I got an ARC of this book and I decided to DNF it. They is nothing wrong with this book I just don’t love it and I feel like if I kept reading it would only be a three star and I have other books I want to read more then this rn. I DNFed at 22%. I felt like I just knew where the story was going and I was able to guess quite a few things before they happened so I felt like the plot would be too predictable for me. I’m also not super into reading about Greek gods or anything like that and I could feel like it was about to have a LOT to do with the gods. The writing style wasn’t bad and I actually did enjoy it but I just didn’t love the plot.

3.75 -⭐⭐⭐💫💫

She was Atia. The Last of the Nefas. And the Gods did not like it.

The Night Hunt is a Young Adult Fantasy Romance following Atia and Silas as they are brought together in a hunt for the gods, beings that have for far too long wreaked havoc and destroyed their lives.

Atia is the last of her kind. She is as Nefas, a type of monster that feeds on fear. Years ago her family were murdered at the hands of a god and she has spent her life simmering with anger and hiding in the shadows for fear she may be next. I found her fierceness and frustration to be so believable. She is a gruff character but also fiercely loyal.

Silas is a being known as a herald who are meant to assist the god of death to ferry souls and messages. Silas chafes at this role, especially when he is told this is a punishment from something he did and he yearns to know what that is...except his memories and his previous life have been stripped from him. Silas is an interesting character as he is both desperate and manipulative in his attempt to find out his past. He shows remorse as the story progresses and he starts to see Atia for who she is but there is vulnerability under the surface.

This book has no spice as it is YA. There is a small amount of kissing and a fade to black. I felt that the romance tugged on my heartstrings, especially in Silas' POV but I found it took a long time to build up and by the time it did the story is very close to ending. I think if this was a multi-book series it would be fine but the way things ended it seems complete. Now, don't get me wrong the romance, when it arrives, is beautiful; I just wish we had more of a build up.

"Who are you?"
"Yours," I tell her in a breath. "Only yours..."

The world in this book is really fascinating and drew me from the start. The lore around the different gods and creatures as well as realms really fleshed out this world and it was done in a way that never felt rushed - it was given in pieces as the characters progressed.

The story itself is engaging and well paced. I found the quest aspect to it to be done so well alongside the found family vibe that grew in their journey. Tristan and Cillian were the perfect compliments to Silas and Atia with their humanity and kindness. I loved how they were able to so easily go with the flow. Through it all, this story is a journey of discovery as they unravel the truth of the past while also learning to move forward. There is action and the dark aspect of the fantasy is there with the violence but the payout is rich characters influenced by their pasts. The ending is extremely well balanced and I wish this world was not over because the build up had been demanding more.

Overall, if you are looking for a rich fantasy world with aggressive yet loveable characters, powerful lore, and found family lives with a dash of the most heart tugging romance you will devour this book.

Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends for the e-ARC!

Like many of the books I've read this year, I feel pretty indifferent to The Night Hunt. I really wish I didn't have to say that because the premise of this book seemed so cool, but I just didn't connect with this book in the way that I hoped. I just felt that for a dark fantasy, this book could have done much better. I also felt like the romance in this book was quite lacking, and given that this book is being pushed as a romantic fantasy, I expected more.

I also didn't like the characters at all. I found Atia to be obnoxious and very "fake deep", while Silas had the personality of a cardboard box.

I will say, however, that this was a fairly quick read that you can definitely finish in just a couple of hours. I'm currently in a reading slump, so it took me longer, but this would be great if you're looking for something fast and easy. The monsters and magic system were also cool -- I think this is were the book succeeded the most.

The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo is the newest fantasy novel by this author. After already loving To Kill A Kingdom, I was very excited for this dark fantasy.
 
The concept of this book is absolutely amazing, and, in this world, there are paranormal beings like vampires, but also monsters and godly helpers. The atmosphere in this book is very dark and lush and it sucks you right in.
 
The protagonist Atia is one of the last Nefas who are monsters of illusion who feed on fear. She was such an intriguing person and I liked how you get to see that she is much more than just a monster. I also liked her vampire friend Sapphir.
 
Silas is cursed by the gods and was stripped of his past. His current role of a herald means that he is a messenger for the Gods and must help people into the afterlife. This reminded me a bit of the underworld in Greek mythology, and I absolutely loved it. Silas is a great person who rediscovers himself in this book.
 
Atia and Silas are a pair you wouldn’t expect to work together as they are on complete opposite ends of this world. But they can help each other and go through a dangerous mission. The plot was absolutely engaging, and captivating and I couldn’t put this book down. There was also a bit of romance, but I wish this would have been more elaborate.
 
Overall, this story is perfect for all dark fantasy lovers and for this year‘s spooky season. 4 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

(3.5) The premise of the story sounds super fun and overall I really enjoyed it. However, I do think that the worldbuilding could’ve been a bit better. Right now, I feel like the world Atia lives in was just kind of… there. I would’ve like to see some more world descriptions, as right now I struggled visualizing the lands Atia grew up in.

I did majorly enjoy the characters, though. The story is dual POV, which I always love. Atia’s character arc especially was fun to read. She starts of a grumpy loner and ends up… well still being grumpy, but not as alone anymore. She truly learns the value of friendship and working together for a common goal. Silas is a good counterpart for Atia, as he is quite opposite to her. It makes for fun interactions. His arc was also fun to read. I do feel that the development of the side characters deserved some more attention, though. They mostly existed to support Atia in her goal, but they also interact with each other. I wish that those interactions were a little more prominent, so that the relationships between all characters would be more rounded.

The plot was pretty solid, too. Right from the beginning you know there’s something not entirely right about the Gods and what happened to Atia’s kind. But it’s something to which the answer is not easy to guess. There were plenty of twists, but there was one specific one that I did not see coming at all, which I love. It’s quite impressive really, because the reader gets no chance to even guess what it is. I felt the buildup to the finale was done quite well, but I do wish the Gods were more involved throughout the whole story.

This was a really easy read that was also perfect for curling up with a blanket and a hot drink. It's kind of comforting. I especially think this is the perfect time of year for a book like this.

The world building and mythological aspects were some of my favorite details. However, the characters and some of the dialogues came across as just a bit too ya for me. So, with that said, I think this is a good book and that many people will enjoy it, but it just wasn't for me.

Out October 10, 2023!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

LOVED THIS. I absolutely fell in love with this story. I love the way this author writes morally grey YA characters. The main characters here Atia (a monster known as a Nefas) and Silas (a Herald- basically death) are truly morally grey, watching them find their humanity through their journey was heart-warming and entertaining. The relationship that develops between them is so romantic. I just love a Romantasy where he falls for ALL of her, especially her monstrous side. I loved the found family theme (the side characters are so lovable) the plot was fast paced and action packed. I really could not put this down. This is the perfect seasonal read. Full of gods and monsters this was incredibly entertaining! I highly recommend if you like:
✔️ Dual POV
✔️ Morally grey MC’s
✔️ Found Family
✔️ Spooky vibes
✔️ Gods & Monsters
✔️ Banter
✔️ MMC with Shadow Magic
✔️ YA Romance
✔️ Enemies to reluctant allies to lovers
✔️ Short Chapters
✔️ Stand-alone
✔️ Fast paced plot

Monsters & Magic & Gods & War & Kisses. I am going to put that on a t-shirt Key and Peele style because I loved everything this book was. The Night Hunt was nothing short of mythically bloodthirsty and romantically unstoppable. I absolutely adored this story by Alexandra Christo.

We get a dual POV from Atia and Silas. Atia is a Nefas (a monster of fears and illusions) and is the last of her kind and Silas is a herald of souls. When Atia is cursed to lose her powers, she teams up with Silas, Tristan, and Cillian to regain her power and restore glory to the Nefas.

I adored following both Atia and Silas for very different reasons. Atia is all strength. Truly proud of who she is and will fight tooth and nail to regain everything she lost. Whilst Silas also wants to regain what he lost, he is gentle and almost calming yet at the same time fierce and unyielding. I loved watching these two collide and couldn’t have loved it more.

The twist at the end was such a fabulous one. I had suspicions but could not quite nail down what it was. I love it when you get a good gasp of surprise. Also, I definitely slightly swooned over the God of Death and think he absolutely needs his own book… just saying. If you’re into Gods and monsters with an adventurous journey and a side of romance, you definitely need to pick this one up!

The Night Hunt 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the change to review this book! I was quick to jump on board since "To Kill A Kingdom" was a favorite dark romance of mine.

"The Night Hunt" is an absolute gem. It had me on the edge of my seat, constantly surprising me with its twists. I was awestruck by the unique world it painted, where humans and monsters coexist. The dual POV from Atia and Silas made the story even more engaging, keeping me interested and swept away in this amazing world.

The characters—Cillian, Tristan, Silas, Atia, and Thia—felt like friends I didn't want to part with. Silas and Atia's slow-burn romance was both heartwarming and *chefs kiss*.

I can't recommend "The Night Hunt" enough. The cover is just a glimpse of the magic inside. Alexandra Christo has poured her heart into this, and I'm eager for everyone to dive into this enchanting adventure. 📚✨

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo was marketed as a “dark romantic fantasy”, this book wasn’t very dark or romantic.

Let’s start with the story itself. While there was nothing necessarily wrong with it, it was very shallow and convenient. At no point was I worried about any of the characters or feeling any of the stakes of the situations they found themselves in. I’m not sure what was supposed to qualify this as a “dark” fantasy (maybe the dark backstories of the main characters?), but I did not see it as that at all as it did not have the intensity and emotion of a dark fantasy. It was just a normal fantasy book.

In terms of characters, Atia and Silas both had very interesting backstories and complexities, but their actions and words weren’t always consistent. It felt hard to get a feel for who they were as individual people. As a romantic pairing, I truly could not believe their relationship as it was not very well developed. That goes for their relationships with Tristan and Cillian as well. They were supposed to be this found family, be each other’s “home” but I’m really not sure where that trust and loyalty was built as I didn’t see that on the page.

That being said, I really did like Tristan and Cillian as side characters and wished we got more of them. They kind of felt like they were just there during pivotal points of the story.

The dialogue between characters was probably the best part of the book. There was some very well-written banter, I just wished I was more attached for the characters themselves.

Overall, not a structurally bad book, it just could’ve used some more depth all around. If you’re looking to get into the fantasy genre, definitely give this book a try!

3 out of 5 stars

The author who write To Kill a Kingdom and a few other books is back with another Ya fantasy that’s on the darker side. We follow 2 characters Atia and Silas, Atia is a monster who feeds on peoples fear and Silas ferries the dead into the afterlife so very Charon from greek mythology. Well Atia breaks a law and now the Gods are sent out to hunt her. This is a standalone book so you don’t have to worry about a cliffhanger as it wrapped up nicely. This was absolutely right up my alley, great characters, dark story, an interesting world. Recommend for sure!

"From Alexandra Christo, the author of To Kill a Kingdom, comes The Night Hunt, a dark fantasy romance about a monstrous girl who feeds on fear and the Gods-cursed boy who falls in love with her.

Atia is a monster who feeds on fear. As the last of her kind, she hides in the shadows of the world to escape the wrath of the unpredictable Gods. Silas is a Herald, carrying messages and ferrying the dead as punishment for a past he can't remember. Stripped of his true name, he yearns to recover his identity.

Atia would never dream of allying with someone like him, but when she breaks a sacred law and the Gods send monsters to hunt her, Silas offers an irresistible deal: he'll help avenge her family and take on the Gods who now hunt her, if she helps him break his curse and restore his humanity. All they need to do is kill three powerful creatures: a vampire, a banshee, and one of the very Gods who destroyed both their lives. Only together can they finally rewrite their destinies."

Because why not kill a God?

I'm a huge fan of Alexandra Cristo's writing and The Night Hunt did not disappoint! The cover is lovely and I was hooked just knowing that it was about a monster that feeds on fear. Definitely a story for those who enjoy found family tropes/themes.

I loved this! It reminded me of one of my favorite books in high school, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, with a little bit of Percy Jackson sprinkled in, but the plot was entirely its own. I loved all the characters and their found family. I'd consider both Atia and Silas to be antiheroes, which are always fun to read about it. Their character growth was very well done and I enjoyed spending time in their perspectives.

I liked the world-building, as well. As someone fairly familiar with Greek mythology, I recognized a lot of the inspiration, but none of it felt cliche or overdone. Christo built a world that is entirely her own. I would've liked to know more about the mortal kingdoms and their rulers, but overall everything felt well-developed, especially for what I assume will be a standalone book.

This is the first book of Christo's that I've read, but I'll certainly be checking out more in the future. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a fun YA fantasy adventure.

Thank you to the publisher for the early review copy.

Unfortunately this one just wasn't for me. It was trying to be kind of quirky and it didn't work for me. I liked the idea of it.m, but the system with the heralds just didn't fit the book for me.

I can see why other people would like it, just not for me.

Thank you NetGalley, Feiwel & & Friends, and Alexandra Christo for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! The cover is GORGEOUS and is honestly the reason I requested the book haha. However, it sadly didn’t work for me at this time… I hope to pick it up again in the future though.

This is a light YA fantasy, ostensibly about monsters, but it’s actually a sweet found family story. It’s pretty surface level, but still a quick and enjoyable read that relies on Greek mythology for its pantheon of gods and creatures. The relationships that build between Atia, Silas, Tristan, and Cillian as they travel together on their quest are the highlight of the book. I will say the reveal towards the end definitely surprised me, but I liked the resolution we got for all the characters and the story.

“Pastries and murder, what’s not to love?”

3.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a requested copy to review. All opinions are my own.

When I saw that this author was writing something new I was so freaking excited! I’m so blessed to have received an early copy. I see this book being super popular when it releases. YA fantasy readers are going to love it! The writing is so compelling and really drew me into the story. I loved the world-building, lore, and mythology. There are many different types of interesting creatures and powers. There’s found family, lots of action, epic quests, forces at work, and unique twists. I love that the main character is kind of a villain. It really added something new and fresh to this genre and gave her the morally grey depth that I love. The banter and tension between Atia and Silas are so good. You’ll fall in love with them and be rooting for them the entire time. This was a fun, fast read and I definitely recommend it! Buy it for the stunning cover, read it for the exciting story.

I won't lie I went into this book expecting to just have an okay time and I have to say I had a GREAT time.

I've read Alexandra Christo's To Kill a Kingdom and from her first book to this one wow the writing style has gotten so much better. This book was actually very easy to love as most books with the found family trope often are. For a book filled with monsters, nightmares and gods this left me with such a soft feeling inside by the end.

My only reason for not giving it a full 5 stars is because there were parts where the character development didn't exactly flow smoothly it just sort of flipped from one day to the next and there were certain dialogue that threw me out of the story but nothing major just something that I feel shouldn't have slipped passed an editor. But overall I did really enjoy this book and I need to mention the romance! It was somewhere in-between a slow burn and enemies to friends to lovers to kinda enemies again for a sec? There was definitely some tugging on my heart there for a bit.

Alexandra Christo is definitely an author I'll be going back to

truly one of the best books ive read this year!!

the night hunt really had everything, adventure, enemies-to-lovers, amazing world building and enjoyable side characters!!

the night hunt follows a Atia, a monster who is the last of her kind and a boy named Silas who does the Gods bidding. Both Atia and Silas had amazing chemistry from the very first pages although they were both on different ends with the Gods. The odd pair strikes a deal in hopes of breaking their curses. As the story progresses we get to see how Atia, a monster and Silas, a god-like boy are not so different from one another. We get to read how the couple overcomes their curses and plot revenge to get the answers they desperately want. Silas' story and journey to discover his past identity was very interesting and entertaining. The discovery of who he was in the past was greatly done and brought the story full circle!

I highly recommend this book for a fun and enjoyable couple and side characters that love adventure and revenge!