A girl who can only love broken things, and a boy so broken he can only love what he cannot have.

Mische left Oraya and Raihn only to be captured by the House of Shadow whose prince she killed. She is only saved from execution by Asar - the Wraith Warden and scarred heir. He requires her for a mission from Nyaxia, the goddess of vampires, to go the underworld.

Mische (pronounced Meesh-uh - definitely not been pronouncing it right lol) was chosen by the sun god before being Turned. Now she feels abandoned by her god, the magic burning her when she calls on the sun, burning her vampire self.

I loved her journey of accepting her self and present situation.
Similar to Oraya’s arc, Mische must grapple with her past and the love she thought she had, the devotion she felt, and the love she felt she didn’t deserve.

Mische is was a priestess. A scholar. A bringer of the light. Yet, she has experienced so much blood and death and trauma but still greets the world with smiles, chatter, and unrelenting kindness.

I knew she was a favourite from the first time she appeared in The Serpent and the Wings of Night!

As if it wasn't the most compassionate thing someone could do for another being. As if even attempting to help those who were so helpless to all others wasn't such an act of bravery.

Broadbent knows how to write delicious slow burn. Normally, I don’t typically enjoy romantasies as the romance being at the forefront frustrates me in circumstances that make no sense. Yet, Broadbent keeps the tension high, doesn’t rush the development, and doesn’t add any unnecessary scenes or drama that recent books trying to hit a troupe list do.

Let him unravel. Let me see what he looked like in the ruins of all that self-control. Let him drown my grief and my sadness beneath the exquisite sin of his touch.

If you need any more convincing, there is a dead wolf companion called Luce who is probably Mische and Asar’s biggest (most annoying) matchmaker.
Also, there is a sentient magical death prison.

Thank you to Pan MacMillan for providing an arc in exchange for a review!

I'm absolutely devasted that it's over. I adored this book, even more than Oraya and Raihn's duology; which I honestly didn't think was possible.

Watching Mische desperately clawing her way to her supposed redemption was utterly heartbreaking. She's such a beautiful soul and her self-hatred was so incredibly tragic to behold. I adored the way Asar worshipped her throughout.

This book was very atmospheric and had a constant feeling of impending doom, which felt almost claustrophobic at times. I felt like I was at their side throughout their journey deep into the underworld. With each new layer, I became more and more invested in their tangled path.

These are two complex tortured souls, and I so desperately want them to achieve their happy ending. This really was a triumphant return to the Crowns of Nyaxia world.

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent has been on my MUST TBR list ever since I was fortunate enough to be part of Readalongs for the first two books in the Crowns of Nyaxia series and fell in love with the Nightborn Duet that told Oraya and Raihn’s story. This 3rd book in the series and first book in the Shadowborn Duet focuses on the story of Mische and Aras.
Whilst Aras is a completely new character to me, Mische did feature in the original Nightborn Duet books, but whilst I was taken by the backstory and her role in that story, I was a little doubtful as to whether or not Mische was a strong enough character to focus as protagonist in the next duet…well, I’ll tell you now, I was totally WRONG!
Mische was a devotee and follower of the Sun God Atroxus, her life was dedicated to him from the tender age of 8, becoming pretty much a bride of his…
“Because this is what I was taught that love was – something you hurt for, something you bled for. You give your god your life, your blood, your virgin body…”
Until Mische’s life was destroyed after she is attacked and made vampire by Malach, whom she does kill in previous books. Mische finds herself captured and sentenced to death for killing Malach, who was a vampire prince but is given an alternative to aid the prince’s bastard half-brother Asar in his travels to the Underworld to bring back to life the God of Death!
Of course nothing is that simple, particularly when it’s written by Carissa Broadbent. Why would a quest through the dangerous, dark and destructive Underworld be enough, having to face demons and wraiths and more, when there are so many other perils that can be faced, including the command to perform a duplicitous and fatal mission by the Sun God himself, Atroxus?
Broadbent once again delivers a masterclass in weaving plots within plots, stunning and immersive worldbuilding and characters you could truly die for! Never mind just how tortured and guilt-ridden said characters are, each with their own sub-plot and mission, and of course all of the best tropes…albeit slightly subverted from bed to bath! (IYKYK)
The plot itself is carried across multiple sections and paced to perfection, whilst not constant action, the story carries you through the most intense violent scenes that had me gripping the book as I read them, to scenes of such devastation, or perfectly balanced heartfelt moments and tenderness, that truly had me in tears at some points. Yes, there are most definitely feelings, not just of the romantic kind, both Asar and Mische’s back stories are truly enlightening and bring greater depth and understanding to the story that I totally fell for them both.
And finally, I have to mention Luce – the resurrected ghost dog! Any author who can bring a dog to life and paint a relationship of such mutual love and adoration between said dog and their master, is an author I will read again and again!
There is no middle book syndrome here whatsoever, Carissa Broadbent has once again proven how rightly and perfectly she has earned her title as Queen of Romantasy with The Songbird and The Heart of Stone. And my only regret is how long I will now have to wait for the next chapter in Mische and Asar’s story!

Thank you so much Pan MacMillan, Bramble, Book Break UK and Netgalley for the arch of The Songbird and The Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent in exchange for my honest and unbiased review!

By far my favourite vampire book of 2024


AND nobody told me that this book was so hades and Persephone coded?

The most perfect slow burn romance, which a smidge of spice!

I truly think that this is my favourite book by the author yet and I can’t wait for the second book of this duet! My only regret is not being able to read it again for the first time!!

*******************

After murdering the vampire who turned her, Mische is waiting to be sentenced when the prince states he needs her to resurrect Alarus for Nyaxia. In order to do this they have to venture through the underworld causing Mische to relive all of her past and her secrets.

- This is the tale of how a chosen one falls. She does it screaming, clawing for her old life with broken fingernails. She does it slowly, over the course of decades -

I absolutely devoured the first two books in the Crowns of Nyaxia series and I’ve had The Songbird and the Heart of Stone pre-ordered since it became available . So when I saw this eARC arrive in my inbox I just about wept. I knew I was going to love this and I was not wrong.

I don’t know how to write this review without all of there spoilers because THIS and oh my gosh THAT and THEN THIS! But seriously, Mische and Asar and their journey.. gosh damn. Just gosh damn. Enemies to lovers. Sloooooow burn. Gods. Trauma. Wraiths, the underworld, the most adorable ghost dog.. I can’t.

- This isn’t what love should feel like. “Show me what it should feel like,” I whispered. The blade fell. My sentence was written. We crashed together into beautiful damnation -

Dare I say, I think I liked it even more than Oraya and Raihn’s story. I said it. I did. Mische is just sublime, she’s funny and broken and the epitome of smile and crack a joke to plaster over the cracks (hard relate!) I loved her so hard.

Of course, now I need to wait a thousand years to find out what happens after that ending so there’s that 😣

Seriously, add this to your TBR. It’s phenomenal.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Bramble, Pan MacMillan and Carissa Broadbent for gifting me this eARC. My review is voluntary and written honestly.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This book tore my heart out then put it back together just so that it could tear it out all over again 😭

I wasn't sure what to expect from a Mische storyline- I loved her in the first 2 books of the series but I had concerns over whether she was a strong enough character to have a book of her own. Why on earth was I worried?!

While a lot of this book is slow paced the development of the characters is fantastic. I enjoyed the journey through the Underworld, with flashbacks to Mische being chosen by the sun god. It was an interesting way to tell us the character back story.

I'll be honest, I'm furious at how the book ended. This is not the ending I was hoping for but I guess I'll just have to wait for the next instalment!

This book everyone!! When I tell you I was so happy to receive an arc because I couldn’t wait to get back into the dark sinister world of Carissa Broadbent! This book was amazing from head to toe. I loved the characters and Mische‘s story (Asar is holding my heart) and loved the writing style. The world building part and some things of the plot were a little repetitive but I didn’t mind.

When I received this eARC, I screamed! Carissa Broadbent is one of my all time favourite authors, and The Songbird and the Heart of Stone is one of my most anticipated reads of the year.

This book follows Mische, a devotee of the Sun God who lost everything when she was turned into a vampire. After killing the vampire prince who turned her, she is sentenced to death, but is saved by his half-brother, Asar. He needs Mische to travel to the Underworld with him to resurrect the God of Death. However, Mische is given her own mission from the Sun God; betray Asar by killing the God of Death once he is resurrected.

The writing in this book was just like all of Carissa’s other books - absolutely stunning. The prose was lyrical, and the descriptions of the Underworld painted such a vivid picture in my mind. The setting was dark and sinister, but also so beautiful and fascinating.

The plot was perfectly paced and had me gripped immediately. As you would expect with such a dangerous quest, there was tons of action, which was broken up perfectly with tender, heartfelt moments between the characters. This story really had me biting my nails one minute, then swooning the next.

I already adored Mische from the first two books in the series, but I loved getting to know her better in this one. Every few chapters we got a flashback from her life before she was turned into a vampire, which was so interesting, and such a great way to relay the information without it feeling like an info dump. My heart hurt seeing her grapple with who she was before and who she is now, but her transformation and character development was incredible to read.

Asar was as much of a complicated character as Mische, and I loved him so much! My heart also ached for his past, and I loved seeing him soften towards Mische as the book went on. Their slow-burn romance was incredible, and the spice was spicing!

The last few chapters were an absolute whirlwind, and the last page had my jaw hanging open. It’s not often that I’m that shocked by books, but I was lost for words! The wait for the next book will be torturous, but I am so incredibly excited to see what happens next.

A big thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was so excited to get to read an ARC for this! Reading Mische’s story didn’t disappoint and I loved learning about her background. The ending is sooo good and I can’t wait til this is out so I can talk to people about it!

Woah. This was an absolute wild ride.

Having read all of Carissa’s previous books, I was so excited to be able to read an ARC of this!!

I really enjoyed the first duology and was so excited to be back in the world! Mische was such a stand out character for me and I was so excited to find out more about her and her life.

The plot and world-building are truly second to none although I did find parts of it a little repetitive.

Asar, Asar, Asar. What a MMC. Layered and complex, he had me clutching my chest and kicking my feet!!

The ending truly left my jaw hanging wide open…Carissa, you truly are a queen of cliffhangers.

I cannot WAIT for the next!!

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Tor Bramble. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review The Songbird and the Heart of Stone.]

Rating: 4/5

Oh it’s good to be back! Since finishing The Ashes and the Star Cursed King, I’ve longed to return to the deadly, vampiric lands of Obitraes, and despite the time that has passed it truly feels like I never left at all. The Songbird and the Heart of Stone begins the next duet within the Nyaxia series, and now that Oraya and Raihn’s story has come to an end, it’s Mische’s time to shine - literally!

After murdering a vampire prince in the previous duet, Mische narrowly avoids execution when she is saved by Asar, the bastard prince of the House of Shadow. She is then forced into an impossible mission to the underworld where they will face trials, beasts, and countless vengeful ghosts, and where they must attempt to resurrect the god of death.

By this point you’ll probably know what you’re getting with these books and I’m happy to report that Songbird includes all of the fun tropes that we know to expect from Carissa. There’s a perilous quest that ensures danger is never far, complex characters you will fall in love with, and a heart-wrenching romance that will have you screaming when you reach the last page. This is truly romantasy at its finest.

Having spent the first two books in the House of Night, we now get to learn more about another of the three vampiric houses; the House of Shadow. One of the first things I loved about learning of this new place was how different it felt. You get a real feel of elements such as architecture and fashion having a different aesthetic which helps set this house apart from what we’re already seen, and it’s interesting to see how the style of each house compliments the gifts that they have.

This book also introduces us to a whole cast of new characters. There’s new friends and foes, but more importantly, there’s a new love interest to fall head over heels for. Asar hasn’t quite reached Raihn status, but he’s not far off. In contrast to Mische’s bright and bubbly personality, Asar is much more thoughtful and brooding, and as you might expect, he comes with a fair bit of baggage. I really loved seeing him fall for Mische as the story went on, and I’m so excited to see what’s in store for him in the next book.

And of course I have to mention how great of a character Mische is. In Songbird we learn so much more about her backstory which is a lot more darker and sinister than you would expect from this sunshine character who, as a child, devoted her entire being to the sun god. She makes me think of the saying, ‘the brightest light casts the darkest shadow’, which summarises her journey quite well. What Mische goes through could be a trigger for some so I’d urge readers to check out content warnings before diving in.

There are so many highlights and positives to rave about but there were also some elements that I didn’t love. For example, some plot points were quite repetitive (a few chapters end in very similar ways), and the writing in some places was a little clunky which took me out of the story. Songbird also doesn’t have as much romance and tension as previous books which readers might struggle with.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024 and I’m so happy that it didn’t disappoint. Although there were some areas I found jarring, that still didn’t massively affect my overall enjoyment and after that jaw dropping ending, I’ll be counting down the days until the next instalment.

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone is the first book in an epic fantasy romance duology that follows Mische, a former devotee of the sun god who loses everything after being turned into a vampire. Condemned to death for killing the vampire prince who turned her, Mische is unexpectedly saved by Asar, the scarred bastard prince of the House of Shadow. Together, they embark on a perilous journey to the underworld to resurrect the god of death. Along the way, Mische is secretly tasked by her sun god to betray Asar by killing the god they seek to revive. As they face numerous trials and grow dangerously close, Mische must ultimately choose between the light she once worshipped and the darkness that now calls to her.

This book was exciting from the very first chapter and I devoured the book in about half a day because it was just addictive. There's a beautiful and emotional slow burn romance combined with a high tension quest as Mische and Asar complete the Descent into the underworld. The path to the underworld grows more dangerous with every relic of the dead God they collect, so there's a lot of action and tension in the story. The last chapter and the epilogue were crazy, and it set up next book SO well. I'm desperate to know what happens now but it's so far away!

It was a fantastic first book in the Shadowborn Duet and it did stand up against the incredible first duet focused on Oraya and Raihn. I think all the essential information you need to know about Mische from that duet is well signposted in this book in case you're coming in fresh to the series here, but personally I'm glad I'd read the previous books just to understand the world and Mische better.

Mische was a favourite character of mine from the first duology in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, so it was fantastic to see her get her own duet. She's such an amazing character and you get to know her so well in this book. It feels weird saying that I instantly connected with a Shadow vampire with sun God magic but there's just something about Mische's relentless hope, courage and kindness despite everything that she goes through that I was just so drawn to. You'd have to have a heart of stone to not want this girl to get her HEA!

Be prepared for emotional damage in the final section and to go feral waiting for the next book!

Note: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.

The third installment of the Crowns of Nyaxia series focuses on what Mische is doing after the end of the second book. And chronic people pleaser Mische is not having a fun time right from the get go..

The pace in this book has a great balance of fast high stakes moments and tender/heart wrenching rest stops. Broadbent's use of intermissions throughout the story to tease out character context is excellent and had me trying to guess which direction we were going in next, only to be surprised.

This installment was less romance, but what was there was just full of suspense, angst, heat and tension it really popped. If you like grumpy/sunshine on a joint trauma journey this book is going to be your thing!

Ultimately this story is a thinker. On a first read it is an unputdownable romp through purgatory. On a second read is an extremely clever dissection of the expectations we and others place on ourselves and the many ways that can affect the choices we make or the directions we take in life.

3.75🌟
Oh, I wish loved this more than I do, I am so sad!!!

I read anything Carissa writes, I am her biggest fan. The Crown of Nyaxia series is literally one of my favourite romantasy series ever. So I was beyond excited when I had the opportunity to read the ARC for Mische's book since I loved her in the first two!

This doesn't contain spoilers but it

Now I did not hate this book at all, it is a good book from start to finish. But I have some thoughts. Returning to the world of the vampires was amazing and I missed Carissa's writing so much. There is something so magical and poetic about it that sucks you right in. Her words take on their own form and create a movie-esque atmosphere. She describes scenery and emotion in such a detailed and beautiful way I loved every second of it.
This book dives deeper into the House of Shadow with its rulers and their special magical abilities. It was a nice change to the House of Night from the previous books. It also delves deeper into the God of Light, Atroxus, who Mische is a priestess for. Mostly, however, this plays in the Underworld, so you don't actually get introduced to the House of the Shadow which I found a little disappointing. I did, however, like that it explained more about Nyaxia's relationship and overall gave more insight into the current state of things after book 2.

My girl Mische, I love her so much. Her naivete, self-sacrificing, and strong girl. She is full of hope, courage, and kindness. She truly is in her redemption era and I loved seeing my girl grow. She beats herself up so much about her past and it was hard to read about. She endured many hardships which made her character development even greater. I already liked her but I especially liked her in this book. She is such a joy and I was rooting for her from the beginning. Her banter with Asar was so fun, I really liked them together.

Asar couldn't be more different to Rhain, but he was such an interesting mmc. Mysterious, cold-hearted, and fierce, he is a man on a mission. We don't know anything about this man, so going into this blind and getting to know his character was interesting. I like him, and he has definitely grown on me but my problem is that we hardly saw any personality from him until over halfway through the book. He is supposed to be this cold-blooded killer but we never get to see it, we only get told that he was. We got to see the side no one else typically sees which was lovely and I liked that side but it didn't leave any room for growth in my opinion.

Now on the topic of not seeing something until way too far into the book. The romance. It was basically non-existent until over the halfway mark. And this surprised me because Carissa is the slow-burn queen which is evident in her first book so I knew we had to work for it, but there was ZERO romance in the first half. No tension, no chemistry, no interaction?!! We got some glances and some hints that there would be romance later but in the first half they even hardly talked with each other.
Another thing that disappointed me was the storyline. In theory, it sounds exciting and while it was good and interesting it was SO. REPETITIVE. The same fights, the same exists, and the chapters all end in pretty much the same way. Oh, I am so sad!!!!

I didn't hate this book at all and the last third was SO GOOD, that ending? but as a whole, it was a letdown. I am for sure going to be reading the next book but with lower expectations since they were high for this book because none of her books are below 4.5 stars for me (including The War of Lost Hearts series) so this was really a bummer.

Thank you Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble and Netgalley for the eARC!

Wow. Speechless. I don’t even know what to say after THAT ENDING. I need to scream to someone but the book isn’t even out yet 😩

I was so excited to get Mische’s story, and boy did it not disappoint. Learning more about her and her background was heartbreaking perfection. And Asar. Well. I knew I was going to love him from the moment I met him, and I wasn’t wrong 🥺

I will say, this wasn’t as good as the first two for me, they were both 6 star reads, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t still enjoy this one a lot. It’s a lot more slow burn, low stakes (in a way) and more slower moving than the first two. But I have a feeling book four is going to blow me out of the water. Here’s hoping 🤞🏻

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent

I could not wait to get my hands on this book, honestly my most anticipated book for the end of 2024! Amazing that I got to read it early! We met Mische in the first two books of the Crowns of Nyaxia series and I loved hearing more of her story.

We follow Mische, the bastard prince Asar, and their companions through the layers of the Underworld on their mission. The journey is full of angst and tension.

I did miss Oraya and Rhain but found myself almost glad their duology didn't take away from Mische and that she was given her own book for a spotlight. The pacing was great, it builds and builds until you just can't put it down at the end. Mische is such a perceptive character which leads you to think that we can expect what happens next, but Carissa Broadbent just fools us all, perfection.

That ending, oh my. Give me the next one, immediately, please! The last few chapters especially are just incredible and so well written. I hope the next book has POV from Asar, and much much more of Luce please!

Everyone get ready for 19th November, clear the calendar and prepare yourself for a slow burn

Thank you to Carissa Broadbent, NetGalley and Pan Macmillian for providing me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Carissa Broadbent is a GOAT!!!!! I love her books oo much. The way she rights the angst EVERYTHING.

I am so happy that this books focuses on other people as i felt her first duology ended very well and i loved how she wrapped it up. In this set we are taken on a journey with forced to turn Vampire Mishce and Asar. Mishce is set to die but is saved by Asar and even though they seem to be on the same path, their road is paved with treachery, angst and so much more.

I was offered an ARC by the publishers for an honest review and my honest review is that if you do not get to this book and devour it instantly i do not know what you have been doing with your life. Carissa has a way of weaving you as readers into her stories and taken you and your emotions on a rollercoaster that never ends.

The ending!!!!!!! my gosh give me book 2 now

What a ride. Once it go going this was amazing! OMG the ending- WTAF! It was so good! I loved learning more about Mische- her story is amazing and Asar is brilliant in a grumpy but adorable way. Such a good new story for the Nyaxia world! I want to know what’s next! I am not patient.

Firstly I want to express my deepest gratitude to Pan Macmillan, NetGalley and Carissa Broadbent for allowing me the honour of reading this ARC. The Crowns of Nyaxia series is truly one of my favourite fantasy series and so this really was a dream come true!

For me you know a book is truly special when you feel physically and emotionally shaken upon finishing that last page. I didn’t think Broadbent could deliver a more shocking ending than we experienced in The Serpent & The Wings of Night but WOW. I was wrong!!

I NEED the next instalment immediately!

Miche was of course a fan favourite from the first duology, but I was slightly nervous at that start that I would severely miss Oraya and Rhain from the Nightborn Duology. I needn’t have worried. Miche and her story more than stands up on their own and her character once again draws the reader right in with her effervescent but complex personality. The main MMC of this story is also full of complexity and mystery like Miche, which only adds to the addictiveness of the pair's romantic storyline. We do LOVE a slow burn!

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone hooks the reader from page 1, dropping you straight back into the action. This was an unexpected and delightful surprise given that I though we might get a slower start in order to bridge the two duologies. The pace of the book continues throughout at an addictive rate and leaves your heart racing! The book has an incredibly original plot whilst also feeling right at home within The Crowns of Nyaxia series as a whole. The flashbacks and connections to the first two books are expertly woven into the book.

The themes of hope, courage and redemption throughout are beautifully written by Broadbent, with all readers I’m sure being able to connect in their own personal way. The blaring lines of love, devotion, pain and vulnerability are also phenomenally explored by the author, truly pulling at your own heartstrings each step of the way.

It is the twist, turns and utter shocks to the system that make this book so incredible! You think you know where it is heading or what will happen next but trust me. You don’t! Carissa Broadbent truly is a genius, albeit a slightly evil one for raising my stress level this high! The final few chapters build into such a crescendo that it is very reminiscent of the last 100 pages of a SJM book. I physically screamed aloud it was THAT good/torturous of an ending. The epilogue was particularly perfect - chef’s kiss!

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and it did not disappoint! If possible, it exceeded all my expectations and more! It truly was an incredible adventure and I anxiously and excitedly wait for the next instalment in this unrivalled series. Please don’t make us wait too long - I beg you!

This is an absolute 5/5 star read for me! One of the best reads this year!