Serpent and the Wings of Night

It was an ok read, but I did not enjoy it enough to want to read the next one in the series..

Ça faisait vraiment longtemps que je n'avais pas trouvé un livre aussi bien écrit, aussi prenant, avec une super intrigue et de vrais questionnements sur les décisions à prendre.On s'attache réellement aux personnages, on veut pleurer pour eux quand ils meurent, on veut les aider quand ils souffrent, on veut les connaître davantage et tout savoir sur eux, ...Ce livre est très prenant, l'histoire vous prend aux tripes, vous fait douter de tout et de tout le monde, de toutes les vérités qu'on pensait immuable. C'est vraiment très sympa. Je ne voyais pas venir la plupart des retournements de situation, c'est hyper agréable car ça nous laisse suspendu à chaque phrase. Le suspens était bien présent, l'adrénaline aussi grâce à des scènes superbement décrites qui nous plongent dans l'histoire comme si on y était!La romance est là, mais vraiment en fond de l'histoire. Elle est frémissante à travers tout le livre, juste suffisamment pour faire battre le cœur plus vite, sans jamais nous sortir de l'histoire. Et c'est ce qui la rend encore plus forte au final !Superbe livre !!!

If you are a fan of the Romantasy genre with a headstrong and fierce female main character who can show vulnerability, then I highly recommend The Serpent and the Wings of Night. If your biggest hesitation is the presence of vampires, don't let that stop you. I'm not a fan of vampire books anymore (I used to be, but got tired) and I DEVOURED this book. What you get: Action, romantic tension, banter, violence, betrayal, friendship, self-discovery and a swoony main male character who knows how to appreciate a fierce woman... what a ride! I finished it last night and will be starting book 2 today. Although book 1 doesn't end in a painful cliffhanger (thank you for those last few chapters at the end), it does end at a pivotal point in the main character's life and you'll want to know immediately what happens next.ABOUT THE SERIES: This is book 1 of a duet. There are multiple books in the world of "Crowns of Nyaxia" but Oraya's story is told in 2 books. The other books in the series delve into the stories of other characters (from what I can tell of the descriptions of the other books in the series).GENRE, FLOW, WRITING: Yes, this is a story about vampires but it doesn't read like Paranormal at all. It really reads like a Romantasy. It's Hunger Games meets ACOTAR and keeps you on your toes from start to finish. The flow was perfect, world building is gradually incorporated throughout the story, and holy smokes, it is so action packed. Great quality writing with a perfect flow and characters that you can love, admire and respect. It hit all of my marks!TECHNICALITIES:- 1st person POV (FMC)- Past Tense- Book divided in 7 parts, all of which start with a chapter in her past, from childhood to her teenage years- SPICE LEVEL: There are 2 sex scenes in this book and they are descriptive on page. Satisfying for those of us who love spice in their romance novels but not overwhelmingly so that it takes over the story or feels gratuitous. Those who don't like reading descriptive sex, can easily skip those 2 parts.RED FLAGS, WARNINGS, AUDIENCE: Violence, death, killing as a sport, war, language, gore, mutilation, descriptive sex on the page.MY 5-STAR CRITERIA: I rated this book 5 stars because I definitely have a hangover and will be purchasing the audiobook format and possibly grab a hard cover copy to put in my collection of favorite reads. I will be reading this series again and again for sure! I binge read the last half of the book in one day. I literally read from 48% to the end in one day because I couldn't put it down.

5/5 ⭐️2/5 🌶️This was hands down one of the best Fantasy Romance books I have ever read!The world building, the pacing of the story, the political intrigue, the slow burn of the romance, the tension, the characters. Everything was soo good!I really liked the world we were thrown in. I normally do not read vampire books, because they give me bad twilight flashbacks. But I really loved this. The vampires in this book seemed more like mystical creatures and I loved that. We have gods, magic, different vampire “houses” and a lot more that made the world really interesting to dive in.I loved the development of the plot and little bits of information we were fed one at time to solve the mysteries of the story. I really could not predict anything happening in this story and even if something felt suspicious, it was always surprising to find out the real backstory. This was a perfect balance between a Fantasy storyline and a Romance.Our main character Oraya was one of the most likeable female protagonists I have read about in a while. She was strong, but not coldhearted and I felt with her from the first page. I really understood her motivations behind her actions and her struggles were oddly relatable. I also loved how she found a balance between her goals, her loyalties and the feelings she was developing for our main male protagonist.Our love interest Raihn was amazing. I liked him from the start and the more I got to know about him (I won’t go into detail, because I do not want to spoil anything) the more I felt for him. He is such a good guy who is also trapped between his loyalties and his feelings. They way he treated Oraya, the way he spoke to her, tried to protect her? Definitely one of my new favorite book boyfriends.The romance between them was a perfect slowburn. I love how the book displayed the enemies to lovers development. It wasn’t just blind hate or a “You are my enemy, so I am supposed to hate you and I will deny my feelings” type of love. They got to know each other slowly and of course there was distrust in the beginning, but I loved that they saw the person (or I guess the vampire lol) in each other and not just the enemy. And once they started to develop positive feeling for each other there was no long exhausting denying of those feelings. They were both as honest with each other as they could and let the other person know how they felt, even if it was not always expressed with words. I loved their non verbal communication and how they just knew the other person like the back of their hand. The romance was extremely mature and emotional and just so heart wrenching. And so so healthy! (As healthy as a romance can be in a world full of mysteries and betrayal’s lol)The relationship also played out in a really good spicy scene(s), which I loved! It was so well written.The balance between action and finding out more about the plot and the development of the romance was perfect me. Exactly what I am looking for in a Fantasy Romance.If you are looking for a great Fantasy Romance, with amazing plot, political intrigue and a good amount of romance, this is for you!

This book was phenomenal. Easily one of the best reads I’ve found on Kindle Unlimited. From the very first page, it gripped me—an electrifying mix of action, intrigue, and raw emotion. The first half was an absolute rush, the action sequences so intense I could barely keep up. The magic system? Mysterious and almost intangible, more about feeling than clearly defined mechanics. And yet, it worked. I devoured this book so quickly I haven’t even had the chance to overanalyze it—but honestly, that just proves how immersive it was.The FMC, Oraya, is quite interesting. A human surviving in a world of ruthless vampires, she’s strong in a way that feels real—not just physically, but emotionally. She’s hardened, but not entirely cold. Her dynamic with Vincent is fascinating, her vampire father; the one time she needed comfort but learned to accept something useful instead of something kind? Heartbreaking. Raihn, the MMC, is refreshingly different—real, grounded, not a brooding, possessive "shadow daddy" (thank god), what an absolute gentleman. Their romance isn’t the main focus, but what’s there is genuine and earned. And the ending? I have so many questions, I need book two now.Overall, The Serpent & the Wings of Night is a must-read for fantasy lovers who enjoy brutal competition, rich worldbuilding, and a romance that feels earned. Now, excuse me while I go devour the next one!-------Spoilers Ahead!!!I never fully trusted Vincent, and while he didn’t outright betray Oraya, his motives remain murky. Is he protecting her because she’s his biological daughter? I still doubt it. There’s so much left unanswered.The way Oraya processes her assault—never outright naming it, only calling it "after"—was devastatingly well done. And then the subtle hints about Raihn possibly experiencing the same? What a brutal way to have something in common.The writing and worldbuilding were so immersive, with little details like the unique expletives ("Mother," "Sun-damned," "Ix’s tits") making the world feel alive. Ilana’s death was an interesting choice, but it didn’t hit as hard since we barely saw her. More flashbacks might have helped.And then there’s the turning process. Is Oraya already turning because of the wedding ceremony? The blood exchange? And Raihn came inside her—so does that mean baby?? Nothing was explained, and I need answers. And Alarus being "considered" dead?? That wording is suspicious—he’s the god of death, after all.

This book was good from the start to the end. I did see a lot of things coming but that ending? Not on a million times.I love the characters, the main and the side ones, I really love them and I can't wait to read more about them.It's a good story, good development of the pace and of the characters and always surprises you.If you love fantasy, vampires, the hunger games and a big development, just read it