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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