Iron Flame: DISCOVER THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON THAT EVERYONE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT! (The Empyrean)

✶✶✶✶✶ / 5 𝔰𝔱𝔞𝔯𝔰 ꔫ Dare I say this was better than Fourth Wing? I dare. ⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ "𝔐𝔶 𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔰𝔢. 𝔐𝔶 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔦𝔯. 𝔐𝔶 𝔴𝔬𝔪𝔞𝔫." ⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ I was so late to picking up this book because of all the mixed reviews I was hearing. Everyone I know kept saying it was boring, or that it started off too chaotic and then just dropped off. Well, I’m honestly regretting listening to them because they were completely wrong! I’m never taking their word for it again—clearly, they just don’t get this series like I do. I did an immersive read with the graphic audio, and it made the whole experience ten times better. This book had everything you'd want in a second installment—new relationships, new characters, plot twists, and so much growth. I have to admit, I really appreciated Dain's redemption arc. He’s not my favorite character, but you can see he’s deeply flawed, and it’s really refreshing to watch him grow and change. He’s not completely off the hook yet, but he’s definitely on his way. The Iron Squad’s friendship is also amazing, and I loved how the book really highlights Violet’s struggle with not being able to be fully honest. It’s so clear that the squad consistently proves they’re there for her, trustworthy, and reliable. જ⁀➴ᡣ𐭩 𝔙𝔦𝔬𝔩𝔢𝔱 I absolutely love Violet—she’s such a relatable character, and she means so much to me. I’m so glad Rebecca continues to do her justice. It was amazing to see her relationships with both Tairn and Andarna grow, and she really gets the chance to shine in this book. She definitely deserves all the spotlight. Watching her grieve Liam was so tough, especially while carrying so many secrets. It nearly broke me seeing her pull away from her friends, all while dealing with the pain of Xaden being away longer than expected. And on top of that, she’s feeling Tairn’s grief for Sgaeyl. Even though she had so much growth in this book, I have a feeling by the end of the series, Violet will be completely unrecognisable in the best possible way. “𝔙𝔦𝔬𝔩𝔢𝔫𝔠𝔢, 𝔯𝔢𝔪𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 𝔦𝔱'𝔰 𝔬𝔫𝔩𝔶 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔟𝔬𝔡𝔶 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱'𝔰 𝔣𝔯𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔩𝔢. 𝔜𝔬𝔲 𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔲𝔫𝔟𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔨𝔞𝔟𝔩𝔢.” “ℑ𝔣 𝔶𝔬𝔲’𝔡 𝔭𝔲𝔱 𝔛𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔫 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔡 𝔬𝔣 𝔡𝔞𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯, ℑ’𝔪 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔰𝔲𝔯𝔢 ℑ 𝔴𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔥𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔟𝔢𝔢𝔫 𝔞𝔰 𝔪𝔢𝔯𝔠𝔦𝔣𝔲𝔩.” “𝔗𝔬𝔲𝔠𝔥 𝔪𝔢 𝔞𝔫𝔡 ℑ 𝔰𝔴𝔢𝔞𝔯 𝔱𝔬 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔤𝔬𝔡𝔰, ℑ’𝔩𝔩 𝔠𝔲𝔱 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔣𝔲𝔠𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔰 𝔬𝔣𝔣 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔩𝔢𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔮𝔲𝔞𝔡𝔯𝔞𝔫𝔱 𝔰𝔬𝔯𝔱 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔫𝔢𝔵𝔱 𝔯𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔡 𝔬𝔣 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔰, 𝔇𝔞𝔦𝔫 𝔄𝔢𝔱𝔬𝔰.” જ⁀➴ᡣ𐭩 𝔛𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔫 Xaden just keeps getting better and better, and my obsession with him is honestly becoming unhealthy. Why isn’t he real? I absolutely loved seeing him get jealous over Halden—exactly what we needed. And. You. Delivered. I was devouring that scene like a starved beast. But also, small f you (though honestly, I can’t stay mad at you even if I tried) for not giving Violet the heads-up about Cat. Rule number one: never let the love of your life find out about your past from a JEALOUS ex. Anyway, “My house. My chair. My woman.” I might just have to tattoo that on my forehead because I literally couldn’t breathe after reading it. And the end? I get it, Xaden—you did what you had to do to buy the woman you love some time. But I’m not mentally prepared for the next book. At all. If you betray Violet we will be having words. “𝔜𝔬𝔲’𝔯𝔢 𝔪𝔶 𝔤𝔯𝔞𝔳𝔦𝔱𝔶. 𝔑𝔬𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔦𝔫 𝔪𝔶 𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔩𝔡 𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔨𝔰 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔶𝔬𝔲.” “𝔊𝔯𝔞𝔳𝔦𝔱𝔶,” 𝔥𝔢 𝔴𝔥𝔦𝔰𝔭𝔢𝔯𝔰, 𝔞 𝔰𝔩𝔬𝔴, 𝔟𝔢𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔦𝔣𝔲𝔩 𝔰𝔪𝔦𝔩𝔢 𝔠𝔲𝔯𝔳𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔪𝔬𝔲𝔱𝔥. “𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔠𝔢 𝔴𝔢 𝔠𝔞𝔫 𝔫𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔢𝔰𝔠𝔞𝔭𝔢,” ℑ 𝔱𝔢𝔞𝔰𝔢.” “𝔐𝔶 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔬𝔫𝔩𝔶 𝔟𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔰 𝔞𝔰 𝔩𝔬𝔫𝔤 𝔞𝔰 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔰 𝔡𝔬𝔢𝔰, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔴𝔥𝔢𝔫 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔡𝔦𝔢, ℑ’𝔩𝔩 𝔪𝔢𝔢𝔱 𝔐𝔞𝔩𝔢𝔨 𝔞𝔱 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔰𝔦𝔡𝔢.” ˚ ⋆୨୧― 𝔗𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔫 & 𝔄𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔞 ―୨୧⋆ ˚ What’s better than Violet and Xaden? Tairn and Andarna, honestly. They’re some of the best characters I’ve come across. It feels like I’m bonded to them too because I’m right there, feeling everything they’re putting down—it’s crazy. Andarna is the sassy teenager, and Tairn is the tired dad who always knows best. Their interactions had me laughing out loud. I do have to say, though, my heart broke more for Tairn than for Violet when we found out about that certain (HUGE) secret that both Xaden AND Sgaeyl kept. My jaw hit the floor. It wasn’t surprising that Xaden kept Violet in the dark (that’s pretty much standard behavior for him at this point), but Sgaeyl keeping it from Tairn too? Wow. EXCELLENT WRITING. MIND BLOWN. “𝔖𝔠𝔯𝔞𝔱𝔠𝔥 𝔥𝔢𝔯 𝔢𝔶𝔢𝔰 𝔬𝔲𝔱,” 𝔄𝔫𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔞 𝔰𝔲𝔤𝔤𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔰. “ℜ𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔶. 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔢𝔶𝔢𝔰 𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔬𝔣𝔱𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔱𝔦𝔰𝔰𝔲𝔢. 𝔍𝔲𝔰𝔱 𝔧𝔞𝔟 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔱𝔥𝔲𝔪𝔟𝔰 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢—” “𝔄𝔫𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔞! 𝔘𝔰𝔢 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔪𝔬𝔫 𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔰𝔢,” 𝔗𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔫 𝔰𝔫𝔞𝔭𝔰. “𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔢𝔠𝔞𝔭𝔰 𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔞 𝔪𝔲𝔠𝔥 𝔢𝔞𝔰𝔦𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔞𝔯𝔤𝔢𝔱.” “𝔊𝔬𝔬𝔡 𝔦𝔡𝔢𝔞. ℑ 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔲𝔰𝔢 𝔞 𝔰𝔫𝔞𝔠𝔨.” 𝔄𝔫𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔞’𝔰 𝔱𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔦𝔰 𝔦𝔫𝔡𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔩𝔶 𝔢𝔵𝔠𝔦𝔱𝔢𝔡. “𝔚𝔢 𝔡𝔬 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔢𝔞𝔱 𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔢𝔰,” 𝔗𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔫 𝔩𝔢𝔠𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔢𝔰. “𝔜𝔬𝔲 𝔫𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔩𝔢𝔱 𝔪𝔢 𝔥𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔞𝔫𝔶 𝔣𝔲𝔫.” “ℑ 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔱𝔬𝔯𝔠𝔥 𝔥𝔦𝔪 𝔦𝔣 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔴𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔩𝔦𝔨𝔢,” 𝔗𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔫 𝔬𝔣𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔰. “𝔅𝔲𝔱 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔡𝔬 𝔰𝔢𝔢𝔪 𝔞𝔱𝔱𝔞𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔡.” “𝔜𝔬𝔲 𝔪𝔲𝔰𝔱 𝔰𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔰𝔢𝔩𝔣," 𝔗𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔫 𝔡𝔢𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔰. "ℑ 𝔠𝔥𝔬𝔰𝔢 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔞𝔰 𝔪𝔶 𝔫𝔢𝔵𝔱 𝔟𝔲𝔱 𝔞𝔰 𝔪𝔶 𝔩𝔞𝔰𝔱, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔣𝔞𝔩𝔩, 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔫 ℑ 𝔴𝔦𝔩𝔩 𝔣𝔬𝔩𝔩𝔬𝔴.” “ℑ𝔣 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔡𝔦𝔡𝔫'𝔱 𝔣𝔦𝔤𝔲𝔯𝔢 𝔦𝔱 𝔬𝔲𝔱, 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔫'𝔱 𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔥𝔶 𝔬𝔣 𝔨𝔫𝔬𝔴𝔦𝔫𝔤." 𝔖𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔲𝔣𝔣𝔰. "ℑ 𝔴𝔞𝔦𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔰𝔦𝔵 𝔥𝔲𝔫𝔡𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔣𝔦𝔣𝔱𝔶 𝔶𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔰 𝔱𝔬 𝔥𝔞𝔱𝔠𝔥. 𝔚𝔞𝔦𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔲𝔫𝔱𝔦𝔩 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔢𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔢𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔥 𝔰𝔲𝔪𝔪𝔢𝔯, 𝔴𝔥𝔢𝔫 ℑ 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔡 𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔢𝔩𝔡𝔢𝔯𝔰 𝔱𝔞𝔩𝔨 𝔬𝔣 𝔞 𝔴𝔢𝔞𝔨𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔡𝔞𝔲𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔦𝔯 𝔤𝔢𝔫𝔢𝔯𝔞𝔩, 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔤𝔦𝔯𝔩 𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔢𝔠𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔟𝔢𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔟𝔢𝔰, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 ℑ 𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔴. 𝔜𝔬𝔲 𝔴𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔥𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔪𝔦𝔫𝔡 𝔬𝔣 𝔞 𝔰𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔟𝔢 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔬𝔣 𝔞 𝔯𝔦𝔡𝔢𝔯. 𝔜𝔬𝔲 𝔴𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔟𝔢 𝔪𝔦𝔫𝔢." 𝔖𝔥𝔢 𝔩𝔢𝔞𝔫𝔰 𝔦𝔫𝔱𝔬 𝔪𝔶 𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔡. "𝔜𝔬𝔲 𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔞𝔰 𝔲𝔫𝔦𝔮𝔲𝔢 𝔞𝔰 ℑ 𝔞𝔪. 𝔚𝔢 𝔴𝔞𝔫𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔞𝔪𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰." Oh and the end? Yeah I will be billing Rebecca and her team for my therapy sessions. PS. As much as I was late to picking this masterpiece up, I am glad Onyx Storms release is a stones throw away.

Upon completing Fourth Wing, I was awestruck. The vivid memories of Violet and Xaden, the dragons, and the captivating adventures lingered, making it my go-to book recommendation. Eagerly, I ordered Iron Flame and, upon its arrival, delved into its pages immediately. Picking up right where Fourth Wing left off, Iron Flame presents Violet with a fresh set of challenges at Basgiath War College. With Xaden's reduced presence and a new vice commander determined to oust her, Violet faces another tumultuous year. Simultaneously, her dragons encounter obstacles, and family dynamics introduce their own trials. Iron Flame promises another year of chaos at Basgiath. Often, the second book in a series doesn't match the excitement of the first. However, Iron Flame defies this trend. From the very first page, I found myself captivated, unable to put the book down. True to its predecessor, Iron Flame is a relentless rollercoaster of action from start to finish. The pacing leaves little room to catch one's breath as the plot unfolds with a series of thrilling events. The book reintroduces familiar characters while introducing new ones, invoking both love and disdain. It took me on an emotional rollercoaster, and I revelled in every moment. Violet and Xaden's dynamic remains as explosive and enjoyable as in the previous book. Their love story is refreshingly imperfect—filled with fights, arguments, and the occasional makeup. Iron Flame solidifies its place as another five-star read for me. Every page held my attention, keeping me on the edge of my seat. I sacrificed sleep to devour its contents, and the ending left me yearning for more. I'm eagerly awaiting news of the third book from Rebecca Yarros!

First Impressions: I bought Iron Flame for my sister, and she absolutely loved it. The book is full of intensity, and it draws you in from the very first page. The action, the twists, and the depth of the characters make this a hard-to-put-down read! Story and Characters: The plot is riveting, with complex characters who go through amazing arcs. There are moments of intense emotion and suspense, and the author does a fantastic job of keeping you hooked. The story keeps you on your toes, and the relationships between characters are just as thrilling as the external conflicts. Pacing and Writing Style: The pacing is spot on—there’s never a dull moment. The author blends action, mystery, and character development seamlessly. The writing is rich and engaging, with just the right amount of detail to pull you into the world without overwhelming you. Themes and Impact: Iron Flame explores themes of courage, sacrifice, and betrayal, making it emotionally impactful while still delivering plenty of exciting action. The book really makes you think about the choices the characters make and the consequences of their actions. Final Thoughts: If you’re a fan of action-packed novels with rich characters and twists you didn’t see coming, Iron Flame is a must-read. My sister couldn’t stop talking about it after she finished, and now I’m considering reading it myself! Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5 stars) – A gripping and emotional ride that keeps you hooked until the end!

Hold onto your imaginary dragon-riding helmets because "Iron Flame" just unleashed a torrent of excitement in my bookish world! After being lured into the fantasy realm by "Fourth Wing," I was practically vibrating with anticipation for Rebecca Yarros' second instalment, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I might even go out on a limb and say I loved it more than the first – a fantasy rollercoaster with more drama and action than a Shakespearean play. Now, let's talk dragons. Can we just take a moment to appreciate these magnificent, fire-breathing creatures? They're the real MVPs of this fantastical adventure, and I'm here for every swoop, soar, and dragon-human interaction. The plot? Top-notch. The romance? Sizzling. The other woman? Drama alert! It's like a soap opera with wings, and I'm all in. But, and there's always a but, my dear fantasy aficionados, I found myself tiptoeing on the tightrope of confusion more times than I'd like to admit. Deciphering sentences became my own quest, and I'm left with a pile of unanswered questions that's starting to rival my TBR stack. And let's talk about the constant "Gods" refrain. It's like having a friend who insists on saying "literally" in every sentence. Oh, and shields getting "slammed up." I mean, seriously? Is there a universal fantasy handbook that mandates shields must be slammed on the regular? It's like a medieval version of slamming doors in a fit of drama. The ending had me squealing like a pig - an unexpected twist that had me on the edge of my seat! My heart.. am shook!! In conclusion, "Iron Flame" is a dragon-packed extravaganza that knows how to keep the drama alive. Despite my occasional confusion and the divine overdose, it's a wild fantasy ride that'll have you hooked from start to finish. So, grab your shields, pray to the gods for clarity, and embark on this adventure – just don't be surprised if you find yourself muttering "Gods" in everyday conversation afterward.

'There's nothing outside this kiss. No war. No lies. No secrets. There's only his mouth, his hands sweeping up my side, his desire matching the first of mine. This is where I want to live, where nothing else matters but the way he makes me feel.' We knew the feelings we experienced reading Fourth Wing were something incredibly special. That book hit us like a meteor and showcased another side to Rebecca Yarros' magnificent storytelling - her fabulous creativity and imagination with romantic fantasy. We forged an immediate emotional connection with some unforgettable characters, and, as you can imagine, our hopes were very high for Iron Flame. "How long do you think it takes for someone to fall out of love? A day? A month? I'm asking because I don't have any experience with it." Iron Flame picks up immediately where Fourth Wing left off, and we loved it! So much! Xaden being all romantic…YES PLEASE! Violet becoming more kick a**e than ever! And our dragons! We love Tairn and Andarna, who is quite the mystery! Rebecca Yarros provides so much humour through her dragons - they certainly don’t mince their words (or rather thoughts), and they always put a smile on our faces. The secrets, the mystery, the romance…we loved it all. 'Love doesn't even have the decency to die. It just transforms into abject misery.' Iron Flame had our heads swivelling with plot twists we didn't see coming, and an ending that left us SPEECHLESS! We've been madly discussing theories since closing that last page. We were consumed by Violet, Xaden, and the characters in Iron Flame. We experienced what was to become both a frenetically adventurous, and yet sometimes slow-moving story all in one. How is that possible? Whilst parts of the story moved at breakneck speed, others were a little slow moving and didn't really advance the story, however, that meant we could catch a much-needed breath here and there. "I would rather lose this entire war than live without you." Whilst it didn't quite hit the dizzying heights of book one, there's no question we absolutely LOVED Iron Flame, and can't wait for more! We need answers!! Another brilliant story by a truly brilliant author! 'I don't miss the woman I was, the one who didn't know her strength.'

Loved every single bit of it. So excited to dive into the next one. Rebecca does not disappoint! Recommend highly!

🔥 5-Star 🔥 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Iron Flame is everything a sequel should be and more. Iron Flame throws you straight back into the brutal, high-stakes world of Basgiath War College, but with deeper emotion,twists, and even higher risks. Rebecca Yarros isn’t just continuing a story she’s expanding an empire. The tension is relentless, and the pacing keeps you hooked from the very first chapter to the last. What truly stands out is how layered this book feels. The action is sharper, the political intrigue more complex, and the relationships especially Violet and Xaden’s are charged with emotion, secrets, and impossible choices. Every moment feels like it matters, and the stakes are so high that you can’t help but feel on edge the entire time. what elevates it more is its emotional core. It’s not just about survival anymore it’s about truth, trust, and what you’re willing to sacrifice for the people you love. I was truly left stunned, desperate for more at the end. An absolutely breathtaking book !!

**SPOILERS** The book is great, very gripping. It has passages that are beautifully written. The author finds at times the perfect words to describe certain thought processes or emotional states. I loved the development of mom's character. I love the relationship between Violet and Xaden, and the evolution of Cat's character. Writing a book is a massive achievement and no easy feat, and overall, the book was great. I couldn't put it down. However, I thought there were things that could be clearer. I got quite a bit confused throughout Part 2 and the sections regarding imbuing the stone, as well as the student's practice with the runes. The runes and how they use these in the "materials" such as wood, etc, was not very clear (or even the purpose of the runes as they seem to use these for a wide range of things). At first, I thought the wardstone was located outdoors under big runes, when they all placed their hands on it, but then there are references to imbuing it when Violet and Dain are doing research in the library... but if the stone is outside, how can they imbue it? The reference to "sixth and the one" becomes clearer later on, but the first time it's mentioned it seems that they really believe it is just six people, and then later on they realise it is the six plus the one... so it does get a bit confusing as to what Violet believes to be the right answer (and when). At one point the book says "We definitely get that Warrick insists that once the blood from one of the six powerful riders is used on one stone, it can’t be used on the other he’s referenced carving." I got so confused. However, looking back, I now see that's in reference to the second wardstone. However, at the time of reading it, this was unclear. When Jessenia arrives having translated the second diary, she says the second diary lies, but it doesn't really because even though the cover says "six" are needed, in the middle of the book, the drawing (of the wardstone if I recall correctly) shows "seven". It could have been explained as "information hidden" rather than the author of the diary "lying". The role of the conduits is also confusing. At first, it is clear that these are used to absorb Violet's extra energy from when she gets mad or too emotional and to avoid harming people or destroying rooms. But the fact that they imbue things with the conduits and later we learn that the conduits even explode, is confusing. Finally, I don't really understand the role of the luminary. Where is it placed once they acquire it? How does it end up helping/contributing to the wards? Also, Mira can create her own wards, but I feel this could have been explored much more. Towards the end of the book, we barely read about Mira and how she and her mother fought. It all centres on Violet and her squad. The fact that the daggers are a power supply for the wards is also confusing. I also don't quite get what the drifts are. Is it another name for the gryphons? In essence, I feel the author tried to put too many things into one book. The end is also confusing. It's clear Xaden has turned into venin, and that's a great cliffhanger, but the fight between him and the sage is told as part of a dream he has. There is a big gap between the moment when Violet realises he has been infected, and the actual end. That gap doesn't really make much sense. I feel the author wanted to let us know with the very last chapter (or mini chapter) that Jack still lived. Yet, this could have just been woven into earlier on and the very last mini chapter merged with the one before, and the book simply end when Xaden turns to Violet and she realises he's venin. But other than that, great book, very gripping.

Great book and the packaging and overall state of the product was very good as well.

Acheté pour un cadeau. Arrivé en très bon état. Pour l'avoir lu, la saga en vaut le détour, c'est une fantasy rafraichissante pour les adultes. Peut-être pas adaptés aux ados attention.

I really enjoyed this as a follow-up to Fourth Wing. The world feels bigger this time around, with a lot more politics, dragons, action, and relationship drama packed in. It definitely leans heavily into the emotional intensity and cliffhangers, which made it hard to stop reading once things picked up. The book is pretty long and there’s a lot happening, so at times it felt a bit chaotic, but I think fans of the first book will probably enjoy getting more depth and backstory from the characters and world. The pacing also improves once the major plotlines kick in. Overall it’s one of those fantasy books that’s very easy to binge if you already got hooked by the first one.

Again, the hype is still real. JUST. READ. IT! After making it through the first year - something no one (except, of course, the greatest man ever written, Xaden aka Xaddy) believed possible for her - Violet is now a second year. Parapet and threshing are comparable to the training that happens in second year as this is when, according to Xaden "... the rest of us lose our humanity". New-ish characters placed in her path are literally out to ensure Violet doesn't make it to third year. She'll have to fight and push herself even harder than last year and truly understand what it means to not only be a rider, but a rider whose dragon is mated. "Secrets make for poor leverage. They die with the people who keep them" and while many a secret come to light, I can not begin to fathom the amount left to be overturned. SO much happens within these 623 pages it feels like it was both a longer and shorter book at the same time. It does start off a little slow, but things pick up, and it hurts putting it down. Information, memories, back story, future possibilities as well as the past are thrown at us with every turn of the page. The dragons banter is even better this time around. The spice and longing tension has been turned up, and Chapter 48 is an absolute 🌶 masterpiece. More signets are learned, closer bonds between the squads are born, friendship and relationships are tested, & so much more information around what happened in Resson comes to light. As expected, this ends on another unsuspected cliffhanger, like Fourth Wing did before it - and this one has me distraught beyond belief! I have no words to accurately convey the emotions i am still processing; where I did have multiple ideas of where Iron Flame was going to end, where it did hadn't even crossed my mind! What is trust, and how can you earn or give it to someone whole? Is the enemy of my enemy really my friend? Do HEA's exist on the Continent? Is there an antidote for everything? Can people truly be redeemed? Are all lives of equal value? What more do the Dragons know? Whats the cost of a royal title? Is forgiveness for you, or them? Is sacrifice truly a gift? Are grudges worth holding onto? Is love enough? This series is all consuming, and once again I'm left wondering what next to do with myself; we don't yet even have a release date for book 3! All we have is fellow readers, and a love for Xaden - hopefully Malek grants that to be enough. Thank you @rebeccayarros , but also WTF?! Original thoughts: I am distraught. Chapter 48 is an absolute LITERAL MASTERPIECE. I said what I said.

Item came in good condition except for the top of the sprayed edges has some flaws.