4 out of 5 Stars

***ARC received from Wednesday Books and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***

A gothic romance set in a snowed in crumbling mansion?

Yes please, sign me all the way up.

Wren is an amazing healer and she is always out trying to do what is right, even when it goes against the orders of her superiors in the guard. It seems to get her into trouble time and time again but at her core she is a compassionate person. She sees her chance at the crumbling mansion as an opportunity to prove her worth to a Queen and a superior that do not fully support her. I liked Wren as a character, I liked her struggles to do what she found was right with what others told her was right. A lot of this comes from her relationship with Hal, someone she has nothing really to prove to which allows her to finally grow into who she really is. Its an interesting comparison with her relationship with Una, someone that she believes she truly loves but is constantly trying to make herself into something she is not to appease Una. Both realize that they aren’t really compatible it just takes Wren longer to realize this.

I liked Hal, he is this world weary individual that has only been used of value for his gifts, much like Wren. He hates his abilities and feels like it is the only thing that defines him. He finds along with Wren that he does have value and that he can be of use outside of his abilities. Their romance felt a little too rush, almost forced at times, they had a good connection without needing a romantic relationship but in the end I was fine with it.

The beginning and the ending of this book felt a little disjointed from the middle of the book. Because the book was telling a bigger story about two countries at war instead of just a tight story about two people forging a bond together it felt at times like it was telling two separate stories with the same characters. Almost like it remembered at the end of the book it had a bigger plot waiting to be resolved. I didn’t exactly hate it but the story in the mansion felt tighter and more concise while the end felt a little like it didn’t belong with the rest of the story.

I don’t know if this is going to be a stand along book but it sets itself up to continue on Hal and Wren’s story that I do hope that the author revisits this world. I would like to see how Hal and Wren’s relationship grows as they begin to explore more of the world.

A truly lovely fantasy romance that ticks ALL the boxes!! From gothic feels, magic, enemies to lovers, to a creepy frozen castle and a sinister recluse, this story has it all. Wren is a healer in the military in service to her country, Danu and her aunt, the Queen. Danu has had a protracted war with Vesria, but an uneasy armistice has been in place for the last year. After Wren disobeys an order from her commander Una, who also happens to be her best friend and the girl she is in love with, Wren is dismissed from the Queen's service in disgrace. A mysterious letter then shows up requesting her help as a healer and Wren feels she has no choice but to leave Danu for Cernos and try to redeem herself. To Wren's disbelief, the person she is to heal is her most feared enemy, Hal Cavendish, the Reaper of Vesria. Through the time spent together while Wren heals him, they both come to find they have been fed lies about each other and have more in common than not. If they want to solve the mystery of the missing soldiers then they have no choice but to help each other. However, their growing attraction to each other may end up being their downfall.
So much to love about this story, I loved the frozen, sinister castle and the secrets waiting to be discovered. All the sounds, noises and forbidden places give it a wonderful, chilly presence. The ambiance of the story is wonderful and the slow give and take between Wren and Hal is touching, realistic and intimately written. Each of them finds so much in the other that they can't seem to find in themselves and Wren's acceptance of herself and her true gifts is touching and real. The stakes keep getting raised as Hal and Wren discover more about their mysterious host and his layer upon layer of plans to shape the future of Danu, Cernos and Vesria. A wonderful magic system and the descriptions of Wren's medical knowledge are fantastic. Can't get enough of Hal and Wren's complex, intimate relationship full of self sacrifice and desire. Fans of fantasy romance should absolutely grab this book, you will thoroughly enjoy it!!

This is a good YA fantasy/mystery/romance, and as far as I can tell it is not going to be part of a series, but I can see how it could be developed into one. Danubia and Vesria are at war. Wren is part of the Queen's Guard in Danubia. She makes mistakes with her magic due to showing too much compassion (how is that bad?) and the Queen (who is Wren's aunt, but has no affection for Wren) removes her from her position and sends her to the abbey. Wren is a very talented healer and all she ever wanted to do was impress the Queen and gain her favor. Wren receives an invitation from Lord Alistair Lowry, from the small kingdom of Cernos, who wants her to come and heal one of his servants. Wren sees it as an opportunity to make an alliance with Cernos and gain the Queen's favor and respect. But she knows if she goes, she will be disobeying her orders and will be in big trouble. Once at Lord Lowry's crumbling mansion she finds out the servant she is to heal is her country's sworn enemy, Hal Cavendish, who is known as The Reaper.

I enjoyed the story and the characters. There was political intrigue, religious aspects, betrayal, an ongoing war, and some romance in the book. I liked the romance the best. Hall was definitely an interesting character, and I liked both Wren and Una, her best friend. The healing magic was interesting.

Thanks to Wednesday Books, St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.

When Allison promised yearning and the UST of healing / wound-tending scenes, she DELIVERED. I wouldn't have said that healing / wound-tending scenes were my favorites by any means but Allison writes them so well that I'd have to say they definitely are now?? Throw in the fact that Hal and Wren are enemies and it just brings the tension up to an entirely new level. Also the banter? So, so good. I loved how Hal and Wren went from being forced to be somewhat amicable to confiding in each other to developing feelings. It felt really natural and I just adore them. I could go on and on but this book isn't just the romance! I loved the creepy setting that was the castle, the way it felt like the book was holding it's breath so you feel like you have to, too. I simultaneously wanted to explore the castle on my own and never set foot in it haha.

I'll most likely write a longer review closer to release date but some other things I loved:
*the bisexual rep -- I can't say much but I loved the way Wren sorted and figured out her feelings in this book. The yearning was so palpable; I felt right along with her as she navigated the difficulties that comes with being in love or thinking that you're in love.

*the fact that this was a standalone! I had no idea before reading that this was not a series and that made me ridiculously happy. I know most books tend to be series and I don't mind at all but it also makes me a little relieved when a book turns out to be a standalone (because of the wait!). I truly think that this book ended at a good spot but if a sequel is suddenly announced, I wouldn't be opposed.

*the mystery. I went through this book suspecting everyone lol even when Hal and Wren thought they knew, I still expected another twist (whether or not there is one... I guess you'll have to read to find out). It kept me turning the pages so even when I told myself I'd only skim a little until I had more time to read, I found myself in the middle of the book in the blink of an eye.

Overall, what a fantastic read! I know Allison has another standalone coming out after this one and I can't wait to read it!

This enemies-to-lovers gothic fantasy standalone is sure to be enjoyed by fans of romantic fantasy.

Wren is a military healer on thin ice. When she uses her magic to heal an injured Vesrian captive suspected of assisting in the disappearance of Danubian soldiers and inadvertently sets him free, Wren is seen as only a problem by her aunt, the Queen of Danu. When a mysterious letter arrives from Lord Alistair Lowry, a Cernosian noble offering to help her get her position back in exchange for her healing services for his servant, Wren goes against her aunt’s wishes in the hopes that she will be able to prove herself. Upon arrival, everything is not as it seems. Servants have mysteriously died, and Lowry’s servant, “Henry” is none other than Danu and Wren’s greatest enemy, the Rezper of Vesria, Hal Cavendish.

The strongest part of this story for me was Saft’s writing. She writes with so much description that you can clearly see and feel everything that is going on, almost as if you are there. This book is extremely atmospheric, from the Queen’s castle filled with clocks to the solitary Colwick Castle in the middle of the snow covered mountains, and this book had some very unique descriptions.

Wren is a great main character to follow. She is easily relatable as someone who is constantly trying to prove herself as worthy of love and praise but always seems to be doing the wrong thing. Wren desperately wants to prove herself and is determined to make the Queen and her friend and crush, Una, see her as someone worth loving and having around. I really enjoyed Wren’s interactions with Hal and how they have to work together to solve the mystery. Certain elements of the ending seemed a little too ideal based on some of the earlier actions and behaviors of certain characters, but overall, this was a fun read that will surely be popular with fantasy lovers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

We love a dark gothic story!
I had so much fun and nerves while reading this debut, and I still cannot believe it’s a standalone. A good one at that!
Wren is one of my favorite types of characters these days. She’s compassionate. She heals. She values life- most importantly. It’s so uncommon to find these elements now because every protagonist needs to be a fighter, assassin, or ready to throat punch into the next century. There’s nothing against that, but I find so much joy in protagonists who invoke negotiation, empathy, and non-violence. It just makes me love the character even more because the market it just so over saturated with the other.
Also can I get an applause for having a character that doesn’t suppress their emotions?! Wren is soooo in touch with them, and while her comrades tease/ sometimes look down on her for those feelings, Wren doesn’t let it get to her. It doesn’t change her.
The stand out element to this book was for sure the descriptions and setting. Allison Saft immediately has a gift for writing dynamic and enthralling scenery. I had to reread some paragraphs a few times because her figurative language was just phenomenal!
Overall, I just wholeheartedly enjoyed this book a lot! It was a breath of fresh air to have a murder mystery/ thriller like storyline in a fantasy book. That’s a genre I’ve never encountered before, which is crazy to say. You may be able to guess “who did it” early on, but that enhances the fact that characters then have to outwit the others with their new found knowledge.

I chose to read this book after reading a brief blurb about it. I had never heard of the author or the book before, and it seemed like something up the gothic novel alley vibe I was looking to read. Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft is a fantasy novel set in a world torn apart by war, with individuals barely older than children fighting the war. Magic exists in this world, and healers are an integral part of the war effort.

The main character, Wren, is a healer and her healing abilities define her. The reader sees throughout the novel as Wren struggles with her identity as a healer and how that identity co-exists with her identity as a soldier. Wren appears to constantly be doing the opposite of whatever her culture/society demands of her, and it’s interesting to see how her identity shifts throughout the novel.

When I started the novel, I was a little thrown, because it almost seemed with the way the opening was narrated that this was a continuation of another novel or a series. I had to stop and look quickly to make sure that I wasn’t starting a book that was in the middle of a series, something I personally hate to do. This is the author’s debut novel, so no worry there, but it was a little clunky to start with as I constantly felt that the way things were described that I had missed something and should already know more.

There is mystery and war and shifting identities and loyalties in this novel. It’s a great beginning to a new world. I read through it pretty quickly, and overall enjoyed the novel. If the author writes more in this fantasy world, I’ll likely pick up later novels to see what happens next. Romance also makes an appearance in this novel, and the main character’s relationships and her introspection on those relationships are vital to her growth and development throughout the novel. I loved seeing representation in a novel as well (no spoilers, read for yourself and find out!).

Please be advised that I received this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

**Full review to be added to Goodreads, NetGalley, Amazon, and my blog closer to publication!**

Down Comes the Night is a deliciously atmospheric with a dark, dazzling romance that kept me hooked throughout the story. Saft has created a truly wonderful world and setting that sucked me right in, and her characters were equally full of life. I look forward to reading more from Saft in the future!

A gothic romance starring slow-burn sworn enemies to lovers? Sign me up! The atmosphere of this book is eerie and gorgeous, and the mystery plot was quite interesting. With witty and lovable characters, this book is a solid debut.

I LOVED THIS! I want to read so many books like this now. It was the perfect mashup of genres for me.
Wren was supposed to be a princess, but after the death of mother, her aunt became queen and put Wren's talents to use as one of the best healers in the country. An unexpected letter arrives and Wren can't ignore its contents. She sneaks away in an attempt to find a way to save her country. She then runs into the unexpected situations along the way.
The atmosphere and world-building was done so well. The Gothic vibe was so captivating and I was immediately immersed in the story. The magic system was extremely interesting that tied in science and physiology.
Every character is unique, genuine and so true to themselves. The way they developed throughout the story was so amazing to follow. I loved that a bi MC was featured!
The fact that there were so many women holding positions of power was so awesome to see. I loved that aspect so much. It was so empowering and I'm sure others will find it so as well.
This book was so entertaining, with gripping mystery, intrigue and romance.

This was such a great debut from this author! Down Comes The Night was gothic and romantic! The main character is bisexual and yes- there’s tons of bisexual yearning!
It also had one of my favorite tropes- enemies to lovers! Hal and Wren are sworn enemies but they fall slowly in love as Wren nurses Hal back to health.
There were moments of this story that were rather slow, but once you get passed the halfway mark, things really start picking up. There were some seriously suspenseful moments that had me on the edge of my seat! This book will have your nerves in a twist till the very end.
The romance between Wren and Hal was so beautifully tender and the forbidden aspect made it so bittersweet. Overall, this was a very enjoyable read.

From a young age, Wren has consistently been told she has too many emotions and that she feels too much. Wren pours her heart and soul into becoming the best healer that she can, feeling that at least her magic makes her valuable. When an encounter with an enemy spy goes wrong, Wren is forced to flee and seek shelter with a nobleman. Attempting to redeem herself, Wren is faced with the challenge of healing Hal Cavendish, a very sick patient who also happens to be her country’s sworn enemy. As sinister forces conspire, it soon becomes clear that not all is as it seems. Inside the mysterious and spooky house, there are dark and vicious secrets to be uncovered.

I really enjoyed Down Comes the Night! It had a spooky and gothic feel to it, while also balancing political scheming and revealing twisted secrets. Wren is a very likable character, who thinks first with her heart and always means well. I enjoyed her interactions with Una and Hal, especially the slowburn enemies-to-lovers. I hope we get to see more of Una’s story! Saft has a serious gift for descriptive scenes. Sentences are perfectly constructed to create a powerful sensory experience. You can feel the care and attention that goes into her storytelling and creating vivid imagery. If this isn’t your first spooky novel, I think you may be able to guess some of the twists, but I still really enjoyed the execution. This story is the perfect spooky read to devour curled up under a blanket with a hot drink! I can’t wait to see what Allison Saft writes next! Down Comes the Night releases on March 2, 2021. Thank you so much to Allison Saft, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc.

This book is truly unlike any that I have read before. I could not put this book down once I started reading. I think that one of the best things about this book is that it has a little bit of everything. There is magic, adventure, fantasy , romance, and adventure. If you are looking for a great new read or a book to get you out of a reading slump, then this is the one for you.

I could not connect with this book. I think it was the writing. The writing felt disjointed. Also the characters felt very shallow. They was not enough background given for me to connect. I think another POV would have helped with this.

This was a great YA gothic novel. I really enjoyed the story, and the characters were fantastic.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this E-book to review via Netgalley.

'Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for providing me with this arc to review'

”Because you are the only person who has seen me for something beyond my magic. As anything but a monster.”

I am beyond thrilled that I got to experience the beauty of this book.
Down Comes the Night follows our MC Wren, a bisexual woman who works in the military as a healer in her Kingdom. She works alongside her superior officer, best friend, and the lady she loves, Una.
I was immediately sucked into the book the moment I read the dedication, which was 'for all the girls who feel'
Wren is a sensitive and feeling character, her main goal is trying to prove to both Una and her Aunt Isabel that she is worthy, while also coming to love herself for who she is.
The book had an air of mystery through and through, and though the plot was predictable, I still could not take my eyes off of it.
Hal is another character that we get to meet. He is an enemy of the Kingdom from which Wren is. I ADORED Hal, he's not witty or entirely mean, if anything he's taking a turn and trying to better himself, he's also the quiet, and serious type of guy.
The enemies to lovers trope was executed perfectly in my opinion. The chemistry between these two was breathtaking, and I mean that literally because I was holding my breath every time they were together.
Now onto the worldbuilding and magic system. I loved to see the mix of modernism in the worldbuilding, every detail was imaginable, and I for one approved of the slightly gothic setup.
The magic was also a very interesting thing to learn about, so well thought out and easy to catch up with. I had no questions whatsoever which I tend to have because some magic systems are not thoroughly explained.

Overall I think this is a great book that will definitely keep you racing through the pages long into the night.

I greatly enjoyed this story. Wren Southerland is a different type of protagonist - fragile, uncertain, emotional, and yet strongly certain of her convictions. In a society built on magic, Wren is a healer; in a country at war, she is a military medic, with a personality completely unsuited to war. Wren is also the queen’s illegitimate niece, conveniently exiled to a convent to learn to use her healing magic after the death of her mother, and a significant disappointment to her royal aunt, a fact she is never allowed to forget. In an attempt to do what she sees as right, and also as a way to prove herself to her aunt, Wren accepts a commission to work for Lord Lowry, a lord in the neighboring neutral country, who offers not only to employ her, but to bring the power of his country to aid her own. As seems to happen with so many of Wren’s decisions, her attempt goes badly awry.

Down Comes the Night is an engaging story, and generally well-written, but the occasional oddly-phrased analogy, as well as archaic and rare medical terminology, are jarring and distracting, to the point that this novel is rated lower than it might otherwise have been.

After all the creepy thrillers and nonfiction I have been reading, this was a disappointment. This book was trying to be too much like a young adult/teen version of Mexican Gothic, which I thought was overrated and predictable AF. A no for me and I do not like to give poor reviews. Skip this one and read something else.

Thanks to Netgalley, Allison Saft and ST Martins Press Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 3/2/21

Don't you just love it when one of your most anticipated novels doesn't disappoint? It's dark and macabre, it's gothic and chilling, and it's terribly romantic.

Wren Southerland is a military healer sidelined by her own reckless actions. She is a kind-hearted bastard girl with a lot of deeply felt emotions, and all it earns her is zero respect from her aunt, the queen of Danu. So, when the opportunity to step back into the queen's good graces arises, Wren takes it without hesitation. What follows is a tale of enemies, betrayal, the threat of war, and so much magic.

While the book was a bit text heavy in the beginning, I truly fell in love with this book. My friend finished reading it right as I started, so it was delightful to have someone to screech about certain scenes with. And that happened a lot. There is just so much to commend with this debut. The plot is well-rounded and paced just right to keep adding new layers of intrigue while ramping the stakes up to 11. I adored the main characters, Wren and Hal, because not only were they both complex and relatable, but their chemistry was phenomenal. The villain was terribly interesting and difficult to predict, which only heightened my reading experience.

I was fascinated with Saft's world-building from the start. It feels so well developed with a fresh twist on the combination of magic, science and industry. Not everyone has magic, but those who do must wield theirs with great care. Within each healer, there is a source called the fola., and when magic is pushed too hard, too long without rest, the magic can disappear entirely. The concept added a whole new level to the conflict of the plot. Of the three countries we learn of, the two in possession of magic have been at war with each other for centuries, while the third has remained neutral. Instead it turned to technology as a replacement for magic, inventing such amenities as electricity. It is in this third country, Cernos, that we get the best Guillermo del Toro vibes. Colwick Hall had all the gothic ghost vibes and was the perfect setting to kick off the main events.

The enemies-to-lovers trope is usually all I need to hear in order for a book to be added to my TBR, and this was a most excellent usage of it. Wren is summoned to Colwick Hall to heal someone of a mysterious and horrible illness, but little does she know that she is to heal the Reaper of Vesria, Hal Cavendish. Like her, he has magic, but where hers is used to heal, his has been used to murder hundreds of her people in war. And now she has him entirely at her mercy. It was just so well done, the development of their relationship. They are exactly the kind of combative but tender couple I love in my YA novels, and I'll fight who I need to to keep Hal safe.

By now I'm sure you've heard that Wren is bisexual, so let me just assure you that this was truly the best bisexual rep I've ever read. It was handled so beautifully and intricately. Instead of being mentioned in passing, it was shown to us in all its glory and heartbreak.

I feel a little silly about this, but I had no idea this was a standalone. I was so sure this was a duology, so the entire time I was expecting things to snowball and roll into a sequel. Then I was struck speechless by an ending that was just ... oh my word it was just so warm and good. All it means is I will just have to reread this book again to appreciate it even more.

Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft

9781250623638


400 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday
Release Date: March 2, 2021

Fiction, Sci Fi & Fantasy, Teens & Young Adult, Magic, Paranormal

Una and Wren are patrolling the kingdom boundaries of Danu and Versia for missing soldiers. So many had gone missing in recent weeks. Una is a major in the Queens Guard and Wren a healer. After a young prisoner escapes, Wren is removed from the army and sent back to the abbey.

After arriving at the abbey, Wren receives a letter from the leader of Cernos, Alistair Lowry asking her to come and heal a servant. Many in the area are dying of mysterious deaths and Lowry needs a healer to find out the cause. In return for her healing services, Lowry will pledge assistance to her Queen Isabela in the war with Versia.

The book is written in third person point of view. The characters are developed, and the story has a steady pace. If you enjoy books about magic with a twist of mystery, you will like this book.