The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King (Crowns of Nyaxia Book 2)

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The storyline with her mom was great, however it was introduced at the very end of the book when she was recovering for the final battle (literally at like 85%) and then they never really circled back to it. He is flawed and imperfect yet he tried his best for his kingdom even though they treated him as an usurper king and betrayed him. While I did enjoy the slower pace in this book, there were a few overly detailed chapters and events that felt like a waste of time to read, and threw off the pacing a little. The parts where we get to explore Oraya’s very complicated relationship with her father, Vincent, and see her go through the process of grieving and forgiving were beautifully written. Something I always look for in fantasy romance is the fantasy element holding equal weight to the romance.

He always had a more vulnerable side and it showed more than Oraya’s too, but in this book, we can see him open to her even more, and I absolutely adored that he was man enough to admit to his weaknesses, flaws, and to admit that he would do anything for Oraya. She broke down, and for a while her flame was almost snuffed out, but she then rose and became even more powerful, determined, and strong than she was before, and I think the best thing in all this was seeing Rhain help her rise and be so happy when she took back her life into her hands, even if it meant more trouble for him. but sometimes, i felt like i was forcing myself to power through this because i wanted to get it over with. Same as in book 1, you were able to easily follow along the fight without getting confused or irritated. But the amount of times it was repeated in this book took me out of moments between our main characters that I would’ve otherwise been very invested in.that being said, i wish the entire book was focused on the action/romance of it instead of the prolonged ass world building that should have been in the first book instead. and how Oraya sacrificed everything for him in the end of this, while Raihn would already give up everything for her.

I highly recommend this series to everyone who love their fanstasy books packed with action, angsty and mesmerising romance and intense plot. and the best part of this book, unquestionably, undoubtably Vincent and how his complex bond with Oraya was explored. First of all: thank you to Carissa for writing this amazing book and blessing me with an Arc of said book, and thank you Ariella for helping Carissa out!all of the characters, actually--they felt remarkably multifaceted, which i think is where carissa shines. Oraya has so many conflicted feelings when it comes to Rhain and Vincent, and that made her SO relatable. I'm so proud of Oraya, she went through a great deal of hardship and grief in this book, but she came out the other side stronger.