- 3 stars

I wanted to know more about Mische since Oraya & Raihn's story and we finally got more about her and her story made me sad. Her background story is so sad. She's one of these character that hides behind a smile, but actually feels so lonely.

The storyline wasn't as interesting as the first Crown of Nyaxia, but it got me towards the second half. The end got me so excited for the next book! I need it now.. Mische better be okay!

If you’re not already in love with Mische, there is a good chance you will be by the end of this book.

2024 has been the year of collecting fictional besties: Xiala (Between Earth & Sky trilogy), Sirsha (Heir duology), and now, Mische (Crowns of Nyaxia series).

Oraya? Love her, but she’s all sharp edges and armour. Mische, though, feels grounded, relatable.

This book, The Songbird & the Heart of Stone, is where Mische takes centre stage, after the events of The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King and it was magnificent. While the tropes were troping, they felt distinctive and self-aware:

🔹 Deadly trials... sort of. Imagine a sentient god-touched magical prison with five ominous levels. Morthryn is a grand, malevolent delight.
🔹 Sunshine FMC vs broody exiled necromancer shadow daddy prince. Meet Asar, The Wraith Warden.
🔹 Slow-burn reluctant allies to lovers AND forbidden love. The yearning. Immaculate.
🔹 Not exactly Hades x Persephone, but the vibes are there.

But what really got me was the substance beneath all the tropey goodness. It’s messy, it’s angsty and unflinching. It digs into power imbalances, and questions what we’re willing to sacrifice in the name of love—or survival.

Consequently, Mische and Asar’s backstories broke my heart. Each revelation pulled me deeper into their painful history, making their growth all the more impactful.

Additionally, a heads-up: there are some very intense and disturbing themes explored, so check the content warnings Broadbent includes upfront. Read them, take them seriously and proceed with caution.

Finally, I can’t say too much else without spoiling the entire series so I guess if the sound of a magical prison that leads to the underworld, a mysterious necromancer shadow daddy with layers upon layers to peel back, and tortured yearning appeals to you, this book is worth your time, especially if you enjoyed the first two instalments. Heads up though for a brutal cliffhanger ending. My jaw hasn't left the floor.

Oh yeah, also, Luce is the goodest girl across all dimensions. Protect her at all costs.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review, this one was a doozy.

In short: Just finished. Dying. This book totally revived the series for me. The first book was wow, the second was okay and I had to convince myself to read this one. And thank Acaeja that I did, because damn, the whole book was perfect, right amount of adventure, romance, and plot twist. That ending has ended me, second time that Carissa Broadbent has done that to me. First time being the first book in this series.

The story follows Mische, a vampire who lost everything when she was turned. Facing execution, Mische is saved by Asar, the scarred bastard prince of the House of Shadow. Together, they embark on a perilous mission to the underworld to, all while navigating the complexities of their growing bond and the danger of angering the gods.

I was thoroughly invested in this book, Broadbent weaves a perfect blend of fantasy and romance with complex, layered characters.

The epilogue left me speechless, I can’t even imagine what’s going to happen in the next book, eagerly anticipating the next installment. Broadbent has solidified her position as my favorite Romantasy author of this year, and I highly recommend this book to fans of the genre. Please note, this can be read before the first two books, but the epilogue will hit harder if you read the first two.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the ARC.

Mische, a sun goddess, was turned into a vampire, and her whole life changed. She is sentenced to death for killing the vampire prince who turned her. However, Asar saves her from a certain death and forces her into a mission to the underworld.

I just want to say that I haven't actually read the first duology in this series. You can start reading from this book. The author does a great job of making it completely understandable without reading the first 2 books. That being said, I'm definitely going to go back and read the first duology, I'm desperate to know what happened in the lead up to this! But I wasn't at all confused, having not read the first duology.

Honestly, this book was so full of adventure, I absolutely loved it! The trek through the underworld was so full of twists, turns, and surprises that I was constantly enthralled by the plot.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mische'a character development. She was a force to be reckoned with on multiple occasions throughout the quest!

The last 10% had my hooked! I just couldn't put it down. I am so excited to read the second book in the duology and see where this goes.

This book was really exhilarating. I loved how there was more world building for the series and a deeper dive into this vast universe Carissa Broadbent has created, more of the lore and a better understanding on the dynamic between the Gods. There was danger lurking around every corner, I didn't know who to fully trust and I was in an a rollercoaster adventure.

All the characters were really interesting. I felt really bad for Mische in the beginning but she turned out to be a really enjoyable character that was a force to be reckoned with. I really loved her inner turmoil, especially with her circumstances and magic it was very unique. Asar was amazing, he really intrigued me and he just continued to get even more awesome as the book progressed.

Overall, this was a great entry into the series and I'm excited to see where we go from here after that incredible cliff hanger.

Carissa Broadbent has once again proven why she’s one of the most exciting voices in fantasy today. Diving back into this world felt like coming home—but with a fresh edge that kept me on my toes. If you’ve followed the series, you’ll be thrilled to know this installment doesn’t just live up to its predecessors; it deepens and expands the story in ways I didn’t expect.

Mische, who felt a bit underdeveloped in the earlier books, truly comes into her own here. Her growth is palpable, and I loved finally getting a deeper look into her psyche, her complex relationship with Atroxus, and her ability to rise to the challenges thrown her way. Some of the twists about her character and the larger world were genuinely surprising and refreshing.

The romance, too, stood out in a way that felt distinct from the previous books. Mische and Asar’s connection was both raw and real, set against a backdrop of haunting trials and a heavy task that would crush most. Despite the supernatural setting, their bond felt deeply human—like the one real thing in a world full of gods, ghosts, and horrors. That balance of emotional depth, action, and romance is one of Broadbent’s greatest strengths, and she wields it masterfully here.

The worldbuilding continues to shine, with an even richer exploration of the gods and their natures. However, I’ll admit the underworld was occasionally a bit confusing to navigate—though perhaps that’s fitting for a place meant to unsettle and disorient.

That said, the book isn’t without a few hiccups. There’s a slight lull in the middle where things felt repetitive, but it didn’t overshadow the overall experience. Plus, a heads-up: the cliffhanger is brutal. Be prepared to throw the book across the room—before immediately picking it back up to reread your favorite moments.

I also want to stress the importance of checking content warnings, as this book delves into heavy themes that might be triggering for some readers. Broadbent handles these topics with care, but they’re worth noting for those who need them.

All in all, this is a gripping, emotional, and beautifully crafted entry in the Crowns of Nyaxia series. Broadbent’s ability to balance fantasy and romance with equal weight is something to admire. While I’m impatient for the next book (the downside of traditional publishing!), I’m thrilled to see her receiving the recognition she deserves. If you haven’t started this series yet, do yourself a favor and dive in—but don’t skip the first two books!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars—almost perfect, with just a touch of drag that keeps it shy of a full five.

Carissa Broadbent is one of my favourite authors and Songbird and The Heart Of Stone didn’t disappoint, her characters are always so rich, raw and complex and her writing is beautiful, I always love the journey her books take me on and this one was so good.

I loved Mische from the first two Crowns of Nyaxia books and I just knew I was going to love her even more in her own story. To learn more about her backstory and what led her to where she is now was so heartbreaking to see her inner turmoil of loyalty and her struggles was so beautifully written ..she is such a fierce character but also so relatable. As for Asar my heart broke for him to see what he has been through and why he now finds himself as the warden of the underworld was also so heartbreaking, to see him and Mische go through processing all the emotions of grief and discovering so much about themselves and each other was so well done and I loved how their relationship slowly built from beginning to end, their banter was perfect!

The pacing was brilliant and I loved the underworld setting it was dark and haunting. I knew there was probably going to be heartbreaking ending but it set up so many interesting things for the next book and I’m so excited to see where it takes us next!

Let me start by saying that I should have reread the first two books in the Crown of Nyaxia series before getting into The Songbird and the Heart of Stone because even though, last year, I read and adored the first two books, there is a fair amount of things that I didn’t remember about it, especially about the character of Mische, as then I was more focused on its two protagonists, Oraya and Raihn. So, when I was initially reading The Songbird & the Heart of Stone, there were a few things that left me confused or lost. Despite this, I really enjoyed it and I found myself completely immersed in the story, especially after I started to catch up.

I really liked the two protagonists, Mische, one of the brides of the god of sun, recently turned into a Vampire, and Asar, the bastard prince and now new heir of the House of Shadow. They have a slow-burning and sexy enemies-to-lovers romance as they travel to the underworld to bring back to life the god of death. They are complex, engaging, and courageous characters, both haunted by their past, their grief and guilt over the loss of the people they cared about, and they are both caught right in the middle of a game of revenge and scheming among the gods.

If you loved the first two books, you are going to adore The Songbird & the Heart of Stone. Addictive, dark, intriguing, and full of surprises, it keeps you glued to the pages until that final explosive cliffhanger that makes you eager for more.

What an absolutely incredible book.

I have loved everything I have read from Carissa Broadbent which means when I pick up something new from her, I feel this bizarre mix of excitement alongside a fear that this might break the spell but there was nothing to fear here.

This was an incredible follow on in the Crowns of Nyaxia series.

Mische is a great character to follow and I am so glad we are getting to read her story. She’s complex and messy, a mix of good and bad and that makes her such an interesting character to read about.

Asur is the perfect mmc. He’s a character who had me intrigued from the beginning and I grew to love as the book developed.

The thought and attention to detail that went into this world building and story development is simply perfect. It’s a wonderful follow on to the rest of the series and I’m not sure I’ve ever read anything with a magic system quite like it.

I was absolutely gripped and just couldn’t wait to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. Filled with plenty of twists and turns that I couldn’t predict.

And the ending has broken me. I don’t know how I’m going to cope with the wait for next book.

Amazing work by Carissa Broadbent (again!) - a 5⭐️ read

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone follows the journey of Mische who we all know and loved within the first two books of the series. Originally a great mystery as a side character, it has been a thrilling development to learn more about Mische and her past. This book has stinky continued to strengthen my love and adoration for her character as we witness her continue to grow and develop alongside the expanse world that we reside in.

The setting of this book was vastly different to what we have known from the Crowns of Nyaxia series. The atmospheric world and lyrical writing style masterfully set the tome within my mind as I enjoyed unveiling new hidden corners to this ever growing world. However I will say that I did find the flow of the new setting within the Underworld to begin to muddle as the plot progressed. There seemed to be a disconnect as the specific setting of a scene seemed to jump around and feel inconsistent. In some moments they’re deep within the Underworld, just to find themselves within a room/house very swiftly. It made it difficult to keep up with the events and dialogue between our cast of characters which is a shame because I so desperately wanted to remain invested.

I do have a deeply rooted love for slow burn romance as it is something that has me feeling more connected and appreciative of the romantic journey from beginning to end. However I will say that the slow burn within this one was in a sense, too slow, as I began to feel frustrated with the too often “close moments” which would then amount to nothing. A slow burn can still be a slow burn with a small amount of giving, whilst awaiting for the inevitable joining to happen.

Whilst this book hasn’t been my favourite of the series, I definitely still had a good time and can see avid fans of this series devouring it with ease. I’m excited to see what comes next after that jaw-dropping ending to this book, and I hope to see a steadier flow within the setting and a more significant emphasis on the growing relationship between Mische and Asar in the final instalment to their duology.

I absolutely loved this one!
Carissa Broadbent never misses, but this might have been my favorite book of hers yet, definitely in this series so far.

I really love how she is turning this series into a universe with the standalones and duologies focused on different main characters. It keeps the story fresh while you can still enjoy the world you've grown to love.

Mische and Asar are such a great pair of main characters. In a way, they're opposites, yet they still fit together so perfectly and are so similar.
The romance was amazing, but I loved them on their own just as much.

As a fan of Dante's Inferno, I thought that the concept of the plot and the descent into the underworld was so cool and I love how the author twisted it to make the story fit. I love a good quest and this made it even more enjoyable for me.

While I enjoyed the first duology a lot, I already know that this one will top this one, mainly because it has necromancy and I'm ALWAYS down for necromancy. Especially when it's combined with vampires though, I ate the worldbuilding and magic system up in this.

What I really enjoy about this series is the involvement of the gods, yet there's still a large part that is just focused on the main characters doing their thing in their world. Sometimes I can find it a bit overwhelming when gods are involved and everything gets incredibly epic, but in my opinion, it is very well balanced here.

Overall, I adored this book and I cannot wait for the sequel, especially after that ending!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

At this point I'm not even surprised with how much I adored this story, every time I start a new Carissa Broadbent book I know I'm in for a glorious ride, and this was nothing short of mesmerizing.

The start of this new duology in the Crowns of Nyaxia series has a very different atmosphere from the prevous two books, and this change of scenery gives even more the feeling of a fresh start, a new chapter that despite being centered of new characters does feel coherent with the central plot that connects all the different stories.

This new world is dark, eerie and sinister, but at the same time is still so full of beauty and magic that almost feels magnetic, leaving you torn between fear and curiosity, and as you embark in this journey with Asar and Mische you're left wondering what new terrors - and wonders! - await you at every page.
And speaking of Mische, I must really applaude the author on her development, not only when it comes to the construction and the personality that we finally got to explore on different levels, but her growth and her introspective journey really made this story much deeper. I loved seeing her interactions with Asar, how they shared their pasts and slowly found comfort in each other's scars, I think they work so well as a couple especially because they have so much in common, even if in two unique ways. And can we talk about how satisfying it was to have a slow burn that for once feels actually slow?

I can't wait to discover what the next book has in store for us, - especially after that ending! - this series gets better at every new release, so excited!

I absolutely loved the earlier books in this series (especially Serpent & the Wings of Night and Six Scorched Roses!), so I was so excited to dive into Songbird!

𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧…
🕊️ vampires & gods
💫 deadly underworld quest
🕊️ enemies to lovers
💫 grumpy x sunshine

𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨…
After murdering her Maker, shadowborn Prince Malach, vampire Mische leaves the House of Night… only to be captured by Malach’s sister. However Wraith Warden & bastard Prince Asar interrupts her execution, claiming he needs her help on a quest given to him by the goddess Nyaxia.

𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨…
This book is a very different style of book to the first three in the series! You dive straight into the underworld quest with very little build up, and there’s a lot of impressive world building - this means it’s action from chapter one, but on the flip side you are also stressed from chapter one 😅

If you are more of a plot driven person this is definitely a book for you, there is SO much going on at all times! Personally character-driven stories are my favourite, so it took me a while to become invested because you don’t really get to know Mische or Asar for a long time.

I did absolutely love what we saw of Asar though! He is so grumpy and direct, but once Mische gets to know him she realises how gentle and steady he actually is 🥹 Also I absolutely love an MMC with a furry best friend, Luce was such a wonderful addition 🐺🫶🏼 I can’t wait for more of these characters in the next book.

The ending was great and I didn’t see it coming! Buut it’s a horrendous cliffhanger 🫣 So I’ll be picking up book 4 up as soon as it’s released!

“𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 - 𝘯𝘰 ‘𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳’, 𝘯𝘰 ‘𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳’. 𝘕𝘰 𝘴𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘪𝘵.”

4⭐️- it was so good to be back in the Crowns of Nyaxia universe! I’ve been so excited for Mische’s story since finishing Serpent & the Wings of Night and it didn’t disappoint.

Mische has left the House of Night and the people she loves behind to regain the love she’s lost from the god she is bound to. Only it’s led her straight to the underworld and under the care of Asar, bastard prince of the House of Shadow.

This had a much slower pace to it and the stakes are completely different, but I still absolutely loved it. Carissa writes such perfect slow burn romantasy and never throws in unnecessary scenes for the sake of including every trope possible. Her characters are complex and whatever I thought about Mische from reading the previous books went completely out of the window after reading her own story. There is so much sadness to her backstory from how she was groomed into the life of a priestess from such a young age, to being turned in such a truly horrific way. There was so much depth to her character and I feel like we’ve only seen the beginning of what she’s capable of.

Asar was such a great MMC and whilst he was the total opposite to Mische in a lot of ways, their broken pieces really ended up completing one another. I was captivated by the underworld he watches over and completely won over by his canine companion, but Asar’s own backstory was so unexpected and provided another layer of excitement to the plot. The slow burn of his relationship with Mische was perfectly executed and had me sat there rooting for something to break the tension. At first, Mische is just a means to an end, but it develops into him seeing her in a way she’d always dreamt of being perceived by someone.

The ending was CRIMINAL, I cannot wait to get book two in my hands after that last paragraph?! This is one of my favourite fantasy series and I can’t recommend it highly enough. If you like slow burn romantasy, words ruled by gods and perhaps (like me) you never truly left your Twilight phase, this is a book for you,

Wow what a ride this book was!
Devastatingly good! It’s my favourite out of the 3 books so far!

I knew I would be head over heels as soon as Asar walked in with his black marks and scars.

This book follows Mische after she leaves to travel and save the fate of her friends from the wrath of the Blood born, because she killed their heir. The blood born find her and mark her execution for this crime. Asar comes in and asks to take her into the underworld for a quest.

The slow burn and unraveling of these two is just fantastic to read. The hard denial and yearning, the vulnerability of each of them as they unpack their pasts and torments. How they start to choose each other over and over in each part of the underworld.

This unpacks a lot of emotional turmoil with past decisions and healing.

I found this a beautiful story of love and sacrifice and is now one of my favourite books!

'Mische is sentenced to death for murdering the vampire prince who Turned her, but when Mische is saved by Asar, the bastard prince of the House of Shadow with a past as brutal as his scars, she’s forced into a mission worse than execution: a journey to the underworld to resurrect the god of death himself.'

Ohhhh, what a great start to Mische & Asar's story! I wasn't too sure what to expect going in, which probably helped since I was hooked, and flew through this book in a day.

This may be controversial, but I think I like Asar more than Raihn. He's the perfect mix of grumpy, protective and just enough sass to provide some comedic relief. He had some of my favourite lines in the book!

I loved finding out more about Mische, but I am hoping some of my questions are answered in book 2. She was such a fun character and her inner monologue had me chuckling.

The story was rather predictable but I enjoyed the ride and I'm intrigued enough that I'll definitely read book 4!

Overall, a great addition to the series and it has a lot of potential!

I received an advanced copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was instantly hooked when I read the first books of the Crowns of Nyaxia. And I was really expecting this book, from Mische's point of view.
Mische was a young priestess for the God of the Sun, Atroxus. But she became a vampire after having been bitten by one of their princes. Since, she refuses her new "state", and still tries to use the powers Atroxus gave her.
At the beginning of this book, we find her captured by the Vampire Court, as a punishment for the murder of the Prince. And as she is to be executed, she is saved by Asar, the bastard Prince of the House of Shadows. He's different from every other vampire she has ever known, and he needs her to fulfil a quest given by Nyaxia herself : they have to go to the underworld to give life back to her former lover.
Lots of events, treason, encounters, lots of ghosts, spirits, wraiths, lots of fights, but also lots of sweeter moments betwen Mische and Asar.
I found the pace a little bit slower than from the two other books, but I enjoyed my reading nevertheless, and I hope that soon, there will be another book telling how Asar and Mische embrace their powers.

4.5★

This was so so good.

The story follows Mische captured by House of Shadow because she killed their crown prince and the spare bastard prince Asar takes her to a very unique journey through underworld. It was very Divine Comedy and I loved that. I think that alone was what makes it interesting.

I loved the fact how this story achieves to deliver the two most frequent romantasy tropes (enemies to lovers and forced proximity) in a different twisted way with a lot of subplot, heartbreak and total jaw-dropping surprises towards the end. Background stories were well written and intricately vowen into their journey through underworld walking the line to death, for Asar to perform a necromancy ritual while Mische is plotting her betrayal as she was commanded by her god/lover. Whaaat? My mind was whirling.

Mische was a side character in previous duet there but not explored or given background much. Her character arc from the innocent child to the villain added so much depth to her story, which I enjoyed a lot. She was already questioning her faith, her lover, god, failures, human desires while in denial of her grief and new "Turned" self because she was taught all her life the opposite of what she was feeling and experiencing. Her awakening was very pleasing to read.

Asar was the epitome of morally gray, scary, rejected. He has been tortured all his life, scarred inside out, and he shows, a lot. He had his own agenda and executed his plans, manipulating and plotting all along until Mische, of course. And he turned out to be sweet and protective behind that cold villain mask, who would have guessed? Ha! It was (sometimes) achingly slow, but again quite pleasing to read him opening himself up.

And the star of the show, Luce! I mean, Asar’s resurrected dog following them to the end of the world, protecting, playing match maker, snuggling. Yeah, for me she was the best side character here.

I liked the atmospheric descriptions of each sanctum, unique scenery, creatures and side effects. I loved the mind games blurring reality and dreams, and learning both Asar and Mische’s past and traumas through those, revealing more and more and confronting and healing from them together. I really liked, but I also wished it was more on page, that Asar teaching Mische about the magic as their bonding activity and how she finally accepted her dark side, it could amplify the reflection of their bonding and friendship.

And lastly, that ending! My jaw is still on the floor and my heart is still broken after reading it. I can’t wait to read the rest of their story from Asar’s POV (I hope).

Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble for the e-ARC!

Another masterpiece from Carissa–it’s definitely going into my top favorite books of 2024 list for sure!

I’ve been eagerly awaiting Mische’s book ever since I got to know her in the previous books.
I would suggest reading The Serpent & the Wings of Night and The Ashes & the Star-Cursed if you haven’t to have a better understanding.

I really enjoy getting to know the main characters, especially Mische. Learning more about her heart-breaking background when she was human made me love her character even more.
And Asar is not the scary, ruthless Warden Mische thought. There’s more than meets the eye; he’s a selfless, patient, understanding guy with just the right amount of brooding and grumpiness.

I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between Mische and Asar. Watching them slowly form a bond as they made their way to the Underworld to complete the dangerous mission was delightful and captivating.
The romance is a slow-burn, but their chemistry is off the charts!!–I can’t wait to see how their relationship will develop in the next book!

The writing style never disappoints. The author excels at conveying the emotions of each character, a fair amount of action scenes, and crafting a unique world-building, especially the Descent into the Underworld.

Overall, this is a well-written action-packed and emotional journey about love, pain, and forgiveness and vulnerability making it impossible to put down!
I’m definitely looking out for the sequel because I need to know what happens next after that HUGE CLIFF-HANGER!!!!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: graphic violence, on page sexual content, discussions about grooming and child abuse, infant death (off page).

Thank you, Pan Macmillan/Tor and NetGalley for this arc!

When I started book 1, I became so invested in Oraya's and Raihn's story that I wasn't interested in book 3 (my plan was to only read the House of Night duology, but that would've been a shame). After reading book 2, it became impossible for me to let go of this world. The House of Shadow is the most secretive and mysterious kingdom, so I was curious about it.
Even though Orbitraes is one of my favourite fictional worlds, I enjoyed that the story was set in the Underworld. The world-building reminded me of Dante's Inferno and was impressive!
Mische's story is one about transformation. I liked getting to know her past and even though it was a physically and emotionally painful one, it made me appreciate her strength even more. Devoting her life to the god of the sun, she thought love was supposed to hurt and I'm glad that she found the power to free herself (atrocious Atroxus made me so angry). I could understand her guilt and doubts, but I loved that she discovered a new facet of her magic in the darkest places. Asar is my new favourite shadow daddy!🥵 I liked his unique appearance and magical powers. While seeming stone-cold and emotionless on the outside, he cares a lot about the ones he loves. Also, he enjoys music and plays the piano – swoon! It was cute to see both of them open up to each other and help each other heal. They are perfect!
Last but not least, Luce – she's my favourite side character in this series😍
And then came the ending…Both book 1 and 2 ended with brutal cliffhangers, so I should've been prepared for this one, but it still took me by surprise and destroyed me. I was not expecting THAT ending. And the epilogue broke my heart 😭– Asar and Mische have already been through so much, I just want them to be happy! I still have so many questions...
I need time to process but at the same time, I NEED THE NEXT BOOK ASAP!!!