The Stars Are Dying: Special Edition

This previously self-published hit receives bonus chapters and a special print edition from a traditional publisher. Astraea can only remember the last five years and spends her time observing the many people who frequent her guardian’s estate. She has begun to chafe at her guardian’s restrictions and escapes to the Central City, where the king is hosting the Libertatem. The competition happens once every 100 years, and the winner’s kingdom is granted immunity from vampire attacks. Astraea tries to learn more about herself during the trials but is pulled into other people’s machinations. She also meets a brooding vampire named Nyte and quickly learns that the Libertatem and Nyte are not what they seem. While the book’s premise is reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust, this fantasy spends more time on the romance than on the plot. The will-they-won’t-they romance overwhelms the mystery of the games for much of the story, and readers will need to continue reading the series for any plot resolution as not much is settled at the end of this book.