A review by bribreez
Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent

dark hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

*POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD & CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS 

4.5⭐️/ 2🌶️

A novella set within the world of Nyaxia, this story focused on Lilith and how her encounter with Vale, a vampire set off a chain reaction all from a deal she made with him. With the town Lilith grew up in having succumbed to a deadly disease, everyone was dying, and it seemed like nothing would be able to save everyone. Until, Lilith took it upon herself to seek out Vale and make him an offer that would ensure she’d get what she needed to help save those closest to her. With a deal made of offering six roses in exchange for six vials of Vale’s blood, Lilith and Vale were now in agreement of it. This novella kind of gave me, “Beauty and the Beast” vibes in the way that Vale was a reclusive vampire who was also kind of a grump, and Lilith was an intelligent woman willing to do anything to find a cure. The details mentioned in this novella would later prove to be significant so, I was more than ready to read this story and see what happened between Lilith and Vale. 

Lilith was no stranger to death. From a young age she had witnessed those closest to her die from her mother to her father, and even herself being close to death’s door. Now with majority of the town catching the disease caused by the curse of the God, Lilith now faced the possibility of losing her sister, Mina. Lilith was an intelligent woman, using her mind and knowledge of all the things she learned in order to come up with a potential cure to help save her sister, but the only problem was… it would require the blood of a vampire. When Lilith made the decision to seek out Vale, it was possible she could have easily been caught by him and something worse could have happened, but instead meeting Vale she saw he wasn’t exactly the monster that many had made him out to be. 

Vale was a vampire, one who was use to living on his own, and for the most part a reclusive vampire who kept to himself. Upon meeting Lilith, I could tell that even Vale couldn’t stop being fascinated by the human who showed no fear in the face of him. Vale was kind of grumpy, a bit serious, but also had his moments of sarcastic humor, and poking fun at Lilith. Vale, like many vampires in stories was described to be a handsome man with features that almost looked human, but with the way he moved and held himself, you could tell he wasn’t human like Lilith. I especially loved seeing the way Vale and Lilith slowly started to form a bit of a connection with each visit Lilith made to collect the vials of Vale’s blood. With Vale usually being on his own, having someone like Lilith want to know more about him, and talk about the things in his life was uniquely different yet satisfying for him. 

Even with this being a novella, the pacing of the story didn’t feel rushed. I liked the progression of the story, it was easy to follow along, and of course I was instantly loving the way Vale and Lilith slowly got closer to each other. With the premise of the deal being made between Lilith and Vale, I was initially concerned if it would be able to fit within the novella, but surprisingly it was easy to understand, and see how it fit within the overall story. As the novella went on, I loved how Vale showed a more lighter side to himself. I got use to Vale being so grumpy, but once he got more comfortable with Lilith, there was a bit of a spark forming between the two that I was enjoying since it later set up their romance perfectly. 

This story was a lot more of a slow burn romance with the building romance between Vale and Lilith being the main focus of the story. While the deal between Vale and Lilith was also a big part of the story, it was mostly romance focused as opposed to the other book(s) in the Crown of Nyaxia series which is more action packed. 

I absolutely loved the novella! I definitely wasn’t expecting the little truth reveal towards the end about how Lilith’s town and her father played a role with the god, Vitarus. In addition, the way Lilith ended up at the end of the story was equally unexpected but also amazing especially considering her relationship with Vale. Again not much in terms of action or heavy filled drama, but compared to Carissa’s other books, this was more romance focused which I wasn’t bothered by at all (especially since I’m a hopeless romantic!) I loved the strong connection formed between Lilith and Vale, they had undeniable chemistry that was passionate and loving. I’m curious to see how this novella will play into the rest of the series, and I’m hoping maybe with the details included about Vale (along with Lilith) that maybe I’ll get to see them in future books. I would definitely suggest you read this novella after reading the first book so you get an idea of the world and you never know with these kinds of characters and details they end up proving to be vital to the overall storyline. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings