My most anticipated read/listen for December. I left the series after book two feeling desperate for conclusion and this absolutely fulfilled my dreams for a conclusion. Plot was fully developed, pacing was immaculate, and the complexity of the characters absolutely blew me away. I felt emotionally attached to this the entire journey and will continue to be a fan of this author for any future series in this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the gifted eARC audiobook.

“Once upon a time…there was a war between stars.”

Tropes/Highlights:
- Gripping conclusion
- Very high stakes
- More dragons
- Starcrossed lovers
- Found family

Audiobook specific:
Amazing duet narration like the previous 2 books.
5 stars for the audio production and performances!

Astraea and the gang have a lot of work to do in this book to conclude the series. First, she must break the curse that has Nyte trapped in a comatose state and the world in eternal night under an ominous blood moon. She also needs to battle the war against their many adversaries including completing her promise to Death to destroy her makers, Dusk & Dawn. These goals send Astraea and her companions on a new set of quests to again retrieve the key pieces and release all the dragons.

My thoughts:
I felt attached to these characters from the previous books so I was really invested in their story. I was nervous about all the plot coming together, but it did.

There was A LOT of plot happening. This book is broken out into 5 parts. That felt like a lot of parts!
I feel like the 2 main conflicts could have been split into separate books.
At times felt a bit repetitive. There are many love declarations throughout this and it sometimes felt like the same thing was being said in different beautifully poetic ways.

The writing is really beautiful though and Nyte is so down bad for Astraea, I could listen/ read his love declarations all day long.

I really loved book one in this series, so I was really excited to keep reading it (and to get this audiobook through NetGalley).

I did find this third book to drag quite a bit more than the previous books. It is a long book, but it also felt long. Sometimes, too long. It left me lost and couple of times.

This book continues will the same storyline that has now developed into trying to break a curse whilst dealing with some very complicated alliances and relationships. So we get to watch these characters go on their quests and adventures, searching for magical weapons and trying to save worlds (and dealing with some complicated god dynamics).

Oh! And we've got dragons! That's a major selling point for me ALWAYS.

I don't want to say too much more because I don't want to spoil this book or the previous books in the series. I'll just say that as the final book in the series/trilogy, I did want more from it. I wanted it to all come together a bit smoother and in a more exciting way. I always want a finale to wow me!

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of The Dark Is Descending.

Right up front, I didn't care for this title as much as I did the first two. It seems like our author was trying to cram too much into this last installment and there was way too much going on at any given point to really connect with the story or the characters. Also, it got difficult to follow in some parts even with the pace feeling slow/lagging in parts.

The duet narration also didn't work smoothly. The dialogue felt more robotic as the male and female narrators interacted with each other even from what should have been a conversational scene. The narrators connection, let alone the characters connection, didn't really shine through for me.

I feel like the major plot points of the trilogy were addressed in this third and final installment, I just wish it felt a little more cohesive.

This is chalk full of epic scenes, steamy scenes, and oh crap did that just happened scenes! The perfect ending into this chilly that I have grown to love throughout the year. It ties up every loose end nicely and I cannot wait to see what Chloe comes out with next.

What an incredible way to conclude Astraea and Rainyte’s journey. The Dark is Descending was thrilling, breathtaking, and completely relentless—there wasn’t a single dull moment. Every page brought something new that left me in awe.
Through every battle, Astraea and Nyte’s love remained unshakable. And trust me—there was a lot of fighting. The war claimed some of my favorite characters, each loss more heartbreaking than the last. Yet from all that devastation emerged an ending I never saw coming.
The twists and turns came so fast I felt like my head was spinning. My only real complaint—and the reason I’m giving this 4.5 instead of 5 stars—is that I wish we could have lingered a bit longer on some of those big moments. The pace was so quick that I sometimes struggled to fully take them in.
This series has carved out a special place in my heart. I don’t believe this is truly the end for Astraea and Nyte—their love will live on in the stars… and in mine.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to listen to the ARC audiobook of The Dark is Descending!

This series has been one of my favorites, and I’ve been eagerly anticipating the final installment. While the pacing felt somewhat slow at the beginning, it effectively addressed many of the lingering questions and unresolved threads left by the cliffhanger in book two. As the story progressed, the momentum built beautifully, and I appreciated how seamlessly everything flowed toward a satisfying conclusion.

The inclusion of Nyte’s darker side offered an intriguing and unique perspective, though I found myself wishing certain elements surrounding that aspect of his character had been approached differently. Nevertheless, the writing was elegant and engaging throughout, and the narrators delivered an exceptional performance that brought the story vividly to life.

Thank you again!

The Dark is Descending by Chloe C Penaranda was as captivating as the previous books in the series. Thank you net galley for the advanced copy! Can’t wait to see what’s next!

🎧 ALC Review 🎧
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Narrators: Corvin King and Jacci Prior
Macmillan Audio
Releasing December 2nd, 2025
The final book of the Nytefall series.
The duet narration with Corvin King and Jacci Prior enhances submergence, providing readers with the experience of the dialogue and emotional shifts in the present time. The emotional depth was phenomenal.

The Dark Is Descending by Chloe C. Peñaranda delivers a breathtaking, heart-pounding finale to the Nytefall trilogy, weaving together betrayal, sacrifice, and epic destiny in a world teetering on the brink of ruin. Astraea’s desperate quest to free Nyte from his curse forces her into impossible alliances, where the line between friend and foe blurs beneath the looming shadow of vengeful gods. Peñaranda’s lush, lyrical prose brings to life a realm of dragons, divine warfare, and soul-deep love, while the stakes soar to apocalyptic heights. With twists that cut deep and an ending that lingers long after the final page, this is a spellbinding conclusion perfect for readers who crave star-crossed romance, morally complex choices, and fantasy worlds steeped in both beauty and darkness.

i had to read this as soon as i got approved for an arc. holy cow, that was such a good conclusion to a series. i love them so muchh. the only thing is that in the audiobook, its a bit hard to keep track of when it's current or previous lifetimes.

i love this series so much.

thanks to netgalley for the advanced audiobook copy! ♡

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

Full disclosure, I read the first one, but not the second in this series so take that as you will.

In this one the star maiden has really come into herself. She knows what she wants and won't let anyone stand in her way.

I'm not sure if I was just unfocused or if I missed significant pieces by not reading the second book, but I felt a little lost on who each character was.
I'd recommend reading the series in order to help.

Lots of steamy scenes.

4 stars

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴"

Rating: 🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️

Trope(s)/Element(s):
-Star-Crossed Lovers
-Dragons
-Quests
-Gods
-Character growth
-Light vs Dark
-Found Family
-Brotherly Bonds

The Dark is Descending was a breathtaking, emotional conclusion to Astraea and Rainyte’s story and easily my favorite book in the trilogy. It was action-packed from start to finish, filled with intense battles, emotional highs and lows, heartbreaking losses, and a plot so full it took serious brainpower to keep up!

I absolutely loved how Nyte and Astraea’s bond stayed so strong and only grew stronger despite everything happening around them. Their love was timeless and eternal.

The dragon quest added a fun and exciting layer to the story and brought even more depth to the worldbuilding. There’s also so much incredible character growth, and the found family dynamic gave the story a heartwarming emotional core.

I was lucky enough to receive the audiobook ARC, and the narration was phenomenal! Corvin King and Jacci Prior brought Nyte and Astraea to life with powerful duet-style performances. Good Stuff.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

⚠️TW/CW⚠️:
-Violence
-Death
-Murder
-Sexual content
-Blood drinking

This is probably the best of the trilogy and totally worth the read if you sre able to commit some brain power to the plot and memory for characters.

Corbin King voices Nyte so well that I might picture Nyte anytime I hear his voice from now on. Absolutely perfect! Jackie Prior is always amazing as well. I felt as if I was Astrea. Her thoughts were my own, her feelings were embedded into me and her desires are all I wanted, too.

Eltinon is one of my favorite book dragons. The way he bonded (no spoilers) was awesome.

Light wolf!! The light power was so cool. Shadow powers/dark usually hit but I liked the contrasting light powers Astrea has.

Zephyr 💔 I loved him and was sad I didnt get a lot of him in this. I was glad that he has such a powerful moment of strength and love.

Cassia and Calix ugh I loved getting a glimpse of them again in this. Cassia was such an amazing friend and what we see of her at the end encompasses who she was perfectly.

I liked Nights Death at the beginning of this. It was eye opening to discover the personality in such a dark demon but he also felt like a pet to me.

Nyte and Astrea are one of the strongest book relationships. The pull they have to each other even when they think they have to kill the other is so intriguing and gives all the emotions.

I love Driston. He is still my favorote character and I am so glad he had his moment of victory and had more opportunity to scheme behind the scenes, surprising everyone. I hope he and Nadia have their own happily ever after.

The amount of characters could be overwhelming so keeping track of names and what side each are on and where they came from is important to grasp the fighting scenes fully. I had a few tear filled times feeling heartbreak over the characters emotions and outcomes.

This book is the 3rd in the Nytefall series, and it was jam packed with emotion, battles, trials, and relationships. Astraea is trying to find out how to break the curse on Nyte, but there is so much more going on in this book. Everything comes to a conclusion, and it was amazing and unexpected. I have to say that from book 1 when Astraea was naive is a far cry from how she has grown! I love a strong FMC, but to watch her become strength and fight for the rights of the people, even though they didn't always support her, was a huge growth for her. Nyte is also changed, primarily from his love with Astraea because she is able to show him the good in things. This was such a great series, and I will most likely reread this one again!

This is an excellent and absolutely thrilling conclusion the The Stars Are Dying series. I've had the pleasure of being to listen to all three of the books and they are immpeccably narrated and action-packed.

If I am being completely honest, I was so lost most of this book.. Idk if it was the time frame of when I read the second book or what but it took a minute to get back into the world and then maybe halfway though I just got lost and had no idea what was going on... I would be crying and then I would be confused again.. IDK, Its probably just me.. & I was just even more confused at the end... I adored the first two books though!

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

Thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book!

The Dark Is Descending
by Chloe C. Peñaranda
Series: Nytefall, Book 3
Narrated by Corvin King; Jacci Prior
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Time: 17 Hours, 39 Minutes
Pub Date: Dec 02 2025

“As the dusk and the dawn. As the night and the stars. As the dark and the light. History would remember the two fragments of gods, opposite in every catastrophic and triumphant way, who defied fate to become one.”
.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5|🌶️🌶️🌶️
.
What a beautiful way to wrap up the story of Astraea and Rainyte. The Dark is Descending was exciting, awe-inspiring and there was not a single dull moment to be found. With every passing page, there was something new that left me speechless.
Through every fight, Astraea and Nyte’s love held firm. And there was A LOT of fighting. The war raged, taking a few of my favorite characters with it. So much death, and every one was more heartbreaking than the last. But from the ashes, came the most unexpected ending.
There were so many twists and turns I felt like my head was spinning! I think my one complaint, the only reason I’m giving this book 4.5 stars instead of 5, is that I wish we could’ve lingered more on some of those moments. It felt like things moved so quickly, I struggled to keep up at times.
Overall, this series has such a special place in my heart and I just know this is not the end for Astraea and Nyte. Their love will live on in the stars and in my heart.

OMG this was definitely the best of the 3 books but wow! It has officially been branded into my soul. This trilogy is definitely up there with my favorites. I got to listen to this as an ALC and it was so worth it. The battle, the heartbreak, the soul ending pain….but the ending is EVERYTHING!! And that is my promise!!!!

I have not put this on my social media yet bc of how long it will be for people to have to wait. But I will make a reminder to post about it in November or so!!

Once again, an amazing book to the series, I'm sad it's the end but I would listen to it over and over again.