This book is a perfect continuation of the first. I loved The Stars Are Dying and while it stands as an excellent introduction to the series, it left me with so many unanswered questions which I couldn't have been more happy with how they were answered in this sequel.

If, like myself, you read the first instalment over a year ago, I would recommend to do a re-read. The first 20% of the book I probably struggled to get myself back into the world with it's politics and the characters we met in The Stars Are Dying whilst also being introduced to new characters.

However, once I was in I couldn't stop thinking about it. It opened up a whole new world through flashbacks and memories that were some of my favourite chapters of the book. The book was filled with revelations that will make you gasp, moments where your heart is in your throat and some delicious spice!

The Night is Defying ramps up the tension with a perfect balance of sizzling romance and high-stakes drama. Family betrayals, dangerous feuds, and unexpected twists kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters are intense, and their chemistry is off the charts. If you’re looking for a gripping read that keeps you guessing and wrecks you in the best possible way, this one’s for you. The series has me hooked, and I can’t wait for the finale.

The Night Is Defying is the second book in a Fantasy Romance series and I really enjoyed the first book when I first read it over a year ago but I absolutely loved this one, it was everything I hoped for and more and the next part of Astrea and Nyte’s story can’t come soon enough!

The Night Is Defying begins shortly after the end of the first book and I’m not lying when I say I was hooked from the very first page. There was a lot happening here with even higher stakes and I’m so happy we got answers to so many questions I’ve been asking while reading the first book, the way everything made perfect sense was amazing and the author created a truly fascinating and complex story set in an interesting world with tension and plot twists that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Astrea truly shined in this book, she grew so much from who she was at the beginning of book 1 and it was amazing so see her development, she became more badass and confident and took charge of her own life and after everything that happened I can’t wait to see her in book 3. Nyte… to say I had mixed feelings about him in the first book would be an understatement but OMG I was not ready for how much I would fall for him in this one. To describe him in one word, I would say he was perfect, the way he was always supporting Astrea (even in hurting him), pining for her, being devoted to her and just loving her was simply perfect and so beautiful to read and my heart was breaking for him so many times, I loved that we finally got his POV here and his chapters were my favorite, I love him so much and he is definitely one of my favorite book boyfriends. His and Astrea’s relationship is so complex and heartbreaking but also so beautiful, I loved seeing them truly accept and choose each other (and their banter, the spicy scenes, the conversations and, honestly, all their scenes were incredible) but my heart was breaking for them and everything they had to go through, both in the past and in the present timeline, I’m just rooting for them and want them to find a way to be together, I really hope they will get their happy ending and I’m still mad at the author about that ending, it’s brutal and had me crying and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

The Night Is Defying is a perfect continuation to this incredible and fascinating series, I absolutely love Astrea and Nyte’s story and can’t wait for its next part. If you haven’t started this amazing series yet, I definitely recommend it to all fantasy romance lovers, trust me, you don’t want to miss it.

The perfect blend of fated mates and court politics.

The second book picks off where the first ended (that ending though!?) and we get answers to questions we were left with.

There’s a lovely sizzling romance which keeps you entertained and deeply invested. I absolutely loved the book, devoured it and now it will live with me for a long time!

After the explosive ending of The Stars Are Dying, the story takes an even more thrilling turn, with bombshell revelations and an avalanche of challenges and heartbreak awaiting the characters.

The pacing of this book is exceptional. Action-packed sequences are seamlessly balanced with slower, heartwarming moments that bring depth to the narrative. These quieter interludes provide valuable insights into the characters’ personalities, motivations, and relationships, creating a story that is both gripping and emotionally resonant. I was completely hooked and found it nearly impossible to put the book down.

Aestraea's journey is nothing short of relentless. As the star-maiden with no memories, her struggles feel raw and unending. She battles not only with her mysterious powers and fragmented memories but also with the crushing sense of being trapped by a fate she never chose. Her character development is masterfully written—her journey of self-discovery and her eventual ability to trust herself are both poignant and inspiring.

Nyte's character is equally captivating. Through his memories, we uncover his original motivations and how they irrevocably shaped his world. The perception of his villainy from the first book is skillfully challenged as the narrative peels back layers of his complexity. It becomes clear that monsters are made, not born—a theme that adds depth and nuance to the story.

The side characters are vibrant and engaging, adding richness to the world-building. Their individual struggles and the ripple effects of past events provide a broader perspective on the story’s stakes. Even the love triangle—something I usually dislike—was handled with finesse. Aestraea’s memory loss and Nyte's refusal to manipulate her by revealing too much create a refreshing dynamic that feels authentic and compelling.

Finally, the relationship between Nyte and Aestraea is beautifully developed. Their love shines through in every action, even amidst the chaos of determining who is truly right or wrong in their world. Their unwavering determination to prioritize love, even as the fate of the world hangs in the balance, is both moving and uplifting.


Book 3 cannot come soon enough, I am desperate to see how this is wrapped up and im praying my heart will not get broken further.

“They fear you because you do not fear yourself and therefore they do not control you. It is the greatest power you’ll ever have.”

As a follow up from The Stars are Dying, this was everything I needed (and a little more).

Astraea, now the newly recovered Star Maiden, is desperate to recover her lost memories, and reclaim control over her power. Nyte is trying to maintain order amongst the vampires after the disappearance of the king. Amidst the political turmoil, Astraea and Nyte cannot stay away from each other, and history seems doomed to repeat itself.

This book was dual POV, but it is truly Astraea’s story. Her self-discovery as the story goes along slowly unspools the knots of confusion and missing pieces that she faced in the first book, and as a reader, we go along with her, and I enjoyed uncovering the mysteries with her. At times, it felt like some plot points were glossed over, whilst other parts were too slow, so it felt like the story jumped a bit. I enjoyed the addition of new characters and places within the world, it added more depth.

“I’ll always want you … through every realm. To the collapse of stars in every one.”

The romance between Astraea and Nyte grows from the first book as we get some more context and memories from their past. Nyte is a great MMC, and I really enjoyed having his POV in this instalment. I like a bit of pining in my romance, but Nyte was a tad too agreeable and constantly enamoured with Astraea for my taste. It felt like there wasn’t enough tension within the relationship.

“I will be your shield, your shadow, your weapon. I will be whatever you ask of me. There's no denying I'm the villain they whisper me to be, but since you, I'm at peace with what I am. Because now I do it all for you. To see you rise to everything you were created to be."

This was a great continuation of the Nytefall series, and I am itching for book 3 to see where the story goes.

Thank you Netgalley and Headline for this ARC.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Headline | Wildfire for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review*

It was a lovely conclusion to an interesting duology. I hated the steamy scenes (they felt repetitive and overwhelming) but other than that it was really good.

The night is defying
Author Chloe C Penaranda
Release date 28th January 2025
Rating 5 stars Cawpile 9.5

When I thought that this book could top book 1 as you know the age tale of middle book syndrome. I am so happy that I was wrong this book is everything and more. It gave me heart racing moments, it gave me romance, it gave me spice, it gave me all of the emotions that I needed.

Nyte you are everything and trust me I too would damn the world to stay by your side .
Astraea you came into your own this book and now it is time to show how much of a badass you are.
This world is everything and I will forever highly recommend Chloe’s books because for me they always will be what I am looking for in fantasy romance.

The ending was ahhh and now I will sit rocking in the corner as I await for the next book, Chloe you are a talent and do not allow anyone else tell you different.

Thank you for the publisher for allowing me to read this early it will a book which will stick with me for a long time to come.


Review going up on instagram 22/12

I didn't think anything could top Book 1 in this series, but Book 2 was out of this world. I have fallen heads over heels with this series.

Just an amazing as the first book. Couldn't stop reading once I'd started. Loving Astrea and Nyte's story so much!
Very well written and fast paced.
Can't wait for more!

I. AM. SPEECHLESS. This book is EVERYTHING!! It's so, so, SO good!! Astraea's character growth was phenomenal. She's come a long way from terrified girl from first book to the confident and utterly magnificent woman she is. Watching her gain her true self back was amazing. As well as learning the real Nyte. This poor boy deserves so much better. My heart was breaking for him and his insecurities in every next pov of his. Which I was actually happy to have. I was dying to know what's going in his head. The love Astraea and Nyte have?? It's so beautiful. So pure. And so devastatingly heartbreaking. When Chloe said they're star-crossed lovers she wasn't kidding. In fact, she was detracting the whole tragedy. I literally have no words to describe the hollow that this book left in my heart. And the ending was a cherry on top of the emotional damage. But I loved this book so much. It kept me immersed in the story and I couldn't put it down. It was everything and more and I can't wait for third book.

Summary

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

Spicy rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5

The last 20% off this book was a whirlwind!
The start was a little dry but once you get stuck in there’s a lot to unpick. It felt very character driven this time but once everything starts kicking off the action felt absolutely non stop.

It definitely had me on my toes and honestly I couldn’t tell you which characters to trust, there was epic betrayals coming from everywhere. Everyone has their own secret intentions and hidden plots and whilst you get some hints it was definitely entertaining trying to figure them out.

I enjoyed the dual timeline of this one which helps clear up a lot of lingering questions I had from book one and it felt like a great way of exploring the fated mates who are dated to kill each other angle. The story starts to get more and more cohesive, the more Astrea’s memories come back to her.

I really love the romance between Nyte & Astrea, watching them fall in love, their biting back and forth is so much fun to read. Nyte is such an angsty pining puppy for Astrea and I love that about him. Seeing him go from brutal villain to just wanting to be loved by her broke my little heart. The villain for her but never to her. Such a swoony MMC and I’m not sure I’ll get over what happened to him at the end of this book 😩!

Astrea coming more in to her power was fun to read but I am READY for her to enter her villain era and fully explore this power. And the addition of Dragons 🐉 was excellent in this book I’m ready for more of them too!

Things that would’ve made this a 5⭐️ read for me would’ve been:
-more development and explanation of the magic system
-more development of the found family element (it was there but just needed a little more
-more balanced pacing the first half felt quite slow and not as gripping. All the action was packed in to that last 20%

Book 2 in the Nytefall Series - 4.5 stars

“I’ll always want you … through every realm. To the collapse of stars in every one.”

I really enjoyed The Stars are Dying so I was really excited to go into book 2 but oh my gosh, I loved book 2!!

We got so much more depth to the plot in regards to Astraea's heritage and memories, more around the political and historical landscape of the kingdoms, and lots more focus on the relationship with Astraea and Nyte! It's difficult to get a good balance between romance and fantasy sometimes but this was perfect for me.

There were some details in the plot which could have been expanded more but maybe that's coming in the next book, which I'll definitely be reading!

Firstly a huge thank you to Chloe, Headline Publishers and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this eARC of The Night is Defying.

I’m not sure I have the words to convey how much I loved this book. It’s been one of my most anticipated reads since I first bought the Indie version of The Stars are Dying back in 2023 and I fell head over heels for Nyte and Astraea.

TNID is everything I hoped it would be and more. Astraea and Nyte’s story is captivating, beautiful and tragic all at the same time. TNID allows us to see more of their past so we can start to understand how they’ve ended up at this current point in time.

It takes place pretty much straight after the events of TSAD and Astraea is trying to recover her memories and understand more of who she is, all whilst trying to work out who to trust. I loved her growth in this book. Her strength and will is unbreakable after all she’s been through and one thing is clear to her above all else; she will never be used as a pawn again.

Nyte is the most beautifully complex villain. Painted as a monster by all, Astraea is warned against giving her heart to him again, as it will spell the end for all. But only she see’s him clearly. A monster sometimes yes, but also a victim. She sees his pain and his vulnerability, a man hardened by all he’s survived. And when he shows her a softness and devotion reserved only for her, can she refuse what her heart wants?

Wicked banter, magic, politics, betrayals, vampires, fae and celestials battling for power, a stunningly crafted world, with found family and a beautifully tragic love story at the heart of it all, The Night is Defying is an epic sequel and the continuation of one of my now favourite fantasy series.

este libro ha ido de peor a mejor!!!!! En el inicio fue bastante lento (también hacía mucho que salió la primera parte y tuve que refrescar todo) pero poco a poco se va viendo el cambio en Astrea, es una reina absoluta.
Nyte tiene mi corazón, mi alma y todo mi ser, este personaje no es de este mundo 🥹😶‍🌫️

Deseando ver por donde sigue esto y espero que no tarde mucho