The Serpent & The Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia #1) by Carissa Broadbent

"An interesting mix of The Hunger Games meets "Underworld", where a human, Oraya, competes in a once in a century tournament, the Khejari, in hopes of binding herself to her adopted Vampire father, Vincent and gaining his powers in order to search for her family. There's violence, death, manipulation, betrayal and love, all the hallmarks of an engrossing and entertaining read. I'm interested to see how this series progresses."

3 Stars

Pros: Oraya and Raihn did have good banter/The idea of the Khejari was interesting, though I had a feeling I knew how it would end.

Cons: Some of the terms used during romance scenes were just cringeworthy/Oraya's friendship with Illana needed to be a little more defined for me to really care/Oraya always fighting with everyone, over everything.

Full Review

Oraya was found in the rubble of her home after an uprising by the Rishan Vampires in the city of Salinae. Vincent, a Hiaj Vampire and King of the House of Night, rescues her and brings her home to Srinivaj and raises her as his own daughter. He teaches her how to fight, to be strong, to always protect her heart. And when he suggests she enter the Khejari, a once in a century tournament that is hosted in Srinivaj, she accepts. She knows that if she wins she can bind herself to Vincent, be his Coriatae, human but also imbued with all his Vampiric powers. Her goal is to win the Khejari and return to her homeland to search for her lost family.

Of course, having grown up around Vampires has made Oraya a very determined and distrustful person. She's a good fighter, she knows she is, but her weaknesses when confronted with the other contestants in the Khejari are blatantly obvious. She manages to survive the first two trials but the Half Moon trial poses a particular challenge. She must form an alliance in order to survive. And though she's reluctant at first, she eventually accepts two Rishan Vampires, Raihn and Mische, as her allies. There's something different about them but she can't quite figure out what. All that matters right now though is that they're good fighters and will be good allies. So, they train together and try to ignore the feelings that are inevitably growing between them.

It all became a bit cliché near the end but it was entertaining enough that it kept me reading. The end wasn't exactly a twist, I kind of saw it coming but it was enough of a cliffhanger that I'll be keeping my eye out for the next book. It was an interesting take, Vampires in epic fantasy and though the different houses and kingdoms blurred together, it didn't take away from the story too much. Hopefully some questions that were left unanswered will be wrapped up in the sequel.

Comments

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

“Rick Deckard is a Bounty Hunter who's on the trail of six "Andys" (Androids) who have come to Earth illegally. His job is to track them down and "retire" them. Something he found easy to do until he met her, Rachael Rosen. The Android that does the impossible, passes the "Voight-Kampff" test. The story quickly devolves into a slow, drawn out and frankly boring mystery that was putting me to sleep by the end." ⭐⭐ Pros: I was more interested in comparing it to the film, "Bladerunner."/At first I kind of liked the drab, dreary atmostphere but it soon became soporific. Cons: I had no real idea what was going on with Mercerism/The end there had me blinking in bewilderment, like with Herbert's 29th Dune Book/There was a lot of idle chit-chat while they were in murderous/intense situations, it just seemed odd. Full Review: Rick Deckard, a Bounty Hunter, contracted with the San Francisco Police Department hunts down and retires rogue ...

The Glutton by A. K. Blakemore

"Though dark, disturbing and at times, truly disgusting, Blakemore has created an unforgettable character in Tarare and his sad, sordid tale. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time for many different reasons and to me, that's a sign of a great read." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ Pros: Tarare wasn't a monster, it just seemed that the world was against him/I liked Lozeau and his strange band of misfits/Dr. Dupuis seemed like a genuinely good person, or at least, he had his moments. Cons: Some of the timeline/people of the French Revolution were just white noise to me/Courville was a despicable man. Full Review: The Bottomless man, the Glutton of Lyon, Tarare the Terrible. The man who has many titles but who's name is simply, Tarare, is dying in a hospital in Versailles. Citizen Doctor Tissier has written to his friend, Dupuis, in hopes that he'll be able to cure this mysterious illness that plagues Tarare. For now though, he lays, chained to his bed and waits for...

Animal Farm by George Orwell

"A blithe and scathing commentary on equality, power, corruption and how everyone is created equal, but...some are more equal than others. Orwell hit the nail right on the head with this novel and it's no wonder it's a staple for most high school curriculums. " 3 Stars. Pros: Benjamin the Donkey is the smartest animal on the farm and it would have done all the others a world of good if they had listened to him in the first place. Cons: The fact that societies like this actually do exist is nauseating and terrible. It's not a con, per se, it's just a gut wrenching fact. Full Review: When the overworked and mistreated Animals on Manor Farm decide to rise up and overthrow their cruel master, they're successful. They rebel and now find themselves with an entire Farm to run. They rename it Animal Farm and are intent on creating a paradise, where work and play are equal, where productivity is key but relaxation is a must and all the lives of all the animal...

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