A review by readwatchcrochet
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

4.5

I enjoyed the ride, maybe not as much as Fourth Wing. The ending though…

“Xaden is the most powerful in the room, given their silence. “For now,” Tairn reminds me”

📚 romantasy
📚 dual POV

🌶️🌶️🌶️

|Thoughts|
Reread 1 update (Jan 2025)
Enjoyed this more as a reread and the paced seemed to pick up a bit when compared to my initial read. Still has me worried for future books…onto Onyx Storm…
…..
Initial Review
I enjoyed this, maybe not as much as Fourth Wing. But I’m invested in these characters. 

“It is one thing to cross the parapet your first year. But watching countless candidates lose their life to it feels a little like dying, too.

Part of the issue for me I think stems from, as the second book, it doesn’t have that ‘new dragon riding school’ structure like the first did. And there were times when I felt it was becoming a bit repetitive. And Xaden starts to act a bit too overprotective, like another least favourite character from Fourth Wing. 

“You never would have pulled this bullshit last year. You never held me back, never caged me in the name of protecting me.”

Continue to love the interactions between Violet & Tairn! And snarky Andarna is a great addition. 

“Not that Tairn ever waits for permission, which means— “I, too, think you need to eat something.” Tairn’s low, arrogant voice fills my head.

But I will continue to read up on every fan theory and speculate what will happen next!

Really not sure how we can come back from that ending…just expecting more secrets to he revealed in the future. 

Some of my favourite quotes:

“lock my shields in place just like Xaden taught me and fantasize about shoving Dain off the tower.”

“He’s the horizon, and nothing exists beyond for me.”

“Mom and Dad are fighting, and everyone knows it

“We do not eat our allies. —TAIRN’S PERSONAL ADDENDUM TO THE BOOK OF BRENNAN AS QUOTED BY CADET VIOLET SORRENGAIL”

There are a few redemption arcs in this book which were a nice surprise, if not a bit confusing. 

the sacrifice that Violet’s mum, makes up for her future actions, at least in part. 
Also, xaden and his choice at the end…what the hell. Where do we even go from here? And Sgaeyl’s cries at the end 

You cannot!” Sgaeyl shrieks. “I chose you!”


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