⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*The Night is Defying* by Chloe C. Peñaranda is an enthralling continuation of the Nytefall series, blending high-stakes action, rich world-building, and an emotional tug-of-war between love and duty. Astraea and Nyte’s journey is a rollercoaster of revelations, power struggles, and heart-wrenching choices, keeping you hooked until the very end.

The narration by Jacci Prior and Corvin King is absolutely fabulous, bringing the characters and their complex emotions to life with a flawless duet performance. Their voices perfectly capture the tension, passion, and desperation that drive this gripping tale.

While the pacing felt slightly uneven in places, the story’s twists and emotional depth more than made up for it. If you’re a fan of star-crossed lovers, dark secrets, and dramatic stakes, this second installment is a must-listen!

I absolutely loved this continuation and that ending has me desperate for book 3 to come out!!

*Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

As a second in a romantasy trilogy, this falls hard into second book territory. Even more confusing, the timelines switch constantly, in a way that is very jarring from the story that the reader is already working desperately to grasp.

I found the first book, especially at the beginning, to be hard to follow but I was eventually sucked in. The structure of this book was such that not only was I not sucked in, but also as soon as I started to get into the groove, the timelines would switch and I was left scrambling for understanding.

The readers are brought back to the story of Astraea and Nyte, star-crossed lovers. Astraea is the daughter of dusk and dawn, the star maiden, who is just now getting her memories back from her prior life. Nyte, also known as Night's Death, is a fae-turned vampire, son of the evil king, and from another world. Being together is causing the stars to die but they cannot seem to stop boning.

I really think this series needed someone to sit down with some serious editing scissors because I kept asking myself, where is the point and how do we cut to it? I will read the next book because I hate when I am left without a conclusion. I see a ton of potential within this story and world but really need the editing.

Now, as an audiobook, this is great. Both narrators are excellent and really pull the reader into the story. But listening to it makes those time shifts even more confusing!

If you are a romantasy fan, you may want to add it to your collection but I would recommend reading it first. This is a great public library purchase for those that already have the first book.

Thank you to Tor, Bramble, and Net Galley for the DLC. All opinions are my own.

I adore this series so much! I stumbled upon it through @macmillan.audio and then was totally convinced when i saw the stunning hardcover. No surprise that book 2 is just as gorgeous, both in the story it tells and the aesthetic of the physical book. Asrtaea and Nyte are simply irresistable, to me and each other. Their story just completely swept away to their far off places and realms. it's an absolute yes from me.

This was really good. I enjoyed it and am glad with the story continuing and am hoping for more in the future

Good Lord Ms Penaranda how could you do me like that???
Leaving me sitting on that cliff until the next one comes out??!! OMG! 😳 So addictive!
During this installment, we also get a bit more of the backstory of Astraea and Nyte. The story continues where we left off at the end of the book, with Astraea coming to terms with being the star maiden and all that entails. Through noble efforts, Astraea is working on returning some of her memories and Nyte is free from the veil.
Do not start this book if you cannot binge it! It's packed with high stakes, new characters and significant plot twists that will leave you spinning in circles with your jaw dropped! This is an addictive love story that has you rooting for Astraea and Nyte through it all. It's magical to watch their love grow and turn into something else! This one is one of the stars ⭐️ like there is something else here and I'm excited about the next installment because this is quickly becoming one of my favorite series because there is so much here. Love, injustice, power plays, and of course, there is a betrayal that you won't see coming that is so intense that most of you will join me sitting on that cliffhanger!!!
I received the audiobook to listen to and review, and let me just say the narrator fits the story perfectly! The tone and the way she read the story there were so many times that I was pacing around my house because the narrators really brought the story to life!!!
Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this truly exciting opportunity! I fell in love with the series all over again!

Following the aftermath of the Libertatem, Astraea fights to maintain her freedom while recovering her memories and magic, hoping to find her killer. While Astraea embarks on her journey of self-discovery, Nyte fights to regain control of the bloodthirsty vampires amidst his brother's attempts to overthrow him.

This is the second book in the series, and I loved getting to see more of Nyte and Astraea's relationship, including peeks into their relationship before Astraea lost her memories. I also enjoyed learning more about the celestials and the vampires.

One of my biggest complaints is the lack of overall worldbuilding in the series. Although we see more of the world as Astraea travels across the veil, descriptions of places and the magic system still felt very limited.

I also felt like this book jumped around a lot more than the first book (especially as Nyte gave Astraea memories), and at times it wasn't very clear and left me feeling confused about what was happening.

I listened to this on audio, and absolutely loved both narrators. I couldn't imagine anyone more perfect to portray Nyte's voice than Corvin King.

Read if you like:
Romantasy
Who did this to you
Shadow daddies
Forbidden romance
Vampires
Dual-POV

Wow, a perfect sequel to the first book, it has everything you could want! I can't wait to see what book 3 has in store for us

It’s a very mellow and slow process. Very character focused. Still not a lot of world building or depth to what’s going on around them. The bondings seem to be almost worthless and then obsessive when it comes to Night. It’s like wandering around in someone’s inner monologue with some external interactions. It did not do it for me

Narrators: the voices are beautiful and I love the dual voice in conversation. I do have to say though there was only like slight variations in character voice. It was a little hard to decipher who’s talking sometimes.

The Night is Defying is a decent follow-up to the first of the series. Continuing the stories of Night and Astraea and their attempts to help Astreae find her memories while she tries to find her place in the world. It is, however, a bit of a confusing follow-up. At times it felt like the characters were just jumping from place to place with little to no transitional moments between to make it easier to keep up with. And Night’s personality changes started feeling more cliche and awkward than a powerful magical being losing his control.

The narrators weren’t bad. They were both quite good for the main characters. My only complaint here is that there was little to no emotion behind a lot of characters’ speech, leaving their spoken lines the same as the narrative pieces. And the narrator for Night wasn’t very good at differentiating the characters when he was covering the male voice lines. Using the same tones, and almost always speaking with flirty undertones no matter which character was speaking and to whom

<b>"Shine bright, and I'll meet you in the next darkness."</b> EXCUSE ME? Just TEAR my heart right out! In <i>The Night is Defying</i>, Astraea tries to regain her memories with Nyte's help. We get flashbacks from Astraea's previous life, and although she's drawn to Nyte, she's conflicted about returning to the world that was once hers. I already miss the banter and friendships that were developed through the story.

<i>The Night Is Defying</i> was a fantastic sequel to <i>The Stars are Dying<i>. I'm so glad I continued the series because I almost DNF'd the first book. It was difficult to get into <i>The Stars are Dying</i>, but the second book had me in its grasp the entire time, and the ending had me at the edge of my seat!

I LOVED the audiobook and the split chapters between Astraea and Nyte. I need the third book to be released ASAP!!

Thank you, NetGalley Chloe C Peñaranda, MacMillan Audio, and Bramble, for this audio ARC. All opinions are my own.

“The Night is Defying,” by Chloe C. Peñaranda

After loving the first book in this series, I was so excited to listen to the audiobook of The Night is Defying, and it completely surpassed my expectations. I adored book one (a solid 5-star read), but book two took everything I loved and made it even better.

One of the best parts for me was delving deeper into the protagonist’s lost past and memories, which added so much depth to the story. I also loved getting to know Nyte better in this installment. His lore was fascinating, and as an unapologetic fan of morally gray male characters, I couldn’t help but be drawn to his darker side. Chloe C. Peñaranda has this incredible talent for creating "red-flag" characters that are somehow irresistible, and I was absolutely here for it.

I loved the tropes, shadow daddy, enemies to lovers, etc. The world building was so good, and I was excited to see more of the celestial plane. I thought the side characters added to the story, I love well written side characters. I loved everything about this book.

And that ending? Absolutely insane!

I also have to praise the audiobook narration, which was flawless. It brought the story to life perfectly, and there isn’t a single thing I’d change about it.

5 out of 5 stars, I love this series!

-Vampires, Celestials, Fae, Gods
-Dual POV
-Enemies To Lovers
-Shadow Daddy

Thank you so much for the ARC, Netgalley.

2.5 rounded down to 2

I felt like this was so much longer than it needed to be. Characters blended together and I struggled with the constant back and forth between who Astraea was spending time with. If felt like filler to distract from a lack of a clear direction.

I really enjoyed this one alot. I am planning a reread of book 1 and will be adding this to my reread list. I will review on Goodreads when I do my reread. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Narration ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Night is Defying is a beautiful, emotional journey that deepens the connection between Nyte and Astrea. Their romance is heartfelt as they continue to rediscover each other, fall in love again, and navigate Astrea's journey of reclaiming her memories and trusting her intuition. I loved watching Astrea evolve, especially as she learns to define herself—not by others’ expectations, but by her own desires. It’s a powerful message about finding love, trust, and self-empowerment.

The dual narration really enhances the experience, offering a richer perspective on the characters and drawing you further into the story. The narrators did a phenomenal job portraying the emotions and nuances of each character, adding depth to the already engaging plot. The spicy scenes were a nice touch, further intensifying the romance.

While the first book primarily introduced the world and the stakes, this second installment really builds on that foundation. It provides more information, expands on key storylines, and delves deeper into Astrea’s past. This book dives deeper into the celestial elements of the world and was so fun to explore. I loved learning about the celestials and life on the other side of the veil.

The themes of love, defying the odds, and standing against prejudice resonate strongly. Astrea and Nyte’s unwavering commitment to each other, despite the obstacles they face, is a core theme of the book. The narrative also explores deeper societal issues—such as entrenched prejudices and the importance of challenging outdated beliefs. The author handles these themes thoughtfully, showing their impact on everyone involved.

The ending was both surprising and emotional. While I did predict some elements, other twists completely caught me off guard. The characters’ struggles were so well written that I found myself in tears multiple times.
I can’t wait for the next installment in the series. With the action heating up and major changes on the horizon, I can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

I do recommend reading or refreshing your memory on The Stars are Dying before diving into this book. The Night is Defying picks up quickly, and revisiting the previous book will help you fully appreciate the world, characters, and plot as they continue to unfold.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review

I want to start off by saying I had to do a reread of book 1 audiobook format before I listen this to book 2. I needed to be reminded of the characters and the world again. But when I finally got to this book. I was at aww for returning to this world. I maybe a little bias but Nyte fall is my new fae death daddy. I love everything about being in this world. The narrators do amazing job keeping me wanting to not stop listening. The author does amazing job with these characters and this world that I don’t want to come out of just yet. I think that’s why I took a little longer to finish this audiobook. This book comes out January 28,2025 I will be buying my own ebook and physical copy.This ending had me in all my emotions. I highly recommend book 1 and this book. Yes I had a little tear in my eyes.
A favorite of 2025 I don’t to give to much into this.
Thank you the author and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and be back in this world.

holy smokes. that book was a wild ride. i listened to the audiobook version, so i did get confused a few times when it was past or present but lord, it was so good. the way nyte is CONSUMED by astraea. i could only hope one day someone wants me half that much. and the cliffhanger. ma'am.. you are the queen of cliffhangers bc i am dead. i need to know what happens next. it's gonna be a longggg basically year till book 3 comes out. ugh. idk weather to love you or be mad. hahaha

one of my favorite quotes: "Then my vow is to never give up trying to rewrite the stars"

thank you to chloe and netgalley for letting me have the opportunity to read it early ♡ #netgalley #arcread

I love the narration of this book, both narrators were extremely talented. However, the book itself, I couldn’t in good conscience give it more than three stars. Most of the sub plots felt like they were taken directly from other very popular books, and while the main storyline did hold my interest. The sub plots feeling like they were taken from other books took away from my joy of reading this. Until the last three chapters, I was very much struggling to get through. However, the last three chapters held my interest enough that I would for sure. Still read the next book which is why it still got three stars from me.

Well, many of the things that were reminiscent to me were very vague. One thing that stood out above the rest was the point that the kings name was wiped from everybody’s minds, and that was just way too much like throne of glass, where the king’s name was also wiped from everybody’s minds. I know it was done in different context, but it felt very, very similar to the point that I couldn’t even hear that without thinking about it and then being frustrated at the book for doing something that felt like it was very much taken from another popular series.

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5
Narration: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Duration: 18 Hours, 36 Minutes
Narrated by Corvin King; Jacci Prior

🩸Paranormal Romance
🩸Vampires
🩸Savior X Villain
🩸Character Growth
🩸Dual POV
🩸Stubborn Star-crossed Lovers
🩸Past VS Present
🩸Revelations

"I didn't fall for you twice because I never stopped loving you. Through everything that tried to separate us—-forgotten memories, lost time—-it's always been you...
Starlight"

"It's those who are quickest to condemn a monster that are harboring something more vicious of their own.”

The was such an amazing follow up to The Stars Are Dying. It’s described as a “star-crossed romantasy with a puzzley plot and a can you/ can't you trust him love interest, loosely inspired by the Greek myth of Astraea.” Which she definitely achieved. It had me on the edge of my seat. The story does jump around from past to present.

The story picks up where it left off from book one. There was a continuation with world and character building that was perfect. The spice was spicing just right! The plot did feel like it got lost along the way. I love how action packed it was. Astraea and Nyte's dynamic is so well done. She had it messy, raw, organic and kept to the stubbornness. Of course, there were some new characters added.

This will have you on the edge of your seat. High stakes, plot twists, some unpredictability, vampires, dragons, and so much more! Hard to know which way it will go with the third book in the trilogy. This is definitely worth checking out. Especially if you loved the first book! Cannot wait for the third installment!!

The narrators did incredible! I loved them in the first book too. They helped to make it an experience with bringing the book to life.

Thank you Macmillan and Netgalley for the ALC.

Loved the past chapters to fill in the gaps from all of the questions and mystery and what the characters roles and history even mean.

After the events of Libertatem, Nyte and Astrae find their place in the world as they continue to be the bane of each others existence. Astrae embarks on a journey to recover her memories and power. To save the world, Nyte has to let her go. But he wants to be selfish and they have to find another way. Also, an early emergence of a new character shakes things up a bit for Astrae !

Loved the POV chapters from Nyte to get in his head. A lot of common fantasy tropes, but I didn’t mind !

Similar to book one, this jumped around a bit. Still enjoyed it, did the audiobook and I’m a sucker for duet narration!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 1/28!