The hype is real and the hype is justified.
What an excellent fantasy novel. EXCELLENT.
The characters are brilliant, the world building is done so smoothly and in a way that doesn’t overwhelm but builds such a good picture.
The romance is exceptional with brilliant chemistry and then some excellent spicy (open door) scenes.
The friendships & family in this book are so good, and the plot itself is extremely engaging, entertaining and suspenseful without being info dumpy.

I highly recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy & romance & dragons. It gave me a little bit of a divergent vibe but this is way better!

Bring on book 2!!!!!

Wow. This was my most anticipated read of 2023 and it did not disappoint. Violet and Xaden are two of my favourite characters and I haven’t felt this way in a long time. Please please pick up this book!!!

So I’ve taken some time to process but I haven’t stopped thinking about this book. I want to read it all over again so I can see what I may have missed the first time! I devoured this book whole and I’m still hungry for more. It is very much Eragon x Divergent and a little bit of Hunger Games too (fight for survival by knocking others out if you’re brutal enough). I knew when I saw this that I would love it and for that reason I was almost apprehensive starting it! I was scared to enjoy it but omg if you’re feeling the same, IT IS SO WORTH ITTTTT. But now I need to fill the empty gap in my soul.

Violet is a tough ass woman and is a great model for those that have a chronic illness and want to feel empowered. She doesn’t let anything stop her. She’s feisty and determined and despite being ‘fragile’ (though we all hate that word on her behalf) she burns brighter and nails each challenge she faces. I loved how unique she is and you really root for her straight away.

Xaden, Xaden, Xaden *drools*. I don’t think I’ve loved a character this hard since Rhys. He epitomises broody outside but marshmallow inside. I would have loved to have seen more from his perspective of events but I will make do with what we got🥰 cause what we got was just heaven on earth. Their chemistry was just *chefs kiss*. Their flirty banter had me curling my toes and fingers with giddiness for them. The tension was just 🥵 but when it BROKE my god does Yarros know how to write a steamy scene. They were literally on fire (iykyk 😉) .

Honestly I feel like Violets power isn’t as cool as others (unpopular opinion maybe😳), especially Xaden’s power. Considering her circumstances, <spoiler> especially having two dragons- one being the most powerful </spoiler> I feel like it’s still really cool but I don’t know what could even be cooler so maybe I’m just overthinking it…

The other characters were fun but didn’t have much focus. You have to be careful who to like because they drop like flies and there were some sad losses even I wasn’t prepared for🥲 watch your heart!!

That ending though!!!! Need more now!!!! Gimme!!

ADDING MORE THOUGHTS BECAUSE I FORGOT ABOUT THE FUCKING DRAGONS!!! They were literally the best characters in the book. Their different personalities and how they constantly roast Violet had me wheezing. Andarna is my precious baby no one can touch her.

You know when you start a book and just know you're going to adore it? That's how I felt about Fourth Wing. It has everything I love in a book and then more and I devoured it. It's also a book that's incredibly hard to sum up without giving away spoilers, so I'm just gonna jump right in to my review.

Violet was a character I had no trouble rooting for. Someone presumably in way over her head who goes ' you know what? fuck this... not only am I going to survive, but I'm gonna become the most powerful rider ever.' and you have to give her kudos because I'm not sure I wouldn't have given up multiple times if I was put through the things she was. She not only has her self doubt, but constant ridicule from other riders who think she isn't worthy, too weak, but she holds her head high, plays to her strengths and bends the rules to her own advantage. She's sarcastic as hell, witty and so incredibly strong, mentally if not physically, but she never lets any disability she has get in her way, rather uses it to push herself even more.

Alongside Violet we get to meet multiple other characters, some getting more page time than others, but all pivotal to the plot in some way. There are characters you will love and some you will want to die an incredibly grisly death, but the ones we spend the most time with are; Dain, Violets childhood friend who takes her under his wing when she joins the riders quadrant. Rhiannon, the person Violet meets on her first day as a rider and who quickly becomes her best friend and Xaden, Violets Wing leader and the man whose father killed Violets brother in the rebellion. Every single character leaps off the page, no matter how much page time they are given and help us to learn about the world and politics.

Speaking of the world, I adored the world building in this book so bloody much. Yes, it's pretty heavy on the romance (we'll get to that later don't worry) but Yaros never skimps out on fleshing out her world, the politics and history of it making sure we get a deep dive without it ever seeming dumpy in anyway. And while I loved learning about the world, my favourite scenes by far were the ones showing Violet going through her rider training and when we finally get to interact with the Dragons. Yaros writes these creatures just as frightful as they should be. They are shown respect, and if they dislike you or feel you are weak... you quickly become a pile of ash. I honestly lived for the parts of the book where the Dragons were involved and loved seeing them bond and hearing them talk to their riders. There is so much about this that I want to say but can't because of spoilers, but if you like a good snarky sidekick who is mega dangerous you're going to love this book.

Fourth Wing is the kind of story that is predictable in the best way. You know this story, you've read it before. There will be drama, duplicity... death, but you know the rides 100% going to be worth it so you can just sit back and enjoy. It's a story that feels completely fresh but also like an old friend and is filled to the brim with moments that have you wanting to pump your fists and jiggle your feet in excitement. Yaros throws in a few plot twists as well as edge of your seat moments to keep us on our toes and make sure we don't get too comfortable, and her fast paced yet still descriptive writing style has you absolutely flying through the pages.

Finally! The romance and boy was it steamy in parts. Riders generally die young, especially with how many don't make it through training, so as you can expect there's a lot of sexy time going on and lets be honest, if you might die the next day you wouldn't pass up a little bit of excitement right? Violet wise though I did fear the dreaded love triangle at first glance, but the further we get through the story, the clearer it is that there is only one choice for her. On one hand you have someone she has known for years, but someone so rigid, so prone to following the rules that they would rather risk her life than break them. Someone who see's her as nothing but a weak girl and does their best to get her to quit. And on the other hand you have someone who constantly riles her up, has her questioning if he's going to kill her one minute and then kiss her the next, someone who would burn down the world to keep her safe. Their scenes were SO steamy and I lived for their romance, it was slow burn and torturous in some parts, but also incredibly humorous in others.

All I'm going to say is this book deserves all the hype and if you were a little put off by how much hype it was getting... don't be. I know for a fact this will make my top reads of the year and I am dying to get my hands on the second book after the author left us with that torturous ending.

Saw the hype and like the sheep I am I jumped on the bandwagon. But OH MY GOD am I glad I did. This it the best read of the year for me and an easy 5 stars. It might actually be .. one of my favourite ever reads? It has the tropes that we know & love and some may say are tired, but they are executed to perfection.
Violet is such a bad ass main character and it’s not forced at all. She grows so much in the book, learning more about herself and who she is within.
Seeing her persevere through all her pain is remarkable and has been so well written by the author.
The enemies to lovers is another thing done to perfection. It’s a slow burn, but so worth it. Personally I’m not a fan of ‘enemies to lovers but by chapter 3 they’re kissing’ kind of books anyway, so this suited me down to the ground.
Al the side characters are fleshed out well which enables you to grow attached to some. They’re not just thrown in for effect.
Overall this is masterfully written. Action packed from beginning to end, even though it may have crushed my heart at one point. Thankyou so much to NetGalley & Little Brown Book Group for this E-arc.

This story was incredible. It is one of those books where I am happy to recommend this to anyone and everyone, in theory. There was some saucy scenes but honestly that didn't feel like a main factor of this book. It was the story itself which blew me away.

As a big reader of fantasy, its normally hard to find something that feels original but is also familiar. This reminded me of the brutality of The Poppy War, mixed with the romance from A Court of Thorns and Roses, but also feeling like an adult version of How To Train a Dragon.

This is a series that I will read again and again, and I have already pre-ordered the next in the series. Honestly there is nothing that could have been done to make this better. I laughed. I cried. I had a genuinely amazing time reading this.

The characters were all so engaging. I fell in love with all of them and hated all the ones that screwed with Violet. This has left me seriously guessing what is happening, who did what and why. There is so much I need to know and I need it like yesterday.

Best book of 2023.

***Fantasy, Dragons, Magic, War***

I really enjoyed this story, I thought it was gritty, bloody, engaging, and definitely entertaining.

Set in a fantasy, dystopian world, this story is about a brutal training academy for Dragon riders. There are tests, battles, and selections that are challenging and almost certainly deadly, plus the ever-present threat of execution from an academy rival.

Told from the pov of Violet, as she navigates her way through the academy and beyond into real life war, this story has a number of elements: magic, telepathy, dragons, and eventually romance with Xaden - the enemy within. I thought the two main characters: Violet and Xaden, were brilliant, with their destiny's intertwined. They were complex people, damaged, struggling, and broken. I loved their difficult relationship, their energy, and the chemistry they inevitably had. Added to this were some excellent secondary characters (including three dragons) that all added greatly to the atmosphere and energy of the story.

This is a Young Adult, fantasy story, with a contemporary feel. This book ended on a cliffhanger, and I'd recommend it to readers looking for fantasy/ romantasy/ Young Adult/ dystopian reads.

I inhaled this in two days.

Literally I was obsessed. I've been dying to read a book that encompasses dragons, academia and so much more. This was it. This gave me ALL the feels.

It was brutal but oh so loving. You'll be hooked. You won't want to eat or sleep. Your work will seem irrelevant because all you'll want to do is read!

And the enemies to lovers was chef's kiss. Rebecca Yarros really put her whole foot into this book.

Don't miss out on what will undoubtedly become one of your favourite books. Believe the hype.

I quickly discovered though that this wasn’t just a dragon book – it’s the best dragon book I have read in years.

Violet was exactly the right mix of out of her depth, aware of her own limitations and determination to succeed (although a choice between success or death would focus most people’s minds!) I adored her and willed her through every challenge she came across. She was also kind – sometimes to a fault.

I also loved the fact that the author has chosen to have our main group of characters be actual adults – entering the War College at 20 rather than as young teens – it make all the decisions and risks they take feel so much better – these aren’t children being sacrificed but adults (who have mostly chosen to be there) risking everything for even greater rewards.

The dragons are large and scary and just as likely to turn you in to a pile of ash on the spot as they are to accept a Rider – it was so much fun to have properly scary dragons and for that not to be shied away from.

I’m also a complete sucker for sentient animals/animal companion stories and the bond between dragon and rider (for those that make it) definitely fulfils that trope.

There is some romance in this book (and some steamy sex scenes) with a sort of triangle with Violet in the middle but the triangle seems to be less about who gets to have a romantic partnership with Violet – although that is part of it – and more a tug of war for which set of principles she’s going to side with – the ‘follow the rulebook’ approach or the ‘maverick but effective’ one.

Mostly though survival and really cool scary dragons are the name of the game here – and I cannot wait for the next book in this series (although I suspect I will have to wait a while, given that this one has just published)

Fourth Wing has the perfect amount of slow-burn enemies to lovers for my romance addict self to be content, but having it blended with the most gorgeously built fantasy world I have ever read just blew my mind. Honestly, I loved every single thing about this novel.

The first chapter had me captivated, the writing style of Rebecca Yarros really made this story shine, and from that very first chapter I knew this book wasn’t going to let me out of its vice grip. I proceeded to spend the following 7 hours diligently reading every glorious page whilst embodying that of a snarling dragon, spitting fire whenever anybody tried to approach me with conversation.

Not only did it have two of my favourite tropes and my favourite setting for a fantasy novel ever (an action-packed, high stakes, war academy to - quite possibly - die for), but it also put me through the emotional wringer. There were so many twists that I didn’t see coming, some that made me smile, some that made me gasp, and others that had me full blown ugly crying and whispering ‘why’ brokenly at my kindle, and with the deadly stakes involved I feared the fate of my favourite characters at every turn of the page.

Once I finished reading, I promptly had to tell my friends to also read this book because it was my new obsession and I needed other people to gush over it with, so come join us and read this asap!

TLDR, Fourth Wing has:
- A genuine enemies to lovers trope
- Found family
- DRAGONS
- Slow burn
- Academy setting (basically war school)
- Competition
- Deadly stakes

5/5 stars! This is an amazing debut fantasy book by author Rebecca Yarros. It has everything you want in high fantasy: an amazing storyline, great characters, and a slow-burn romance. I couldn't read this story fast enough and will be anxiously awaiting the sequel.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

If you mixed the academy parts of The Poppy War and How To Train Your Dragon, you would get this book!

Her entire life, Violet Sorrengail has trained to become a scribe. But when she's ordered by her mother to enter the rider quadrant, Violet's life is on the line. Because at Basgiath war college, you either graduate and become a dragon rider, or you die. Since she is chronically ill and far weaker and smaller than the other students, Violet's chances of survival are slim. With enemies surrounding her, she needs to outsmart everyone else and fight for her life if she wants to live to claim a dragon.

Normally, I'm wary of academy settings because the plots in academy books often get extremely tropey. That was not the case here. The trials to become a dragon rider were so deadly and action-packed, I could not put the book down. Apart from the risk of dying at the trials, Violet is also surrounded by people wanting to kill her - either to thin the herd of potential riders or because of her mother, the High General. One of those is Xaden Riorson, a squad leader that, like many others, was conscripted into the Rider Quadrant after his father led a rebellion.

Despite the book taking place almost exclusively in the war college, the worldbuilding was well-fleshed out. The way we got information about the world outside the academy felt really organic. Judging from the information presented, there will be a lot more focus on the war between Navarre, Violet's country, and the neighbouring kingdom. One thing that bothered me a little was the language - all the characters express themselves like a modern person would, although we're in a fantasy setting. We see this a lot in YA fantasy and it took me out of the story a little. At times, the prose even read like a contemporary romance or paranormal romance which irritated me. But the book was extremely fun and fast-paced, so I let that one slide.

Moreover, I loved all the lore we got about different dragons, which, again, really reminded me of HTTYD! I wished the dragons had been more prominent in the first part. As it was, they only really entered the plot around the halfway-mark. In that world, dragon riders enter a mental link with their dragon and also channel magic from them. The bonds between dragon and rider were explored well in the book and (view spoiler)

My favorite part of the book were the characters, however. You watch Violet really grow in this book and go from an underdog to someone who can hold her own in that deadly world. I loved how she didn't back down when other's challenged her and how she outsmarted her opponents when her physical abilities weren't enough. Her resilience and outspoken nature made her a great character to follow. The other members of Violet's squad (or Wing, as it's called here) were also really great characters and I loved their banter and found family dynamic. Although Violet herself isn't queer, the world is queernormative and there was some sapphic rep which I appreciated.

Since this is a fantasy romance, I can't get around talking about the love triangle, if you can call it that. On the one hand, Violet has had a crush on her best childhood friend, Dain, who is also a dragon rider at the Academy. On the other, there's Xaden, who hates her but who Violet is drawn to. Basically the whole situation reminded me a bit of the Juliette-Warner-Adam relationship in Shatter Me, except this was resolved way sooner and thank god. Never have I read a character that aggravated me as much as Dain (which I suspect was the point). The eventual romance developed really nicely in a slow-burn kind of story which I really enjoyed.

The ending held quite a few surprises which I won't spoil. Let's just say I almost threw my kindle across the room. Although I saw a few of the twists coming, I was still really enraged. I can't wait for book two, I'm so glad it comes out so soon!

All in all, Fourth Wing was a fast-paced, action-packed fantasy romance for fans of Throne of Glass. 5/5 stars.

This is a masterclass in how to write YA Fantasy Fiction. It takes all the usual ingredients, ingredients so overused that in most hands they are heavy cliches, and turns them into something original and hugely enjoyable. Dystopian type regime with alarming lack of regard for young lives? Tick. Chosen one? Tick. Love triangle? Double tick. First person present? Tick. So what makes Fourth Wing soar where so many plummet to the bottom of the DNF pile, especially after trudging through too many paragraphs of breathless first person present prose? Great writing, great characterisation, great plotting.
Violet is the youngest child of a great general but, suffering from a condition which makes her joints weak and her bones brittle, she has always been destined for her father's profession, that of scribe. But after his death her mother decrees she has to join the Dragon riders, an elite batallion of warriers who are bonded with dragons - only to become a rider takes strength, agility, courage and luck, most applicants die in their first year, a good proportion on the first day. Violet knows that she has little to no chance of surviving, but what she lacks in physicality she makes up for in tenacity, intelligence and courage, and this is what elevates her and the whole book above most of the pack. She is no ordinary Chosen One, she, like Katniss, achieves that status because of her own actions, and that's why the first person present works here, we're in a POV that's interesting to be in, not a vapid stream of consciousmess. Add in a fastpaced plot, a smouldering romance and some great worldbuilding and it all adds up to a very satisfying read. Highly recommended.

Just WoW!
An absolutely brilliant example of world-building. Amazing.
A beautifully written and well-thought-out story with dragons, slow-burn, enemies to lovers and an action-packed narrative .

I am in owe. This is by far one of my favourite reads of the year. Fantastic from start to finish. I could not put it down.

It has it all... betrayal and intrigue. Friendships and self-discovery. It's a roller coaster.
The character development is top-notch and drives you to formulate an emotional attachment with the characters. Fantastic dynamic between the main protagonists. You become very invested throughout the duration of the book.

I can not wait for the next instalment.

I just reviewed Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. #FourthWing #NetGalley

"I can’t make another dragon series my whole personality," I said, as my friends danced around with their Fourth Wing carefully crafted spoilers, seducing me into reading the book.

"I can’t make me," I asserted as I slipped the book into my Amazon Germany checkout cart. (Their first edition there is gorgeous, iykyk.)

"I hate both of you," I told them, not two days later, when I was at 53% into my ARC and steadily becoming obsessed with Fourth Wing. "Why did you do this to me, knowing that it’s only book one, huh? WILL YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR INDOCTORNATING ME INTO THE CULT?!" [spoilers: they did…by laughing and cheering that I joined the brain-rot. *sigh*]

Having finished Fourth Wing just hours ago, I am satisfied to announce that I do not have a single issue with it or found anything its lacking in. Which is new for me. Yes, it does have plenty of tropes and for a New Adult book, follows some distinctly YA-genre patterns—but it executed them so well, that there really isn’t anything to complain about. It just goes to show that it is not the tropes people are tired of—it’s inadequate and incompetent handling of them.

Fourth Wing is not, at its core, a revolutionary or innovating tale. We have a silk-hiding-steel main protagonist; a brooding love interest; a childhood best friend who means well, but is unable to accept the female lead’s growth; a kingdom to protect; and some sort of grand conspiracy that is revealed in the final climax of the book. Familiar stuff. But it just goes to show how talented the author is and how well Rebecca Yarros honed her craft that a seemingly commonplace story feels new and fresh, and manages to be entertaining and gripping from first page to the last.

I very much enjoyed the chronic illness representation. "It’s not my muscles that are weak. My ligaments that hold my joints together don’t work for shit, either," Violet thinks, and whatever fantasy disability she has is so EDS-coded that I felt seen. Her condition is a part of Violet—she knows how to live with it, how to accommodate it, when to push and when to admit the limits of her body. I am not entirely sure if Rebecca has someone in her life who has Ehler Danlos Syndrome, or she just did a lot of research, but it’s just nice, you know, when characters have something that readers can identify with (it’s me, I’m readers).

As always, I’m almost contractually obligated to mention that no plot twist and no revelation was unanticipated by me, but a) the only thing ever that blindsides me are surprise cancer reveals, and b) it just shows how well the author managed to foreshadow and structure their narrative, that plot feels natural and organic. Plot twists are meant to be interesting and further the story—whether or not they are surprising is irrelevant.

Overall, a glowing 5-star read. I cannot wait for the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

I have a new love, it’s called Fourth Wing and I am obsessed, the romance is slow burn enemies to lovers a dis complete perfection. The story is wonderful , full of mystery, secrets, dragons obviously , there should always be more dragons , the trials, the chaos, the energy, it’s just everything I wanted in a book and never knew. I cannot wait from more now from Rebecca Yarros and I’m off to buy a physical copy of this now.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

To say that this book fast became a literal obsession would be an understatement. Ask my friends, they haven't heard me shut up yet. It was intense.

From the word go I was invested. I absolutely love Violet (AKA Violence, *squeals* iykyk) she's so smart and stubborn and I love Yarros for giving her a chronic illness that isn't just there for the sake of it but is actually part of the plot. She's overlooked and undervalued at every turn, everyone is out for her blood because they think she's a liability, and she just kicks ass and proves everyone wrong at each turn. We stan.

This book had a love triangle that was 🤌🏻 and anyone who knows me knows my feelings on those.

The love interest, just. 😳🔥🤤

The freaking deathly trials, the pure chaos and death of them was excellent.

The dragons I cannot even. Yarros gave us grumpy/ sunshine with a twist I will say no more.

So many secrets. So many betrayals. So many epic mother effing sky battles and just wow.

The pacing was immaculate. Like honestly the whole book did not have one slow/ tedious moment, I was genuinely invested in every single word.

I really can't say how much I love this book or give you anything else because you just need to buy and experience it yourselves. Masterpiece. Loved every page. Yano, except that one where that thing happened that I cannot forgive 😶😶😭 (I'm ok, trust me...)


THANK YOU NetGalley for giving me an e-arc for review, and might I kindly offer you my first-born child in return for the sequel as soon as it reaches your hands please and thank you. (I mean you can have my second-born too)

Between a 4 and 5 star.

I wanted this to be my new fav book of ALL time and by golly, I did have so much fun with this. But I did have a few small issues that I'm fixated on if only because I wish the weren't there!

Violet Sorrengail was a badass heroine to follow, I LOVED her growth, the way she gains confidence and bravery, and how openly she wears her heart on her sleeve. I loved the friendships, I loved the relationship (although at the end it was giving long lost mate vibes and I was cringing a little).

The thing I loved the most, unsurprisingly, was the DRAGONS! So many dragons, and my word I havent read hardly any fantasy books these days that actually have dragons! It was so epic. WE. NEED. MORE. DRAGONS. IN. FANTASY.

I did have a few smal griped with the writing style, not the content but the "prose". Some of Violets inner dialoguse was giving Poppy from FBAA and that is not a compliment. Some of her repeating inner dialogue was very tell not show. Her "sassiness" was also coming across and juvenile and like a 13 year old from 2023 not a young adult in a fantasy world.

Also by the end of the book I was far beyond the point of sick of her being called Violence. STOP. Jesus.

My last complaint was that the world building sucked ass. The map of the school wasnt entirely useful, I wish there as a map of the continent, region, country etc. We dont know much about the poltiics of their world. It feels so isolated and I refuse to believe that Violet, trained as a scribe, wouldnt know about the rest of the world. Is it a big country? Is it a relatively small island? Is the school the main location? Are there cities? Is it small villages? What sort of climate/geography?

ANYWAY,in saying all this I still loved the book, it gave me MORE than most fantasy I've tried to read in years and I loved the romance element. I can only hope that book 2 is improved upon in the technical ways.

Absolutely phenomenal! The hype is well-deserved, and I cannot wait for book two!!

The writing is incredible and the plot, world and characters are all as brilliant.

All I can say is: READ THIS BOOK ASAP! One of the best of the year!!

Thank you for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Holy shit I'm usually so composed with this things but THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. Just give Yarros book of the year already. 👏

Snarky dragons, sexy shadow man and badass dagger welding rider? This book has everything you could ever want and should be perfect right?!

It totally is.

Yarros manages to give us all the tropes and themes we know and love without the predictability. Enemies to loves, slow burn and a bit of spicy that rears up and slaps you in the face! And the dialogue *chefs kiss* 🤌

READ. THIS. BOOK.