4,25 ⭐️

This book was everything I needed and wanted.
While I wasn't the biggest Mische fan in the previous books, I completely fell in love with her in this book.
Reading of her past and her thoughts, her relationship with Asar and all the other characters was just wholesome.
Can't wait for the next one!

No one does romantasy like Carissa Broadbent, wholeheartedly recommend this for someone who is a fan of the genre. I'm not sure this one was for me (this definitely leans heavier on the romance themes rather than the fantasy themes) but that is 100% a 'me' preference.

If you're a fan of the Nyaxia series, definitely check this out. If you like romantasy, check this out. If you're like me and prefer The War of Lost Hearts combo of plot with romance, you might struggle to remain engaged. But Broadbent's writing style is honestly one of the best in the genre and this is no exception.

I predicted the ending, and this was maybe two sections too long, but I enjoyed the journey and the character development! Mische is a great character, and I loved exploring the magic/religious system through her past, and seeing the turmoil she faces now. Lots of unanswered questions remain, but I’m excited for some resolutions in the next book! Luce and Asar are my fave duo <33

I have previously really enjoyed The Serpent and the Wings of night and the rest of the Nyaxia books and novellas, so was super excited to get the arc copy of this one (thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!)

I found Mische a little annoying in the other stories, so it was nice to get her back story and I felt like her character definitely made more sense to me now. The story had me hooked from the start, and I really enjoyed the depiction of the underworld, with its different layers. The imagery was perfect and I really enjoy Carissa’s worldbuilding. My criticism is that things started to feel a bit repetitive, with the waiths and Ophelia keep popping up etc. There seemed to be a lot of the same battles just repeated…

I finished the book with the mindset that there’s much more to come in the second book (it is a collection of duologies after all) and I am excited to see what is in story for Mische and Asar, especially with that ending! There’s a few triggers, so be mindful of that - they are listed at the start of the book, so do check beforehand.

(thanks NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for a honest review, I love you for this one)

HOLY MOLY that was awesome
I enjoyed serpent and the wings of night, accepted the ashes and the star-cursed king for what it was and loved six scorched roses. The Songbird and the heart of stone completely blew my mind and made me fall in love with this world again.

A quick summary for this one:

(This is part 3 in the Crowns of Nyaxia series - this series is composed of 3 duologies, which means this story is kind of separate from book 1 and 2. I would recommend reading them beforehand, but if you really do not want to do that then I think you do not need to, it can be read as a standalone duology with very few losses)

Mische, absolutely loveable side character in the first two installments, is captured by the House of Shadows which is less than impressed by her killing their prince and heir to the throne. However, instead of an execution, a far more horrible fate awaits her: she is to accompany the bastard prince of the House of Shadows, Asar, on a mission optimistic people would call pretty risky if not impossible. Together with three (yes I counted the dog) companions they must go through the underworld to resurrect the god of death, starting their journey in a prison for gods. The long way down challenges everyone to face the ghosts of their past whilst trying to survive an environment starved for their lives and souls on every step.

Read this book if you like:
- magnificent underworld scenery
- fantastic explorations of loss, guilt, fate and acceptance
- Six scorched roses
- vampires
- like really awesome underworld scenery
- a closed off dude (duh)

Do not read this book if you:
-are sensitive to any triggers in this book
-really want to miss out on a wonderful adventure through, I cannot emphasize it enough, the underworld

My review: haha where to start
Plot: The journey through the chambers of the underworld was pretty unexpected seeing where we left off in book 2, but it was a really welcome surprise. The magical god prison which I cannot spell kept me hooked from the beginning, promising secrets, mysteries and magic. The plot itself also kept me on my toes, wondering until the last chapter what will happen in the end. The idea of going through the underworld is not new, but this is the most refreshing and perfectly executed use of this theme I've read in a really long time.

Characters: We already know and love Mische from book 1&2, but this installment managed to give her so much more depth whilst still keeping her loving, bubbly essence. Asar is pretty closed of in the beginning, but we come to appreciate his slight humor more and more. Whilst I would love to learn even more of his backstory, he was a really fleshed out character with a lot of flaws but the ability to care deeply about the ones he loved. Luce was awesome, I mean she was a dog. Sometimes I do not love animal companions because they tend to water down a streamlined writing style, but Luce was just as essential as Mische and Asar to this expedition.

Writing style: Why is Carissa Broadbent's writing style so good? The pacing was pretty much perfect, her wording was spot on, describing everything lavishly whilst knowing exactly when to stop. I noticed a few repetitions but honestly who cares. No notes.

Romantic subplot: if you are like me and don't love too much focus on romance and/or *spicy* scenes, this book will still be for you! The romantic subplot is just that, a subplot that we get to enjoy alongside a really strong plot. If you liked six scorched roses, this is pretty much the vibe. My biggest praise here honestly goes out to the *spice*: there was one spicy scene WHICH MADE SENSE PLOT WISE! I really had the feeling this scene was not just to quickly get a few sex scenes in but really was an essential part of the plot and the character development. It was also not too long and, in the realm of those scenes, done quite tasteful if you kinda like vampire stuff. Yeah, well.

Final notes: I really loved six scorched roses. This is basically the plot heavy version of this book - Obviously, Lilith and Mische are very different protagonists, but the dynamics read kinda the same for me. Asides from that comparison I cannot recommend this book enough!

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent is a captivating and thrilling addition to the Crowns of Nyaxia series. I adored the first duet in this world and didn't think I was going to be as hooked by Mische's story- I was so wrong. This is my new favourite book in the series. This installment delves deeper into the history of the gods, the underworld and Mische's struggle with her faith.

Mische, was a once devoted servant of the sun god, finds herself trapped in a dangerous underworld with a secret mission. Asar is the broody bastard prince of the House of Shadows who also has been tasked with resurrecting the God of Death for Nyaxia. The two travel through the underworld, with the bestest girl, Luce (Honestly my favourite character in the whole series) and must face monsters, trials and puzzles to resurrect a god.

I adored this installment, I liked Mische character in the first duet but didn't love her so I wasn't as excited about her duet, however, Mische is now my favourite character, We see beyond her sunshine exterior and see her internal struggles with her faith and the darkness within her. I loved seeing the complexities of her character and how she matured in this book.

This book does end on a cliffhanger and I did feel like throwing my kindle across the room, but it was so well done and I am so excited to read the next installment of the series!

<i>Words had always been my most valuable weapon—more powerful than the magic, even. They were the lantern I used to peer inside people and then lead them wherever they needed to go.</i>

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a free copy. I'm a very happy gal. :)

In some of her previous stories, Carissa explores themes of grief, betrayal, levels of emotional pain and destruction (I am specifically talking about TWoLH trilogy, yes), trust, magic and love. In this one, I feel like she explored some of the darker sides of religion and blind devotion, and it was very refreshing to have this type of story front and centre. I want to make this review completely spoiler-free because other people deserve to explore this book in the same way that I did. Just go in blind and enjoy the journey. Because it's truly a journey.
I will say this, however:
mortals and gods
a very forbidden romance
the most wonderful prose
the most loyal of pets
grumpy x sunshine
slow-burn
cliffhanger

I will admit that I didn't care much for Mische in the primary duology, but that's because we just didn't know a lot about her. And her story is utterly fascinating. For me, it's very fun to have religion present in this world, where gods occasionally do visit their people and reign chaos. Can't wait to read the sequel.

I have had to soft DNF this as quite frankly I struggled to enjoy it i got to just over the halfway point and have had to put it down it is to descriptive and not much plot and just feels repetitive. I won't be leaving a review unless I pick it back up on any of my socials as I am not a negative reviewer. But obviously on this app I have to leave something for my profile I'm gutted as I love Carrisa and all her previous books but it was just not for me

🐦‍🔥The Songbird & the Heart of Stone 🐦‍🔥

“If anyone can melt a stone heart.”

(My heart also melting at the incredible opportunity to read an Advanced Copy of The Songbird & The Heart of Stone!!!)

Thank you so much to Carissa Broadbent, Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for my e-ARC of this gorgeous book.

Oh hi there: meet my new obsession. When I tell you that our Dark Queen Broadbent did not come to play with Mische and Asar’s story (the slow burn tension with these two darlings will never not live in my head and my heart 🩶)

Theirs is a story of tenderness and bravery, broken souls and the scars they overcome. It’s beautiful and raw, dark and delicious with so many twists and Holy Epilogue - WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY HEART LADY.

Broadbent’s writing is lush and heart pounding, with the perfect blend of slow burn breadcrumbs, dark magic, witty banter and sexy spice that may make me question how I look at altars from now on 😏

Asar was giving all the broody Keanu Reeves Constantine vibes and I’m not mad about it.

Mische is so beautifully, stubbornly hopeful and I adore every part of her fierce heart.

Honourable mention by far goes to Luce who is ‘the very best girl’ 🐕💀

This book is gothic romantasy plus ACOTAR meets Dante’s Inferno. I highly recommend for morally grey, Vamp Grumpy x Sunshine, deathly trials, journey to the underworld, secrets unravelled and an anti hero.

Broadbent 💯 delivered with The Songbird & The Heart of Stone, which is available Nov 19! Believe me, you won’t regret reading this dark beauty 🩶

Quotes still living in my head rent free are:

“I’d burn with you till the end of it all, Dawndrinker.”

“I’ll never regret you.”

“Do not be afraid of death, Dawndrinker. Make death afraid of you.”

An addictive 5 ⭐️

So the first duology is one of my favorites of all time, and this continuation did not disappoint! Asar was such a darling, and of course, I already loved Mische from Serpent and Ashes. The ending was so good and I am so freaking excited to read the next one. The universe is so cool and it was so nice to know more about the shadowborn fae. I still have a million questions that I need answered, but overall this was great! Love love love!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!❤️

For me it did feel like the book started a bit slow but after that it was good!
At sometimes it did feel predictable but I didn’t see the ending coming.
Loved to return to this world 🥰🥰

I'm a massive fan of the previous 2 books in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, and this was such a great book 3. We follow different characters and storylines, and it's incredibly refreshing. The pacing and storyline is great, and I absolutely loved Mische. Highly recommend

Having read and loved the previous three books in this series (two novels and a novella) i have so been looking forward to this. It absolutely delivers and has left me once again looking forward to the next one.
The whole Nyaxia series is a refreshing take on the popular fantasy genre thats is both dark and sumptuous.

It's a DNF !
For now at least I don't think that I can read this book on my phone ...
I'll wait until it actual release to try reading it again . Maybe the audiobook will be needed!

I was really excited to read this book, as Carissa Boarbent had become one of my favorite authors, and it did not disappoint. I love Boardbent's writing style, as compelling and full of beautiful quotes as it is. But I also loved Mische's story, her evolution and her struggle to reconcile her faith and her idea of what she should be with what she really was. Her background, her past and her fight to still have a future. It was everything I could ask for. And the love story... well, it was beautiful and full of raw emotion, just how Carissa Boardbent always makes them to be. So of course Asar and Luce have now a special place in my heart too. And that ending??? I cannot wait to read the next book.

A million thanks Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble and Netaglley for the eARC! <3

Can I give this 6 stars?

The first two Crowns of Nyaxia books were beautifully written, and this is no different.

This follows Mische from the first books, who I loved for her unending supply of cheer but thought was a little one dimensional outside of that. In this book, she really comes into her own and is a strong enough character to lead the book.

The writing in this is beautiful, the plot is well paced, and I cried multiple times. Soul destroying and totally worth it.

Rating 3.5*

This has been one of my most eagerly awaited releases of the year, and I genuinely shed tears of joy when I found out I was approved to read an ARC on NetGalley. Now that I’ve finished the book, I’m feeling very average about it. The Songbird and the Heart of Stone wasn’t a bad book by any means, but I also don’t find myself loving it either.

I am absolutely thrilled that we finally have the opportunity to delve deeper into Mische's character and backstory, and I truly enjoyed reading through her POV. Her continuous battles with her faith and the struggle against her inner vampire instincts are both captivating and deeply emotional. Mische and Asar's romance was charming and could almost be classified as a Grumpy x Sunshine dynamic, although Asar could benefit from having more depth to his character, which I felt was somewhat missing. Overall, I enjoyed Asar and learning about his own story as the Bastard Prince of one of the most cruel Vampire Kingdoms, but I keep feeling that we needed more from him.

The idea of Mische travelling into the underworld with a Bastard Prince had me hooked as soon as I read the blurb, nonetheless, the execution of the plot was a bit too much for me. This book was remarkably fast-paced, leaving me with very few chapters to catch my bearings and gather my thoughts. I enjoy fast-paced books, but at times, I felt as though I could barely keep up with the details. I adore Broadbent’s World Building in her books and her intricate details, however, there were times in this book Mische’s inner monologue often repeated ‘I have up trying to make sense of how this all worked, it just did’ regarding her travels to the underworld, I was extremely let down by the lazy tone of it all.

I don’t really want to discuss the ending at all because it has left me extremely unsatisfied. No sadness, happiness or excitement as the cliffhanger almost guarantees a second book, I didn’t really feel much of anything. This is new for me, as I always feel SOMETHING at the conclusion of a Broadbent book.

. Mische’s journey from loss and punishment to redemption, combined with her complicated relationship with Asar, kept me hooked. The plot was filled with tension, especially with the journey to the underworld, and the trials they had to face added a thrilling layer of danger.

The allure of darkness that constantly pulls at Mische, along with her growing forbidden attraction to Asar, created so much intensity throughout the story. Their bond develops slowly, but it never feels rushed, and the stakes are always high. The world-building was incredible, mixing mortals, vampires, and gods in a way that made the plot unpredictable and exciting.

I do wish we got some of Asar's point of view to understand his thoughts and emotions better, especially with his dark past. The ending, though, was simply amazing and left me eager for the next book. There’s so much more to explore in this world, and I can’t wait to see what happens next with Mische and Asar.

This review is based on the unedited version of the book, thanks to NetGalley.

This series just keeps getting better with each book! Mische is such an interesting character, she is literally a ray of sunshine to everyone she meets, Asar is the epitome of the broken brooding male. They both have so much baggage, an incredibly beautiful slow burn forbidden romance weaved seamlessly between the world building, plotting, murdering and angry gods! I loved every character; they are all so beautifully written and will live in my head for a long while! But that ending – I have no words! Stunning!

I really wanted to love this book as I have loved all her other ones..
An honest review I never thought I’d write.
I won’t say too much as this needs to be read and experienced by each reader but I struggled massively to get into this book, stay focused and engaged with the story.
It felt very slow, repetitive and lost its way a bit until the very end of the story. BUT that ending was fantastic and exactly what I wanted from the rest of the book. It had everything I love about her storytelling and I was definitely sucked in, I just wish the rest of the book was the same!
I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to read this before it’s released and I know my opinion is my own and some may absolutely love it ♥️