Review: Fourth Wing

 

Title: Fourth Wing

Series: The Empyrean

Author: Rebecca Yarros

Release Date: May 2023

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

I know, I know - what took me so long to read this book?! And I have no idea. Seriously, if you have been holding onto this book but haven't read it yet, READ IT! 

Violet was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant- something she was training for in all her twenty years- to record the war for future Basgaith residents to study, but her mother and commanding general pushed her into the Riders Quadrant - with only six months of training- to become a Dragon Rider, those on the front line of the war. And the only ways out of Basgaith War College, Rider Quadrant is graduate, or death. 

But when you're smaller than everyone else, and your body is more brittle, death is only a heartbeat away. Between dragons not wanting to bond to fragile humans, and her being on other cadets hit lists- not only for a better chance at getting a dragon to bond with, but just because of who her mother is, her being thrust into the Rider's Quadrant seems more like a death sentence than a blessing- can Violet beat all the odds and survive, or will she just become another name of the fallen Cadets? 

So, I have had this book on my shelf since May, but have put it off. I have been struggling with a reading slump off and on for months. I'm also a mood reader, and it being a high fantasy, I had to be in the right mood & mindset to read it. Not to mention,I was a little intimidated to start something that is so highly hyped. 

But, I picked it up, and immediately was transported to a world of magic and dragons, and fell in love with the characters, and world. 

Even though Violet may have been viewed as weaker by everyone around her, and a liability with her illness, she was still strong, and brave, and cunning. She may not have been as big, or physically strong as the other cadets, she may not have been able to wield a sword, or may have to deal with pain on the daily, but she still stood up for everything she believed in, still faced the challenges each day brought, and overcame the obstacles placed in front of her. 

Xaden was the most powerful wingleader in the Rider Quadrant Cadets - and he was one of the first in line to want her dead. Violet should stay far away, but fate has other things in store. 

This book was more than I expected, and I stayed up way too late finishing it. If you love worlds of fantasy, magic, and dragons then you will love this book. And I can't see what is next in store for these characters 

4.5⭐ out of 5⭐

3🌶️ out of 5🌶️. - Multiple scenes throughout in detail. 

Tropes: 
→ fantasy romance /romantasy
→ enemies to lovers 
→ forced Proximity 
→ academy (war college)
→ New Adult romance 
→ chronic illness (h) representation 
→ morally gray H 
→found family 
→ slow burn 
→ overcoming adversity/underdog 
→ dysfunctional family

Trigger Warnings