Week 37 Reviews: The Stars are Dying, The Night is Defying

From Goodreads:

"The brightest star needs the darkest night."

In a world abandoned by the celestial guardians and left to suffer a tyrant king's reign, all Astraea knows is safety in seclusion. With fragmented memories of only five years of her life, she's determined to discover more about her past, even if that means fleeing the cruel arms that hold her safe from the wicked vampires rumored to roam the land.

But when Astraea stumbles upon the mysterious Nyte, she soon realizes determination alone isn't enough to guard her heart. He lingers like the darkness that expands between the stars, and soon she discovers her captor's wicked means of control weren't based on a lie to keep her under locks after all. In her desperation, Astraea accepts Nyte's help before she can decide if she might have sold her allegiance to one of the bloodthirsty beings the people of her world fear.

Once their bargain is struck, Astraea's chance to escape comes in the form of accompanying her best friend Cassia to the King's Central. There on royal territory it's the centenary of the Libertatem, a succession of trials hosted by the king in which five human lands compete for a cycle of safety from the vampires seeking blood, claiming souls, and savaging after dark. So when tragedy strikes, Astraea must decide if taking the place of a murdered participant for the safety of her kingdom is a ruse worth dying for, or if protection—and the answers to her past—really are her strongest desires.

From Goodreads:

The exciting second volume in USA Today bestselling author Chloe C Peñaranda's Nytefall series, where history is doomed to repeat, and star-crossed lovers must face a choice between their hearts or the world...

Vicious Nightmares Need Peaceful Dreams.

Shaken from the aftermath of the Libertatem, the newly found star-maiden Astraea is determined to keep her freedom, even at the cost of betraying her heart. But time is running out to recover her memories with the hole it will unveil her killer.

Embarking on a journey to discover her past, Astraea's awakening power spins the hourglass on a history threatening to repeat itself. While Nyte tries to regain control of the vampires hungry for bloodshed, a sinister plan by his brother to overthrow him sparks a dangerous feud. But are they willing to wear the blood of their kin to see it through?

For nothing in the past ever stays buried. Friends have turned into foes, brothers have turned into enemies, and what was written in the stars long ago ignites again in two hearts that were never meant to be. Letting Astraea go would save the world from darkness, but Nyte is no hero. It seems no monster is heartless, and no angel is without sin.

My Review:


Author: Chloe C. Peñaranda
Series: Nytefall #1, 2
Read: September 6th, 6th, 2025
Source: Bought 
Reason Why: Sounded really good and got book 3 as an audio ARC, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books! 
Publisher: Bramble 
Published: October 8th 2024, January 28th 2025

The Stars are Dying:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Night is Defying: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars