I liked the premise of this book so much, but unfortunately I just couldn’t properly get into it. I fully read up to 75% and skimmed the rest. It definitely gad its redeeming moments and I mostly liked the relationship between Nyte and Astrea.

Wow! After a slow start to the series this book comes back with a whole load of action. I was gripped especially the last 30%, I was glued to my kindle, flipping the pages relentlessly to find out what happens.

What to expect:
Fae, Vampires and Celestials
Dragons
Political strife
Brewing War
Forbidden Love

The love Nyte and Astraea have for each other is what really captures your heart within this book. Nyte is darkness personified and morally grey, he would literally destroy the world to be with her and to keep her safe. Isn't that what all us fantasy girls want though? Someone to say fuck it, I'm loving you anyway.

There are lots of twists and turns, with history unravelling slowly for us to see what happened before. Each part has a flashback memory chapter and I really liked seeing Astraea in her past as she tries to fix her future. She headstrong and powerful, I love that she comes out of her shell to realise her full potential.

The side characters feature heavily, and I loved getting to know them more. Especially Drystan and some of the other Celestials. I can't go into to much detail as I'm trying to keep this review spoiler free. But all I can say is READ THIS BOOK. If you struggled with the first one, I highly recommend you going it another go, this book will completely change your mind about the series. Nyte definitely on top to be one of my favourite morally grey shadow daddies 👏 ♥️

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book to read!

I'm just not sure this series is for me, I really wish I loved it but this still had a confusing plot and I'm not sure I 100% connect with these characters. It's probably just not the book series for me.

It’s really interesting to follow Astraea’s journey through this series. She’s really come a long way from when we first meet her in The Stars are Dying! I felt the writing in this book was better developed than the first and so made it easier to fall into the story, but The Stars are Dying still hooked me on this intense romance between Nyte and Astraea, the uncertainty of their path, and so many enemies and unknowns surrounding them. It definitely kept me on my toes and this continues into The Night is Defying, as Astraea tries to better understand who she is, where she came from, and how she’s going to save the world (a small feat, I’m sure!)

This book has a really good balance of character and plot development that really drew me in and kept me reading, and I can’t get enough of Nyte being completely obsessed with Astraea! He trusts in her and her strength, and celebrates her successes (even when they’re at his own expense. We really see how much he respects and understands her, but we also get to see more of him and of their past here which I was dying to see!

I got a little confused at the ending, and what I thought was happening was really not what was happening which kept me on my toes, but I think I really missed something so I might have to go and revisit that.

I am obsessed with this series and more so book two this was a perfect read for me. I have fallen in love with Nyte & Astrea and this just secured that more for me I loved that we saw Astrea discovering more of herself and her powers. I cannot wait to see where this story goes and what our conclusion is going to be.

I have conflicted feelings about this novel. I wanted to enjoy it as I did like the first book but the characters just did things that they themselves would think was a bad idea in their heads two minutes prior. Just a lot of it didn’t make much sense. About 75% through I began feeling I wasn’t connecting to the characters as much as I was before which was a shame as I feel this world has so much beautiful worldbuilding. I just didn’t find myself engaged no matter how high the stakes got.

Another fantastic book from Chloe. I enjoyed this book as much and perhaps even more than I did the first one. The flashbacks into Nyte’s memory to divulge secrets from Astraea’s past were a good addition and made the story even more exciting to follow. And dragons, who can resist them.

Definitely upped its game from book 1!

I liked book one, with its premise and characters, but felt it got lost a bit in all the mystery and secrets, especially with Astraea not having her memories and being an unreliable narrator. But this book finally answered all those questions and gave us so many twists and new developments! It was fab!

✨🌙✨🌙
Premise : (Spoilers for book 1)
Follows straight on from book 1. Nyte now is in charge of Vesitire, but struggling to keep control. Astraea is trying to unlock her memories and develop her power. All the while trying to resist the pull to Nyte, the man she now understands to be her enemy.

But the Celestials are keen to bring her back home, and willing to stop at nothing. And Drystan seems to have an army of vampires, hellbent on an uprising. Who will come out on top?
✨🌙✨🌙

The book really came into its own, and especially with the flashbacks that Nyte showed, answered so many questions about their past and their bond. What I loved:

🌙 NYTE!! I dare say he became even better this book! He’s still absolutely deranged; he not just “touch her and die”, he’s “think about touching her and die”. But he’s so supportive of Astraea and her journey. She literally can have him killed repeatedly and he’s just proud of her for finding her strength. We love a supportive man 👏👏👏

✨ Their relationship. We got to not only see the development of present day Astraea x Nyte but also the past versions! And both were so cute. Although present day came with A LOT of spice as well. The hallway scene was a particular *chefs kiss* for me.

🌙 Astraea’s character development. She truly becomes so strong in this book, and I love the ending for her, as I think it’s the direction she needs! Especially her standing up to certain individuals.

✨ Wider characters. Drystan is 100% my favourite! Especially seeing more of their brotherly bond in the flashbacks. I love him and his cunning mind. And Nadia, is just unhinged and I kind of love her. She definitely brought some fun to the book! Plus there’s now a little creature in the group, which has me very excited!!

All in all, it was a fab read! The ending will definitely leave you wanting more, but I’m very excited to see what happens in book three!

Chloe C. Peñaranda weaves an unforgettable story with rich atmosphere, engaging characters, and twists that will leave you speechless. This is a must-read for lovers of dark, poetic fiction.

I got an early copy from netgalley and I am so buzzing I did.

I loved this book, being back in this world was everything I needed.
It was great to see more of their love story come alive - we get more history and how we got to this point.
When another love interest was introduced I was like no I hate love triangle so I am so glad it didn't turn into anything.
I can not wait for the third book!!

For me it was 5⭐️ it had me on the edge of my seat, in tears, laughing and now I’m just a bit broken.

The MMC Nyte is simply incredible.

I know I will read other reviews now and I will probably agree with some people’s opinions about things they didn’t like. But for me this book swept me up, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and all I want to do is turn back to page 1 again…. And to me that is a 5⭐️ feeling.

I am now off to send 1001 emails to the publishers so I can hopefully get an ARC of book 3!

I think this series is maybe just not for me. Whilst I enjoyed the first book, I wasn't completely enamoured with the story nor the characters. I was interested enough to read this sequel, but I'm not sure I will continue to book 3.

There was a lot happening, so I didn't get bored, but as the reader I felt very out of the loop until the very end of the book. The characters are very typical romantasy characters, and while this is no bad thing, I did feel that they were a little two-dimensional a lot of the time. I think if we learned a bit more about the characters, especially Nyte, outside of his relationship with Astrea, he would be more personable.

I was also a bit over some of the smut by the end. I love a good spicy read as much as the next person, but when it starts to overwhelm the plot and become superfluous, I get a little bored.

** Thank you to the author/publisher for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own. **

Okay, this is not a review for book two. I thought I was going to love this series, and have had a copy of book one for years - I got it while it was still indie published, but held off on reading until book two was coming out. And I wish I could read this because I’ve been waiting so long, but I can’t even finish book one. I’ve tried different formats and everything, but I don’t know. Something just isn’t clicking and I’m not enjoying it at all. I’m sorry an earc was wasted on me.

"The Night is Defying" by Chloe Penaranda offers a significant step up in polish from the first book, demonstrating a clear improvement in writing quality and overall presentation. The world-building, a strong suit of the previous installment, continues to be richly imagined and effectively woven into the narrative. However, while the ambition to clarify earlier plot threads is admirable, it unfortunately contributes to the book's biggest weakness: an unwieldy and often confusing plot. The narrative jumps between timelines and perspectives, sometimes obscuring rather than illuminating key events and character motivations.

The characters, particularly the intriguing Nyte, remain a highlight. Penaranda has crafted a compelling figure whose internal struggles and complex morality keep the reader engaged. Astraea, too, possesses a captivating presence. However, the characters' arcs feel inconsistent. Their relationships, especially the central romance, suffer from abrupt shifts in emotion. One moment they are deeply in love, the next they are filled with animosity, leaving the reader struggling to understand the motivations behind these dramatic swings. This inconsistency, coupled with the convoluted plot, often clouds their actions and makes it difficult to fully invest in their journeys.

Despite these narrative challenges, "The Night is Defying" offers glimpses of brilliance. The world Penaranda has created is fascinating, and the core conflict between Astraea and Nyte holds immense potential. With a tighter, more focused plot and more consistent character development, this series could truly shine. As it stands, it's a book brimming with potential that's somewhat hampered by its own complexity. Fans of the first book will appreciate the improved writing and deeper exploration of the world, but may find themselves frustrated by the occasionally perplexing plot and fluctuating character dynamics.

The Night is Defying is the second book in the Nytefall series and it picks up right after the ending of the previous book, The Stars Are Dying. I'm a huge fan of Peñaranda since i read An Heir Comes to Rise series. I felt like this book has more action than the first one and is a bit more emotional.

This book has a dual timeline and dual POV's, which allowed me to discover more information about the events in the past through the perspective of both Aestrea and Nyte. I loved to see Aestrea's journey through this book, as i enjoyed seeing her love and Nyte's being tested with a lot of obstacles but they kept coming back for each other against all odds. This was a bit heart-wrenching at times but worth it.

I felt like it was more intense, full of betrayals and i was at the edge of my seat time and time again. I enjoyed the pace of this book more than the previous one and felt like there was some interesting plot twists. I enjoyed the character development throughout the book and while it was a bit slow at some points, the cliff-hanger is making me anxious to see what will happen to them in the next book.

I recommend this series to all that enjoys an addictive romantasy book full of politics, alliances and secrets, that will keep you hooked for the start.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eArc!

I am not okay after The Night is Defying. Chloe C. Peñaranda has once again delivered an emotional rollercoaster that wrecked me in the best way possible. This sequel takes everything I loved about Nytefall and dials it up.

The stakes are sky-high, the twists had me gasping, and the ending? Absolutely brutal. I thought book one was intense, but this? This was next-level. The worldbuilding is rich, the writing is stunning, and the slow-burn tension will make you ache. If you love star-crossed lovers, morally gray heroes, and fantasy that makes you feel, then you need this book. Just prepare for emotional devastation—you’ll thank me later.

2.75

I’m not sure what went wrong with this one for me because I really loved the first one. In all honesty I think a lot of it has to do with timing! I’m coming off a 6 star read and I’m in a slump so really had to force myself through. I found Astrea really annoying in this one, and the plot just didn’t feel like it was moving for ages? It was very repetitive. I did reallly love Nyte though 😍😍 he probably is responsible for a whole star of this rating 😂

4.5 💫 this book is FULL of yearning and heartwrenching romance, as Astraea fights to unlock more of her forgotten memories. dual pov gives the reader insight into the past through the memories of others (pain) and i really loved being in Nyte’s past and seeing the world through his lens.

as established in book 1, Nyte being “the villain” is a main theme in this book. i LOVED learning about the different species and how history, politics, and religion shape their outlook on Astraea’s bonds. (kind of reminded me of Dune & the bene gesserit, which i love!)

Astraea is so strong in this book. her development is TOP TIER and this journey pushes her to her limits and then some. i love a soft fmc who also pushes herself to become her strongest self.

the romance in this book is what takes the cake for me. (also established in book 1) the starcrossed lovers trope will forever be my favorite because the pain is oh so good 😭 Nyte is top tier book boyfriend (husband??) and the way he fights to protect Astraea makes my heart ache.

the one reason this isn’t a 5 star book for me is because I felt that at some points there was a lot of dialogue without a lot of action. by no means do i need a book to be 100% action, but i felt that the talking dragged on at points where we could have been showing instead. i still LOVED the story, characters, and am so excited for where this series is going!!

Admittedly though I am a sucker for a MMC being a simp for our main gal, and Nyte for sure holds no reservations with his fawning over Astraea. It makes for an addictive read for the romantasy folks as we hit all the serotonin marks, alongside a high-stakes fantasy plot with changing alliances and secrets around every corner.

I wasn’t sure about continuing this series at first, but this sequel changed everything.
It’s a lot more action-packed and emotional; it has all the elements I wished for more in the previous book.

The Night is Defying started right after the ending of the previous book, providing just enough information to jog my memory so I could keep up with the plot easily enough.
I love the dual timeline and dual POVs, which allowed me to discover more about the events in the past through different perspective of the two main characters, Nyte and Aestrea.

I really enjoyed seeing Aestrea’s journey as she battles to regain her memories and learn more about her powers. Not to mention, she also has to deal with a mischievous and tempting Nyte who always riled her up but always support her for who she is not for what she is.

It was impossible not to root for Nyte and Aestrea when it seems like fate always keeping them apart, yet they keep coming back for each other despite it all. Their love was tested with every obstacle, it was heart-wrenching but also admirable.

The last few chapters are so intense, I didn’t want to take my eyes off of my Kindle, afraid I’m gonna missed something.
All the chaos, betrayals and display of power in the final battle kept me on the edge of my seat!

Overall, this was an improvement to the previous book; more captivating with plot twists and significant character development.
Some parts are a little slow but that HUGE CLIFF-HANGER at the end just made me eager to pick up book 3 in this trilogy for more of Nyte and Aestrea. They deserved the happy ending they’ve fought so hard for!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: violence, bloodshed, blood

Second book in a planned trilogy so may be spoilers for book one, but none for this one

We join Astraea as she has her freedom, but still not her memories. She is spending time with Nyte but also a figure from her past, Auster, has appeared causing some conflict in her mind

Without knowing who she was, and who these people really were to her before, Astraea needs to find her place now and decide if head or heart are more important

All the while, she is also finding her place with a new group of friends, and trying to balance that with old grudges and connections

It did take me a while to get through this nook, typical middle book journey, but I really enjoyed the journey and seeing characters grow and find their places

But that ending, really got me, the journey just built up perfectly and I cannot wait to see how it all ties up in book 3

This installment is out next week, 28 Jan, thank you to NetGalley and Headline books for the review copy, all opinions my own