There Is No Good Or Evil In This World, Just As There Is No Good Or Evil In Us

I recently finished reading Slaying the Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent. This is book #2.5 in the Crowns of Nyaxia series.

~POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT~

  Rating: 4/5 stars

"She was commanded to kill him with a single strike to the heart. She didn’t expect her own to betray her.

Sylina has sacrificed everything for her goddess–her soul, her freedom, her eyes. Life in service to the Arachessen, a cult of the Goddess of Fate, has turned Sylina from orphaned street-rat to disciplined killer, determined to overthrow Glaea’s tyrannical king. But when a brutal vampire conqueror arrives on their shores, Sylina faces an even deadlier adversary. She’s tasked with a crucial mission: infiltrate his army, earn his trust… and kill him.

Atrius is a terrifying warrior carving an unstoppable path through Glaea. Yet when Sylina becomes his seer, she glimpses a dark and shocking past–and a side of him that reminds her far too much of parts of herself she’d rather forget. Sylina’s orders are clear. The conqueror cannot live. But as the blood spilled by Glaea’s tyrant king runs thicker, her connection with Atrius only grows stronger. A connection forbidden by her vows. A connection that could cost her everything.

Chefs, as opposed to formulaic cooks, know why certain flavours work together, how to balance the spice, and when to throw in something to elevate the dish.

Carissa Broadbent is undoubtedly a chef. This is the 5th book I’ve read of hers, and I can attest that she uses classic tropes like enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, Beauty & the Beast monster vibes, and understands why they work, where to push boundaries, create layered compelling characters, and how to build tension.

Take our FMC Sylina, for example. Sylina is a fighter. A survivor. She’s spent years trying to suffocate the parts of herself that don’t align with her faith, but devotion is a double-edged blade, and her cult isn’t quite the forgiving type. They won’t hesitate to chop you into tiny pieces if you break your vows. It makes for quite the dynamic when she’s sent to infiltrate a cursed vampire warlord’s army.

And Atrius, said cursed vampire warlord with big black horns, yep, he’s horny! But he’s less terrifying predator and more tragic cinnamon roll who just wants a hug but is too busy and too focused on the task at hand to ask for one.

And this is where Broadbent’s storytelling truly shines because what makes this book hit isn’t just the romance or the intrigue. She adds profound themes such as whether devotion is strength or a cage, whether fate is a force or a shackle. And it does it all while serving up a slow-burn romance with tragic backstories, women who are done playing by the rules, well-portrayed differently-abled representation (Sylina has blindness but can still see using other means), and a story that cuts deep.

The re-release of this edition couldn’t have come at a better time, bridging the gap between Ashes and the Star Cursed King and The Songbird & the Heart of Stone, with the bonus Septimus chapter. Although you can technically read this as a standalone, or at any point in time in the Crowns of Nyaxia series. Highly recommend picking up this edition of Slaying the Vampire Conqueror, especially if The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk is on your radar.

Check out Slaying the Vampire Conqueror, and discover what happens when you realize there is no good or evil in us.