I haven’t been reading that much lately unfortunately, but I did have time to finally pick up The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent. After loving The Serpent and the Wings of Night I wanted to read the sequel immediately but it did take me a long time to actually do so. Now that I finally have read it, I would love to share my thoughts, so let’s jump in! From the New York Times bestselling author Carissa Broadbent, comes The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King, the gutting second installment of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, full of heartbreak, redemption, blood intrigue and heart-pounding action.

Love is a sacrifice at the altar of power.

In the wake of the Kejari, everything Oraya once thought to be true has been destroyed. A prisoner in her own kingdom, grieving the only family she ever had, and reeling from a gutting betrayal, she no longer even knows the truth of her own blood. She’s left only with one certainty: she cannot trust anyone, least of all Raihn.

Raihn’s own nobles are none too eager to accept a Turned king, especially one who was once a slave. And the House of Blood digs their claws into the kingdom, threatening to tear it apart from the inside.

When Raihn offers Oraya a secret alliance, taking the deal is her only chance at reclaiming her kingdom–and gaining her vengeance against the lover who betrayed her. But to do so, she’ll need to harness a devastating ancient power, intertwined with her father’s greatest secrets.

But with enemies closing in on all sides, nothing is as it seems. As she unravels her past and faces her future, Oraya finds herself forced to choose between the bloody reality of seizing power–and the devastating love that could be her downfall.

The Serpent & the Wings of Night left us after a big plot twist I didn’t see coming. And The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King dives right back in. I couldn’t remember all of what happened but as the story was progressing the details came back to me more and more.

This book is all about getting all that you wanted but realising it’s all twisted and not how you thought it would be at all. I did really like the book, but I have to say I did like the first book more. It had my favorite trope with the tournament and I did connect to the story a bit more.

However, this was still a very enjoyable story. I especially loved seeing Oraya coming to terms what her relationship with her father was like, I loved reading about that so much. It was really well written in my opinion. As you might know, I’m not the biggest romance lover but this is a romantasy book and I actually really liked the romance in this story. Overall I think Carissa Broadbent writes relationships very well and I’m excited to read more by her.

While we are getting more books in this world (I can’t wait for the next one), this is the end of Oraya’s and Raihn’s story. I’m definitely sad that their story has come to an end but at the same time, I’m happy it wasn’t dragged out and it feels fitting that it was just a duology.

Have you read this duology? What did you think of it? And are you excited for the next book in this world? Let me know down below!