Scan barcode
shinyfox's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
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
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Carissa has very quickly become one of my favorite authors.
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
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic and Chronic illness
Minor: Sexual content
sbordo's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Blood
Minor: Chronic illness, Death, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Terminal illness
louisepea's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
“It's just... something being difficult is not a good reason not to do it.”
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.
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.
Content Warnings
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
lizziethebookdragon's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Chronic illness, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
carlalaureano's review
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Sexual content
Moderate: Medical content and Injury/Injury detail
qatkatcat's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A wonderful short addition to the Crowns of Nyaxia series! I loved getting to read Lilliths story, she’s a brilliantly written character with lots of charm, especially considering the small amount of time/pages to develop her story. I personally recommend reading this novella after Ashes and the Star-Cursed King, as some mild spoilers occur in this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, and Rape
maregred's review
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
booktalkwithrae's review
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I am someone who is very picky when I read novellas. This is mostly because I find them to be rushed, lacking a lot of information and boring. But this one was anything, but.
I think the author did a great job in making this short story interesting, romantic, with a little bit of action and character growth. The romance did not feel rushed whatsoever, it was beautifully written, I was intrigued by the characters and I am looking forward to seeing how this is going to connect into the second book. (I’m not sure if it does. I’m just assuming).
Like in every romantic fantasy, we had a romantic plotline, and a little bit of spice. And I enjoyed every minute of it. The only thing is, I almost wish this was a full novel. I feel like this story had potential to include more details, include more scenes, and have even more character development. I would have loved to see more.
I think the author did a great job in making this short story interesting, romantic, with a little bit of action and character growth. The romance did not feel rushed whatsoever, it was beautifully written, I was intrigued by the characters and I am looking forward to seeing how this is going to connect into the second book. (I’m not sure if it does. I’m just assuming).
Like in every romantic fantasy, we had a romantic plotline, and a little bit of spice. And I enjoyed every minute of it. The only thing is, I almost wish this was a full novel. I feel like this story had potential to include more details, include more scenes, and have even more character development. I would have loved to see more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
zanazy's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This story is part of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, and while it is a stand-alone story, the ending notes these characters will be part of book two of the series. This story is set outside of the vampire world in a human town and is told from the perspective of Lilith, a human woman who is trying to save her sister and town from a deathly plague. Lilith speaks of being touched by death since her birth, cursed to die as she was born with a sickness that cannot be cured. She has lived longer than expected and is lives each day as if it were her last. She is curious and observant, and has a hunger for knowledge. With her sister’s health continuing to deteriorate each day, she decides to seek out the one vampire who lives on the edges of her town to see if perhaps his blood might allow her to make a cure that could save not only her sister, but also the people of her town. Vale is a vampire who left Obritaes (the setting of the main storyline) after his vampire faction lost power. He is a Rishan vampire of the House of Night, and a former general of the Rishan army. He is the last remaining general from the Great War that saw the Rishan fall, meaning he was part of the Rishan army who Vincent overthrew to take power. I found this interesting since Vincent had made it seem like he killed everyone that was important, so he either must not have found him threatening or somehow missed accounting for Vale after he took over.
Vale is curious about Lilith and strikes a deal with her where he provides her with blood samples in exchange for a “special” rose that she brings him. She promises to come once a month for six months, and so the story is split into six parts, for each of her visits. As the two interact, Lilith realizes they have a lot in common, so a friendship and mutual admiration begins to develop. This turns into more, and Vale finds in Lilith something unexpected. The two of them are strong leads and as the story is largely focused on their interactions, they drive the plot well.
The ending has a few surprises and is driven by the choices that Vale and Lilith make throughout the story. They do not stray from their characters and the ending sets them both up to meet the main story line after the events of The Serpent and the Wings of Night.
Vale is curious about Lilith and strikes a deal with her where he provides her with blood samples in exchange for a “special” rose that she brings him. She promises to come once a month for six months, and so the story is split into six parts, for each of her visits. As the two interact, Lilith realizes they have a lot in common, so a friendship and mutual admiration begins to develop. This turns into more, and Vale finds in Lilith something unexpected. The two of them are strong leads and as the story is largely focused on their interactions, they drive the plot well.
The ending has a few surprises and is driven by the choices that Vale and Lilith make throughout the story. They do not stray from their characters and the ending sets them both up to meet the main story line after the events of The Serpent and the Wings of Night.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
Minor: Death of parent and Death