Mini review | ‘The Serpent and the Wings of Night’ (Crowns of Nyaxia #1) by Carissa Broadbent

Review of ‘The Serpent and the Wings of Night’ (Crowns of Nyaxia #1) by Carissa Broadbent is a disappointing start to 2025. While the book opens with an intriguing premise and an exciting beginning, it quickly loses momentum, devolving into a story that feels both overly busy and lacking in substance. The potential for a richly built vampire fantasy falls flat with bland characters, minimal worldbuilding, and a protagonist whose feats strain credulity. Despite some initial promise, I couldn’t find enough to keep me engaged and had to set this one aside.

‘The Serpent and the Wings of Night’ (Crowns of Nyaxia #1) by Carissa Broadbent is an underwhelming vampire fantasy that struggles with bland characters and minimal worldbuilding

Synopsis

Human or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

Review

The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia #1) by Carissa Broadbent is a disappointing follow-up experience for me with this author. I previously read Daughter of No Worlds and wasn’t a huge fan of that one either, so I was cautiously optimistic going into this—but sadly, it didn’t work for me.

The book starts strong with an intriguing premise and an exciting setup, but by the halfway mark, it felt like a slog. There was a lot happening, yet none of it felt meaningful or impactful. The characters didn’t help much either; most were bland, with the exception of Mische, the only one I truly enjoyed.

The lack of worldbuilding was another letdown. Vampires with fascinating powers should have made for a thrilling backdrop, but instead, the setting felt underdeveloped. Add to that a human protagonist somehow defeating these super-powered beings with no real explanation, and the story’s credibility took a major hit. Ultimately this was a DNF for me.

Final thoughts

Overall, The Serpent and the Wings of Night had its moments but ultimately fell short for me. With two attempts at Broadbent’s work that didn’t land, I think it’s safe to say her style just isn’t for me.

Rating

DNF

Details

• Trigger warnings: Violence, bloodshed, mentions of abuse, and death.
• Themes: Survival, loyalty, power dynamics, found family, and inner strength.
• Representation: The story prominently features a theme of resilience and the human struggle against overwhelming odds, though diversity in representation is minimal.
• Genre: Fantasy (adult)
• Pages: 504
• Publication date: August 30, 2022
• Publisher: Independently published
• About the author: Carissa Broadbent is a fantasy author known for her independently published works that often blend romance with epic fantasy. Her books include Daughter of No Worlds and The Serpent and the Wings of Night, with a focus on emotional storytelling and strong heroines.