Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros Book Review

“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson

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.

Iron Flame Book Review

After reading Fourth Wing and absolutely loving it, I immediately pre-ordered a copy of Iron Flame. I am so happy to say that I enjoyed this book just as much as the first book. What a wild and intense ride!

Iron Flame picks up right after the events of Fourth Wing. The series follows Violet, who has been training to be a scribe. When her mother insists that she join an elite squadron of dragon riders, she must survive the grueling tasks at the college. With enemies on all side, she gets more than she bargained for.

Just when I think I can’t love these characters any more, Rebecca Yarros proves me wrong. Violet and Xaden are just as enjoyable in this book as they are in the first. Their partnership grows throughout this book, in more ways than one, and it’s really interesting to watch. Even though this is a fantasy book, there is so much realism to their friendship and relationship that is really nice to see.

The side characters in Iron Flame are fantastic and I’m so glad we get to see Violet’s relationship with these characters flourish. More than anything, I love Tairn and Andarna — they really are just so perfect. Their banter with Violet is perfection.

I really enjoyed the plot in this sequel and I really think it lives up to the hype created in the first book. However, the ending didn’t really work for me and I left feeling a little conflicted. But, it’s still a cliff hanger that makes me interested to read the next book!

Overall, Iron Flame is a great sequel to Fourth Wing. While I don’t think it surpassed my love for Fourth Wing, I think it has all the elements that make it an enjoyable sequel. I’m excited to see what happens in the next book — fingers crossed we get a release date soon!

Rating: ★★★★☆

About the Author

Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and coffee addict. She is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing, The Last Letter and The Things We Leave Unfinished. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward. Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over twenty years. A mother of six, she is currently surviving the teenage years with all four of her hockey-playing sons.

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