Book Review - Slaying the Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent

I was fortunate enough to start reading this book on its release date. Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is a standalone novel and tells another story in the same universe as the Crowns of Nyaxia series. And boy did it ever live up to the hype. Carissa Broadbent might be one of my favorite authors of all time. Her writing just seems to suck me into the story and I feel I'm going on the journeys with the characters. 

This book features the story of Sylina, a member of the Arachessan which others believe is a cult devoted to the Goddess of Fate. As an assassin, she is tasked with a mission to kill the Vampire Conqueror who has been taking over the lands of Glaea. In order to get close to him she has to become his seer. Along the way, Sylina discovers that there is much more to the story than she initially knew, and the Vampire Conqueror, Atrius, is not as bad as she thought. In the end, Sylina and Atrius are able to overcome all obstacles and become rulers of Glaea. 

The characters in this book may be my favorite characters ever. Sylina is such a well-written character and I love how relatable she is. She is so fierce and strong and I thought her magical abilities were so unique. She's also not afraid to admit when she realizes she was wrong about vampires, which is admirable. Atrius is such a swoon-worthy male lead. He is so loyal and protective of all his people and doesn't use excessive force during battles unless it's necessary. Atrius and Sylina's relationship grew really naturally. It didn't feel like it went from 0-100 which often happens in fantasy romance. This book has some spice, but not too much. I almost wish there was more, but at the same time, I appreciated that the focus was placed on the story and not so much on their relationship. 

I also thought that the side characters were so lovable, especially Erekkus. He was one of the first characters Sylina met when joining Atrius' ranks, and he was just so sweet. He deserved so much better than he got. 

I absolutely recommend this book to any and all fantasy lovers. Carissa Broadbent, in my opinion, is one of the best writers in the genre.