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.

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

Onyx Storm (The Empyrean #3) by Rebecca Yarros with Justis Bolding (Narrator), Rebecca Soler (Narrator), Teddy Hamilton (Narrator), Jasmin Walker (Narrator), 24 hours (527 pages)

"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."--Provided by publisher

While worth the read, for sure, this was a middling addition to the Empyrean series. I think because what was supposed to be a trilogy was turned into a 50-book series, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm both seem drawn out and a bit repetitive. I would have loved some more world building as there was ample scenarios to do so with the travel the core of characters did. I am fully invested in the characters and storyline at this point, even though I am hoping this series picks up a bit with the next two books. 

 

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

Iron Flame (The Empyrean #2) by Rebecca Yarros with Teddy Hamilton (Narrator), Rebecca Soler (Narrator), 28 hrs, 17 min (623 pages)

"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."--Provided by publisher

The sophomore book in this series fell a bit flat for me. I found our MC Violet (and Andarna) quite frustrating in this storyline, and the book goes from 0 to 100 and back again over and over, pulling you in all directions. However, the story progressed and I found several story arcs very emotional. And then that ending...

 

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1) by Rebecca Yarros with Rebecca Soler (Narrator), Teddy Hamilton (Narrator) - 21 hrs., 22 min (517 p.)

"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."--Provided by publisher

If you are a fantasy/romantasy lover, this wildly popular book is absolutely already on your radar. Now that it's been out for a couple of years, opinions have formed and it's a divisive title of "love it or hate it." I am in the LOVE IT camp! This was a re-read for me, in preparation for the 3rd book in the series being published. My previous review: "This seemed to be the "it book" of the summer, and it was right up my ally, so I dove right in. I feel like it deserved the hype. It was well-written, with great world building and a great female lead. Can't wait for the next book in the series!" This was my first book narrated by Soler, and it took me a while to settle into her reading. I feel like she did a pretty good job, though I was disappointed in the obvious disregard for pronouncing Gaelic correctly. 

 

Onyx Storm (Empyrean, #3) by Rebecca Yarros

Onyx Storm (Empyrean, #3) by Rebecca Yarros-527 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Xaden, Violet, and her squad continue their journey both within the confines of Basgiath War College and throughout Navarre, Poromiel, and beyond. Onyx Storm picks up right where Iron Flame left off (and it ended with a bang, for sure). 

In the aftermath of the Battle at Basgiath, Violet and Andarna are set on searching for more of Andarna's kind. This search leads them to unexpected places, including several islands off the coast of Amarylis/The Continent. 

There is more than one big reveal and the ending is a huge cliffhanger (just like the first two books).

Iron Flame (The Empyrean #2) by Rebecca Yarros

 Iron Flame (The Empyrean #2) by Rebecca Yarros-623 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've been eagerly awaiting this sequel to Fourth Wing since I finished it. Fourth Wing is my favorite book I read this year (so far). Iron Flame picks up right where Fourth Wing ended and keeps the action going constantly. So much happens in Iron Flame and there are definitely some jaw-dropping moments. Violet is as much of a bad ass as ever. The relationship between Violet and Xaden is a bit infuriating, frustrating at times, especially Violet taking so long to admit her feelings for Xaden. The stakes continue to get ever higher throughout the book. The ending is just as much of a cliffhanger as Fourth Wing's and it's emotionally wracking. I was thinking no, no, no, it can't end like that!! I'm already anticipating the next book (there are supposedly going to be five total) and I hope it doesn't have such an emotional ending. This series is soooooo good thus far, though. 

Fourth Wing (Empyrean, #1) by Rebecca Yarros

 Fourth Wing (Empyrean, #1) by Rebecca Yarros-500 pages

I really enjoy fantasy, especially Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses) and Christopher Paolini (Inheritance Series), so I've been eager to read this one. I want to know why this book has become so popular. I really like the character development and story. Violet Sorrengail is the youngest daughter (and child) of General Sorrengail of Navarre (her mother). She has a condition that causes her bones, muscles, and joints to break easily. I really like Violet's character. She's a strong, snarky woman protagonist and reminds me a bit of Celaena Sardothien/Aelin Galathynius from Throne of Glass and Feyre Archeron from ACOTAR. This book is full of twists and turns and there's a twist at the end that has me on the edge of my seat for the next book. I would put this on the same level as Maas' series. This is my favorite book of the year so far. I can't overstate how much I enjoyed reading this book. I am eagerly anticipating the sequel that will release in November. I give this 5 out of 5 stars.