This series is one of my favorite fantasy series, so I went into this one with high expectations. While I still loved the writing and the story, it fell a little flat for me. :(

Woohoo, the House of Shadow has entered the chat! I really love how Broadbent is handling the Crowns of Nyaxia series, how each duology gives you something fresh and exciting but builds upon a world and some characters you're already familiar with. I couldn't wait to go on a journey with Mische, and her surreal romp into the Descent with Asar did not disappoint.

I was super excited to read the third installment in this series. I was hooked right away, I couldn't wait to find out more from the series. I highly recommend this whole series!

Oh my goooooshhhhhh this is a fantastic series, and a fantastic book. I know the Crowns of Nyaxia series blew up on socials, but I hadn’t yet made it over to them until I received these galleys. I am SO glad I did. The series as a whole is great, and each book is excellent on its own.

I loved the world building Broadbent performed throughout the entire book, beginning to end. The creativity and the lyrical way she described the different areas of the descent was spellbinding. I can’t wait to look through fan art to see how others saw what she was describing.

I absolutely adored the main characters. Mische was already beloved by me from her appearance in the other books, but I loved her even more in this. Asar is the epitome of the brooding prince, and I can’t wait to see where the next book takes him and Mische together.

I already want to re-read, and can’t wait until the audiobook comes out as well.

Thank you to Carissa Broadbent and Tor Publishing for an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cover is beautiful, loved seeing Mische come into herself and how her voice and character grew in this book. Was pleased with the journey this book took me on and didn't see all the twists and turns coming. It kept me engaged and actively wanting to read every chance I got.

While previously a fan of the Nyaxia world, this book is a fantastic addition to the world of Nyaxia. While a departure from the characters of the previous books, the way that the author brings the readers into this new sphere is seamless and blends into the world as a whole. Can't wait for the world to continue to expand.

2.5 stars rounded up. This review breaks my heart to write, but I want to be honest: I LOVE The Serpent and the Wings of Night. That’s my book. I have three copies of it and refuse to part with any of them. The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King did not resonate with me as much, but it was still solid. Maybe it was because it was missing my favorite character; maybe there are other reasons—I don’t know!

Now we are at Book 3 in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, and I’m disappointed. I really enjoyed learning more about Mische’s religious trauma. Her constant struggle of loving the Sun god while being a creature of the night was engaging and helped shape her as a character. That aspect stood out to me over everything else and was the only area of interest for the first 50% of the book.

For the first half of the book, almost every interaction, battle, and setting felt repetitive. Repetition was rampant, and I had a hard time picturing the settings as they were described. In TSATWON, the world-building was beautiful and unique, with noticeable attention to detail, so I was surprised when I found myself drawing a blank while attempting to imagine our characters' journey.

The romance does not begin until the 50% mark as well. The marketing heavily emphasizes the romance, but it is all but nonexistent in the first half of the book. I’m not sure how I’m expected to care about the two main characters together if their growth isn’t there. Once we discover that they do find each other attractive, the story picks up. Sadly, for me, it was far too late. I never felt we learned enough about Asar, and his character struggled to grow in the repetitive environment of the story. Most chapters had a similar nature to their endings, either fading to black or concluding with a fall. At one point, I specifically had to go back because I thought I had fallen asleep while reading and was rereading the same passage, but it turned out to be a new encounter with extremely similar wording and the same characters.

Supporting characters were means to an end, excluding Luce, and didn’t add anything to the story. I neared the end of the book wondering if this was the conclusion of my journey in the Crowns of Nyaxia series. However, when I read the last line of the book, that pulled me right back in. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment because of this one bit of information. I’m hopeful that the next book will address the struggles this one seemed to have.

I will post the review on goodreads on November 26th.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this earc

Don’t get mad at me, but this book just didn’t hit the spot.
Everything about it was exactly what I love: Big scary guy who kills people but really is misunderstood and has a heart of gold (and a ghost dog). Female main lead with tragic past. A quest through underworld.
But somehow it just fell flat. The pace was incredibly slow and all the good moments got lost in pages and pages of nothing. I feel like we need more time between the main characters to really believe in their love. I also think the ending was very much rushed and you would need to read it twice to actually put together what happened.

I really hope, I’ll love the next one more

This is my favorite series ever. I loved this one so much just like I did the other two! So much comes at you that you can’t look away!

Everything Carissa has given us in this world has been truly incredible and I was worried jumping into it this book wouldn't meet the standards of the other two books set in the Nyaxia realm. While there were moments that I was confused, not really connecting with the characters, overall I absolutely loved this book and ate it up in one sitting.

Mische becoming my favourite in this book shocked me because I wasn't her biggest fan in the other books. And throw in a new player in this realm things are bound to get interesting. While I wish I cared more about Asar, I really loved their story so far and cannot wait for book 4!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

I am just speechless. Everyone who knows me knows I’m obsessed with this series and this book further cemented that. I loved seeing a different side of this world and getting to know my favorite girl, Mische, more. I also fear that I now love the MMC, Asar, more than Raihn🫣 I mean, how can you not love a broody grump with a skele-puppy🐶

Loved it from start to finish and now I’m DESPERATE for the next book in the series, because if Carissa knows how to do anything it’s make your heartache😭

Songbird felt so much darker than the previous books but it fit in perfectly as you make your way into the decent of the underworld and peel back the layers of these characters.

The most delicious slow burn and getting to know the gods of this world more was one of my favorite parts.

Clearly, I loved it and can’t wait to have my physical copy in my hands. November 19th can’t come soon enough💜

Thank you so much Tor Bramble for the ARC!

Thank you to Bramble for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel via NetGalley.

This is the third novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series and the start of a new duology within this world. Although you *could* read this without having first read the Nightborn duet, I wouldn't recommend it. The story follows Mische's journey after Ashes. She's been captured and then saved by Asar, the bastard prince of the House of Shadow. Mische and Asar then set off on a quest from Nyaxia to the underworld, facing trials, beasts, and the vengeful ghosts of their pasts. The underworld is inspired by Dante's Inferno which necessitated long description and explanations with each new circle of hell, and I struggled with all this continuous worldbuilding. I enjoyed the journey and the characters, and I appreciated Mische's character development.

Dear Carissa, we're fighting 😭

Ok but in all seriousness let me surprise absolutely no one in saying that this first book of the shadowborn duet (an addition to the Crowns of Nyaxia series) UNALIVED ME IN ALL THE BEST WAYS.

I am somehow more in love with this series, and with Mische and Asar, than I thought possible after Oraya and Rain. I have fallen head over heels for these two and how powerful their story already is.

This is the perfect fall read; vampires, necromancing, vengeful gods, an epic dark journey to the underworld??? Not to mention slow burn, tortured romance for the ages?? I can't recommend this hard enough.

If you loved the serpent and the wings of night, be ready for your obsession with this series to grow tenfold. If you haven't read the other books in the Crowns of Nyaxia yet, this is your SIIGGGNNNN, go right meow!! This series is an absolute must read for my spicy fantasy romance babes.

THAT CLIFFHANGER, the shock, the emotions, I will be forwarding Carissa all my therapy bills and counting down to the moment I can read more

My recommendation: pick this up immediately on November 19th and let it heal and destroy you.

I really wanted to love The Songbird and the Heart of Stone, but unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for me. The premise sounded magical, and there were definitely some beautiful moments, but overall, the pacing was slow and the characters didn’t resonate as much as I’d hoped. I know that I must be in the minority because this series was just amazing but this book in particular I struggled to get through.

This Serpant and the Wings of Night spinoff was perfect. Mische travels away from her friends, for their safety after killing the prince and heir to the House of Shadow. It does not take long for the House to track her down and drag her into their court as a prisoner, hoping to execute her as a celebration. The world is not done with Mische, however. The bastard Prince Asar needs her light past in order to revive a god.

The third installment of the Crowns of Nyxia series and a wonderful insight into Mische's story thus far. I was so excited to hear Mische's perspective, since she had such a different upbringing than our other main characters. Mische and Asar are strong in ways that are a further testament to the trauma they have overcome and it was so much fun watching them learn this about each other. I think I personally enjoyed their perspective even more than Raihn and Oraya in the first two books. The ending of this was so enthralling and I cannot wait to read the rest of this series. Very very interested to see how the rest of the plot will play out!

Beautifully written!! The emotion poured into this book was stunning and I honestly couldn’t get enough. The ending had me speechless! I’m so thankful for this early copy!

Miscue’s story is so fitting of what many people go through. It was so beautifully done and the ending tore me apart.

Speechless!! I was so excited to receive an early copy of this book! I loved getting back into the Crowns of Nyaxia world. The way Carissa writes her characters is full of emotional depth. They are flawed but so vulnerable. I feel like reading Mische and Asar's story healed a part of me. They are so complex as they each navigate their past. The journey takes place the underworld, and there are a lot of religious themes and darker elements, so check triggers. The plot was just so unique, and that ending had me in full body chills!!! 😩 I absolutely loved this book and that epilogue! I am so excited about what comes next!

"I just played the notes that sounded like you." 🥹🥹🥹

"A girl who can only love broken things, and a boy so broken he can only love what he cannot have."

“I’m patient,” he murmured. “A man can’t rush worship.”



•Forced proximity
•Grumpy x sunshine
•Slow burn
•Forbidden romance
•Meddling gods
•High stakes mission


Thank you Netgalley, Bramble and Tor Publishing Group for the eARC. All opinions are my own

Read This Book If…you love a long journey through Hell!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent

Genre: romantasy
Series: Crowns of Nyaxia # 3
Spice Level: 3/5🌶, 1-2 explicit scenes
Setting: fantasy world
POV: single, 1st person, past tense
Tropes: captor/captive, slow burn, blood play

My Thoughts:

I really liked Mische during the first books in the series and was so excited to get her story!

This feels completely different from the Nightborn Duet and the romance that it follows. I would still recommend reading the first books for the world-building, because this book throws you right into the story.

This was an excruciating slow burn, in the best way possible. We’ve got everyone’s favorite - a necromancing shadow daddy! This is definitely for all of the Dante’s Inferno fans!

I’m so excited to see what happens next in this duet!

Memorable Quote: “It hardens a heart to lose what you love most.”

Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!