anticipated-books
December 18, 2025is it too early to give that book five stars 😋?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
May 1, 2026
FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK
![Profile Image for ariyel ⟡ [semi-ia].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1773105650i/112956157._UY200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
Want to Read
August 23, 2025i’m seated. the barnes & noble employees are scared and asking me to leave because it’s “not august 2026 yet” but i’m simply too seated.
Want to Read
September 1, 2025Vampire’s Game. Hunter’s Strike. - A War Written in Blood..
One pact. One prophecy.. One spark that could ignite everything.
Will love survive when the night devours all?Or will destiny demand its ultimate sacrifice!?
The war has burned for a decade under an eternal night.Ten years of war have left humans and vampires at each other’s throats, and in the shadows of the eternal night, survival is a crime—and vengeance is the only law.
-One bounty hunter with grief carved into her bones
-One vampire prince with secrets sharp enough to bleed kingdoms
-A deal so dangerous it could burn the gods alive..
🔮Return to the realm of Nyaxia...
Enters -
⚔️ Kyrene — lion-hearted bounty hunter, armed with a blade blessed by a goddess. She hunts for vengeance, and vengeance alone.
🦇 Septimus — silver-tongued vampire prince, dangerous as the shadows he wears. He hides secrets sharp enough to bleed the world.
-She wants revenge.
-He wants survival.
-Together? They’re about to hunt death itself.
When loss drives Kyrene to commit an unforgivable crime, she becomes prey to mortals and gods alike. Her only chance at survival—and revenge—lies in a bargain with the very monster she swore to kill.
Some blood tastes like vengeance. Some blood tastes like grief. Some blood tastes like nothing at all.
~WHAT TO EXPECT: and spiral over-
🌬️ Enemies turned uneasy allies — every glare a threat, every touch a promise
🦇 The Vampire Prince Trope — sharp teeth, sharper secrets
🕯️ Blessed Blades & Doomed Prophecies — destiny doesn’t play fair here
💔 Grief as fuel — revenge is her heartbeat, vengeance is his language
⚔️ Deadly banter — “I should kill you” / “You should kiss me instead” energy
🔥 Forbidden attraction — the kind where love is more dangerous than war
👑 Gods, monsters, curses — all bleeding together in shadows
🌑 A world where blood is currency and devotion gets you killed🕯️ Prophecies, curses, and gods who demand too much blood
⚔️ “Touch her and die” but make it prophecy instead of bravado
🤺 Morally grey bargains in moonlit ruins
🦇 Fang-filled banter. “I hate you” tension. And kisses that taste like sin
🔥 A war where love isn’t salvation—it’s the final weapon.
The Fallen and The Kiss of Dusk left me wrecked… and now Carissa really said: here’s more pain, more blood, more yearning...
I LIVED for the last book, and now I can’t wait to dive headfirst into this deadly duet. Gods, vengeance, curses, enemies bound by blood?? Inject it straight into my veins. 🩸
One pact. One prophecy.. One spark that could ignite everything.
Will love survive when the night devours all?Or will destiny demand its ultimate sacrifice!?
The war has burned for a decade under an eternal night.Ten years of war have left humans and vampires at each other’s throats, and in the shadows of the eternal night, survival is a crime—and vengeance is the only law.
-One bounty hunter with grief carved into her bones
-One vampire prince with secrets sharp enough to bleed kingdoms
-A deal so dangerous it could burn the gods alive..
🔮Return to the realm of Nyaxia...
Enters -
⚔️ Kyrene — lion-hearted bounty hunter, armed with a blade blessed by a goddess. She hunts for vengeance, and vengeance alone.
🦇 Septimus — silver-tongued vampire prince, dangerous as the shadows he wears. He hides secrets sharp enough to bleed the world.
-She wants revenge.
-He wants survival.
-Together? They’re about to hunt death itself.
When loss drives Kyrene to commit an unforgivable crime, she becomes prey to mortals and gods alike. Her only chance at survival—and revenge—lies in a bargain with the very monster she swore to kill.
Some blood tastes like vengeance. Some blood tastes like grief. Some blood tastes like nothing at all.
~WHAT TO EXPECT: and spiral over-
🌬️ Enemies turned uneasy allies — every glare a threat, every touch a promise
🦇 The Vampire Prince Trope — sharp teeth, sharper secrets
🕯️ Blessed Blades & Doomed Prophecies — destiny doesn’t play fair here
💔 Grief as fuel — revenge is her heartbeat, vengeance is his language
⚔️ Deadly banter — “I should kill you” / “You should kiss me instead” energy
🔥 Forbidden attraction — the kind where love is more dangerous than war
👑 Gods, monsters, curses — all bleeding together in shadows
🌑 A world where blood is currency and devotion gets you killed🕯️ Prophecies, curses, and gods who demand too much blood
⚔️ “Touch her and die” but make it prophecy instead of bravado
🤺 Morally grey bargains in moonlit ruins
🦇 Fang-filled banter. “I hate you” tension. And kisses that taste like sin
🔥 A war where love isn’t salvation—it’s the final weapon.
The Fallen and The Kiss of Dusk left me wrecked… and now Carissa really said: here’s more pain, more blood, more yearning...
I LIVED for the last book, and now I can’t wait to dive headfirst into this deadly duet. Gods, vengeance, curses, enemies bound by blood?? Inject it straight into my veins. 🩸
May 19, 2026
I loved this book so much! This was a fantastic and heartbreaking fantasy romance about betrayal, power, love, survival, courage and revenge. The Lion and the Deathless Dark follows Kyrene, a bounty hunter who carries a powerful sword from the goddess of justice. Kyrene kills a god after facing a terrible loss and now is in trouble from gods and mortals. Kyrene makes a deal with her enemy Septimus, a vampire prince in order to survive. When she becomes closer to Septimus she must decide whether to stay on the revenge journey or find love.
Thoughts
I was completely immersed in this deadly fantasy world from the very first page. The plot was engaging and action-packed throughout the book! There were several plot twists and betrayals that had me truly shocked. I loved that this book didn't include trials like many other fantasy books instead focused on a bounty hunter on a journey to kill gods and goddesses. I also appreciated that while the main character wields a powerful sword, she is strong in her own right and knows how to fight. The pacing was perfect, it wasn't slow or too fast. The world building was excellent, the author put a tremendous amount of detail into the history of the world, the land, the languages and the mortals as well as the gods. The author also explained the differences between the mortals, vampires and the gods/goddesses. The magic was interesting especially the magic from items that gods crafted such as the sword that Kyrene wields, healing magic and blood magic. The writing was beautiful, descriptive and immersive. The storytelling was amazing, the author brought the characters to life by telling their story and emotions. I felt so many emotions while reading this book including happiness, sadness, anger, and heartbreak. The ending was exciting and also so devastating. I'm going to be thinking about this book and the characters for a long time
Characters
I loved Kyrene, she was a flawed character who made mistakes, but she was strong, resilient, fierce, protective of the people she loved, and didn't give up when she was on a certain path. I was in awe of how determined and resilient Kyrene was even after all of the heartbreak she went through. I adored Septimus as well, he was mysterious, sarcastic, strong, resilient, protective and had a soft side. Septimus' character development was great, I loved seeing the softer and caring side that he showed to Kyrene. The scene where he read to her made me swoon so much! Also when the nickname that he gave to her, I loved it. I loved that that there were some funny and heartwarming scenes alongside the deadly world they lived in. The side characters were intriguing and complex as well especially Zefiah, Valentina, and Mirie. I loved the interactions between the side characters and the main characters in particular the banter.
Romance
I loved that the romance was true enemies to lovers, they actually hated each other in the beginning. The chemistry and the tension was amazing!! I could feel the deep connection and similarities between the main characters. I also loved that the romance was slow burn, it took them a while to show their feelings. The banter was great and there were several scenes that made me laugh. The romantic scenes were spicy and made me blush. My only critique I have for the romance was they showed that they cared for each other, but didn't say the words out loud.
Thank you so much Bramble, Carissa Broadbent and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
Thoughts
I was completely immersed in this deadly fantasy world from the very first page. The plot was engaging and action-packed throughout the book! There were several plot twists and betrayals that had me truly shocked. I loved that this book didn't include trials like many other fantasy books instead focused on a bounty hunter on a journey to kill gods and goddesses. I also appreciated that while the main character wields a powerful sword, she is strong in her own right and knows how to fight. The pacing was perfect, it wasn't slow or too fast. The world building was excellent, the author put a tremendous amount of detail into the history of the world, the land, the languages and the mortals as well as the gods. The author also explained the differences between the mortals, vampires and the gods/goddesses. The magic was interesting especially the magic from items that gods crafted such as the sword that Kyrene wields, healing magic and blood magic. The writing was beautiful, descriptive and immersive. The storytelling was amazing, the author brought the characters to life by telling their story and emotions. I felt so many emotions while reading this book including happiness, sadness, anger, and heartbreak. The ending was exciting and also so devastating. I'm going to be thinking about this book and the characters for a long time
Characters
I loved Kyrene, she was a flawed character who made mistakes, but she was strong, resilient, fierce, protective of the people she loved, and didn't give up when she was on a certain path. I was in awe of how determined and resilient Kyrene was even after all of the heartbreak she went through. I adored Septimus as well, he was mysterious, sarcastic, strong, resilient, protective and had a soft side. Septimus' character development was great, I loved seeing the softer and caring side that he showed to Kyrene. The scene where he read to her made me swoon so much! Also when the nickname that he gave to her, I loved it. I loved that that there were some funny and heartwarming scenes alongside the deadly world they lived in. The side characters were intriguing and complex as well especially Zefiah, Valentina, and Mirie. I loved the interactions between the side characters and the main characters in particular the banter.
Romance
I loved that the romance was true enemies to lovers, they actually hated each other in the beginning. The chemistry and the tension was amazing!! I could feel the deep connection and similarities between the main characters. I also loved that the romance was slow burn, it took them a while to show their feelings. The banter was great and there were several scenes that made me laugh. The romantic scenes were spicy and made me blush. My only critique I have for the romance was they showed that they cared for each other, but didn't say the words out loud.
Thank you so much Bramble, Carissa Broadbent and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
August 27, 2025
Being Carissa's assistant does have its advantages. I read the first draft of this book (not edits at all) and I can safely say that this is the book that topped Serpent for me, and that's saying a lot because Serpent was always number 1 in my heart. Lion was dark, gritty, devastating, emotional, surprising, shocking, sexy, very sexy and genuinely a masterpiece in plotting. Did I mention that Septimus has a dirty mouth?
Want to Read
October 17, 2025Edit: OMG THE COVER IS ✨STUNNING✨
”Septimus very much liked to be the solution to a problem.”
oh yeah…septimus is definitely daddy material
”Septimus very much liked to be the solution to a problem.”
oh yeah…septimus is definitely daddy material
upcoming-releases
August 11, 2025SEPTIMUS IT IS!!! i can never not love a messed-up, morally grey character with a tragic backstory 😩
series-to-continue
November 29, 2025Apparently, Septimus has a dirty, dirty mouth, and I am here for it. 😏
1. The Serpent and the Wings of Night ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
1.5 Six Scorched Roses ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
2. The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2.5 Slaying the Vampire Conqueror ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
3. The Songbird & the Heart of Stone ⭐⭐⭐.5
4. The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk ⭐⭐⭐⭐
1. The Serpent and the Wings of Night ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
1.5 Six Scorched Roses ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
2. The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2.5 Slaying the Vampire Conqueror ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
3. The Songbird & the Heart of Stone ⭐⭐⭐.5
4. The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Want to Read
August 10, 2025I just finished the fourth book and now we have an announcement for the fifth book🙈😱
Want to Read
August 31, 2025need this more than i need oxygen
Want to Read
November 29, 2025Omg we have a new one??! I still need to read the newest one why does this have to be next summer 😭cannot wait!!!
Want to Read
September 4, 2025This is not a want….but a NEED✨
interested-in
October 17, 2025these covers continue to be so BEAUTIFUL 😭 can’t wait for Septimus 🤍
future-releases
August 10, 2025Sat and ready for the Bloodborn Duet. But also not ready for this to be the final duology in the Crowns of Nyaxia world!!
Want to Read
August 18, 202508/18/2025 Carissa is not sleeping on this world hot damn. I need to read Mische's story already
Want to Read
August 10, 2025YESSSS PLEASE I NEED HIS BOOK SO BADLY!!!
Want to Read
August 14, 2025I FEEL AS THOUGH I NEED THIS BOOK MORE THEN I NEED AIR?????
Want to Read
August 18, 2025Gimme. Now.
Want to Read
October 17, 2025SEPTYYYYYY IS COMINGGGGGGGG!!!!! BEEN WAITING MY WHOLE LIFE FOR THIS MOMENT 🥲
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.25 ★ RTC closer to publication
Want to Read
August 17, 2025Septimus book...I'm so sat.
September 5, 2025
I'm soo excited for this one. I love Septimus so freaking much because who doesn't love a beautiful morally grey character 😏.
I can't believe I have to wait till August 2026 to get it tho OMG! 😭😭
I can't believe I have to wait till August 2026 to get it tho OMG! 😭😭
Want to Read
April 16, 2026pre-read:
SEPTIMUS!! I repeat a book on SEPTIMUS! I’m beyond excited.
SEPTIMUS!! I repeat a book on SEPTIMUS! I’m beyond excited.
May 17, 2026
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Real review to come
Real review to come
Want to Read
April 30, 2026Coming out August 4
December 19, 2025
septimus is the mmc that’s all i need to know
Want to Read
October 17, 2025THE COVER!!!!
Want to Read
October 21, 2025GIVE IT TO ME NOWWWW
not-released
March 6, 20264 Aug 26
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews