Carissa Broadbent didn’t just write a book. She basically trapped lightning in a bottle, and that lightning is named Oraya. If you've spent any time on BookTok or scrolling through fantasy forums lately, you’ve seen the cover—a dark, moody aesthetic with wings that look like they're made of obsidian and sharp edges. But The Serpent and the Wings of Night isn't just another generic vampire story designed to ride the coattails of ACOTAR. It’s something much grittier.
Honestly, the "vampire romance" label almost feels like a bait-and-switch.
Sure, there are fangs. There is plenty of blood. But at its core, this is a brutal, high-stakes survival story about a human girl trying to exist in a world where she is literally the only thing on the menu. Oraya is the adopted human daughter of the Vampire King, Vincent. That dynamic alone is enough to keep you up at night. Imagine being raised by the apex predator who killed your entire family, and he "loves" you in the only way a monster can. It’s messy. It’s toxic. It’s fascinating.
The Kejari: Hunger Games but With More Fangs
The plot centers on the Kejari. Basically, it’s a legendary tournament held every hundred years by the goddess Nyaxia. The prize? A wish that can change your life. For Oraya, winning the Kejari isn't about power; it's about survival. She’s tired of being the weak link. She’s tired of looking over her shoulder. She needs to become something more than human to survive the House of Night.
But then there's Raihn.
He's her main competition. He's a vampire from a rival house. He’s also exactly the kind of distraction she can’t afford. Broadbent does something really clever here. Instead of the typical "insta-love" that plagues the genre, she forces these two into an uneasy alliance. They have to work together to survive the early rounds of the tournament, even though they both know that by the end, only one can walk away. The tension is thick enough to cut with a dagger.
What really sets The Serpent and the Wings of Night apart is the world-building. We aren't just in a castle. We are in the Kingdom of Night, a place where the sun is a distant memory and the hierarchy is written in blood. Broadbent describes the architecture and the magic with this visceral, almost tactile quality. You can feel the cold of the stone and the copper tang of blood in the air.
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Why Oraya Isn't Your Average Heroine
Let’s talk about Oraya for a second. In a lot of romantasy, the female lead is "not like other girls" or suddenly discovers she has god-like powers. Oraya starts human. She stays human for a long time. Her strength isn't magical; it’s her grit. She has spent years training under Vincent, a man who would just as soon snap her neck as hug her.
That upbringing has left her scarred. She’s prickly. She’s paranoid. Honestly, she’s kind of a jerk sometimes, and I love her for it. She feels real. When she makes a mistake, it’s not because the plot needs her to be a damsel; it’s because she’s a terrified human surrounded by immortals who can move faster than she can blink.
Raihn is a great foil for her. He’s charming, sure, but he has his own agenda. He’s a "Turned" vampire, meaning he remembers what it was like to be human. That gives him a perspective that the "Born" vampires, like Vincent, totally lack. The chemistry between him and Oraya works because it’s built on mutual respect and shared trauma. They understand each other's wounds.
The Political Landscape of the Crowns of Nyaxia
The world isn't just about the tournament. There is a massive, brewing civil war between the different vampire houses. You have the Rishis and the Hiaj, and they absolutely loathe each other. Broadbent weaves this political intrigue into the background of the Kejari, so the stakes feel much larger than just Oraya’s personal survival.
If she wins, she doesn't just save herself. She potentially shifts the balance of power for the entire kingdom.
Some people complain that the middle of the book slows down. I disagree. That’s where the character work happens. You see Oraya questioning her loyalty to Vincent. You see her start to realize that the man who raised her might be the greatest villain in her story. It’s a slow-burn realization that is much more painful than any physical wound she receives in the arena.
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Is the Hype Real?
You’ve probably seen the 5-star reviews all over Goodreads. Is it worth it?
If you like The Hunger Games or Fourth Wing, then yes. But if you’re looking for a fluffy, lighthearted romance where everyone is nice to each other, you should probably look elsewhere. This book is dark. It deals with themes of parental abuse, grief, and the moral ambiguity of power.
One thing Broadbent gets incredibly right is the pacing of the action. The trials in the Kejari are creative and terrifying. They aren't just "fight this monster." They involve psychological warfare and tests of character. Each trial reveals something new about Oraya and Raihn, stripping away their layers until they are forced to see each other for who they truly are.
Technical Mastery in Romantasy Writing
From a writing standpoint, Broadbent’s prose is top-tier. She avoids the purple prose that sometimes drags down fantasy novels. Instead, her writing is sharp and evocative. She uses short, punchy sentences during the action scenes to keep your heart racing, then switches to more lyrical descriptions when she’s exploring Oraya’s inner world.
It’s rare to find a book that balances the "romance" and "fantasy" elements so evenly. Usually, one suffers for the sake of the other. Here, they are intertwined. The romance matters because of the fantasy stakes, and the fantasy stakes matter because we care about the characters.
The ending—which I won’t spoil—is a complete gut-punch. It’s one of those endings that makes you want to throw the book across the room and then immediately go buy the sequel, The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King. It recontextualizes everything you thought you knew about Oraya’s relationship with Vincent and her place in the world.
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What You Should Do Before Reading
If you're ready to dive into this world, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, check the content warnings. As I said, it’s dark. There’s a fair amount of gore and some heavy emotional themes.
Second, pay attention to the world-building details in the first few chapters. Broadbent drops a lot of information about the houses and the history of Nyaxia that pays off later. It’s not just flavor text; it’s essential to understanding the finale.
Actionable Next Steps for New Readers:
- Read the Prequel Novella First: There is a novella called Six Scorched Roses set in the same world. While it follows different characters, it provides a lot of context for the magic system and the state of the world. It’s a great "appetizer" before the main course.
- Track the Houses: Keep a mental note (or a physical one) of the differences between the Hiaj and the Rishis. The political betrayals in the second half of the book hit much harder if you understand the history of their blood feud.
- Don't Rush the Middle: The conversations between Oraya and Raihn in the "quiet" moments are where the real story lives. Don't skim them to get to the next fight scene.
- Prepare for the Sequel: You will want The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King on your shelf before you finish the last page of The Serpent and the Wings of Night. Trust me on this one.
The Crowns of Nyaxia series is a masterclass in how to do modern fantasy romance right. It treats its characters with respect, its world with depth, and its readers with the intelligence to handle a story that isn't always black and white. Oraya is a heroine for anyone who has ever felt like they were living in a world built for people much stronger than them. She proves that you don't need wings to fly; sometimes, you just need a very sharp knife and the will to use it.
Check your local indie bookstore or digital platform. This isn't just a trend; it's a new staple of the genre that is going to be talked about for years.
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