Crowns of Nyaxia Nightborn Duet: A New Take on the Vampire World

In the “The Serpent and the Wings of Night”  and “The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King,”  the two books in the Nightborn Duet of the “Crowns of Nyaxia” series, author Carissa Broadbent introduces us to a world of vampire and humans that is so different from the Bram Stroker’s and Anne Rice’s canon of the vampire world making these books novel and quite absorbing.

A slow burn romantasy, these first two books of the “Crowns of Nyaxia” series are unputdownable. Broadbent built the world of the goddess Nyaxia’s domain while also fleshing out the main characters. The author even created the minor characters to be three-dimensional. The story is so absorbing that you find yourself immersed in this fantasy world even before you finish the first chapter.

“The Serpent and the Wings of Night” follows Oraya, a human adopted by the vampire Nightborn King Vincent and Raihn, a turned vampire. Both are competing in the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by Nyaxia, the goddess of death herself. The prize: Nyaxia will grant powers to the winner and give the winner whatever he or she desires. And there could only be one winner.

And that’s the conundrum that Oraya and Raihn were facing. With a very strong attraction to each other (vampires always go for the extreme) Oraya and Raihn were on dangerous grounds because at some point in time in the contest, only one of them could survive. Kill or be killed, that’s a question they have to answer. Should they follow their heart (emotion) or their brains (logic)?

As already mentioned, these two books are a duet and where book 1, “The Serpent and the Wings of Night” ends, book 2, “The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King” begins. The storytelling is so seamless that the reader does not even miss a beat.

In book 2, readers find Oraya and Raihn in a different battle of will and attraction. As they navigate their blossoming romance, readers also find out more about Vincent’s past, which in turn also reveal more about Oraya and Raihn.

Surprising as it may seem, because after all, Vincent and Raihn are vampires, they tug at your heartstrings. For Oraya, the revelations of her past gave her a better understanding of the power she held which was hinted in the first book.

The build up is slow, but the reveal is earthshattering that you actually feel good that Carissa Broadbent made you wait for them. And that is perhaps the genius of her storytelling. First, she wraps you up snug and tight in a world she created. Then, when you reach the crescendo, everything shatters that you can only gasp because it is unexpected, yet the story remains cohesive.

If you are into fantasy, this is a series that will fit nicely into your bookshelves. If you are into vampires, then this is a must-read because this vampiric world is like no other!

For audiobook listeners, Amanda Leigh Cobb voiced Oraya in both books. Aiden Snow voiced Raihn, though Snow only appeared in book 2. Both narrators added depth to the already very complex characters, thus making Oraya and Raihn come alive in your mind’s eye.