Slaying the Vampire Conqueror

Crowns of Nyaxia #2.5

by Carissa Broadbent

She was commanded to kill him with a single strike to the heart. She didn’t expect her own to betray her.

Sylina has sacrificed everything for her goddess–her soul, her freedom, her eyes. Life in service to the Arachessen, a cult of the Goddess of Fate, has turned Sylina from orphaned street-rat to disciplined killer, determined to overthrow Glaea’s tyrannical king. But when a brutal vampire conqueror arrives on their shores, Sylina faces an even deadlier adversary. She’s tasked with a crucial mission: infiltrate his army, earn his trust… and kill him.

Atrius is a terrifying warrior carving an unstoppable path through Glaea. Yet when Sylina becomes his seer, she glimpses a dark and shocking past–and a side of him that reminds her far too much of parts of herself she’d rather forget. Sylina’s orders are clear. The conqueror cannot live. But as the blood spilled by Glaea’s tyrant king runs thicker, her connection with Atrius only grows stronger. A connection forbidden by her vows. A connection that could cost her everything.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Vampires, Fantasy Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Paranormal

356 pages, Hardcover

First published April 27, 2023

About the author

I've been concerning teachers and parents with mercilessly grim tales since I was roughly nine years old. Since then, my stories have gotten (slightly) less depressing and (hopefully a lot?) more readable. Today, I write fantasy novels with a heaping dose of badass ladies and a big pinch of romance.

When I'm not writing, I'm working at my day job in cybersecurity marketing, watching too many movies, or drawing. I live with my fiance, one very well behaved rabbit, one very poorly behaved rabbit, and one perpetually skeptical cat in Rhode Island.

Reviews

[SK (Back for good this time? We'll see) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Because touching Atrius was like immersing myself in every forbidden pleasure at once."

Plot- 4.5/5 🌟
Spice- 3/5🌶️

Oh my word. That was absolutely wild, intense and one worth reading. Carissa Broadbent is making her way to being one of my favourite authors. Read if you like The Bridge Kingdom and FBAA

Crowns of Nyaxia has been a five star read for me so far, and this book maintains it as one of my favourite series.

✔️ Forbidden romance
✔️ Enemies to lovers
✔️ Slow burn
✔️ Morally grey MMC x Badass FMC
✔️ She's sent to kill him

The book follows the FMC, Sylina who has sacrificed her life, her freedom and her eyes for the Arachessen (think of it as the Black Widows, only cultish). When she sees the MMC, Atrius, a vampire conqueror in action; she finds herself in a complex situation- to earn his trust and kill him.

Sylina and Atrius complement each other so well, I can't imagine them without the other. Their romance is one that burns slow but strong. Both of them are not the type to talk about their feelings, emotions outright but the way they expressed themselves in few words was chef's kiss 🤌 Both are warriors and yet you see their softer sides being brought to light in such delicate ways. Atrius is not a character you love immediately, like their romance, his character builds and grew on me slowly. He's no Vale, but I'll take him. Definitely one who is perfect for an assassin FMC.

The plot is heavy on the action, which I appreciated. I need my romantasy books to focus on the bigger picture as well and this one did so brilliantly. The pacing feels a bit slower than the rest of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, but there was never a dull moment.

I cannot wait to see what Atrius and Sylina have to offer in the Nyaxia world. So excited to see them.

~•~•~

Set in the Crowns of Nyaxia world? Forbidden romance? Mortal enemies to monster lover? Morally grey MMC? Badass FMC? For fans of the Bridge kingdom and FBAA? Can be read as standalone? Damn I'm gonna eat this up. At this rate I'll read anything and everything by Carissa Broadbent.

But NGL the vamp on the cover scares me 😂

[Esta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lately, I’ve been trying to figure out what makes some romantasy books hit all the right notes while others are just… fine. And then, I came across Brandon Sanderson dropping the perfect analogy: writers can either be chefs or cooks.

Chefs, as opposed to formulaic cooks, know why certain flavours work together, how to balance the spice, and when to throw in something to elevate the dish.

Carissa Broadbent is undoubtedly a chef. This is the 5th book I’ve read of hers, and can attest that she uses classic tropes like enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, Beauty & the Beast monster vibes and understands why they work, where to push boundaries, create layered compelling characters and how to build tension.

Take our FMC Sylina, for example. Sylina is a fighter. A survivor. She’s spent years trying to suffocate the parts of herself that don’t align with her faith, but devotion is a double-edged blade, and her cult isn’t quite the forgiving type. They won’t hesitate to chop you into tiny pieces if you break your vows. It makes for quite the dynamic when she’s sent to infiltrate a cursed vampire warlord’s army.

And Atrius, said cursed vampire warlord with big black horns, yep he’s horny 😏! But he’s less terrifying predator and more tragic cinnamon roll who just wants a hug but is too busy and too focused on the task at hand to ask for one.

And this is where Broadbent’s storytelling truly shines because what makes this book hit isn’t just the romance or the intrigue. She adds profound themes such as whether devotion is strength or a cage, whether fate is a force or a shackle. And it does it all while serving up a slow-burn romance with tragic backstories, women who are done playing by the rules, well portrayed differently-abled representation (Sylina has blindness but can still see using other means) and a story that cuts deep.

The re-release of this edition couldn’t have come at a better time, bridging the gap between The Songbird & the Heart of Stone and The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk, with the bonus Septimus chapter. Although you can technically read this as a standalone, or at any point in time in the Crowns of Nyaxia series. Highly recommend picking up this edition of Laying Slaying the Vampire Conqueror, especially if The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk is on your radar.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

1. The Serpent and the Wings of Night ★★★★★
2. Six Scorched Roses ★★★★☆
3. The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King ★★★★★
4. The Songbird & the Heart of Stone ★★★★★
5. Slaying the Vampire Conqueror ★★★★☆
6. The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk ★★★★★

♦️♦️♦️

Me: "I should be responsible and read what I already have."
Bramble: "Bonus Septimus epilogue."
Me: "Responsibility is a construct."

[jasmine •｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⤷Carissa Broadbent is lowkey becoming a new favorite author of mine 🙂‍↕️❤️ I loveee the forbidden romance and Sylina's secret mission to kill Atrius - the stress is definitely part of the fun 🫣 The extension to the Crown of Nyaxia world is amazing, but can definitely be read as a standalone!! The characters are well fleshed out and their love for each other is so deep/tender and filled with mutual trust 🫶🏼 I love the mix between Sylina's sense of duty and Atrius just being soft at heart (even if that's not the expected) :') The story and romance progression was definitely more slow, but I enjoyed a calmer book for a change - the ending definitely picked up though!!

[And then he whispered, his fingertips trailing through the whorls of my hair, "I love you, seer."
My eyes closed.
Strange, how being so exposed can make a soul feel so very safe.]

[Ri ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“How could the man who was about to kill me feel so comforting? Why did I want to press his threads to my soul, deep enough I’d take their memory with me when I went?”

A human assasin sent to kill the vampire conqueror but instead of killing him she fell in love with him? This is how the greatest love stories start.

This book is a standalone set in the same of world of Nyaxia series. The story is about Sylina, an Arachessen sister, an assasin. She is sent on a mission to kill the vampire conqueror of their country. She became his precious seer, earned his trust, but also fell for the mysterious and dangerous vampire, Atrius. Now, she's left with two options — follow her plan or follow her heart?

“You have no idea the things I’ve seen. The things I’ve done. I’m a killer too, Atrius. Don’t underestimate me.”

The world of the Nyaxia series is dark, twisted, and complex. I absolutely loved to explore it with different characters and series. I am impressed by Carissa's thoroughness with this book because the world building was done so well considering it's only a standalone.

It's a romantasy filled with action sequences that will keep you hooked and on edge. The romance is not the main plot but it's quiet and beautiful in an inexplicable way. This was also a slow-burn but the tension build-up was chef's kiss. The plot is predictable and heavy on action but you will have a ride with this book to the very end.

“You shouldn’t be here.” This time he spoke against my mouth—not quite a kiss, but the promise of one.
I whispered, “Why?”
“Because you make me ravenous.”
You make me ravenous.

➸ Sylina

I'll always have a special place in my heart for fmc written by Carissa. They are not only strong, independent, intelligent and revengeful women but there is vulnerable quality to their nature and they have sympathy for people and that makes them more real and I love how they use that as their strength. Sylina had suffered a lot in her past, she's trying to leave it behind with a new name and new motive. She wants to prove her worth to the Arachessen so, she didn't hesitated when she was presented with an opportunity to kill Atrius. She has a complicated past and with that comes a very complex personality so it takes some time to understand her and her life choices. I don't blame her for the choices she made because they were all understandable and she tried to make the best of those choices even if those choices were for her survival. I wish I could give her a hug 🥺🫂

“Because touching Atrius was like immersing myself in every forbidden pleasure at once.”

➸ Atrius

Atrius's character was even more complicated and complex than Sylina. He had carefully cultivates an image of himself as this ruthless and dangerous conqueror but behind all that he's just a soft-hearted man and, maybe only for Sylina and his people but it was apparent how much he cared for the people he loves. He keeps all the love he has hidden behind the merciless aura. He may not know how to speak out loud the words of affirmation but his actions speaks louder. He fought hard for his people to provide them a new home, he fought hard for Sylina and time and time again he proved he's not just a ruthless vampire conqueror as people thinks him to be.

“It matters,” he murmured. Two words that could mean nothing—should mean nothing. It felt like they meant everything.

╰┈➤ Atrius and Sylina

You ever heard about the quiet love stories? Atrius and Sylina had exactly that. They don't talk much to each other about their pasts because of what they both had endured in their lives. They both have scars from their past and they both carry it because they feel responsible for their people. The way they both slowly and steadily opened up to each other, earned each other's trust and the nuanced ways they both broke down the barriers they had guided their hearts with. It was simply beautiful. They fought and made strategies for wars together and protected each other with their lives and that was just so hot. They both are not the talkative type but the way they about their pain, guilt and trauma without making the other feel voilated was so precious. They complemented each other so well.

“I live in dark stories. And I’ve been living in yours for nearly four months. If you’re going to invite me in, invite me.” I pushed against his chest, hard. “I already see you, Atrius. I’m not afraid.”

The ending was perfect. The last ten chapters had kept me on the edge of my seat and I saw the plot twist coming but Carissa never fails to surprise me because the execution of it was done so well. Carissa promised to give us more of Sylina and Atrius in the next books of Nyaxia series and I can't wait to see what roles they are going to play next time!


————————

Hopefully this will get me out of my fantasy books slump 🥲🤞🏻 i trust carissa with my life atp so pls pls dont disappoint me

[Lucie V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

✅ Strong female MC
✅ Hate to love / Enemies to lovers (because I am picky and NO, they are not the same)
✅ Vampires
✅ Set in the world of Crowns of Nyaxia
✅ Pace
✅ Plot
✅ Writing and world-building
✅ Betrayal / Some twists
✅ Gorgeous cover
✅ Sexual tension and some smut
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: blood, deaths (death of children too), drug use, and voluntary loss of sight

**While this is set in the same world as the Crowns of Nyaxia duology, it can easily be read as a standalone, but reading the Crowns of Nyaxia before will give more insight into the world-building. 🙂

_______________________

Second read/listen: I am still in love with this series and this world, and I can’t wait to read the third book now that my re-read of the series is completed!

_______________________


Strong 4.5 stars

As a member of the Arachessen, Sylina must obey the Sightmother and her Goddess. When she is tasked by her Goddess to infiltrate the Bloodborn army that just arrived on their shores to conquer their lands, Sylina is more than happy to find the warlord Atrius and end him, but the more time she spends studying him and his army, the more she comes to realize that there is more to them than a bunch of brutes out for blood, and she even comes to doubt the rightfulness of her Sightmother’s orders.

“Just wondering if you’re smart enough to know the value of things that can’t be quantified. Like the value of the offer I made you.”
“I don’t think it was an offer. Offers can be accepted or rejected.”
“You can reject it.”
“But you’ll kill me after.”
He didn���t say anything. Just gave me a grim little half-smile.

The plot is simple, and overall mostly predictable, but not less enjoyable or addictive for it. There are also a few twists near the end that were unexpected, but I have to admit that I was not that shocked by the revelations in the last part of the book. Still, once I started this book, it was hard to put it down, and very, very easy to fall into the “one last chapter” trap. There is action because Atrius’ army is set on conquering the lands ruled by the King and his warlords, which means fighting and invading cities, and it is well-paced, well-written, and highly engaging.

Close your eyes, child, and you will see an entire world.
Contrary to what people thought, we were not blind. The threads of life that ran through our world, and our mastery over them, told us everything we needed to know. Everything and more.

Sylina is an Arachessen who was trained from a very young age to be an efficient, obedient, and ruthless killer in the name of her Goddess. She is a badass, obviously, but she also has strong emotions that she keeps hidden inside and a strong sense of justice. She remains kind despite the violent life she leads, and I love the mix of violent efficiency and generosity in her. She is also smart, manipulative, and rational, taking the time to think before she acts and she does not let her hormones drive her, despite the obvious physical attraction that slowly develops between Atrius and her as the story progresses, and that really makes her feel like the grown-up she is, which I adored. I always find it disappointing when a main character is said to be in his late 20s or 30s even, but still acts like a hormone-driven teenager. Sylina is driven and determined to accomplish her mission, and she does it using her brain.

Sylina is physically blind, in the sense that she can’t see with her eyes, but she traded them for the ability to see the world through threads, and that was fascinating. She can see just as well as anyone else, but she also can feel the thread of people nearby, hidden things, unliving things, and she can even feel some emotions. The author did a great job at explaining how she interprets everything, and I also liked the seering parts. They were mysterious, without being too long or too obvious in their foreshadowing.

“Well,” Erekkus said, “he’s like a cat. He doesn’t have friends. He just tolerates your presence.”

Atrius is Septimus’ cousin, from the House of Blood, and if you read the Crowns of Nyaxia duology before this book, you will recognize his story as one Septimus tells Oraya in the second book. He shows a hard, and almost insensitive façade to everyone, being what you usually expect from a cruel, violent conqueror, but as Sylina spends more time in his camp, she comes to realize that he is none of that. He is battle-hardened and does not show mercy to his enemies, but he does not want to kill pointlessly and massacre innocent civilians. He does care and he does have a plan and a goal other than just killing and conquering. He’s grumpy with a soft heart hidden underneath all his armor and frowns, and he reminded me a little bit of Max from the author’s other series in that aspect.

I like that Atrius was always respectful towards Sylina, and never belittled her or treated her like she was inferior to him because she didn’t have the use of her eyes anymore. He knew from the start what the Arachessen were capable of, and always knew that Sylina was as far from a helpless blind woman as can be. He also let her be autonomous in the camp and while he made sure she had protection, he also knew that she was able to take care of herself.

"You shouldn’t be here.”
This time he spoke against my mouth— not quite a kiss, but the promise of one. I whispered,
“Why?”
“Because you make me ravenous.”

The romance in this book is a hate-to-love, but it is believable, with a slow burn and great, logical development. Sylina hates Atrius because he is a vampire conqueror, but she does not have anything against him personally (besides the fact that one of her sisters died in one of Atrius’ attacks), they are just meant to be enemies, and because of that she despises him. Atrius is also wary of Sylina because he knows she probably hates him and as a human living on the land he is conquering, she is his enemy.

It was great to see their distrust and unease that was based mostly on their status and species slowly turn into shacky alliance and partnership out of need, and also because they learned more about each other and realized that their despise for each other was mostly based on prejudices.

Even though the story overall is less elaborate than Broadbent’s other series, seeing as it is meant to be able to be read as a standalone, the writing remains amazing, with relatable and layered characters, action, an addictive pace, and a gorgeous world-building. As always, her characters are compelling and relatable, and she has such a way of detailing their motivations, fears, and flaws, that it is very easy to understand them and their goals, even if we do not always agree with their way of doing things. If you are a fan of Carissa Broadbent’s writing and you enjoyed her previous work, you will love this book too for sure!


1. The Serpent and the Wings of Night ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
1.5 Six Scorched Roses ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
2. The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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[thaís · Rating 4 out of 5]

atrius is so miserable and hot… just my kind of man i’m afraid

[Laura Greenhalgh · Rating 4 out of 5]

i LOVED this, i really enjoy Carissa Broadbent's writing, i love this world and i loved the cult vibes with the concept of the arachessen and i found their existence/magic system super intriguing. i loved sylina and atrius together and i really enjoyed their journey and it was such a good slow burn! i also thought there was a great plot to romance balance.

[Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] · Rating 3 out of 5]

⤅ 2.5 stars, rounded up for good prose. But I reckon this book was written pretty hastily, and it shows.

This is a standalone set in Broadbent's popular Crowns of Nyaxia world, and I was initially pretty intrigued. Enemies-to-lovers with an assassin heroine? A morally grey hero? Yes please.

As so often happens, however, the book didn't quite deliver.

25-year-old Sylina is an Arachessen, a devotee of Acaeja, goddess of fate. Long ago she - like her fellow Arachessen - gave her eyes to Acaeja's service, and now she wears a blindfold symbolising her loss of sight. But not having eyes doesn't mean she can't see. Using Acaeja's magic, the Arachessen are still able to perfectly navigate the world around them, and even gain a vision boost - they can now 'see' things with their inner eyes like souls and emotions, not just people.

⤅ Problem #1: There's a ginormous worldbuilding hole here, because this ability is never properly explained. Apparently, Sylina 'sees' via things called Threads. At one point, she says that living beings have more Threads than nonliving things, so she struggled to 'see' through a cliff vs easily sensing a person's appearance. But... in that case, how is she able to navigate the world so perfectly that she even avoids potholes on the path? Potholes aren't alive either. I'm sorry, but if you're going to make your heroine blind, you have to make her blind. There isn't a single thing Sylina can't see, down to colours and facial expressions, and it's not explained how seeing via Threads is different to seeing in real life.

Moving on: her continent Glaea is suddenly invaded by vampire soldiers, led by centuries-old Atrius. Sylina's friend Raeth is killed in the first attack, so she's more than happy to accept a mission to become Atrius's pet seer and find an opportunity to assassinate him. She murders his present Seer - as she blithely tells us, Acaeja teaches her acolytes that what is Right by fate's law means more than moral right or wrong - and inserts herself into his camp. Concerned that he'll be killing innocent citizens during his invasion, she does her best to misdirect him.

⤅ Problem #2: Sylina's character has no consistency. First we see her killing an objectively innocent woman, and then five seconds later she's expressing an interest in the safety of innocent villagers? To be clear, I have zero objections to an antiheroine who kills people for her own advancement. In fact, I welcome it. It's the illogic I object to; either you accept that what's Right by Acaeja's standards isn't equivalent to moral rightness, so you're fine with anyone being killed because 'that's fate', or you prize everyone's innocence equally. Sylina's self-aggrandising interest in keeping randomers safe from the vampires was SO unconvincing for the rest of the book, because I just kept remembering that murdered seer. It's not like she even underwent an attitude transformation and realised she'd been wrong before, or decides that the seer's death is needed for the greater good; in fact, she literally never thinks about the seer again. It was less hypocrisy and more like the author hadn't invested any time in developing a believable character arc for Sylina.

⤅ Problem #3: Speaking of believable character arcs, IMO Sylina transitions too easily from hating Atrius to being on his side. To be fair, I almost always think this when it comes to 'heroine wants revenge against the hero' plots. After the first few chapters she never even thinks about her dead friend ever again - another huge oversight on the author's part.

⤅ Problem #4: Atrius is NOT morally grey. He is unquestionably a good guy. We NEVER see him killing anyone who isn't actively an evil guy. He doesn't believe in killing civilians. FFS, he won't even let his vampires drink human blood!!! Sylina was more morally grey than him, and that's just because of her murdering his seer at the start of the book with zero awareness that it conflicts with her 'save all the innocents' persona.

⤅ Problem #5: There is no chemistry between them. Sorry, but I never felt their attraction to each other. The connection between Raihn and Oraya (from the author's other series) actually was sizzling and believable; here, I can't pinpoint anything they really love about each other. Even though this is technically a slow-burn, because they don't kiss until after the halfway mark, the speed with which they then come to care for each other feels ridiculously fast-paced.

Ultimately, this concludes with a hasty HFN, because it's a standalone within a series and the characters will be returning later. Understandably the author won't want to give an epilogue set too far forward, but this does leave one feeling unsatisfied.

[rae ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙢. 𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧, 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙙.”

𝘚𝘺𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘳, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘦𝘭, 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘷𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯.

𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣. 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨? 𝙃𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙤, 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣, 𝙚𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙗𝙚𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣.

Atrius was known as a terrible, cruel, evil conqueror who wanted to kill everyone, but as time went by, he was actually not like that. He's not so grumpy and has such a soft heart. He experienced something very sad and painful, but with great faith and courage, he did everything to save and protect his people. He's surprisingly very considerate and respectful; I love him so much-
Raihn and Vale at me rn:



𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨, 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙.

Sylina is a complicated character, to say the least. The sense of loss that she experienced somehow makes me feel it too. Maybe some people will comment on the life choices she's made, but with everything she's been through, I can totally understand that. But whatever it is, I'm so amazed by how she loves and cares for the people she loves, even those she doesn't know. I love how she's such a baddass, smart, and always thinks rationally. I really admire her for that.

𝙄 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙨𝙤 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣.

The plot of the story is honestly very predictable, but I love how Carissa brings the story to life; the slow burn is perfect, and I really enjoy the pace. There's so much action that I didn't expect to really enjoy it. It makes me both curious and tense to know what will happen next. Miss Carissa has made another masterpiece. I hope she will make a special book for Erekkus🥹

𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙄 𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙩𝙤.

5⭐
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yes I'm finally doing this


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the fact that I'm reading 3 books at the moment and this is coming out tomorrow is a crime🗡️

[Ali L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sylina is blind but doesn’t let that stop her from seeing everything all the time. Atrius is a colonizing vampire conqueror (vampire who is a conqueror, not person who is conquering vampires, although he kind of does that too). Can these two crazy kids make it work? Also she’s supposed to be murdering him but he’s, like, a really good boss and he’s kind of sickly. And hot. And he has horns. The boy vampires of the Nyaxia universe are thirsty fellas who are great with their mouths and this is no exception: Atrius really goes to town, and we love this for Sylina. She’s got it pretty rough so at least she’s getting something (vampire-conquered) out of it. Battling gods! Giant flying lizards! Erekkus, my sweet baby angel boy! Blood magic! I’m also helpless against the trope “I was on a mission to kill you but oops our hands brushed” like I cannot get enough of it bottle it up and sell it to me.

[kenzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

★ . . . 3.5 stars !

[Courtney ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“‘You shouldn’t be here.’
This time he spoke against my mouth–not quite a kiss, but the promise of one.
I whispered, ‘Why?’
‘Because you make me ravenous.’”

☆Quick Summ:
Carissa Broadbent brings us back to the world of the Crowns of Nyaxia, following the House of Blood’s castaway vamps as they make their move to conquer the human kingdom of Glaea. Unfortunately for Atrius, the hot vamp leader, the Arachessen (a human cult that serves the goddess Acaeja, that trains their female warriors in the threads of magic in the world…and removes their eyesight) have sent their assassin Sylina (felt a lil familiar…TOG anyone??) to stop the vampire conqueror. What follows threatens everything Sylina was trained to believe…bc what happens when the one she was sent to kill…becomes something more?

☆My Thoughts:
Guys I came here for a spicy vamp read, and I should have known better than to gravitate towards Carissa Broadbent. Silly me!! This ended up being like a very very high 3 stars, rounded up to 4.

For one, this leaned way more towards the fantasy than the romance, which is a common theme in her books that I normally LOVE. She has this impeccable ability to create such complex, magical fantasy worlds, and I truly enjoyed how she expanded upon the Nyaxia universe.

But.

The romance could have been developed a bit more for my taste. The chemistry didn’t sizzle as much as I’d hoped, and though I did get 2 spicy scenes, we didn’t get even kiss or a *hint* of romance til about 50% of the way through. Which is fine! But I came here for SPICE and I wanted to be knocked over the head with it lol. 😅

The story was great, tho a bit predictable. Sylina was SUCH an interesting FMC, and I felt she was so thoroughly developed. Broadbent created layers upon layers to this character and I honestly can’t wait to see where she takes these two in future books!! And that end conflict…WOW my insides were churning!!

We are given a teeny bit of goddess history with Nyaxia and now I NEED a gods/goddess prequel! I’m not in the know with this series so somebody plz tell me if it’s a thing or not!

Unrelated but there was a Beauty and the Beast easter egg reference which was v fitting for the story, and made me completely GASP as it’s my fav Disney movie:

“She led me to the roof of the Salt Keep, over the west wing, an area that I had never been allowed.”

LIKE OKAY, if that’s not a direct reference idk what is!!!! 🤭

☆One Last Quote From My Vampy Conqueror:
“‘I cannot kill you because I know you, Vivi. I know every moment you lied to me, because I know every moment you told the truth. I know your truth. I can’t ignore it. Even though it would be far easier if I could.’”

[*•MJ•* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atrius & Vivi were perfect 🩸❤️

•We had challenges ahead of us, I knew. A kingdom that would not want to accept us. A human populace struggling with poverty & drug addiction & decades’ worth of oppression. A Bloodborn populace still struggling with an ancient curse. A vampire society that might one day decide to interfere with ours. Gods who may grow displeased at a kingdom led by a vampire & a human. But for the first time in my life, I was not afraid. I was at peace with the past, the present, and the future• 🖤

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.0) The Serpent and the Wings of Night ★★★★
1.5) Six Scorched Roses ★★★★
2) The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King ★★★★

i have been loving this series so very much, and after finishing the ashes & the star-cursed king i immediately wanted more, therefore i picked this up also assuming it would be a banger like the rest of this series. oh friends, i am experiencing heartbreak as i type this mini review.

i believe that this in-between story, set in this world at a different time period, was to help us learn more about the goddesses, in particular nyaxia and her cousin arachessen. yet, that’s all it really did for me because i just could not get into this story, these characters, their romance, their dynamics with other characters, or anything really. this was ultimately just such a let down for me, but i will still be picking up the songbird & the heart of stone come fall!

content warnings mentioned in author’s note at beginning of this book: violence, war, drug addiction. Violence against children, explicit sexual situations

additional trigger + content warnings i wrote down while reading: loss of a loved one, loss of a friend, cult depiction, colonization, drowning, grief, murder, death, a lot of blood depictions, captivity, body control powers, drugging, talk of the subject of rape, power imbalance dynamics / child abuse, slavery mention, extreme drug withdrawal, talk of animal death, graphic detailed mentions of eating animals

blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon

♡ Daughter of No Worlds ★★★

[Crystal's Bookish Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/5 stars, this is excellent fantasy romance!

Set in the world of the Crowns of Nyaxia, Sylina is an acolyte of the Goddess Acaeja and tasked with the assassination of Atrius, the new and powerful Vampire Conqueror with a haunted past.

I absolutely LOVED this book. It is rich in plot and characterization, with some twists and lots of morally grey decisions to be made.

I think this is fantasy romamce at its best because of how our couple is thrown together, forced to work together, while both keeping secrets, and gradually developing mutual respect, friendship, and then ultimately love.

This hero is a favorite of mine. Cold and stoic, but with an honorable heart and a tragic past. He sees the best in Sylina and is the type of man who shows his love in subtle ways that are all the more powerful because of how rare they are.

Their romance was perfect to me, I loved seeing a different part of this world, and I loved all the characters.

Highly, HIGHLY recommend.

I received an ARC for review

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 2.5 Stars ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

I’m so disappointed, I really struggled with this. It seems to be really hit or miss with me when it comes to Carissa. To me this read so slow , similar in pacing to DONW and I tried twice with that book and just couldn’t do it.

I never really connected with the characters, I can’t even put my finger on it but I just found myself not wanting to pick the book up, not even caring at one point.

I started skimming around 30% - I even jumped a few chapters. Le sigh.

[mica · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Muchísimas gracias a la autora por el ARC! No puedo creer que cada vez que leo un libro de ella solo se pongan MEJORES.

Genuinamente no se ni que decir de este libro porque lo ame tanto que sigo medio embobada. Siempre digo lo mismo en las reseñas de esta autora pero A-M-O como Carissa escribe las relaciones entre personajes (ya sean románticas/familiares/amistosas/etc), las siento super reales y crudas, y con este libro no me decepciono. ¿El romance? 10/10, lo justo y necesario para que la historia siga su curso y sea super interesante.

Me gusto mucho como vimos otra faceta del universo que nos dio en los primeros dos libros, si bien nos mostró un poco en el #1.5 acá lo expande mucho más. Es increible como puedo odiar y “amar” (todavía no se si estoy ahí, pero me parece interesante su personaje) a Nyaxia… la mina es una hija de puta… pero estaba enamorada… ANYWAYS.

La historia trata de que nuestra protagonista principal, Sylina, tiene que infiltrarse en el ejército de Atrius, un vampiro que se cruzó de continente hacia dónde vive ella y empezó a conquistar toda su tierra. Guiada por las Arachessen (un grupo de mujeres que dieron sus vidas, y literalmente SUS OJOS, a la diosa Acaeja) ella se infiltra como una vidente para poder asesinar a Atrius… y buen ya saben como termina esto: KISS KISS FALL IN LOVE (pero hacelo slowburn).

Todo el concepto de este grupo de mujeres que son devotas a esta diosa me pareció alucinante, es super desgarrador y triste ver como las manipularon desde chicas y al mismo tiempo el poder que ese sacrificio les otorgó, se manejan con lo que serian (y esto muy parafraseado) hilos del universo, todas las conexiones que unen una cosa con la otra, ellas pueden manipularlas. Esto dicho muy a lo criollo, hay muchas más explicaciones en el libro quedense tranqui ahre.

Es super interesante la historia del Panteon Blanco y como se derrumbó todo con Nyaxia, espero mas historia sobre eso en los próximos libros.

Ustedes entienden que una parte del plot es que ella puede aliviar el dolor inmenso que él tiene en su alma… ella lo ayuda todas las noches y se quedan dormidos juntos NECESITO MAYÚSCULAS MAS GRANDES.

Es re gracioso porque muchas veces me olvido lo sangriento y doloroso que son sus libros, hubo una parte que me destrozó completamente (@ Carissa si estas leyendo esto en el traductor por favor dame su libro, vos sabes de quien hablo NECESITO MINIMO UNA NOVELA SOBRE EL SIENDO FELIZ).

En fin, otro LIBRAZO de parte de esta mina. Ahora a esperar hasta el año que viene para Crowns of Nyaxia #3.

[Jessica ❥Chatterbooks Book Blog❥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror takes place in Carissa Broadbent's Crowns of Nyaxia world, and if you're following that series, this is a must-read, in my opinion! The MMC, Atrius, is a vampire from the cursed House of Blood, and the FMC, Sylina, is a seer/member of the Arachessen. Both characters will show up later in the series, and trust me, you don't want to miss their incredible story. It totally surpassed all my expectations!

In fact, every book I've read in this series is fucking phenomenal, and the world we've been steadily learning more and more about for the past 4 books just keeps getting bigger and more interesting. If you asked me to pick a favorite book or couple right now, I couldn't. They're all that good! I can't wait to see where the author takes us next!

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a slow start that immediately picked up to fast pace and very enjoyable. Toward the middle to end was the most exciting to me I couldn’t put it down stayed up all night reading. It’s a good thing I’m on a uni break now 😂 It was a good standalone and heavy on the fantasy & war and light-medium on the romance. It was slow burn with a couple spicy scenes. And I adore Atrius 😍 I loved reading about his relationship with MC & seeing it develop overall a very enjoyable read I definitely recommend its detailed in both world building & character relationships :) oh & there is also a twist which I did see some of it coming I won’t say what of course as I don’t write spoilers in my reviews :)

[Surajat Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️ “It’s worth it. The fight will always be worth it.”
🥹

Enemies(ish) to lovers
Vampires
Blind FMC Assassin (she’s sent to kill him)
A hot morally grey hero
Action
Evil Gods
Twist revealed towards the end

Oh, you guys are going to have to forgive. I’m not going to shut up about how good this is xoxo

————————————————————


Reading before Crowns of Nyaxia 3 is out in November!! Very excited for this one 🤞🏾

[vicky ꨄ︎ (s.ia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ೀ 4.25★ .ᐟ
𐙚⋆°. finished: 14.2.25


”Death is what happens when you stand still. Don’t stand still. Not for anything.”


I absolutely adored this book. This book was so entertaining that I did not want to stop reading it. The whole world of Nyaxia is just so addicting to read about. This is such a simple plot but so intriguing to read about. The amount of actions that happened in this book as well was just so good. I’m so sad that this is a standalone, like I would love to read more about Sylina and Atrius. The romance between them was to die for. The amount of times I was begging for them to kiss was honestly a lot. I loved having to learn more about the house of blood as he’s from that house. It shows that not everyone is bad and deserved the curse. If there was a way to dive into this world I would be first in line to do so. I’ll pay whatever I have to!!













🫧𓇼𓏲*ੈ✩‧₊˚🎐

ೀ preread ᡣ𐭩
𐙚⋆°. started: 9.2.25

I’m so in love with this world that I’m excited to read this book even though I’ve never heard of it!!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carissa Broadbent does no wrong!! This was a really good standalone fantasy. I absolutely loved both characters so much!

This is definitely a bit of a slow burn and since it's a standalone I kinda was left wanting more but all in all this was super fun and an easy read!

-seer x vampire
-enemies to lovers
-forced proximity
-magic
🌶️

[Laura (Hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"One day, the pain won't matter anymore, and the power it grants you will matter immensely."

This book was everything. The stronghold grip that it had on me held me captive in it's spellbinding embrace and I was totally intoxicated by it's prose. The characters complexed and the world enriched. It took me on a journey that other books failed to and I will forever be grateful for this book to do that

[purlpur · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
ох, я вже й підзабула, як мені подобається вампірський всесвіт бродбент. і ця книга досить вдало нагадала. сестринство асасинок, вампір-завойовник, провидиці, видіння, смертельне прокляття, магія, битви, втручання богів - все як я люблю 😮‍💨

трохи здивувало, як авторка обіграла відчуття сліпих дівчат в сестринстві, котрі добровільно віддали зір, аби мати змогу бачити більше: «закрий очі, дитино, і ти побачиш цілий світ»
гарна ідея з магічними нитками доль, через які вони могли все відчувати, спілкуватися, мандрувати, боротися, маніпулювати, зцілювати.
я правда очікувала якихось особливостей через відсутність зору у дівчат, натомість вийшло таке собі сестринство ніби сліпих асасинок-провидиць, котрі насправді бачать краще за зрячих за допомогою магії ниток 😈💃

хотілось би більше лл героїв. атріус та силіна протягом усієї книги були разом, але саме розвитку почуттів показали небагато - усе це радше залишалося фоном. тому фінальні самопожертви заради кохання не так яскраво сприймалися, як могло би бути. проте ще сподіваюсь побачити цю парочку в книгах про септімуса 😎

єдиний мінус - як силіна до останнього не здогадувалась хто антагоніст. в її видіннях було достатньо натяків на це, десь на 60% книги вже можна в цьому переконатись. тому щось слабенька з неї провидиця вийшла 😅

фінал ну смак 🤌
обожнюю, коли в сюжет вриваються боги зі своїми інтригами. тут цього було зовсім мало, але я б із задоволенням читала окремі книги тільки про їхні мутки 😌

[Aurora · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know this book was a stand alone. But I just didn’t buy the romance between the characters. To be honest, I just didn’t really care for the characters in general. It felt more a political fantasy at time versus a romantasy. I felt like book ended on odd note in terms of plot and lore development.

I was excepting a twilight meets cruel prince in this book and I didn’t quite get that. The characters are enemies to lovers but where was the cut throat drama? I felt like the small attempts of it throughout the novel was short and not well developed. (It could have been so much longer, yes I know this is a stand alone.) but I felt like the characters just too easy agreeable and meh.

Another problem I had was that I felt like romance was overshadowed by the world building and the action. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good world building and action, But when it’s so much in what I thought was going to be a romance-fantasy. I sorta loose interest.

The characters talked in 21 century and sometimes that bother me. There was one like that was just so amateurish and something I would have read in middle school:
𝘐 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, “𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘳 𝘎𝘭𝘢𝘦𝘢?”
𝘈 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯, “𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐’𝘮 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭, 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳-𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳.”

I’m sorry it just felt a super edgy explanation. There could been a lot of more beautiful ways to expand on the conflict and the torment of what Atricus is experiencing.

Atrius is deemed as morally grey- but is he really? I don’t think so. I found him a little boring. Maybe in the beginning i was interested but toward the end his character felt so vanilla.

For someone that has always been obsessed with vampires, there is some things this books did delivered on. I liked the scene of Sylina catching Atricus eating. There wasn’t a lot of things that screamed vampire at you- in this book. To be honest you could said Atrius was a drow or something and almost everything would be the same. But I felt like the scene of him feasting really tied the vampire thing together.

Also Sylina’s brother was so soap opera. It was just so random - oh by the way, I have a brother.

I felt like Erekkus’ ending fell flat and nothing developed with him.

Overall, I was expecting a super vampire fantasy romance- but it just felt boring and replaced by a fantasy drama. Which is fine. But not what I wanted. The cover especially threw me off. It sorta feels like being at a restaurant and ordering something and getting a mild dish instead.

Overall, it was fine. Just fine. Would I recommend it? Not really. Especially if you are looking for romance.

[caitlin]

hi future caitlin, it’s past caitlin. come back to this when you’re in another fantasy era. it’s in the nyaxia world which is so slay and it’s a standalone!! (not sure yet if that’s actually a good thing or a bad thing, but who cares, read it bitch.)

[Hallie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

4🌟 I love being back in the crowns of nyaxia world. This is definitely not my favorite out of the series but it was still such a fun time. I really enjoyed the plot and the romance as always was so good! It kinda felt like a different vibe than the rest of the books in the crowns of nyaxia series all the way up until the end but overall I really enjoyed it. Overall it was a good, fast paced, spicy, tension filled enemies to lovers romantasy!

[Grace Btrs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this, a lot. But I also didn't get my full Carissa experience.
Therefore I'll say that I could have enjoyed it more.

Time and again Carissa proved to me how beautifully she writes and develops worlds and fights. She does fall a bit short in explaining her magic systems but that was never really a major issue for me.

She does all that in a fantastic way here.
But, that's also where the magic system shortcomings affected the story a bit.
Sylina is supposed to be blind, and I appreciate how Carissa wanted to write the awareness and compensation of her magic, yet it was always a bit confusing and I feel there should have been better distinguishment between eye-sight and Arachessen sight.

On the other side, I've always loved how she builds and writes tension and takes the romance one word and one act at a time.
Yet I also felt them "less" in this one.
I needed way more from the romance, and the world as magnificent as it was overshadowed our MCs and their love.


⚠️⚠️ SPOILERS!!! ⚠️⚠️
I was waiting for the most massive of fallouts. She's an assassin sent to kill him, but from the beginning, her personal dilemmas affected her "dislike/hate/rivalry" with him.
I wish we saw the tension there more, at least for her.
And the fallout, I wouldn't really call it so.
Atrius should have been more furious and break out of the cool facade for at least this time! Not forgive her immediately.

--
Pre-read:
I miss Carissa's vampires.
Also check on all these: dark fantasy✅️ deadly assassin ✅️ charismatic vampire ✅️

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ATE THIS BOOK UP OMG.

Enemies to lovers goodness, a perfect standalone & somehow made me cry lol. And while it only has one spice scene, I loved the length of it (that’s what she said lmfao) and I loved the tension buildup.

Carissa is a vampire queen. I ADORE the Crowns of Nyaxia world and cannot wait to experience more. My favorite part of this series in general, is that each FMC we meet is a badass in her own unique way. Also every guy she writes is so hot omg.

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE BEST NYAXIA BOOK HANDS DOWN! I thought it couldn’t get any better but this was a true joy to read. Perfect blend of slow burn romance and fast paced fantasy. I loved this even more than Six Scorched Roses, which should’ve been impossible because that was also so good. I have no notes, this story was 10/10 🩷