
Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 530 pages
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Release Date: January 21st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads
BOOK SUMMARY:
After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.
Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.
Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming…and not everyone can survive its wrath.

I NEED TO READ THIS A FEW MORE TIMES.
Oh wow. This was a read y’all. And I’m not going to lie, I am a *little* disappointed? It’s like I loved it, but didn’t LOVE IT, ya know?
I do think Xaden was the star of this show and I would do SO MANY THINGS to get his POV throughout the whole book. I appreciated the growth in his relationship with Violet and that we got to see some true communication start to come through. This relationship isn’t linear and I like that aspect the most.
I enjoyed most of the traveling plot. It did feel a dash repetitive and some points and I do think there was A LOT of information thrown at me that I didn’t get enough time to digest (hence why I want to reread this soon). I loved the expansion of the lands and seeing different people though. And how all of Andarna’s pieces were woven into the larger story.
I definitely have a ridiculous amount of questions and theories (which I admit is kind of fun). The ending dropped a cliffhanger but also felt a bit abrupt. I am just going to go stare at a wall for a bit until I come to terms with the fact that I have to wait another few years for book four.
Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy Romance
- Language: high
- Romance: multiple open door
- Violence: high

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