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scarlett_f's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol
barbarianmissy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Side note: so the more books I read, the more I look back and realize I rated a lot of previous books WAY too high. (Most of my 5 star reads were more so 4 stars, but crazy lil Miss ME got really excited about the endings and bumped that shit up to a 5 star cause I rate them immediately after I finish them……..which I probably will not stop doing 💁♀️)
BUT I feel confident in rating this one a 4.5!
This was like a spicy grown up Twilight Hunger Games, where Bella could kick ASS and Charlie sucked ASS. Edward was still only ~kind of~ a ginger.
I had a lot of fun!
I really liked the banter between Oraya and Raihn but I swear to Nyaxia, if he told her “there she is” one more time I was gonna throw the book across the room. It was cute the first 20 times, but not so cute after you brutally murdered her beloved papa in front of her. Anywho, I liked their dynamic. I like that it’s not all sunshine and rainbows with them. There’s a love/hate element that is really push and pull and keeps me on my toes. I LIKE EM!
Mische (aka Alice Cullen) was a really neat character! I hope they explore her more in this series! I also hope her god stops being a nasty and gives her her cool flames back!
I’m curious how the rest of the story will play out. Seems like we are moving from Hunger Games territory into a political wartime strategy plotline and I think I will kind of LIVE for it????? Idk though.
I wanna read the next one but the paperback doesn’t come out till December and I think I may wait, but I suck at waiting so I may choose otherwise and load up the kindle! We shall SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
v_____'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Oraya emotional journey was so raw and relatable, I'm so heartbroken for her!
I hated the ending tough! Wtf!
I really need a serious relentless + brutal revenge arc in the next book!
Plus: I need to know more about Vincent, whose story we learn almost nothing about. To me he was the most interesting character, I loved the mystery that surrounded him.
I request a prequel about Vincents life, pretty please 🙏
Graphic: Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
ladydeathnesta's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
library_of_noxx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
linzeeslittlelibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Yes, there is romance ala the former aforementioned stories of which the romance is the main focus, BUT plot is a big portion more closely in kind to the later.
There’s a good bit of world building but I comes in smaller chunks as our main character Oraya discovers and unravels the secrets her adoptive Vampire King father has kept from her since he first saved her as a small child.
There are still things that are yet to be revealed that I am looking forward to the next book hopefully explaining.
The story goes quick as Oraya and her unlikely ally Raihn team up during a months long tournament to the death that can only end with one victor (see: Hunger Games-ish)
There is tension and danger mysteries and betrayals, and the culmination of two people who should be apposed forced to work together who bond over their discovered similarities.
I will say, the ending—shook me. I was NOT expecting everything that went down—I’m usually quicker to figure out things than I was with this which was pleasantly surprising.
The spice—though sparse—I mean we are in a death tournament people and our protagonists are badly wounded for a majority of this book—so we gotta take what we can get —is 🤌🏼🤌🏼 worth the wait. People who want lots of spice beware the SINGULAR full spice scene doesn’t *cough* come *cough* until about the 80% mark.
Lastly the banter between these two once barriers finally start to break down between these two is PERFECTION. I was laughing out loud at some of the remarks.
And I may have shed a tear or two at the end.
Once again beware cliffhangers—as this is the first of a duet I believe and the sequel is regrettably not released yet.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, and War
Moderate: Physical abuse, Torture, and Medical trauma
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, and Rape
taylasfootnotes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the first instalment of the Crowns of Nyaxia universe, which follows our main protagonists, Oraya and Raihn, as they compete in the Kejari, a legendary tournament held by the Goddess Nyaxia, the goddess of death.
Oraya, who is
On the eve of the Kejari being announced, Oraya knows she is already at a disadvantage to her fellow contestants, all of whom are vampires from across the realm and from competing Houses. Oraya's strategy for winning these trials is simple, separate herself from the vampires and stay alive with the skills she's been taught. But after becoming injured in the first of the four trails, Oraya has no choice but accept a lucrative alliance with Raihn, an unusual vampire from an opposing House to her own and his happy-go-sunshine friend, Mische. Thus begins a fragile partnership between the three of them and as the nights go past, Oraya finds herself becoming comfortable with the eccentric ways of Mische and the toungue-in-cheek banter with Raihn.
Broadbent doesn't make the romance the key focal point in this story. There is no denying that the romance and the palpable tension between Oraya and Raihn is often toe-curlingly good, and when those moments appear, they are a much needed break from the darkness and struggle that Oraya is having to overcome in the trails as a human. The romance between these two characters shows a softer, neglected side of Oraya's character arc, as we begin to understand her complicated past with lovers and her upbringing with Vincent. There is one scene in particular that I absolutely loved between Raihn and Oraya and that is in the middle for the second trial. IYKYK.
The world building feels rich and lush, with every detail so painstakingly thought out. From the landscape, to the intricacies of each house and the world history. The plot and choices made by Broadbent's characters feel realistic as they move throughout the world. There wasn't a moment where I felt board or that it was predicable. Especially at turning point 2 in the book, I was pleasantly surprised that my theories were correct and the outcome at the end of the novel was both fitting and satisfying.
This has been my most favourite read of 2022. I am so thankful to have been given this recommendation through my Kindle Amazon library. No only has it given me a new author to thoroughly consume and enjoy, it has made me a reader of Carissa's work for life.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and War
swonders_'s review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Slavery and Grief