Reviews with content warning for Gore - Iron Flame

It was good. Something seemed off with the writing. I listened to this through Everand and had to go back to re-listen several times to certain passages to make sense of what happened. Overall, it was a good follow-up to the first book, but it was predictable, and I wasn't surprised at the "situation" at the end.

I look forward to the next book and hope it focuses a little more on the writing being less scattered.

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shayna_hadassah's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

If I have to continue to be subjected to Gen Z slang I'm going to actually lose it.

"You're more important to me than this revolution and everyone here."
"Same."
SAME????? Are you kidding????? S A M E. Fucking SAME???????????

Listen. I use this slang. If it were used in a joking context, or when the characters were goofing around, sure. I could let it slide. But you're going to just drop it on me out of nowhere? I'm immediately drop-kicked out of the narrative.

The characters and relationships were stronger in this book than in the previous one, which was nice. We had some depth and nice world-building. Certain parts felt like more of the focus was on being complex just for the sake of it than for adding anything meaningful.

I think the biggest offender of this was when Violet had the opportunity to actually ask Xaden the questions she had, and then didn't. You built up to so much being hidden and then just. didn't ask most of the questions that Violet had. She literally said, "I'm going to ask you all the questions." and then didn't!

I very much did enjoy the reveal about Xaden! That felt like Violet being the intelligent heroine we keep being told she is. She figured out his secret, and then figured out what the secret actually was, on her own. That had foreshadowing! We were given clues! But they were subtle enough that she figured it out without the narrative holding her hand about it. Excellent set up.

Seeing them have the same fight over and over again got old really quickly. That argument happened just about the same way three or four times. Violet even said they kept having the same argument. Finally they got through it but boy was that painful.

I really enjoyed how Violet's mother was fleshed out! She had a very small part but it really built her up and made her much more complex. I felt like throwing Xaden's ex in there as bait for Violet was incredibly cheap, but her power is cool, so half a point. Can we make a decision about Dain though?

He was a friend, then he was a love interest, then just a friend, then an antagonist, then an enemy, then an ally, then a friend again? It isn't even that he's moving between categories, it's that he isn't really being fleshed out in any of those roles. Of all of the characters, he's the one who feels most like a character, i.e., he's just being moved to where he's most convenient for the narrative without enough depth to make me really care about his motivations. He needs to be there, so he's there, and we'll build the reasoning later.

The dragon lore continues to be the coolest part of the story.

The bit about the ward stone really bothered me with Violet's character though. She's supposed to be so intelligent, but not reading "the six and one" as "seven" really made me question why she gets to be the main character. Obviously no one else put it together either but to read "the six and the one" and not bother to question the "one" at all until another translation literally has the number seven in it was ridiculous.

The interactions between the dragons and how they fight feel real in the world and have rules that they follow. I appreciate that the rules of the universe stay consistent and the struggles of the characters don't get hand-waved away because of magic.

The fact that the characters have to train and plan and take time to come to decisions is a huge selling point for me; magic just changes their world, it doesn't automatically make it easier. Different languages being something they have to learn is nice too, instead of having them magicked into a lesser problem.

Fight scenes are still punchy and fast-paced. Descriptions are vibrant without being overwhelming. The explicit scenes were a little cringy and exhibitionist, which I did not appreciate, but that could very well just be a me thing. I did find some of the phrasing to be pretty repetitive, which just sounded like lazy writing to my ears; there are plenty of ways to describe the fact that things are happening quickly without using the phrase "in the span of two heartbeats" three times in the same scene.

I do want to know more about this world. The conflict itself is interesting and I enjoy having this hidden information that needs to be sussed out.

The twist at the end was less enjoyable than in the last book and, I thought, felt too much like having a twist for the sake of having a twist. There wasn't any build up. There was one line that could clue you in that something might happen, but no indication that something like that would happen. Honestly I think it's Andarna that will make me read the next installment more than the twist with Xaden. I thought his decision was unnecessary. Maybe kinda stupid. I think she's cool as hell.

And if I have to listen to some kind of intense declaration followed by "same" again I'm going to blow a gasket.

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dkamada's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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kmaffett's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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rivkah519's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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shellballenger's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Type of read: Commuter Read.

What made me pick it up: BookTok made me start the series, Yarros writing in 'Fourth Wing' brought me back.

Overall rating: The Empyrean series continually reminds me that for every ten books recommended on BookTok, only one or two are going to be good. And 'Iron Flame' is good. I cringed, audibly gasped, cried, laughed, and generally, just enjoyed 'Iron Flame.' The character development was natural, the introduction of new characters made sense, the relationship building was steamy but real (seriously, can't tell you how much I love seeing a couple have issues...book boyfriends are great, but it's not all hearts and roses). While there are a few predictable bits and pieces, it's not overwhelming or taking away from the storyline. If anything, it gives the reader a chance to say 'I KNEW IT!'

I wasn't expecting the ending, but I'm not surprised by it. About half way through the book, I was wondering what Yarros was going to do to keep the Xaden/Violet relationship moving but tumultuous.

I don't really know how I'm expected to hold out until 2025 for 'Onyx Storm' but if I must...I'll just be here dreaming of my continuing collection of shadow daddies.

Reader's Note: 'Iron Flame' includes themes of war, death, dying, torture, and sex. I'll also add, as a copy-paste from my review of 'Fourth Wing' since it also applies to 'Iron Flame:' There's not a lack of sex. Descriptive, steamy, wall shattering, sex. If you've read the ACOTAR series, it's Silver Flames-level sex, with a few Starlight cringe moments. Additionally, I appreciate the fact that our FMC is a sex-positive individual.

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sandysmith's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book Fourth Wing, but it was likeable enough. DRAGONS ! Violet and Xaden have serious trust issues as Xaden keeps things from her. Parts of the book are slow, and others breathtakingly fast, so the pacing for me was a bit off. But Dragon's and particularly the ones bonded to Violet Tairn and my favourite Andarna now a fabulous teenager. I will read the next book in the series when it comes out (I've started, so I'll finish), but there are more questions arising from the cliffhanger ending. Excellent stuff, but I hope the next book has more Fourth Wing vibes...

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abicaro17's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

So in this sequel, Violet and Xaden are preparing to set up their rebel base and start their new year training. Violet struggles to control her signet and emotions following Xadens new assignment. After the trauma in Fourth Wing, Violet struggles to cope with Liams death and the revelation of her brother. To start on a positive note, I love that this was more like a spy novel with all the sneaking around and secrets. The increase in communication between Violet and Xaden is so needed and well handled. Onto the negatives, giving Xaden a crazy ex is so incredibly unnecessary emotionally that it makes me mad. This has almost no combat or actual training in it despite being a book set in a war college where soldiers train to fight. The lack of raw emotion that emanated from the first book is also pretty disappointing. I just feel like this was good conceptually but so rushed and under edited it loses all the charm that was present in book 1. Overall it was fine and I will read the next book but for me this is trending towards From Blood and Ash (great first book and terrible sequels).

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