The Songbird & the Heart of Stone: Characters, spice & review
The Songbird & the Heart of Stone synopsis/summary:
New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, Songbird and the Heart of Stone, where A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Dante's Inferno, in an epic fantasy romance of love and treachery between mortals and gods. Features beautiful case art and a detailed map.
In the descent to the underworld, a bride of the sun must choose between the light of her redemption… or a dark love that defies the gods themselves
Mische lost everything when she was forcibly Turned into a vampire – her home, her humanity, and most devastating of all, the love of the sun god to whom she had devoted her life. Now, sentenced to death for murdering the vampire prince who Turned her, redemption feels impossible.
But when Mische is saved by Asar, the bastard prince of the House of Shadow with a past as brutal as his scars, she’s forced into a mission worse than execution: a journey to the underworld to resurrect the god of death himself.
Yet, Mische’s punishment may be the key to her salvation. In a secret meeting, her sun god commands her to help Asar in his mission, only to betray him… by killing the very death god she’ll help resurrect.
Mische and Asar must travel the treacherous path to the underworld, facing trials, beasts, and the vengeful ghosts of their pasts. Yet, most dangerous of all is the alluring call of the darkness – and her forbidden attraction to Asar, a burgeoning bond that risks invoking the wrath of gods.
As her betrayal looms, the underworld closes in and angry gods are growing restless. Mische will be forced to choose between the redemption of the sun or the damnation of the darkness.
Get The Songbird & the Heart of Stone here.
The Songbird & the Heart of Stone characters.
There are two main characters in The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent, narrated from Mische’s point of view.
Main characters: Mische Iliae and Asar Voltari.
For more stunning Mische & Asar artwork, Carissa Broadbent has worked with a talented lineup of artists to bring these characters to life. You can see all the gorgeous illustrations over on her Instagram @carissabroadbentbooks.
Mische and Asar are off on a journey to the underworld—just your average stroll through deadly trials, feral beasts, and the ghosts of past trauma that refuse to stay buried. But the real kicker is Mische’s seductive pull of the darkness—and her very off-limits attraction to Asar. Their growing bond isn’t just forbidden, it’s the kind of scandal that makes gods sit up and reach for their smiting tools.
In The Songbird & the Heart of Stone, watching Mische and Asar unravel each other’s defences is like witnessing the perfect storm: turbulent, powerful, and impossible to look away from.
Mische Iliae.
Mische has rich brown skin kissed with gold freckles and a caramel curls that perfectly matches her luminous presence. She’s a fusion of tender heart and razor-sharp mind—a gentle soul who believes fiercely in the inherent goodness of others but isn’t afraid to use her wit like a finely honed blade when the moment demands. To Mische, every soul harbours the potential for light, and she steadfastly refuses to accept that any living being is truly irredeemable or devoid of a soul.
Her journey is one of quiet yet profound resilience as she grapples with the fragments of her identity—who she was, who she is, and who she’s becoming. Through it all, she’s determined to find a way to reconcile the ghosts of her past with her present, even if the path forward is tangled in shadows.
Asar Voltari.
Asar is described as tall and broad-shouldered, with a finely angled jaw, strong brows, chiselled nose with thick and deep brown dark hair that falls in waves over his forehead. He has scars over the left side of his body, running up the muscles of his throat, his jaw, his cheekbone, and his eye. His left eye doesn’t have a pupil or iris, but a sea of silvery clouds that roll in constant movement emanating tendrils of smoky light.
But Asar is more than his appearance. He’s a walking masterclass in complexity: a man weighed down by loss and guilt, who hides a deeply compassionate heart behind a wall of cold indifference. He’s the guy who could annihilate you with a single remark but dedicates his life to fixing broken things. His dynamic with Mische is magnetic.
Full list of characters in The Songbird & the Heart of Stone.
Alongside Mische are a host of intriguing figures, including one of the real MVPs, the goodest girl in all the realms, Luce, a skeleton dog, and a cast of allies and enemies that blur the lines between loyalty and betrayal. Together, they must face trials that will test their limits, all while navigating the twisted relationships that bind them.
🚨Please be aware that there may be spoilers for The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by reading the character list below. 🚨
I mean it. If you continue to read the character list, you will find spoilers for The Songbird & the Heart of Stone. This is your final warning to stop if you haven’t read the book yet!
Mische Iliae
Asar Voltari
Luce
Ophelia
Saescha
Chandra
Elias
Egrette
Malach
Raoul
Eomin
Esme
Nyaxia
Acaeja
Atroxus
Srana
Vitarus
Shiket
Zarux
Ix
Vincent
The Songbird & the Heart of Stone book review.
My rating: ★★★★★
My fictional bestie collection exploded in 2024 with Xiala (Between Earth & Sky trilogy), Sirsha (Heir duology), and now Mische (Crowns of Nyaxia series).
If you’re not already in love with Mische, there is a good chance you will be by the end of this book. Oraya? Love her, but she’s all sharp edges and armour. Mische, however, feels grounded, relatable.
This book, The Songbird & the Heart of Stone, is where Mische takes centre stage, after the events of The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King and it was magnificent. While the tropes were troping, they felt distinctive and self-aware:
Deadly trials... sort of. Imagine a sentient god-touched magical prison with five ominous levels. Morthryn is a grand, malevolent delight.
Sunshine FMC vs broody exiled necromancer shadow daddy prince. Meet Asar, The Wraith Warden.
Slow-burn reluctant allies to lovers AND forbidden love. The yearning. Immaculate.
Not exactly Hades x Persephone, but the vibes are there.
But what really got me was the substance beneath all the tropey goodness. It’s messy, it’s angsty and unflinching. It digs into power imbalances, and questions what we’re willing to sacrifice in the name of love—or survival.
Consequently, Mische and Asar’s backstories broke my heart. Each revelation pulled me deeper into their painful history, making their growth all the more impactful.
Additionally, a heads-up: there are some very intense and disturbing themes explored, so check the content warnings Broadbent includes upfront. Read them, take them seriously and proceed with caution.
Finally, I can’t say too much else without spoiling the entire series so I guess if the sound of a magical prison that leads to the underworld, a mysterious necromancer shadow daddy with layers, and tortured yearning appeals to you, this book is worth your time, especially if you enjoyed the first two instalments. Heads up though for a brutal cliffhanger ending. My jaw hasn't left the floor.
Oh yeah, also, Luce is the goodest girl across all dimensions. Protect her at all costs.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review, this one was a doozy.
View my The Songbird & the Heart of Stone book review on GoodReads here!
The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent book FAQs.
SPOILER ALERT:
Some answers may spoil The Songbird & the Heart of Stone if you haven’t read it already. Proceed with caution.
What are the content & trigger warnings for The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent?
Gore
Blood drinking an vampirism
Graphic violence
Murder and death
Complicated family relationships
Bigotry
Loss of loved ones
Discussions of child abuse and grooming (off-page)
Violence against children and infanticide (off-page)
Grief
Animal cruelty
Torture
Is The Songbird & the Heart of Stone part of a series?
Yes, The Songbird & the Heart of Stone is the third instalment in the Crowns of Nyaxia series. You’ll need to read The Serpent and the Wings of Night and The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King before it. These books lay the essential groundwork for The Songbird & the Heart of Stone.
That said, don’t skip the novella, Six Scorched Roses! While it’s not strictly necessary, it adds so much depth to certain key characters you'll encounter in Ashes. Trust me, the added layers make the experience all the more rewarding.
What is The Songbird & the Heart of Stone’s age rating?
The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent is rated for readers aged 18+ containing adult themes, explicit violence, spicy scenes, explicit language and other content warnings.
Is The Songbird & the Heart of Stone spicy?
Yes, The Songbird & the Heart of Stone is a slow burn, but when it ignites, it’s downright scorching.
Spice level: 🌶
2/5, steamy to moderately spicy.
What are The Songbird & the Heart of Stone spicy chapters?
Whether you’re just here for the story and want to breeze past the spice or are ready to cannonball into the spicy chapters, I’ve got you. The spicy chapters of The Songbird & the Heart of Stone are right here:
Chapter 32
Chapter 37
Honourable mention to chapter 29 for a tender steamy moment!
Who turned Mische into a vampire?
A vampire prince named Malach, from the House of Shadow, forcibly turned Mische into a vampire.
When is Crowns of Nyaxia, book 4 coming out?
The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk’s (Crowns of Nyaxia #4) expected publication date is the 5th of August 2025.
