Start On: November 1 , 2023
Finished On: November 17, 2023
Format: Physical Book

The Empyrean, Book #1
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“A dragon without its rider is a tragedy.
A rider without their dragon is dead.”

(Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros)

Book Summary

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

(Summary from Goodreads)

“Fascinating. You look all frail and breakable, but you’re really a violent little thing, aren’t you?”

(Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros)

Review/Thoughts:

I was completely obsessed with Fourth Wing since chapter one. I mean, there’s dragons. What else do I need to say?

I loved Violet and I was invested in her story right away. And as soon as I met Xaden? I was done for. I could not put this book down. The book was so engaging that when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about reading. Both the main and side characters are well-developed. The plot was thrilling, keeping me constantly on edge, and the war college setting was unique and unlike anything I’ve read before.

This book is action-packed and fast-paced. The world-building is easy to follow without overwhelming the reader without an info-dump. It features a strong female lead, a sense of found family, a captivating romance, a brooding morally-grey love interest, dragons, and much more. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book!

“I would rather lose this entire war than live without you, and if that means I have to prove myself over and over, then I’ll do it. You gave me your heart, and I’m keeping it.”

(Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros)