Review: The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
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Introduction:
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:
Reviewed by Dakota Watson
As a policy, I’ve been staying away from anything to do with vampires for a while now, given that most recent tv and romance books made them look like a bunch of immortal pansies who had nothing better to do than scheming how to get into teenagers’ pants. Even when my husband gave me this book as a part of a gift, I didn’t pick it up for a very long time because I wanted my Anne Rice vampires back, brutal, scary and blood thirsty.
So needless to say when I finally picked up The Serpent and The Wings of Night, I was in for a pleasant surprise. I had my vampires back. The storyline in the book was greatly constructed and the world building was comprehensive and exquisite. The entire cast of characters were really good. The action scenes were to die for too. The writing itself made this book almost impossible to put down. I’ve read Carissa’s The War of Lost Hearts series in the past so it’s pointless to talk about the romance and the spicy scenes because she knows how exactly to get a girl all hot and bothered. lol!
Oraya as a main character was downright kickass. Her struggle as the adopted human daughter of a vampire lord trying to find her place in a vampiric domain was beautifully portrayed. All her desires and the inevitable dangers and consequences that come along with them nicely explained. She was a fantastic heroine and was very easy to root for.
Raihn was marvelous as well. He wasn’t at all over protective, hovering, broody or condescending. He always saw Oraya as her own character. Gave her space to figure out her own journey and struggles. The best thing was, he was just there whenever he was needed, to support her, to listen to her and to talk to her.
The chemistry between them was relatable and credible because Raihn always knew his boundaries. He knew exactly when to step in or to step back. I loved how their relationship progressed from being mere acquaintances to lovers as the story progressed. There was no instant attraction or any sexual innuendos right until the moment they both knew they liked each other. I really appreciated that.
Vincent was a great character too. I simply loved him. Although he was nothing but brutal and power hungry, even with his ulterior motives, his love for his daughter was really heart warming. The dynamic between Oraya and Vincent was beautiful.
I am really looking forward to reading the next installment of this series. I am very excited!
Book Cover:
