folk of Air Series? A Twist of Night and Day is new and exciting with an exotic and rich faerie realm and an unlikely duo taking the role of main characters. I love the challenging chemistry between Castiel and Astrid; their enemies-to-reluctant-accomplices-to-confusing-care relationship is intriguing and I just can't wait to see where this series will take them. I found myself eagerly anticipating the unpredictable tale as the story progressed to an enticing finale that left me craving more. Fans of fae are not going to want to miss this one.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something about this book called to me. Just from the brief description, I was intrigued, and I must admit, my judgement was spot on.

Reading this gave me the same sort of feelings as reading The Folk of the Air, specifically The Cruel Prince, the enemies to working together, not quite friends, and I realize how much I love that trope. There are quite a lot of differences though; I found TFOTA focused a lot more on the political aspect; whereas A Twist of Night and Day was more about the adventure, the quest. I'd be quite confident that if you enjoyed TFOTA, you'll love this. I love a confident, capable heroine, especially when the damsel in distress trope is reversed. Astrid herself was a great protagonist - if I was in her shoes, I would not have helped the person who bullied me mercilessly for all those years. Some may say she's weak, but I see that as compassion on her part, especially considering Castiel just watched his entire family be murdered.

Definitely recommend this book :)

[lynds library · Rating 5 out of 5]

*gifted copy*

This little book blew me away. The characters and plot were written so well that in only 200 pages I was completely lost in the world. The realm walking was such a beautiful and well thought out piece of the story and so unique. This felt like a breath of fresh air, like all the best parts of the fantasy genre wrapped with a glittering, magical bow. The character development was beautiful, Castiel has such an interesting background and character arc and I’m so excited to see that developed futher in book 2. Astrid is absolutely one of the best FMC’s, I love how honest and unapologetic she is, I also love that she is forgiving and kind without sacrificing who she is.

I will never stop recommending this book to anyone and everyone who will listen. If you loved cruel prince or just the ‘morally-questionable bully turned actual human being’ vibe definitely pick this one up! <3

[Paula Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read.

Let me say this first- I have no idea why some of the reviews are so horrible. I honestly enjoyed reading the book. First it was a step away from what I usually read and that was refreshing. Second it does kind of end with a cliff hanger and I say kind of because you get a preview of the beginning of the second book. Third it is a good read. It’s not a quick read because you have to take in everything she tells you, every emotion the characters display so you can understand other parts of the novel. It is a really good book. I had to skip to the end because I had to know what happen before I continued on. Waiting for the second book.

[Kennedy Keown · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*
This one was cute. It’s an original plot that I haven’t read in fantasies lately, so I appreciated that. However, it lacked something. I had difficulty staying engaged. And I felt like she included a last minute plot twist JUST to have a cliffhanger. It was so abrupt that I was confused more than I was hooked/wanting more.

[Heather Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

delicious

Twists and turns, ups and downs - two honest enemies with everything to gain by working together. I love her - and I’m very unsure of Castiel. If there were scenes from school, I’m sure I would hate him - but all we see are mentions of torment in her memories. But that ending? Dicey!

Cliffhanger

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review and honestly I really enjoyed this book. I was told it was for anyone who loved The Cruel Prince and A Court of Thorns and Roses. There are some very similar aspects to both of those series throughout the story. The way the courts are named, the Vorukael reminds me a lot of the Suriel from ACOTAR and a character I hope returns in the next book. The main character is strong and I love the way she seems to carry herself. The enemies to lovers aspect of the story is written in a very realistic way, where I could see it happening in real life and relating to it easily. I loved the world building and am definitely invested, wanting to know what happens next and ready for the second book. I would and will be recommending this book to my friends. Thank you for sharing your work with me and transporting me in to such an interesting world. I can’t wait to learn more about it and to see where the story goes from here.

[Lucy Gould · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the absolute perfect mix of The Cruel Prince and ACOTAR omg. I could not put this book down even as I was making myself lunch! There was such a good balance between action and emotion and the characters are so realistic and easy to root for!

[Darian - Books With A Chance · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was so good. I’m told if you like The Cruel Prince you’ll enjoy this but honestly I haven’t read that one. It’s got action, magic, maybe a little secret crush, and it was written well. I was hooked instantly.
I ignore red flags and Castiel has them. At first I was like yeah, go kill this fool but now I kinda like him, probably more than I should.

[Laurel Tonti · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4⭐️ it was fine. it was too much like the cruel prince in the beginning with the family dying, him bullying her, etc. etc. so not my fav and not gonna read the next book

[Kaitlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars

I was given a copy of A Twist of Night and Day by Aubrey Winters in exchange for an honest review.

Buckle up, because I had a lot of feelings while reading this pretty short (212 pages) book. I want to start by saying, this author has only written a few books (4 according to Goodreads). There were things I liked about it, and quite a few things that I have to critique. Overall, I think Aubrey has a lot of potential as an author, but definitely some places to improve.

The synopsis for the book made it sound very exciting and I was really looking forward to reading it. I really, really wanted to like it. As I said, I think the book and Aubrey’s writing has so much potential, but I feel like this was a bit of a let down and it would have been better. I will explain further in detail below, but my main issues with the story are the beginning and ending. This book would have been a lot better if there was more character development and building up of the story and the world.

Once I got farther into the story, about half way through, the plot picks up more and I found I enjoyed her writing style more. This was what helped me see more of her potential for future novels. She has skill in storytelling, it just needs a bit of finesse and crafting first.

The book begins with the main character, Astrid having just finished her time at Fae school (50 years worth). Being told in first person, Astrid describes a lot of the background information of this world almost immediately on the first page. She explains how the Fae work, some of their ranking and beliefs on high Fae and half-breeds, what their education is like, how the courts are divided, etc. This style of providing information is one of my least favorite. I think first person can either be done well, or done poorly to give background into the world. This fell into the latter.

Even with Astrid telling the reader about her world, we were still thrust into the story and drama very quickly. She describes the other characters being her enemies and the torture she had at the hands of Castiel in school, but we really only see one small scene of him being a bully. There is an animosity already created between them, but as readers, we don’t really get that feeling as we never saw it develop. This is the first area I found problem with this novel; there should have been a longer introduction. I didn't feel connection to the characters because we weren't given much development and the plot felt like we jumped right into action. I wish there was more backstory and character build-up. A longer and more detailed introduction to the world and to the characters before beginning the adventure would help this book a lot.

In addition to not giving a thorough development to the story, I found there were some plot inconsistencies and things that didn’t make sense within the first third of the book. Again, I think many of these things could have been explained better or wouldn’t have been as inconsistent if the books were longer and more in depth.

The first question I had was in terms of how the overthrowing of a court and a challenge works. It didn’t make sense to me that the Dark Fae would have a right to the throne and Castiel would be considered the challenger when they didn’t kill him. It seems like he should still be in line to the throne as he wasn’t killed. This especially felt confusing when the soon after describe the magic of the court and the land falling to him and he needing to defend the throne or resign as rule. How is he the challenger to the throne when he is defending it? It would make more sense that the person trying to take the throne is the challenger and should be the one doing the trial.

Secondly, it was repeated multiple times that they do not learn the history of their world as the old fae are mostly still alive. (”Why should we learn it if they’re all still around?”) But then throughout the book, we are being told parts of the history and politics of the world via Astrid. It’s confusing that some parts of history are known and taught, but others are a complete mystery. This felt inconsistent to me. Why woulnd’t you learn the history of the world, even if the old fae are still alive? This just seems like a plot decision that wasn’t thought all the way through.

The third, and probably largest question I have is why Astrid would even agree to help Castiel in the first place. The little bit of backstory we got on him up until that point was that he was a sadistic, abusive bully. Even if she felt pity for him losing his family, it makes nos sense that he would ask her to help (when he has other friends) nor that she would risk her life and everything to help him. The reasoning given is that she wants to be an Enforcer (second-in-command who does more fighting) instead of taking her rightful place as the next Queen of her court. Even if they make a deal where she becomes an enforcer and gets out of becoming the queen, it logically just doesn’t make sense that she’d want to be second in command to her tormentor of the last 50 years. Why would she risk her life for the guy who bullied her and is her enemy, for a future of having to work at his side? I found that very unbelievable.

If I take a step back and just look at the plot, without critiquing too much, the events that happen throughout the plot are entertaining. As I said previously, once I got into the book a bit, I found the plot to be engaging and her writing style shone there. I enjoyed their journey and the concept of the trial challenge was fun. I enjoyed the Vorukael. I really appreciated that this was a strong female character (although it was getting annoying that she kept calling herself week for being an empathetic person). In the books, she is the strong fighter who wants to be an enforcer. Castiel is not a fighter, but has an affinity for healing and animals. It was enjoyable to see the reverse of the typical gender roles and stereotypes.

I did have a few issues with the ending, but I am intrigued to continue on. First, the dark Fae clearly stated that Astrid and Castiel needed to return the head of the serpent, so when they are told they didn’t win the challenge because they didn’t complete their task, their audacity is a bit juvenile to me. Also, Astrid has an internal monologue about it not being fair, which honestly makes me shake my head at her that she thinks anything about dark fae would be “fair”. I also found the very last line to have come out of no where, and not in a “wow I’m shocked I didn’t see that coming way”, but it a “that makes absolutely no sense”.

**********************************************************

This book is described as fitting for fans of “A Court of Thorns and Roses” and “The Cruel Prince”. I haven’t read “The Cruel Prince” series yet, but there were a lot of similarities to ACOTAR, almost to the extent that it felt a bit like fan fiction, with many things seeming to be copied over and changed slightly to match this story line (the same court names, the trial, the vorukael being similar to the suriel of ACOTAR). Enough was changed that it wasn’t completely fan fiction, but I would have liked a little more originality with it. I think for this book to compete with those series, it needs better development and backstory. I think this is more fitting for a younger audience in comparison to those, as the writing style is simpler and the content isn’t as complex.

*In summary:*

**Characters:**

I like the idea of the two main characters, Astrid and Castiel. We didn’t see much of the other characters except at the very beginning and end, so I can’t comment much on them. I really wish there was more development and backstory to our two mains. Part of this is due to first person telling. We're only given information about characters from main character and we were thrust in and told Castiel is the enemy without seeing much about him to understand his character more. . Would have enjoyed a bit more development/background initially to connect with the characters better.

This story was also described as an enemies to loves trope, but we weren’t really shown the enemies portion of the story. Again, we were only told he was an enemy and shown in one small scene at the beginning where he was a bully. Otherwise, we are shown a “changing” Castiel, so he is pretty easy to like right away. We’re able to enjoy them on their quest right away. Again, I think more initial character development would help this trope be more believable.

I am looking forward to reading the next in the series and seeing more progress from these characters. Overall, I do find them interesting. After this first book, they are set up as opposites in skill and talent. There is definitely potential here.

**Plot**:

I had issues with the beginning and the end, but enjoyed the plot in the middle. The book is only 212 pages, so not as much development as I'm used to for these types of fantasy novels. For how long it was, the plot was done well. I would have preferred a longer novel with more flushed out characters and plot.

**Writing:**

Simplistic for my taste and for this genre, but Amazon has it described as for 13-18 year olds so the style is fitting for more of the teen category than the new/young adult. I think if the book was aimed at that group, the writing makes more sense. There were a few grammatical errors that I noticed, but overall I think Aubrey has a lot of potential to be a good writer.

**Constructive criticism:**

I think this world and this author have a lot of potential that just weren’t quite hitting it here. To compete with a fantasy series like ACOTAR, there needs to be way more development and creation to the world before jumping into the drama and excitement. The characters need to be flushed out so we have a bit more of a connection to them. The plot holes need to be worked out so that the motivations of the characters makes more sense. I saw glimpses of great writing and potential for a fascinating story, so I’ll keep an eye out on what Aubrey puts out in the future. I just don’t think this series is quite there yet.

[Laura Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. It gave Cruel Prince vibes but with a different spin. Plus was a really easy read.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've followed me for any period of time, you've probably realized that this mood reader tends to mostly land in thriller or romance moods. But every once in a while, I like to escape into a magical world.

I recently read the first book in a fantasy trilogy and I really liked it!

[As a prospective ARC reader for the final book in the Asteria Chronicals, a trilogy, I was provided A Twist of Night and Day by the author, @authoraubreywinters, to read in preperation. Thank you for this opportunity, and while it requires a mention, it should be obvious that all opinions are my own. 😉🤓]

In the past, I have found the world building and character names in faerie fantasy to be confusing - too much information too fast and a combination of vowels and constanents that hurt my head. It can be jarring to my escape into the story to have a data dump of world building at the start of books. I loved that the lore and world-building was sprinkled within the story. It felt easier to digest and become immersed in the story sooner. (Plus, a pronunciation guide for character names was nice for confirmation I did know how to say everyone's name)

I flew through this! The story is quick to get started, and the adventure-based quest kept me interested in what was next. And of course, the ending has you wanting to start book 2 asap! In fact, if you need me, that's what I'll be doing.

🌙🌙🌙🌙/5 - I really liked it and would recommend it to fantasy readers

Read this if...
🐺 you love a strong FMC
🐺 you are a cozy fantasy reader who is considering high fantasy
🐺 you like stories about epic quests

Tropes:
🌙 rivals/enemies to allies
🌙 secret obsession
🌙 forced to work together/forced proximity
🌙 she saves him


I've seen some say it's "too similar to ACOTAR" because there are various faerie Courts. But SJM didn't create the concept, just like how Tolkien didn't invent Elves. Seriously, could you imagine if every book with Elves was deemed "too similar to LOTR"? 😂

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

[ARC] review

Fae realms, sparkly magic and a cruel prince. I was told the Asteria Chronicles are a 'clean' mix of ACOTAR and the Cruel Prince. Now, I haven't read either of those but had heard my fair share about them. Getting the chance to read something of a similar genre, but without all the smut, sounded great and.....it was!

A Twist of Night and Day is a medium-paced, high fantasy story, told from the first POV of half-blood faerie Astrid. She is bad ass, but not in a rediculous manner, and her passion drives the story forward fluidly.

Favourites
- Emotions. Aubrey Winters has done an amazing job making this an emotional experience for me as a reader. I felt swept up in Astrid's feelings of hate for Castiel, fear and anger at her bullies, love for her sisters, passion for her dreams and later the conflicting emotions that come with making an important journey with your enemy.
- Castiel, the MC's enemy. This character was done so well. I love it when authors manage to make it clear that everyone has secrets of their own, and Castiel certainly does. I can't wait to learn more about him.
- The plot, although it felt slightly forced to me at the beginning of the book, it picked up very naturally later on and turned into a twisty-turny, surprising thing that I couldn't put down anymore.

What I missed
- Like I said, the beginning of the plot felt a little unnatural, but that was quickly solved.
- I think the main thing for me was that the book could do with one last line-edit. I wasn't all that bothered by the handful of grammar and spelling mistakes but I was a little disappointed with the repetition. There were a few small infodumps that were actually repeated later into the story, which made me feel like the author didn't trust us as readers to have followed along properly, and I felt like skipping those parts. Sometimes short explanations also seemed a little redundant.

This last point is what made me consider whether to give it 4 stars or 3. My hope is that the next book in the series will be better when it comes to line edits, and I gave it 4 stars because....well, the main thing I look for in a book is to be swept up with the characters and feel the emotions of the story. And thát it definitely did. So in my opinion it still deserves those 4 stars, even if I hope for a bit of improvement on this aspect in the next installment.

Content warnings:
Sexual content: none
Coarse language: none
Violence and gore: moderate (although not very graphic, there is mention of quite a bit of gruesome murder, and it's all taken in stride)
Triggers: bullying

Conclusion
If you love a good enemies-to-lovers, character driven story in a pretty, mystical fae setting, then A Twist of Night and Day should absolutely by on your TBR list!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author.

So, I know I am a Supernatural nerd, but when I first read Castiel’s name I couldn’t stop picturing that Castiel, trench coat, wings and all, and that is not at all what this Castiel looks like, and they also have completely different personalities, but every time I read his name I still had to talk myself out of it!

This book is sort of similar to The Cruel Prince in that it’s about a dick of a fae prince who bullied a not fully fae female character of similar rank, and eventually they fall in love. I find Castiel a hell of a lot more redeemable than I did Cardan though. My only real complaint here is that the book is too short and everything happened too quickly! I want more time to get to know Castiel and Astrid and the world they’re living in. Some flashbacks to their time together at school would have been interesting to contrast between Castiel's past and present behaviours. The faerie world of Asteria and its rules are really interesting, I hope the world itself gets more explanation in the next book.

While Castiel can be compared to Cardan, Astrid is more similar to a combination of Nesta from ACOSF and Poppy from FBAA. She struggles with wanting more than her designated role. She doesn't want to take the throne after her mother, she wants a different path, and she does end up deciding that Castiel can help her achieve that goal. Thus continuing a long line of fantasy heroines who choose to work with their enemy and we all know where it goes from there. I didn't like The Cruel Prince, mainly because of the characters, I couldn't bring myself to like either Jude or Cardan never mind any of the side characters. I don't have that problem here, all of the characters are more palatable even though the stories are of a similar vein (it's an enemies-to-lovers fae story, so the similarities are expected). Astrid and Castiel are both compelling their negative traits seem to stem more from their circumstances than any sort of flaws in their personalities.

But also, this was the 4th book I read in July that had a major character named Rowan. He may be a wolf but he's still a major player in the story.

I'm definitely down for book 2.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Twist of Night and Day (1) by Aubrey Winters

****Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) in exchange for an honest review.

Hello Lovelies,

I'll start this review off with some demographics I myself like to know when starting a book. Our main female protagonist, Astrid, told in 1st POV, is a (roughly) 150 year old faery and heir to the Night Court.

The story begins during her party celebrating graduating the Fae Academy. It is there we are introduced to a multitude of characters, including the male lead, Castiel, the eight in line for the Day Court throne. He was a fellow classmate.

*The details I love like Lilacs, Lavenders, and Lillis.

Within the first few chapters, many similarities can be drawn between this and Holly Black's Cruel Prince series. I won't get into all the details because of Spoilers (feel free to read that with the sound of River Song's voice from Doctor Who in your head, because I am). For me one of the main differences, and one that I loved, is how I felt mote connected to the characters and I felt more in the scene. Perhaps because this is 1st and the other series 3rd, but this one reads more smoothly and it shows more rather than tells and keeps the reader disconnected and at a distance. I thought that was well done.

Another similarity arises in how the main characters went from enemies to friends to in love, particularly in how Castiel bullied Astrid in school and for the same reasons as why Cardon bullied Jude. What I love here, more so than the Cruel Prince, is the development of that relationship from bullying to much, much more. To kindness and selflessness and love.

We see them actually working together in the vast majority of the book. They help each other. We see why the relationship changes rather than being told it did. I absolutely love how this couple works together. So often in books we see the many couple working as enemies on opposing sides and even when they are together there seems to be a hundred and one reasons why they still aren't working together and supporting one another.

I also liked that the story took place after school, after all the bullying, which was unique, because many would have started the book during and you wouldn't see a change until the very end. I loved seeing quintessence moments in both characters right from the beginning. He goes from a brutish bully to a lost boy needs help and comfort and she goes from a strong, take no care, to a sympathizer and empathizer and helps those who need it.

Also, I enjoyed the rich, lavish world building. The story has many layers to its own mythology and history.

Finally, I loved the messages and themes found throughout revolving around truth and honesty to yourself and to others, along with focusing on a quest rather than an out-right just kill to get the throne.

*The details I found a bit sour like Lemons, Limes, and Lingonberries.

I found the family structure and tree a bit confusing, especially with mentions of cousins and sisters regarding the same individuals.

I was confused as to what drove Astrid, why she didn't want what she didn't, why she did want what she did, and why what scared her did. It felt like I was missing crucial background information.

There was also this disapproval of a certain type of faery and I didn't understand why.

Overall, I wanted much more background information on the characters, Castiel too, such as what drove him beforehand and a better reasoning and insight into why he bullied Astrid than a one sentence given. While I loved seeing the characters develop and see them change, the story was journey driven rather than character driven.

*The additional details that were sprinkled on top like Liquor, Liquorice, Ladyfingers.

The nickname Castiel has for Astrid. Adorable.

A pronunciation guide is provided in the front matter. Very helpful!

The title is a cleaver tribute to the main characters this book focuses on.

Section breaks are marked by cute swirling designs.

I love Castiel's last family name, and I'm wondering if we'll see more of a connection, even implicit meanings/references to the namesake.

This is the first book in a series, so there will be more, flaming my hope and curiosity for what is to come and be explained!

*The quotes that evoked the Like, Love, and LOVE.

"He is Prince Castiel Ares of the Day Court. My nightmare. A painfully handsome, bright, and golden exterior hides the devil within."

"I never told my mother this. I should be strong enough to handle my own troubles. If I had run to my mother for everything, I would have proved everyone right—and I don’t want to be the useless halfling they all see me as."

"Her pointed face looks elegant rather than pinched, and her brown eyes are the color of the sweetest chocolate despite the poison that comes out of her perfectly plump, painted, orange mouth. There’s something to be said about fae beauty hiding the ugly within."

"It appears I may have grown to care for him without even realizing it."


SWOON


Thanks, Lovelies!
Laura

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good read full of old magic, the Fae, an enemies to "I'm obsessed with you" relationship, and a form of travel called realmwalking that kept me on my toes.

I received a free copy of this book from the author in the book group YABS for an honest review. Please turn back now if you don't want to be spoiled!

There were several things that I enjoyed about this book. Nettie's physical bark-like appearance is cool, Alfynia being a foundling (where humans stumble across Asteria (the Fae world) and taste Fae food, therefore trapping them there forever) was interesting, and Rowan was especially cute. I really enjoyed the concept of realmwalking as well. It sounds like a really dangerous form of travel and I was worried that one of our main characters would be trapped in the Other Realm at some point. Thankfully, that didn't happen.

I like this story, but there were too many issues that I had with the world building, the magic system, and the characters. I simply can't overlook them.

The first thing that bothered me was the concept of Astrid being bullied fifty years straight at a Fae academy. The words "bullies" and "bullying" sound like such modern words. They didn't seem to fit quite right into this story. Another word, something that would fit into the fantasy diction of this book, would have been better. I also didn't like how we didn't really get to see any of Astrid's time at the academy. She's a really good fighter, but we didn't see her journey in becoming that way. It also begs the question: If she's such a good fighter, why didn't she defend herself at the academy? She could have totally beaten anyone that was harassing her.

There were also near to no sensory details, which are vital when it comes to describing people, places, and things. When I was about ten pages in, I spotted nearly none besides the applause Astrid received at her party. There needed to be more tastes, smells, and physical touch when Astrid moved from one place to the next. Sensory details are imperative in the success of drawing a reader in and ensnaring them into the story.

It was hard not to think about "A Court of Thorns and Roses" when reading this as well. The Court system especially made me compare the two. But while "A Court of Thorns and Roses" followed the rules of each Court, this book didn't. Astrid breaks into the Day Court...at night?! It doesn't make any sense. Why call it the Day Court when it's going to follow a day/night system? It defeats the purpose of having a Day Court and a Night Court.

I mean, how many Courts are there? It seemed like random ones kept popping up. What is the difference between a Lunar Court and a Night Court? Or the Dark Court??? A map would have been really useful in regard to getting each court organized and accounted for. Each Court that we entered felt pretty empty as well. Especially the Day Court. Where were the citizens of the Day Court when they were overtaken? Wouldn't that cause unrest and turmoil among the people? Where did they go, or what did they do, when things turned for the worst? And why wouldn't Castiel care at all about the people he has to rule, now that his family is dead? There were too many unanswered questions when it came to world building.

Castiel's and Astrid's relationship felt a little forced, and I think that this would have done better in third person. First person took me out of the story. A lot. Especially when Astrid had to stop and explain how the Courts worked or how magic worked. We could have eased into all this info a little smoother. I'm not sure if I like Astrid or Castiel. Astrid was bitter about being bullied and it made her an unlikable character. Even though the circumstances sucked, she should have seen the light at the end of the darkness. And Castiel's confession was laughable. He's obsessed with her, but he doesn't explain why. It felt really...childish? Like a kid wanting a toy really bad, and then once receiving it, tears the stuffing out and lights it on fire. It wasn't romantic or cute at all. There was no justification for the way he treated her.

The ending was absolutely strange. I didn't feel resolved or happy with the outcome of Astrid and Castiel's journey, or even the fight with Ryken that ended with, "Marry Me." Does she have two admirers now? And why bring that up at the end? I think this story should have ended with Astrid challenging Ryken with the challenge. It was so much more exciting seeing her step up and and challenge the Dark Fae. It made me look forward to their fight...not a potential marriage proposal.

Overall, this book was ambitious, admirably so. But there needed to be more foundation and less plot holes. It needed more structure - bones to lift and support the narrative. And even though I liked this book, it wasn't good enough to keep me around for the next one.

[Dana Jackman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Astrid, a reluctant princess of the Night Court, has saved her longtime bully, the youngest Day prince, from being wiped out alongside his entire family by ruthless exiles called dark faeries who take control of the Day Court. Astrid must overcome her personal history to help Castiel reclaim his throne by completing a challenge set forth by the dark fae: bring the head of the mythical Forescua Serpent, and Day shall be returned to its rightful heir.

A Twist of Night and Day is short and sweet, there’s not a whole lot of time to explore a whole realm in a way that is both succinct and fully fleshed out. There is heavy inspiration from SJM, the challenge felt Herculean in all the right ways. However, I felt like the reader was relied on to fill in world building based on similar stories set in the faerie realm. I have a lot of understanding here knowing this is a 3 hour read for me, I usually read on the medium-slow paced side and like a little bit more challenge, giving a plot plenty of time to simmer and come to their full fruition. This is not that kind of story and that’s also okay!

Unfortunately I find myself apathetic towards the characters, it took me to 50% to feel even a shred of pity for Castiel, and I still don’t see why he’s worth saving or being nice to, no matter what his home life was like or the past, which I feel too frequently reminded of. He comes across flat which adds to an overarching feeling of being told rather than shown. I feel like there needed to be added length or to have a prologue set when the actual bullying from Castiel takes place, really delving into those feelings before starting the story where we did. For characters that are seemingly hundreds of years old, both Astrid and Castiel feel rather juvenile and one dimensional. This feels like a novel for entry level YA pleasure reading, which there is absolutely nothing wrong with.

I’ll give the second a try in hopes for the author’s growth because she is really lovely. While their vision has merit, the end product requires more substance to have stakes worth continuing for. For someone starting out in YA Fantasy of this type, I would definitely recommend :)

Huge thanks to Aubrey Winters for the privilege of reading this work in exchange for my honest review. It takes a lot of bravery to put your heart out there for feedback. You’re doing great! :)