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Cover of The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King (Crowns of Nyaxia, #2)

The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King (Crowns of Nyaxia, #2)

by Carissa Broadbent

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy·Crowns of Nyaxia #2
4.4 on MoodReads (6 ratings)4.1 on Goodreads (483,291)

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Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

A cathartic journey through hatred to hesitant devotion, where the emotional wreckage of betrayal slowly transforms into a powerful, earned connection.

Synopsis

L'amore è un sacrificio sull'altare del potere. Dopo il Kejari, tutte le certezze di Oraya si sono sbriciolate. Prigioniera nel suo stesso palazzo, in lutto dopo aver perso l'unica famiglia che abbia mai conosciuto, sconvolta da un devastante tradimento, non sa più neanche quali siano le sue origini. Solo di una cosa è sicura: non può fidarsi di nessuno, soprattutto non di Raihn. Anche il Casato della Notte è circondato da nemici. Gli stessi nobili di Raihn non sono entusiasti di essere governati da un re mutato, che per di più è un ex schiavo. E il Casato del Sangue affonda i suoi artigli nel regno, minacciando di dilaniarlo dall'interno. Per questo, quando Raihn propone a Oraya un'alleanza, lei accetta, consapevole di come quell'accordo sia l'unico mezzo per riavere il suo regno, e vendicarsi di chi l'ha tradita. Per riuscirci, tuttavia, dovrà fare ricorso a un potere antico e straordinario, legato ai più grandi segreti di suo padre. Mentre i nemici la assediano da ogni parte, Oraya si accorge che niente è come sembra. E a mano a mano che svela il passato e affronta il futuro, si ritrova costretta a scegliere tra la cruenta realtà del potere e un amore che potrebbe portarla alla rovina.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Broadbent does something rare here: she makes betrayal feel poetic without letting anyone off the hook. Oraya starts this book furious, grieving, and absolutely correct not to trust Raihn—and the whole novel is the slow, painful, earned work of two people dismantling that wall. Nearly 600 pages of political intrigue and vampire court drama and messy complicated love, and the ending will wreck you in a way that feels completely deserved.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.06 ★ (483.3k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

626 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2023

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Romantasy

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Dual POV

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Single Narrator (unspecified)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Unknown Narrator

Narrator Count

Single

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
captive romanceforced proximityforced to marrymarriage of conveniencearranged marriagecursed love interestmonster romanceenemies to loversslow burn
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

darkintenseangstybroodingromanticsuspensefulemotionalepic

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

lyricalatmosphericdarkemotionalimmersive

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

fast

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

heavy

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

medium

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

forbidden desiremorally complex

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

morally gray FMCsurvivorwarrior/fighter

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

dark/tortured soulmorally gray MMCpossessive alphasecretly soft

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

power imbalanceslow burnenemies to loversmutual piningbetrayal to trusthurt/comfortpush and pull

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
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Spice Level 4

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

intense / passionaterough / aggressive styleanimalistic / primal

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

praise kinkjealous/possessive during intimacybody worshiprough but consensualpossessive/protective

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

rough/aggressive intimacychoking/breath playbondage/restraintpower exchangeblood play
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (12)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
sexual assault (referenced)violencetorturedeathmurdertraumaslaverybloodcaptivitygriefwarsuicidal ideation
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

grimdark / dark fantasymythological

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

royal court / palacewar front / rebellionprison / captivity

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

vampiresgods/deitiesdemonsshiftersmonsters

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

BIPOC LIBIPOC MCinterracial romance

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

the angst deliveredtension finally satisfiedcathartic releaseobsessed

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

autumn

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

at nightsummer evening

Crowns of Nyaxia

The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia, #1)

#1 The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia, #1)

Six Scorched Roses

#1.5 Six Scorched Roses

The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King (Crowns of Nyaxia, #2)

#2 The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King (Crowns of Nyaxia, #2)

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror

#2.5 Slaying the Vampire Conqueror

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone

#3 The Songbird and the Heart of Stone

The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk

#4 The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk

The Lion and the Deathless Dark

#5 The Lion and the Deathless Dark

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Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy
PagesHow long the commitment is.626
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2023
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.06 ★ (483.3k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Crowns of Nyaxia #2
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