Member Reviews

Love this universe that Carissa Broadbent has created so much. This story takes us a little deeper into the House of Blood. The chemistry between Sylina and Atreus was so so good. Slow burn but it made the connection even better. I do love how each journey into this world is leading us closer and closer to this inevitable clash between the gods and their subjects. The epilogue!! Cannot wait to get more of the House of Blood. 4 โญ๏ธ

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I was flabbergasted when I received an email granting me an arc for this next crowns of nyaxia book. However this book started a bit slow for me and I almost quit, but as I am familiar with Carrisa Broadbent and the series I decided to continue, and man did that decision proof to be the right one!

The book starts a bit slow, but Carissa pulled up the story well and around 35% of the book things started to change very well and the pacing from then was just perfect. The alterations between action scenes, romance scenes and more deeper scenes was chiefโ€™s kiss.

I am new to monster romance (even tough this would be a light one I guess) but the romance and love between Sylina and Atrius was just so wholesome. The respect between those two is just perfect (which is very funny as they start the book as enemies) and their slow burn just hits all the right buttons, and when it does burn mannnnn does it burn well.

I loved this book and was so so pleasantly surprised and cannot wait how this book falls in the rest of the series and I please carissabroadbentbooks give us more Sylina and Atrius in the next book (next to your other amazing couples).

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This was an interesting, fast-paced and perfect addition to a intrinsically captivating series!

Knowing this was a re-release, I knew the authors writing was going to be amazing as always. This has definitely become one of my all time favourite series.

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Thank you, Pan Macmillan for sending me this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is a novella in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, one of my absolute favourite romantasy series.
I loved the fmc Sylina. Her powers and the threading/seering in general were very unique and interesting. I really liked the visual impairment rep and how the story showed that just because you don't have 20/20 vision and can see everything perfectly with your eyes, doesn't mean you can't perceive what's going on around you. Sylina was badass and the way she navigated the world around her was incredible!
Atrius was a great and respectful leader. I loved how in sync the two were when they fought together and how they treated each other as equals.
The tension and suspense were intense. I couldn't stop reading.

I'm so glad I read this one because it's not "just" a novella, it's so much more and I enjoyed every second of it. I highly recommend you don't skip it.

I can't wait for The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk, The Bloodborn Duet and everything else that's coming ๐Ÿ˜

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It felt so good to dive back into a world created by Carissa Broadbent. I love her writing, the way she builds worlds and characters, and Slaying the Vampire Conqueror just proved that once again. I also really appreciate that this is a standaloneโ€”while I love sprawling series, sometimes itโ€™s nice to get a complete, satisfying story in one book.

I was especially impressed with the character development. Even though Broadbent only had one book to work with, nothing felt rushed or forced. The relationships, personal growth, and emotional moments all unfolded naturally. The balance between action, politics, and romance worked perfectly for me, and I was hooked from start to finish.

This book reminded me why I love her stories so much. If she writes it, Iโ€™ll read itโ€”simple as that.

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4.5/5 star!
Having only just read serpent and the wings of night and ashes and the star cursed king I pretty much knew I was going to love this book. I find the author easy to follow but not too simple either - it's a good middle point. I think the author builds the world well and also explains what's happening in a good amount of detail for me.
I wasn't sure going into this book if I needed to have read any other of this authors but I would say that you don't need to have. It does slightly help with the types of characters in the world but it isn't completely necessary. That being said, there is a character that appears at the end of this book that is from serpent/ashes and whilst it doesn't really say what had happened in the other books it may hint at it a little bit.
Overall I found that I was captivated by this story and I really made time to sit down and read it. I loved the characters and while I was already familiar with some aspects of the magic system it was nice to build on that in this book. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

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Carissa Broadbent has done it again with Slaying the Vampire Conqueror, creating a dark and immersive world thatโ€™s as emotionally rich as it is action-packed. This book is wildy underrated, finding the perfect balance between action, plot and a swoon-worthy romance. Carissa writes battle sequences so vividly, itโ€™s exciting and has you holding your breath from start to finish.

The characters are what truly made me adore this book. Atrius and Sylina complement each other SO well, with their chemistry being undeniable. Their dynamic is electric, and the one-liners in this book had my jaw dropping! A solid slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance with complex, multi-layered characters hooks me every time, and Carissa never fails to deliver!!

Sylina was such a fun, empowering main character. Not only is she strong and determined, but her sense of humor had me cacklingโ€”sheโ€™s witty, sharp, and knows how to lighten the mood even in the most tense situations. Watching her embrace who she truly is while navigating a world turned upside down was beautiful to watch. NOW, letโ€™s talk about Atrius, who is loveable from the moment you meet him. Heโ€™s dark and brooding but also kind and compassionate. He screams mysterious BUT the way he opens up ONLY to Sylina makes him impossible not to love. I was a goner.

I cannot wait to see more of these two in future booksโ€”one was not enough! Carissa Broadbentโ€™s writing is my happy place and Iโ€™ll gladly ready anything she writes.

Thank you so so much to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for this digital ARC!!

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"Slaying the Vampire Conqueror" by Carissa Broadbent delivers a captivating blend of dark fantasy and compelling romance. The book masterfully crafts a world that is both rich and dangerous, drawing readers into a story filled with intrigue and emotional depth. The slow-burn romance, coupled with thrilling action and intricate world-building, makes this book a standout. Fans of romantasy will find themselves thoroughly engaged by the story's twists and turns, and the overall experience is one that leaves a lasting impression.

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Carissa is always the queen no matter what.

Loved seeing more in depth the house of blood was what I didn't think i needed until i read this book.

atrius and Sylina couldn't be the opposit shes sent to kill him and start to work with him.

The plot is heavy on the action, which I appreciated. I need my romantasy books to focus on the bigger picture as well and this one did so brilliantly. The pacing feels a bit slower than the rest of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, but there was never a dull moment.

I cannot wait to see what Atrius and Sylina have to offer in the Nyaxia world. So excited to see them.

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โ€œ๐™๐™ค๐™ฌ ๐™˜๐™ค๐™ช๐™ก๐™™ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™š ๐™ข๐™–๐™ฃ ๐™ฌ๐™๐™ค ๐™ฌ๐™–๐™จ ๐™–๐™—๐™ค๐™ช๐™ฉ ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™ ๐™ž๐™ก๐™ก ๐™ข๐™š ๐™›๐™š๐™š๐™ก ๐™จ๐™ค ๐™˜๐™ค๐™ข๐™›๐™ค๐™ง๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œ? ๐™ฌ๐™๐™ฎ ๐™™๐™ž๐™™ ๐™ž ๐™ฌ๐™–๐™ฃ๐™ฉ ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™ฅ๐™ง๐™š๐™จ๐™จ ๐™๐™ž๐™จ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™ง๐™š๐™–๐™™๐™จ ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™ข๐™ฎ ๐™จ๐™ค๐™ช๐™ก, ๐™™๐™š๐™š๐™ฅ ๐™š๐™ฃ๐™ค๐™ช๐™œ๐™ ๐™žโ€™๐™™ ๐™ฉ๐™–๐™ ๐™š ๐™ฉ๐™๐™š๐™ž๐™ง ๐™ข๐™š๐™ข๐™ค๐™ง๐™ฎ ๐™ฌ๐™ž๐™ฉ๐™ ๐™ข๐™š ๐™ฌ๐™๐™š๐™ฃ ๐™ž ๐™ฌ๐™š๐™ฃ๐™ฉโ€

carissa broadbent once again proves her talent for weaving dark, immersive worlds with slaying the vampire conqueror. the story plunges us into a realm of ruthless politics, forbidden magic, and morally gray characters, delivering a blend of high stakes and slow-burn romance that kept me hooked

sylina is a fierce and resilient heroine, driven by revenge and survival in a world determined to break her. her sharp wit and inner conflict made her a standout, and i loved watching her navigate the dangerous game of deception

atrius, the vampire conqueror, is equally captivating - powerful, cold, and burdened by the weight of his past. the tension between them is palpable, shifting from enemies to something far more complicated with each interaction. their dynamic is full of betrayal, secrets, and moments that left me breathless

i absolutely love carissa broadbentโ€™s books and her ability to craft such complex characters and gripping stories. the crowns of nyaxia series is still one of my all-time favorites, and slaying the vampire conqueror did not disappoint. i canโ€™t wait to read more of her work

broadbentโ€™s writing is as lush and atmospheric as ever, pulling you into every battle and stolen glance. the world-building is rich, with a history of bloodshed and rebellion that adds layers to the plot. however, some parts felt a bit stretched, and a few secondary characters could have used more development

overall, slaying the vampire conqueror is a thrilling read with all the elements broadbent fans love: complex characters, dark romance, and a plot that keeps you guessing. if youโ€™re a fan of her previous works, you wonโ€™t want to miss this one

โ€œ๐™ž ๐™ก๐™ž๐™ซ๐™š ๐™ž๐™ฃ ๐™™๐™–๐™ง๐™  ๐™จ๐™ฉ๐™ค๐™ง๐™ž๐™š๐™จ. ๐™–๐™ฃ๐™™ ๐™žโ€™๐™ซ๐™š ๐™—๐™š๐™š๐™ฃ ๐™ก๐™ž๐™ซ๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œ ๐™ž๐™ฃ ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช๐™ง๐™จ ๐™›๐™ค๐™ง ๐™ฃ๐™š๐™–๐™ง๐™ก๐™ฎ ๐™›๐™ค๐™ช๐™ง ๐™ข๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™ฉ๐™๐™จ. ๐™ž๐™› ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช'๐™ง๐™š ๐™œ๐™ค๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œ ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™ซ๐™ž๐™ฉ๐™š ๐™ข๐™š ๐™ž๐™ฃ, ๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™ซ๐™ž๐™ฉ๐™š ๐™ข๐™š. ๐™ž ๐™–๐™ก๐™ง๐™š๐™–๐™™๐™ฎ ๐™จ๐™š๐™š ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช, ๐™–๐™ฉ๐™ง๐™ž๐™ช๐™จ. ๐™žโ€™๐™ข ๐™ฃ๐™ค๐™ฉ ๐™–๐™›๐™ง๐™–๐™ž๐™™โ€

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We return to the world of Nyaxia to meet our new favorite female, Sylina. Sylinaโ€™s sight was taken in exchange for a new sense at a young age as part of a commitment process to her beloved Arachessen, a cult connected to the God of Fate. When she is tasked with taking down a vampire, who is dedicated to conquering the realm, Sylina is determined to succeed. As she grows closer to Atrous, she realizes her task may be more complicated than she originally thought.

I absolutely loved this novel! This standalone takes you right back to Nyaxia, exploring more of the Godโ€™s and magical systems. Carissa is a master at weaving a tale of bonds, heartbreak, and finding oneself. I will read anything she writes! Highly recommend for any fantasy fan!

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This is my first foray into "The Crowns of Nyaxia" series although it has been on my radar for a while.
When I first saw this listed on netgalley I didn't realise that it was part of that series so when I received the approval email I had to check to see if it could be read without reading the series, luckily that was the case and honestly now I am even more intrigued about The Crowns of Nyaxia.

I will be honest, I did see an audiobook version (for an older release of this novel) so I did download that to listen to as well just to help when a headache was hitting and I couldnt look at the screen for long periods, I did notice a few slight differences here and there, usually with phrasing, and this ARC contains an epilogue that wasn't included on audible.

All in all I found this very enjoyable, the world created seems so vast and I am really looking forward to reading more and seeing how and when Sylina and Atrius appear in The Crowns of Nyaxia series.

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The plot is heavy on the action, which I appreciated. I need my romantasy books to focus on the bigger picture as well and this one did so brilliantly. The pacing feels a bit slower than the rest of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, but there was never a dull moment.
I cannot wait to see what Atrius and Sylina have to offer in the Nyaxia world. So excited to see them.

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Once again, Carissa Broadbent totally consumes my thoughts, heart and soul with another extraordinary and epic tale!
Firstly I want to express my deepest gratitude to PanMacmillan and Carissa for allowing me the honour and privilege of reading this ARC. I am a huge fan of Carissa and her works and it means more to me than words can say that I keep being lucky enough to receive these opportunities. Thank you!
It doesn't matter how many books by Carissa I read, they enthral me every single time and 'Slaying the Vampire Conqueror' was no exception. From start to finish the pace, the action, the brewing sexual tension that Broadbent is just so masterful at creating, had me racing through this book as fast as my eyes would allow.
Broadbent is know for her strong and courageous FMC's and Sylina was FIERCE! The fact Sylina is blind and yet see's more than most was such creative genius in both concept and execution and just another example of Broadbent endless talent in creating characters and plot that are unique and yet utterly relatable in some way or another to each reader. Seeing with more than just your eyes is a beautiful concept and explored perfectly not only between Sylina and Atrius and their developing relationship, but also between the characters and their faiths/gods.
The themes of hope, redemption and (misled) faith are all expertly traversed throughout the book and I actually found Sylina and Atrius to be two of Broadbent's most relatable characters when dealing with the complexities these themes present. Both characters individual tragic pasts, and their ability to see hope and solace in one and other grabbed onto my romantic heart and never let go. I cannot wait to see these two again in the rest of the Nyaxia series!
Whilst the book can be read as a standalone (originally released as part of the 'Mortal to Enemies to Lovers'series) and more than holds up on it own, reading this now as a part of 'The Crowns of Nyaxia' Series was a deliciously new experience!
For anyone who has previously read this book, you WILL want to pick up this new edition that includes a jaw dropping bonus chapter (Lets just say a familar cigar smoking character makes an appearance). It is an absolute MUST read before the release of the next instalment in the 'Crowns of Nyaxia Series - The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk (the second book of the Shadowborn Duet). I also have no doubt that this text will also be even more important come the release of the final duet in this epic series - The Bloodborn Duet - so do not miss out. This new addition provides so much insight into what is still to come and yet I don't believe we even understand the surface of what this all means!
This book is a must read!
Phenomenal - god tier writer and series!

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This is a truly compulsive page-turner! Broadbent has become one of my comfort read authors and never fails to check each box in the holy trinity of reading wants for me: pace, plot, and people.

Our FMC hasn't had an easy, comfortable life; there's a lot of violence and death, but this hasn't impacted how cunning and focused she is. I couldn't help but buy into that and root for her.

The MMC of this book is from the House of Blood and is an "onion" character: tough facade with lots of complex layers. He was giving "I can change him" vibes initially (yes I clearly need book therapy!) but as you got more layers off, he really was a bit of a softie (or as soft as vampires go) under there!

I loved that this wasn't an easy insta-love romance; it was organic, and I liked the balance of equality in it. I love an alpha male as much as the next person, but not at the expense of the female character in this particular coupling dynamic. It's tricky to do in enemies-to-lovers/hate-to-love stories like this one, but Broadbent navigated it well.

I can guess why it has been suggested online that this is good to read before the next main installment in this world: it adds context. I also really hope we see these characters again!

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Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for approving me to read this, itโ€™s one Iโ€™ve wanted to read for a while. Iโ€™m rating it 4.25 stars.

Carissa Broadbent is a brilliant author and I love this world sheโ€™s created. Itโ€™s so beautifully dark and oddly romantic.

This story tackles religion and politics through the power of the vampires led by the conquerer and then another key player in how the story unfolds is our seer, Sylena who is an assassin acolyte for the goddess aceja. She is entrusted to thwart the conquerer and she manages to get a little too close.

A brilliant read and I couldnโ€™t put it down.

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When I read this book for the first time, I loved it! I was scared because Carissa was growing popular when it first came out and I was afraid it was being overhyped. I read this as part of a standalone collection and I must confess, even back then, hers was my favourite!

Her writing is a work of beauty, the characters and the plot itself intertwine so well together and you do fall for it as a whole! I canโ€™t remember if back then The Serpent and Wings of Night duology has already come out but when I read it I didnโ€™t had any knowledge of the Crown of Nadia world! This time, picking it up for the second time and having a bigger knowledge in the world, I was hunting down little Easter eggs and I absolutely loved it even more! I think Atrius is 3rd on my favourite MMC from Crown of Nyxia, just behind Vale (2nd) and my Asar Shadowborn ! Sylina is as fierce and courageous as they come and I simply love how mentally string Carissa makes her heroines to be! ITs such a refreshing and beautiful attribute to give to FMC and thatโ€™s what attracts me the most to her books.

I must confess, that epilogue - which was not on the original version I read a couple years ago - was the cherry on top if youโ€™ve been devouring this series like I have! It made me so excited for the Bloodborn duology to come! This standalone is a must for everyone enjoying the crown of nyxia series!


Many thanks to the publisher for this early review copy! All opinions are my own

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Carissa Broadbent, the queen of all things vampire and fantasy. I absolutely love crowns of nyaxia series and this book is no exception. Fabulous

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Set in the Crowns of Nyaxia universe, this standalone is definitely worth a read. The characters are intriguing and the plot has you hooked throughout. Iโ€™d absolutely recommend reading this, especially if you enjoyed the main series.

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Carissa Broadbent has done it again! Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is an absolutely stunning standalone set in the Crowns of Nyaxia universe, delivering everything I love about her booksโ€”high stakes, immersive world-building, and a romance that completely consumes you.

The story follows Sylina, an assassin tasked with eliminating the vampire conqueror Atrius. But as she gets closer to him, the lines between enemy and ally blur.

Talking of Atrius, just wow. He is the ultimate morally grey hero, commanding and powerful yet never crossing into toxic or irredeemable territory. No red flags, just pure perfection. Heโ€™s proof that a love interest can be dark and dangerous without falling into harmful tropes, and I could not get enough of him.

Broadbentโ€™s writing is, as always, absolutely gripping. She has such a gift for weaving intense action, deep emotion, and stunning prose into a seamless story. The continuous high stakes kept me on edge, and I was completely immersed from start to finish. Every time I read one of her books, I think she canโ€™t possibly top itโ€”and then she does. I will read anything this woman writes, no questions asked.

If you loved the Crowns of Nyaxia series, Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is an absolute must-read. And if youโ€™re new to this world, this is the perfect standalone to dive into.

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