This review really hurts. I’m a HUGE fan of Carissa Broadbent, I will stand by the fact that daughter of the world is the most incredible romantic epic fantasy series of all time, but this book was a big struggle for me. I really enjoyed serpent and ashes and was super excited to get Miches book but I could not tell you a single thing that happened in this book. I had such a hard time following what was going on. I couldn’t really picture the setting throughout the whole book And I just didn’t feel the emotional connection between the characters. I do think the saving grace is that I really enjoyed the ending and I feel like it’s prepping us for a really good fourth book in the Nyaxia series.

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone is a return to the world of Nyaxia following fan favourite, Mische. From the start, this book felt very different from Broadbent's previous works with a slower build and less banter between the FMC and love interest. There was a lot of new worldbuilding to tackle in the House of Shadow and god lore that created a pacing issue for me.

As the characters descend into an underworld inspired by Dante's circles of hell, there was this otherworldliness that was hard to visualize and imagine. The danger of the setting was used as a plot device to transition to Mische's flashbacks/dreams, but it became repetitive that she would get pulled into the darkness or knocked out constantly.

Mische tackles strong emotions regarding her devotion to Atroxus and comes to terms that she can be more than just a god's bride. The exploration and unveiling of her grief over lost loved ones was a highlight for me.

Asar, on the other hand, came across as lacking a personality from the start, which likely wouldn't have been the been the case if the book was dual POV. Once he began opening up after the 65% mark, I started to really root for him and Mische. I would've liked to know more about his future plans as the story progressed in order to balance Mische's backstory.

The final 25% of the novel is what I typically expect from a Carissa Broadbent book and made it a worthwhile read, even though the journey was long—like Mische and Asar's.

This series is so much fun. This author is such a great writer. She has created this world that feels so electrifying and real, I just eat it up. It’s so emotional and raw and just great. Of all the books in the series so far, this one felt the most emotional and real. It is simply beautiful how this world has come together, and the characters have taken off. I love how this book picked up where the last one ended. This book does start slower, but it seems intentional in a way that draws the reader in carefully and gets them rooting for the main character. The world building is great, and as I mentioned it feels real. I felt like I was right there next to the characters experiencing this book with them. It was a true delight.

If you’re looking for a book that will put your emotions through the ringer, but in the best possible way, then you need to check this one out.

Probably my favorite Carissa Broadbent book to date. Loved the vibes so much. Actually gave me similar vibes to The Mummy but with Vampires with the dark cursed cavern type setting and the saving the damsel from a death sentence for a dangerous task and falling for them. Immaculate!

2.5 stars. This one HURTS me. Carissa Broadbent is one of my favorite authors. The War of Lost Hearts series set a standard for fantasy that few have met. No matter what, I will always be her biggest fan. But this book struggled big time. Firstly, I didn't know who the MMC was. I never got a read on him before we are thrown into this Dante's Inferno-esque journey. So it was hard for me to root for them as a couple without having any attachment to him. And don't even get me started on the two other people who accompany on this journey. I kept forgetting they even existed. Secondly, I never could imagine in my mind what they were traveling through. Sometimes they were on a path going between layers of the underworld. Other times they were back in some kind of bedroom or house. I didn't understand the layout at all. And as someone who sees books as movies in my mind, it made it very difficult to be immersed in the story. Thirdly, Mische is knocked out about 17 times in this book. Every third chapter ended with some variation of "And then there was just darkness." I didn't care anymore after the 3rd time. All in all, this book was not enjoyable for me. I do think the ending is set up for a much better 4th book in this series.

Another Crowns of Nyaxia home run. This time, taking Mische's heartbreaking story, her childhood devotion and promised love of her god, Atroxus, who comes back to her only to use her. The characters are just as enjoyable as the first two books, and the world expands within this story.
While this is book 3 and deals with a different couple than the first two books, it's worth reading in order as there is information that helps to know.
Pairing our happy go lucky, jump feet first Mische with the seemingly dark and reserved Asar was done in such a way that their relationship doesn't feel ridiculous or forced.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I have so many thoughts and emotions!! Holy cliffhanger.

🌶️🌶️/5

synopsis
- Dante's inferno coded
- Compared to books one and two in this series, we are diving way further into the lore of the gods and Nyaxia herself.
- This story follows Mische who you meet in books one and two, and Asar, who is basically the Jon Snow of the House of Shadow
- They are sent on a mission to resurrect the god of death and must travel through the underworld in order to do so.

What I loved so much:
- it was incredibly emotional. you get deep dives into both characters trauma as they travel through the underworld and it made for a really natural path for the characters to take towards each other
- you can tell this is a really vulnerable book
- her storytelling is beautiful. this is a semi-complex world and the underworld itself has many layers and elements, but it never felt like info dumping.

What I didn't love:
- it was redundant at times, especially when Mische was talking about Asar and how she memorized his face. I feel like that was said 10 times

The Songbird & the Heart of Stone is the highly anticipated sequel to The Crowns of Nyaxia series by Carissa Broadbent and one of my most anticipated releases for 2024! This time we follow a new heroine, Mische, from the previous books in the series. I was instantly excited for this book from the glimpses we got of Mische previously. We meet Mische after being forced to turn into a vampire and sentenced to death for killing the vampire who turned her.

We follow Mische on a journey through the depths of the underworld alongside her new found broody companion, Asar. I thought the premise of this book was really unique for a fantasy book and found Mische's character development to be a total stand out! I felt like this book did fall a little flat for me in the pacing and world building. It took until about the halfway point to really feel any investment towards the story. I also found the world building hard to fully conceptualize. Despite the slow start to the romance, once it finally picked it up, their chemistry was strong. I did think this book did a great job setting up for the rest of Mische's story and I look forward to continuing the series. Unfortunately, this one just wasn't a favorite for me. Thank you so much for the ARC!

I read this entire series back to back when I was approved for this ARC and I can’t even begin to explain how much I ADORE this book and this series as a whole.

It is definitely my favourite of the series so far, and that’s saying something!

The world building keeps developing in such an amazing way, and there was never a boring moment.
This entire series is so unique I’ll never get enough.

BUT THAT ENDING 😩 I NEED THE NEXT ONE NOWWWW

A big thank you to NetGalley for the ARC 🤍

I loved this addition to the Crowns of Nyaxia series! Carissa picks us up and puts us right back into the world like we were never gone. I'm always nervous when the POV changes in a series, but I was delighted to view the story through Mish's eyes.

OMFG CARISSA!!!!! This was so beyond fantastic words do not even come close to describing it. I first off what to thank my favorite, Carissa Broadbent for this e-ARC. As someone who has been a fan since Daughter of No Worlds first released, nothing makes me happier than a new Carissa Broadbent book. It has been so long since I’ve gotten a new book, I feel like I was stranded in the desert, and I have just had my first sip of water in years.

The story starts off a couple months post the chaos at the end of Ashes and Mische is captured by the House of Shadow for the murder of the prince and Heir. Mische is faced with execution or help the Wraith Warden, Asar, with his mission from Nyaxia. This starts Mische on a journey that she can never come back from. Asar is tasked by Nyaxia to bring her husband, Alarus, the God of Death, back to life. Asar is a necromancer, and he has a unique connection to Alarus's underworld and is the only moral able to navigate it. The only kicker is that Atroxus hid all the parts to Alarus's soul with his own power and Asar needs an Atroxus's priestess to retrieve the parts of soul for the resurrection. Mische will change and transform into someone different than the person who we started with at the beginning of this book. Her journey through the underworld and her relationship with herself, Asar, and Atroxus makes for a nail-biting story.

I was so excited for Mische’s story to get some love. I always felt that she was underrated as a character and her human life before turning had the makings of a fantastic character arc to where we see her now. Initially as the book was starting and she was in a cell in the House of Shadow I was thinking to myself okay where this is going. But holy hell would I never be prepared for what I went through. Asar's task leads Mische, Elias, and Chandra into the underworld to collect the parts of Alarus. Mische is faced with many challenges throughout; she is on this trek, firstly, with Chandra who is an elderly priestess for Atroxus. It is hard for Mische to reconcile who she is now and who she used to be when she is around Chandra. Chandra makes Mische feel that she is not good enough for her god and she must do everything in her power to make him lover her again. Mische constantly needs to use her fire and light but the farther she gets down into the underworld the harder it is for her to find it inside her, this has forced her to use her shadow powers. Mische has a continuous inner struggle the entire novel where she is trying to accept who she is now versus who she used to be. Knowing that if she gives up the human Mische version that Atroxus will no longer love her. The theme of the novel very much follows the struggle with change and transformation. In Mische's eyes, her Turning ruined everything in her life and she is damned now. Mische was always taught that she must give give give and never take, that taking was selfish and sinful. Every time she takes, she always beats herself up and worries over what Atroxus will think. I feel like on this journey with Asar, Mische realizes she is more than her god and that there is nothing wrong with her, this is a very slow process. Learning about her childhood and the major events that she experienced on her fall from grace was heartbreaking. She gave up everything for Atroxus and his love was conditional and fleeting and super f*cked up. Even when Atroxus does the worst things she never realized that Atroxus's "love" was not what love was supposed to be like. I loved seeing Mische blossom into the person she was always meant to be, and the ending took me by surprise. This book was a CONSTANT rollercoaster of emotions, and I truly never knew what was going to happen next. I feel like I am going to have to reread the last 100 pages again as it went by so quickly and so much was going on I do not feel like I properly absorbed it all. I am on the edge of my seat for the next installment, and I cannot wait to see where she takes the rest of this series.

Honestly, this book was so full of such an amazing storyline it is hard for me to put it into words that are gracious enough to describe how I feel. Carissa's books have always made an impact on me and are ones that you never stop thinking about. They are profoundly emotional while the fantasy world building is beyond your wildest dreams. Many writers cannot replicate the reader connection to every set of characters she creates and how well developed they are as well. Even in her Novella, it was short, but man did you feel connected to Lilith's story. I feel that my reviews of my well-loved books are never as concise as I want them to be, but I feel the love for them makes the review more chaotic. Carissa Broadbent to me will be one of the greatest writers I have ever had the pleasure to read and is ALWAYS an automatic buy for me. This is truly one of her greatest works and when I think she cannot outdo herself she always does.

5 tear out my heart, yearning stars! An emotional slow-burn build of a story around themes of faith, love, devotion, and brokenness.

“This is the tale of how a chosen one falls.”

The story begins shortly after the events of Ashes, where Mische is captured by the House of Shadow to answer for murdering their prince. Due to her inconceivable ability to harness the magic of the sun, she is saved from death for a different purpose—to descend into the underworld with the feared Wraith Warden to awaken the god of death. As they venture deeper into the darkness of death—with Luce, the goodest ghostgirl in the entire world—Mische is haunted by her past and desperate to redeem herself to her sun god, Atroxus, whose powers extract a price from her every time she uses them.

Mische Iliae, sunshine incarnate with a heart of gold, bearing the scars of her past (and present), and a deep unrequited love for Atroxus. Her “flaws” (read: strengths) don’t lie in brutal strength or cunning, but in kindness and warmth. We grow to understand her through glimpses into her tragic past. Be prepared for an emotional journey of what it means to grapple with devotion and faith.

“It is an injustice, Mische, that this is what you got when you asked for love,” he murmured. “This isn’t what love should feel like.”

And Asar Voldari, Wraith Warden with an impeccable attention to detail (iykyk), an introverted cat of a man and necromancer dedicated to righting wrongs. As a sidenote—the scent of poppies dusted with frost is my new favorite description of a love interest’s scent.

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

TSatHoS had Carissa’s signature snark in the little moments that made the relationships all the more real. AND THAT ENDING!!!! No one is ready!! I have questions that need answering about Asar!!! While I impatiently wait for CoN4, I’m going to reread the first two books for the crumbs of Mische, now knowing everything we do about her history…

Thank you to Carissa Broadbent and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Through the first two books in this series I felt a strong attachment to Mische. Her story was everything I was hoping for. The guilt and shame she struggles with speaks to every woman who has grew up the "good girl" and had to fit the mold of what others needed her to be.

THAT ENDING THOUGHHHHHH. HOLY SHIT. This book was incredible, I loved Mische the second she was introduced in The Serpent & The Wings of Night and was so excited to read her story. You get to see the best and worst parts of Mische and her healing/punishment of killing a Shadowborn Prince. It was an amazing journey to the underworld, Mische and Asar were a perfect duo. Who doesn't love a good vampire grumpy x sunshine story? Now I can't believe I have to wait AGAIN for the next one

It’s both an enormous privilege and an enormous test of willpower to receive ARC copies of popular titles! Obviously, I was so excited to receive this copy months before publication. But on the other hand, I still had to diligently work through my review/reading order before getting to it, all while it glittered like the worst sort of temptation on my nightstand. Whining about having to be responsible and read it only 2 months in advance rather than 4 is quite something, isn’t it? Anyways, on to the actual, you know, review…

This is only tangentially related, but I do love fantasy authors who follow the trend of creating large fantasy worlds and then writing either stand-alones or shorter duologies all connected through this larger setting. In this way, you get the best of both worlds: incredibly detailed world-building, sprawling histories, and grand scale plot lines all while not having to commit to a huge, ongoing series that will leave you dangling for years on end before getting any sort of resolution. This is now the 4th book set in Broadbent’s Nyaxia world (I believe one is still slated to be released this coming spring, so I’ll review it then most likely), and it’s such a pleasure to return to a known entity with all of the greater insight this bestows. And for a book like this, that’s quite important. Not only are we following a character who was a significant side character in the previous duology, but the entire plot revolves around the ongoing conflict in the realm of the gods and the ways in which this pantheon is royally messed up.

Let’s start with the characters, as I always like to do. I very much enjoyed Mische in the previous duology, so I was excited that we were going to follow her story in the next series. That said, I did struggle a bit more to connect to her character than I have with other Broadbent leading ladies. However, this may simply be because Mische is very different than the other “touch as nails” warrior women that so often feature in the other books. Mische’s strengths are much more of the “soft” variety. She literally smiles in the face of danger; not because she’s reckless, but because a hard life has taught her the strength of disarming those more powerful than she is with cheer and optimism. But as the story progresses, the book dives deeper into her past and her relationship with the god she follows. There, we find the darker side of how this approach has developed. Through this storyline, the book tackles some deep themes of abusive cycles, self-defense, and, essentially, large scale gaslighting. It’s tough stuff, and I appreciated the very real conflict Mische feels when confronting the contradictions in her life. There are no easy answers and years of conditioning are not easily thrown off.

While it took a bit to truly understand and appreciate Mische’s character (though now I love her just as dearly as all of the other fantastic heroines in this world!), I immediately loved the romantic interest. I definitely have a type, and it’s the strong, silent, bookish, and too bound up in the rules brooder. Asar was all of this and more! Literally, no notes on him, he was just perfect. I also really enjoyed the grumpy/sunshine relationship between him and Mische. Too often I’ve read versions of this relationship where the “grumpy” one is just a jerk and the “sunshine” one is just an idiot. Neither is true here. Instead, we simply have differences in temperament, but still two characters who share passion, drive, and a growing respect for one another.

As for the plot itself, I really enjoyed this one! It’s essentially a quest storyline, with Mische, Asar, and a few other companions making their way through the depths of the underworld. There’s plenty of action and danger throughout, with each new level uncovering new terrors and deeper traumas that must be explored. I also appreciated the timeline here. This is no quick mission. The story takes place over weeks and even months, I believe. Not only does this make the entire thing feel more plausible and lived, it also lends much needed believability to the growing relationship between our characters. No instalove here! Indeed, it takes several weeks for them to even like one another.

I will say, however, that like “The Serpent and the Wings of Night” before it, this one does end on a massive cliffhanger. It’s gutting! So readers who want a resolved storyline may want to wait for the next book to come out. But, of course, there is no way in heck that I had the type of self-control to hold out for that! We’ve already been over my struggles to wait only a few short months…Either way, fans of Carissa Broadbent are sure to enjoy this latest entry and general romantasy fans should definitely give it a go!

Rating 9: Carissa Broadbent is one of the strongest romantasy authors writing today, and this book highlights once again the true highs the genre can reach!

Review will go live on The Library Ladies blog on Nov. 20

Um, that ending?! Songbird follows our sweet, bubbly Mische into hell... literally. I went into this one completely blind and found the descent into the underworld was so fun. Things start off eery but grow very bizarre, and sometimes it did feel a touch too Alice in Wonderland for my tastes but it was still so unique to experience, and there was action peppered very regularly to keep the momentum up. The book is broken into parts based on each level of the descent too and I loved that! A few things such as Mische's constant guilt did start to feel a touch repetitive, but that could be smoothed out in the final version. The romance is mostly forbidden romance, and their attraction grows as the journey continues. It was honestly so refreshing to read a romantasy where the couple aren't immediately attracted to each other. The spice level was perfect too, it takes quite a while to get there and even then, though it's emotional and impactful, it never overpowers the plot. And oh my gosh I was not expecting THAT ending. It left me so excited for the next book!

If Carissa writes it, I read it, thankyou so much netgalley and tor for the next book in the Crowns of Nyaxia series although I now need serious therapy (like I didn't before lol) . I've been desperate for Mische to have her own book because I was so eager to delve deeper into her story. In contrast to the first two books, this one takes on a darker tone as it explores themes of religion versus nature, grief, life after death, and lost souls.
Mische and Asar are characters brimming with vulnerability, pain, and hope. It was an emotionally charged journey through the darkness of the underworld, but amidst it all, Mische served as our guiding light. She's a resilient and fiercely brave character, despite her belief that she's broken. The epilogue ripped my heart out and I stared at a wall for a few hours after finishing, deeply moving and thought provoking this is Broadbents best yet!

The fact that this is going to be a duology infuriates me. There was no need for that - half of the journey could have been cut out in favor of more character/relationship development. While I appreciate the (possible?) nod to Greek myths and journeys to the underworld (not just hades and Persephone), I am absolutely baffled by the need for this cliffhanger.

This my honest review for a free advance reader copy - I adore this book, the couple, and of course the author. She has consistently proven to write complex characters and incredible storylines. Reading this was such beautifully painful experience. Without giving too much away, rhe ending set stage for a wilder adventure . I can’t wait to read the next one!

Easily one of my favorite books of the year. Everything Carissa writes is pure gold, and this is no different. I loved that we got new POVs and story lines this book but how it still blended the overarching storyline together. I’m sad it’s over but am already rabid for the next book.