This was a wonderful book! The pace was steady, the twists were perfect and by the end I wanted to race to the finish (but also didn't). The characters were great and the world interesting. This is definitely a book that I will add to my library and will certainly be suggesting it to those I work with (and others!)

I enjoyed this story quite a bit, especially the mythology-based world building and how it was weaved throughout the story. The characters are likeable (especially Veda’s grandpa lol) and the slow-burn romance is well-executed. I will certainly be picking up a finished copy upon its release.

"Beware the Night" was an intriguing YA fantasy that follows Veda, a seventeen-year-old Basso who lives on the island of Bellona. Bellona is divided strongly by socioeconomic status with the Basso being the oppressed poor and the Dogio are the wealthy, ruling class. The people are taught to worship the Sun and make routine sacrifices of life to the Sun to keep them safe from the Night. The Night is the rebellion who frequently attacks (only the Basso) and keeps taking Basso who are never seen again.

Veda is friends with a wealthy Dogio, Nico, and they take care of each other. Nico is increasingly conflicted by the way the Dogio live as he spends time with Veda and sees the stark differences in treatment and food availability. Veda is developing a crush on him, but it is impossible. On a fishing day (supervised by the Dogio but a chance to get a little food for your family), she sees a boy from her cildhood and finds him also intriguing (love triangle style).

The book is slow-building with lots of mystery and reveals that keep you eagerly turning pages. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and definitely found it difficult to put down. I found the beginning to be a little slow and got lost in the telling a few times as this new world is built. There is a lot to learn about the way the island works and all the major players. Once it really starts moving, it flies, and I found myself lost (in the good way) in this story and the characters. I really liked Veda and enjoyed her point-of-view. I have a feeling we might get some other points-of-view in future books based on the ending, and I am so excited to get into these other characters. This book is really intriguing, and I definitely want to continue with the series.

I recommend for fans of YA fantasy/dystopian. This is a great new book/series, and I look forward to continuing with it (hopefully soon)!

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The premise of this story is excellent although I will admit I lost a bit of interest during the first half. It picked up more towards the end and I tore through it at that point.

*Thank you so much Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
*This review will contain a separate spoiler section with a warning.

2.5 / 5 stars
Beware the Night follows life on the island of Bellona for seventeen-year-old Veda. The people of Bellona worship and praise the Sun for their island. Veda is part of the Basso’s who are essentially the contrasting people to the Dogio. The Basso are the poverish working class people who are controlled by the Dogio to the point of oppression. The Dogio live rich lavish lifestyles and are a controlling force to those they deem lower than themselves. The Dogio take from the Basso and make them fight for their own survival. Most of the Dogio are military figures who work to hunt down citizens who do not obey, as well as members of the Night. The Night are people who are deemed dangerous by the people of the Sun. The people of Night contrast the people of the Sun due to their opposing views on how society should act.

I found the use of Sun versus Night to be very intriguing. I like how the author incorporated some mythology into this story with this inclusion. The author gave some background about who the people of the Sun are as well as the people of Night. I will say that this could have been done a little better throughout the story. The beginning of the novel definitely did the world-building very weakly. It did get better as the novel progressed but it could have definitely improved. Due to this, there is still some unknown information absent from the reader. I do not recall seeing anything told about population size for this community, which ties into one of my other points. The characters were okay but not anything special. Over time I found myself losing interest in the story. I had a hard time believing what was going on in this story.

*warning for spoilers! I’ll try to keep them to a minimum, but here is your warning.

“I suppose if you don’t believe what I’m telling you, then I am trying my best to convince you of it.”
(quote from eARC copy)
I felt like the author was trying to convince the reader certain things that were supposed to be believable but they just fell flat.

How am I supposed to believe that members of the Night can be infiltrated in as babies without any alarms being raised? This totally defeats the believability of the medallions and the control that the Dogio are supposed to have.

Why do the members of the Night never help out the Basso when they have the opportunity to, but never really do anything? How are you so good then? It blows my mind that these people did basically nothing to help others yet they believe that they are so good and doing everything they can.

How is the Dogio so controlling when they have no idea what is ever going on? People can be gone for days and no one really picks up on it. I don’t understand because it makes no sense. This inclusion contrasts with everything the author presents about the Dogio.

Why is this going to have more than one book? I would have given this a higher rating if this was a stand-alone. The ending is the typical cliché ending for this situation. Something could have been easily done differently and made for a way better plot. Unfortunately this book was filled with way too many clichés and tropes that negatively impact the story. This novel is suitable for young readers and they might find this enjoyable but I sadly don’t think I can recommend it to my followers. I really wanted to love this, but other than the mythology it just fell flat.

My thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

TL;DR: Predictable, didn't like the main character, but still want to see where it goes. 2.5/5 stars, it was OK.

Beware the Night is utterly predictable, down to the impetuous actions of our heroine, Veda. She is constantly told by everyone around her to wait, and listen, and go with her gut, because she's brand new to this whole thing and everyone else has been planning stuff for a long time. In the end, she listens to the first thing her brain ever tells her and reacts without actually thinking. As she says at the end of the book, she accuses everyone else of only thinking of themselves without realizing she's done the exact same thing.

And what's with the hourglass thing? I realize that hourglasses are a legitimate way to keep time, and that they were used for a long time (and still are in some instances), but the society as it's described doesn't seem to mesh with using hourglasses instead of clocks or some other time-keeping device. They have electricity and technology. There should be some way of making a clock that doesn't rely on everyone having a perfectly-synced hourglass around their neck. (And how does one use it for a timer when it's apparently supposed to be actually keeping time? Do they have multiple hourglasses they carry around? How does this make any sense??)

The love triangle is very strained. The constant mentions of butterflies in Veda's stomach is so overwrought. She's very obviously a love-sick teenager who's thrust into a role she has never wanted. She's confused, angry, being pulled on both sides, and doesn't know what to do. So what does she do? She acts out, completely disregarding the plans people have been making for years, and ruining everything. I couldn't stand her.

BUT BUT BUT (and there's always a 'but' if I'm not going to completely pan a book), I adored both Nico and Dorian. Yes, Nico is a bit wishy-washy, but I feel like he does what he feels is right for everyone, despite feeling powerless. Dorian's a bit of a puppy, but it's pretty clear he's loyal and passionate about what he believes in. Both of them have interesting perspectives, both have compelling arguments for their actions. If it weren't for the whole love triangle thing, I'd have enjoyed their characters so much more.

Anyway, I see that so far there's no mention of a sequel, but it's obviously set up for one because we get a clear cliffhanger at the end. It would be nice if there were a Goodreads placemarker so that I could be notified when it's out, because, if nothing else, I'd at least like to see who Veda picks (if anyone) and how this whole revolution fiasco pans out.

The world in Beware the Night is divided between those who worship the Sun and those in thrive in the night. The world has a very fierce divide not only between the Sun and the Night, but between the Dogio, the wealthy elite, and the Basso, the poor masses. So the things I found the most interesting are the relationships and secrets that bridge this divide. Whether it be Veda's childhood friendship with a member of the Dogio, or her new relationship with Dorian, or even her own family's past.

And with these relationships comes the idea of boundary crossing. Of relationships that may, or may not, be able to withstand the scrutiny, the differences. It speaks of connections with someone who may love you, but never understand you. Veda's life is not one of luxury, it's full of fear and poverty, of living day to day with her grandfather. And it is a huge backbone of who she is as a person, her loyalty, her appreciation for those around her.

I loved how compelling and real the characters were i this novel! So much action and adventure took place in this novel and you cant help but one click read it! The main character was so fierce and formidable! The love triangle was to be expected but it was done eloquently and wasn't over the top. I loved the wise Grandfather and how much you fight for them.

2.5 stars

I wasn't quite sure what to expect of this book, as it's different from my usual reads. Things unfold a bit slower than I would have liked. The world building is solid. There are some sweet moments, as well as some interesting plot twists. I found Veda to be a determined heroine. I really enjoyed her grandfather. He was perhaps my favorite character. However, I'm not sure that I felt invested enough in the characters and story to check out the next book.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn't require3d to leave a positive review.

Absolutely loved the world building. The heroine is strong and reltable. the ending leaves you looking foward to book two.

A fun and pulse-pounding adventure with a sensitive and fearless main character, and two handsome contenders for her heart. Still can’t decide which one I like best...

Beware the Night is a slow burn filled to the brim with lies, deception, and plot twists (oh, the plot twists)! Finely layered and structured, offering piece by piece as it slowly starts to take shape in front of you until suddenly you are nearing the end and you can't read fast enough. Sprinkled throughout are some sweet, tender, and swoon worthy moments that sets everything at a nice balance and doesn't allow itself to get too involved with one or the other.

Our main girl Veda is fierce, smart, and brave. She is the driving force of this story and she had me feeling every emotion imaginable with her clear voice. At every minute she doesn't know who or what to believe and is pulled in every direction. Our two guys Nico and Dorian both have their own allegiances and both think they are right with what they are doing which brings us to a love triangle of sorts. While I'm not the biggest fan of those, Jessika managed this one beautifully. No petty drama or forced interactions to cause said drama. Just three people dealing with their emotions and conflicted feelings the best way they know how. You can definitely see it playing a big part in book 2 and I hope that it stays along this same path.

Another character I really loved was Veda's grandfather Poppy. The embodiment of what a grandparent should be: loving, wise, and protective. He reached inside my chest and hugged my heart. Loved him!

I went into Beware the Night thinking I knew what I was in for and I was thankfully and pleasantly surprised. Will certainly be adding this finished copy to my collection next March (calling it an early birthday present to myself!) and preparing myself now for book 2!

*Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review early!*

I loved this book! The full review will be posted soon at kaitgoodwin.com/books! Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to connect books to their readers!