Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent Review (Spoiler-Free)

Summary: Six roses. Six vials of blood. Six visits to a vampire who could be her salvation… or her damnation.

Lilith has been dying since the day she was born. But while she long ago came to terms with her own imminent death, the deaths of everyone she loves is an entirely different matter. As her town slowly withers in the clutches of a mysterious god-cursed illness, she takes matters into her own hands.

Desperate to find a cure, Lilith strikes a bargain with the only thing the gods hate even more than her village: a vampire, Vale. She offers him six roses in exchange for six vials of vampire blood–the one hope for her town’s salvation.

But when what begins as a simple transaction gradually becomes something more, Lilith is faced with a terrifying realization: It’s dangerous to wander into the clutches of a vampire… and in a place already suffering a god’s wrath, more dangerous still to fall in love with one.

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★★★★☆ 4/5

After her town is cursed by the god they once worshipped devoutly, Lilith vows to find a cure and save not just the town, but her sister too. As Lilith’s sister slowly withers away, Lilith knows there isn’t long left, and desperation takes hold, leading her to Vale, a vampire who could hold the key to saving everyone.

With a deal of six roses for six vials of blood made between her and Vale, Lilith begins her experiments, but what she doesn’t expect is to find that Vale, a feared vampire, suddenly becomes a friend to her, and then more.

This is a short-ish novella set in the Crowns of Nyaxia world, and is meant to be a bridge between The Serpent and the Wings of Night, and the next book. Whilst it’s not required reading, I was glad I read it before moving on to the next book, as it sets up Lilith and Vale and gives background on who they are and how they met.

As it’s a novella, everything moves quite quickly, and even if you haven’t read the previous book, there’s more than enough to get to grips with the world it’s set in. It’s definitely more character focused, and although it is a standalone novel, I do recommend reading it in the order it’s meant to be.

For me, this was a quick read with characters I loved. Lilith is inquisitive and determined to save her sister and the town, despite her own impending death, and her eventual friendship with Vale was sweet. It’s also a brief look into other human lives amongst the vampires, and I’m excited to see them in the next Crowns of Nyaxia book.

Did I like the book? Yes

Did I love it? Yes

Would I recommend it? If you’ve read the previous book, but are looking for something more lighter, definitely. Or if you’re looking for a short and sweet vampire-falls-for-human read, it’s worth the read.