Initially self-published in 2021, Children of Fallen Gods is the second novel in Carissa Broadbent’s epic romantasy trilogy The War of Lost Hearts. The story continues the journey of Tisaanah, a powerful magic-wielder who has traded her freedom to liberate her people from enslavement. Acting a host to a magical entity, Reshaye, Tisaanah arrives in the kingdom of Ara with her trainer, Max, and hundreds of freed slaves, finding the nation consumed by a civil war. Bound by a blood pact to a manipulative king, Tisaanah is forced into this conflict, navigating a treacherous political landscape where every alliance is a potential betrayal. The novel explores themes of The Moral Compromises of a “Righteous” War, The Transactional Nature of Freedom and Power, and Moral Leadership as a Burden Forged From Trauma.

Carissa Broadbent is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who first gained a following by self-publishing her novels. Her works, which blend epic fantasy with character-driven romance, rose to prominence within the burgeoning of the “romantasy” subgenre on social media platforms like TikTok’s “BookTok.” Broadbent’s novels are noted for their intricate world-building and complex heroines, established elements in this genre. Her online success led to a deal with Tor Publishing Group’s Bramble imprint in 2023, which re-released her previously published books, including The War of Lost Hearts trilogy and the widely popular Crowns of Nyaxia series. Several of her books have been nominated for Goodreads Choice Awards.

This guide is based on the 2025 Bramble/Tor Publishing Group edition.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide feature depictions of graphic violence, sexual content, physical abuse, child abuse, substance use, addiction, cursing, suicide, suicidal ideation and self-harm, mental illness, and illness or death.

Plot Summary

The story begins as Tisaanah, a magic-wielder known as a Wielder, travels by ship to the country of Ara. With her are nearly 1,000 freed slaves from the nation of Threll, including her childhood friend Serel. Tisaanah is bound by a blood pact to the Orders, Ara’s magical governing bodies, in exchange for their help. She also acts as a physical host to Reshaye, a powerful, ancient magical entity. Tisaanah, her friend and trainer Max, their healer companion Sammerin, and the Orders’ second-in-command, Nura, take a rowboat to shore with a Syrizen warrior named Eslyn, an elite magic-wielder who has sacrificed his sight for greater power. On the docks, soldiers confront them, declaring them traitors to the new king of Ara, Atrick Aviness, but the group is rescued by other Syrizen who teleport them to Korvius, Max’s ancestral home. Max is disturbed to be back in the place where, 10 years prior, Reshaye possessed him and murdered his family. Nura reveals that the king who summoned them to Korvius is Zeryth Aldris, the Arch Commandant of the Orders.

The narrative shifts to a parallel storyline in the Fey lands. Aefe, a former princess of the Sidnee Fey, is serving as a warrior in an elite group called the Blades after being disowned for her “tainted” blood. While on patrol with her commander, Siobhan, Aefe discovers a group of dying Fey from the neighboring House of Stone. A survivor, Caduan, claims they were attacked by humans. Aefe brings him back to the Sidnee stronghold, where he reveals he is 13th in line for the Stone throne.

In Korvius, Zeryth Aldris explains that he is the rightful successor of the former Queen Sesri, who died in a suspicious riding accident; since her death, Sesri’s uncle by marriage, Atrick Aviness, has seized the Capital of Ara, backed by powerful noble families. Zeryth orders Max and Tisaanah to lead separate military campaigns to crush this rebellion. To ensure their compliance, binds Tisaanah’s survival to his with a magical tattoo. Tisaanah believes she must fight Zeryth’s war to fulfill her pact and eventually free the slaves remaining in Threll. Forced to comply, Max makes the condition that Moth, the 13-year-old ward of Sammerin and child soldier in Zeryth’s army, serve as his non-combatant assistant. That night, Reshaye possesses Tisaanah to taunt Max in his family home.

The next day, Max’s division departs. After Tisaanah confronts Zeryth, Nura reveals her own life is also magically bound to Zeryth’s, preventing her from killing him. Tisaanah visits the newly settled refugees from Threll and is dismayed by their poor living conditions. She communicates with Reshaye, who desires “a story” and for its life to end; Tisaanah promises to grant it death in exchange for its help. In the Fey lands, the annihilation of the House of Stone is confirmed. Caduan is crowned king and the Sidnee form a reluctant alliance with their rivals, the House of Wayward Winds.

When the army of Kazara attacks Korvius, Zeryth invokes Tisaanah’s pact, ordering her to crush the army by collapsing a mountain pass. Tisaanah subverts his command by creating a terrifying illusion of bloodred wings to frighten the army into retreat, then collapsing the pass to block them. This magical exertion leaves her gravely ill. Meanwhile, Max lays siege to the city of Antedale, a strategy of attrition to minimize casualties. He takes the city with few deaths, but its ruler, Lord Gridot, forces Max into a duel to the death rather than be captured.

Aefe takes a scouting party to investigate the fallen Fey houses. They find the House of Reeds deserted and are attacked by monstrous, corrupted former Fey. During the fight, Aefe is revealed to be an Essnera, a being who can steal others’ magic by consuming their blood. She bites her companion Ishqa to grow wings and fly him to safety. They burn the House of Reeds to kill the corrupted Fey, which they view as an act of mercy.

Tisaanah learns that the powerful Zorokov family in Threll is threatening the refugees’ relatives, demanding she be handed over for justice. In Meriata, Max seeks out Eomara, a magical researcher, who posits that Zeryth’s life-binding curse relies on a deep, life-consuming magic. During an ambush, Moth is forced to kill for the first time. The attack reveals Aviness has a new, powerful ally, forcing Zeryth to recall Max’s army to Korvius. Tisaanah’s Syrizen companion, Eslyn, dies from A’Maril, a magic poison. To buy time against the Zorokovs, Tisaanah has Sammerin sculpt Eslyn’s head to look like her own, which they send to Threll as proof of her death.

Aefe’s group is attacked by humans in the city of Yithara. She is injured but she and Caduan fight back with magic until they are forced to flee the destroyed city. Aefe’s group travels to the exiled kingdom of Niraja, where Queen Athalena reveals that humans are attacking Fey to steal their magical power. Orin, the king’s half-brother, reveals he is Aefe’s biological father.

Tisaanah and Max visit the magical prison of Ilyzath, a sentient entity that torments them with their worst fears, where they meet the mage Vardir, who confirms their unique magic feeds on life. Tisaanah is betrayed by a refugee and abducted to Atrick Aviness in the Capital. Her magic is bound, and a Wielder named Irene attempts to extract Reshaye from her. Tisaanah siphons Irene’s life force, breaking the bonds and killing her. Max arrives to rescue Tisaanah and Nura’s army attacks the Capital. Aviness dies by suicide, causing the war to end.

In the aftermath, Zeryth summons them. When Tisaanah refuses his order to execute a prisoner, Zeryth attacks Max. With Reshaye’s help, Tisaanah bypasses her pact and fatally stabs Zeryth; the life-binding curse activates and she dies. Max rushes her body to Eomara, who helps him channel his life force into Tisaanah, reviving her as Reshaye sacrifices its own existence to pay the curse’s price.

In Niraja, a Sidnee army attacks and Siobhan is killed. Enraged, Aefe takes Caduan’s blood and unleashes their combined magic. Athalena, grief-stricken over her children’s deaths, shoots Caduan, who falls from a balcony, presumed dead. Ishqa rescues the wounded Aefe.

Tisaanah and Max find their cottage destroyed by shadow monsters sent by the Zorokovs. They are contacted by Ishqa, who reveals the history of Reshaye and warns of a coming war with a new, unified Fey King. They confront Nura, who uses a spell to show them her memories: Years ago, she had a vision of a Fey apocalypse, which drove her to manipulate events and prepare Ara for war by experimenting on captured Fey. Horrified, Max challenges Nura for leadership of the Orders.

They duel in a chasm called the Scar. Max’s use of deep magic creates an opening for the Fey King, Caduan, to possess his body. The possessed Max confronts Tisaanah, recognizing her as “Aefe.” Max momentarily regains control and begs Tisaanah to sever the king’s magical connection. She does, shattering Max’s mind as the Scar collapses. Ishqa rescues Tisaanah, but Nura finds the catatonic Max. Becoming Arch Commandant, Nura sentences Max to life in Ilyzath.

Aefe/Reshaye wakes in a new body in the Fey kingdom of Ela’Dar with no memory. King Caduan is with her: He has survived and now seeks to destroy humanity. A month later, Tisaanah awakens in a Threllian refugee camp. Learning Max is imprisoned in Ilyzath, she vows to rescue him. In an epilogue, Nura sits alone on the throne of Ara, feeling powerful yet empty as she prepares for the war she orchestrated.