Fans of the series are going to enjoy this one. Although we’re following a different character, Broadbent has done a fantastic job keeping the readers in the same world without skipping a beat.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year! I am so happy that I was able to read an early copy of this book! The Nyaxia world is one of my favorites and I was super ready to get back into the world after reading the first two books in the series.

I enjoyed getting to know Mische more as she was one of my favorite side characters in the first duology. Mische was the sunshine character in the first books. In The Songbird and the Heart of Stone you got to see a completely different side of Mische. As the characters in the book travel thought their environment you also traveled through the deep psyche of Mische’s mind where she kept her secrets, regrets, and darkness. She is darkness and light, and you learn everything she has went through and her determination to be who she is.


I enjoyed getting to learn more about the Gods in this book as well and their…ill practices with their acolytes. You get to see Mische navigate those memories and trauma coming up.This book is about a person who uncovers so much about their past and themselves and less about the romance in my opinion. Which I did enjoy!


I have always loved how Carissa does romance in her books and how it is a patient process. It really helps build up the anticipation and makes the connection feel much more real. I love the male love interest. He is another one of those
shadow daddy’s that we all can’t get enough of 😂🖤 He is nuanced, attentive, and throughout the book you get to see his barriers break down. I really like him and Mische together, they are similar in ways you wouldn’t expect.


Like all Carissa’s books in my opinion she does side characters so so well!!! I always look forward to them because you get attached to them and their journeys so much. That is something this book also has!!

The reason I have 4 stars instead of 5 is that this one felt more like a regular fantasy book and not as much as a vampire fantasy book like the first two! I really love vampires and I wanted to feel more of the vampire vibes! I was also a little confused through some of the scenes when trying to visualize in my head what was going on. Oraya and Raihn are my current fave book couple and I knew it was gonna be hard to live up to them as well.


Overall, I enjoyed the writing, plot, and romance aspect! I will definitely be continuing on in the Crowns of Nyaxia series as Carissa is one of my favorite fantasy book authors!!

“This is the tale of how a chosen one falls. She does it screaming, clawing for her old life with broken fingernails. She does it slowly, over the course of decades. And in the end, she takes the whole world with her.”

Mische, once devoted to the sun god, lost everything when she was forcibly turned into a vampire, her home, her humanity, and the love of the god she worshipped. Now, sentenced to death for murdering the vampire prince who turned her, her chances of redemption seem impossible. But when she’s saved by Asar, the brutal prince of the House of Shadow, she’s thrust into an even worse fate: a journey to the underworld to resurrect the god of death. Along the way, Mische must grapple with her forbidden attraction to Asar and a dangerous betrayal that could cost her everything.

I was so excited to receive an early copy of this book. I’ve been dying for the next installment ever since I finished the previous one last year. While I did enjoy this book, I didn’t love it as much as the other two. I feel like I did myself a disservice by not rereading the previous books. There were some minor details I’d forgotten, and they would’ve been helpful going into this one.

This book picks up soon after the last one ends, but we’re not really sure how much time has passed since Mische said goodbye to Raihn and Oraya. It was a little jarring at first, jumping right in without much explanation, but it’s easy enough to follow once you get into it.

After Mische is spared execution by Asar, the two of them travel to the underworld on a mission to resurrect a god. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the setting. Parts of the underworld were confusing, and I feel like more time should’ve been spent explaining it. Still, it was interesting seeing how the underworld was structured. It definitely gave me Dante’s Inferno vibes.

Since this is Mische’s book, we finally get to learn more about her. I really liked that. We get flashbacks to her life before she was turned, and they give us a lot more insight into her personality and her struggles with being a vampire. She lost everything when she was turned against her will, and she’s desperate to hold onto some semblance of normalcy through her devotion to her God. Even though it feels like he’s abandoned her, she’ll do anything to regain his love. She’s desperate for redemption for what she believes she caused and for what she’s become.

I will say I struggled a bit with the writing style this time around. I knew it wouldn’t be exactly like the previous books since we’re following a different character, but something about it just felt a little off to me. It almost read like a spinoff rather than a continuation of the series, if that makes sense. It definitely took me a little longer to get into. That said, I still really enjoyed the story. The ending took things to the next level, and now I don’t know how I’m going to wait for the next book! This one definitely opened up the world more than the previous installments. Even though we spend most of our time in the underworld, we get a bigger glimpse of the gods and how they operate.

Overall, while this book wasn’t my favorite in the series, it’s still a thrilling read with a lot of heart and high stakes. Fans of the series will definitely want to pick it up to see where things go next. I can’t wait for the next installment to see how it all unfolds!

Thank you so much to the publisher, NetGalley and the author for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am so grateful to receive an ARC of this book! I loved the original duet and I’m glad we are getting to see more from Mische! Also, Luce is the best doggie.

This is Carissa Broadbent’s best. Writing. To. Date. The overwhelming emotion I feel. I finished this book moments ago… is intense, I feel like crying, I don’t know what to do with myself. This is the most vulnerable story I have ever read.

Where do I even begin…

“This is the tale of how a chosen one falls. She does it screaming, clawing for her old life with broken fingernails. She does it slowly, over the course of decades. And in the end, she takes the whole world with her.”

Mische was forcibly Turned into a vampire – she lost her home, her humanity and, most devastating of all, the love of the sun god to whom she had devoted her life.

She is sentenced to death for unaliving the vampire prince who Turned her.

When Mische is saved from that fate by Asar, she is forced on a journey to the underworld to resurrect the god of death himself. In the underworld, Mische and Asar must face treacherous trials, colossal beasts and the vengeful ghosts of their pasts. But most dangerous of all is the alluring call of the darkness, and Mische’s forbidden attraction to Asar.

This book is so sad, it hurts my heart. I love the whole story. I cheered it on my with heart aching, no matter the circumstances, even through tears I was cheering Mische and Asar on.

This book is emotional and tender and delicate and it’s also full of fire and fear and just literally forging ahead even if it’s at a crawl on your hands and knees.

There’s a big… gigantic… massive…. Intense… sensitive… lesson you’re meant to learn here. And it’s a doozy. You will be reeling from revelation and reflection in your own life. This book is raw and vulnerable and it’s going to open you up all the way to your core whether you like it or not.

There is a scene where they dance in the underworld and its haunting and sad and so beautiful it felt like my heart was crying… that scene is seared into my memory forever.

There’s a quote where Asar says “I will find you.” And I became a puddle on the floor never to fully form again.

This story deals with mortality and guilt and being afraid and being unworthy and confusion of your purpose and how unfair it all can be. I’m trying not to be dramatic but I can’t even help it, this is not an ordinary fantasy. This is something deeper. This is really intense. And I think every person who will ever read this book will gain something from it and I think it will heal parts of you that needed healing and I think this book has the power to be recommended to others with such sincerity that it could continuously change lives and perspectives of everyone who reads it.

“It is an injustice, Mische, that this is what you got when you asked for love” I’m not even joking don’t even bother wearing any makeup when you read any chapter of this book. You will be continuously weeping.

Sometimes all we need, is to be listened to. Many things can be true at once. And sometimes just the simplest acknowledgment…. “I’m sorry this happened to you.” Can change your life. It can start to heal you. Life is so unfair but it’s ok to be scared. It’s ok to say that out loud too. Because you’re not alone. No matter how lonely and lost from the path you feel.

It’s my personal opinion, that if you’re looking for light fantasy romance…. This is not the book for you. This is epic fantasy with intense lessons. And the romance… it is there. It is earth shattering. World building. Cosmically large. It’s so important to this story. But the larger lesson in this book. It’s very personal. Each person who reads this story with have their own intense reaction.

“I know what is looks like to be so desperate for redemption, you would sacrifice anything.”

Simply put, this book is necessary. It’s beautiful. And I hate to do this to you… but the ending… ya you’ll be screaming. I’m screaming. Happy reading!

I feel very lucky to receive ARCs (pre-publication versions) of books, even more so when they are part of popular sagas, but I am always honest in my reviews and sadly in this case I have to tell you that I did not like this book

And taking into account that I really loved and enjoyed the first two books of the series, The Serpent and The Wings of Night and The Ashes and The Star Cursed King, there is no one who is more surprised and saddened about it than me.

The story follows Mische, who we met in the first two books as Raihn's best friend. In this book Mische embarks on a journey alone, seeking independence and self-discovery after spending a large portion of her life suffering the effects of having been turned into a vampire against her will. Mische is captured and put on trial for the murder of a prince, but is rescued by Asar, another bastard prince, who proposes to use Mische and her abilities for a mission to the underworld.
Unfortunately this story did not captivate me. It felt like a “spin off” or novel rather than a continuation of the series we already knew.

And even though we already knew Mische a little from previous books, the author gave us zero context or character depth in this book before launching into the action of the story. I couldn't connect with any character and therefore I didn't really feel involved with what would happen in the plot.

Honestly, it is one of the few books that I have had the feeling of “I already want it to end.”

It is worth mentioning that perhaps it would have helped me and I would have enjoyed the story more if I had done a complete rereading of the first two books since I read them a long time ago.

I love historical romance and I love fantasy, so romantasy should be a slam dunk genre for me... but I often struggle with finding books that combine the fantasy world building I love with relationships I can root for. (Sorry, your generic "fae prince has to marry a normal human girl for Reasons" written in first person, present tense just is NOT my jam.)

I was lucky enough to get a free finished copy of The Songbird and the Heart of Stone from Bramble Romance, and I decided to give romantasy another try. And guess what? I loved it! This was my first Carissa Broadbent book and it was just what I want out of a romantasy: the world building is deep enough for me to enjoy the fantasy aspect, and the couple was a really great match.

It's not exactly enemies to lovers: Asar saves Mische from execution so he can use her in his schemes. She goes into it hoping for redemption and ready to double-cross him at any moment. As far as he's concerned, she's a tool, and if she doesn't make it out alive, it might cause a little extra work on his part, but he's not too invested in her as a person. So I guess it's reluctant allies to lovers? It's also a great riff on the grumpy/sunshine trope: he's the Wraith Warden, the guardian of the underworld - the definition of gloomy; she's the chosen of the sun god (literal sunshine, here).

I myself can be a grump about first person romances (see first paragraph), since I can find the "does he love me?" tension really frustrating. Look, if it's obvious enough to me as the reader that he's totally DTF(il) (Down To Fall In Love), then it should be pretty obvious to the narrator unless they're real dumb. In this book, though, the slow burn combined with the shifting loyalties and emotions made the choice of first person (past tense!) POV work really well.

Anyhow, this was a really fun quest-based fantasy and the romance was tip top. Be aware that this is the first in a duology and ends in a cliffhanger. It's also third in a series; I found that I didn't need to have read the previous books to get the hang of this one. In that sense it felt more like a romance series than a fantasy series, since earlier plot points were referenced but this story did not hang on them. Make your own decision as an order or chaos reader and start from wherever you'd like!

4.5 stars! I have been anxiously awaiting my return to this world, so I was so excited to receive an early copy! I absolutely loved Mische as a side character & could not wait to get more of her story. Carissa Broadbent is an absolutely wonderful writer & I love getting lost in the worlds that she creates.

After murdering the vampire prince who forcibly turned her into a vampire in TAatSCK, Mische is spared of her death sentence by Asar, the bastard heir, to complete a mission with him to journey to the underworld. Asar is planning to resurrect the god of death and he needs Mische’s help to do it. However, her god appears and asks her to complete the mission only to betray Asar in the end.

Mische is struggling with all she lost when she was turned against her will. She has been trying to hold onto her love of a god who doesn’t accept who she has become. As she goes on this journey with Asar, she must choose between the redemption of the sun god or a dark love that is brewing between them.

Mische and Asar have both been THROUGH IT. Their back stories were so emotional & filled with trauma. My heart ached for both of them.

And the ending?! Cannot wait for the next book.

I was thrilled to have been provided this ARC just before publication day. I tore right through it! Carissa is quickly becoming one of my favorites in this genre, somehow presenting traditional tropes like a well-loved blanket right beside exciting, new ideas.

4.5/5.0!

I have been looking forward to this book because I adore Mische! She’s my favorite, and I knew her story would be heartbreaking and hard to read. I was not wrong!

Mische is desperately trying to find herself since becoming a vampire. Her relationship with Atroxis has been shaky throughout the first two books. She was pretty much groomed into following Atroxis. Her faith in him has never wavered, but since becoming a vampire, he’s pretty much abandoned her. She has just a little of his power, but there are terrible consequences when using her power. She’s still so sure that she will win back his love and devotion by following him and never wavering in her faith in him. We see how this relationship started and what it entails. It’s so hard to read, to be honest. She was eight years old when he choose her. Are you kidding me!? Gross. We learn how it unfolds, how she loses people, her choices, and her struggle to stay on the path of the sun. It was emotional at so many points, and I understand her so much more. Everything makes so much sense after reading this one.

Then we have Asar. Oh my gosh, he has probably jumped up to my favorite love interest in a long time. He’s also got so much baggage, and we are slowly figuring him out. The more we learn, the more things come together. I loved his character from the very beginning. He’s so much more than meets the eye. I adored his relationship with his ‘dog’ Luce. There’s much more I want to say about his and Mische’s relationship, but I don’t want to get into spoilers.

Mische and Asar travel to the underworld. Each of them has a mission from their god and does not share their true intentions. Of course, as they go further into what feels like absolute hell, they realize things about themselves, each other, and their gods. I loved every single minute of this book. It was hard to put down because there is so much that happens! There is never a dull moment!

The Songbird & the Heart of Stone lived up to every expectation I had and more. It was heartbreaking, beautiful, and full of so much action! I had so many moments that shocked me! It is going to be a long wait for their next book! I can’t wait to see where this goes because it was a brilliant read!

Thank you to Tor Books/Bramble & Netgalley for the e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

I'm giving it a three, but I have higher hopes for the sequel. I'm assuming we will get to be in his head because that's how ashes was. And I think I will like that and it will help me.

I enjoyed the plot in this one I just honestly never bought into their relationship even though I liked some of their moments together in later scenes. I was just confused on how we got there to really like invest myself. This book takes place over a couple months apparently but it feels like maybe a week or two, the "trials" feel pretty continuous. So I think a lot of their relationship happens in the in-between moments we dont see. Which just doesn't work for me, I really need to see that connection formed on paper.

They'd refer to things like how she never stopped talking and I'd be like... when? we never saw that, she's actually pretty quiet imo when were in her head.

This is supposed to be grumpy sunshine but she wasn't sunshine enough for me.

I did love the second half more, and I did like a few of their moments together in that second half. The scenes in Esmes house were some of my absolute favourites. And in typical Carissa style the ending is an ending, and you will need book two asap. It is very well done.

I do wish we got a better look at side characters, they didn't really have any personality imo, and just existed to move the plot and/or our characters emotional journey forward, without bringing any real substance to the story.

ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!! 🤩✨

…but would I expect anything less from an actual Queen that Carissa Broadbent is?!

Mische & Asars story is definitely deep down in my heart forever now!!

Expect to be completely hooked from start to finish,
Absolutely incredible trials that you literally feel like you’re inside the book, filled with action and a romance that has my heart aching!! 😭😭

An absolute must read! Hands down a new favorite✨

Thank you to Tor Publishing for providing me with an early copy of this book!

Unfortunately, I had a very hard time getting into the story as the pacing in the beginning was hard for me to stay interested in. I can certainly appreciate that after coming off of the wildly successful first two books in this "series" there is some work that needs to be done in order to switch to a new POV and character, however, it was not for me.

I hope to be able to come back to this book in the future, but for now, I will have to set it aside.

This author has me hook, line, and sinker. Hand me the mike, I want people to put down their tabbed ACOTAR and read everything Broadbent's' wrote. Going back into this world and seeing the depth and history she's created really floats my boat (what's with all the fishing references?!). In other words, the elaborate and immersive world-building in this series is top-tier. I enjoyed Mische as the quirky, loving side character with the secretive past and after finishing The Songbird & the Hear of Stone loved how we were able to get to know her and see her backstory. Her internal struggle with her faith and moral compass was well written and might be my favorite part, a close second being the descriptive setting and concept of the underworld. I'm obsessed with the Dawndrinker and the Wraith Warden and I'm on the edge of my seat for the next one!

This story follows Mische, a fiercely brave woman with hidden talents and a mysterious origin of her own. We witness her hit rock bottom, only to rise again and face death in its many forms. Along the way, she finds an unlikely ally in a man with even more secrets than she has. Together, they must undertake an impossible mission for their Gods or face a fate worse than death.

This book tore my heart out and left me questioning life’s deeper meaning. From the very first page to the last, I was completely captivated. The epilogue left me speechless—I just sat there, contemplating the weight of the story and feeling bittersweet about having no more pages left to turn. I can’t wait for the next book!

A huge thank you to the author for sending me an early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Don’t miss this one!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Songbird and the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent is a masterpiece that will leave you utterly captivated and craving more – though be warned, it ends on a cliffhanger that had me in tears.

In this spellbinding addition to the Crowns of Nyaxia series, Broadbent creates an intense world where A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Dante’s Inferno. The story follows Mische, a former devotee of the sun god, now a vampire fighting for redemption and survival after being forced into a twisted alliance with Asar, a scarred and brutal prince of the House of Shadow. Together, they embark on a harrowing descent to the underworld, navigating fierce trials, ancient monsters, and the lure of a forbidden love that threatens to defy the gods themselves.

Broadbent’s writing is nothing short of enchanting. Mische’s internal battle—between her devotion to the sun god and her deepening bond with Asar—is heart-wrenching, and as the tension rises, so do the stakes.

The journey through the underworld is darkly atmospheric, full of tension and depth, and each twist left me breathless. By the end, I was completely invested, only to be hit with a cliffhanger that promises even more intrigue and heartache. If you're looking for an epic fantasy romance with gods, mortals, and a love that battles the boundaries of fate itself, Songbird and the Heart of Stone is an absolute must-read.

A good addition to the universe Broadbent created with the Crowns of Nyaxia. I enjoyed that the romance felt unique from the romance in the earlier books. It’s interesting to see the universe expands and how it builds on what was already revealed. I found some of the new gods a little confusing but it still kept me engaged. Overall it’s a fun series that makes for a lovely escape.

4.5⭐️Carissa Broadbent is a STAR. The Crowns of Nyaxia is easily one of my favorite series of all time and The Songbird & the Heart of Stone filled the part of my heart that has been missing since I finished Ashes & the Star Cursed King. Seriously- READ THIS SERIES. Fantasy, vampires, heartache, action, banter and so much more.

We finally get more Mische: The girl who must “choose between the redemption of the sun or the damnation of the darkness.” Mische was chosen by the sun god, Atroxus, to be one of his own and bring the light; but was Turned into a vampire against her will, losing her humanity, and love of her god. Despite losing everything, she puts on a smile and fights through it all. I absolutely adore Mische and Asar, the bastard son of a cruel vampire ruler.

You will not want to miss this journey of the Dawndrinker and the Wraith Warden as they travel into the underworld to resurrect the god of death.

So thrilled to continue this series by Carissa Broadbent. She has become a favorite author of mine. I love that we get to learn about Mische and her story, she quickly became a favorite side character during the initial duology. I love the world Broadbent created with this series and I can’t wait to read more from her and from this world.

I’m so upset. This was my most anticipated read of the year, but I’ve tried twice and can not get into it. I got 200 pages in and it’s just so slow and a totally different vibe than serpent. And I think that’s where it fell flat for me.