“I’ve known many centuries of torture,” he said so quiet it touched me gently. “And yet the greatest agony is you."

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the audiobook ARC. This book has been on my TBR for a while and I was so excited to get the ARC to listen to it. The audiobook for this was so well done. The duel narration was spot on and made the story so immersive.

Astraea doesn’t remember her past, she has been living with the man she believed saved her for the past five years but is realizing that she is living in a prison and needs to escape. With the help of the mysterious Nyte she manages to escape her prison but she finds herself mixed with the deadly trials and political intrigue of the kings court.

This book had political intrigue, vampires, deadly trials, amnesia, star-crossed lovers, and twists I wasn’t expecting.

I loved the chemistry between the two main characters, Nyte was such a great MMC and had the best protective vibes. I really liked his character. Astraea has an amazing evolution over the course of the book and goes from continuously doubting herself and feeling unworthy to recognizing her power and importance.

My biggest problem was the lack of focus Astraea had. Over the course of the book many questions arise and instead of Astraea working to solve the questions she just lets them go or searches for the answers half-heartedly. Also, after everything she has been through she seemed way too trusting. It was a struggle to identify Astaea’s motivation for her actions. Without a deeper motivation to keep the story moving it lagged. I understand that we are watching her character develop and watching her move from a traumatized victim to a powerful woman but it felt disjointed.

Overall, I think the world building of this book has set up the sequel to be a really intriguing read. Although there were some issues in pacing and character development I think the story was compelling enough to overcome those and I look forward to the next book.

The audio for this book ate! I’ve never listened to one where it’s read out with different actors like a movie. I do think this book would have been a tad easier to follow if I was physically reading it but it was super intriguing and I’m excited for book 2!

I wanted to like this book so much. I really tried! To be honest I was just bored, and it did not keep my focus. It also seemed really confusing, and I was having trouble following what was going on. I struggled to get invested in the characters. I did enjoy the love/hate relationship aspect and drama between Hector and Astraea. I can appreciate that some might enjoy this book, but unfortunately it just didn't flow right for me.

I tried listening to this audiobook and I can’t do it because of the name narrator. He reads every single line in a breathy husky spicy bedroom scene type of voice, for every male character in the book! And I cannot get past that. It makes listening unbearable.

I was actually interested in the story line and where this book was heading but I cannot get past the male narrator. So I am not sure it is fair for me to give a star rating on this so I’m just giving a flat average 3 because again the story seemed interesting but I could not continue with it on audio. Maybe I will pick up a print copy of this book in the future but for now the audio version is out.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for sending this audio ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Wow. This was a very long audiobook but I made it. And honestly……I am not sure how to feel.

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW!!!!!

I didn’t feel like this book was as copy and paste to a certain fantasy novel as people said it was. Yes, there were definitely some elements but nowadays, when isn’t there? I can name a few fantasy books that have elements from others.

It took me a long time to get through this until about 65%. That 65% could have been cut in half. Some of it made no sense. There was unnecessary information and it dragged on but I didn’t feel like it was all important. The FMC literally asked ZERO QUESTIONS. Did she ever eat or sleep? I know we figured out why a bit later in the book but she never questioned why she could stay awake for days? At the end she also kept saying she felt different and had small memories. But when? Literally no where did she give any inkling that she had memories of her past. There were like 15 different plot lines that would all just cut off and we would be at something different. This book lacked direction. Everyone spoke in riddles all the time and never gave straight answers. I get we need to leave some stuff unanswered because this is a trilogy but like can no one tell her literally anything.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

F*CKING Astraea. The weird plot line where Rose told her that she and Cassia were only coming to kill Nyte’s Death. OKAY HIS NAME IS NYTE AND THE KINGS ASSASSIN IS NAMED NYTES DEATH COME ON. I just couldn’t.


Nyte is so hot though lol. A new daddy perhaps. 75% IN WE HAVE A SHADOW DADDY.

The end was annoying me too. Astraea’s flip flop of emotions of wanting to stay by Nyte’s side and go to his world with him than not letting him touch her because he scares her or she doesn’t trust him all of a sudden. It was frustrating. The way I would be on my knees for Nyte all the time……

I loved Rose and Zath’s bonus chapter. I hope we see more (spice) from them.

And Nyte’s POV was delightful. He has to down bad for Astraea but his emotions were flip flopping too in one bonus chapter.

Overall I am giving this book a 3.5. Nyte and Rose and honestly Zath saved this book. And maybe the orb of Cassia’s soul. I will definitely be reading the second because somehow I am hooked.

Quotes I liked:

Love was a drug laced with its own cure.

Maybe it was foolish to find desire in danger, but only when both were presented, did I realize just how long I’d lived without touching either. Now both had come to form in front of me. They tempted me like the remedy to an ailment I never knew I had.

Never before had I known what it was like to crave dancing in the rain until I was touched by a night’s storm.

But sometimes I wished his love would bind my chest instead of my wrists.

When falls night, the world will drown in starlight.

Think of me and I will answer. Long for me and I am right here with you.

But he should’ve known a leash had two ends and it was only a matter of time before you strangled him with it.

What does it mean to not have a shadow?
They have to go somewhere.

I’m going to take it all away then kill every hand responsible for harming you.

The brightest star needs the darkest night. And I understand now. People fear the dark because they think it’s where monsters thrive. They’re wrong. The dark belongs to the stars who can’t shine without it. It’s where passion burns brightest. It’s peace and its company. The darkness is you.

He’s not a hero, Astraea. Not even close. But he has never pretended to be.

I would like to start by thanking Netgalley for an audiobook arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, there were so many things about The Stars are Dying that I enjoyed. The writing was beautiful and I was intrigued from the start. Although I flipped between the audiobook and the ebook for this one, I thought the audiobook was so well done that I found myself preferring that medium just because I liked the voices. Without spoiling anything, I did enjoy the backstory and the lore of the main characters, the magic system here, and the element of not knowing who could be trusted throughout. Additionally, the tension between the two main characters was phenomenal.

That being said, I did find most of the twists to be somewhat predictable and there were a few times that pacing was off, especially towards the end where it felt like the book had a natural conclusion and then just kept going. During those chapters the back and forth of the FMC was tedious, although I understood why it was happening, it just took me out of the story. For these reasons, I couldn't give it a full five stars even though I did enjoy it.

That being said, I will definitely read book 2 and look forward to seeing where this story goes.

I definitely enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next one in this series! I loved the From Blood and Ash series, and this felt reminiscent of that. The two main characters, Astraea and Night, start off as Night helping Astraea survive various events. As they grow closer, an attraction takes place. Meanwhile Astraea has to endure an abusive relationship, the death of someone she cares about, and now trials. Night is there for her throughout in her mind, and it almost feels as if he is there physically. As more unfolds, Astraea learns of who she is and what that could mean. I know this is a bit vague, but I don't want to spoil the book. I need to know what happens next!

Overall, I enjoyed this. I agree with some other reviews saying the book was all over the place which made it difficult to follow and I found myself having to start chapters over so with it already being a 20-hour audiobook, this took me forEVER to get through.

I enjoyed Nyte more than any other character. I didn't necessarily find myself rooting for the MC by any means. The spicy scenes were good though.

I'll definitely be open to reading more by CCP and totally appreciate the ARC!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC to read and review.

“You are the brightest star, And the brightest star needs the darkest night.”

Goodness Gracious. That was a lot. I just came off of a light romantasy and this is not that 😆😅 this book is full of all the complexities of the genre and it was beautifully done. I actually had to slow down the audio to comprehend what was happening (which almost never happens).

Expect 👉🏼 romantasy, lost memories, villain gets the girl, new adult, light be dark, trials, star-crossed lovers

Astraea has been kept a secret for years. Very few know of her existence and her captor keeps her well-hidden. She meets a stranger who helps her escape and continually comes to her rescue on her new journey.

After a tragedy, astraea must enter the trials to give her people a fighting chance. Nyte continues to aid her in moments of need but he’s keeping secrets.

Wow! This book truly blew me away. I cannot wait for this next book and to see where this story goes.

A note about the audio: Corvin King’s voice is absolutely sinful. His rasp is top tier. However, he doesn’t change his voice for different characters so it’s not always clear who is speaking in this duet narration. I slowed down from my typical speeds and it helps a bit but it still required a lot of focus to figure out whose dialogue you’re hearing.

I will say going into this book my expectations were high. I heard such great things and I think thats why I am on the fence with my review. The pacing in the beginning felt slow and overall felt like the general plot dragged. However, I did really enjoy approx. the last 150 pages. I still hope to continue the series and the pace kicks up going into book 2. Looking forward to whats to come.

Wow.

First off the narrators are utter perfection. Great choices. Corvin as always adds such depth to the characters he reads. The female narrator was great as well but I found the male easier to listen too. I cannot wait to buy this so I can have an immersive experience.

I listed to this over a vacation and WOW I couldn't put it down. I love the dual narration and the story itself is absolutely breathtaking.

I was very much looking forward to this book, but quickly realized it wasn't for me.

What I liked: I liked the side characters more than the two main. The side characters had more depth and range of emotion than the two main characters.

What I didn't like: I don't think I've ever read a more predictable book. I called the ending almost to a T within 30 pages. I don't know if that's what the author intended by including the preface that early laid out the entire plot?

The tension was good, but our MMC fell so quickly that his whole character was just praising our FMC. Truly, both of them were boring.

Nyte seemed to contradict himself every other chapter. Will die for her, will burn the world down for her, but then the next chapter, "we can't be together because it'll end worlds." Choose a side and stay there please.

I love the MMC narrator's voice, but his range had me confused about which male character was speaking nearly half the time. All of them sounded so similar.

I do think there are tons of romantasy fans that will eat this up, Raven Kennedy fans especially.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This new tale builds a world where the lines constantly shift between light and darkness, safety and danger. Astraea is a young woman with only fragmented memories of the last five years of her life. She lives in seclusion under the control of a man who claims to keep her safe from the vampires that hunt the land. Astraea decides to flee, but her escape leads her straight into the path of the enigmatic Nyte. Nyte exudes danger and mystery, drawing Astraea in. The boundaries of trust and betrayal blur as she struggles to decipher Nyte's true intentions. Astraea agrees to a risky bargain with Nyte, leading her to compete in a deadly trial.

The book's setting is lush and intricate, with the trials adding tension and excitement to keep the reader engaged. As you wonder what Nyte is hiding, the characters create enough romantic tension to keep you interested. I did not see the twists coming, which made the book more enjoyable. The middle of the book seemed repetitive and slow. I wish the pacing of the book was more consistent. Some side characters could have been elaborated more, but overall, it was quite the adventure.
It's a must-read for fans of dark fantasy and mystery stories.

I had the opportunity to listen to the audio edition of the book. It was fantastic. The narrator of Nyte voiced his character perfectly and was emotionally charged. The audiobook was a masterpiece.

I received an ARC audiobook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and MacMillan Audio.

I'm so sorry, it's always really hard when I don't like a book but this was just not for me.

I love Chloe's other series with my whole heart so if you're looking for a good read please go read an heir comes to rise!

This was cheesy and unrealistic (not in the way that fantasy books are supposed to be) and I couldn't get into it.

HOLY SMOKES. That’s all. Be prepared for a wild ride that has you thinking you know what’s up but then throws a curveball.

Nyte is a broody, sweet-talking, silver tongue beast. There’s so much to unpack with his story but there’s many complex layers that make him very realistic. The dynamic between the two is like a ping pong match. There are plenty of nice oneliners that Nyte drops too.

Astraea is a bit of a naive one for most the story but she grows on you. Her character development is also one that is complex to watch unravel. I do enjoy her connections she has to all the other characters and how those relations play out.

The setting and the characters are all so very well thought out and planned. There’s a couple of spicy moments too which was nice. I enjoyed the lore and world building as it has depth and history to it.

The pacing felt a bit slow in the beginning but that’s because we had to get a feel of Astraea, and makes sense as the story flows. Once it starts, it really rolls the ball in pacing but still nice!

I have not read Chloe’s other works, so if you haven’t, don’t worry! You can absolutely read this without having to know anything else.

I can’t put much because it will spoil it… but be prepared to stay up until the wee hours because you’re hooked on it.

I received the ALC of this book, which I appreciate the work that went into doing this audiobook. The Narrators absolutely brought this story alive more than just when I read it too. VA's are an incredible lot that can make it seem more real and immersive.

I overall enjoyed this, but will say the pacing was a bit off and I found myself confused more than a few times when it came to the plot/world building. The beginning started out strong, but the middle dragged and then I was kinda confused at the end, but I think there's a lot of potential and I'm hoping Book 2 is multiple POV because the bonus chapters in the audio have me wanting more from Rose and Zath.

I love Nyte and need way more answers about Astraea .... fingers crossed book 2 brings them!

Rating: 3.5 stars

A book that has great potential as it morphs into a series, but that lost me at times while reading. Still an entertaining, exciting read and I’ll definitely look for book 2 when it comes out.

I was very excited about the premise of this one as I really enjoy romantasy and especially loved the idea of revisiting a world similar to the Crowns of Nyaxia series. Unfortunately though, this just didn't work for me - I felt like I was getting a firehose of tropes right off the bat. We have a hundred years games for peace where humans fight to impress the vampires that have taken over, a main character who only remembers 5 years of her life, and is trapped in a brothel. The main characters, Estrella and Nyght, were a bit too insta-love and on top of that, we Nyght saying "Who did this to you?" within the first 5% of the book.

I will say, the duet narration was a real treat - both narrators did a great job and I appreciated having each one come in and out as different characters spoke. In the end though, it just wasn't enough to keep me engaged and stay the course.

Thanks very much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy.

Thank you for this audio ARC!
I really enjoyed the narrators and thought they did a great job with the characters and story.

The story started off interesting- we have humans and fae and vampires (and different types) and a sort of trials on the horizon.
I liked the writing style/language and it felt easy enough to follow along.
Unfortunately, I kind of hate our main character... the only character I truly liked was killed off within the first third of the book.
The plot was quite slow to me as well. The entire first third is world building- but also I am unsure of the plot. It was a bit unclear who the enemy was and/or why the vampires are so bad because we were so focused on Victor.
I found myself checking the percentage finished quite frequently wondering where it would pick up. The only thing that kept me going was wanting to know her secrets (finding her memories)- even Nyte's mysterious intrigue wasn't keeping me there.
I just think the beginning needed to be faster or less fluff