Book Review: Onyx Storm (The Empyrean #3) by Rebecca Yarros

February 16, 2025January 24, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

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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Book Review: Five Broken Blades (The Broken Blades #1) by Mai Corland

September 8, 2024May 10, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 512 pages
Author: Mai Corland
Publisher: Red Tower
Release Date: May 7th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s the season
for treason…

The king of Yusan must die.

The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the God King Joon.

He has it coming. Under his merciless immortal hand, the nobles flourish, while the poor and innocent are imprisoned, ruined…or sold.

And now each of the five blades will come for him. Each has tasted bitterness―from the hired hitman seeking atonement, a lovely assassin who seeks freedom, or even the prince banished for his cruel crimes. None can resist the sweet, icy lure of vengeance.

They can agree on murder.

They can agree on treachery.

But for these five killers―each versed in deception, lies, and betrayal―it’s not enough to forge an alliance. To survive, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other…but only one can take the crown.

Let the best liar win.

I’LL READ BOOK TWO.

This was a good series starter. I especially loved the audiobook because they had five separate narrators for all of the POV’s which made it much easier to follow along. I did like all of our main leads. They’ve each got secrets and strengths and weaknesses that you see played out though the book. I loved the ending betrayals and twists. A few took me by surprise which is always my favorite.

I liked most of the romantic aspects. Some times I felt like it was trying too hard to be sexy (and not in a lusty way, it’s hard to explain without spoiling) and it wasn’t coming off well. I do like the contrasting pairings and I’m curious how those will continue to unravel (or tie together) as the series continues.

The plot is simple, which works well against so many points of view. I liked seeing different pieces of the world and how the politicking and intrigue worked together. I’m very much interested in seeing where this series will go next.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy Romance
Language: moderate
Romance: fade to black
Violence: high

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Book Review: Heavenbreaker by Sara Wolf

July 21, 2024May 25, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy/Sci-Fi + Romance
Length: 448 pages
Author: Sara Wolf
Publisher: Red Tower
Release Date: May 21st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In Synali von Hauteclare’s world, blood is all that matters.

In a massive space station that houses the last of humanity, the king rules. Nobles dance. Commoners starve. And when they aren’t starving, they watch the riding tournaments between the giant robots called “steeds”—once used in the war against the enemy, now repurposed for honorable lance-to-lance high-speed combat with a gravity generator. Only nobles may have the honor of riding. Only nobles may have the glory. Only nobles have the blood.

In Synali von Hauteclare’s world, she’s a bastard; her mother a commoner, her father a duke. And she’s just killed him.

But he killed first.

Seven people in House Hauteclare helped her father hire an assassin to kill her and her mother. Synali survived. Her mother did not. And now Synali will do anything to make them pay, even ally with a noble, her sworn enemy. Now she’s made a deal: for every win she scores in the upcoming Supernova Cup, this enigmatic nobleman will kill one of the seven. She’s never ridden, and the steed her new ally gives her—Heavenbreaker—sings strange lullabies in its hangar. And, increasingly, in her mind.

With her half sibling, Mirele von Hauteclare on her trail, and hotshot pilot Rax who’s trying to get in her bed, Synali has her hands full.

But blood is all that matters. And she will ensure they see much of it.

PRETTY GOOD.

I was swept in by the pretty book and it contained a good read too. I have mixed thoughts on the audiobook though. I thought the narrator was great, but with a multi-POV story it would confuse me about who’s POV I was in whenever I picked the book back up.

I thought the concept was interesting. It gave me Red Rising, Hunger Games, and a dash of Scorpio Races kind of vibes. I loved the jousting element and the tournament was well crafted. I liked the main *main* character Synali a lot. She was someone to root for and I loved the revenge path she was on.

There’s a slow burn romance brewing I am absolutely here for. I enjoyed his POV a lot too. I’m curious about the others and how they will further play out in the series. It was like we got enough hints to be intrigued, but I needed more to really love them.

A truly solid good read, I will definitely be picking up the next one.

Overall audience notes:

Sci-Fi Romance
Language: moderate
Romance: for the life of me I can’t remember, I’m pretty sure it was heated makeouts and low innuendo
Violence: high

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Book Review: Iron Flame (The Empyrean #2) by Rebecca Yarros

November 30, 2023November 11, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 623 pages
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Release Date: November 7th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED.

I loved this book.

I loved the depth of the characters, even the side players had so many layers to them. I liked seeing new sides, understanding decisions, and making new connections. While at times frustrating, heart squeezing, or sobbing, I loved feeling all the things as I binge listened.

This book slowed things down, but still brought plenty of action. I liked the slower pace and still getting to see a lot of aspects of Violet’s second year at Basgiath. Things felt more on edge and I felt like every page turn had me on pins and needles. And the DRAGONS. They are still one of my favorite aspects about this series and seeing even more of their internal politics and the BANTER between Tairn and Andarna sent me. They are my favorite.

I loved the complex romance too. Xaden and Violet have a lot to work through and everything is not easy going while in the midst of so many betrayals and war looming. I liked that things were hard, because I finally felt like I saw new sides to both of them. Xaden’s lines had me in a puddle practically every time he spoke.

The ending laid me out and I will be in panic mode until I get my hands on book three.

Overall audience notes: