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shinyfox's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Terminal illness, Violence, Chronic illness, Death, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Xenophobia, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Rape
wickeddelights's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Serpent and the Wings of Night (The first in the Crowns of Nyaxia series) was the first book in years that I was able to read told from the first person perspective, and because of that novel I was able to experience so many other great stories that I would have otherwise missed.
I still had 50 or so pages left of SATWON when I ordered book 2 and this novella, and Carissa did not disappoint.
We are introduced to Lillith, a 30 year old scientist from a village scorned by the god of abundance and famine. Death has been a constant compainion and inevitability for her, but as Death comes closer to claiming her sister Mina, she bargains with a man who exists outside of Death's grasp: A vampire by the name of Vale.
In exchange for his blood which she hopes to synthesize into a remedy for the plauge effecting her village, Lillith gives Vale six roses; and in time so much more.
As a woman who learned late in life that I have ADHD and Autism, it was easy to see myself reflected in Lillith's struggles to connect and feel understood in the world around her. We are brought into her mind and the analytical way she views the world around her with skill, as there is still no shortage of times where I tabbed the novella to mark lyrically written quotes.
In 183 pages, Carissa has managed to make me just as invested in Vale and Lillith's story as felt with the cast of the first Crowns of Nyaxia novel.
I am so excited to see more of these characters as the series continues!
Content Warnings for the book include:
*Terminal Illness
*Death
*Violence
*Sexual content (Spice level of maybe a 1.5-2/5)
*Plauge/wounds
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic and Chronic illness
Minor: Sexual content
spicyviolets's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Violence
louisepea's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Six Scorched Roses was a brilliant Beauty and the Beast-inspired novella from the Crowns of Nyaxia series about a neurodivergent human woman making a deal with a grumpy hot vampire so she can find a cure for a disease cursing her village.
Every month, Lilith promises Vale a special rose in exchange for his blood- a human taking a vampire's blood? Oh, the irony!!- and what starts as a reluctant partnership soon turns into a friendly alliance, with Vale eagerly helping Lilith research her work, and adorably, sending her letters in her absence like the sweet old soul he is.
As the letters accumulate, it appears that something is building between the two friends, and Lilith is too distracted by her work and her feelings for Vale to realise the letters have led a group of scared religious extremists to his door. Will she be able to get to him in time? And when her actions displease a vengeful God, will there be anything she can offer to save those she loves from his wrath? Or has death caught up with Lilith a fourth and final time?
*
Ix's tits, I think this might just be one of the best novellas I've ever read.
After loving The Serpent and the Wings of Night, I wasted no time in sinking my fangs into this book, and loved it so much, I greedily drank it down in a couple of sittings. I only wish it had been longer. 195 pages wasn't enough time with Lilith and Vale.
It was fun to read a vampire story where the human was the one taking the vampire's blood, and the vampire the one being perturbed by the human silently sneaking into his home unannounced and uninvited at inconvenient times. (Nothing like a bit of voyeurism to make or break the mood...)
Lilith was such an interesting character as a fearless neurodivergent thirty year old whose difficulty with social cues got her into awkward situations at times, but who never tried to be anything but herself. It was admirable how her love for her terminally ill sister drove her to fearlessly approach a vampire to help her find a cure, and to not take 'no' for an answer, and how she worked tirelessly to help everyone, before giving everything she had to save them.
I loved how Lilith quickly had Vale, the, supposedly, big scary vampire, wrapped around her little finger, enthralled by her patented blend of curiosity and thirst for knowledge. He reminded me so much of a winged Lorcan Salvaterre- a big, moody, immortal killing machine softened by a clever human woman who isn't afraid of him. And just like Lorcan, I adored him!
I thoroughly enjoyed the enemies to friends to lovers relationship which developed between them, cemented by Vale initiating a letter exchange, and Lilith coming to save him. If I didn't already love him before he enthusiastically started penning her academic love letters with doodles and poems delivered by magic or raven, the letter-writing definitely did it. I mean, could that be any cuter?!
I was also swooning when he saved her from a group of opportunist robbers, and nursed her back to health- even while chastising her for almost-stripping to save her skin, not quite grasping her limited options as an unarmed mortal woman cornered by men until she made it clear.
I was equally moved by the scenes where Lilith raced to save Vale from the mob, killed to defend him, and then took care of him, as well as when Vale came for her when she went to face the vengeful God alone. The two of them were just adorable together, and the way this odd-couple cared for each other stole my whole heart. They were the last two people you'd expect to end up together, but somehow, they just worked.
For some reason, I wasn't at all surprised by how it ended- I guess it was kinda predictable- but it had me on the edge of my seat anyway, hoping Lilith made it through. And thank goodness she did... well, kind of.
I'm excited to read more books of the two of them in the future, and can't wait to see where the series takes them now that Lilith has all the time in the world. I loved this first adventure of them, and I need to know more! 4 shiny stars out of 5.
Trigger warnings for: Sex, voyeurism, violence, blood, terminal illness, death, attempted assault.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Pandemic/Epidemic, Terminal illness, and Chronic illness
Minor: Sexism, Blood, Misogyny, Murder, Death, and Grief
nova_lilias's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Death of parent and War
lucindahoi's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, and Blood
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Blood, and War
wildflower_magic's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Ableism, Grief, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: War and Sexual assault
immdanii's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Religious bigotry, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Terminal illness, Violence, Chronic illness, Death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
aklovekorn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Gore, Medical content, Death, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Blood
skillyillian's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Idk if it was intentional for Lilith to be autism-coded, but it was so... The word isn't heartwarming or encouraging, but just???? Satisfying??? Idk, whatever. All of those things but those aren't the word I'm trying to think of. Anyway it felt super super good to see someone who struggles so much with interpreting what people mean when they talk or what their expressions are supposed to say. And having to memorize what your face and their faces look like when conveying certain things was so relatable. I love Lilith so so so so so much. Hiding her enthusiasm for her special interests bc other people treated her like she was too much was what I related to the most, so that shit definitely had me on the brink of tears.
Vale is a sweetheart, I adore him. Also tho, you just love the "I'll kill anyone who hurts you" trope. The duality of man. A vampire man. He's so good.
Also hey shout out to this author for not making all of her FMCs barely legal lmfao. Seeing Lilith's age be what it was (idk if that counts as a spoiler so I won't say) was really awesome.
I loved that this wasn't drawn out into a longer book, like the author knew to just keep it to the point so we'd know about these characters going into the rest of the series. I love it, what a sick idea. Anyway this was a lovely story and I really enjoyed it. Lovable characters, fleshing out the human realms of the world she's created, showing more of the regions of worship outside of Nyaxia's grip, etc etc. Excellent addition. 🖤
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent and Sexual assault