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Following the first book in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, The Ashes and the Star Cursed King has arrived. In this new tale Oraya must continue her journey as a human in a world of winged vampires. After the loss of her father at the end of the Kejari trials, Oraya questions herself and everything her life has come to be. Following Rhain’s ascension to the throne, she must choose a side, the rebels still loyal to her father’s throne, or the man she once loved. She is a queen now, and power is hers for the taking if only she had the courage to reach out and grab it once more.
This book is a wild roller coaster of action, murder, mystery, and intrigue and it followed up the first book extremely well. This series is an excellent fit for those who enjoy a heaping teaspoon of romance with their fantasy. As I had loved the first book, I was delighted by the quick release of the second book, but nervous to see whether or not it would be as good as the first, and I was not disappointed. In fact, I think the plot was even better in this book since Oraya spends more time in court so we as the readers get to discover a bit more of the history and politics of her land. Whether or not to trust Rhain as the readers though provides a real moral question. After the first book, I think we were all wondering whether or not he was going to turn out as a good character any more because he’d crossed such a boundary in Oraya’s life. However I think the second book has great character arcs for both of them, and we get to meet some exciting new figures as well.
If you haven’t checked out this series yet, it’s a perfect cold weather read, and will sate any romantasy fanatic like me. Happy reading!
You can find a copy HERE.
Madeline Mertz is FTM's editorial intern and is a Truman State University student with literary journal experience.