Loved this so much! A beautiful ending for a duology that captured my heart.

I wondered how much I was going to love this since I’ve had mixed feelings on the first 3. I requested the arc because I desperately needed to know what happened for Mischa and Asar, a couple I preferred much more than Oraya and Raihn.
This duology felt much more superior to me as the balance of romance and action was perfect.

I know fans will go wild for this!

If you like your romantasy absolutely packed with action, then buckle in and enjoy the ride! Seriously so much happened in this book. At times I struggled to keep up because I'm someone who likes to fully understand the how and why of things, but nothing could detract from the Nyaxia world as it expanded with every page flick.

Mische is fierce, brave, and full of heart. Asar appeared reserved but was the perfect secret softie. But can we talk about Luce?? Heart stealer. Sassy, determined and loyal in all the best ways. She became one of my favourite characters. I would 100% read a novella just about her!

I fell in love with the prior book, The Songbird and the Heart of Stone, so I did miss some of that slower, emotional build, but the ending of this book? SO GOOD. Asar and Mische literally went to the underworld and back for each other, and the payoff totally made my heart flutter.

Carissa Broadbent continues to be one of my favourite authors. While Rhain and Oraya still hold the top spot for me, The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk was such a gorgeous read, full of worldbuilding, heart, and pure escapism. I’m so grateful to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this ARC!

♾️ Stars for this book.

How it’s going? I am currently writing this review with tears streaming down my face.

This book has it all, shadow daddy? ✔️ badass fmc ✔️cameos from literally all our faves? ✔️ high stakes/intense drama✔️✔️the best dog to ever be written? ✔️✔️✔️

This book was so beautifully devastating. Mische and Asar captured my heart in Songbird and they didn’t disappoint in this continuation (if anything I fell deeper in love, which, I didn’t know was possible)

Broadbent has a rare gift for storytelling that pulls you into her worlds with such vivid intensity, it feels like you're living every moment alongside the characters.

Mische and Asar have such intense chemistry that I fear no other fictional couple can compare. Does their relationship need a third? Because that spice.. 🥵

I truly wish I could gush more, but spoilers would be a crime. So all I’ll say is: please, please, please read this book. Then message me immediately so we can scream, cry, and debrief together.

What an end to the tale of Miche and Asar! 🖤😭
Picking up from the tumultuous cliffhanger that was ‘The Songbird and the Heart of Stone’, ‘The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk’ jettisons us back into the exhilarating high-stakes adventure faced by our main characters, currently ripped apart by death. What follows is a gripping epic quest that is fraught with danger, with the constant threat of viciously vengeful gods, and heart-rendering adversity as a consequence of both love and loss.
The world building with this particular instalment grew immensely as the rapidly-paced plot delves us into a sweeping journey through the underworld, the land of the gods, and the mortal realm. The contrasting landscapes, vivid descriptions and heroic prose created a truly immersive world for the reader, and I absorbed every little detail greedily!
Along the way we are met with a plethora of characters, both old and new. The smile that broke out on my face the minute our golden retriever, Raihn, reappeared on the scene with his black panther wife, Oraya. I have made it no secret that I adored The Nightborn Duet, the pacing, the world building, the characters were utter perfection. Raihn and Miche’s relationship in particular, depicted as a fierce friendship with intense vulnerability and as a safe haven, was one that I dearly cherished. It is always refreshing to have such deep relationships between opposite genders, without the requirement of sexualisation, depicted in novels. I was so glad to see this relationship reignite as I truly loved the playful banter and contrasting sheer rawness of emotions when they come together, something that can only be felt in a truly close connection. I truly love their friendship and it was a joy to witness it be nurtured so thoughtfully in this novel.
Vulnerability was a clear theme within this particular novel, felt at many instances by the majority of our characters, as they traverse a great many heavy topics, such as war, murder, grief, guilt, sacrifice and a loss of sense of self. Broadbent expertly crafts such distinctly human characters with incredibly broad ranges of emotions with both ease grace, propelling the level of empathy with the audience, and thus helping to drive the story to its precipice. At no point could Broadbent’s characters ever be deemed ‘flat’.
And I would be remiss if I did not mention the attention to the ‘romance’ aspect of this novel. I truly appreciate when romance is not the overarching nor all consuming narrative in a story. As a preference, I believe a novel should still have a strong plot that’s is complimented by a facet of romance. And this is certainly the case with this novel. The narrative would still be compelling without mention of Miches and Asars relationship, but this deeply passionate and raw relationship adds an incredible amount of depth that takes the story from interesting, to scintillating. Their tenacity, honesty, adoration and determination make them a force to be reckoned with and I adored the progression and maturation of their relationship as the story advanced. The last 10% of this book had me reading with a lump of emotion in my throat because of these two 🥹. What a truly beautiful conclusion for our sensitive souls.
I am enamoured with this world and can feel it in my soul that the next chapter will be laced with even more intensive tension, exhilarating peril and delicious darkness as the empires finally fall, and the horror of gods is exposed to all.
Could not recommend the Crowns of Nyaxia series enough. I would just like to say a very special thank you to Tor Books UK publishing for granting me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this bewitching story 🫶🏻

Sadly this one just didn’t work for me, I couldn’t connect with it like I could with the first and I’ve spent a couple weeks trying to think why and coming up empty…

Wow wow wow - Carissa Broadbent is determined to ruin her readers in every single book, and her fourth in the Crowns of Nyaxia series hasn't disappointed.

Mische and Asar are such a deliciously complex, broken and rich couple. The journey they have to go on in The Falle and the Kiss of Dusk feels IMPOSSIBLE, and it certainly had my heart pounding multiple times throughout.

Unputdownable is the word I'd use to describe this book, an exquisite tale, full of incredible characters and a plot that feels like it's a part of me.

CARISSA BROADBENT WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!?

This book?? It walked into my life like a storm, ripped my heart out, shredded it, threw it into the spira, and then whispered “You liked that, didn’t you?” AND I DID. I DID LIKE IT 😭

This was the book world’s version of Avengers: Endgame, except everyone is hotter, sadder, more powerful, and frequently covered in blood. Every moment in the Crowns of Nyaxia series has led to this colossal, heart-pounding, soul-obliterating instalment. The stakes? God-tier. The emotions? Nuclear. The tears? UNSTOPPABLE.

🥀 Mische, my unbreakable chaos queen
🔥 Asar Voldari, light of my life, my death god dreamboat, MY REASON FOR WAKING UP
Their love is catastrophic in the best possible way and I’ve never rooted so hard for a fictional couple, it’s giving Feysand a run for its money 😭🤌🏼

Carissa Broadbent did not write this book - she conjured it. She channeled something divine. The writing? Immaculate. The pacing? Relentless. The EMOTIONS? I was screaming, sobbing, hugging my kindle like it could physically put me back together.

I cannot emphasise enough: I have not cried like this over a book in eons. My soul has been excavated, reorganised, and tenderly stomped on. There are scenes (you’ll know which ones, OH you’ll KNOW) that left me emotionally catatonic on the floor staring at the ceiling like a widow in mourning.

🚨 Warning 🚨 this book will ruin you for all other books. I have finished and now I am hollow. A husk. I fear I will never feel anything again unless it’s written by Carissa. The bar? Gone. Disintegrated.

And to have read this as an ARC? I feel like I’ve been entrusted with sacred knowledge. I am not the same. I am reborn. I am feral. Thank you SO much to @carissabroadbentbooks and @panmacmillan 😭♥️

If you love danger, devotion, god-tier stakes, and the kind of storytelling that wrecks you in the most satisfying way a - The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk is waiting. But be warned: you will not survive unscathed.

This is the event of the year and you do not want to miss it ♥️

An Epic Adventure Through Hell 🖤

Wowzers. Carissa has guided us to an entirely new place within Obitraes and the underworld, and with it has come dark, gothic vibes that I thoroughly enjoyed. We finished Songbird with an excruciating end, that we know in literature to be just the beginning. The only way our lovers will be reunited and the world healed is for one to become a god and for the veil protecting the living from the dead, to be decimated. Which is what you dear reader, are in store for. While pursuing these goals, our bubbly Miche goes through so much development as she reflects on her life as an acolyte, a sister, a vampire, and grows into something much greater. Asar does much the same in his own way, striving to unlearn all the cruelties he was taught during his formative years with Gideon's bitch ass. I will never get tired of Asar describing Miche as the sun he has never experienced 😍 There is a lot of action, a handful of betrayals, a few near death experiences, some exceptional spice (the library scene is 🥵), and we get to see some of my most favourite characters from across the series. The gods are incredibly meddlesome and we unfortunately get to hang out with them all the time in Fallen. The gods and their minions are fierce and cruel, some more than others, and they play a vital role throughout the book. Together with the best girl (Luce), they manage the unthinkable, earning some new scars along the way. Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk was beautifully written and felt much darker than the books before, but I guess that's what is expected when half the plot takes place in hell. The development we get of our MCs is cathartic to read and I can't wait for this to be in everyone's hands 💖

Absolutely beautiful Carissa! Sad to say goodbye to Miche, Asar, & Luce but excited to see what's next for the Bloodborn Duet!

There's not much I can say about this book without spoiling the plot, but there were surprises, some familiar faces and a much anticipated reunion.

The world expanded even further and we delve into the world of gods.

Mische and Asar went through a lot in this book without a moment's respite.

This book felt long and some parts felt I'd missed some parts but from reading other reviews it's happened for them too

Absolutely fantastic. Loved every minute. The details and storyline were amazing especially how the storyline flows from one book to the next.

The Fallen & Kiss of Dusk continues Mische and Asar’s story of defying the gods themselves. Mische has made the ultimate sacrifice and now, Asar is driven by vengeance and desperation to get her back. When a goddess offers them a final path to redemption and to each other, they’re thrust into another mission that could reshape the fate of the realms.

Together, Mische and Asar travel through both mortal and divine worlds including the underworld which is on the verge of collapse. Of course, they have some help along the way, which sees appearances of: Vincent, Oraya, Raihn, Vale, Lilith, Artius and Sylina.

I was kicking my feet, laughing and crying at all their interactions but specifically, Vincent’s role in this book. I really loved that Carissa also gave us closure with his character.

To save Mische, Asar must ascend to godhood and harness the power of the god of death. But the deeper they go, the more chance that they’ll lose themselves and their humanity. They must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice for love, for power, and for the chance to change destiny. And boy, are sacrifices made indeed. Some, bigger than others, I am still not over Six Six - iykyk!!!!

Like anything Carissa’s writes, this was an easy 5 stars for me. Carissa somehow manages to blend gut-wrenching emotion, high stakes, and devastating romance without making it feel overdone. The pacing is brilliant, the worldbuilding feels even more expansive than before, and the tension never lets up.

I’m really excited to see how things progress with a shift onto the House of Blood for the next books - Septimus is as always a mystery to us so I look forward to unraveling his story!

This is the forth book in the series and the ending of the duology for Mische and Asar.

The characters were build up and there relationship was developed so well in the previous book that this book was heartbreaking at times.

This book was unpredictable to say the least! I loved the ups and downs created, along with a huge change to the Nyaxia universe.

There was a small part that was slower than the rest, however this build the story up and was necessary.

The epilogue sets up the next part so well. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

Carissa Broadbent is definitely one of my top 5 authors, I have never been disappointed with anything she’s written, I doubt that will ever change!

I now have the prettiest edition preordered from Waterstones and can’t wait to see it sitting pretty on my shelf.

The first of Mische’s story was probably my least favourite of broadbents works, I did love it, just not as much as the rest. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book was EVERYTHING I needed and more.

The thing I really love about her writing is her ability to full create and develop her characters, Mische is so complex and perfectly written. I love that she will fight and give her all to keep those she loves safe, she’s such a respectable character which is such an uncommon trait in modern romantasy characters. She’s strong and smart, rather than naive like most of the FMC’s we meet in this genre.

This. Was. Epic. ✨

I already LOVED the first book in this duet, and I’m beyond happy (and mildly feral) to report that this one absolutely lives up to it. Maybe even goes beyond.

Asar and Mische are officially hands-down my favorite couple in the entire Crowns of Nyaxia world (as of now? 👀). Their connection just hits different for me. It feels SO real. The tension, the banter, the quiet intimacy… every moment between them is so deep. It wasn’t just romantic; it was raw and relatable in a way that stayed with me. Couple Goals honestly.

This book was all about the feels for me. The angst. The tension. The banter. The DRAMA. Every emotion hit hard in the best way, and Asar and Mische had me in a chokehold from start to finish. And dont forget a very good girl! 🐕

Carissa’s writing is everything I love: rich, immersive, and full of emotional gut punches. I’ll never stop being in awe of the way s he builds these vivid, layered worlds.

If you haven’t read the other Nyaxia books yet, I highly recommend doing that first for the best experience.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for providing me an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was everything I wanted and more

"𝕀 𝕨𝕒𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕣𝕪. 𝔸𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕒 𝕗𝕠𝕠𝕝’𝕤 𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟. 𝕀𝕥 𝕞𝕒𝕕𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕝𝕠𝕨 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕥𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕕. 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕗𝕖𝕝𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕙𝕒𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕕. ℂ𝕠𝕝𝕕, 𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕡, 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕤𝕖."

Anyone who knows me, knows I absolutely *love* this series and I was lucky enough to receive Carissa's next book "The Fallen and The Kiss of Dusk" through NetGalley.

It is no surprise that I devoured the conclusion to Asar and Mische's story, it was just so good! After the cliffhanger at the end of "The Songbird and the Heart of Stone" it was safe to say I needed to know what happened next - iykyk!

There was lots of familiar faces in this book too, I won't give anything away but it was really lovely to see other characters we know and love. (make sure you read all the books and novellas before you get to this new release, trust me)

This is a 5 star series for me and I am looking forward to officially meeting the characters for the next duet.

"𝕀 𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕥𝕠 𝕜𝕚𝕝𝕝. 𝕀 𝕠𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕖𝕝𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕕𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕤𝕥 𝕨𝕚𝕖𝕝𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕒 𝕡𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕓𝕣𝕦𝕤𝕙."

The Shadowborn Duet finale .delivers blood-soaked, soul-snatching continuation and conclusion with a high-stakes, heart-shattering note.

Carissa Broadbent is here to wreck your soul in the best way. This duet follows Mische and Asar—sunshine meets necromancer—and it’s hauntingly good.

💀 Asar is for the Azriel girlies who like their brooding with a side of death magic. Shadow daddy energy? Maxed out.
🌞 Mische is a radiant force of good, but her story peels back into something much darker—layered, aching, and possibly Carissa’s most complex female lead yet.

Themes? Past trauma. Lost love. Yearning that cuts deep. And a connection that defies death itself.

Should you read it? Absolutely. Just… emotionally prepare yourself.

I just finished The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk, and while it wasn’t the most fast-paced read, I still enjoyed being back in Carissa Broadbent’s world. I’ll admit the first half was a bit slow for me, but the last 30% really picked up and had me more engaged.

What I especially appreciated was how the relationship between Asar and Mische deepened—it felt more nuanced and emotionally grounded this time. Broadbent also did a nice job weaving in characters from her other books, which added a fun layer of familiarity and made the world feel more connected.

Thank you to Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for the ARC!

This is a very nice conclusion to Asar and Mische's story. Carissa Broadbent is a very strong writer and hits the emotional beats very well, and somehow wrapped this story up so well even when I was thinking there was no way that was going to happen! I really liked how she built towards a satisfactory ending.

This story follows on from the previous book and we dive right in. It did take me a while to grasp what was going on, but I imagine if you reread the last book and then jump into this one you might have a better idea of what was going on. After a few chapters the story picked up for me and after that it was smooth sailing. However, somewhere around the middle mark, it did start to slow dow again for me, and it made me lose a little interest in the story. I did keep reading though, and I'm glad I did!

Our characters were great and I loved learning more about them. I loved Mische and Asar's scenes together, however there is a disconnect between them that isn't resolved until towards the end. And as a result, I really struggled to connect with the characters again. I did keep reading and I do think the disconnect was handled very well, but when it was resolved I was so relieved because it meant we could move past that.

Overall, I do think this was a really good ending to Mische and Asar's story. It was emotional and the stakes were so high throughout the book and Carissa handled it all very well. It fits in well with the rest of the Nyaxia world and I'm really curious about the next book!

𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄!
4.5/5 ⭐️

oh MY what a ride this duology has been!

The conclusion to Mische and Asar’s story was heartbreakingly beautiful and I did NOT want to let them go. 😮‍💨

I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish, breathless with every twist and turn Mische and Asar faced. The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk is by far my favorite book in this series.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨
I’m in awe over Carissa’s writing when it comes to settings and world-building. Morthryn, the Descent and the Underworld is just something else. I’m also so intrigued by the other houses and I can’t wait to discover the uncharted locations of Obitraes in future installments!

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘳’𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺
Mische and Asar are so fundamentally human. Their flaws, their fears, the way they hold on to each other when everything is falling apart… it made my heart ache in the best way. I loved how raw and honest their connection was. They’re messy, stubborn, protective, and so full of love.

And don’t even get me started on their banter!!! It’s the perfect mix of teasing and tenderness. Literal chef’s kiss. I already miss them more than I want to admit.

And that ending Carissa… 👀!!! 👀!!!
𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘋𝘶𝘦𝘵… 𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘱… 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦.

→ 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗲-𝗮𝗿𝗰 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸! 🤍

For me the Nyaxia books just seem to get better and better as they go along and this was easily 4.5 stars, possibly even 5.

Mische is such a fantastic character for a vampire book, she has always had so much light in her and experiencing her character arc in this book was so enjoyable. I love the relationships she develops with all of the other characters and each interaction is done so well.

Having read the other duology and the two standalone books i was very excited to see familiar characters make appearances, even if some were very brief, it adds so much depth to the entire series, seeing how the whole world weaves together. Also Luce may be one of my all time favourite animal characters ever, what an awesome girl she is, my heart swelled almost every time she was on the page. And Morthryn is now one of my favourite places that has ever been in a book, what incredible writing to emote such feelings.

I loved seeing more from the gods and goddesses and also seeing more of the underworld, its such an interesting premise and i feel it was really well done. Overall it was such an enjoyable book to read and was a great second part to this duology, i am excited to see where the Nyaxia books go next.