Down Comes the Night was a none stop story. At first I was concerned it would be slow building and overly descriptive like a lot of gothic novels but this story never stopped, it was so hard to put this down because something was always happening. I never got bored with this story. It was also nice to see a bisexual main character, this is rare.
I loved the dedication in this book, “To all the girls who feel too much” Down Comes the Night battles against the idea that holding in your emotions or not feeling makes you strong. Saft uses Wren and Hal to prove the opposite, that feelings and openness are the real source of strength; that mercy is the hardest thing to show.
My favorite line from the book was “Maybe the only difference between a monster and a hero was the color of a soldier’s uniform.” This gives so much to the dilemmas faced by all people on all sides of all conflicts. It was one of those lines that made me stop and read it out loud and just sit with it for a little bit.
While the story did have some gore I felt that it was not over the top or distracting from the story.
While I read this as a digital ARC I will surely buy it when it come out in physical copy

A beautifully gothic story of finding love in the strangest of circumstances. This book was enchanting in every single way.

Down Comes the Night is a gothic, enemies to lovers romance with bisexual representation that’s normalized and not touted as a plot point for the MC! *THANK YOU!* I loved the snowy, dark world that Allison created, as well as the female protag being strong, quick witted, and extremely powerful. I loved the emotions that Wren went through with Una and the dark atmosphere created by the author in the beginning stages of this book.
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The first few chapters sucked me in, but when they got to the mansion, the tone switched and it’s incredibly hard to describe without reading it yourself. It’s almost as if the author wrote and rewrote the beginning chapters, perfecting them and then finished the rest in one go. It felt like I was reading two different stories, one about Wren and Una, the next about Wren and the mansion. The plot flowed together as far as the idea of the story but it was the shift in tone that threw me.

However, this book is for a young adult audience, not for a 32 year old and with that being said, I think that I would have much different feelings if I were young. This book reminds me a lot of Stalking Jack the Ripper, not so much scary but more suspenseful. There was a lot of medical terminology mixed in as well. I believe that most young adults 13-15 would really enjoy this novel!

Note: Review to be posted to Goodreads on August 1, 2020 and on retail sites (Barnes & Noble, Amazon) upon publication date, March 2, 2021.

This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Down Comes the Night reads like a snowy, gothic fairytale; one best enjoyed with a steaming mug of tea and cozy surroundings. Allison Saft’s YA fantasy debut can easily be devoured in a few sittings, offering a comforting escape from reality. However, though I found the story to be captivating and enjoyable, Down Comes the Night did ultimately leave me wanting more.

Saft’s tale introduces readers to Wren Southerland, a talented healer from a war-torn country, whose empathy and emotions continue to land her in trouble with her superiors in the Queen’s Guard. Without giving too much away, what ensues is a journey of self-discovery and personal growth for Wren, due in part to the broadening of her horizons through a truly swoonworthy enemies to lovers romance. To be honest, the romantic storyline was the highlight of this book for me and featured some of my all-time favorite tropes (enemies to lovers, healer/patient relationship, only one bed, star-crossed lovers, and more!). For reference, Down Comes the Night could be best described as Sarah J. Maas’s Tower of Dawn meets Emily A. Duncan’s Wicked Saints.

Wren’s character development throughout this novel celebrates the strength of emotional, compassionate female characters (even Saft’s dedication is “for all the girls who feel too much”), which only added to the book’s relatability for me. Yet herein lies my core critique for Down Comes the Night; I personally believe this book could have been much stronger if it was told in the first-person narrative, considering the emotional nature of Wren’s character. Saft’s writing seemed to focus solely on Wren’s experiences and feelings, which made the third-person point of view sometimes seem clumsy and awkward, and often left me puzzled at the narrative perspective choice. Furthermore, I personally found the mystery within Down Comes the Night to be fairly predictable; a few red herrings or plot twists would have added some needed complexity to this element of the story.

That being said, Allison Saft’s descriptions were breathtaking; she really nailed the gothic, Guillermo del Toro-esque atmosphere in Down Comes the Night. If you are a fan of enemies to lovers romance and/or gothic stories, you should most definitely add this book to your to-read list!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book! My opinions are my own.

Ah I don't know where to start! I really enjoyed this book and connected with the main character, Wren. It was so nice not to read about someone who rises up and fights to save the world, like in so many YA books (though I've enjoyed many of them too!), but about someone who [i]feels[/i] and shows compassion, instead. Even if it isn't easy.

Let's start at the beginning. Wren is a magical healer in the army of the Queen and she serves under her best friend and former lover, Una. These two girls have been through military training together and they mean the world to each other, even if saying that out loud is hard. Too hard, most of the time. Theirs is a world of fighting, of thinking with your head and not your heart. Soldiers needs to be relentless, if they want to win the war. The war with an equally harsh country.

As Wren makes a crucial mistake in the eyes of the Queen, she is sent to live a small and unimportant life away from the court. That would have been her fate, if she hadn't received a letter from a nobleman from yet another country. There is a mysterious disease in his estate and he needs her magic to find the cure. To escape her fate, Wren accepts. When she arrives at the estate, many of the household staff have already succumbed to the disease. There is one who is still fighting for his life...
And Wren is surprised to find out it's the most deadly enemy of her country.

This book has some great gothic vibes. The scenes in the old mansion made me think of Jane Eyre, even. Sometimes the storyline moved forward a bit too quick for my taste, to me it felt like some things were happening a little too easily. It didn't take away from the story though. I loved the main characters and the way they interacted. I also loved the magic system and the way it intermingled with science!

All I can say is: go read this book if you like a good YA gothic romance. You won't regret it!

What do you get when you put A bi main character, a mysterious disease, and snowy mountains in the same book? A work of art..

The major thing that I will take away from this book is the amount of feeling and emotion that is packed into this novel. The characters have such a profound amount of compassion, with some characters experiencing a great sense of unrequited love that I could feel through the pages. My favorite part about this book was that it was character driven. The characterizations were so real, raw, and heartfelt. There was Wren, a healer determined to prove herself, caught in the whirlwind of her desires; and then there was Hal, a sarcastic, hilarious, and honorable guy who is always searching for the good in everything.

The world building was O-M-G.. It was snowy and war torn. Two countries stuck in a pattern of vengeance, with a third neutral party. The writing and prose was so well done. The scenery left me breathless and the politics were so interesting to study.

The writing, wow the writing. It made the book come alive. It's what made this world so well done, it's what made these characters so lovable, and it's what made this book so full of feeling. It felt like a snowflake, a ripple across an always still pond. It was gorgeous.

I would recommend this book to everyone who asks for a rec!

I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gothic horror meets high fantasy in this dark, steamy tale!

Wren is punished for healing a spy and the only way she can regain her position is to take a mysterious offer by Lord Lowry to heal his servant. The servant is none other than Hal Cavendish, her country’s greatest enemy.

Wren is bi and both relationships are well developed (but not at the same time!). The second romance is slow burn. Hal is a morally gray character who has done bad things for his country, but can he find redemption and forgiveness? Should Wren heal him?

The setting has all the feels of a gothic mansion. This story is a spooky delight that will give you chills and all the feels.

This book was full of suspense and twists! I really enjoyed this book more than I originally thought. I really enjoyed the plot and where the author took the story. I will be recommending this book to my friends.

Okay! There are gothic, disturbing vibes, a blooming true romance, hateful kingdoms, references to Darwin’s theory of natural selection and Frankenstein and pure magic dances with fantasy genre. This combination seems like an intriguingly fresh, riveting, enjoyable debut novel!

A dark mansion reminds you of Guillermo Del Toro’s dark, claustrophobic world building, a rich, mysterious man keeps very dangerous secret beyond the closed doors, two rivalries dig out mysteries by roaming around the eerie, ominous corridors, looking for secret passages to find clues to stop the probable war between the kingdoms as they helplessly fall for each other.

As the epic rivalry brings both kingdoms of the Danubian and Vesria at the edge of war, Wren Southerland is the most skilled healer of the Danubian, at the service of Queen’s Guard, is punished by her own aunt Queen Isabel who is merciless, ice queen, never shows any sign of compassion. She sentenced to spend her days at abbey as like the days she’s been abandoned as a child when her mother has died. Even though she is talented healer she is insecure because of cruel attitudes of Queen and now her best friend, lover Una puts her rising career in the kingdom first, criticizing her emotional choices as weakness.

As Danubian and Vesria’s guards who have powerful magic start to get missing suspiciously, both parties start to accuse each other which increase the war threat.

Now Wren accepts an offer via getting a letter from Lord Alistair Lowry, a rich, powerful man, came from scandals needs her help to cure one of his men at his service. This kind of powerful man could be a great alias to stop the war and make her position restore, earn her respect she is looking for. But of course Queen is not pleased about the existence of this letter and bans her to leave the place.
So she get to deceive Una to run away from abbey to ride on the carriage which is sent for her by Lowry.

But as soon as she arrives at the mansion, the suspicious attitudes and mood swings of Lowry makes her question about her decision and as soon as she finds out the identity of the patient, she wants to run away without looking back because the patient is their kingdom’s arch enemy Hal Cavendish: ruthless warrior, killer, using his destructive magic by using his enchanting eyes.

If Wren heals him, that will be treachery crime but does she needs to make sacrifices for greater good or she has to kill the enemy by herself which will be against the ethics of being a healer.

And the worst thing is not her dilemma to finish her mission properly. As she start to know more about Hal, she starts to understand both of the kingdoms were deceived and the things she believed were the distorted facts. The mansion they reside is full of deadly secrets and she has to be accomplice of Hal to find out the truth to bring justice and peace. But as you imagine, the chemistry between them and forbidden love drag them into a dangerous line they shouldn’t pass.

Overall: Likable MCs, riveting story telling, action packed, exciting development were the strengths of the story. Only one thing bothered me: At some parts romance overshadowed the fantasy genre which brought out unnecessary drama in the story. But I mostly enjoyed the promising premise.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this exciting ARC with me in exchange my honest opinions.

DOWN COMES THE NIGHT is a dark, atmospheric tale of magic, rebellion, love, and self-discovery written in a prose that possesses a certain something that will make this novel a deep favorite for some. It takes on familiar tropes and spins them with intriguing twists while simultaneously crafting characters you can't help but feel curious about whether you despise them or love them.

I want to start this review out with two things to keep in mind throughout. 1: From a very early point, all the way until the end the thought, “How is this a debut?!” kept popping into my head on repeat. 2: This book is the gift that keeps giving, and by that I mean that every time I was content with something, it just got better!

I don’t want to give anything away in this review since at this time the book is still months away from release, so I’m going to try to keep things as vague as possible.

The characters in this book actually come to life in the page! Whether they’re kind, evil, icy, stoic, frustrating, or a combination of the above they live and breathe and are incredibly compelling. Speaking of, I’m gonna need a companion novel from Una’s POV.

I’m a fan of world-building in general, but that’s a secondary thing to characters/relationships for me. That said, I very much loved and felt I was a part of the world in this book. The writing is both atmospheric and practical, and I was so grateful for a different kind of fantasy world too! I mean, I’m a lover of both historical and fantasy stories, and this was honestly such a perfect combination.

I don’t want to only dedicate this section to romance because the other relationships in this book are so wonderful! But seriously though, the romance!! All of these relationships are so complex and beautiful for it. There are lgbtq+ characters/relationship, female friendships that are incredibly important, enemies-to-lovers romance, and an intriguing villain/hero dynamic. The relationships portrayed go above and beyond what my expectations were.; I mean, they made me cry!

I’m missing probably a million things that make this book special in this review, but that’s just more incentive to read it! If you want to read a book from the perspective of a compassionate (bisexual) heroine who isn’t a “sword girl” then this book is for you. If you want to read about complex characters who have complicated but touching relationships with each other than this book is for you! No book is perfect, but this one was pretty perfect to me. It left me feeling so many of the feels I experienced after the finale of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and I mean that in the best way. Do yourself a favor, and give this book a read.

Wow. That’s really the one word that can describe this book. I loved it so much! From the first page I was drawn in and I wanted to know what happened. I don’t know if it was meant to be a Jane Eyre type retelling but it gave me those vibes for sure. I loved the twists and turns of this book and where it took you over the course of the entire story. I loved the characters and I found myself invested in what was going to be happening. While there was a lot going on with many moving parts, it wasn’t difficult to follow and I was immersed in the story as if I was really there. I highly recommend this title!

First off as a Fleetwood fan I really love the title of the book. Overall I really enjoyed this story, it was different than I expected. It was dark and Gothic with hints of beauty and the beast. You've got the war torn lovers just not in the way most books portray them. I was honestly expecting more of a "traditional" YA novel in regards to war, love triangles, and espionage. While there was elements of these things there was also a very Clue murder mystery thing going on and I really appreciated that. It kept me on the edge of my seat and my heart was racing.

The main character Wren, was someone I could really relate too in regards to the whole squishy emotional person. I've been there growing up and even now. No one wants to deal with messy emotions or tears, thinks it is very weak or something uncomfortable.

The magic system in this universe was really exciting and different! It is like its own system in the body working in harmony with the person which makes the effects the magic has completely unique to each person. It also kinda has this Avatar the last airbender feel to it with magic being passed down through bloodlines and having non magic users.

Now while the magic was new and refreshing I wish more was put into the world building and politics. It wasn't awful or lacking of anything important but i feel it could have been a little more in-depth or well rounded. When you get to the end some of the explanations fall a little flat not because it was an "egad this is a huge shock" moment but more because there could have been more character or world development going on.

This brings me to my other issue with this novel and it's timing. The transitions weren't the greatest and the time table everything followed was just really rushed. All of the story takes place within the span of a month at most and this wouldn't be a problem if the transitions or the pace was more organic. And this issue is something that may be edited and changed before the publication so I wouldn't take this as a huge drawback at all.

So in conclusion even with the issues I would still give this 5 stars. It is a different story some things you can see coming from a mile away but it is still thrilling and fun and different. It isn't the best book I ever read but I could see myself reading it maybe once or twice more in the future especially when I need that fuzzy happily ever after ending moment.

Enjoyable read that has a fun fantasy element and two countries at war due to religion. I appreciate the romantic aspect was handled very thoughtfully as well as inclusive. Very satisfying ending as well. I can see it as a standalone, but I'd love a follow-up novel!

Slow burn, enemies to lovers, and medical magic. Sold. Just so so sold. After a long search for a copy of this manuscript I was gifted one and approved on Netgalley within days of each other. I’m happy to report that this book did not disappoint.

I thought the slow burn romance between Wren and Hal was excellent. I found Wren to be very easy to relate to in many ways. I loved that she cries when she angry. It’s such an incredibly frustrating problem to have! It was lovely to see that in a story. Hal is portrayed as both tortured and complex. I really enjoyed watching their relationship develop. It was very evident that Wren struggled with the growing feelings for Hal knowing the atrocities he’s committed in the past. It made for an engaging story. I thought Lowery was a surprisingly interesting character. I really wish there was more of Hannah. I love books with the development of a platonic friendship and there was so much potential with Hannah. We were just starting to get to know her and then the plot moves onward. I was hoping that she would somehow be involved in the last act of the story but we don’t hear from her again.

The medical magic in this book was something that I just adored. I specifically love the concept that Danu healers and their magic don’t require any conventional medical knowledge but our character takes the time to tackle conventional medicine which is part of the reason why she stands out as an impressive healer. It gives the magic a practical anchor which I really enjoyed. Also, I was pretty impressed by the research Saft must’ve done for the medical aspects of the book. It showed through.

I really only have one thing I was disappointed by. I found myself wishing for more time spent with descriptions of the environments, especially Colwick Hall. I wanted to know all about it and I didn’t feel like I was able to picture it in all of its glory. Saft did however do a great job of conveying the feel of the environments. The grime and the crowds of the city. The cold, the isolation and the claustrophobia of the house. I would’ve enjoyed more specifics to help build the picture in my mind but it ultimately didn’t take away from or cause me to enjoy the story any less. I wonder if there was a worry that adding more could have interrupted the pacing which tends to be faster in YA?

Overall I thought Saft arrived with a beautiful debut and I highly recommend checking it out. I look forward to reading more of her stuff in the future as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for giving me the chance to read this book early.

DOWN COMES THE NIGHT is a debut YA dark fantasy filled with magic, mystery, and a forbidden romance set in a winter-drenched landscape where two enemies are trapped inside a crumbling manor fighting for their survival as each night threatens their lives.

I did enjoy the story, and loved the fact that it was a standalone novel that felt complete, but ended up being disappointed by the novel’s description labeling it as a “gorgeously gothic” YA debut.

Having a forbidding landscape of ice and snow and a crumbling mansion does not make for a Gothic read.

What Down Comes the Night did excel at was its strong combination of magic and science set in a fantasy world of gods and goddesses where two enemy kingdoms are battling for supreme reign. It had all the elements that I enjoy in a dark fantasy.

Wren Southerland is the Queen’s most talented healer, but after using her abilities to mend an enemy soldier she is removed from her post and finds herself sent far north to the doorstep of a reclusive lord in order to cure his servant of a mysterious disease.

Nothing is quite what it seems. The lord is odd, the staff distant, and the patient hiding secrets. All of which I loved.

Wren uses her healing abilities, which are a blend of science and magic, to heal. This gave the novel a unique feel and Wren’s personal struggle to use her healing in a meaningful way made her a relatable and engaging heroine.

There is a slow-burn romance that I enjoyed while the mystery surrounding his illness and the remote location of the manor, made for a sinister feeling of danger.

Overall, I enjoyed the writing. The story felt atmospheric and its unique blend of magic made this YA fantasy interesting. There is also a nice message about forgiveness and compassion that readers will appreciate.

I would recommend this to readers of YA fantasy and look forward to more of Saft’s work. I anticipated a dark Gothic read but got a dark fantasy instead, enjoyable, but not what I expected.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

"Whatever is done unto you, let it be repaid thrice over."

What the heck is up with this book?! I honestly don't know what I'm feeling right now. It's all too much and I. Need. More.

Probably one of the best decisions I ever made in my life is picking up this book. This wonderfully written, enchanting and filled to the brim with yearning book. It won't be out 'til next year and already I want to read it again.

Allison Saft's writing was nothing short of breathtaking. The story had me addicted from the very beginning and the characters were all so impossibly endearing they will forever hold a special place in my heart.

I honestly can't think of anything more to say right now. I just finished the book a few minutes ago and I'm still feeling WAY too much. But mainly? I just want more of Hal Cavendish. This beautiful, broken soul has stolen my heart and I don't care if he never gives it back. I just want to give him the biggest hug.

I am so impossibly in love with this book. Wren is an amazing and an admirable heroine. I love how she stays true to herself even when everyone around her makes her question it. Her compassion and kindness and loyalty know no bounds. Her strength lies in her caring, selfless heart and I love her for it. Una was another character I absolutely adore. I didn't care much for her in the beginning but she grew on me and now I just want to be her bestfriend. (Might she even get her own book? Because I'm totally all for that. *fingers crossed*)

A definite must-read! Go do yourself a favor and read this one asap!

“I don’t care to believe that the sum of us is what we do.”

“You understand you’ve made a serious commitment, yes?” She wound her arms around his neck and breathed in the familiar scent of him: black tea and sugar. “I might not let you go.”
“A terrible fate, indeed, to be your prisoner.”

I received an e-arc to read and review.

5/5 stars

*I received an e-ARC of Down Comes the Night in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press for giving me an opportunity to read this book!

Today, I’m excited to post my review for Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft! This book popped up on my radar for 2021 books that looked super appealing to me, so when I got an email saying I was approved for an e-ARC, I *may* have muted myself and turned off my webcam during a work meeting and did a happy dance around the apartment.

Synopsis:

Wren Southerland has finally found some freedom from the Order of the Maiden as one of the top healers in the Queen’s Guard, however that freedom is limited and short-lived when a moment of compassion leads to her immediate suspension. Her future looks bleak, until she receives a message from an eccentric lord living in the neutral country of Cernos, asking for help healing his friend in exchange for an alliance that could permanently end the war between Wren’s country Danu, and the neighbouring Vesria.

Once she arrives at Colwick Hall however, she discovers that this “friend” is none other than her country’s sworn enemy, Hal Cavendish. Soon, they both find themselves caught in a plot that could destroy both of their countries if they don’t stop it.

This book started a little slow for me. A lot of information is given within the first few chapters that can be slightly overwhelming at first as you’re starting to learn about the world and the characters. However, the minute Wren makes it to Cernos, I was captivated! Down Comes the Night was at times creepy and thrilling, and I often got actual chills while Wren explored Colwick Hall. Saft does a fantastic job setting up all the story’s twists and turns and created characters that really bury themselves into your heart.

At the start of the book, I really didn’t care for Wren and found her to be a little annoying. However, she quickly became a favourite of mine as she starts relying on herself instead of others and takes control of her own path. She is witty and smart and I loved that she turned to science to improve her healing skills, rather than just focusing on the religious aspect of her magic. She follows her gut and recognizes her mistakes, but most importantly, she doesn’t hide who she is or try to change herself in her quest to gain approval from her superiors. I especially loved her interactions with Hal and reading about her inner moral debates as she starts to realize he might not be quite the monster she initially thought he was.

This book has everything you could ask for: action, mystery, and a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance that you just can’t help but root for from the get-go! Down Comes the Night comes out on March 2, 2021 and I highly recommend you watch out for this book next year! Click here to add it on Goodreads. You can pre-order the book on Indigo, Amazon, or from your local independent bookstore!

Holy madre, this was such a surprise! I mainly requested it for the title, a Fleetwood Mac lyric, but the characters and romance really captivated me. Lovely!

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the chance to read this book early. It was a real treat.

Down Comes the Night feels a bit like YA Daphne du Maurier by way of Wuthering Heights - it's got a lovely Gothic element and tangled friend-and-family ties, both of which are the undisputed strong points of the writing. Wren's journey to understand that she's allowed to be who she is, even if others tell her she's "too emotional," is worthwhile and works nicely with the overarching plot of two countries who seem determined to keep fighting wars because that's what they've always done. The war plotline is well written enough to make readers think about real-world parallels as well, which is a plus.

My only major complaint (because I suspect that an odd fixation on sexy collarbones and some awkward scene shifts will go away in the final version) is that apart from Hal, every single relationship Wren has is toxic. Almost unforgivably so. That undermines the theme of "everyone deserves forgiveness" because after what *SPOILER* [Una and Isabel did to her, I really don't think they deserve the whole-hearted forgiveness Wren bestows upon them. Una especially - she's borderline abusive to Wren and not only is that uncomfortable in the book's LGBTQIA+ plotline (Wren is bisexual), it's also not something that should be swept away with broad strokes of kindness. (hide spoiler)*END SPOILER*] It's the kind of content in YA romances that makes me wonder why it's still present here when it's largely gone from adult genre romance.

That's why this is a 3.5 rather than a 4, because beyond that issue, I really enjoyed this Gothic delight.