Iron Flame (The Empyrean series - Book 2), International Edition Paperback – International Edition, November 4, 2023

Iron Flame delivers a high-stakes, emotionally charged sequel that will leave readers breathless. While not without some pacing bumps, the story picks up immediately after the events of Fourth Wing and dives into deeper territory both in plot and emotion.Violet’s journey feels raw and real. Her struggles with trust, grief, and identity are handled with nuance, and her character development is powerful. Xaden’s patience and vulnerability shine through as their relationship evolves with complexity and tenderness. Their chemistry is electric, with moments that feel both epic and intimate.The supporting cast brings humour, warmth, and loyalty to the forefront, adding depth without distracting from the central narrative. And the dragons? Unmatched. Tairn’s wisdom and Andarna’s feisty charm practically steal the spotlight.There’s a relentless pace to the action, with battles, betrayals, and a few scenes that will tug hard at your heartstrings. The writing continues to balance intensity with emotional payoff, and despite being spoiled for the ending, I was still fully invested.This isn’t a light read it’s layered, twisty, and unapologetically emotional. And the cliffhanger? Brutal. In the best way.4.5/5 – Highly recommended for fantasy romance fans who want dragons, depth, and a story that sticks.

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros absolutely delivered as a sequel. The world-building deepens, the politics get messier (in the best way), and the missions are high-stakes and nonstop. I found myself completely immersed from start to finish, staying up way too late just to see what happened next.The romance? Listen, I'm a sucker for a good love story in fantasy, and it’s often what keeps me emotionally tied to the characters. But Violet and Xaden’s relationship went a bit too hard in this one. At times, their dynamic got so intense, mushy, and idealized that I had to take a breather. It leaned into the overly dramatic side of romance that didn’t always feel earned or realistic. I didn’t want to DNF, it was just a lot.Also, while Violet is a strong and compelling protagonist, the way everyone seemed laser-focused on her well-being started to wear on me. Even her enemies ended up adoring her. I love a badass heroine, but the constant pedestal-ing made her feel a bit untouchable, which pulled me out of the realism (yes, even in a dragon fantasy world).Still, all of that said, the plot, the tension, the twists, the immersive world? Chef’s kiss. I’m 100% invested in this story and this world and already itching for the next book. Yarros knows how to build tension and deliver.

Man, this sequel really picked up where the first left off. The world-building is still super rich and the characters are growing in interesting ways. The action scenes got way more intense, and I was hooked by the middle chapters. A couple parts felt a bit slow, but overall it kept me reading late into the night. If you liked book one, definitely give this a shot.

Iron Flame (The Empyrean Book 2) Kindle Editionby Rebecca Yarros (Author) I blame Anne McCaffrey for my love of dragons and their riders. Rebecca Yarros, Violet, Xaden, and their dragons had a lot to live up to, in fact, the entirety of Pern! And Ms. Yarros does live up to Ms. McCaffrey.Where, at times, the first book in the Empyrean felt like a young adult book that had spice added in to move it from the young adult shelf, Iron Flame is fully rooted in adult fantasy, with just the right amount of spice and the perfect measure of angst and pathos.The relationship between Violet and Xaden sits in the center of the story, but there is so much more. We have siblings with a reason for vengeance, a hidden royal heir, jealous love rivals, and a race for a magical solution. It's all in there. All of the feels and all of the tension. The only issue I had was that about ¼ of the book could have been shaved. In the realm of fantasy and fantasy romance, many authors seem to be in a race to see who can write the longest book. Yes, SJM, JLA, and now Ms. Yarros, I am looking at all of you. Apparently, they are all racing to take the tile of the biggest book away from the Giga Codex.That said, I am in love with the world that Ms. Yarros has created. It feels very concrete, as if I could smell the dust on the trails that the dragons and the griffins climb, the sweat under the flight leathers, and the spice of the lust that seems to be in the air. It is a real world, tangible, and fascinating.Ms. Yarros is the new queen of the Shadow Daddy (if you don't know, go look it up). Xaden is not morally grey, so much as he is morally flexible. He is willing to burn the world... heck, he'd burn the universe for Violet, but he is also full of honor and strength.Violet is not the paragon of virtue or the slightly insane fantasy heroine we are used to. She is very clearly, a fighter – not only of her very real enemies, but also the illness that she must overcome every day to be a rider.One of the stand out part of Iron Flame is the dialogue. Ms. Yarros is a master of using dialogue to move the story along and to further character development effortlessly. Unless the reader takes a step back from the story (which is as difficult as climbing Everest barefoot!), it isn't easy to see the masterful techniques she utitlizes.The plot,which at times (as I said before), is a bit overloaded, moves along as fast is possible in this height of book!To be completely honest, I received this book as a gift (the hardback) from the husband, and also borrowed it from KU when it was available, because I needed them both to finish.If Fourth Wing lived up to the hype, Iron Flame went beyond the hype into a completely different universe!Complete with a masterful use of technique, a beautifully built world, and an intricate woven plot, Iron Flame, in fact the entire Empyrean series, is a modern classic that will go down in literary history with the Lord of the Rings, the Dragon Riders of Pern, and the Witchworld stories.4.75 stars out of 5 (a .25 deduction because some of the book could have been shaved) rounded up to 4 stars out of 5