Audience: Adult
Plot: 4 out of 5
Characters: 4 out of 5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ out of 5
Keywords: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Star-crossed lovers, Fated mates, Vampires, Fae
Tea Pairing: Apple Cinnamon Chai from Plum Deluxe – perfect for chilled nights looking at the stars.

I received a copy of this book and audiobook through NetGalley from Tor Publishing Group / Bramble & Macmillan Audio. Thank you! All opinions are my own.

~~“It was only when I stood around more books than I could consume in a lifetime that immortality became desirable.”
~~“Because you are the brightest star…And the brightest star needs the darkest night.”

This novel is the first in the Nytefall series by Peñaranda, and is my first introduction to this particular author. This is a slow-burn romantasy that centers around Astraea, a woman with white hair and silvery tattoos, but who cannot remember her past. She is held captive by the ruthless Hektor, under the guise of “protecting” her. Having had enough, Astraea escapes to visit her best friend Cassia, who has been selected to participate in trials called the Libertatem. Later, tragedy strikes, and Astraea decides to disguise herself and take Cassia’s place.

At the beginning of this book, I was captivated by the whole idea of Nyte – who he is, what he is, and I kept second-guessing myself on whether or not he was real, or a figment of Astraea’s imagination. And when he was finally revealed, he gave me Rhysand-vibes from ACOMAF. And it just made me think – well how powerful is this guy that he can do X, Y, Z? Answer: Pretty powerful. But what about Astraea? She is alluded to having immense powers, which we only get a glimpse of in this book. I’m hoping that more will be revealed in book two.

Another aspect of the novel that I found particularly interesting were the trials of the Libertatem themselves. I really enjoyed how they weren’t the usual “trials” that I have read in previous books – so less fighting, and more solving puzzles and riddles, and overcoming certain virtues and vices. It was such a fresh take – that trials don’t always have to be physical.

Overall, I thought this book was definitely worth the read (even more so with the audiobook – Corvin King and Jacci Prior were absolutely amazing!). Corvin King – Wow! He has one of the most seductive voices that I’ve ever heard. For the audiobook, Corvin and Jacci both had really good chemistry, they read with expression and a lot of emotion. The audiobook narration followed the text really well, and both the ebook and audiobook, which also included two bonus scenes from the author. I really hope King and Prior will narrate the second book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who may have enjoyed The Serpent and the Wings of Night, as well as books with trials and games, and fated mates. I cannot wait to read book two which is scheduled to be released in January.

4.25 ⭐️

I thought this was so fun and I had such a GREAT time reading it. the banter and tension between the fmc and the mmc was delicious 😮‍💨🔥

this was not my first chloe book and it will not be my last

Big thanks to Netgalley and Chloe Penaranda for the audioARC in exchange for a review.


I didn't realize this was book 5 (part 1 of the Nytefall series) so it does well as a stand alone.

It's full of magic and mistrust, a little betrayal and lots of spice.

This fits into the very standard "basic girl becomes excellent and wins all the games" troupe, but that's only one reason to love the book!

4.5 stars.

It wasnt a bad read but it wasnt a fun read. A solid 3 stars does it justice as it stands between bad but good. I felt like this book lacked in banter (it was boring for me), it didnt have any emotional depth, and overall i feel like this book just wasnt for me. If u like a slow paced book with vampires and a man following a girl then this is for u.

This story is very slow going. I enjoyed the premise of the story but ultimately couldn’t finish this audiobook. Hoping I’ll go back later and try again- romantasy is one of my new favorite genres

The audio was confusing. The story was confusing. Very hard to follow and I just didn't seem to connect to the many characters.

DNF 46%

Okay I really struggled with this one because the pace is quite slow. There's a mystery elements that takes a while to unfold and while that was unfolding I was very confused about what was going on. The stakes are technically high but they don’t feel like they're really affecting the characters that much so I wasn't as invested. For people who love a slow burn story I'm sure this will be a hit. Unfortunately for me, it didn't quite land. I loved the performances of the narrators individually but I found the duet narration style only added to my confusion because the male narrator narrated all the male characters. If he had narrated only the love interest it might have caused less confusion for me.

2.5⭐️
🎧
*ARC Review*
I wanted to like this book and I had high hopes for it going into it but it just didn't work for me. On the good side, I liked the narrators' voices and I do think they made this book more enjoyable for me. They did a really good job at giving the characters life and feeling. The spice was also good and the characters had good tension. I liked some of the side characters and certain little details and quotes were interesting and captivating.
However on the other side of things... I didn't love how the plot of this book was simultaneously predictable and a big giant question mark. Like I understood everything that happened even when the author had long info-dumping paragraphs but the overall point of this book felt a little flat. Maybe this book is meant to be like this because it's setting up a bigger story but this just felt short. The whole trials aspect of this book was also boring especially considering in the grand scheme of things I don't think it mattered that much. I wished we had focused more on the veil and the other aspects of this book rather than facing all these games.
The romance promised me longing and sacrifice from the very beginning but as things progressed Aestrea's back and forth was a bit annoying and again it felt short for me. I wished we had gotten to see glimpses of their love story in the past or that the author hadn't insisted on keeping the details so vague of their past lives so because it just left me unsatisfied instead of intrigued.
I might read the second book, maybe in the future and it might make this one make more sense or I might just leave it here.

This is a dark romantasy with vampires! A perfect read for this fall/halloween!

I really enjoyed both of these MCs and the world that Chole C. Penaranda has built for this trilogy.

I was SO lucky to get an early copy of The Night Is Defying, so I will be jumping right into book 2!

When I pick up a book, it's as an escape, to be entertained. I don't think I should have to work unnecessarily hard to understand the story. With this book, I felt like I had wandered up to this chick at a party telling a story, and no matter how intently I listened, I couldn't see to understand a word she was saying. I also found the FMC really annoying. I had such high hopes for this book. It's got such a gorgeous cover, but in the end, it definitely wasn't for me.

I loved loved loved the dual narration on this audiobook. Both narrators did such a great job showing the emotion and pain the two main characters were feeling. While I feel like this book was confusing at times and overall left me with more questions than answers, I still am excited to pick up the next book to see where the characters will go next. This is a High fantasy novel that deals with real trauma in the main characters back stories. It is not a light book, so if you are looking for a fun easy read, this would not be my recommendation; however, I think the author did a great job with building out a world that I am curious about and I am excited to see where the story will go from here.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for

The Stars Are Dying by Chloe C. Penaranda Is a Romantasy-style story that reminded me of Acotar with bits of dystopian themes thrown in. The world-building at the beginning was a little difficult for me to follow but I stuck to it and ended up enjoying it. I loved the political and magic systems The main male and female characters' chemistry and back-and-forth banter was the most enjoyable part of the novel. I had to take breaks due to some of the context that was a little triggering but it's not too bad to where I felt the need to DNF. Overall, it's not bad but do check the trigger warnings before reading, that goes for any book though. I do feel the need to say that the male narrator sounded congested at times so it took me out of the story but other than that the audiobook was good.

I ended up (soft) DNFing the Stars Are Dying by Chloe C. Peñaranda for a couple of reasons. 1. was I just couldn't get hooked into the content of the book. It felt like a very complex set up that I was having trouble understanding. There were so many characters that were hard to keep track of. The plot also felt a little ridiculous. I also felt like both narrators had jarring voices for their parts. Everytime a new chapter started, it would take me out of the audiobook a bit.

I say *soft* dnf, because I was interested enough and could see myself going back in and finishing the book in a different format.

Wow, I really, really loved this audiobook! I’ve read and loved this author before, and true to her style, this was a captivating fantasy you will not be able to put down!

I love this one! I am on pins and needles waiting for the next book. It was such a beautiful world and I am obsessed with the characters. Night is everything and I can’t stop thinking about what is coming next.

I am so disappointed! I very nearly had to respectfully DNF this one. This book is long, slow, and filled with telling instead of showing.
Let's start with the good, the why I picked up this book: the cover and title are chef's kiss great. I was immediately sucked in based on that alone. I'm a romantasy girlie, so the presence of a Shadow Daddy is another big plus for me. The language the author uses to convey her story is interesting. I liked the names of characters, and they were distinct enough that I didn't get any of the handsome men around confused.
The reasons for the nearly DNF: the pacing is terribly slow. I really struggled with the repetition of ideas and dialogue that I think a better editor would have cut down. There was also a lot of telling and very questionable decisions on the part of the FMC (why even go back to the house you needed to sneak out of in the first place when you plan to leave again almost immediately?) The Shadow Daddy was not more than a voice in the FMC's mind for so much of this, and without an established relationship it just felt like a cheap connection and a little unhinged with her even questioning whether he was real over and over again. This book feels like I've read this story before. The magic system might be unique, but it was hard to tell with how little is explained except for infodump chapters toward the end.
Why I did finish: I was up all night sick, and it helped distract me from how I was feeling. To that end, I was ultimately not upset with how long it is.
If you loved A Court of Thorns and Roses (specifically the first book in the series), you will definitely enjoy this one.
The audiobook narrators were fine, though Corvin King was difficult to understand at times, especially in the beginning. Most of the book is first person pov, with Jacci Prior reading the majority of the text, and King reads the first chapter and all male dialogue. I found the gravelly nature of his voice pleasant but not always clear enough.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC.

I had so much fun with this one. I love Chloe’s writing and I adore a spin off series. I am so glad she is getting the recognition she deserves and this is a brilliant story to be traditionally published.

Great concept.. good story line! I like the characters, but felt disconnected from them, I think when the premise is that the main character has no memory it is difficult for writers to draw readers in-- it all feels a little stumbly bumbly, but the world building is very intriguing.

C.C. Peñaranda's The Stars Are Dying is a captivating fantasy novel that introduces readers to a world where the stars are fading and the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. The story follows Astraea, a young woman who discovers she has a mysterious connection to the celestial bodies.

What I Loved:

Intriguing Premise: The concept of a world where the stars are dying is both unique and thought-provoking.
Compelling Characters: Astraea is a relatable and strong protagonist, and her relationship with Nyte, the enigmatic figure she encounters, is both intriguing and romantic.
Fast-Paced Plot: The story moves at a brisk pace, filled with action, adventure, and unexpected twists.
Well-Developed World: Peñaranda has created a richly detailed world with its own mythology, magic system, and political intrigue.
What Could Have Been Better:

Character Development: While Astraea is well-developed, some of the supporting characters could have benefited from more depth.
Pacing: In some parts, the pacing could have been a bit slower to allow for more character development and world-building.

Overall, The Stars Are Dying is a captivating fantasy adventure that will leave readers wanting more. Peñaranda's writing is vivid and engaging, and the world she has created is both fascinating and immersive. If you enjoy dark fantasy with a touch of romance, this book is definitely worth checking out.

The audio narration on this is fantastic.

Really enjoyed the story telling and am beyond excited for book two.