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Crowns of Nyaxia #1-2
Crowns of Nyaxia Series 2 Books Set – The Serpent & the Wings of Night and The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King
This Crowns of Nyaxia Series 2 Books Set
1. The Serpent & the Wings of Night 9781250343178
2. The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King 9781250343154
1. The Serpent & the Wings of Night 9781250343178
2. The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King 9781250343154
1088 pages, Hardcover
Published June 4, 2024
About the author
Carissa Broadbent
30 books49.6k followersI've been concerning teachers and parents with mercilessly grim tales since I was roughly nine years old. Since then, my stories have gotten (slightly) less depressing and (hopefully a lot?) more readable. Today, I write fantasy novels with a heaping dose of badass ladies and a big pinch of romance.
When I'm not writing, I'm working at my day job in cybersecurity marketing, watching too many movies, or drawing. I live with my fiance, one very well behaved rabbit, one very poorly behaved rabbit, and one perpetually skeptical cat in Rhode Island.
When I'm not writing, I'm working at my day job in cybersecurity marketing, watching too many movies, or drawing. I live with my fiance, one very well behaved rabbit, one very poorly behaved rabbit, and one perpetually skeptical cat in Rhode Island.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 19, 2024
As much as I loved the first book, this one was mid. I hate waiting for MCs to get back together. Also, more just a straight war book, and I wasn't feeling it.
December 13, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (4.5/5 stars)
I’m rating Ashes in the Star-Cursed King four out of five stars, but honestly, this is much closer to a 4.5. The only reason it does not quite reach a full five is structural rather than substantive. It is very difficult for a sequel to recreate the intensity and momentum of the trial-based arc in The Serpent and the Wings of Night. Taken together as a complete duet, this story is absolutely a five-star experience. As a standalone entry, however, it lands just a fraction lower.
That said, I genuinely enjoyed this book more than I expected to. I am not typically drawn to vampire romance, nor to stories that lean heavily into blood, bleeding, and bodily imagery, and there was admittedly quite a bit of that here. At times it pulled me slightly out of the immersion. Still, it was never egregious enough to derail the story, and certainly not the worst offender in the genre.
Where this book truly shines is in its character work, particularly with Vincent. Carissa Broadbent demonstrates a rare and deeply appreciated skill in writing morally nebulous characters, the kind you feel you should despise, yet cannot fully condemn once you understand the totality of their lived experience. Vincent is a masterclass in complexity. His motivations, trauma, and long-term consequences feel painfully human, and that realism allows for far greater emotional investment than a straightforward villain ever could. It mirrors real-world moral ambiguity in a way that fantasy does not always attempt, let alone succeed at.
The prose remains consistently strong throughout. While there are a few moments where certain word choices for anatomy made me cringe slightly, (it’s those words that rhyme with ‘holds’ and ‘fit’)- it is not unique to this author and feels more like a genre-wide tendency that I just need to cope with. Overall, the writing is evocative, controlled, and immersive.
I also appreciated that the ending did not rely on a heavy-handed cliffhanger. Instead, the story leaves you curious rather than frustrated. There is a clear sense of forward motion in the world itself, particularly with the setup for Mische’s future arc. You close the book wanting more, but not feeling manipulated into it.
One detail that stood out to me in a positive way was Vincent’s mirror, which allows communication with Jesmine. It gave me distinct Harry Potter Pensieve vibes. Whether intentional or not, it felt like a respectful parallel rather than a copy, and it worked beautifully as a narrative device within this world.
That said, I do have two critiques, one emotional and one… logistical.
Emotionally, I found myself unusually irritated with Oraya for a significant portion of the book. I understand that she is deeply traumatized by Raihn killing her father, but it is abundantly clear that he was forced into that position, and that Vincent himself orchestrated events so that Oraya would survive. Raihn literally allowed her to kill him, and yet she directs an enormous amount of anger toward him, almost as though she is punishing him for a choice she herself made under impossible circumstances. I stayed mad at her longer than I probably should have, which slightly dampened my connection to her arc.
And finally, my most unserious but unavoidable complaint: the soap.🧼
After escaping through the sewers, wading through literal waste and greasy feces, the characters arrive at hot springs. There is, apparently, no soap. No cleansing agent. No surfactants. Nothing. Yet they were ‘cleaned off’ in the springs. 😳 I know this is fantasy.
I know I am not supposed to be this literal.
But I said out loud, “Where is the soap?” It bothered me enough that I had to text a friend about it. I could not move past the logistics. So, respectfully, Carissa… where was the soap? 🥹
Overall, this is a beautifully written, emotionally complex conclusion to an excellent duet. The character work alone makes it worth reading, and despite a few personal nitpicks, I was fully invested from beginning to end. Highly recommended, especially when read alongside book one as a complete experience.
I’m rating Ashes in the Star-Cursed King four out of five stars, but honestly, this is much closer to a 4.5. The only reason it does not quite reach a full five is structural rather than substantive. It is very difficult for a sequel to recreate the intensity and momentum of the trial-based arc in The Serpent and the Wings of Night. Taken together as a complete duet, this story is absolutely a five-star experience. As a standalone entry, however, it lands just a fraction lower.
That said, I genuinely enjoyed this book more than I expected to. I am not typically drawn to vampire romance, nor to stories that lean heavily into blood, bleeding, and bodily imagery, and there was admittedly quite a bit of that here. At times it pulled me slightly out of the immersion. Still, it was never egregious enough to derail the story, and certainly not the worst offender in the genre.
Where this book truly shines is in its character work, particularly with Vincent. Carissa Broadbent demonstrates a rare and deeply appreciated skill in writing morally nebulous characters, the kind you feel you should despise, yet cannot fully condemn once you understand the totality of their lived experience. Vincent is a masterclass in complexity. His motivations, trauma, and long-term consequences feel painfully human, and that realism allows for far greater emotional investment than a straightforward villain ever could. It mirrors real-world moral ambiguity in a way that fantasy does not always attempt, let alone succeed at.
The prose remains consistently strong throughout. While there are a few moments where certain word choices for anatomy made me cringe slightly, (it’s those words that rhyme with ‘holds’ and ‘fit’)- it is not unique to this author and feels more like a genre-wide tendency that I just need to cope with. Overall, the writing is evocative, controlled, and immersive.
I also appreciated that the ending did not rely on a heavy-handed cliffhanger. Instead, the story leaves you curious rather than frustrated. There is a clear sense of forward motion in the world itself, particularly with the setup for Mische’s future arc. You close the book wanting more, but not feeling manipulated into it.
One detail that stood out to me in a positive way was Vincent’s mirror, which allows communication with Jesmine. It gave me distinct Harry Potter Pensieve vibes. Whether intentional or not, it felt like a respectful parallel rather than a copy, and it worked beautifully as a narrative device within this world.
That said, I do have two critiques, one emotional and one… logistical.
Emotionally, I found myself unusually irritated with Oraya for a significant portion of the book. I understand that she is deeply traumatized by Raihn killing her father, but it is abundantly clear that he was forced into that position, and that Vincent himself orchestrated events so that Oraya would survive. Raihn literally allowed her to kill him, and yet she directs an enormous amount of anger toward him, almost as though she is punishing him for a choice she herself made under impossible circumstances. I stayed mad at her longer than I probably should have, which slightly dampened my connection to her arc.
And finally, my most unserious but unavoidable complaint: the soap.🧼
After escaping through the sewers, wading through literal waste and greasy feces, the characters arrive at hot springs. There is, apparently, no soap. No cleansing agent. No surfactants. Nothing. Yet they were ‘cleaned off’ in the springs. 😳 I know this is fantasy.
I know I am not supposed to be this literal.
But I said out loud, “Where is the soap?” It bothered me enough that I had to text a friend about it. I could not move past the logistics. So, respectfully, Carissa… where was the soap? 🥹
Overall, this is a beautifully written, emotionally complex conclusion to an excellent duet. The character work alone makes it worth reading, and despite a few personal nitpicks, I was fully invested from beginning to end. Highly recommended, especially when read alongside book one as a complete experience.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2024
If you loved the Fourth Wing series you will love the Crowns of Nyaxia just as much!
January 2, 2025
First book was fantastic with lots of tension. Second book was drawn out way too much with the falling out but the rest of the story line I can get behind
January 7, 2025
I'm sorry I forced myself through the first book. I considered it wayyyy too dragged and I DNFed the second one
February 9, 2025
I feel this series was very overhyped. The first book was good, and the series quickly fell off.
May 1, 2025
its giving harry potter & horcruxes
June 8, 2025
2nd book in the crowns of Nyaxia Series duology. Good read vampire humans gods defending a crown.
July 28, 2025
I enjoyed this book immensely. The story was interesting and characters were dynamic
August 26, 2025
Re read was excellent
December 6, 2025
This duoligy together was a solid 4 stars, I enjoyed it and thought it was a good fun read. I personally enjoyed the first book more, but I did like the sequel aswell!
March 15, 2025
highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews