The Songbird & the Heart of Stone
Ratings10
Average rating4.3
15
Ratings10
Average rating4.3
Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, Songbird and the Heart of Stone, where A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Dante’s Inferno, in an epic fantasy romance of love and treachery between mortals and gods.
Mische lost everything when she was forcibly Turned into a vampire–her home, her humanity, and most devastating of all, the love of the sun god to whom she had devoted her life. Now, sentenced to death for murdering the vampire prince who Turned her, redemption feels impossible.
But when Mische is saved by Asar, the bastard prince of the House of Shadow with a past as brutal as his scars, she’s forced into a mission worse than execution: a journey to the underworld to resurrect the god of death himself.
Yet, Mische’s punishment may be the key to her salvation. In a secret meeting, her sun god commands her to help Asar in his mission, only to betray him… by killing the god of death.
Mische and Asar must travel the treacherous path to the underworld, facing trials, beasts, and the vengeful ghosts of their pasts. But most dangerous of all is the alluring call of the darkness–and her forbidden attraction to Asar, a burgeoning bond that risks invoking the wrath of gods.
As her betrayal looms, the underworld closes in and angry gods grow restless. Mische will be forced to choose between the redemption of the sun or the damnation of the darkness.
Featured Series
3 primary books4 released booksCrowns of Nyaxia is a 4-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2022 with contributions by Carissa Broadbent. The next book is scheduled for release on 8/5/2025.
Reviews with the most likes.
This book! The story! The ending! The epilogue! Carissa I need the 4th book immediately!
The Songbird and the Heart of Stone book consolidated Carissa as my current favourite Romantasy writer. She writes the perfect blend of fantasy and romance, full of complex and layered characters, wrapped in a beautifully and imaginative setting.
Mische, alongside with Vincent, was my favorite character in this series and I had high expectations for her story. Still, I couldn't imagine how complex her background story was going to be, and how emotionally engaged I would feel with her journey.
I loved Mische before, and I love her even more now. This is a character full of hope, courage and kindness, and exactly the type of FMC I like to read about.
And Asar... what a perfect match for Mische he is! He's the farthest possible from a Heart of Stone and I can't wait to see more of him. It's difficult to resist sharing some quotes by him (I have so many highlighted) but I refuse to spoil others the discovery of this character... Still, I'm obsessed with his heart and quiet, but fierce, love.
This is a story full of vulnerability, pain and love, and I loved every minute of it. Carissa Broadbent writes romantasies like no one else.
Thank you, thank you, thank you Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble and NetGalley for the eARC!
Originally posted at hardcover.app.
“And you want to tell me, because if you didn’t, you would have wandered off to go loom menacingly in the shadows by now.”
His brow furrowed. “Is that what you think I do?”
Feel like that pretty accurately describes Mische and Asar's relationship lol. The slow burn on them was good. I liked Mische as a character. The world itself was cool (underworld/magical prison) and the cast of characters kept it interesting. (Loved Luce and Esme!)
It lost me a bit on the journey. The pacing felt slow and it kind of drag on at parts. Curious to see where the next one goes.
Just... wow!
This books clears a lot of things about Mische that were big question marks for me in the past books, that were just crumbs leading to to this amazing book, I just can't have enough!
My biggest ccomplaints in the books 1 and 1.5 were towards world-building and this book just delivered it perfectly! I could feel like I was there, and picture all the scenes thanks to the great description so thanks Carissa!
Also this book is more in the traditional quest style, in contrast with the past 3 books were there was a goal that branched out into others. Not saying one is better than the other but I get why some people got bored with this one, I personally enjoyed it way more because of it. The quest was clear, the journey was full of obstacles that mixed both the MCs fears and regrets, and each stage closer to the goal became harder and deeper (in contrast with the past books that kept a steady pace throughout the story).
The character development is beautifully depicted, both the FMC and MMC learned and grew from their starting points, and Mische's trauma that didn't make much sense on how it was incorporated in book 2 was greatly explained that now it makes total sense if I were to re-read Ashes and the Star-Cursed King.
Some parts of the book were a bit slow, but you cannot have a continuous crescendo, you need nuances in the pacing and cadence. I just loved it!!!
