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

Book: The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Nightborn Duet Book One)

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Genre: Romantasy / Fantasy Romance / Dark Romance

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers / Rivals / Tortured Hero / Forced Proximity / Vampire and Human / Touch her and die.

My Rating: 4 Star ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

POV: 1st

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If you’re looking for a book to satiate your hangover from Fourth Wing or ACOTAR, look no further. The Serpent and the Wings of Night is a modern romantasy which feels transportive of the era of Twilight and the Hunger Games with plenty of twists and turns!

“Are you going to kill me, Oraya?” he murmured.

I didn’t run. Didn’t move. Instead, I lay my palm flat against his chest. I surprised even myself when I replied, “Not tonight.”

The Plot:

The story unfolds through the eyes of Oraya, a human girl raised in the dark world of vampires. Kidnapped in her childhood and adopted by the enigmatic and powerful vampire king, Vincent, she grows up under his ruthless but protective wing. As a woman, Oraya is thrust into the harrowing Kejari, a ruthless competition where only one contestant can emerge alive to claim a coveted gift from Nyaxia, the vampire god.

Oraya enters the fierce competition with the mission to gain the strength and respect needed to rule the vampire world with her adopted father Vincent. His stern guidance helps her to defeat her enemies. Just as tensions rise and her life is at risk, she meets Rhain, a strong winged vampire from a rival breed, who embodies everything she's been taught to hate - a target she must kill to survive. But as battles rage on, an unexpected alliance forms between them for survival.

My thoughts:

I would consider this story to be an ‘entry level’ fantasy romance, While it comes with a gentle, easy reading flow and a romantic storyline that is quite predictable, there’s a certain charm that keeps it engaging. It’s not the most original plot, but offers a modern fantasy which readers will be able to engage with at both ends of the fantasy to romance scale.

Oraya and Rhain are two characters set up with the potential for a fierce rivalry. I had expectations of a typical enemies to lovers arc with sizzling tension and fiery banter. However, their romance often feels within the realm of convenience. Their relationship is sprinkled with moments of spice, but these passionate exchanges often feel out of character and poorly timed in the context of the Kajari. They are always injured but become healed so quickly before their next battle or bedroom activities. 😉

Broadbent constructs a complex world layered with vampire lore and political struggles, setting a captivating backdrop in a historic castle. Yet, even in this intricate setting, the character development leaves room for improvement. Oraya’s fierce nature initially sets her up as a badass heroine and that’s often reflected in her stab-first-think-later attitude. yet her quick infatuation with Rhain diminishes that edge. We yearn for the kind of angst that rivals tropes bring, but instead, it’s a surprisingly short burn story. It’s a really hard contrast to her many bloody battle scenes and affinity to stabbing hearts or poisoning her blades. Did I mention the stabbing? Even her own torment of trusting her father brings more angst and character development compared to that with Rhain.

Speaking of Rhain, his character presents a wealth of possibilities - his vampiric nature, his desire for blood, and those feathery wings all contribute to a great book boyfriend brimming with potential. Unfortunately, much like Oraya, he feels one-dimensional, mainly defined by his appetites rather than any personal torment. The glimpses into his past raise more questions than answers, leaving readers wishing for a more nuanced exploration of his backstory, even in the final pages of the book. Because of this, the flashbacks into Rhain’s past as a human become quite repetitive, I can recall the beach scene which is used a number of times, but the others are not very memorable in the context of the wider storyline. I would have appreciated more Rhain POV and less descriptions of his wings.

Interestingly, Vincent emerges as a standout character and one I wish we had seen more of! His layered personality adds a refreshing complexity that is missing from the leads. The insights into his motivations for guiding Oraya provide the depth that the other characters seem to lack. Vincent is single handedly carrying those 4 starts for this book, and dare I say I would love to see a story centred around winning the Kejari 200 years ago and rising to royalty. The whole father/daughter arc was far more interesting than any of Oraya or Rhains romance. I said what I said. 🤷‍♀️

“The king did not know then that his greatest love would also be his ruination - nor that either would come in the form of a tiny, helpless human child.”

I have to say the ending shocked me and I couldn’t stop reading the last few chapters and had to scrape my jaw from the floor on every page. So between me wanting to launch the book out a window at the end, and Vincents broody nature. I think this is a great, easy read.

My verdict:

So, would I recommend this book? Yes. 🙂‍↕️

Broadbent creates a world which will be loved by many and a story I enjoyed reading from start to end. On the surface, it’s a compelling read and having it available through Kindle Unlimited makes it that little more appealing. I think it’s one of those series which will be loved and re-read for years to come. Vampires with wings and a deadly tournament, what’s not to love! ❤️

“Do you want to change this world, little serpent? Then climb your cage until you are so high no one can catch you. Break its bars and make them your weapons. Nothing is sharper. I know because I did it” - Love you Vincent x