*Be advised this series is for older readers*

• spoilers!!

The Serpent & the Wings of Night: Book 1 of the Nightborn Duet –

I give this book a 6.5/10 because I felt like it jumped around a lot. I feel like there were a lot of interesting storyline points, such as the Kejari, but for the main character was a bit too self-deprecating for my taste. I found it repetitive of how many times she would put herself down for being human, but I know specific readers enjoy that trope. At times the book was extremely immersive from how detailed Carissa was in the fight scenes and descriptions of others. I also really enjoyed how it was able to depict healthy, supportive relationships.

The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King: Crowns of Nyaxia- Book 2 of the Nightborn Duet

Out of the two books I give this one a 7.5/10 and prefer this one over the other. The journey of the main character finding herself and her strength through the kindness of her partner supporting her was heartwarming. How she explored her relationship with grief was definitely accurate, but I felt it was annoying that she kept forgiving Raihn for literally killing her father. I loved how they expanded on their relationship and how they explored different parts of him. Thinking on the positive side, it does possibly dip into the concept of not holding grudges and forgiveness. The book is a good slowburn and my ratings are a bit low just because I have oversaturated myself in this genre.  

I do recommend this duology for people who are into action, fantasy, and romance. 

The Nightborn Duet by Carissa Broadbent is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.