The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia, #1) (The Nightborn Duet, #1)

by Carissa Broadbent

For humans and vampires, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the first book in a new series of heart-wrenching romance, dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue, perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

• ISBN10: 1957779004
• ISBN13: 9781957779003
• Publish Date: 30 August 2022
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Carissa Broadbent
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 502
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Summary:

One could say that Oraya is the luckiest girl alive. The Nightborn vampire king adopted her – and raised her as a human princess. One could say that Oraya has never fit in. She's not a vampire, but she's not really human either. She was raised between the two worlds and is now stuck there.

With the Kerjari (a legendary tournament) on the horizon, this is Oraya's chance to change her fate. She can gain power and become something more – equal to her father. But she will have to face many dangers during this time.

Review:

Oh wow! I don't know what I was expecting when I dove into The Serpent and the Wings of Night (maybe a casual fantasy read?), but what I got was SO MUCH more. I loved this book so much that it honestly surprised me.

Why? Well, mainly, I loved the internal vampire politics. We have multiple factions: a nightborn vampire king (his adopted child), other subdued vampire rulers, etc. Oh! And don't forget the goddess of all the vampires. Yeah, it's a lot! And I loved it all.

The whole tournament plot was fun, too. It created a good excuse for many battles, strife, and plotting. It also opened the door for a forced proximity romance, which I won't complain about.

I'll admit that the ending of The Serpent and the Wings of Night both was and wasn't a surprise. I saw some of it coming but didn't expect the extremes it would go to. It's making me eager to get my hands on the sequel. Should I grab the version that's out or wait for the republished (Bramble) version? I'm torn.

Highlights:
Fantasy Romance
Vampires
Politics & Battles

Trigger Warnings:
Sexual assault (recounted)
Murder & Torture
Blood & Gore
Animal attack, hunting, and death

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[blackleaves]

Sehr spannend, am Ende ein Plottwist, der zwar irgwie notwendig für den zweiten Teil und den Sinn macht, aber mir trotzdem nicht soo gefallen hat.

[neurospicybookworm]

⭐️4.8

[marciemarie]

Easily my new favorite of this vampire renaissance we’re in right now! I’ve loved everything Broadbent has written so far and this is no exception. Highly recommend if you want a heavy dose of violence and ~tension~