Full Book Review of The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King

Check out my full review of The Ashes and The Star-Cursed King, the stunning second book of the Crowns of Nyaxia series. There’s a review with and without spoilers, so be aware! And all the way at the end, check out my recommendations for other books you’d like! 

If you didn’t read the first book, The Serpent and the Wings of Night, or you just need a refresher, I have a summary and a review to look at first. 

Here’s a short synopsis of the book: 

“Love is a sacrifice at the altar of power.

In the wake of the Kejari, everything Oraya once thought to be true has been destroyed. A prisoner in her own kingdom, grieving the only family she ever had, and reeling from a gutting betrayal, she no longer even knows the truth of her own blood. She’s left only with one certainty: she cannot trust anyone, least of all Raihn.

Raihn’s own nobles are none too eager to accept a Turned king, especially one who was once a slave. And the House of Blood digs their claws into the kingdom, threatening to tear it apart from the inside.

When Raihn offers Oraya a secret alliance, taking the deal is her only chance at reclaiming her kingdom–and gaining her vengeance against the lover who betrayed her. But to do so, she’ll need to harness a devastating ancient power, intertwined with her father’s greatest secrets.

But with enemies closing in on all sides, nothing is as it seems. As she unravels her past and faces her future, Oraya finds herself forced to choose between the bloody reality of seizing power―and the devastating love that could be her downfall.“

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Full Book Review Without Spoilers 

The Nightborn duet had all of my favorite things in a dark fantasy- enemies to lovers, a morally grey MMC, and deadly trials. And the second book is just as good as the first. I was hooked from the very beginning and felt satisfied with the ending. 

In this book, the world building is really expanded to outside the city and brings in a lot more history and characters. We see a lot of the other vampire houses as well as other gods. And a lot of the background questions in the first book, especially around family, are answered in this one. 

Just know that this book is a romantasy, so the romance is a major part of the plot. However, the romance (and small amount of spice) is well written and only adds to the fantasy part of the plot instead of taking away like some popular books on social media. 

You probably first heard about this book on social media, but this is one of the popular books that deserves the hype. Overall, if you do like romantasy or vampire books, give this series a try. 

Characters

All of the main characters that you loved from the first book come back for even more character development in this book. I loved getting to know Raihn more and seeing the other vampires from his past come back. You get a better understanding of Oraya and Vincent as well when you learn a lot about their past. 

Plot

The fast moving plot of this book really builds on the first book while expanding the world-building so much. You realize there was so much more going on in the first book that you get in this book. And the fantasy points of the plot are great. 

Writing

The writing style of these books keeps you constantly engaged. There’s a lot of action happening that you just want to keep reading, but not so much that it feels overwhelming. Broadbent also has an amazing way of weaving in the romance that leaves you craving more. 

Full Book Review With Spoilers

You’ve been warned that from here on out there will be spoilers. 

This is one of my favorite book series I’ve found on social media. A lot of the books online aren’t as well written or have as good of a plot as this one. And it’s my favorite vampire book I’ve read in a long time! 

In this second book, a lot of the loose ends are finally answered from the first book. There’s still a few minor questions at the end that lead into the next book of the series and make you want to keep reading. But the ending of this book is satisfying for both the fantasy and the romance. 

In this book, we get to hear a lot from Raihn’s perspective both about the present and about his past including how he became a vampire. It adds a whole new side of Raihn that makes you love him even more.  

And if you love romantasy where both the FMC and MMC would kill for the other, this one is for you! 

Pros of the Book

One major pro of this book is the pace of the book really keeps you reading. There’s tons of action throughout the book, and you always want to keep reading when you get to the end of one of the chapters. I couldn’t put it down and ended up finishing it pretty fast.

Another pro of the book is the fantasy world that you learn more and more about through the two books. And this is book has a great balance between fantasy and romance that fit seamlessly together. It’s one of the best that I’ve read from the popular social media books.  

Cons of the Book

I really didn’t have any major complaints with this book. There were details that seemed a little rushed or not fully explained, but that may also be because there’s more books to come in the series.  

Conclusion

Overall, if you’re a fan of romantic fantasy, you have to read these books! They are worth all the hype, very well-written, and really just keep getting better. If you’re a sucker for enemies-to-lovers or a morally grey MMC who will do anything for his love, you need to get this duo! 

You can find the book here. 

I have a full summary of the book here if you need a refresher on any of the main points. 

Rating-4.5 Out of 5 Stars

This book was one I could not put down, and, when it ended, I still wanted more!! The ending was satisfying, but now I need the next book in the series. 

Here’s how I rate all my books: My Rating System

Who Would Enjoy Reading? 

This book is great for fans of dark romantasy who enjoy a well written plot with just a little bit of spice that in no way takes away from the story. It was hyped up a lot, but I think it was a good amount for how good the book was. 

What to Read After The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King

If you really enjoyed The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King, check out some more addictive romantasy series that I also loved. These have a lot of the same themes but are also unique in great ways. 

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent

This is the third book in the Crowns of Nyaxia series that follows the story of Mische. Some of your favorite characters from the first two books also show up, but this (and the next book) are considered their own duet. You can find the book here.

Lightlark by Alex Aster

This book and the whole series has very similar vibes to the Crowns of Nyaxia, but with fey instead of vampires. This series (especially the later books) does have some spice in it if you’re looking for that. You can find it here. 

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

If you’re looking for a similar series but without spice, try the Caraval series. If Raihn was you’re favorite character in this series, you’ll love the MMC in Caraval, too. You can find it here.