Bound and Unbound: A paranormal novella duology
Ali Hazelwood
The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King: Crowns of Nyaxia, Book 2
by Carissa Broadbent
About this book
Love is a sacrifice at the altar of power.
In the wake of the Kejari, everything Oraya once thought to be true has been destroyed. A prisoner in her own kingdom, grieving the only family she ever had, and reeling from a gutting betrayal, she no longer even knows the truth of her own blood. She’s left only with one certainty: she cannot trust anyone, least of all Raihn.
The House of Night, too, is surrounded by enemies. Raihn’s own nobles are none too eager to accept a Turned king, especially one who was once a slave. And the House of Blood digs its claws into the kingdom, threatening to tear it apart from the inside.
When Raihn offers Oraya a secret alliance, taking the deal is her only chance at reclaiming her kingdom—and gaining her vengeance against the lover who betrayed her. To do so, she’ll need to harness a devastating ancient power intertwined with her father’s greatest secrets.
With enemies closing in on all sides, nothing is as it seems. As she unravels her past and faces her future, Oraya finds herself forced to choose between the bloody reality of seizing power and the devastating love that could be her downfall.
Full of heartbreak, redemption, bloody intrigue, and heart-pounding action, The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King is the gutting second installment of the Crowns of Nyaxia series and the conclusion of the Nightborn Duet. It is perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.
- Publication Date
- May 25, 2026
- ASIN
- B0C2QRBG5Z
Reader Reviews
April 22, 2023
I loved this book so much. I can't put it into words. Simply PERFECTION. I see I have a pattern of having the second book of a series becoming my favorite book :))) and I can see why. \"The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King\" is my favorite book of this year so far. This review contains some spoilers. For the ones that haven't read the first book but heard and read other reviews, my review might have spoilers. This book broke my heart and restored and broke it again and patched it back up. The...
May 22, 2026
This book picks up after everything that happened in book1, “The Serpent and the Wings of Night” and focuses much more on the emotional fallout, trust issues, political tension, and the complicated relationship between Oraya and Raihn. Instead of the deadly tournament atmosphere from book one, this story dives deeper into grief, power struggles, loyalty, betrayal, and figuring out what comes after survival. The world continues to expand, but the emotional weight between the characters really...
February 26, 2025
Carissa Broadbent’s The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King is the heart-pounding sequel to The Serpent and the Wings of Night, delivering an intense continuation of Oraya and Raihn’s journey in a world where survival is never guaranteed. This installment deepens the political intrigue, explores the emotional toll of power and betrayal, and raises the stakes for its characters. With a story that blends action, romance, and gothic fantasy, Broadbent masterfully builds on the foundation set in book...
May 29, 2025
Seriously, Vincent... your poor daughter. 😩 The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King is an emotional, intense continuation of Oraya’s journey, and wow—it hit hard. This book dives deep into themes of power, identity, and what it means to be truly strong. Oraya shines in this one, showing us that vulnerability isn’t a weakness—it’s a strength, no matter what Vincent tried to teach her. Her growth is raw, powerful, and honestly inspiring. And Rhainn… I just love him. His unwavering hope for a better...
May 16, 2023
I'm so sad that I didn't love this book as much as the first one. The first one was such a delight, with a strong, badass heroine and plenty of fast-paced, heart-pounding action. But this? This one was slow as molasses and quite repetitive. First of all, this book is over 600 pages, and it can probably be 200 pages less. I honestly could've done without Raihn's POV. Normally, I like some pages devoted to the male love interest's POV but this one had way too much, and most of it was overly...
