Would love more moments enjoying the amazing world the author built. Such an intriguing story, but didn’t quite meet its potential for me.

5/5 Stars

3.5/5 Spice

Thank you to Chloe C. Peñaranda and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an arc and ALC. All opinions are my own as always.

This is my first book by Peñaranda and I absolutely loved it. She has been an author on my TBR for a while. I just haven’t gotten around to starting the Heir Comes to Rise but it has massively bumped up my TBR. I can’t wait for book 2 as these characters were so fun and the magick was really cool.

This book follows Astraea who has lived in seclusion for as long as she can remember. It has been safe and truly not that bad but she has always wanted to know more of the world. When her best friend is picked to go to the capital to compete in a competition for the king she decides she has to leave. Around the same time she meets the mysterious Nyte who she can’t seem to stop thinking about and feeling new things about him. When a series of events happen on the road to the capital Astraea has to take her friend’s spot in the competition which unveils more things than she could ever have seen coming.

I absolutely loved Astraea and Nyte. Both have so much depth and I can’t wait to see more of them together and their abilities in future books. There is so much that we learn but also there is a lot we don’t know still and the main thing is how powerful Astraea actually is which will be so much fun.

I highly recommend this book which you can obviously read before the heir comes to rise series but I believe future books will be more connected to that series but you have time to catch up.

I recently was gifted an audio copy of The Stars are Dying by Macmillan audio and I decided to listen to the first 3 chapters so I could talk about the audiobook. The audio is fantastic from the bit I listened to and it is a Dual narration audio book. Corvin King and Jacci Prior did a fantastic job at bringing these characters to life and I was instantly sucked back into this story I already have fallen in love with. I definitely plan on fully rereading via audio before I read book 2 and I am so excited to come back to this audiobook.

The Stars Are Dying follows Astraea, a woman who believes she is ill and can only receive medical care from a less than stellar source. Still, she wants to leave; she knows she needs out. Everything that happens after she leaves is, well, complicated. She ends up in a competition of sorts that is meant to bring safety to her home but ends up on a search for much more. She meets a mysterious man named Nyte, who seems to have some answers but never fully answers questions about himself. Who is Astraea truly, and what is going on with Nyte?

That ending. 👀 I'll be reading book 2!

The audio is good quality, and I was able to speed it up without issue, and that's an essential audiobook feature for me. I love that it is a duet narration; that is probably my favorite type of audio! Both narrators are great!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ALC of this book for an honest review.

“The dark belongs to the stars who can’t shine without out it. It’s where passion burns brightest. It’s peace and it’s company.”
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Astraea has spent the last five years with broken memories, illness, and protection through her captor yet savior Hektor. When Astraea is given the chance to join Cassia on her journey to the King’s Central, she decides to break free from her cage. However, things do not go to plan and Astraea is faced with an unimaginable choice: become a competitor in the Libertatem or run.
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Peñaranda crafted an engaging and complex story with The Stars are Dying. There was a lot going on with the plot which kept the pace moving at a pretty steady pace through most of the story between Astraea’s time with Hektor, reaching Central, competing in the Libertatem, and after. I do wish more time was spent on the trials and riddles. Having to figure out the clues was one of my favorite elements of the entire story. Overall, I do believe some of the plot points became unnecessarily confusing especially some of the scenes early on with Nyte. I was able to figure out what was happening but there were times I had to reread the scene to fully grasp what was happening.
I really enjoyed the cast of supporting characters especially Cassia, Zath, Rose, and Davina. I enjoyed Astraea but wish we saw more development from her. Given the issues with her memories, I’m hoping to see a lot more growth from her in the next book. As far as Nyte, I’m still on the fence how I feel about him. Given that he’s written in the morally grey/villain vein, I don’t think that’s wholly unexpected.
There are several fan favorite bookish tropes features throughout the story:
One horse
Who hurt you
Touch her and die
Memory loss
Magic trials
Star crossed lovers
I reread this via audiobook, and I thought this was the best way to enjoy the story. The audiobook is done via duet narration which is one of my favorite audiobook styles. I also thought Corvin King and Jacci Prior played well of each other with their character narrations. Overall, I enjoyed the story and plan to continue the series. There was enough political intrigue, mystery surrounding Astraea, betrayals, and twists to keep my interest.

Rating: 4.5⭐️

✨Audiobook Review🎧✨

Where do I start?? I enjoy some parts of this book and some not much. Overall it was entertaining but it is nothing special. It does seem that the plot has some similarities to other books but in reality lots of romantasy are written around the same line. Girl with hidden powers goes on a quest or tournament then she finds the morally gray shadow daddy that seems the villain but in the end he loves her and he is just misunderstood.

The MFC was not too much to my liking she was somewhat boring and without personality. She went to fight in a tournament when she had no special skills at all. And it was really frustrating when she was not asking questions for example Nyte kept talking stuff as if they knew or met before but she never asked him about it.

What save the story was Nyte I like his witty character and how he was a ghost but at the same time he wasn’t, I will definitely would like to know more about him. His identity was not big secret I saw it coming like miles away. The world building was lacking and by the end of the book I’m still confused as who is what.

The fact that this was an audiobook helped a lot because other wise I’m pretty sure that it would have took me sometime to get through it. The narrators did an awesome job bringing the characters to be life.

DNF at 65%. I just could not care about anything happening in this book. So many fantasy books now feel very similar to Throne of Glass to me where everyone competes in a competition where one will survive and will have some sort of magical revelation - this one unfortunately was meeting that same fate. The characters were ok but nothing really connected to me. The world was a little confusing as it wasn't too explained even 65% in.

I loved Peñaranda's series An Heir Comes to Rise, so I was excited to read this book. Unfortunately, this book was disappointing. For a large book of over 500 pages, it never seemed to develop a plot. I couldn't find myself connecting to the characters or the romance.

I loved the book in general and the audio is no exception, the emotion that was put into it is unmatched and really well done

I started the first two chapters multiple times, listening and reading again and again, unable to figure out what was happening.

The blurb did not give me a context to fully understand the beginning and the book started in a place that left me confused and feeling lost.

Nonetheless, once I soldiered through I found myself sucked into a terrifying world. Astraea is an excellent character and her relationships with others felt real. I felt her emotions and confusion throughout. Nyte was sexy and intriguing.

I did find this is be incredibly predictable with me muttering about what would happen several hours before I reached that point in the story.

Nonetheless, it was highly enjoyable and I want to read more in this world.

The narrators were fantastic!

Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for audioARC.

This book was just ok for me. WhileI love fantasy and world building, I felt like a lot of what was in this book could have been condensed to allow for a better high point. It felt like a slow climb only for the book to end on a cliff hanger of information that the reader wants to know but it’s so spread out in the book it provides very little actual world building altogether. I just think it wasn’t my style to read but the plot twists in this book is amazing.

Thank you so much, Macmillan, for the ALC of The Stars are Dying.

Story: Unknown
Spice: Unknown
Narration: 4 ⭐ so far

This is an unpopular opinion. ahhh!!! I want to start off by saying I dnf'd the book. I made it to about 30%. I liked the story, but it feels like it was lacking something, or it may have drawn out too long or I just wasn't in the mood to listen to this story. I may pick it up in the future and finish, but for now, this is it.

I just didn't feel connected to the FMC and the real draw was the mysterious, Nyte (sp?) We don't seem him much yet, but I really liked his character.

I was so excited to receive this arc, mostly because I really love Corvin and Jacci!! They did a great job from what I listened too so far.

3 ⭐️ Did a reread on audio so I can refresh my mind with the story and prepare for book two. 🎧 it was a good read, I’m not blown away just yet but it has potential. I think book 2 will be the decider of this series for me so hoping that one really hooks me in. 🤞🏼

I went into this book somewhat blind and was pleasantly surprised to find vampires, as I am currently in my vampire era. 🩸

♡ Lost memories
♡ Deadly Trials
♡ A secret alliance
♡ Star-Crossed Lovers
♡ Found Family
♡ Vampires, Fae, Celestials

This book was sort of a mix of The Plated Prisoner, The Hunger Games, and a touch of From Blood and Ash.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the progression of the story, the pacing was a bit slow here and there, and the book honestly could have been cut at least a hundred pages, in my opinion.

That being said, I liked the characters, the trials, the found family. There was one major reveal that was SUPER obvious to me, but I won't mention it since it is a spoiler. 😅 But if you've read it, YOU KNOW.

This is a slow burn with a steady build of tension. 🔥

I received an ALC from NetGalley, and the audio was spectacular. 👌 Corvin King never fails to impress, and Jacci Prior did an excellent job bringing to the life Astraea. Oh, did I mention that this is a DUET audio? Chef's kiss. 🤌💋

Overall, this was a top-notch read for me, and I can't wait for book 2!

* This is a review of the first 60% of the book (because that’s all I could bear to finish) and contains spoilers *

This book has been written a hundred times, a hundred different ways: Human girl faces trial to save the realm, but surprise! - she’s not human! She’s actually had magical lineage this whole time. Of course there’s a broody, shadowy male who she shouldn’t be attracted to but her body can’t help it. Yada yada, you know the rest of the story.
This book is the most predictable thing I’ve read all year. I was pulling my hair out at how obvious some of the plot “twists” are WELL before they happen, but the FMC is oblivious.
As far as the actual narration - it’s borderline painful. The female voice is somewhat monotone. The male voice does this creepy whisper thing that I assume is supposed to be sexy? But he does it the whole entire time and it’s like nails on a chalkboard.
All in all, I would give this book one star, but I’m being generous and giving it two stars simply because I’m assuming the remaining 40% of the book doesn’t suck as much as the first 60%.

"𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐲?”

“𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, 𝐚 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬. “𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭.”

This book has some polarizing reviews, of which I tried to take with a grain of salt while I read this book. I had received a physical ARC at Apollycon, and then got the audio ALC from NetGalley, and I really wanted to read it.

I have found that I really have to be in the mood for fantasy. All that world building, all that explaining the magic system, the people, it's a lot. But I guess I was in the mood for this book because I really liked it.

“𝐈’𝐦 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝. 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰. 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭?”

The audio version was a little hit and miss at times. It's done in duet style and though I thought Corvin King and Jacci Prior did fabulous jobs sometimes the difference in characters voices was a little too similar so that I really had to focus on who was talking. I thought Corvin King's voice was perrrrrrfect for Nyte, so sultry and deep, and really enjoyed his performance of him.

Now for the story. It's told from Astraea's POV and we know that she's being kept by a man and doesn't have memory of who she is/her past. She escaped with her friends to go to this trial to find keys, and in her mind is this mysterious figure that sometimes she can see, but no one else can, and his name is Nyte and she's got it BAD for him and he's got it BAD for her. He also claims to know more about her but it doesn't just tell her.

It's becomes a story about figuring out WHO she is, and WHO he is, and their story together. What they meant to each other, in the past, and what they will mean to each other when all is revealed.

Sometimes the plot felt a little lost and meandering, and I really wish more breadcrumbs were dropped about Astraea's identity earlier on, and honestly I'm still really confused about a lot of things within the magic system. But I still really liked it?

I know it doesn't make sense, I was just really entertained and so this rating is based on the vibes. And the vibes are Nyte is SO HOT, and SO obsessed and SO bad, and I just love him. And Astraea is about to come into her power and I'm HERE FOR IT.

So give me book two.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC!!

First, I want to thank you and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of your book!

I have some mixed feelings, but overall, I think there's a lot of potential in this story. The narrators were absolutely top-tier, and they did an amazing job bringing the characters to life. I loved the blend of elements—vampires, fae, celestial beings, and the competition—it all really drew me in. And Nyte? He’s such a fantastic morally grey character. I found myself loving him as a shadowy figure throughout.

That said, there were a few things that didn’t work as well for me. I guessed pretty early on what Astrea was, so I wonder if the foreshadowing could have been a bit subtler unless you intended for readers to figure it out ahead of time. I also liked the concept of the trials being tied to sins, but I found myself confused during some of them. It might be because I listened to the audiobook, but there were moments when I didn’t even realize she was in a trial until it was already over. I’m not sure if this was intentional, but I feel like more clarity could have improved those scenes.

On the positive side, the spice was fantastic, and I’m definitely excited to read book two to see where the story goes! I even ordered a physical copy because the cover is stunning, and I can’t wait to add it to my collection.

Thank you again for sharing this story with me—I look forward to seeing what happens next!

Well this just made my top ten of the year! (Of 160 and counting) Duet narration that’s flawless. An intriguing storyline that is in part Plated Prisoner meets Serpent & the Wings of Night. Hot mysterious shadow daddy mmc, a gorgeous and sometimes clueless fmc that can’t remember her past. Trials and puzzles and plenty of steamy sexual tension, slow burn with 🌶.5 spice. Lots of twists and turns that keep you enthralled from beginning to end! Definitely a must read for any romantasy lover.

Read this book awhile ago and was excited to get hear the audiobook. The book overall is a 5⭐️ read.. The audiobook was okay.. Didn’t really enjoy the male characters.. other than that i recommend everyone to check it out.

DNF @19%

I really wanted to like this one. This sounded like something I would enjoy, but I just really struggled to get into the story and I just couldn't. I didn't feel connected to the characters or the story after listening to the audiobook for almost 3.5 hours. The female narrator also wasn't my vibe. She seemed rather monotone, like she was just reading the story instead of performing. This one just wasn't my cup of tea unfortunately.

This one was so, so good. Great world building and an intricately woven story of deceit and betrayal. Astrea has escaped one bad situation and found herself in a few others. As she takes Cassia's place, she realizes that there is so much more to the kingdom and the war than she ever knew. She also realizes that there is a part of herself she's desperate to uncover. As Nyte guides her, we learn so much about the past and present. There were so many twists and surprises, I cannot wait to start book 2!