Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

*minor spoilers ahead*

Iron Flame is the second book in The Empyrean series, and after loving Fourth Wing and the cliffhanger it was left on, I was desperate to read the next part of the story. This book focuses on Violent Sorrengail after she survived her first year at Basgiath War College, but now, the real training begins. The stakes are higher than ever, and a determination to survive won’t be enough this time.

There is a new, powerful enemy that threatens everything she cares about, including the man she loves, and so Violet makes it her life to protect the secrets around her. Violet is also navigating the web of lies spun by those in charge, but this starts to unravel; however, one wrong move could have catastrophic consequences.

This is a longer book than Fourth Wing, and I did find the pacing to be a bit slower; though plot-wise, this book is just as intense and dramatic as the first one. I did find some of the plot tricky to follow with the number of new characters and locations, but I was able to pick up the details. As I was reading on Kindle, the search feature came in handy when wanting to check these details.

I enjoyed seeing more of the side characters, such as Imogen and Dain, as there was great character development throughout. New characters, like Cat, also added an interesting dynamic, which was a great addition. Iron Flame is just as spicy as the first book, and the bond between Violet and Xaden grows even stronger. The political side of the war, alongside the battle scenes are amazing and really makes the world-building of this series stand out.

Overall, whilst I preferred Fourth Wing, there are some amazing plot twists throughout, which are always my favourite moments. This book also includes a brand-new bonus chapter from Xaden’s POV, which was fun to read. Yarros perfects her books by having the best endings, and whilst this ending is emotional, it’s made me so excited for Onyx Storm.

4/5 stars