Audio Book Review: The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent

The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you like vampires and magic with romance weaved in, this series is one that you should read. I give Carissa Broadbent a huge congrats at knowing how to write these stories with intriguing actions to keep me interested and building a slow burn romance in the background as the characters take on the world.

This series's main books has a theme of places with layers. The first book had the house for the tournament. The second was breaking through layers. This book is the layers of the dead, through Hell.

Mische knew the day she killed her creator they'd come for her. She was able to run for a while, but they found her. What she didn't expect was to be claimed by the bastard son as needed by him to go on his mission for the vampire god, Nyaxia.

Asar needs Mische for her connection to the sun god, but given a chance to live she's not going to tell him that Atroxus doesn't answer her prayers anymore. She's lost his favor. But, there maybe something she can do to gain it back.

This journey is dangerous. The different levels have different obstacles that can kill them. They stumble and fall, even lose their way. But the more that Mische and Asar are together and Mische asks questions and talks, it seems they can help each other in other ways too. A connection starts to form.

We learn more about Mische's past. And Mische faces her past. She has to face what she's done and did when she turned. Mische has her past that's not as nice as she is. She chooses to remain as she is on the outside, kind and friendly. Asar has his scars to bare as well.

I was really drawn into the story to see what the characters would decide in that moment they were here for.

As we come through that height of a moment, we are left with wanting the next book to see how things will continue on after this ending.

We do finish through the goal of this book, why they are working through the levels. But with the events there, we will want to keep reading for the next book. Which I'll be picking up soon.

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Audio Book Review: The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent

The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Now that we have the answers to Oraya that I needed, this story is what I wanted. There's fighting for their lives, scheming, betrayal, connection, and love. A nice blend of it all.

Oraya really tortures Raihn, holding him responsible for what he did at the end of the previous book. But, his actions...seems to me were for the good. Oraya's just not seeing it as her heart's broken. The heart is a strong emotion. These two have ideas that are similar about what needs done with the citizens, they just aren't at the same page yet. And they don't know what the other's thinking or doing because there's something going on with the different fractions. Are either one even save in the castle?

I loved the way we got insight on Vincent's past and thoughts on Oraya. This was a nice touch with magics. And on her mother too. This fills in gaps for Oraya and for us too.

Will Oraya and Raihn find their way back to each other, alive? Or will the other vampire houses destroy them both? There's a lot mentally to work through for them both. We see passing of time as they do with the book broken in parts and the moon phases.

This feels to be nicely written for me. The blend of internal torment and heartache along with external dangers. There are many pieces moving and changing and different people with their own agendas. It all works together nicely for the characters to find friendships, loyalty, betrayal, and love.

I know this is Oraya and Raihn's stories, but I have questions about other characters. I'm looking forward to continuing the series and getting those stories through their eyes.

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Audio Book Review: The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a vampires meets gladiators blend of a book with a growing attraction and romance.

The beginning was a slow start for me. The first hour of the audio book had me wondering if I wanted to continue. But I did and I enjoyed the ending for it. Once we get into the competition. I'm held here wondering how Oraya, a lone little human, will fair in this competition and how she even thinks she'll make it against vampires that are stronger, faster, and have magical powers.

The main female character says repeatedly that she's human. But this brought up questions for me. How? Why? How did she get there and do that? We do get the answers in the end.

Then there's Raihn. Wow. He's much more than we would have thought. After a while I suspected but didn't know how the the author was going to connect it to make it happen. He's got so so much control for a vampire in this world.

I'm curious about the world. Is it really as Oraya has been told by Vincent, her father. There are others that have control and aren't tempted to have her blood. But she's worried and trained to not trust any vampire. Though there are a few vampires that aren't anything like Oraya expects or is told about.

Oraya learns a lot while in this competition. About herself. About vampires. And her father along with what she can do.

There was lots of fighting, blood, fighting, sexy, and romance.

Yes, I'll be picking up book two with the same characters.

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