The Serpent and the Wings of Night

This bludy story blew me knickers off the wash line!!!! Hahaha were so I begin, it's been a while since I cud say I've been booked line and sinker deep into each and every word of such an incredible tale with the masterful story telling of a great n talent writer (which I hadn't heard of sync e this book) I cudnt out it down If I ever had to back a human in an immortal world it is ORAYA!!!! what a girl woman and warrior. Held her own throughout fearsome and yet protective of all who needs her help. The odds were stacked against her from the get go, but she never shyed away from the fight. Throw in a cocky tough mysterious hero? Maybe Anti hero? I hadn't decided 🤔🤔🤔 and we've got a fierce battle on our hands. Secrets of past and present, along with a magical force and this pot of delicious ness deserves my first 5 * of the year. Can't wait to devour the 2nd book. Whoop whoop

This is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year! Think a dark fantasy hunger games and you'll be on the right track. Carissa writes characters in such a way that you become so emotionally invested in their story very quickly. Her writing is beautiful and descriptive (whilst remaining an easy read), but more than the writing, it's the content. It's so emotional and contemplative, it really helps you get into the mind of the protagonist, and empathise with her on so many levels. Oraya is fantastically written. As someone who grew up in a constant fight-or-flight mentality, Carissa really had the details correct about how a young person would deal with that. It was emotional, and I really related to her because of that. I adore Raihn. He was well-thought out, developed and complex. My only comment is that I want to know more about the magic. No spoilers, but if Oraya believes it normal for humans to be able to use magic, is this normal? And to what extent? In which case, why haven't any humans risen up and tried to fight back against the vampires? This may be something which is being discussed in the next book so it won't affect my rating before I have finished the series. I cannot wait for the next installment and to see what Oraya does next.

When I say I devoured this… I DEVOURED it. Made the fatal mistake of starting to read before bed, and was up until 3am to finish it (it’s not short, I just read fast). Unputdownable. Why, I hear you ask? Let me tell you… Oraya. I mean, human child adopted by scary vampire King is a pretty strong premise but man did Carissa Broadbent knock this one out the park. I loved how prickly and feisty - and honestly, how *angry* - Oraya is, and her character arc was just 😍 Raihn. Again, sexy vampire bad boy isn’t exactly a hard sell but I loved how endearing he was. Broody, yes, but surprisingly soft and thus avoiding being cliché 😂 The plot. Magic competition, where the stakes (lol) are live or die? Gimme! But again, Carissa Broadbent takes a classic trope, makes it her own and executes it perfectly. It’s the same with the world building - she gives you everything you want and expect from a book like this, and then she gives you more. I could go on, but honestly - just go read it yourself! Best book I’ve read all year. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Damn, I think it's safe to say that Carissa Broadbent is definitely a favorite author of mine now. If you love fantasy romance then you have to give her books a try! This one is particular reminds me of the darkness and grittiness of Nevernight but a romance more like From Blood and Ash (but still very different). ✅ I LOVED THE WORLD in this book because it didn't try to romanticize vampires. Vampires were depicted as true monsters with bloodlust that was very difficult to control. Well, except for Raihn, of course lol 😅 But I liked this because most of the time vampires are portrayed as sexy edge-lords in books but here they were truly monstrous and something a human should fear. ✅ TRIAL/COMPETITION PLOTLINES are almost always a hit for me and this was no exception! Each of the trials was unique and made Oraya seem like such a bad ass, and I really liked how there was never "an easy way out" for her - she actually had to use her own skills to get out of each one. ✅ BOTH ORAYA AND RAIHN were amazing characters with great backstories and personalities. I thought Oraya's yearning to be more like the vampires and Raihn's yearning for his lost humanity was a good juxtaposition. I especially loved all the trips to the rundown bars with piss-poor ale that they did 😂 ✅ THE ROMANCE WAS SOOO good! Carissa always weaves such a great slow burn where there's no hint of instalove but you're still begging for it by the time they finally get together. This wasn't overly steamy, really only one scene, but I thought it was enough for the first book in a series! ✅ THE ENDING WAS crazy and amazing and I absolutely cannot wait to pick up the next book. Honestly, I have no idea where this is going because it's hard to pinpoint exactly who "the big villain" is because everyone is some shade of grey. I did call some of the reveals early in the book, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment at all. Overall, this book was amazing and I 100% recommend it if you want a new fantasy romance series that is sure to impress. If you're looking for a fantasy book that is dark and vicious, action-packed with well-rounded characters, and also has a slow-burn romance, then you should definitely pick this up!

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent is the first book of the Nightborn Duet, part of the Crowns of Nyaxia series. My understanding is each of the three vampire houses will have a duet of books, plus there will be some standalone stories. The novel follows the story of the Vampire King’s adopted human daughter who enters a vampire tournament to be granted a wish. Despite the risk she allies with vampire Raihn and his friend to complete one one of the challenges, knowing she will ultimately be forced to kill him in order to win. Tropes include competitors to lovers, forced proximity and who hurt you. The Lovely: This book shined in so many aspects and almost became a five star. The plot line wasn’t so far out there and was unique, especially for a vampire story. The author kept the story moving with tournament challenges and the characters and it flowed beautifully. I also thought the romance was does well - especially the tension that built up to the “relations before battle” scene. You could feel the pressure of time bearing down on the couple. The Mundane: The character development for the main character was done well but we didn’t see a lot of change in the other characters, which made those characters feel a bit flat. I liked how the female main character, Oraya, was human in a world of vampires but she was not made to appear weak. She had her own power and adapted well to the challenges of the tournament. The Dreadful: The ending. The final challenge ripped my heart out and threw it against the wall a few times. That was amazing. What happened right after the challenge though I really don’t agree with. !*spoiler!* It wasn’t that the writing was bad, it was that what happened went against everything the female main character had done and worked toward. In her own words, she “lost my autonomy, my name, my blood.” This didn’t make me sad - it makes me angry. It feels like a cheap way to end the book. !*spoiler end*! Rating: 4/5 Stars Recommendation: Despite the dreadful ending, this book is worth reading. The author’s writing is top notch and really the reason this wasn’t five stars was just the ending. I really connected with the characters, especially Oraya, and her relationship felt real. I’m going to read the novella next as those chapters apparently pop up in the second book of this duology. I’m not sure I’m exactly looking forward to the next book (after the novella) but I’m going to read it as I want to see how it turns out for the female main character.