If you know me, you know I'm not really a romantasy girlie. Nothing against the genre, I just don't vibe with it.

Carissa's works, however, are my exception to the rule. There's always something so nostalgic about her writing and characters that takes me right back to falling in love with books in school; reminiscent of my Buffy/Twilight/Vampire Diaries/Underworld days.

I loved the pacing; full of action and slows down perfectly for you to get to grips with the characters. The romance is always FIERCE.

5⭐️

This book completely took me by surprise in the best way. I went in expecting an intriguing fantasy, but what I got was a deeply layered story filled with tension, heartache, and characters I couldn’t stop thinking about.

One thing I have to mention is how much I love the way the author writes her male main characters.
Atrius is exactly the kind of character I’m drawn to—fierce, powerful, and dangerous, but with layers that unfold in such a satisfying way. He’s not just a conqueror; he’s complex, haunted, and at times even vulnerable. The way his dynamic with Sylina evolves kept me hooked, and the tension between them was perfect. A true slow burn 🤍

Beyond the romance, the worldbuilding is rich and immersive, with a dark, almost haunting atmosphere that lingers even after you turn the last page. The pacing is perfect, and just when you think you know where things are headed, the story pulls you in a different direction.

If you love fantasy with depth, high stakes, and an emotional undercurrent that sneaks up on you, you need to read this.

I received an ARC copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was thrilled to be able to return to The Crowns Of Nyaxia series, as it's one of my favourites, and I loved that this focuses on the characters from The House Of Blood.

Sylina hasn't had the easiest start to life, an orphan living in a place that doesn't have much wealth or opportunities for her she sacrifices everything to join the Arachessen, a cult of the goddess of fate. She's given up everything, her freedom, her soul, and even her eyesight to the goddess and, in turn, is trained to become a disciplined warrior.
Determined to overthrow the tyrannical king of Glaea, Sylina prepares for battle, but when a brutal vampire conqueror called Atrius arrives and kidnaps her making her his seer, it seems she has a bigger adversary after all. Her task becomes to infiltrate his army, gain his trust, and then kill him. The Conqueror must not live, but as Sylina begins to seer for him, she develops a connection, a connection that could cost her everything.

It took me a little bit to get into this one as the first half seems a little slower paced than other books in The Crowns Of Nyaxia series, but once I was hooked, I was HOOKED! I love Carissa's writing style and the way she completely immerses you in this world. It's so addictive. I absolutely loved the connection between Atrius and Sylina. Both of them individually are such great characters, but the way they compliment each other and the way the romance forges in a slow and strong way. Their chemistry, ugh!
The battle scenes were epic and felt more gory, which I personally love, and the second half of this book had me on the edge of my seat.
Overall, I absolutely loved Slaying The Vampire Conqueror. This series and this author has me in a chokehold, and at this point, I will read anything Carissa writes! I know this is a standalone, but I wouldn't be mad if we got more of this couple, please.

“Slaying the Vampire Conqueror” by Carissa Broadbent is a standalone set in the “Crowns of Nyaxia” world.
It can be read separately, but I would recommend reading it after “The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King”. Thank you Pan Macmillan for sending me an advance digital copy of the book. Opinions from this review are completely my own.

The book follows the story of Sylina, a seer tasked with killing Atrius, a vampire from the House of Blood. She was raised in a cult and trained as a killer, but after spending more time with Atrius, their connection grows stronger.
This is an enemies to friends to lovers story with a slow burn romance. I like that the relationship and the trust develops slowly. They have chemistry and I enjoyed all the interactions they have.
Sylina is a strong and complex character with a traumatic past that struggles with fulfilling her duty and her feelings for Atrius. The world building is good as well as the writing. Also the pace is pretty fast and there is a lot of action.

The book was initially released independently and the new version has a few differences.
It also has a bonus chapter at the end that ties the plot with the rest of the “Crowns of Nyaxia” series. The characters will appear in the next book “The Fallen and The Kiss of Dusk” that I look forward to reading.

Carissa Broadbent delivers an electrifying, emotionally rich fantasy in Slaying the Vampire Conqueror. This book masterfully blends high-stakes action, political intrigue, and a slow-burn romance that keeps you hooked. The world-building is immersive, the characters are deeply complex, and the tension between them crackles with intensity. A must read for fantasy and romance lovers alike!

A standalone book in the Crowns of Nyaxia world. Although I feel more is to come!

Sylina is tasked with the assassination of Atrius from The House of Blood, but does she follow her head or her heart?

I really enjoyed this. Having read the first 2 books over a year ago, I didn't need a refresher to jump straight back into this world.

The story was fast-paced, and the characters well thought out. An ending that reached a conclusion, but could continue should Carissa chose!

I’ll read every book Carissa releases without fail. She is a spectacular author and this series is no exception. The characters and world are second to none. Knocked it out of the park as usual

After reading The Serpent and the Wings of Night, I'll pick up any book written by Carissa Broadbent without hesitation. This is a standalone book, still set in the same world as the Crowns of Nyaxia series. It follows a seer who is tasked to slay a vampire conquerer after he invades her land.

I loved the writing style and the book drew me in from the first chapter. The FMC is very unique - a blind assassin and seer who uses threads to see the world. It was interesting to read the story from her point of view and how she "sees" the world. The other main characters were also extremely likeable and well developed.

The ending was a touch predictable, but at the same time, I didn't want it to end any other way! Sometimes standalone books can feel as if too much has been added, but the pacing and content were perfect. And although its a standalone, you could easily see where a second book could lead. I truly hope these characters pop up again in some of the other books!

Thank you Pan Macmillan for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. This is my honest and unbiased review.

4.5 stars.
I read the majority of this in one day.
This was such a unique harrowing but beautiful concept of a fmc who gave up her eyesight for her sisterhood, sent on a mission to infiltrate the movement of a vampire conqueror.
We knew where this was heading but I ate it up. Having only read The Serpent and the wings of night, I am looking forward to reading more of Carrissa’s books now

I couldn’t believe this was available to read thank you so much for sending it

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is a standalone novel set in Carissa Broadbent’s Crowns of Naxia World. There is no requirement to have read any of her other books before starting this one – but why miss out? Go read them after you’ve finished this.

Our protagonist this time round is Sylina, a blind assassin and seer in service to the Arachessen. Sent to gather information on and kill the leader of an invading vampire force, Atrius, she soon comes to question everything she thought she knew.

Both of our lead characters are well-rounded and strongly written and the chemistry between them sizzles from their first encounter. The plot that follows is perfectly paced. I thought this book was the strongest addition to the Crowns of Naxia world yet.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, Pan MacMillan, for an ARC I exchange for an honest review.

The way I devoured this books should be illegal!

I initially read this book last year and I was obsessed with it. As a huge Carissa Broadbent fan, I couldn’t not read this again.

This was absolutely brilliant. I personally love that even though this could be read as a standalone, is a whole experience if you previously read the other books is the series.

The story has everything a romantasy lover wants: forbidden romance, enemies to lovers, slow burn, etc, is just pure perfection 🤌

Definitely a must read for fans of the author or for everyone that loves romantasy.

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is a standalone novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia world. You could definitely read this having never read anything else in the series, though some understanding of the world would help you get a greater enjoyment from the story.

Sylina is in service to the Arachessen, a cult of blind assassins and sometime seers. Sent to gather information and kill the leader of the invading vampire force, she becomes his seer to get close to the action and finds herself questioning everything she knew about the land where she was raised and the cult that saved her when she was a child. Warrior and vampire leader Atrius intends to conquer the continent in the name of his Goddess as his people have no home, but they want to treat the humans well – they are not fodder or food for the vampires.

Sylina and Atrius build trust by working together, despite starting as enemies, this develops into a kind of friendship, followed by a slow burn adoration and love. Both perform acts of service for each other, and they’re powerful moments under real pressure when their commitment to the cause and to each other is palpable.

What’s lovely about Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is that their feelings are demonstrated rather than the reader simply being told and therefore is so much more powerful. It’s another great addition to the Nyaxia world.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan McMillan for the ARC, this is my honest opinion.

This was a huge disappointment. I’ve really enjoyed the other books in this world but I feel like this fell massively short. Almost like Broadbent is just churning out books without any care.

I liked the concept, but it was very predictable. I wouldn’t have minded, but the characters were too bland to give it any umph.

The writing was repetitive, and over explained everything with us being told rather than being shown.

I can see how others might like it, but it’s most definitely one I’ll forget.

I’m four books in and Carissa Broadbent has wowed me yet again.
I loved the leads of this book, Atrius and Sylina are my favourite couple yet. The way they complement each other is just gorgeous and their chemistry is off the charts. You want it you get it; forbidden romance, enemies to lovers, slow burn, morally grey characters and the whole sent to kill him but fell in love fiasco and I ate it all up. Sylina is a freaking badass assassin and my favourite lead in the whole series. And I also love how we are slowly getting to know more and more about the Gods and Goddesses as well. The pacing felt a bit slower than the other books but I wasn't bored even for a second.
This universe and its stories just keep getting better and better, the more I read them. And the astonishingly good thing is that it’s not all based on just a couple of characters and we get to know new characters and stories without any repetition of personalities. All characters are distinct and unique.
I need to read The Fallen and The Kiss of Dusk now cause I am way too invested to know everything about this universe.

I was so excited to dive back into the World of Nyaxia and again, Carissa Broadbent did not disappoint. I really loved how we got to see a different part of the world and how the worldbuilding in this book expands the world and possibilities for the entire series. The plot also convinced me that the author just can not write a bad book. I was engaged the entire time, and the pacing was perfect. Not too slow, but also not too fast so it would get confusing. But my highlight were the characters. Sylina and Atrius were both complex, imperfect and so well written. Their chemistry was everything to me and I really really really hope, that we will see them again in the main Crowns of Nyaxia series (and after reading book 3, I can definitely see that happening). So to sum it up, if you loved the The Serpent and the Wings of Night duet, there is no doubt in my body that you will love Slaying the Vampire Conqueror as well. 5 stars.

Carissa Broadbent literally never misses, ever.

A heart-racing, thigh-clenching standalone fantasy set in the Crowns of Nyaxia. I absolutely love this world, and I’ve been wanting to pick this one up so I’m eternally grateful to Carissa, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy for the re-release of this book.

Character development is truly the standout of this book for me, as with the rest of the Nyaxia series. We have Atrius aka The King of Yearning, our conqueror is painted as ruthless and cold but the man is a CUPCAKE. I am so in love with him it hurts.

Stylina, our FMC has had….a life. But her character development is so heartwarming and emotional I just CANNOT with this book 😭😭

Slaying The Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent is a stand-alone vampire romantasy set in the world of Nyaxia and the story of Sylina and Atrius.
 
Sylina had a difficult childhood until she entered the service for the Goddess of Fate and was formed into the perfect weapon. Sylina is such a fierce, strong, and inspiring heroine and I absolutely loved her and she’s the perfect heroine. I also liked the representation because she’s blind and nothing is stopping her.
 
Atrius is a vampire warrior and leader of the army. He’s a brute and a bit terrifying at first. But the more I saw of him, the more I liked him. He’s seen and experienced this world in a way that is remarkable.
 
Sylina is tasked to kill Atrius and she infiltrates the army and becomes the seer. And that alone was so thrilling and I’m amazed what Sylina can do. The more time they spend together, the more they feel drawn to each other and the longing in this story was unreal. And the forbidden aspect added a whole lot of angst, and I was completely enraptured by this story. They must risk everything for their world and more importantly their love and I just loved it so much. Also, it’s so difficult to come across a stand-alone romantasy and this book is just perfection.
 
Slaying The Vampire Conqueror captivated me from the first to the last page and I’m just obsessed with Sylina and Atrius. 5 stars.
 
(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.)

Carissa Broadbent writes such solid fantasies. I don't read much fantasy anymore (slowly getting back to it), especially from authors I am not familiar with, but I'm so happy I took a chance on Carissa's books. They're incredible.

The plot was pretty straightforward but made interesting by the protagonist, who had their beliefs repeatedly challenged by the other's actions, especially Sylina. It had a lot of action moments with conquest of new cities, battles against magical creatures, and coming face-to-face with their true enemy.

Sylina is such a strong FMC. Carissa has the ability to write such complex and compelling FMCs. They're full of vengeance, fire, and darkness, yet they fight for those that cannot fight for themselves. They're selfless in their quest to protect the ones they love. Sylina had a terrible past that her new family tried to beat out of her, yet they never could. She feels so much when she should feel nothing. She defies what is expected of her. I really liked her character.

Atrius carries guilt and hope from an entire army. His quest is one of nobility, redemption, and desperation for a new dawn. He is full of layers shaped by a past of regret and guilt. His respect and willingness to sacrifice for his army is what makes him such a great potential ruler. He was so full of pain that it devoured him at times.

The development of their relationship was slow. They didn't trust each other for a long time, especially Sylina, as her quest was to kill Atrius after all. Their protectiveness over each other was so tender. It made the ending even more impactful. The epilogue set up book 3 in the series very well, it bridged the duologies in a way. I can't wait for book 4!!

Carissa Broadbent never disappoints! This was actually amazing! I loveeeee the lore, the world building and the vampires in this so much. The romance is incredible and books in this world never disappoint. This was truly no exception, I loved the chemistry, the drama, the plot! The characters were deep and interesting and I just loved it so much

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent is a dark and enthralling fantasy romance that expertly blends political intrigue, forbidden desire, and emotional depth. The story follows Sylina, an acolyte of the Arachessen and a deadly assassin, who is tasked with a dangerous mission: infiltrate the army of Atrius, the vampire conqueror terrorising her homeland, and kill him. But as Sylina embeds herself in Atrius’s inner circle, things grow complicated when she starts to see the man beneath the monster — and realises that her mission may not be as black and white as it seemed.

Sylina is a fierce and morally conflicted heroine, torn between her duty to her goddess and the undeniable pull she feels toward Atrius. Her internal struggle is palpable, and Broadbent does a fantastic job of showing how her past traumas and the weight of her faith shape her decisions. Atrius, meanwhile, is the perfect dark hero — brooding, dangerous, but hiding a wounded soul beneath his cold exterior. The chemistry between Sylina and Atrius is electric — full of tension, forbidden longing, and quiet vulnerability — making their slow-burn romance both painful and deeply satisfying.

The worldbuilding is rich and immersive, with a deep sense of history and mythology. The political tensions between the humans and vampires are layered and complex, adding stakes beyond just the romance. The writing is atmospheric and lush, pulling you into a world that feels both brutal and beautiful.

While the pacing slows a little in the middle, the emotional stakes keep you invested, and the unraveling of Atrius’s backstory adds depth to his character and their connection. The ending delivers a powerful emotional punch, leaving you eager to see where Sylina and Atrius’s story will go next.

Overall, Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is a seductive, emotionally charged fantasy romance that delivers high-stakes action, forbidden love, and complex character growth. Perfect for fans of dark romance and morally grey heroes.