4.5⭐️

Is there anything mother Carissa can't do??? The answer is clearly NO, this is an author that can literally do anything she wants, destroying her readers in the process (and we thank her for it).

Slaying the vampire conqueror is standalone romantasy novel that even tho can be read as a unique story, it's actually set in the same world as The crowns of Nyaxia series, and I definitely recommend reading them all.

The best thing about Carissa's books is that every single one of then feels like a new original concept. Vampires stories? Yes. But none of them feels as the rest. In the case of this book we follow Sylina as she is task to earn the trust and kill one of the strongest vampire warrior and I do love the "I came to kill but fell in love trope" and the way that it's done in Slaying is off the charts. Cause, what do you mean this is a standalone!? Carissa gave lore, intense worlbuilding, characters with unique habilities (like, I haven't yet read any book that show the skills of Sylina and her "blindness"), emotional conection and spice while writing the slowest of slow burn.

Another thing that I love is that Carissa, specially in the Crown of Nyaxia series, tackles what it's like to be raised or shaped in the middle of religious fanatism and having, in this case, the FMC confronting her on believes gave her so much depth that at times made feel emotional.

In summary, everybody should read Carissa, all of her books! End of the story.

I absolutely loved this book!

Carissa Broadbent has long been an auto-buy author for me, and while I enjoyed the War of Lost Hearts trilogy a lot, she really captured my heart with the Nyaxia universe. I love that she is doing these spin-offs that still perfectly fit into the world and also give more background and depth to it.

I love a good cult so I was immediately excited for this book, and it certainly did not disappoint!
Even though it was a classic enemies to lovers story, it still felt unique due to the background of the characters, especially with the FMC.
The chemistry between the two main characters was amazing, and I loved how their relationship developed.

The plot was engaging as always in a CB novel, and of course, it really took off towards the end! The ending was satisfying and I thought it was a great standalone, but since I loved the main characters so much, I definitely wouldn't mind another book starring these two.

Overall, this was amazing and I highly recommend reading this!

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

This is a standalone book set in the same world as The Serpent & The Wings of Night, which was my biggest and most resounding 5 stars, chef’s kiss, no notes read of 2024. This book didn’t disappoint!
I have found Carissa’s worlds to be so complex and her plots to be twisty and wonderful in the absolute best way.
Sylina is a STRONG FMC with amazing amounts of depth and lore, who wants to prove herself. Her complicated history makes her someone you really start to root for and I live for that in a main character.
And if she was complex? Good grief Atrius is that x1000000000. He is grumpy and sexy and honestly just so well written! Their love is understated and lovely and they break down each others’ walls in the most respectful ways. It wasn’t a ~spicy book~ but it was spicy, and I think that’s an important differentiation. Don’t read this if you’re not angling for a killer plot and story. This is plot heavy and incredible and honestly the romance might be the last thing on your mind!

I will say the plot was a tiny bit predictable, but that might just be because I think I’ve read every fantasy under the sun, and have a keen eye at this stage!

Carissa Broadbent has such effortless worldbuilding that you easily slip in amongst her characters. Sylina is an Arachessen, trained as an assassin she gave up her sight in sacrifice to her goddess and sees the world around her in ‘threads’ this makes her a formidable opponent and is an amazing concept. Atrius is the vampire conqueror, and she infiltrates his army as a seer and waits for the order to kill him. A superb plot that twists around the characters beautifully.

The way Carissa Broadbent mixes plot and romance is one of my absolute favorite parts of her books!! The tension of “I really shouldn’t like this” between the characters just hits the right spot every time and the plot line never misses either.
I really loved Sylinas way of seeing and experiencing the world, the way she feels things rather than seeing them was very immersive. I loved how her relationship with herself and her spirituality changed together with her evolving relationship with Atrius. How she learned that feelings and memories are not always supposed to be controlled and forgotten and that she is not the only one struggling with her past.
Her struggles with herself, her wants, and needs and the role she should play really made her seer and healing role within enemy territory even more interesting.
I’m really intrigued where these characters will come to play in the Crowns of Nyaxia series and can’t wait to see more of them!

.Enemies to lovers
.Forced proximity
.Hurt/comfort
.Vampire and Assassin
.Forbidden

The world is fascinating, the characters are incredibly well-developed, each with their own contradictions that make them feel real, and the plot never disappoints. I couldn't stop reading, I needed to know what would happen next, what new strategies they would use to keep advancing, and what new threats they would face.

Sylina is everything you could want from a fmc. She's fierce, yet understanding and compassionate. Her story is one of resilience and belief. Atrius is just as compelling, morally grey but with a softer side. He's a tortured, lonely soul doing everything he can to save his people, even at great personal cost.

And I think this is what makes the romance aspect of the book so beautiful. It's full of the hurt/comfort trope that I adore and can't get enough of. The connection between Atrius and Sylina felt so organic, from how they started trusting and relying on each other to how they complemented each other so well. They began to leave their loneliness behind together.

You'd think a book with a vampire and an assassin wouldn't be sweet, but it is. Their relationship is tender and affectionate, yet also explosive and, let's be honest, so hot.

My heart goes out to Erekkus; I wish his story had a happy ending too.

I can't wait for the next book in The Crowns of Nyaxia series to come out. I really hope to see Sylina and Atrius again.

I love this world so much. The story was predictable but I loved the slow burn nonetheless. Could have been a little less war/fighting scenes and a bit more romance but I loved Sylina and Atrius. Can’t wait for more books!! Carissa has created such an interesting world full of vengeful gods and goddess, interesting vampires and different houses. While this story may be less intricate than Broadbent’s other series—designed to be able to read as a standalone—it still delivers exceptional writing, rich with layered, relatable characters, gripping action, an addictive pace, and stunning world-building. As always, Broadbent excels at crafting compelling characters, delving deep into their motivations, fears, and flaws, making them easy to understand even when their choices are questionable. If you’re a fan of her work and enjoyed her previous books, you’re bound to love this one as well!

A warm thank you to Pan Macmillan, Tor Bramble, and NetGalley for sending me an Advanced Reader Copy of this book for an honest review.

If Carissa Broadbent can do anything, it’s writing a strong, unconventional female lead. We meet Sylina, a seer and priestess of Fate, who was (literally) blinded in devotion of her goddess. She has been tasked with foiling the plans of the invading vampire conqueror, Atrius, in the interest of humankind. We learn about their pasts, their story’s link to the vampire world, and about the future they each aim to build.

Broadbent is unmatched in her ability to weave dark, intriguing plots in with compelling, well written characters and romance. While written as a tangential standalone and companion to the wider Crowns of Nyaxia series, it truly holds its own as a brilliant work. This is well worth a read for lovers of romantasy who require real depth, thoughtful worldbuilding, and strong plot!

I read this book when it was self published in 2023 and I adored it then. Getting an early release copy to read it again as a traditionally published version is unbelievably exciting. Getting to reread and get immersed back into the story nearly two years later just further cemented my five star rating. Anything Carissa Broadbent writes I will read. A forbidden love story with complex characters is something I will eat up everytime, especially when the lines between good and evil are blurred. Sylina and Atrius have a love story for the ages its dark, sexy and addictive.

I read this after loving the crowns of Nyaxia series and loving this and seeing that this was a standalone and I loved it

I’ve already ready this book!

I didn’t realise it was a new cover release.

I had THE BEST time reading it again, i LIVE for enemies to lovers.

“Because touching Atrius was like immersing myself in every forbidden pleasure at once.”

Loved every second of it.

"I live in dark stories. And I've been living in yours for nearly four months. If you're going to invite me in, invite me." I pushed against his chest, hard. "I already see you, Atrius. I'm not afraid."

I loved this book so much! Carissa Broadbent can do no wrong, she always manages to write intricate stories with complex characters, gripping action and unexpected twists. I loved the other books in The Crowns of Nyaxia series so i was incredibly excited to dive back into this world.
I adored both the main characters: Atrius with his fearsome reputation that doesn’t really match the nature of his heart and Sylina with her tragic backstory, her misled faith, her strength and at the same time her fragility really stood out to me, but then again i love all women written by this author as they’re all fierce and vulnerable in their own, unique way.

I really can’t wait to see both Atrius and Sylina in the next books from The Crowns of Nyaxia series, i’m so excited to see how their story will evolve!

Thanks so much to the PanMacmillan Team for a free e-arc, all opinions are my own!

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is a Fantasy Romance book and a standalone novel set in the world of Crowns of Nyaxia. I loved all Carissa’s books and this one is no exception, it’s incredible and a perfect read if you have a book hangover after finishing The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King!

Sylina is a priestess and an assassin, serving her beloved goddess since she was a child. When her country is attacked and being conquered by a vampire warrior, she is tasked with a mission to gain his trust and kill him, but the more time she spends with Atrius and the more she learns about life outside the priestess’ Keep, the more she realizes not everything is as she was taught and carrying out her mission might destroy her heart and her country.

I absolutely love everything about this book, the characters were so well written, both strong and imperfect, and the romance was just perfect enemies to reluctant allies to friends to lovers that had me screaming while reading some of the scenes between these two. Sylina and Atrius were just so amazing, I loved how their relationship progressed and how they both influenced each other to grow as characters, it was beautiful to watch their development. I also loved the plot, which was paced perfectly with no boring moments, and the magic system of the priestess’ was so unique and fascinating, I loved the idea of giving up their sight for the goddess and how they could see in a different way, it was so interesting and well described.

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is an amazing story with great characters and beautiful enemies to lovers romance that I would happily read another 300 pages of, I so didn’t want to say goodbye to these characters. I definitely recommend it to all fantasy romance lovers and if you have read other books in Crowns of Nyaxia world you definitely need to read this one, there are some interesting Easter eggs!

It's so rare when I can say that a spin-off story is better than the main series - and please note! I do not say this lightly! The Crowns of Nyaxia series is one of my favourite. It is burned into my very soul...yet this story tops that. Absolute perfection.
I can't wait to see how these characters tie into the main Nyaxia storyline!

Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan for the ARC via NetGalley and for the opportunity to share my honest thoughts on the book.

4,5 ⭐

This book is perfect for everyone who misses the main series, it has all the elements and allows you to get to see this world from a different perspective! Loved it.

The two main protagonists are enemies and have to work together for different reasons and their slow burn relationship was just perfect. I fell in love with every single character of the book, as they all were complex and so well developed. Carissa Broadbent is a certainty when it comes to fantasy books.

The Nyaxia world is so beautiful and complex. I can't wait to read more books set in this world!

4.5 stars

[𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬. 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦]

I have, once again, fallen in love with another of Carissa Broadbent’s book. This only cements her as my new favorite author, I cannot begin to express how much I adore the stories and characters she creates.

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror does not have an explosive plot, it’s actually something simple, but very intriguing. A few action scenes, some twists here and there, with a steady pacing that makes you keep reaching for the next chapter, eager to know what’ll happen next and how everything will unfold by the end. The romance ends up taking up a big part of the story, but I was okay with it, because it was so beautiful and endearing. But what makes this a great book, what made me love it, is the characters. Carissa is not only a master at crafting complex and interesting characters, but also excels at detailing their motivations, fears and flaws, making it so easy to understand them and what guides their actions.

Sylina is a seer and a warrior, trained from a young age to become a ruthless assassin for her Goddess. She also is physically blind. When she joined the Arachessen, a cult of females devoted to the Goddess Acaeja, she traded her sight for the ability to see the world through threads. She is able to see much more than before, seeing and feeling the world and life around her in a different way. I found it incredibly fascinating to learn how the threads work and Carissa explained it all beautifully. It was very interesting to watch Sylina struggle between her blind devotion towards her goddess and her own sense of justice and morality, which lead her to make some difficult decisions. Sylina is strong minded, she thinks before she acts, which is so refreshing to read when it comes to female characters, and is pretty much a badass. But, despite the life she lives, Sylina has remained kind and deals with very strong emotions that set her apart from her Arachessen sisters. She is a very lost girl, hiding deep inside her a longing and shame for her past.

Atrius is a vampire who came to Glaea, the human lands of this world, to conquer every territory. He was not what I expected, at all. Yes, he is ruthless, a brutally efficient killer, but he’s surprisingly kind and respectful. He’s very intelligent, a strong commander willing to do anything for his people. Atrius is very much a grumpy male who hides a kind heart behind the walls he has built to guard himself from the harsh world he lives in. It was refreshing to read about him, to witness his vulnerability, his tenderness. He was always so respectful towards Sylina, never belittled her or made her feel less than he was.

The romance between Sylina and Atrius is one of the healthiest enemies-to-lovers I’ve read. And it’s very believable. I loved seeing their relationship evolve, how it went from unease and distrust, not only because of the circumstances , but also because they’re from diferente species, to a partnership. They ally out of need but, along the way, they discover how much they have in common and realize that much of what they resented about each other was based on prejudices. They’re both lost souls who found comfort in each other. The slow burn was delicious, their chemistry undeniable and it was impossible not to love them. I just adored how they saw the truth the other so desperately tried to hide, and, because of that, there was no room for childish conflicts. Their souls were always bare, open wide, they always knew, without words, what the other was saying.

Although this is a standalone novel and you can read it on its own, I advise you to read at least the first book in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, as it'll give you background concerning the House of Blood, from which Atrius comes from. The world from the series is so incredibly vast, I loved getting to see the human lands and learning more about another goddess. I always find it very interesting when fantasy books have gods, because it’s fascinating to explore the topic of faith and devotion and how often it clashes with human morality.

It’s not often that I read really good standalone fantasy that delivers this level of great character development in just one book. If you’re a fan of fantasy romance, lovable characters, beautiful writing and great worldbuilding, then this is the book for you. I cannot wait to see what other stories Carissa decides to write in this world and I’m eager to see Atrius and Sylina again in the next installments of the Crowns of Nyaxia series.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is everything I wanted and more! The world is rich, the action is intense, and the romance is absolutely perfect.

Loved both mmc and fmc..The fmc is fierce and easy to love.Their chemistry is insane! I couldn’t put the book down—every twist had me on edge.

I'm just in love with Carissas storytelling and her writing is beautiful.all of her books were 5 stars and this one is no different!

I loved this one! Broadbent’s writing is enthralling and fast paced and pulls me in everytime!

Thank you so much to the publisher for my gifted copy of Slaying the Vampire Conquerer. I devoured this one - full RTC 🩶

“Death is what happens when you stand still,” I said. “Don’t stand still. Not for anything.”

This was the last book in the Crowns of Nyaxia world that I had yet to read, and I'm ready for more! That was my favorite series I read last year, and I'm glad to say this companion book did not disappoint!

I was so glad to explore another part of this world, and despite this just being a standalone, the worldbuilding was great and the romance didn't feel rushed either. I adore both Sylina and Atrius. I love the fact that while Sylina is blind, she can still see with her threads and she's a fucking badass. It made the book unique.

I easily breezed through this, and while some things felt awfully convenient, I'm very satisfied with that ending! Like I said before, I am ready for more, bring it onnnn!

I absolutely adore the Crowns of Nyaxia series, so I was really excited to read this standalone set in the same world!

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror follows Sylina, a member of the cult of the Goddess of Fate, to whom she has given up her eyesight. When a brutal vampire conqueror arrives on their shores, Sylina is tasked with a crucial mission: infiltrate his army, earn his trust, and kill him.

I loved the premise of this story, but unfortunately the execution of it felt underdeveloped and rushed. Firstly, although the magic system was unique and interesting, it was not fully explained and had some inconsistencies.

The characters also felt very flat and uncharismatic. The FMC’s character lacked consistency, and although I didn’t dislike her, I didn’t like her much either. The MMC was advertised as a morally grey Daemon Targaryen type, but in my opinion, he was not morally grey at all. He also didn’t really do much, and for a vampire conqueror, I expected him to have more agency and be more brutal. I also felt no tension, angst, longing or chemistry between the MC’s.

The plot felt repetitive and rushed, and I did feel bored at times. There was a reveal at the end that I was not fully expecting, but the motivations behind it were not explained at all, so it lacked the impact it could have had.

Overall, this wasn’t for me. I think if the plot and characters had been given room to breathe and certain aspects developed more, I would have rated this higher. Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan/Tor Bramble for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.