Thank you to Carissa Broadbent and NetGalley, for the amazing opportunity to read : The songbird & the heart of stone as an ARC.

Key words : vampires, trials, mourning

First of all, I am a huge crowns of Nyaxia fan, I have read the series 3 times already.
I was so excited to finally learn more about Mische.
I was so so grateful that I got to read this book as an ARC and let me tell you it did NOT disappoint.
I forgot a bit about all the other plots so it was good to have it explained a bit again little by little and how the other gods were doing their own cults. The symbolism of the sun and the birds were amazing. Mentioning sort of religious trauma and expectations from the members as well as your Gods was really done well.
The whole : going to the underworld to do necromancy plot, was very well explained even if at times I felt like the pace became slow.
The relationship between Asar and Mische grew well and it was not all banter non stop like we see more and more in books. Also very glad that there’s one explicit spice scene and that’s kinda it. I don’t really like reading books with lots of it.
I am actually really looking forward to reading the next book.
It’s giving Edward in breaking dawn part 1 👀
I wanted to know more about politics and how the court of shadowborns was working, as well as a bit more of an Oraya and Raihn cameo. Also the place where Mische and Saescha are from why did she say something like « everyone know what it is like in [birthplace] »
I’m rating it a 4.75⭐️.

FYI : I read that Crowns of Nyaxia is going to be 3 duologies so we are always done, feels exciting as well as a bit sad.

I am so happy to have the opportunity to read this! It was jut as amazing as the other books. Cassia Broadbent knows what she is doing, the romance, the adventure and the quest were just 100/100. Cannot recommend enough without giving away spoilers. Rapidly becoming a must read author for me!

A very much anticipated follow-up in the Crowns of Nyaxia series and an even more jaw dropping ending?!

This (I presume duet) follows Miche and Asar as they travel the underworld (with the world’s bestest shadow dog) on a mission for a God. However, they each have their own mission and God they’re working for.

It’s time to add another shadow daddy to your list, as Asar and his secrets and yearning are top notch. Miche continues to be an interesting character with so many layers.

As you’d expect from the first books, this ends on a seriously bonkers cliffhanger that will leave you willing to travel through the underworld to get it.

Thank you PanMacmillan and NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved book 1 and 2 but this just hit differently 😍
I loved seeing and learning more about Mische, which is something I wanted from book1.

Mische and Asar might seem so different on the surface but I loved to see how the more time they spent together the more they understand each other. They are both “healer”, they both want to fix the broken things that no one else saw.

Mische has a lot to face in the book and to over come and Asar helps her a lot.
I loved how different they both are from the start of the book compare to the last chapter and how diffferent their goals are as well.

In this book you might find a scene where a piano is played and there might be a really interesting scene in a bath.😛

Also did I mention that Asar’s best friend might be a dog but not just a regular dog ❤️

Anyone who knows me knows I didn't like how shallow Mische felt as a character during the first 2 books. I was worried she wouldn't come into her own during this book, that she'd lack a voice, and I'm pleased to say that is not the case. I loved the insight we finally got into her character, her relationship with Atroxus, and her personality. I didn't see a lot of what was revealed coming and it caught me off guard in a pleasant way.
I also enjoyed how different the romance feels from the romance in the 2 previous books and how the world keeps growing. We keep seeing more and more of the gods and their natures and I have to say I'm really loving that aspect of this world, though I feel the need to point out that the underworld felt confusing at times.

I urge you to check CW as this book deals with heavy topics that may be triggering for some readers.

Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC.

Wow this book was absolutely stunning to read.
When Carissa was releasing another book in the world of The Serpents and the Wings of Night I knew I need this and what a fabulous duet.

Mische gets herself in trouble with some vampires and next she on a quest to the underworld with Asmar.
The book was action packed, so well paced, consistently hooking you till you finish the book. Carissa wrote some of her best work in this book, the way she described everything was an art form itself.

The layers and depth of this book set this up for the next book in the duet. The romance was a nice touch to this book. I seriously can't wait for the next book Carissa has in stalled for us cause WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?!
DEFINITELY ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR

I thoroughly believe there are two kinds of people in this world - those who have already read The Crowns of Nyaxia series and love it and those who haven't but will do it all too soon.

All jokes aside, you cannot imagine my excitement when got approved for The Songbird and the Heart of Stone arc. I loved Mische throughout the series but always felt there was so much more to that sweet and happy (yet utterly fearless) girl that she was pretending to be.

I'll be very vague in this review, just to avoid spoilers, but The Songbird and the Heart of Stone was everything I expected from Carissa Broadbent’s book and more.
Dark, mysterious, and sexy, with a journey only the strongest (or the most guarded) hearts can take. And though the beginning was a bit slower than I anticipated, I couldn't put it down.

Carissa once again proved how well she understands her world and the characters she created, which resulted in yet another vampire fantasy book you'll most definitely have to add to your tbr.

P.S. Don't forget to buy a box of tissues, some ice cream, and tickets for vacation - after that ending, you'll definitely need it.

Uhm. Omg that ending?? Wtf just happened. I always say “i want a book where the main character dies” but now that i have one i do not like it????

2024 is the YEAR of the vampires and Carissa Broadbent certainly didn’t disappoint! After absolutely adoring the first duology with Raihn and Oraya I was definitely eager to get to know Mische better in her own story. And what a start it was!

Tasked with descending into the underworld to kill a god with a mysterious (and unsettlingly sexy) companion in Asar, Mische must learn what healing from her past looks like while figuring out what she wants from her future. The romance was (as usual) smoking hot and I loved her chemistry with Asar. Huge fan of a secretly soft MMC who will do anything for his LI! The slow burn was most definitely worth it. I loved the descriptions of the underworld and the vampiric elements and Carissa’s writing was as lush as ever. A great addition to an already addictive world. And THAT ENDING? Needless to say, I need the next instalment immediately.

Mische and her story were very captivating in the book. Her background had so many layers and honestly, some of the revelations were totally unexpected like Saescha and her death.
I loved the trope of Mische and Asar, and their little banter and chemistry buildup overtime.
I was looking forward to a little more world-building in the book, because I do not think that the underworld and Morthyn were 100% defined or making sense at times.
It felt like I was in a never-ending maze.
I also felt that the book was only dark, with no light in it. I understand that people like that trope, but for me honestly, I think that they deserved some break in between.
Also, the getting back part from the underworld was not clearly defined, and we were just moving forward inside it.
Ophelia was also a very good addition, but I felt that she was doing the same thing in the entire book, and there was not much connection to the story.
I loved Carissa's writing, and am a very big fan of Daughter of No worlds series, but I was not very impressed with Nyaxia series.
All in all, it is a very good read.

The book addresses lot of issues, like child abuse, partner abuse.

Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble for giving me an opportunity to read the book prior to it's release. I hope my review helps others as well.

AH! This book was so good. I absolutely loved Mische. I liked the correlations to the Kejari that were in the different sections of the underworld. The ending was mind blowing. Can’t wait for the next book. Will have to post to my instagram soon with more cohesive thoughts because I’m just shell shocked right now.

After killing the heir of the House of Shadow Mische is sentenced to death - her only chance for redemption: helping the bastard prince Asar on his journey to the underworld and resurrecting the god of death himself. And another chance opens up for Mische. When she was turned Mische not only lost her family and her home, she also lost the love of the sun god she devoted her whole life to. In a secret meeting her sun god reveals himself and gives her one more mission - killing the god of death once and for all. But this would mean betraying Asar... and soon she realizes that this will probably the greatest task of them all.

I have to admit, after The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King I was a bit hesitant to read part 3 of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, because I thought part 2 was a little bit long-winded... but boy was I suprised with this one!

There were only hints of Misches backstory in the first two books and now we learn so much more of her and I loved every little detail of it. Her inner turmoil was so well described. On one hand her fierce love and devotion for the sun god that saved her and her sister from living on the deadly streets and on the other hand the burns and scars she wears because the god that used to smile upon her now sees her as a monster not worthy of being alive. I really have to apologize to Mische from book one and two, because I kinda thought that she was a one note character, but after learning much more about her, I fell in love. She shows so much positivity, optimism and strength - despite her tragic past.

And Asar was a really good match for her as well. He has a brutal backstory filled with blood, but now he's ridden with guilt and sees himself as a savior for lost souls. Such a complex character. He will really pull on your heart strings.
Asars and Misches dynamic was so good! Their relationship gave major grumpy x sunshine vibes and was everything you wanted from a good slow burn romance.

And a special shoutout to Luce - best animal companion ever!

The cliffhanger at the end was absolutely devastating - I can only hope that part 4 will be on NetGalley as soon as possible!

This was my most anticipated book release of 2024, and it absolutely delivered! What a beautiful book, and such a strong continuation of the story in the Crowns of Nyaxia series. Mische was one of my favourite side characters from the previous duology, and Carissa Broadbent has truly done her justice here. I felt so connected to Mische's journey throughout the book, and I am even more excited to see how it continues on after this!

Carissa has such a wonderful way of crafting a fantasy world through her words; I felt thoroughly immersed and connected to every aspect of the story. I felt stuck between wanting to read as quickly as possible, and wanting to hold off so I could savour the story as long as possible - that's when you know you have a great book!

In my opinion, Carissa Broadbent has well and truly earned her place as one of the top fantasy/romance authors. I could not recommend this book, this series and, honestly, every book Carissa has written, more!

Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan for this ARC that I received via NetGalley. I was greatly honoured for the opportunity to read this ahead of time and share my views.

‘But she only knows how to love things she can fix, and there is no fixing you, is there? (…) Or perhaps that’s why you would be so perfect for each other. A girl who can only love broken things, and a boy so broken he can only love what he cannot have. A Perfect match.’

The Songbird & the Heart of Stone follows Mische and since reading the first book she has been my fave character so you bet I was super excited for her own book! And in this book, you will fall even more for her and the new Male Lead - Asar Bloodborn. Asar is exactly what I love in book boyfriends - quiet, kept to himself, sense of justice, appreciative of little things/details, does not go out of his way to do bad things and does not use his trauma/past as an excuse to be bad - he is good and I LOVE GOOD GUYS!

I loved the purgatory theme, how they go through levels and how it allows us as readers to completely submerge into the complexity of the characters, their past, present and future; their fears and hopes. I also think Mische is definitely the character to go onto this journey. There are a few plot twists and I loved every turn and twist in the plot.

Carissa’s writing always hits the spot, she’s so talented in her story-telling and I simply love to devour her words! I found this book to approach traumas in a very sensible and considerate way. This is definitely my favourite book from The Crown of Nyxia and I cannot wait to read the next instalment!

adpr Many thanks to the publisher for this e-arc! All opinions are my own 🥰

Emotional damage.

That's it. That's the review.
I am joking.

So in this book, we follow Mische who we meet in the two previous books. As you probably know, the first two books were set in the House of Night and in this duology it is in the House of Shadows.

Warning : If you haven't read the two former books, i highly recommend you to stop reading this. I will mention information that was learned in said books.

So, as we know, Mische was a priestess of Atroxus (the god of the sun) and she was turned by the heir of the shadow kingdom against her will. And she killed him. You go girl.
Mische is this incredible full of optimism vampire and she is so perky and I loved her the second that I met her.

But, as mentioned above, she murdered an heir and so she is on the run. Unfortunately, she gets captured and is to be executed.

Thankfully, the bastard of the king, Asar, saves her to help him accomplish a mission for Nyaxia. And at this point, the story unfolds.

Now. I- I love Asar so so very much. He is this closed, broody character, but as time goes by, I started to relate to him in a way that i didn't see coming. And it broke my heart. I just want to give him a big hug, but luckily, Mische does it for me.

In this book, we are discovering a new environment and the description was beautiful and so descriptive. It amazes me how well this was done. Especially since we encountered new entities, and usually for me, it's hard to grasp all the new information in a world i already know but the way the author did it was smooth and she did not info dumped her readers. I respect that so much.

The romance is wonderful and as always, i feel like she is one of the few authors who, when they write a fantasy book with romance in it, doesn't put the plot aside for it. It is effortless

What I really appreciated in this book is how cohesive it is with how the story ended in
The Ashes & the Star Cursed King. It was really fluid and logic how this book started, and the plot was so obvious. I enjoyed the little connections/ mentions that the author did with Slaying the vampire conqueror. I really recommend you to read it, even if there is a very small mention of the events in that book, it's so much better when you know everything that unravels. Mainly because the ending of STVC is spoiled in this book.

The Songbird & the Heart of Stone is a book who deals heavily with death and acceptations. The whole book is a path, a journey for Mische to do, and reading about everything that she went through broke my heart. The conclusion of this journey was sublime and I am looking forward for the next book.

And the end ? THE END KILLED ME.

This was chaotic and tense and horrific and beautiful and painful in all of the best ways.

I loved Mische in the firs two books, so much so that I didn't doubt her own book would become one of my favourites and I wasn't wrong. Her story is so beautiful and heart breaking and inspiring.

This book is so wildly different from books 1 & 2 and at first, I was a little unsure how that would end up working out, but it was hands down the best in the Crowns of Nyaxia series so far.

The only downside of books like this - especially when it's an arc- is that I have even longer to wait now until the next book. Because that ending? THE EPILOGUE?

Carissa Broadbent only gets better and I cannot wait for book 4.

It's now August and I've read Songbird three months early, you know what that means? I now have three months extra waiting for the second book in this duet and I am in a world of pain.

Songbird had a stripped down cast of characters. I didn't realise I was ready for a break from court politics, but I ended up pleased to find this installment was outside of those courts and in an underworld of its own. This was a journey of journeys and a quest of quests where blood, sweat and souls were at stake.

How was Mische, you ask? Mische was raw, flayed open at the seams and vulnerable. It was so damn good to get to know her so much deeper. Her origins, past and her darkest secrets. She was still the compassionate vamp we'd come to know. The two other main characters of Asar and Luce, well, you are not ready for how rich and great reading these two were.

The romance was exquisite, slow-burning and forbidden. I am not over what I have read in terms of connection, chemistry and completion. This couple dominated the pages in their reluctant respect of one another through forced proximity.

I am ready to know what the world above was doing during this installment. What the dramatic plot points and ending will lead us to. Carissa Broadbent has followed up the first duet with a mind-blowing start to the second and I am in fandom with this world.

Thank you to Bramble and PanMacmillan for the review copy.

*2.5 stars
I am gutted 😞

I wanted to love this so badly, but this was such a disappointment!

I can't go into what this is about too much, given that it's the third book in a series, but it follows Mische who we meet in the first book and her journey through a place with a grumpy vampire. And feelings may or may not grow between them! Super vague, but I don't want to spoil.

Unfortunately, this book was super boring. Every leg of the journey felt exactly the same, including an extremely similar battle about 5 times. I also felt like we didn't get to know the love interest very well. I don't really know much about him and I've just spent 400 pages with him, soooo yeah. Mische was developed from the previous books and we got a lot of her backstory, which was great, but unfortunately I just found it boring overall! I frequently found my mind wandering and had to reread sections quite often.

It did have a cliffhanger though, so I will read the next one, but I would say the original duet is much better!

Broadbent’s writing swept me into a dark, mesmerizing world where every twist and turn felt like a punch to the gut. Her portrayal of Mische’s inner turmoil and forbidden attraction to Asar made my heart race and ache. The romance is as forbidden as it is electric, and the tension between them had me on the edge of my seat. As the story unfolds with trials, ghosts, and divine machinations, I found myself torn between hope and despair, eagerly turning pages to see how Mische’s choices would unravel. This book not only solidified my love for the series but also left me emotionally raw and yearning for more. I’m already counting days of the next book.

Not only do I think this is Carissa Broadbent's best work yet, it's also my favourite fantasy read of the year so far!

Carissa is fantastic at blending fantasy and romance, not allowing either of them to overshadow the other. I loved that there has been a very distinctive setting for each of the duologies in this series so far. First the Kejari and now Morthryn, the prion/ underworld. The setting is so richly described that it is easy to envisage.

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about moving on from Raihn and Oraya, but boy am I in LOVE with Mische and Asar. We learned so much about Mische's past, and most of it was horrible. The trauma and abuse that she faced as a human was quite chilling at certain points, and I recommend any readers look at trigger warnings before reading. Mische's character growth in this book was admirable and she has very quickly become a favourite of mine.

I hope in the next installment we will get to learn more about Asar's past, it is touched upon in this book but there is so much more to explore, I cannot wait for the conclusion of their story.