Serpent and the Wings of Night

It was an ok read, but I did not enjoy it enough to want to read the next one in the series..

This book...wow. I experienced so many things reading this. Joy and laughter, sadness, grief and tears, anger, frustration, shock and betrayal, desire, hatred. You name it and this book probably made me feel it in all the best ways. This story is a dark, grim and emotional tale that follows a human girl who was adopted by a vampire king as a child and has had to learn to live in a world where she is prey surrounded by predators. She enters a competition ruled by a Goddess so that she doesn't need to keep living a powerless life filled with fear and ends up meeting a turned vampire who helps her to realize she is so much more than prey. Throughout the story we explore the impacts of nature vs nurture, what it means to be strong and brave. We see how the toxic, harmful and abusive things that are said and taught to us by parental figures stick with us even when we know they don't make any sense. We as readers can see the flaws in the way Oraya has been taught to live and her refusal to question these things shows us the blind devotion she has to her "father". We see how hard it is to seperate the parent you love from the parent who hurts us and experience the duality that comes with familial abuse - on one side of things you're angry, on the other you still feel so much love for them. This is all written in so beautifully. The love that forms between Raihn and Oraya is also such a beautiful thing. The way they just SEE eachother, the safety she feels with him, the devotion he shows to her up until the end. Even when her mind screams for her to stop trusting him, to run from him, to hate him...her heart can't help feeling love and trust and safety when she's around him. The heartbreak at the end of this book was absolutely devastating and I hope that in the next book there's some redemption because I know they could make eachother so incredibly happy and be such a powerful force together. The side characters were equally interesting. We were given a bubbly happy sunshine best friend, an underdog with so much trauma that he should have given up on life who still pushed to come out on top until the end, a strong female warrior who loved her people and died for a cause she believed in, another devoted female warrior who never gave up her feminity to fit the role of a soldier but still made it to the top ranks of the army and was devoted to her country above all else, a human who came across as a bit of an eccentric auntie who taught our MC to allow herself joy and light and color into her life and not to lose her humanity. The world building was done so well. By the end of the story we get a clear and detailed understanding of the politics in the world as they truly are, something we evolve to understanding with the main character as she throws away her childhood beliefs of how things work and experiences the world for herself. Each scene was crafted so well and fully immersed me in the dark, gothic, magical world that the author built. The plot was constantly evolving, rarely predictable and the end of this book...sheesh. I will be thinking about these plot twists and what they mean until I can finally read the next book. The end of this book left me a MESS. Overall this is one of my all time favorite reads. Perhaps it's my absolute favorite, above all else honestly. I absolutely wholeheartedly recommend checking it out.

Ça faisait vraiment longtemps que je n'avais pas trouvé un livre aussi bien écrit, aussi prenant, avec une super intrigue et de vrais questionnements sur les décisions à prendre. On s'attache réellement aux personnages, on veut pleurer pour eux quand ils meurent, on veut les aider quand ils souffrent, on veut les connaître davantage et tout savoir sur eux, ... Ce livre est très prenant, l'histoire vous prend aux tripes, vous fait douter de tout et de tout le monde, de toutes les vérités qu'on pensait immuable. C'est vraiment très sympa. Je ne voyais pas venir la plupart des retournements de situation, c'est hyper agréable car ça nous laisse suspendu à chaque phrase. Le suspens était bien présent, l'adrénaline aussi grâce à des scènes superbement décrites qui nous plongent dans l'histoire comme si on y était! La romance est là, mais vraiment en fond de l'histoire. Elle est frémissante à travers tout le livre, juste suffisamment pour faire battre le cœur plus vite, sans jamais nous sortir de l'histoire. Et c'est ce qui la rend encore plus forte au final ! Superbe livre !!!

This is one of my favorite books of this year. I loved it. It's full of action, danger, plot twists, magic, and weapons. If you're a fan of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout, this book is for you, and if this is the first book you read from Charissa, she will immediately become one of your favorite writers. I loved how she wrote this book and I can't wait for book2. What am I saying?! I NEED ALL THE NEXT 5 BOOKS! ✅ Age: 16/17+ Be worn ❗️❗️ a lot of blood, a lot of death, sexual abuse, torture, and descriptive wounds/cuts/deaths ❗️❗️ ✅ Plot twists ✅ Full of action ✅ Extraordinary written characters ✅ Magic ✅ Vampires and Gods ✅ Tournament to the death => doomed romance and tough decisions ✅ Sexual tension ✅ Smut ✅ Magnificent ending Every page of this book is filled with action. You won't get bored, you won't get tired of it. THESE VAMPIRES HAVE WINGS! The night is a dangerous place, but also one of the most magical places in the course of 24h. I loved Raihn from the start, from his first appearance when his name wasn't even mentioned. I loved him. I love how his relationship with Oraya starts and how it evolves. The writing is magnificent and it's very natural. Nothing is forced upon the reader and you discover everything with the characters. You, sometimes, have your doubts and intuitions, and it helps you question some decisions of the characters, but also understand their motives. I even liked Vincent, and at some point, I wanted to see him dead. Well... Yep... I hope we'll see more of Mische in the next book because I loved her and I think she will be the one who will temper the tension between Oraya and Raihn. I have no doubt, that there will be a lot of tension and uncertainty. The Kejari... well this tournament is a bloody and deadly one. I liked how the trails were written because you can also learn the history AND the story of the main GODDESS. And I think those trials were not just trials for the ultimate goal, for winning a tournament, but also trials for the souls, especially for Raihn and Oraya: trials of trust, creating a strong bond, and life. You can see the similarities between Nyaxia's history and the present events of Raihn and Oraya. I loved every single page. Charissa has created a magnificent and complex world and mythology. I can't wait to read more about all three houses and see their stories, and also, to learn more about their past because I think a lot of things will blow in our faces in book 2 of House of Night! Besides, at the end of this one, I came to the conclusion that nothing is what it seems in the case of these Houses, and I'm really intrigued to learn about all of them. Thank you Charissa for this wonderful world you've created. I have a feeling this is only the beginning and everything will escalate and blow our minds.

This book was phenomenal. Easily one of the best reads I’ve found on Kindle Unlimited. From the very first page, it gripped me—an electrifying mix of action, intrigue, and raw emotion. The first half was an absolute rush, the action sequences so intense I could barely keep up. The magic system? Mysterious and almost intangible, more about feeling than clearly defined mechanics. And yet, it worked. I devoured this book so quickly I haven’t even had the chance to overanalyze it—but honestly, that just proves how immersive it was. The FMC, Oraya, is quite interesting. A human surviving in a world of ruthless vampires, she’s strong in a way that feels real—not just physically, but emotionally. She’s hardened, but not entirely cold. Her dynamic with Vincent is fascinating, her vampire father; the one time she needed comfort but learned to accept something useful instead of something kind? Heartbreaking. Raihn, the MMC, is refreshingly different—real, grounded, not a brooding, possessive "shadow daddy" (thank god), what an absolute gentleman. Their romance isn’t the main focus, but what’s there is genuine and earned. And the ending? I have so many questions, I need book two now. Overall, The Serpent & the Wings of Night is a must-read for fantasy lovers who enjoy brutal competition, rich worldbuilding, and a romance that feels earned. Now, excuse me while I go devour the next one! ------- Spoilers Ahead!!! I never fully trusted Vincent, and while he didn’t outright betray Oraya, his motives remain murky. Is he protecting her because she’s his biological daughter? I still doubt it. There’s so much left unanswered. The way Oraya processes her assault—never outright naming it, only calling it "after"—was devastatingly well done. And then the subtle hints about Raihn possibly experiencing the same? What a brutal way to have something in common. The writing and worldbuilding were so immersive, with little details like the unique expletives ("Mother," "Sun-damned," "Ix’s tits") making the world feel alive. Ilana’s death was an interesting choice, but it didn’t hit as hard since we barely saw her. More flashbacks might have helped. And then there’s the turning process. Is Oraya already turning because of the wedding ceremony? The blood exchange? And Raihn came inside her—so does that mean baby?? Nothing was explained, and I need answers. And Alarus being "considered" dead?? That wording is suspicious—he’s the god of death, after all.

Loved the story, the characters, the villain!! Is the first book from this autor that I reaf and definitely become a fan!