Book Review: ‘The Serpent & the Wings of Night’ the Enemies-to-lovers Series You Need to Read
I’m admittedly late to the party on this one. Everyone and their mother has been telling me I need to read The Serpent and the Wings of Night, and they were right. If you love the idea of a vampire ‘Hunger Games’ with some enemies-to-lovers, well-earned spice, you’re going to love the first installment of the Crowns of Nyaxia fantasy romance series by Carissa Broadbent. I read Broadbent’s other series, The Queen of Lost Hearts trilogy earlier this year and really enjoyed it (You can read my review here), so I had a feeling I would like this one as well. And it’s the final book I needed to check off on my BAMTP Summer Reading Challenge! I will say there are some darker themes in this series, so definitely check the trigger warnings to make sure you’re comfortable reading it.
Things to Know:
Self published, and available for free on Kindle Unlimited, but a new traditionally published hardback comes out December 5th (2023)
Vampires with wings and magic
Hunger Games-eque trials
Forced proximity
Enemies to lovers
Rival Houses
Book one of a completed series
I immediately liked Oraya, our FMC. A young human woman adopted and raised by a powerful vampire king, she’s had to live on her toes her entire life. After all, everyone around her wants to kill her. Think Kate Beckinsale in Underworld, except she’s human. I really love how Broadbent uses flashbacks to give the reader backstories, but only reveals snippets at a time that pull you in immediately and make you want to know more. She did this with her other series as well, and I was hooked.
“Never trust. Never yield. Always guard your heart.”
We find out Oraya’s entering the Kejari. A once-a-century set of trials that pits the strongest warriors from all three vampire houses against each other. There can be only one winner (aka survivor), and they get the chance to have a wish fulfilled by the goddess. Not everyone’s motivations are pure. While Oraya’s focused on winning, she’s forced to team up with a mysterious vampire rival, Raihn. He’s got swagger and skills. There’s some forced proximity, great banter, and plenty of training to entertain. Plus, if you loved Alice from Twilight, you’ll loooove his bestie, Mische. She oozes Alice energy.
“I’ve lived through some injustices in the last couple of centuries. Seen some f**king travesties. But one of the biggest, Oraya is that anyone taught you that you should become anything other than exactly what you are.”
While the contestants battle it out in trials designed to whittle them down, there’s also a massive war brewing between the vampire Houses. And you’re constantly wondering who you can trust. And why did the vampire king let Oraya live all those years ago? More will be revealed…and you might not be happy with the answers.
I had a great time with this one, and if fantasy romance is your thing, you probably will too. I highly recommend reading the novella after you finish book one! Review coming soon.
“Death isn’t frightening when weighted against an insignificant existence.”
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