The Serpent & the Wings of Night: Crowns of Nyaxia #1    by Carissa Broadbent Order:  USA  Can Tor, 2023 (2023) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Serpent & the Wings of Night is the first in Carissa Broadbent's Crowns of Nyaxia series about a world of vampire ruling houses, where humans struggle to survive. Oraya was adopted as an infant by Nightborn vampire king Vincent, who slaughtered her family. Why did he do this? Because love 'is sharper than any stake.' He brought her up to be a strong, ruthless fighter and to survive, but also protected her. Unbeknownst to him (and shades of Buffy), she used that strength to hunt and kill vampires every night. Her only friend is aged Ilana, who has been a voluntary blood vendor in her father's kingdom, a dangerous role given vampires' lack of self control. Now, Vincent has convinced Oraya to enter the once-in-a-century Kejari tournament, overseen by the goddess Nyaxia. Most who enter die, but the winner is granted a wish from the goddess. It's incredibly challenging but Oraya is helped by Raihn, a vampire from a rival kingdom. They ally in the early stages of the competition and will eventually have to face each other - but Oraya develops feelings for him. After a great deal of blood and gore, Oraya and Raihn do come out on top, but not without twists of plot and betrayals along the way, setting the scene for what comes next. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Fantasy books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews