Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy for review.

This is basically just going to be a spastic gushing of how much I LOVED THIS BOOK!! The setting was gothic and atmospheric and set the perfect tone for the story. Hal is a broody, mage boy, with crazy eye magic and known as the Reaper. Wren is a powerful mage healer, emotional, bi, orphaned and feels unloved. They are, obviously, on different sides of this war, so naturally they are unexpectedly thrown together. There is a murder mystery taking place in the Gothic castle of Lord Lowery who is quite eccentric and suspicious. The mystery, magic, the gorgeous slow burn enemies to lovers, political games! I loved it all!! I think the pacing was perfect for this, and the ending left me satisfied and wanting more. I think my favorite thing though is how much Wren and Hal, but especially Wren, grows throughout the story.

Down Comes the Night is compulsively readable and trope-filled, having me steal moments (and ignore acquaintances on public transport) to peruse the ebook on my phone whenever I could. If you are looking for a war criminal/magical healer ship, this story is pretty focused on the romance and delivers sexual tension like it's nobody's business. Who gave this author the right to write a bisexual heroine yearning for appreciation and a terminally ill warrior who lost his ability to kill people with one glance, first of all?

This novel is not gothic per se. Not until 20% into the story, during which we are introduced into the society and politics of a country perpetually on the brink of war with it's arch enemy, and training child soldiers in preparation for the next big clash. Even past that part, you technically only get a whodunnit plot set in a snowed-in mansion, with a heavy dose of belligerent attraction between the two protagonists stuck inside (yes, the magical healing requires touching), not the actual terror of the unknown coinhabiting in that secluded space. Nevermind the copious amount of plot holes.

Again, this is a YA plot that could be so much more believable if the characters had been aged up, instead of having teenagers reach the highest military ranks before turning eighteen, or excel as physicians at an age I had just gotten admitted into med school. Saft would have profited from having a medical professional fact-check her writing, to be honest, because while her heroine Wren initially uses a lot of correct medical terms and describes procedures in a convincing manner - if a bit en masse - it quickly becomes apparent that the author does not, in fact, know what "bone marrow transplant" means, or how to draw blood from a patient.

In the end, I wasn't exactly swept off my feet by (quote) "snow-drenched, gothic, romantic fantasy that keeps you racing through the pages long into the night". But I did fall for this cast with unexpected arrays of characteristics, and enjoyed the unusually soft ending that left me waiting for more from this writer. A solid debut, with room for improvement!

Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft is a YA Fantasy stand-alone (works as one at least) debut featuring a bisexual main character, a gothic (maybe) haunted mansion, a mysterious illness, and the popular enemies to lovers trope. I absolutely loved the first half of this book, but felt the big mystery was figured out too early on and the rest was a bit drawn out. There were twists and turns enough to keep me reading though and it is still a very enjoyable read. I found the world building interesting. There's a mix of two magical countries as well as one that has technology instead of magic. I also enjoyed the romance and felt it was balanced with enough plot that it doesn't overwhelm the main story.

This was . . . . okay?

I think there is an interesting idea and characters at the center of the story, but maybe it needed some more development or editing.

I was never really able to orient myself in the world. I'm still not really clear what it "looks" like. There was a lot of intense anatomical detail and vocabulary which kind of bogged it down a little; a felt a lot of times that the plot just moved forward conveniently, not necessarily believably.

The cover doesn't really match the contents.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I posted a full video review at @courtofopinions on Instagram, but I loved it all. The setting? The magic elements, which were well considered and clearly written? The romance? The casual bisexuality? I loved this book so much. I am excited for its release --- this book has everything a reader looking for a one-sitting fantasy read could ask for.

What a book! The romance is a slow burn in the best way and I loved reading this book. I was very intrigued by the main mystery of the book and needed to know what was behind all of it.

With an atmospheric, beautiful cover and a description giving me all kinds of gothic vibes, I was anxious to settle in with this story on a dreary night.

After Wren is suspended from the Queen’s Guard, she ducks out of her next assignment and heads to Colwick Hall in an attempt to get back into the good graces of her aunt, the queen. Although Wren’s last living relative, the queen has never shown her any affection and barely tolerates her. Once Wren realizes the patient she’s been hired to care for at the hall is an enemy of her kingdom (Hal’s killed hundreds of people), the story really began for me. The crumbling mansion surrounded by acres of snow is the perfect setting for her to unravel the mystery of Hal’s illness and uncover the person responsible for the disappearance of several soldiers from her kingdom.

Wren is a compassionate person, an important trait for a healer, but she trusts too easily, and it comes back to bite her more than once. As the Reaper, Hal has a dark, violent past, but I wanted to know more about his transformation from the Reaper to the person Wren meets. Several blank spaces kept me from really knowing both of these characters. Their slow burn romance is sweet and gooey, but as I’m not much of a romance fan, it got a little repetitive – but that’s just me. Other reviewers were big fans of their relationship.

The story offers plenty of tense, action-packed moments and a few graphic medical scenes that may cause some readers to cringe. It’s not exactly the novel I’d expected, but still an enjoyable read with a satisfying ending.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4.5 Stars

Man do I love it when a story delivers on it's promises, or more precisely it's premise. Although, I will say I went in expecting perhaps a bit more of a typical haunted house type of situation but I am infinitely more pleased with the way the author seemed to use the setting as more of an symbol/extension of the chilling emptiness one is left with when all you cling to are cold and empty things.

Down Comes the Night was everything I wanted it to be. It peaked my interest from the start but after the first roughly 35% it really took off. While I do think there maybe could have been some more pizzazz sooner to really draw in the reader fully in the beginning it was still intriguing and before I hit the halfway mark I was captivated.

There was an uncanny natural flow to so many elements to this story which was surprising and impressive for a debut novel. The raw emotions, the keen observations, the character growth and complicated relationships...it all shined so brightly against the backdrop of the chilly crumbling mansion. There were quite a few beautiful passages that will stay with me for awhile, sometimes the kindle's greatest function is the highlighter.

I'm not sure if this is a standalone novel, it certainly could be. It ended in a great place but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't holding out some hope that this story will continue! Either way, I greatly look forward to what this author comes out with next!

It's not that I dislike this book, but I do strongly question this as a YA title. It really feels more appropriate to classify this as New Adult. That being said, there is nothing that I would say is terribly mature about this and I wouldn't have reservations about putting it in my teen collection (I just think it feels more adult-y).

This book is definitely a gothic fantasy. I enjoyed the premise even if the mystery was not terribly compelling in my opinion. A tab bit too predictable. I am definitely in the minority of readers, as most people seem to really love this book. It, quite simply, was not my cup of cocoa.

I loved the sound of Down Comes the Night but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I absolutely fell in love with this story. It surpassed all of my expectations.

Wren Southerland is a healer. Anyone born with her kind of magic is a healer whether they choose the profession or not. She is also Queen Isabel’s niece, but there is no love there. The Queen has never liked Wren and when her reckless use of her magic costs them a captured enemy with valuable information, she banishes Wren from the Queen’s Guard. Wren hates this because she has been working alongside her best friend for so long and she cannot fathom being away from the girl she is in love with.

The only salvation in sight comes in the form of a letter from a Lord Lowry asking for her aid in curing his ailing servant from a mysterious illness that has been claiming lives. Stealing away in the night, Wren goes to Colwick Hall and finds that the ailing servant is really a sworn enemy to her kingdom. Hal Cavendish is an infamous killer, the Reaper of Versia, who has slaughtered countless numbers of her Danubian people. If she can heal him and bring him back to her Queen as a prisoner, she will finally be seen as worthy in the eyes of her aunt.

But in Lowry’s old castle, where ghostly sounds can be heard in the night and certain wings are off limits (purely for her safety, of course), Wren learns that there is something more wicked going on here than just a regular illness. Hal is slowly growing on her, as she gets to know him and begins to see him as a man instead of the monster she always believed him to be. Together, Wren and Hal must uncover the truth before it is too late.

This was the perfect amount of mystery and intrigue, mixed with a beautiful romance, retribution and some really incredible characters. The pace of this story moves with perfection to keep you guessing and fully invested. Set in the most wonderful snowy backdrop, the isolation feels thick and this decaying castle almost feels like its own entity. Wren is a headstrong and willful young woman who fights for what she believes in, even when her own self-doubts creep in. And you will completely and entirely fall for Hal and his desire to be a better person. He carries a heavy weight along with his magic and his reputation.

What a wonderful debut Down Comes the Night was. Allison Saft is definitely an author to watch!

"He saw the darkness in her magic. She saw the magic in his darkness.

Wren Southerland’s reckless use of magic has cost her everything: she's been dismissed from the Queen’s Guard and separated from her best friend - the girl she loves. So when a letter arrives from a reclusive lord, asking Wren to come to his estate, Colwick Hall, to cure his servant from a mysterious illness, she seizes her chance to redeem herself.

The mansion is crumbling, icy winds haunt the caved-in halls, and her eccentric host forbids her from leaving her room after dark. Worse, Wren’s patient isn’t a servant at all but Hal Cavendish, the infamous Reaper of Vesria and her kingdom’s sworn enemy. Hal also came to Colwick Hall for redemption, but the secrets in the estate may lead to both of their deaths.

With sinister forces at work, Wren and Hal realize they’ll have to join together if they have any hope of saving their kingdoms. But as Wren circles closer to the nefarious truth behind Hal’s illness, they realize they have no escape from the monsters within the mansion. All they have is each other, and a startling desire that could be their downfall.

Allison Saft’s Down Comes the Night is a snow-drenched romantic fantasy that keeps you racing through the pages long into the night."

Don't forget the Gothic, ALL the Gothic vibes!

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for the ARC!

Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft is a gothic fantasy thriller about war-torn countries and their citizens trapped in a cycle of violence for duty above all. Wren is a healer, gifted with the magic to aid the sick and wounded. Her compassion earns her a swift dismissal by the Queen, but when a letter comes from a noble of a neighboring country with an officer she can't refuse, Wren takes off in an attempt to help her country and her standing with the Queen. Wren arrives to help the noble's ill servant only to find not a servant at all, but the enemy of her country Hal Cavendish, known as the Reaper. Wren has to make decisions about what's more important - compassion or duty?

I'm just going to go right into this here -- Hal Cavendish is what the Darkling could've been. He's a man who's done terrible evil, who has no right to pity or sympathy, but he manages to garner it anyway in a story where no one is completely innocent. Where children are expected to fight and die before they can fit a uniform. The story does not take place over a long period of time, but Saft managed to make the romance feel organic with the way it unfolded. Wren was bitter towards Hal and angry with herself, and we see it thaw only when they've had time to unravel the philosophical rules of war and what it means to the citizens of their countries. The propaganda that leaders feed the public and what they're forced to do under the guise of duty.

Wren is harsh and angry at times, but I was very glad to see she wasn't a wilting flower, especially since her gift is healing and there's a great deal of emphasis on helping people no matter the situation. I feel like that can spiral very quickly into a character who is soft and quiet, but Wren was not. She got herself into more trouble than was probably necessary, but it felt true to character. The sapphic relationship she has is such a classic case of needing someone for comfort and clinging to a lifeline in a horrible situation, and I liked the way it turned out in the end.

The story itself is a good one. It lends us the vibe of a mystery-thriller in a gothic mansion setting, and though I pretty much had it figured out not far into the story, I still enjoyed seeing it unfold. The villain is a character that would be incredibly likable if they weren't so horrible, and I'd actually love a little peek into their upbringing to see what makes them tick some more.

My one and only issue was that things resolved rather suddenly with one character in the end. I won't spoil it, but it just seemed to come on suddenly and felt almost too nice and tidy.

A fantastic gothic romance with strong characters and a unique story!

I am in love with this book.

I won't lie, the beginning wasn't as enthralling as the rest of the book, but by the time Wren arrives at Colwick Hall, I WAS HOOKED!

Saft is a beautiful writer whose prose pull you in and set the scene so perfectly it's as if you're breathing the same air as the characters she wrote.

And don't even get me started on this enemies-to-lovers trope that I would literally DIE to read again for the first time. Saft writes it so perfectly, so slow-burny, that my little heart couldn't take it anymore by the end. Hal + Wren 4Ever.

Overall, this book is fantastic for fans of murder mystery-esque gothic fantasy. And romance. Because wow, did my heart skip far too many beats while reading this book.

Down Comes the Night is the first novel from Allison Saft. The cover drew me in but the story was able to hold up to the feelings I was wanting from this haunting, creepy cover. A great friends to lovers fantasy book that will keep you entertained throughout! I hope to read more by this author in the future!

Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft is a lyrically poetic and gothically atmospheric steampunk romance filled with intrigue and a unique magic system.

I’m going to be honest though, the introduction of the book did not set the tone well. However, once Wren arrives to Lowry’s snowy estate and meets her brooding love interest, I was immediately pulled in.

Slow burn? Check. Enemies to lovers? Check. Only one bed? Check.

Overall, this story is filled with almost every delicious romance trope I could ask for in a novel and it kept me reading long into the midnight hours.

Gorgeously atmospheric, stunning prose, and a romance to die for. This debut from Allison Saft is one of my new favorites.

Will post a full review on my blog and goodreads closed to publication, I will update this review when the link is available!

Suspended from the Queen's army for unwarranted use of magic, and leaving the girl she loves behind, Wren a healer, ends up in the house of an infamous Lord. She is there to save his servant and a chance to redeem herself and help her Queen. But things get tricky when the servant turns out to be Hal Cavendish, her country's most ruthless enemy. Things are not as they seem and circumstances force them to work together.

The mysteries of the creepy house and its rules, plus the eccentricity of its lord, add to the intrigue. Even though its setting seems claustrophobic, it oddly isn't.

Wren is good-hearted and her compassion is what got her in trouble even though it shouldn't have. She and Hal are both dynamic characters. Both brave, stubborn in their own way and basically lonely. I enjoy how she tries to figure him out as enigmatic and wholly intolerable he is and in spite of herself is drawn to him. Enemies forced to work together are always entertaining and these two butting heads make you smile so much your cheeks hurt.

With a beautiful sort of lyrical tone in its descriptions for places and circumstance, full of pure heart-jarring emotions. The author has an eye for little things needed to paint a vivid picture. Such gorgeous writing, you never tire of the embellishments, never of the emotion, and certainly never of the practically poetic figurative speech.

A quote from the book "maybe the only difference between a monster and a hero was the color of the soldier's uniform" embodies the essence of the book. Other themes and lessons the book presents are: Trust in yourself and your instincts, listen to them and your heart. How duty can rule your decisions. The lust for power. Seeking the possibility of redemption. And it realizes the futility of war.

A slower burner, there is an ethereal ambience to it, a mystery steeped in danger, with the enticement of the forbidden. And such a twist igniting the story. With such an unexpected unpredictable turn of events making you unable to put it down. Have you noticed that you usually 'scream' at the best books? I wanted to scream plenty of times devouring this story. And cheer, and cry and swoon and hug the world with the happiness this book brought me.

I have received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. In the beginning this book was very slow, but as it went on it got more and more interesting. I didn't love a lot of the decisions the characters made and kind of felt disconnected from them at times. I did like the political side of this story, and understanding each countries role and history to what led up to how they are living now, and why their outlooks are the way they are. I also liked that this book came from the perspective of a healer because I found the medical side really interesting. I really liked the ending of this book, and that made up for the slowness of the beginning a little bit, but because the beginning half was so slow I realized this kind of story isn't for me. I need more action and plot than what was available, but know a lot of people love stories like these.

This book was well-written, the wintery setting was great, and I had no major beef with the characters, but it took me a long time to read because I would put it down for days/weeks at a time. I never felt that magical pull to finish it and had to force myself to, unfortunately. I suspect that was on me rather than the book though, and I do think this story will have a steadfast fan base, which is why I'm giving it 4 stars.

When I first heard that "Down Comes the Night" was described as a gothic, enemies to lovers YA (young adult) fantasy, I knew it would be right up my alley. And I was 100% right about it, too!
This book is a rollercoaster, and I truly enjoyed every second of the ride we follow Wren on. She must travel to a mansion shrouded in mystery to heal someone, an offer she accepts, only to find out that this person is her biggest enemy.
If you don't want my detailed thoughts, then I'll give you the main selling points of this book: a gothic mansion (!!!!), a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, a bi main character, an original magic system, a murder mystery plotline, and so much more!
The writing of this book is stunning. There were so many instances where I highlighted passages or lines solely because they sounded pretty! I love it when authors can weave metaphors or intelligent comparisons, and Saft didn't disappoint! The narration keeps you intrigued and gives this book an even more binge-able quality. It will keep you on the edge of your seat (for different reasons, at any chosen time!). Another part of this novel that I adored is the gothic aesthetic. Allison Saft executed it perfectly. It was glorious.
The plot is *chef's kiss*. I enjoyed every aspect of it, even if I was able to predict one or two of the plot twists, as the author pointed out: "it's less of a whodunnit and more of a whydunnit?". The "forbidden area" trope fit snuggly into the puzzle that is Down Comes the Night; it just added a little bit of spice!
Another "omg yes this is amazing" aspect of this book (there are so many!!) is the romance. A slow-burn enemies-to-lovers is everything I ask for, and it seems to be one of the common denominators of books I love. Wren (our main character) and Hal (our male love interest) are so cute together, and did I mention it's an enemies-to-lovers romance? Yeah, I think I may have, but here's your official reminder (spoiler alert: it's possible I'll bring this up again). I would also like to add that Wren is bisexual, and the representation is spot-on! Saft made this aspect work well in the story, and I think she gets extra cookie points for not using any of the stupid stereotypes surrounding being bi *glares at Hot Dog Girl*. Representation is crucial! Say it louder for the people in the back!!!
The magic system was epic. I loved that it was healing centered and that it had a usage in the military, as opposed to the usual "oh no! I have magic! I need to not die because of it!" (I have nothing against that trope, but DCtN was a breath of fresh air!). The amount of detail put into it? Insane! There was a surprisingly large amount of human anatomy concerning how the magic works, how it acts, where it's active in the body, and how that affects what kind of magic someone may or may not have. 
I'm writing this paragraph just in case you didn't catch on to the fact that I love these characters. Wren, Hal, Una (the main character's first love interest and best friend), Lord Lowry, and Queen Isabel (the queen of Danu) are all beautifully flawed. The villain believes they are doing the right thing. So does Una. Wren and Hal are my sweet babies, and I'd probably die for them, but we're not going to talk about that.
In conclusion, read this book! Come on, do yourself a favor. Pre-order it! You get character cards! If you pre-order through Kepler's, you receive a signed book, the character cards, AND an art print of everyone's faves!

P.S. I will be posting about DCtN on my platforms closer to the release date.