Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.

Hardcover, 527 pages

Published January 21, 2025

by Red Tower Books

4/5 stars

I went into Onyx Storm with an open mind and low expectations, social media has been up and down.  But I did do a reread of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame so that I was prepared when this book was released. And to be honest, I wasn’t really a fan of Iron Flame until I did a reread and now question where my brain was during that initial read because there was so much that I forgot or didn’t pay attention to, I quite enjoyed it 2nd time around.

Onyx Storm continues where Iron Flame left off, approximately 18 months after Violet walked to the parapet. Even though this book comes in at 527 pages in hardcover, it’s tiny print so it might as well have been 800. I can honestly say that I enjoyed my time reading. There was lots of action, dragons, conflict as well as twists and family secrets. And of course it leaves us hanging with a cliffhanger and no estimated delivery time for book 4, but that’s fine because I’d rather have a well written book than one that is rushed.

Other than the tiny font size the only issues I had with Onyx Storm were the amount of characters. I got to the point where I didn’t even bother trying to remember who and what they were except for the ones that I see most often. I enjoyed the maps that came with the book which made their travels easier to keep track of.

As for the storyline, my usual non-fantasy brain was able to follow even though it might have dragged a bit and could have been a few dozen pages shorter.  I loved that Andarna got more pages and Tairn was his grumpy self, well most of the time.  All in all  I found Onyx Storm to be an entertaining read and look forward to what comes next

This book was part of my 2025 reading off my shelf challenge and this book #12

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

Hardcover, 623 pages

Published November 7, 2023

 by Entangled: Red Tower Books

3/5 stars

Please be advised, an unpopular opinion lies ahead.

I confess, I didn't love this book as much as I did Fourth Wing. In fact, I barely liked it. The only reason I trudged through this colossal tome was because I was genuinely curious about the ending. So, let's start with the ending. Yes, it did deliver an unexpected twist. Will it be enough to keep me invested in this series? Only time will tell.

Now, why didn't this book earn a five-star rating from me? Well, for starters, I found it to be slow-moving and often found myself bored, struggling to pick it up. Thankfully, the audio version was available through CloudLibrary, which proved to be a tremendous help.

I couldn't help but notice that Violet's character seemed to regress in maturity with her constant bickering with Xaden and her repeated displays of distrust. On the other hand, I yearned for more of Andarna, a snarky adolescent dragon with an attitude, I think it would have added a great deal to the story.

Additionally, I found the writing to be choppy, filled with excessive filler content. It would have been wonderful to have more backstory for the supporting cast, especially considering there are three more books to come in this series.

While there were a couple of twists, one of which I anticipated, so there was no surprise there, I couldn't help but wonder if the rush to publish this book so soon after Fourth Wing affected its quality, resulting in repetitive elements.

In conclusion, this book fell short of my expectations and the ensuing hype.

This book was part of my 2023 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge. 

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die

Hardcover, 500 pages

Published May 2, 2023

by Entangled Publishing, LLC (Red Tower Books)

5/5 stars

Yes, I caved to peer pressure, that FOBO took centerstage, and I grabbed a copy of  Fourth Wing. Sadly, I had to wait for the second printing and did not get the sprayed edges, but it was inside that counts, right?

I wasn’t hooked from the first chapter or the second chapter but after about a quarter of the way through I had trouble putting it down. So yes, it does live up to the hype.

What can I say or add to all the other reviews that are out there? This is truly a book that needs to be experienced, it is my first time reading a Rebecca Yarros and I look forward to reading more.

Fourth Wing had so much going for it, an unlikely heroine, angry cadets, secret galore, some spice and dragons (just to  name a few). Can I confess that this is my first read with dragons, any recommendations for other dragon reads would be appreciated.

The storyline and world building was intricately put together and not hard to follow. There was a mixed bag of characters from likeable to downright evil and there were those unreliable ones that adds that extra spark to the story.

As for the ending well, wow, didn't see that coming. I am glad the sequel comes out in a couple of months, which I have already pre-ordered.

This book was part of my 2023 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge