Carissa Broadbent really did it again with The Songbird & the Heart of Stone. It's a captivating novel set in the same world as The Serpent & the Wings of Night. This time we don't follow Oraya and Raihn but Mische, a beloved character we met already. We learn more about Misches past and her religion.

Mische wakes up in the hands of enemies but soon is going on a quest for the God of the Sun - with the brother of the Vampire she hates the most.
We see her evolving and overcoming trauma. We see her deal with her religion which gave her good experiences but not everything that shines is gold.

Carissa takes us with this novel into a part of the world that we didn't know about - the Realm of the dead God of Death. I think here she could've done a bit better regarding the world building but it's okay.
I had difficulties staying with the stories during Ashes but The Songbird captured me wholly.

I'm almost never surprised by twists and turns of stories and for the most part, it was the same here but a huge plus point for a character I didn't expect.

I really look forward to seeing where Misches story brings us.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC. Highly recommend!

5 stars - fantasy romance part of the crowns of Nyaxia series.

Mische was an acolyte of the sun god Atroxus, and had the gift of light until she was forcibly turned into a vampire by the prince of the shadow born. After murdering the prince at the end of book 2, we start her journey with her being captured by the princess of the shadow born, but ultimately saved by the exiled prince Asar in order to journey to the underworld for the goddess Nyaxia. Mische mysteriously has her light power returned and a visit from Atroxus with a new secret mission. Asar, meanwhile has his own mission from Nyaxia.

After being introduced to Mische in the first two books, she was my favourite character other than Oraya and Raihn, so I knew I would absolutely devour her story due to her complicated back story. Misches character development is insane - we get to see her childhood beginnings with her sister and her enrolment into the sun gods church, with backflash chapters, and her journey with her inner struggles and her difficulties accepting genuine love and friendship.

I loved the development of Misches and Asars relationship and thought it was rightly paced, given the timeline. From enemies, to friends then to lovers it felt genuine and real.

The underworld was gruesome and complex and I enjoyed learning about the different realms and the people within. I fell in love with Leuce and hope she is ok given Asars and Miches whereabouts at the end of the story.

The ending was jaw dropping, and I should have known given book 1, but I can’t believe it ended the way it did and how long I now have to wait for the next instalment!

Overall highly recommend if you enjoyed the first two books or even as a standalone. I have loved all of the authors works that I have read, she has a way of captivating the reader from the get go and developing such loveable characters.

"his features begged to be immortalised in stone or paint"

this book was unbelievable in more ways than one.

The story! *chefs kiss*
The Characters! *chefs kiss*
The ending! *chefs kiss*
The epilogue! *chefs kiss*

The book follows Mische, who struggles with what she wants vs. who she is. We learn of the hard cards she has been dealt through her life and what struggles she has had to face with her faith. Her character is full of so much hope and courage even with the life she has lived.

and then Asar.... he is incredible. He is written so well you fall in love with him and forget about him being the supposed 'villain' of the story. He is said to be the 'heart of stone' but all I can see is a heart of pure gold. He means well in everything he does, he wants the best for those he cares about even if it doesn't necessarily follow the rules of life and law.

The writing and in-depth background work put into these characters is ASTRONOMICAL - Carissa Broadbent has a way with words and character development that I have rarely seen before. The world creation is incredible and deserves such high levels of praise.

I have so many quotes highlighted that I desperately want to share but don't want to ruin the first hand experience for anyone!

It's safe to say I loved every second of this book and can not wait for the 4th.

Thanks so NetGalley for the ARC and allowing me to provide an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of ‘The Songbird and the Heart of Stone’.
I absolutely loved the Crowns of Nyaxia series so I jumped at the chance at reading the next instalment that focused on the character of Mische.
Firstly, the call backs to the previous books were lovely, hearing familiar names gave me a little jump of joy every time it happened.
Mische, from the get go is such a complex and interesting character and the book was fantastic at delving into that. Then we get to meet Asar and he is equally (if not more) complex and overall a fantastic character.
I loved the journey of this book and the development between the characters and plot. However I felt uncomfortable with the relationship between Mische and the god, I appreciate that has a lot of reasoning for Mische’s behaviour and her character development, but I still couldn’t shift the uncomfortable feeling I got while reading those bits. The story was also a bit repetitive at points but it didn’t bother me too much because I was already so invested in the story.
The ending of the book was 10/10, what a cliff hanger! Very excited to read the next book and delve back into Mische and Asar’s story.

The third book in the Crowns of Nyaxia Series (a 6 book series, 3 duology).

I read the first two books in preparation of reading this one, and I am so happy I did as I've found a new author I love! You don't need to read the first two books as this is following Mische and Asar on a hole separate journey.

I was intrigued by the book being about Mische as she seems interesting and I wanted to know more about her from the first two books.

I really appreciated that this book didn't feel like a retelling of the first two books and had a different feel, but still the same enjoyment from reading it.

I can't wait to read the next book that follows this one as the ending was a bit of a cliffhanger and a surprise.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

I really enjoyed this next instalment in the Crowns of Nyaxia series. I think it is the best in the series yet.

There were a couple of points to the book that I didn't enjoy. Parts of the plot felt a little repetitive which made it a little slow to get started. I also didn't enjoy the relationship with Atroxus. I don't want to give spoilers but there were parts that felt unnecessary.

However, the characters more than made up for this which is why the book is still 5 stars. Mische and Asar are brilliant and complex characters and I am so attached to them both. I also love Luce, the dog.

The setting of the underworld is also very complex and fascinating. It made the book very atmospheric. I even got attached to Morthryn as a setting.

The book was a little slow to start but once I got 50% in, I read the rest in one sitting. I couldn't put it down!

I would highly recommend this book romantasy fans. It ends on a cliffhanger and I can't wait to find out what happens next. This book will be released on 19th November so make sure you check it out.

Thanks to NetGalley, Carissa Broadbent, and Pan Macmillan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved the previous Crowns of Nyaxia books so I was not surprised that to find that I loved The Songbird and the Heart of Stone, too!

It was great to see Mische’s character development across the book, especially finding out more about her past as a priestess of Atroxus and her relationship with her sister, and Asar, the stoic bastard prince of the deadly House of Shadow and the heart of stone referred to in the title, was the perfect foil for her. The slow burn was perfectly done, I now want my own spirit wolf like Luce and the team’s descent into the underworld to resurrect (or kill?) the god of death, along with all of the challenges they faced on their journey, kept me hooked throughout. After that ending I really hope there isn’t a long wait before the next book!

It really was a rollercoaster
I was very excited to read this, it got me hooked from the very beginning, the enemies were✨ enemieing✨, the characters were very intriguing and it was a joy reading a true fantasy with vampires

Here’s what really true me off at some point
The plot was pretty repetitive, every part had similar things and it was getting boring reading about the same things over and over again

The whole relationship with the god was bugging me a lot im not gonna lie, from the very beginning i was not a fan of it, when i read the age i was prepared to dnf this book. When i read that it was not only serving him with prayers and that kind of this but also with the body… i was ready to pull some hair. I understand why it was necessary, and it was part of mische’s character development, but it was the kind of things that is uncomfortable so please read the trigger warnings before going into this book
Now listen, it was interesting reading about Mische’s thoughts and about her as a person. I was pretty scared that it will go down in a direction that im not gonna like in the end butttttt….. she really surprised me and this was the part that made me again interested in the story
I loved Asar, i loved the ending with the cliffy, it was a very good ending im not gonna lie, im definitely going to pick the next one up

Overall it with its ups and downs for me it was a solid
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What fantasy is on your fall tbr??

Thank you netgalley and panmacmillan for the arc 🤭💖💖

I think it's safe to say this book has left me feeling broken, destroyed and a shell of my former self, and I'll be going into hibernation until the next book releases, thankyouverymuch. The downside of getting the ARC is that I have no one to talk to about my heartbreak and that I now have to wait even LONGER for book 4!

I was pretty scared going into this, because I really loved Raihn and Oraya and I was scared that Mische and her love interest wouldn't live up to my high expectations, but I'm glad to say that is not the case at all! In fact, I think I might like Asar even more! *gasp*
Mische's character felt a little shallow in the first two books, but now that we got to see her backstory, her past, her trauma, and I absolutely could not love her more.
The slow burn was exquisite and while there wasn't as much spice as I usually love, it didn't bother me. I'm glad it didn't overshadow the story and it was kinda expected because of what we learned from Mische's past.

I loved the epic journey through the Underworld I got to go on, and while I found it hard to imagine or envision some parts, I could not put this book down. This gave me all the feels, heart palpitations and tears in my eyes.
Well done, Carissa Broadbent!

One question though: WHERE DID LUCE GO??

The 3rd instalment in the Crowns of Nyaxia series and safe to say I was very excited! I loved the first book, liked the second and was so happy that we would be getting 3 duologies! So this time we delve into the story of Mische. I liked her character in the first 2 books but we didn't know much about her other than snippets so I was excited to hear her origin story. Mische is an amazing FMC first up, she's so tough and I love that. She teams up with the main love interest, Asar who has just as many secrets as she does, in a quest to the underworld. It's a sloooowww burn romance and I think Carissa writes those so well. I love delving further and further into this world and can't wait for the 4th book!

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an e-ARC of the book in exchange of an honest review! I was thrilled to discover the story of Mische after really enjoying 'The Serpent & The Wings Of Night' and 'The Ashes & The Starcursed King'. I even did a re-read of the first books before going into 'The Songbird & the Heart of Stone' so call this dedication!

📖 Grumpy x Sunshine
📖 Quest
📖 Slow burn
📖 Cute dog companion
📖 Vampires and lore
Careful: Read the trigger warnings
Spiciness level: 2.5/5 🌶️

In general I'll give a 3.5/5 to the book.
It was interesting to discover the underworld and the House of Shadow. I was also intrigued by the overall plot with the gods games but that was basically it.
I really loved Mische's character in the previous books and was really looking forward to learn more about her but I somehow was a bit... dissapointed? Don't misunderstand me, Mische is still funny, caring and painfully human but this also means that she has her flaws. In this book, she just feels off to me. I couldn't find the powerful and strong character that could fight and defend herself. Mische felt very insecure and at time too naive and juvenile.
Asar was a bit of a surprise to me. I do love a grumpy boy, and he did deliver, but I felt that he was not compelling enough. I'm curious to see how his character will develop int he next book honestly! I'm hoping to see more sides of him.
The romance was a bit confusing to me due to the fact on how the story was written. It's still unclear to me how much time passed between each trial, and therefore how their relationship evolved. Both characters barely spoke to each other for the first 30% of the book and then developed strong feelings (of course there was intrigue and attraction before, but still). I couldn't feel the chemistry like I felt between Oraya and Rhain. Even the spicy moments were a bit disappointing (I don't even remember them being that important tbh). The plot and storytelling felt slow and I even skimmed some parts because it was just... not it.
The second characters were useless to me, I don't even know why they were added. Basically, everyone except Luce.

Where I was truly disappointed is by the way the story is written: the structure kept on repeating. They go through one trial, something incredible happen, there is a big fight or something like this and then... It fades to black. The amounts of scenes that were fading to black were ridiculous, honestly. It's was dropped the book to 3 stars.

The cliffhanger was good and I'm curious to read the second part of this duology, but I won't have my hopes too high.

I really liked returning to this world and getting to know Mische and Asar.
The setting is interesting and it's written fast paced.

Can't wait for the second book in this duology!!

When you get this book prepare to cancel all other plans. Once I started reading it I could not put it down. An absolute joy of a read. Drama and great characters, world building and so so much more. Buy it now and escape to a different world.

An incredible instalment in what is quickly becoming my favourite dark and gritty vampiric fantasy series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Given how much I liked the previous two books in the Crowns of Nyaxia I was beyond excited about The Songbird and the Heart of Stone.
I mean, we all fell in love with Mische's character and wanted to see more of her story.
Unfortunately, as much as I tried desperately to like this new story, I just couldn't feel it.
There were too many things that were repetitive :
- a lot of the chapters ended with “and then the darkness took me” kind of sentence as a cliffhanger for the next chapter
—she bumped at his back I think at least three times, and it felt strange
—I don't know how many times Asar used the ominous phrase that they are closer to the underworld now (at least after every obstacle they faced)
The different trials felt more or less the same and as they are treading in one place with the same enemies over and over again.
Another thing that I struggled with is that Mische's character felt….somehow different from our favorite in the other books. In the first two she felt like lithe and lite on her feet and, although not a warrior, very capable at fighting swift and lethal. Here she feels clumsy at her every step, and the wise girl who was always Raihn's voice of reason was gone.
And my biggest heartbreak was the lack of chemistry between Mische and Asar. At 30-40% of the story, they somehow instantly developed feelings towards one another and the reason and profound meaning behind them was missing or lost.
It pains me to write such a negative review for a favorite series of mine, but I can say that the shocking return of an absolute favorite character of mine at the end of the book is the sole reason I will read the next book when it comes out.

One line review - A gripping, slow-burn adventure that dives deep into Mische's backstory.

Carissa is a genius, turning the land of Obitraes into 3 duologies is such a unique idea and this book builds on perfectly from the Nightborn duology following Mische and I absolutely loved it!

Been let into the backstory of Mische and were she comes from answers so many of the questions I had about her from the previous books, it is also a heart wrenching backstory, with unexpected layers that caught me pleasantly off guard, especially in regards to religious trauma, grief, and guilt, making it emotionally powerful.

As Mische embarks on a journey through the underworld. I had forgotten how much I love stories set in the underworld especially when they involve guardian/wardens of the underworld that are always the dark and brooding MMC, this book goes one further and gives us his loyal "skull wolf," Luce—who is, without a doubt, the best girl and deserves all the head scratches.

The slow-burn romance was just pure perfection for me and refreshingly different from the previous two. The spice gave when it needed to with an incredible altar scene but was not heavy and was important to the plot.

Overall I enjoyed the fast-pace of the story, the new characters (whether I loved or hated them), the continued references back to previous characters and events solidifying this books place in the world as within it and not alongside it, and the continued steady growth of the world, especially the glimpses into the gods and their complex natures was amazing, I can not wait to see how this develops in future books.

The ending left me utterly shook, staring at a wall in disbelief, as the twists and turns throughout it where just as twisty and turny as SATWON, so I am not sure why it surprised me but I did not predict any of what happened and need to know what happens next, now!

I’m eagerly awaiting the next instalment and hoping the wait won’t be too long!

For context, I rated SATWON 4.5⭐️ and AATSCK 4⭐️

As someone who really loved The Serpent & The Wings Of Night and The Ashes & The Starcursed King, I’ve wanted to know more about Mische and loved that we got to on another adventure within the world (and underworld) of Obitraes. It just adds another level of depth to the world building and the introductions of the sanctums within the underworld was an interesting and eerie twist.

The chapters mostly comprise of Mische’s journey through the underworld on a perilous quest interspersed with flashbacks from Mische’s life, before and after she was turned. Mische battles with a lot of emotions along the way and it was great to see her coming to terms with her difficult past, how she is torn between her faith and what she feels is right and to see her finding her strength.

But, I’ll be honest, I didn’t love it as much as the first two books. This Mische felt different to the Mische in books 1 and 2. The plot unravelled at a much slower pace so it felt longer somehow. Certain characters kept cropping up out of nowhere/with no explanation, plus several chapters just randomly faded to black.

Not gonna lie, I’ve never been a huge fan of this series, but this installment has been unbelievably disappointing. The book focuses on Mische, my favorite character from the first duology, so I obviously had high hopes. Unfortunately, it completely missed the mark. It was repetitive, overly descriptive, boring, and lacked any spark in the romance. Some people may feel excited to return to a world they love, but when reviewing it honestly, this book pales in comparison to the previous two.
What I did like in this novel was how it delves deeper into the lore, particularly the gods, and finally gives readers a clearer understanding of what’s really happening in this universe. However, I’m always wary of books centered around a journey and a series of quests, as it’s difficult to write them in an engaging way. Unfortunately, this story falls short in that regard. Every quest the two main characters embark on (sometimes along with random sidekicks) feels the same—the group heads to the underworld to accomplish something, someone makes a stupid mistake, and the same fight scenes play out over and over again. I genuinely wanted to DNF this halfway through because I couldn’t stand reading the same sequence for the third, fourth, or fifth time. Additionally, almost every chapter ends with Mische descending into oblivion, darkness, or nothingness. How could the author not notice this level of repetition?
Another disappointment was the portrayal of the relationship between Mische and Asar. One might criticize Carissa’s previous books for their plots, but she knew how to write compelling romantic arcs with real chemistry between characters. In this book, we get none of that. Mische and Asar barely speak to each other, and then suddenly they jump from nothing to romance. Who can be enchanted by that? Definitely not me. There’s a cliffhanger at the end, and while I’d like to say it convinced me to wait for the next book, I’m honestly not sure.
All in all, this novel had so much potential, but it was wasted. I believe Mische and Asar’s story could still be salvaged, but they need to be removed from the underworld, and the repetitive structure must go. I truly hope this happens because these characters deserve better.

"Hello, Warden."
"Hello, Dawndrinker."

The Song bird and the Heart of Stone is an impressive introduction to the Shadowborn Duology in the Crown of Nyaxia Series, a skillful blend of intricate world-building with deep emotional storytelling.

The book sucked me in faster than I could say, 'Just one more chapter.' the author knows how to build a world that feels alive, all without the need for a map or glossary to navigate it. The main character? Absolutely relatable—just trying to survive while also dealing with the emotional rollercoaster. And let’s talk about the slow-burn romance. It's the kind of tension that makes you want to scream, 'Just kiss already!' But no, she keeps us dangling like a carrot in front of a hungry horse—like, come on, how much tension can two people handle? Spoiler: A LOT. There’s action, heartbreak, and twists than I was prepared for.

SUMMARY
Mische’s inner conflict is powerfully portrayed, as she is torn between her lingering devotion to the sun god. Meanwhile, Asar, the scarred bastard prince of the House of Shadow, carries the weight of his dark past, with his stoic facade masking deep-seated pain. The contrast between her lingering ties to the light and his embodiment of the shadows creates a powerful push-and-pull that keeps readers engrossed.

The Underworld, which they navigate, is portrayed with a chilling intensity reminiscent of Dante’s Inferno. Their descent through the five sanctums—Body, Breath, Psyche, Secrets, & Soul—serves as a harrowing journey not only through a perilous realm but also through their own inner demons. The creatures and beings they encounter offer more than just physical threats; they challenge Mische and Asar’s mental fortitude that force them to confront the ghosts from their past. Themes of trust, mortality, and the interplay between life and death are explored deeply throughout the book, setting the stage for the duology's continuation.

Thanks to the author, Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for granting an early access to this book. Please note that this review is based solely on my personal thoughts & opinions.

This is not a stand-alone, reading the first duology is recommended to fully appreciate the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was read in about two sittings. I knew it would be a book I loved (having read the previous two books in the Crowns of Nyaxia series). So I purposefully held off on reading it until I had a day where I could simply read with little to no distractions. And how worth it that decision was. I loved every second of reading this book.

I admit that prior to reading the blurb, I was a little worried to read a book set in the same universe as the first duet in the series, but not read about the same characters. This can be good or bad. In this case… it was good. Mainly because we follow Mische, who is a secondary character in Book 1, a character who I doubt anyone had difficulty caring for. It is nice to follow her story.

Mische is a complicated and complex individual who seems to vacillate between states of being. She has darkness and light battling inside her, a strong sense of self-preservation as well as a nuanced attitude towards taking risks. In a word, she is confusing. And it’s amazing to watch her work, and see her think. Asar is the type of man I wanted Raihn to be, funnily enough. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Raihn… but Asar hit the nail on the head in his own way. I can’t wait to watch him develop in the next book…

Now this book contains a steep increase in the presence of the gods. This is pretty cool as it’s not really something I’m familiar with in books. Normally authors are scared to play with them: they are distant names, mentions of people we never meet because how could our mortal minds process something like a god? Broadbent doesn’t shy away. We get to meet them multiple times. Love it.

As always, a delightful read. It was a hard book to rate. I went with 4 stars because, while the book contains many things happening, the plot itself was fairly limited. Personal choice, it’s not my favourite. But this book is well worth being picked up by the masses!