1) NOT A STANDALONE. I'm sick of novels that could be standalones stretched out to two or more - Fleck could have cut a lot of stuff in Veda's life before she was discovered by the Night. I knew this was going to happen, though, when everyone was getting ready for the final battle and there were ~20 pages left that it wouldn't be all wrapped up though.

2) The love triangle, while cliche, is very well done. Veda's attraction towards both Nico and Dorian is well-written and believable, and her feelings towards both of them are rationalized and realistic (I love that she says that she doesn't want to replace Nico with Dorian - they're different people and she feels differently towards them even if she feels the same feelings about them).

3) I actually loved Veda's struggle with being the lunalette (which is the dumbest name - why not just "lunette"?). It's very believable that she would feel doubt about such a big destiny and living up to everyone's expectations. And I loved that the lunalette was a fabrication created by the Sindaco - every revolution needs a figurehead, and if you don't have one, create one. ( )

Veda is one of the Basso, a second class citizen on the island of Bellona. On the island, society worships the Light, and often makes human sacrifices to appease the Light. The High Regent blames the Night for any societal ill, including the recent disappearance of Basso citizens.

Although I enjoyed the pacing and characters of this book, I thought the world building left a lot to be desired. There were too many plot holes throughout. For example, they have landmines and explosives, but then fight with bows and spears. The High Regent starts a campaign against the Night after the first war, when Veda's parents were killed. That was probably 15 or 16 years ago. It didn't make a lot of sense that the fear and terror against the night would have built so quickly. At a minimum, the older residents would have known better. I hope the author can fix some of these plot holes in future books. Her writing style and characters were very compelling and I would like to read more from her. ( )

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Beware the Night left me feeling frustrated and at a loss for words. I dislike cliffhangers as a rule, because they leave you with more questions than answers, and I feel like it's a dirty way to leave a book. I don't mind when books are part of a series, but I also want them to be able to stand on their own. When you're left not knowing what happened to one of the main characters, that's really annoying. Books take time to write, and not all books get a sequel, so I firmly believe that every book should have a beginning and an ending. If they want to set up future books, fine, but don't leave me feeling like I've wasted hours of my time by failing to provide even a hint of resolution.

Next, there's a love triangle, and an unnecessary one at that. I will say that I think the author handled this one better than most, but I still don't like that it was there. We have Nico on one side, someone Veda has known since childhood, and Dorian on the other. He's a new addition to her life, but an important one. I really wish one of them could have remained her friend, while the other was a love interest, because kissing them both on the same day (and claiming they were both perfect, or heavenly) was ick. She felt at home with Nico, but she also said her kiss with Dorian felt like they'd been doing it forever. People are planning for a war, and she's thinking about which boy she likes more (or questioning everything always).

My third issue is likely due to the fact that I read a review copy, because I really hope the inconsistencies were straightened out before publication. Someone would be sitting, and then they would stand, but then they would stand again with someone else. Veda was given keys, but then she couldn't unlock a door because she didn't have keys, and then she's thanking the Sun for having keys later on. It was a little obnoxious, but again, not holding it against this book since my copy was for review.

I enjoyed the lore behind the Sun and the Moon, but it was also confusing. Bellona is supposedly a child of the Sun, so where does the Night come from? Why did they start worshiping the Moon? Was it done just to oppose the Imperi, or were there other legends that weren't shared with us? I know the Night had tapestries and stories that were passed down over the generations, but then Veda finds something at the end that made me question everything that I thought I knew.

Actually, there's a lot about this book that doesn't make sense. The Night was planning on someone returning to them, but they didn't make arrangements until a few days before her birthday. It felt like they simultaneously knew and didn't know that Veda was the person they were waiting for. Apparently, the Sindaco had made plans prior to someone seeing her scar, but then the plans started after her scar had been seen. I'm confusing myself trying to explain how it was confusing.

I wish the information had been presented a little differently, and definitely more thoroughly, because I don't like feeling confused and frustrated when I finish a book. I love stories that make me think and question what I know, but not books that make me feel like I went in circles for hours. I want things to be explained to me in a way that leaves no room for doubt or confusion. If it's a new world with new rules, I want to believe in it wholeheartedly. Alas, Beware the Night made a halfhearted attempt at best, and I wish the story had left me with more than a vague sense of doom.

I'm curious enough to possibly continue this series, but it's not one I'm eagerly anticipating. If the first book ended with a cliffhanger, it's safe to assume the author would do it again. I don't know... maybe I need to read a finished copy to see if some of the messiness it sorted out. If you've read a published copy of this book, what do you think? Were you satisfied with it overall?

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on March 14, 2019. ( )

I'm going to be completely up front with you all, and let you know that this wasn't my favorite YA Fantasy I've read this year. However, and here's the part I'm excited to share with you, this book has a lot of a potential. In fact, Beware the Night is the kind of book that is a gateway for new readers who are making their way in the Fantasy genre. It's highly accessible, quick moving, and filled with characters who are easy to fall into step with. So keep in mind that while this wasn't my cup of tea, that doesn't mean I don't think this is a good story. More below!

Kudos to Fleck on the pacing of this book, because it all but flies by. From the moment that the reader meets Veda, to the final page, everything is laid out in perfect order. There was really no time to stop and breathe, because every page turn brought about some new revelation that once again set Veda's world on edge. I also thought that the slow world building that was done in this story was actually rather good. Instead of starting by describing the world that Veda inhabits, Fleck opts to allow the reader to uncover it with her while she explores. At first I was worried that I'd be lost, but I soon found myself intrigued by the descriptions of day to day events and (as brutal as they were) the sacrifices that the people of this world made to keep it safe.

Character wise, I felt like most of the important people in this story were a little flat. Still, their interactions with one another were what really sold things. I'm not a fan of love triangles, but I did feel like Veda's attractions were at least warranted. Nico, with his childhood friendship and sweet gestures. Then on the flip side, Dorian with his kindness and intrigue. It's not often that I like both love interests for a main character, but Veda has good taste.

I'll end here by saying that really the thing that kept me from falling in true love with this book was simply that it's so predictable. There's nothing that you haven't seen before in a Fantasy. The good side of that though, is that this is a comfort read. You know you can believe in Veda. You know that you can believe in good over evil. Like I said above, this is an excellent gateway book! I can't wait for it to get into the hands of readers. ( )