Books Like The Serpent and the Wings of Night: 7 Picks

The right books like The Serpent and the Wings of Night depend on one thing: did the duet work for you? If it did, go straight to The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King. If it didn't, don't quit the world yet. Six Scorched Roses is 176 pages, and it's the book a reader who disliked the duet still recommended in a September 2026 Reddit thread.

TL;DR: Want the rest of Oraya's story? The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King ends the duet. Want Nyaxia in 176 pages? Six Scorched Roses. Want another vampire arena? We Who Will Die, pitched to Broadbent fans. Want the trials with low heat? Powerless, 1/5 for book 1.

Books like The Serpent and the Wings of Night, by what you want next

Image: FaeShelf table from Carissa Broadbent's site, Macmillan, Avon, Common Sense Media and Goodreads, checked October 13, 2026

"Not rated" means we found no Common Sense Media review or author or publisher content note on that book's heat, so it gets no number on the FaeShelf spice scale. How we checked: heat lines come from Broadbent's own content warnings or CSM, every Goodreads number was checked by hand on October 13, 2026, and the Reddit vote counts were taken the same day.

Overview: what Serpent sells, in its own pitch

The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia #1) was first published August 16, 2022, and had 4.25 from about 826,000 ratings on Goodreads on October 13, 2026. Oraya is "the adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king". She enters the Kejari, "a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself", and is "forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival", Raihn.

Macmillan sells it two ways. The paperback page calls it "The Hunger Games meets vampires", and the hardcover page says it is perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses. Bustle, quoted on that page, calls it "a heart-pounding, ultra-slow-burn romance". Publishers Weekly describes "a divinely sponsored tournament to the death" and "an addictive enemies-to-lovers romance", and files the book under romance/erotica.

On heat, FaeShelf gives Serpent no number. Common Sense Media hasn't reviewed it, and Broadbent's own content warning for the book lists "violence, torture (off page), flashback of rape (consent withdrawn), self-harm, emotional abuse, slavery, and references to sexual abuse." That's a list of hard subjects, not a heat level: it doesn't mention explicit sexual content, while her warnings for book 2, the novella and the standalone all do. If a rape flashback is something you check for before you buy, it's in book 1. One reader in a May 2026 r/romantasy thread wrote: "Agreed! And I really loved the subtle romance in many of the scenes before it even gets spicy".

Reader reactions to the book are split. In that May 2026 thread, one reader called it "kind of like Hunger Games with Vampires" and "a 5 star read for me". In a September 2026 r/fantasyromance thread from a reader about to stop reading, the three highest-voted replies (126, 124 and 102 points on October 13, 2026) were all critical of the duet; the top one said "the best aspect of the book was Vincent and Oraya's relationship". So this list is sorted by what you liked: the world itself, the vampire court, or the trials.

Books like The Serpent and the Wings of Night in the same world

The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent

The direct sequel. Broadbent's reading order calls it "the second book in the main Crowns of Nyaxia series and the last book in the Nightborn Duet". It was first published April 14, 2023, and had 4.05 from about 525,000 ratings on Goodreads on October 13, 2026. Publishers Weekly says it "completes her Nightborn Duet duology" with "a satisfying if somewhat overlong resolution". Heat: Broadbent's content warning says "this book also contains explicit sexual content", which puts it at 3/5 or higher on our scale.

Our call: read it if you want Oraya and Raihn's ending, and plan on more heat than book 1's warnings suggest. If Serpent's pace already wore you down, note that PW, which calls the ending satisfying, also calls it somewhat overlong.

Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent

The reader who stopped liking the duet in that September thread still recommended this one:

The comment reads: "I finished the duology because of sunk cost fallacy, hoping it would get better. It never did. However, the novella that goes in the middle, Six Scorched Roses, is incredible and much better than the Nightborn Duet. The two characters were lovable, great plot, romance feels earned, despite the story being short. I'd say give that a go."

Macmillan calls it "A Crowns of Nyaxia Short Novel" and a standalone "perfect for readers of The Serpent & the Wings of Night and The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King". Lilith strikes a bargain with "a vampire, Vale": "six roses. Six vials of blood. Six visits to a vampire", in the author's own words. Broadbent's reading order says it "introduces some characters who play an important role in The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King", so it fits between books 1 and 2. The Bramble hardcover went on sale September 17, 2024, at 176 pages. Heat: her warning lists "discussion of terminal illness, death, violence, and explicit sexual situations", so 3/5 or higher.

Our call: the cheapest test of whether Nyaxia works for you, and the thread splits on it. The comment above calls it "much better than the Nightborn Duet"; u/snailfighter, replying to that same comment (9 points on October 13, 2026), "found Six Scorched even less developed" and said "the romance definitely didn't feel earned to me." Either way, you'll know in 176 pages instead of a second full novel. Skip it only if you want the main couple and nothing else.

Cover image: Bramble / Macmillan

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent

Macmillan calls this a "standalone novel set in the world of the TikTok mega-hit, the Crowns of Nyaxia series". Sylina is sent to "infiltrate his army, earn his trust" and kill a vampire conqueror, Atrius, and the pull between them is "a connection forbidden by her vows". Broadbent's reading order says it "takes place roughly at the same time as The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King" and that "the characters will turn up again later" in the main series. Another reply in the September thread added: "Slaying the vampire conqueror is good too!" The Bramble hardcover is 368 pages and went on sale March 25, 2025. Heat: the author's warning lists "violence, war, drug addiction, violence against children, and explicit sexual situations", so 3/5 or higher.

Our call: we'd save it for after Ashes. It runs alongside that book and its characters come back later, so it lands better once you know the main series. Pick it if you want a new heroine in a full-length Nyaxia story.

GODEEPER: If the slow build between Oraya and Raihn was the draw, these ten picks are all called slow burn by their own publishers. Slow Burn Romantasy Books: 10 Picks the Publisher Calls Slow →

Books like The Serpent and the Wings of Night from other authors

We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark

The closest match outside Nyaxia, on its own description: "a slow-burn romantasy set in a Roman-inspired world ruled by merciless vampires", "perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent, Jasmine Mas, and Rebecca Yarros". Arvelle "makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire", and to get there she has to survive the Sundering, which Publishers Weekly calls "a gladiator-style competition". Avon published it at 432 pages. It is Empire of Blood #1, first published December 30, 2025, with 4.06 from about 98,000 ratings on Goodreads on October 13, 2026. Not rated: PW files it under romance/erotica, but we found no content note on its heat.

Our call: our pick if the vampire arena was the point. If Fourth Wing is the other name on your shelf, it's the one that names Yarros too. Skip it if you need a heat number before you buy, because we haven't found a source for one yet.

The Poet Empress by Shen Tao

Bramble sells it as "a sweeping, epic and intimate fantasy perfect for fans of The Serpent & the Wings of Night". Publishers Weekly calls it "Tao's haunting debut": a peasant girl "volunteers as concubine to the notoriously cruel Prince Guan Terren" in a land "where female literacy is illegal". It is a standalone, went on sale January 20, 2026, at 400 pages, and had 4.38 from about 48,000 ratings on Goodreads on October 13, 2026. Its description warns that it "explores darker themes, subjects, and scenes that may not be suitable for all readers". Not rated for heat.

Our call: pick it if you want a darker standalone with a cruel prince at its center and don't need vampires. Skip it if the fangs are the point: this is a palace story about a peasant girl and a prince.

Cover image: Bramble / Macmillan

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Macmillan names this book when it pitches Serpent: "perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash". Its heroine is "chosen from birth to usher in a new era" and is "never to be touched", and Hawke is "a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her ascension". It is Blood and Ash #1, first published March 29, 2020, with 4.21 from about 911,000 ratings on Goodreads on October 12, 2026. Not rated.

Our call: the safe pick if you haven't read it, since it's the book Macmillan itself uses to sell Serpent. Already read it? Our books like From Blood and Ash list has eight more picks in that direction.

Powerless by Lauren Roberts

For the trials with low heat. Common Sense Media rates Powerless 14+, describes "Purging Trials that mimic the Hunger Games", and sums up the romance as "Mild kissing but plenty of touching and tension leading up to it", which is 1/5 on our scale for book 1. It was first published January 31, 2023, and had 4.12 from about 1.1 million ratings on Goodreads on October 12, 2026. The trilogy has ended, and the heat doesn't stay at 1/5: CSM's review of the third book, Fearless, is headed "Violence, sex in mediocre end of mature romantasy trilogy" and notes "at least one sexual encounter between the main characters that is not described beyond undressing", which is 2/5 on our scale.

Our call: read it if the Kejari was your favorite part and you want low heat, at least for book 1. Skip it if you came for the vampire court.

GODEEPER: If the tournament was the part you loved, the trial and war-college picks continue here. Books Like Fourth Wing: 9 Picks Sorted by What You Loved →

Our take

If you finished Serpent and liked it, we'd go straight to The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King, with one heads-up: Broadbent's warning for it mentions explicit sexual content and her warning for Serpent doesn't, so plan on more heat than book 1. If Serpent didn't work for you, we'd still give Nyaxia 176 more pages before walking away. Six Scorched Roses splits even the duet's critics in the September 2026 thread, so it won't convert everyone, but it settles the question in one short book. Outside Nyaxia, We Who Will Die is our pick, since its own pitch names Broadbent herself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I read after The Serpent and the Wings of Night?

Read The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King next. Carissa Broadbent's reading order calls it the second book in the main Crowns of Nyaxia series and the last book in the Nightborn Duet. Six Scorched Roses, a short novel, is optional and introduces characters who matter in book 2, so it fits between the two.

Is The Serpent and the Wings of Night spicy?

FaeShelf gives it no number. Common Sense Media has no review, and Carissa Broadbent's content warning for book 1 lists violence, off-page torture, a flashback of rape (consent withdrawn), self-harm, emotional abuse, slavery and references to sexual abuse, but not explicit sexual content. Her warning for book 2, The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King, does say it contains explicit sexual content.

Which books like The Serpent and the Wings of Night have vampires?

Start inside the same world: Six Scorched Roses and Slaying the Vampire Conqueror are both set in Nyaxia. Outside it, We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark is a slow-burn romantasy in a Roman-inspired world ruled by vampires, and its own description pitches it to fans of Carissa Broadbent.

Is there a book like The Serpent and the Wings of Night with less spice?

Powerless by Lauren Roberts. Common Sense Media rates it 14+, says its Purging Trials mimic the Hunger Games, and describes mild kissing with plenty of tension, which is 1/5 on the FaeShelf scale for book 1. The heat rises by book 3, Fearless, which CSM says has one sexual encounter that isn't described beyond undressing. Macmillan sells Serpent with a Hunger Games comparison too, so the trial setup carries over.

Is The Poet Empress like The Serpent and the Wings of Night?

Its publisher pitches it that way. Bramble, the Macmillan imprint behind Serpent's hardcover, says The Poet Empress is for fans of The Serpent and the Wings of Night. It is Shen Tao's standalone debut, on sale January 20, 2026, about a peasant girl who volunteers as concubine to a cruel prince.

Should I read Six Scorched Roses or Slaying the Vampire Conqueror?

Both are optional, per Carissa Broadbent's reading order. Six Scorched Roses is a 176-page short novel about a woman who trades roses for a vampire's blood, and it introduces characters from book 2. Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is a full-length standalone set at roughly the same time as book 2.

Related Reading

• Romantasy books like guide: every FaeShelf "books like" list in one place.
• Books like ACOTAR: fae courts and bargains, with spice per book.
• Standalone romantasy books: seven one-and-done picks if you do not want another series.
• Romantasy series guide: reading order, spice and status for the big series.

Corrections

• October 13, 2026: Quoted Carissa Broadbent's full content warning for The Serpent and the Wings of Night, which includes a flashback of rape (consent withdrawn); the earlier text left that item out. Powerless is now described as low heat (1/5 for book 1, 2/5 by Fearless) instead of closed door.

References

• Goodreads: The Serpent and the Wings of Night and The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King
• Macmillan: The Serpent and the Wings of Night, hardcover and paperback
• Publishers Weekly: The Serpent and the Wings of Night and The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King
• Carissa Broadbent: The Serpent and the Wings of Night, The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King and Slaying the Vampire Conqueror content warnings
• Macmillan: Six Scorched Roses and Slaying the Vampire Conqueror
• Stacia Stark: We Who Will Die, Publishers Weekly: We Who Will Die and Goodreads: We Who Will Die
• Publishers Weekly: The Poet Empress, Goodreads: The Poet Empress and Hachette India: The Poet Empress (UK edition)
• Goodreads: From Blood and Ash
• Goodreads: Powerless and Common Sense Media: Fearless
• r/fantasyromance: About to DNF Serpent and the Wings of the Night (September 2026)
• r/fantasyromance: Six Scorched Roses comment in the same thread and the reply that disagrees
• r/romantasy: Has anyone read The Serpent and the Wings of Night? (May 2026)