Name: Iron Flame
Series: The Empyrean #2
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Format: Hardback
Genres: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Noted Tropes: Found Family, Enemies to Lovers, Deadly Trials, Dysfunctional Family, Dragons, Military Academy
Steam or Spice: Spice
Rating:
Synopsis: Goodreads
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.
Review:
This is book two in The Empryean Series, and so there may be spoilers below for book one. Spoilers for book two will be hidden behind a drop down.
And so, we make it to Iron Flame. As mentioned in my Fourth Wing review, I had already read this books last year, and Iron Flame was actually my favourite book of 2023. But as I didn’t have a blog at the time, I felt like it was worth posting the reviews on here. Iron Flame picks up exactly where Fourth Wing left off, with Violet dealing with a lot of shit. She’s well and truly thrust into this world of secrets that before she was just teetering on the edge of, and now has impossible choices to make.
She’s not alone though, as by her side is Xaden – though, not literally as for a good portion of the book they are split up as Xaden graduates Basgaith War College and Violet becomes a Second Year! I am not a fan of sequels splitting up the established couple for the majority of the book. It’s a trope that really grinds on me, and puts me off the book almost immediately. However, Yarros made it work in Iron Flame – and I enjoyed the interactions between Violet and Xaden when they were together again, and Violet when she was alone.
We got more time with our secondary characters in Iron Flame, and whilst I may have been growing to love them when I read Fourth Wing the first time, by the time I finished Iron Flame, I would do anything to protect them along side Violet and Xaden. Because lets be clear – Yarros is not afraid to tear out our hearts. They all need protecting from their creator!!
Those feelings aside, I loved where the plot went in this book. With it being Violets second year at the school, there is the very real worry that it can feel very ‘samey’ for the first year, and whilst some elements were the same (given that Second years are on the same squad as First and Third years); any part that may have had that same feeling were kept fresh. With new first years and teachers, new classes and trials and new plot developments unraveling!
The only negative I found for Iron Flame was something that Xaden himself pointed out, to find out more click the spoiler tag below. But I can’t help wonder if I feel the way I do because this is a re-read as opposed to the first go round.
Spoiler Tag
I found Violet to be somewhat hypocritical of her requirements from Xaden. She wanted full disclosure, full transparancy. But her anger meant she was unable to understand why, from Xaden’s point of view, it just wasn’t possible all of the time. Secrets are kept. It sucks to have to keep them, but there were lives counting on his secrets. It wasn’t just I told you I wouldn’t eat chocolate, and then had chocolate after you left… It was hard to read Violet being so angry with Xaden all the time for something that felt unrealistic.
The Dragons are back with their sass in full swing, as we have Tairn being his usual self and teenage-Andarna both going off in Violet’s head – I loved it. The bond these three have is beautiful, but also hillarious at times. Even if I didn’t enjoy the plot, I feel like I’d keep coming back just for the Dragon sass!
I personally feel as though my emotions and wellbeing weren’t cared about while Rebecca Yarros wrote Iron Flame. One moment I was perfectly content and happy, and the next my jaw was on the ground, heart beating so fast I had no idea if I or them or anyone was going to survive anything this author could throw at us… I am here for the emotional turmoil! Bring it on Yarros. What have you got left hm? (If any of our main cast die in Onyx Storm, I’m not being held responsible for it!)
For those wondering how the buddy read is going – it’s not. I got my entire DnD group to read Fourth Wing (some of them are now on Iron Flame) but because so many people were reading it, I realised that I wasn’t going to be able to read it at the same speed as everyone so I just finished it on my own time and I’m there to join in the thrilling commentary I’m getting from those as they reach juicy bits!
All in all, this series is still brilliant. I am still so hyped for Onyx Storm – and as of typing this review Rebecca Yarros has revealed that Onyx Storm is off to the printers! January can’t come fast enough!
“Violence, remember it’s only the body that’s fragile. You are unbreakable.” – Xaden
Reading With Tyler 
Leave a comment