4.25⭐️ just like so many others, this books was so highly anticipated for me! I really enjoyed it, however I will say, the vibes are very different from the first two books. Not necessarily in a bad way, but I feel like it’s good to go in expecting that.

Mische and Asar were both very strong characters. They really made the story for me. Seeing them grow and form a connection with each other added a lot of depth to the story. It was a slow burn, but had a high payoff. The underworld concept was super intriguing for me and made a very unique story and plot line. However, the plot did get a bit repetitive for me as they went on their journey through the underworld. The writing is very descriptive as well which was a bit difficult to follow at times, but that could definitely be a me problem.

I will say the ending was rough, as in emotional damage!! I was not ready or expecting that at all. It has me itching for the next book like yesterday. I’m excited to see where they rest of Mische and Asar’s story. I think Carissa did a great job of setting up for an even better next book!

Thank you so much to Carissa & Bramble for the ARC copy of The Songbird & the Heart of Stone!

“Ignite, Mische.” He was commanding me. He was begging me.
“Fall with me,” I whispered. Because I was oddly terrified to lose control—terrified to do it alone.
“I’d burn with you till the end of it all, Dawndrinker.”

Ok, this book delivers powerful intimacy wrapped in an immersive descent through the 5 Sanctums that a soul must travel between life to death. An impossibly dangerous quest, deadly trials, forced proximity, and the two damn easiest main characters to root for that ever existed!

I think we all fell in love with Mische in the opening duology of the Crowns of Nyaxia series. I envision her like the Peloton instructor, Olivia, nicknamed the glitter assassin. Mische is small, freckled, cheery, talkative, and loyal friend who is not afraid to thrown down and stab a man in the throat. This book dives deep into her past from her experience as a God’s chosen bride to her traumatic fall from his favor after being turned by a Shadowborn vampire.

Asar is the bastard son of the King of Shadowborn, forced to rule over the Descent as the Wraith Warden. A scarred master of death, he is the opposite of Mische in every way except one: they are both haunted by their pasts and feel undeserving of love.

Full disclosure: this book only has Mische’s POV, and has heaps of world building and backstory about the Gods and Goddesses. So there is a departure in a way from the human world (and the various Vampire courts) that readers know from the first duology. But this book will be crucial to setting up the next book which I anticipate will be action packed and more plot development. But in many ways, I flew through this book faster than Ashes simply because I was so drawn to Mische and Asar’s love story. It is haunting, healing, intimate, and beautiful. You can expect a slow burn build up with an incredible payoff, a gut wrenching cliffhanger, and an epilogue that will get you pumped for Book 2!

there is a lot to like about this book. I have been very excited for this release since I finished the second book in this series. I loved Mische and was so glad to get more of her back story and see her grow. I was intrigued by the premise of this story, so I went in with semi-high expectations.
Now, the story is great. I really liked this book. I will say, however, from the 25% to the 45% mark, it was hard to conceptualize the setting, which made the story drag a bit. Usually, I can have a clear picture of what’s going on in the story, but when I can’t, it’s hard for me to get through. But after that, I was really able to get into the story and it was so good. Definitely will be recommending this one!

I received an ARC for this book! Thank you to Carissa Broadbent, the publishing team, and netgalley for allowing me to read this masterpiece early.

If you have ever loved or been interested in Dante’s inferno and/or the levels of hell, then you will LOVE this.

Going along this journey with Mische as she grows into an amazing and STRONG woman was everything to me. Her story is so tragic, but this book was beautiful. We got so much more backstory on her time as a human, and why she tried so hard to stay connected to her religion after she turned.

Her journey with Asar to the underworld was incredible. The trials they had to face were so cool, and their romance was beautiful and patient.

I’m so obsessed with this book. I cannot wait until book 2, but unfortunately for me that is a long time from right now. After the insane ending of this book, I know book 2 is going to be INCREDIBLE!!!!

Carissa Broadbent just gave us a master-class in fantasy, and maybe even writing itself!

I was excited for this book as soon as I heard it was coming out, and it did not disappoint! The author was able to make Mische's story one that was all her own and showed us so many new layers to this world she has created and the gods that rule it. With every page I fell more and more in love with this world and showed us new elements that we have not yet seen.

Mische's story is one that caries so much heart and soul, and I know it will resonate with so many. Although we learn little glimpses of her past from previous books, the unveiling of her childhood and her forgotten memories is masterful and indulgent.

We meet Asar and his heart of stone and we have yet another perfect male main character from Carissa Broadbent. This man is the epitome of making the world a better place by just existing, and his interactions with Mische are top-tier slow-burn romance!

I can't wait for the next book in this series, but I will also wait as long as Carissa needs me to because I have complete faith in her writing and her process.

I’m a diehard Carissa Broadbent fan, she has a way with words that just tickles my brain, I get completely immersed on her stories and so invested in her characters that I feel their struggles as if they were my own.

When she announced the new duology would be centered on Mische and a mysterious new mmc I knew I needed this book injected on my veins asap. I was so intrigued by Mische as a protagonist cause previous books had hinted at her complicated past, but her personality was so at odds with everyone else’s in the Nyaxia world.

In “Songbird…” Mische proves to be fierce and strong and unravels into a one of a kind heroine after much needed insight into her character is given, specially into her relationship with her god Atroxus, imo one of the most interesting aspects of the book.

I also loved that her romance with Asar felt very different than the author’s previous pairs, idk how to explain it, but it does, they are two broken souls with heavy backstories filled with so much guilt. Both thinking they don’t deserve love, I was rooting for them so hard, still am. Theirs was at the end a very tender and precious love.

Also, the reveals and plot twists broke my heart and blindsided me time and time again, in a very quintessential Carissa way im not surprised by now, but that still amazes me. THAT CLIFFHANGER THO was criminal! Brutal! In true Carissa fashion, the prologues and epilogue were masterpieces, carefully crafted to hit you like a ton of bricks, I can’t wait for the next book.

The third installment of the “Crowns of Nyaxia” series “The Songbird & the Heart of Stone” is OUT TODAY and I cannot recommend it enough. I’m here just patiently waiting for Miss Carissa to ease my pain in the next one, knowing her she won’t but double her efforts jsjsjs

A thousand thank yous to Pan Macmillan, Tor/Bramble and NetGalley for the eARC copy I’ve never felt luckier in my whole life, appreciate it so so much.

Carissa Broadbent sweeps readers away and into another dark romantic tale about duty, honor, sacrifice, and, above all, finding that lost hope within yourself.

After the events of the previous series, we follow our favorite sunshine vampire, Mische, as she journeys into new mysterious terrain and finds herself venturing on a high-stakes quest, where the battle between her haunted past and the forbidden entangle in the present.

I absolutely ADORED Mische and Asar’s story about hope, loss, love, grief, and finding the strength to overcome your fears and inner demons. Their story made me smile, laugh, and swoon at the sweet, tender moments, and clutch my heart and root them on in moments of struggle and hardships. (Plus, Luce, our precious dog companion, just warmed my heart SO much!!)

I am dyinggggg, desperate for the next installment, and can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

A captivating continuation of the previous book, this gave me all the Persephone/Hades vibes. It was filled with so much adventure!

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone is the 3rd book in the Crowns of Nyaxia series and follows Mische, a woman who lost her home, her family, and the love of the sun god who she had devoted her life to when she was forcibly turned into a vampire, and Asar, a scarred exiled prince who needs Mische’s help on a journey to the underworld to resurrect the god of death.

I honestly loved this book even more than the first two books in the series, and that is because of how much I loved Mische’s character. She was one of my favourite side characters in the first two books of this series and I loved getting to know her better in this book and seeing a different side of her character. I also loved the connection she formed with Asar. However, I need the second book immediately after that ending. It’s truly the best books that leave you needing to know what happens next!

I can’t recommend this book enough and strongly recommend reading the first two books in the Crowns of Nyaxia series to have the best reading experience!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone is a continuation of the Crowns of Nyaxia series. Mische, one of the side characters in that series, takes center stage.

Mische is set to be executed for murdering the vampire that forcibly Turned her, but Asar has other plans for her.: he wants to journey into the underworld and resurrect that god of death, and Mische is to go with him to accomplish this task. Mische's beloved Sun God asks her to complete the mission but betray Asar and kill the god of death instead. Mische and Asar go through many trials and tests, but the one most alarming to Mische is her attraction to Asar.

I honestly had forgotten a lot of what happened in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, so jumping into this was tough. I was unable to finish it before the publish date, but many of the reviews I see are so positive that I want to revisit this at a later time (once I've reminded myself what happens in the previous books). My library has already purchased a copy of The Songbird and the Heart of Stone.

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!