The Lion and the Deathless Dark by Carissa Broadbent
- Alisha Eadle
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Lion and the Deathless Dark
by Carissa Broadbent
Published by Bramble
Book 5 in the Crowns of Nyaxia Series
From New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, The Lion & the Deathless Dark – the first book in the Bloodborn Duet.
Some blood tastes like vengeance. Some blood tastes like grief. Some blood tastes like nothing at all.
Under an eternal night, the world has been ravaged by ten years of war between humans and vampires. Kyrene scrapes by as a bounty hunter, bearing a blessed sword from the goddess of justice. But in the wake of a devastating loss, Kyrene commits a crime that makes her a target for mortals and gods alike – and she is still desperate for vengeance.
Her only chance at survival – and revenge – is making a deal with her enemy, the silver-tongue vampire prince, Septimus, who offers her one final to slay the gods themselves.
Together, Kyrene and Septimus must hunt the ultimate marks, all while navigating a web of prophecies and curses. Septimus is calculating and mysterious, masking secrets bloodthirsty enough to consume them both. Yet, most dangerous of all, Kyrene finds an unexpected kinship in him.
But their growing attraction is deadly in a world where the only currency is blood. And Kyrene will stop at nothing to fulfill her ultimate to kill the goddess of vampires, even if it means sacrificing love for revenge.
Genre
Triggers
No specific triggers will be posted to prevent spoilers, but expected violence and murder
Before I begin, I want to thank Bramble to sending me an arc of The Lion and the Deathless Dark by Carissa Broadbent, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
WHEN I RECIEVED THIS ARC, I SCREECHED.
Like, pterodactyls would have adopted me into their flocks kind of screech.
I love everything about this series.
It's funny, because every time I have started a new duology in this series, or started one of the novellas, I have thought to myself that there is no way I will love this couple more than the last one.
Every. Single. Time. I'm. Wrong.
So why I felt that way going into this one, I don't know. Carissa Broadbent has blown me away every book. I think it all comes down to Septimus. After all, every time Septimus has been on the page in this series, it's been through other characters viewpoint, and it's not always good.
Okay ... a lot of the time, Septimus is portrayed as a manipulative villain.
So despite past history proving that I usually fall for the morally grey male, I still was hesitant going in.
I shouldn't have been.
The world Carissa Broadbent has created in these books is truly something marvelous. It's so rich and layered. Complicated. Not just with the politics of the world, and the different species, but the addition of gods and goddesses, and the way that those devoted exist in this world. It doesn't matter the location, or the court (if there is one), Carissa's worldbuilding skills are absolute perfection.
Then there is Kyrene and Septimus. Two morally grey people who end up together with a common goal: to bring down the gods. Two people that are TRUE enemies. The chemistry between these two was immediate. Electric. The banter between them made me smile more times than not, but the true magic was when their walls were down and they let one another in. It's something I absolutely love about Carissa Broadbent's work.
She doesn't just create amazing, unique worlds.
She creates characters, that despite not always being the hero, you end up loving them. She nurtures these characters, makes them complicated and you can't help but root for them.
I can't not mention Kyrene's sword. Zefiah. I love the connection Zefiah has with Kyrene. The banter between these two left me smiling. Despite Zefiah being an object, Carissa managed to make her feel real.
The Lion and the Deathless Dark is probably my favorite of the entire series. It left me needing more, and I can't wait till we get the conclusion of Septimus and Kyrene's story. Even if it means the end of the Crowns of Nyaxia series. To be honest, though, Carissa Broadbent's talent has made her an instant-buy author for me. If you haven't read this series yet, I implore you to do so. You don't have to read the other books before this one, but you will be missing out on so much if you don't.
The Lion and the Deathless Dark is available tomorrow, August 4th, 2026.
Coming soon after publication!
