I liked this book but have to say that it was very different from what I expected. I guess I made a few assumptions based on the cover that didn’t quite pan out. That’s okay because this was a very worthwhile story that was definitely worth a read. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, which proved to be a great choice since she did a fabulous job with the narration.

Wren is a healer who really wants to make people feel better if it is in her power. She loses her position in her unit for not following a command and decides to take an offer to care for someone at the home of a powerful man. She hopes that her work could also help bring some peace. She finds that the man needing care is none other than the Reaper of Vesria who happens to be an enemy of her kingdom. As she gets to know Hal, she finds that he is very different than what she imagined.

I liked the characters in this book. Wren had a lot of spunk and I loved how brave and caring she proved to be. Hal had a very interesting story of his own and he was a genuinely nice guy underneath everything. I thought that they were great together and enjoyed seeing them work together to achieve their goals. This was a fantasy and I really liked the extra abilities we say in some of the characters. The mystery was incredibly well done which helped to make this a very engaging read.

Saskia Maarleveld did a fantastic job with this story. I thought that both her male and female voices were well-done and I liked the fact that she added just the right amount of emotion to her reading. I really felt like she brought this story to life and I found myself wanting to listen to it for hours at a time. I believe that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I would recommend this book to others. I found this to be a very entertaining read with great characters, just the right amount of romance, and an interesting magic system. I do hope to read more of this author’s work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Wednesday Books via NetGalley and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.

I typically love books like this, but this one had potential to be so much more than it was. It was a decent enough novel, but was missing something and began falling flat for me.

5/5 stars

Whenever Wednesday Books sets their eARCs to “Read Now” on NetGalley, I always make sure to download at least one of their titles (because they are one of my top favorite imprints). My latest digital review copy is DOWN COMES THE NIGHT, which is pitched as a YA gothic fantasy romance.

DOWN COMES THE NIGHT does have gothic elements—the story is centered around an ancient mansion that conceals terrible secrets; the setting boasts dark and chilling (yet picturesque) scenery; the tone is one of fear, mystery, dread, and macabre terror—though I wouldn’t call this *pure* gothic fiction.

This book certainly does belong in the fantasy genre, though. We don’t know much about the world beyond Vesria, Cernos, and Danu (the three countries centered in this story), but we do get to know each country quite well. Danu and Vesria have been at war for centuries despite what their recent armistice would make you think. Meanwhile, Cernos remained neutral and spent their time being industrious—inventing new technologies, progressing medically; however, the one thing Cernos couldn’t accomplish: acquiring magic like that of their neighboring countries. Now, with Danubian soldiers suddenly disappearing (and Vesria the likely culprit), Wren must discover who is really behind the kidnappings before another war starts. Unfortunately, her reckless use of magic has cost Wren her position in the Guard. So, when a letter arrives from Cernos promising an alliance in exchange for her healing expertise, she hopes to redeem herself and potentially stop thousands of innocent lives from being lost. Overall, the plot, mystery, stakes, and ticking clock were all set up so well that the rest of the story just seemed to fall into place. The world-building (the history, the magic system, the religions, etc.), though it's actually quite simplistic, also becomes a complex entity that becomes almost as important as the characters themselves.

And, oh, the characters! I loved all of them. Especially Wren Southerland. I’ve seen some reviews saying that Wren is too eye-roll-worthy in the beginning or that her background isn’t fleshed out enough, but I disagree. I think her past and her present, and her motives, were all thoroughly explored and gave me a great sense of her character. Yes, she makes mistakes and is impulsive (especially in the first half of the book), but she learns and grows so much based on her experiences and emotions.

While DOWN COMES THE NIGHT is also pitched as a romance, the romance is actually my only criticism of the book. I simply don’t feel the chemistry between Wren and Hal. I’ve been trying to piece together why I feel this way, and what I’ve determined is that the other characters are just too strong. Hal, though he has the potential to be one of the most interesting characters, pales in comparison to Wren and Una and Isabel and Lowry (and even Hannah). Everything needed to make Hal a desirable love interest and an interesting character is technically there . . . but I still don’t feel like I truly know him. Perhaps what is lacking here has something to do with Wren’s narration or with how Wren’s romantic love for Una (yay for bi rep!) feels so overpowering.

That being said, I still enjoyed reading Wren’s POV. The writing and voice was incredible, with on-point similes and metaphors, balanced narrative techniques, and mood-setting descriptions. This book also dives into topics, such as war, love, emotion, and prejudice, so deeply that everything ties together through these themes.

In fact, I think that’s my main selling point for DOWN COMES THE NIGHT: everything comes together *so perfectly* (except the romance, in my opinion . . . though I did enjoy the “enemies-to-lovers” and “there’s only one bed” tropes). From both a reader’s and writer’s point of view, this book is a masterclass on character arc, pace, stakes, and having every little detail come together to create a satisfying story.

**Content Warnings: gore/blood, implied torture, death/murder, war, surgical procedures, kidnapping, ableist language ("hysterical," "insane," "blind(ed)," "idiot," "stupid")**

***I will post my review on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and will update my Netgalley feedback with these links, after the title releases in March.***

Down Comes the Night is one of those young adult novels you can't help but love. It has some of the best elements in literature, and all of them are executed with care and talent. It's a gem.

Mainly the enemies to lovers trope! Saft definitely did it justice. The relationship between Hal and Wren develops slowly, from actual enemies whose animosities are absolutely believable, to reluctant allies, to lovers. This relationship is really the heart of the book. While the plot might not be surprising or shocking, it doesn't matter at all, because we're all here to root for those kids! It's such a pleasure to see them grow up.

I normally love love books like this but I found this one disappointing. i really had to push myself to read it and when I put it down it was difficult to pick back up again. I believe this has more to do with my personal tastes than the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is a romantic fantasy YA. I liked the romantic part (meaning the relationship between Wren and Hal) and the fantasy world is fitting the story. Yet I would love for the plot to go much, much deeper. Because it could, the authoress has writing skills and capabilities of pondering at her disposal. But went the romantic way - so the hot passion between the main protagonists is in reality the central point of this novel. It is written catchily, full of sparks (but while not overy graphic, also it is not fitting for the young/er readers in my opinion, so be forewarned).
The authoress also goes for the praise of the worth of kindness and compassion, which I find being so important a topic these days. And her take on this is good, worth pondering about.

But what is my reason for 2 stars (while recognizing good points) is the totally unnecessary bisexual aspect of the novel, as at the beginning of the novel Wren is in love with her best friend Una. Then she without any problems goes into the relationship with Hal. No special attention is given to that switch. While I am the public for the straight romances (so no complaints here), I find this unnecessary gender fluid subplot being here just to cater to the modern preferences and I find it frustrating. How about simply writing the straight romance?

But still, I have enjoyed Wren and Hal here, so my memories of this novel will stay in the positive side.

It took me 3 tries to get into this book, and 3rd time was the charm. The premise of the novel was captivating to me: "Love makes monsters of us all." But I had a hard time connecting the premise to the content of the novel. It started off extremely slow, and there wasn't anything drawing me in. I was a little turned off by Wren, our MC, and the Victorian setting. It felt odd for a fantasy and in the beginning there were so many things mentioned that had happened before the start of the story and outside the narrative that I was beginning to wonder if this was a sequel to some other novel that I'd missed.

Once I finally sat down to read, and pushed my way through, I really enjoyed seeing Wren and Hal come together and find themselves. Fall in love. :) I thought their written relationship was well-done, and perhaps the only thing that kept me going in the book. By the end of the story, I was rooting for the two of them to get together and find their happy ending in this strange, alternative world, and I was pleased to find that they did.

This book could have benefitted from a stronger backstory explained in the narrative and a better establishment of the setting, though I understood most of it by the end.

I liked the dark vibes of this book and the enemies romance that takes place in the most creepiest of houses. A lot is going on this world and between these two kingdoms, but it’s mostly explored through the romance and relationship between Wren and Hal. I don’t think this one has stuck with me as closely as some other reads, but I recommend it to people looking for a strong romance that takes place in a larger fantasy world.

creepy, interesting, but the heroine was the epitome of the too dumb to live trope. lots of potential, not as much follow through

i enjoyed this book :D i thought the characters were well thought out and i enjoyed allison saft's writing. it was very lyrical and i felt like i was there.

This took me a really long time to get into. The beginning moved very slowly and Wren wasn’t particularly likeable.

I have elected not to read and review this book due to time constraints. Thank you for the opportunity.

I really enjoyed this book!

Wren was a sympathetic and believable character and I thought her development was well done - she didn't change herself but rather learned to accept how she had always been as a strength rather than a weakness. She was consistent - forgiving and emotional but also incredibly strong and brave - and the author did a great job of reconciling all the parts of her into a believable character.

I liked the relationship between Wren and Hal and was able to get invested in it. I love the magical connection trope of course but beyond that I loved the way they were opposites - Wren had always been told she had too much compassion and it got her in trouble, and Hal was known to be a monster because he killed indiscriminately. They were uniquely situated to help each other become stronger, learn about themselves, and embrace who they wanted to be. I liked Una and Wren's relationship for what it was and how trauma and their circumstances had stretched and warped it, but I also liked it for how it played off of Wren and Hal's relationship and gave it contrast so Wren could see what had gotten twisted in her and Una's love for each other by how she was with Hal.

The plot itself I thought was well done and well paced and I liked the worldbuilding and the role it played in the plot. I especially liked the medical terminology and how Wren was a magical healer but also had to study medicine to do it properly. She was an incredibly talented healer but it was because she had worked and studied for it and had a dedication to helping people.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this book.

I enjoyed it very much! Loved the writing style.

I love the idea of Down Comes the Night. Magic, mansions, romance, mystery. In other books it might seem like too much to handle but Allison Saft weaves this magically. Such a well written novel.

This book is the definition of solid gothic YA Fantasy.
The Cover is intriguing and I liked the story.
I my opinion is the "enemies-to-lovers- trope" always a bonus.

I really wanted to like this book more then I did. This book is a romantic fantasy but I was not invested in the story. The characters did not grab me like I wanted them too. I think the author has some great ideas with this book but I didn't get the full picture. For me, this book was ok. *This book was given to me for free at my request from NetGalley and I provided this voluntary review.*

My God, where do I even start? Down Comes the Night is perfect from the beginning to the very end. The atmospheric writing, the characters, the intriguing plot; everything created the perfect gothic tale. I would reread this a thousand times over and still fall in love with every single aspect of this book. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this wonderful ARC.

This was a really great gothic read. I enjoyed the dark vibe of the authors descriptions, it set a mood for the entire book.

I am so sad it took me so long to get to this book because I really enjoyed it! I truly loved everything--from the magic system, to the gothic setting feel, to the courtly politics, and finally the surprising twists. I was completely taken with Wren and Hal’s relationship. There was distrust in their tentative alliance, a begrudging respect, and finally unparalleled trust and camaraderie, to more.

Overall, I'm really happy with out it ended. Although I feel like it seemed that a book 2 could happen? Not sure if that's true or not but I wouldn't be mad.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (Thank you!)