I WILL NEVER NOT READ A CARISSA BROADBENT BOOK. they never fail to leave me feeling ALL the emotions.
I loved learning more about Mische, it was packed with gut-wrenching tension and irresistible chemistry. It was a dark journey into the underworld with heart-stopping trials, and the ending!!!!! i need the next book asap please !!!!!! i am obsessed!

Genuinely my all time fave Carissa Broadbent.

I loved the different levels of this book, I am a sucker for trials and this did not disappoint.

Not only did the plot slay, the romance was so intrinsic and stunning. Simply amazing.

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent is an emotional, captivating journey through a vividly imagined world.
Mische’s transformation into a vampire and her complex relationship with the gods make her a compelling protagonist. Her vulnerability, pain, and resilience immediately drew me in, and her dynamic with Asar added depth and tension.
Asar, the brooding yet patient prince, contrasts beautifully with Mische’s fiery determination.

Their slow-burn romance is magnetic, with banter and chemistry that kept me hooked. The dangerous journey to the underworld is packed with thrilling action, heart-stopping trials, and beautifully haunting moments that make the stakes feel real.
The writing is stunning, balancing intricate world-building with raw, emotional storytelling. The Descent into the Underworld was especially mesmerizing. While the pacing can feel slow at times, the payoff is worth it.
The ending left me breathless with its shocking cliffhanger.

A sow beginning but once the story got going I was obsessed! I loved that this was structured to follow the characters through each level of the underworld.

The romance was a perfect slow burn and the ending has me desperate to read book two!

The third novel in this exciting series, The Songbird and the Heart of Stone captures thrill, romance and excitement in one incredible package. I can't wait for the fourth one!

Carissa has such a knack for writing fantasy in and pulling you into her characters worlds.
As a lover of the dark underworld and to get misches story was exactly what I needed. And a necromancer… say no more.
I love how Carissa writes her FMCs. Cannnot wait for more !

Actual rating: 3.5 ish stars.

In preparation for this book, I reread the initial duology. Perhaps I shouldn’t have, because Oraya and especially Rhain were fresh in my mind, and I love their story! While this book is overall good, it didn’t quite reach the level of Serpent and Ashes for me.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Mische before, mainly because we didn’t get to know her that well. Given that she’s now a main character, my expectations were high. I did enjoy watching her evolve throughout her journey and appreciated the glimpses into her past. I wasn’t indifferent to her, but I didn’t find myself captivated either, if you know what I mean. Kind of an 'inbetween' feeling.

I was also intrigued by Asar, but I expected a bit more background on him. He’s portrayed as mysterious, so that initial spark of excitement on my side was definitely there, but he kind of stayed an enigma. I wanted and expected more from his POV.

Overall, the world Carissa created remains super creative and original, and her writing is just as good as ever. In terms of storyline, I would have loved a bit more romance, as it wasn’t a major focus. And I think a dual POV would have been so good with this story.

Even though I was a little bit underwhelmed, I will definitively continue reading this series.

I love this world so so much and Carissa’s writing is PHENOMENAL

I genuinely think this is her best book yet! It took me a little while to get into but Asar and Mische’s chemistry had me hooked😭

This is an incredible story with elements of Dante’s Inferno and I am obsessed

THAT ENDING?! HUH?!!? That’s all. No notes.

4.2⭐️

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

After finding the start of The Ashes & The Star Cursed King a bit of a struggle to get through, I enjoyed this book a lot more from the beginning. I always liked Mische’s character in the original duology and it was nice to see behind the “fun” face she put on in those books, and to understand a bit more about her obsession with Atroxus (although I agree with Asar’s opinions about him haha).

I also liked watching her relationship with Asar grow and change over the course of the book. That cliffhanger though - I’m very interested to see how the situation resolves itself in the next book (and hopefully see more from Asar’s perspective too!)

Thank you NetGalley and Pan MacMillian for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Oh how I loved The Songbird and The Heart of Stone - this type of romance and fantasy book is right up my alley. I loved the relationship between Mische and Asar. There was so much animosity, tension and so much at stake and I loved how their relationship grew slowly through the book. The ending was incredible and I can’t wait for the next book. Would happily recommend to anyone - even if you haven’t read the previous books.

“The Songbird & The Heart of Stone” by Carissa Broadbent is an extraordinary read during spooky season, keeps you hooked from start to finish. Well written story with goth vibes and an MMC to die for. Carissa has done an amazing job with this one yet again! Bring a cozy blanket, a hot black tea, gothic music in the background and enjoy this story, you’ll love it!

Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble, NetGalley, and the editorial team - thanks for giving me the opportunity to review an audiobook ARC of this publication!

#TheSongbirdAndTheHeartOfStone #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

I really enjoyed being back in the Nyaxia universe and was so excited for Mische to get her story. This book follows on from the events of the original duology (and novellas) and is best read after these although the events and storyline are separate but will all tie together. The first half of the book is a little bit slow as we set the scene and get to know the characters backstory and the build up of their relationship. It really picks up in the second half and I couldn't put it down. Really looking forward to the next instalment as this one ends with quite dramatic scenes that set up the continuation of the series really well.

Absolutely beautiful!!!! ‘The Songbird and the Heart of Stone has shown me once more why I love reading stories about vampires!
.This is romantasy at its finest, in all its swoony and fantastical elements. I recommend giving this book a try if you love forced proximity, enemies to lovers and morally grey mmcs. Also, if you want a read that will truly transport you, with beautiful writing and layered characters, this is it! Pick this book up right now, please.

BEWARE: EMOTIONAL TURMOIL AHEAD.

BUT...

You will love it, trust me.

I personally didn't enjoy the book as much as I thought I would. Misches and Asars story was my favorite and I loved the tension. Unfortunately I felt like the story was a bit dragged out and I got a little bit bored in some parts, I also couldn't really picture many scenes well, since I felt like it wasn't so well described. Still I enjoyed a lot of it, especially the last 50 pages, and I am very interested about the next book.

We are finally back and this time with Misches story. While I did like this book and enjoyed it, there was just something that didn’t drag me in completely and I got bored at times. I will probably still read the next one to see where this will go as I really enjoyed the previous books.

3,5⭐️

I had extremely high expectations for this one and I was kinda let down. I really enjoyed the book, but for some reason I was bored because all of the plot was happening in "hell"? I don’t know, something felt off hah

If you’ve ever wondered what might happen if Greek mythology threw a masquerade ball and invited vampires, tortured anti-heroes, and a love story that burns brighter than the sun, The Songbird and the Heart of Stone is your answer!

Carissa Broadbent has crafted a tale as sharp as fangs and as intoxicating as a forbidden kiss in the dark.

Meet Mische: a former sun god devotee turned reluctant vampire, condemned for slaying her Turnmaker. Life’s already messy for her, but it gets delightfully complicated when she’s saved from execution by Asar, the brooding, scarred bastard prince of the House of Shadow. Their mission? No big deal, just a perilous journey to the underworld to resurrect the god of death. You know, typical Tuesday stuff.

Oh, but there’s a catch. (There’s always a catch.) Mische is under orders from her sun god to betray Asar, which, let’s be honest, would probably be a lot easier if Asar weren’t so infuriatingly compelling. Cue the slow burn romance that will have you rooting for this enemies-to-lovers duo as they face lethal trials, angry gods, and their own haunted pasts.

Broadbent’s prose is nothing short of dazzling, every page feels like a song, weaving heartbreak, temptation, and danger into a story that will grip you like a god’s curse. The series in itself is so addictive and I was completely hooked in every single book. The lore is rich, the stakes (emotional and literal) are razor-sharp, and the romance? Let’s just say it left me swooning and screaming into the abyss.

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone is a mythological fever dream of epic proportions, where light battles darkness, gods meddle mercilessly, and love dares to defy fate itself.

Perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash or Circe, this story will steal your heart and leave you begging for the next verse.

I absolutely loved this. It’s an add on to the crowns of nyaxia duology and although reading that helps it’s not essential as this is focussing on other characters stories.
The writing is so immersive and I got completely lost in the world, can’t wait to see where this goes next.

Loved it. I enjoyed every page of this book. I loved reading Mische story. It was emotional. Slow burn allies to lovers. Just perfect. Thank you

I was so excited for this book I love the crown of nyaxia series and to delve deeper into this world is amazing. I loved t all.