Onyx Storm

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros | 527 pages | 2025

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

Apparently it was good that my expectations were in the basement, because I actually enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. Definitely helps that there was a lot less secret-keeping and miscommunication in this one. I'm also a big fan of a "let's explore new lands" story, so that kept me interested through the middle.

Since I was reading on Kindle (so I didn't really have the map) and didn't reread the previous two books, I was completely lost just about every time she mentioned a place or a character (of which there are a million), but I just skated on by and got the gist of the story anyway.