📚review 📚

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror - Carissa Broadbent

Can you believe this is the sixth Carissa Broadbent book I’ve read this year? I think I might have found a new favourite writer and two new favourite series - the tension, the lore, the stakes, the characters… I love everything about the end of the Crowns of Nyaxia. Slaying the Vampire Conqueror takes place at the same time as the first duology in the series and follows an exiled and cursed vampire from the House of Blood conquering the human nation of Glea and the assassin sent to stop him.

This book has everything I love in a romantasy:

🧛🏻‍♂️strong female mc - think Celeana Sardothian on speed
🧛🏻‍♂️enemies to lovers - think completely opposed, different agendas but become reluctant friends to lovers
🧛🏻‍♂️excellent world building

This extension to the Crown of Nyaxia world is a great way to build on the lore but can also be read as a standalone - you don’t need to know anything the world or the rest of the series but you also don’t find yourself having to take in the same information twice. Carissa Broadbent is amazing at making sure you’re up to speed without overwhelming you with information or boring you with stuff you already know.


Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is out now. Thank you @netgalley for the early copy.
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4.25 ⭐️

Thank you netgalley and Tor for a review copy!

This books is a perfect vampire fantasy standalone! I found the writing excellent and really enjoyed the plot. The ending was incredible and so were the characters. I really liked the character development and the insight into Slyina’s seeing powers. If you love enemies to lovers, slow burn, forbidden romance or the crowns of nyaxia series check this book out!!

After reading the Crowns of Nyaxia series and making it my whole personality, I knew this book would not disappoint. Slaying the Vampire Conqueror can be read as a standalone or an extension of Carissa Broadbent's overall universe.

The plot follows Sylina, a blind assassin working for the divine who is given the task of murdering Atrius, a terrifying vampire warlord. As she entangles herself into enemy territory, her feelings and loyalties become mixed, leaving her unsure of whether to follow her head or heart.

I absolutely ate up the tension between Sylina and Atrius throughout the entire novel. Carissa Broadbent does a masterful job of exploring both Slyina and Atrius' views of the war they have found themselves in. There are some truly heart-wrenching moments in this novel that we experience first hand through Sylina's POV. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a high stakes fantasy with a side order of romantic entanglement.

Sylina is part of the Arachessen, a cult worshiping the Goddess of Fate, Acaeja. For her goddess, she gave her freedom, life&eyes. When Atrius, a brutal vampire conqueror, arrives on their shores, Sylina is tasked with the mission to infiltrate his army and, ultimately, kill him.

I’ve read almost of all Carissa Broadbent books and was excited to see what this stand-alone story was about; I was very surprised by how much I loved it.

The pacing of this book is perfect and you get to know Sylina and Atrius really well. The development of their relationship; from tentative allies, to friendship and then to lovers, was so well made and made me feel so much.

I loved learning about Sylina’s past, why she decided to join the Archessen, how she starts to struggle and question her decision and with the mission that she’s supposed to accomplish.

Some parts of the book made me very emotional and this quote in particular touched my heart deeply: ‘You don’t understand! You already have a family. And you aren't just giving up your eyes. You’re giving up the sea.’

This book is a wonderful new story to get you back in the crowns of Nyaxia universe and I really will recommend it to everyone 🖤

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and the author for letting me read an e-copy of this amazing book ♥️

A Dark, Thrilling, and Addictively Vicious Ride. I was completely pulled into the brutal, blood-soaked conflict between humanity and its terrifying vampires

This book is top tier carissa Broadbent and is a must read

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror absolutely slaps. It’s got everything I want in a dark fantasy: badass heroine with a revenge mission? Check. Creepy-hot vampire overlord? Double check. Blood, battles, and betrayal? ALL the checks.

This is the kind of book that grabs you by the collar in chapter one and doesn’t let go. The protagonist is fierce, morally complex, and impossible not to root for — driven by vengeance but constantly grappling with what it means to hold onto their humanity. The vampire conqueror is equally compelling: charismatic, cunning, and horrifying in all the right ways. Their interactions are charged with intensity and layered tension.

If you like morally gray characters, epic fight scenes, and a story that doesn’t hold back — read this book. Just maybe don’t get too attached to anyone. The pacing never falters, and the plot twists hit hard without feeling forced.

This book kept me up late turning pages, and left me wanting more the moment it ended. I’ll be first in line for the sequel.

Highly recommend to anyone who loves dark fantasy, fierce heroines, and a touch of gothic danger.

Carissa Broadbent writes romance like she’s building a cathedral. Every brick is emotion. Every moment feels sacred. I am in awe. This is one of my favourite books she’s ever written and I don’t say that lightly. I love this book. I really, really love this book.

This is the first book I've read by Carissa Broadbent and I loved it! I can't wait to read her other books now.

Could not put this down!

Having just finished book two in the night born duet it was the perfect time to immerse myself in this book. And goodness me what a ride.

Mortal enemies to so much more. I was absolutely hooked on the way Sylina and Attius connected in this slow burn vampire read. Brilliant banter, I loved the way these two MCs just knew what the other was thinking and how they fought together.

The author has a truely amazing ability to create the best kick butt FMCs and she does it again here. I absolutely loved the world she created in the Nexus series, Vampires, Goddesses, magic and danger and the ending of this sets it up perfectly for the next in the series.

This book had me page turning well into the night in order to finish, and right till the end I NEEDED to know what would happen next. Everything about this book had me hooked and swooning for these two to connect.

Although this is set in the Crowns of Nyaxia world, in my opinion, you don't need to read the other books beforehand to enjoy this one. Some of the world-building is briefly summarised to help you feel anchored in the story. That said, I did feel I had a better understanding of the situation between the Gods having read the other books, so just bear that in mind. I think it depends on whether you're reading for the plot or the romance!

I enjoyed the romance in this - it’s a slow burn, which is my preference. Carissa Broadbent is so good at developing tension.

The pacing was strong, and the spice level was just right for me. There are a couple of scenes, but they don’t feel rushed or out of place - just a natural development of the emotional connection between the characters.

Would recommend!

Thank you to Carissa Broadbent, Pan McMillian and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. I have read a few of Carissa’s previous books and adored them, so I knew this would be no exception. I found the worldbuilding of Glaea, powerful and so detailed and I loved Sylina as an MC and her character development throughout. The book was dark, suspenseful and highly engaging. Loved the romance throughout and it wasn’t too much. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the Nyaxia series and more of Carissa’s novels.

carissa has done it again. i absolutely devour everything this woman writes. such an incredible author. i don’t know how she immerses us in these worlds in just over 400 pages and really connects you with the characters at the same time.

slaying the vampire conqueror is a novella form the crowns of nyaxia series and follows an Archessen sister who was given a task to slay the vampire conqueror, in order to do this she must get as close as she can to her enemy in order to destroy him and his war path. but the closer she gets, the more she discovers she might be more similar to him than she thought.

what a beautifully crafted story, i am obsessed with this world!!! i can’t wait to continue with this series in august of this year!!

Carissa Broadbent's books made me fall in love with fantasy genre ❣️ everything she will write, I will surely fall in love 😘❣️

This is a standalone fantasy romance set in the Crowns of Nyaxia world. It was a quick read as it is a fast placed plotline with an amazing set of protagonists.

The forbidden romance between our bad*ss heroine and morally grey hero was the spotlight of this book. Carissa always deliver in suprises as each time her writing leaves my heart wanting for more of her beautiful magical world and her writing is so beautiful and lyrical that you are hooked to the book right from the page one till the very last page.

This one is short yet the crisp writing made the whole reading experience more wonderful as it was action packed with so many mysteries and amazing scene and concepts of the magic world created by the author.

I am definitely looking forward to the next book of the series as Crowns of Nyaxia world has easily become one of my comfort zone 💖 in fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a copy of Slaying the Vampire Conqueror.

I absolutely flew through this book, it was so easy to read with how engaging the story and writing style was.

I haven’t managed to get to the Crowns of Nyaxia series yet but this has definitely put it higher up on my radar. It seems that this standalone is a great entry into this world without being too overwhelming but at the same time I may not have connected as many dots as others having not read the whole series but it was still really enjoyable regardless and I would love for the series to pick these characters up again at some point.

The characters were the best bit of this book for me. They were so engaging and really jumped off the page and I loved the different backgrounds and experiences each character has and how that clearly shaped their actions throughout. I also loved the way that magic and power was discussed in a way that gave us just enough whilst leaving a lot more to be discovered, especially with Sylina being a Seer, this seems like it could have a lot of opportunities to be developed further down the line.

Overall I really liked it and think it pulls off being a stand alone really well. The story is great, the romance is great, and it’s really nicely nestled within a series where there’s a lot of potential for these characters to make appearances in the future even if they are not the main focus. It’s not the most complex plot in the world and we don’t get the level of detail we do in other series or standalone but in this case I think it works and is really successful.

A Dark and Gripping Romantasy

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is a captivating standalone novel set in the Crowns of Nyaxia universe. The story follows Sylina, a blind assassin raised by the Arachessen, a cult devoted to the Goddess of Fate. Tasked with infiltrating the army of a brutal vampire conqueror, Atrius, Sylina's mission is to gain his trust and ultimately kill him. However, as she gets closer to Atrius, she uncovers a side of him that challenges her beliefs and feelings.

The novel masterfully blends elements of forbidden romance, enemies-to-lovers dynamics, and moral ambiguity. The slow-burn relationship between Sylina and Atrius is both intense and poignant, with their interactions evolving from distrust to a deep, complex bond. Broadbent's world-building is rich and immersive, providing a vivid backdrop for the characters' journey.

While the pacing is deliberate, allowing for character development and thematic exploration, some readers may find it slow in parts. Nonetheless, the emotional depth and intricate plot make it a compelling read for fans of dark fantasy and romance.

Love this book, the writing, the author! Everything is so perfect.

I’ve loved Carissas books since The Serpent and the Wings of Night and she never misses! The story has the perfect amount of plot, romance and spice and I just can’t get enough!!

Always 5 stars 😍

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent is a standalone fantasy romance set in the captivating world of the Crowns of Nyaxia series.

This book is a thrilling ride from start to finish, packed with forbidden romance, dark curses, and epic battles. This feels like a real standalone, rather than the usual "its standalone but really would help you know whats going on to have read all of the books in the series!" - I havent read the other books and didnt feel like I was missing anything. However, it now does make me want to add the series to my TBR.

The story follows Sylina, an orphaned street rat turned disciplined killer, who has (and does) sacrifice everything for her goddess. Her mission to overthrow Glaea's tyrannical king takes an unexpected turn when a brutal vampire conqueror arrives on their shores. Sylina faces an even deadlier adversary, and her journey is filled with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Broadbent's writing is engaging and immersive, making it easy to get lost in the richly detailed world she has created, and the characters are well-developed and easy to understand. They keep you guessing and the surprise is always believable.

I have adored everything that I've ever read from Carissa Broadbent and this new release is no different. Just pure brilliance from start to finish and I can't recommend it enough!

I am a massive fan of Carissa Broadbent and her previous books in the Crowns of Nyaxia series and this was an incredibly welcome addition.
The creation of the Arachessen as a magic society was so rich and interesting that I can wait to find out more about them and I loved the telling of the story through Sylina’s interaction with the “threads”, it meant it felt fresh and interesting without missing out on any of the storytelling. I loved her and Atrius’ relationship and also the detail of the world building of the cities they conquer and how they feed into the wider Crowns of Nyaxia world.

4.5 Stars – A Fierce, Forbidden, and Fantastic Return to Nyaxia

I absolutely loved being back in the Crowns of Nyaxia world with Slaying the Vampire Conqueror. Carissa Broadbent delivers another immersive, emotional, and darkly romantic tale that completely stole my heart.

Sylina is such a compelling protagonist—complex, haunted, and deadly. Her journey from loyal assassin to someone questioning everything she’s ever believed was so well done. And Atrius? Utterly brutal and magnetic, yet layered with a vulnerability that made their slow-burning, forbidden connection feel intense and real. Their chemistry was off the charts, and every interaction was charged with tension and heart.

The worldbuilding was rich and atmospheric, and I loved the nods to the wider Nyaxia lore. The pacing was sharp, the stakes were high, and the emotional payoff? Chef’s kiss. While it’s a standalone, it fits so beautifully into the larger world and left me desperate for more.

4 Stars!

I think for me this is more of a 3.5 but I've rounded it up. I think Carissa Broadbent has a writing style which is very easy to follow, but it really brings out scenes and characters which just draws you in. Sylina and Atrius aren't my all time favourite couple BUT I really liked the interactions that they had together and how the relationship grew because there was such an understanding between the two.

What was really interesting to me was the different backgrounds and being able to learn about the characters and their backstory which I felt was more of a focus (which I personally enjoyed) and just how things grew.

I think some things were slightly obvious and I knew pretty early on something was going to happen (but not in the way that it did, so that element I really enjoyed). I can't wait to carry on with the rest of the series.