(The Empyrean #1)
by Rebecca Yarros
May 2, 2023
Goodreads Summary:
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.
Review
I now get why this book is so hyped. While I'm not obsessed over it like tons of people are, I loved the story and care very much for the characters. Fourth Wing was entertaining and exhilarating af. So very epic!!
What I Liked:
- the story is such a page turner
- twisty and secretive plots
- so many pulse-pounding moments
- the brutal reality
- cool dragons
- Andarna is a sweetheart
- learning of the various bonds
- Rhiannon and Ridoc are fun friends
- sibling love <3
- Violet believing in herself and not letting her disability rule her
- Violet's compassion
- stoic Xanden and the gradual change he undergoes
- the exquisite (sexual) tension between Violet and Xanden
- their highly combustible sex scenes
- very exciting battle sequences
- I couldn't get enough of the different types of actions ;)
- swooning hard over Xanden's declaration at the end
- that sort of cliffhanger ending has me pumped
The Not So Much:
- Dain is an ass
- Liam's death was so painful to witness :((
"Hope is a fickle, dangerous thing. It steals your focus and aims it toward the possibilities instead of keeping it where it belongs-on the probabilities." (p. 130)
Oh nice! I enjoyed this one too! Like you, I don't quite find myself on the completely obsessed bandwagon. But I still really liked it. I'm not out to collect all the hundreds of different versions of the book like I am with Stephanie! Lol. I am seeing sooooo many unique special editions for this one, it's kind of insane! But I love it all the same! Definitely can't wait to see more from this series! Glad it was a winner for you too!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many different editions and merch out there it's kind of insane! *high fives* to us not falling down the rabbit hole lol :P
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