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Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2)

Rebecca Yarros

Start date: November 7, 2023

Finish date: November 30, 2023

Discussion: Book Club Chats: SEQUELS

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Book Club Chats: SEQUELS

[may 2025] oathbound
By ashley , Moderator · 5 posts · 207 views

last updated May 19, 2025 03:39PM

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last updated May 16, 2025 05:23AM

What Members Thought

Jan 03, 2024 Shelli rated it really liked it

Shelves: could-have-been-shorter, audio, favorite-characters, fun-escape, in-a-series, fantasy-fix, magic

Fun first book of the year. I liked everything here I liked in the first book...but I also disliked a lot of the same things. I really like the characters....Violet(even though she gets annoying) Xaden, their friends and the dragons. I really enjoy the "war college" setting too. Some of things I didn't love... First, I thought it was way too long. It had some repetitive themes that were overdone. There were a couple torture scenes that went on and on and became distasteful. Same with some battle ...more

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Oct 03, 2024 Jeanette rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I’m so happy to report that the second book does not leave you any less loving the storyline. I am absolutely obsessed with Violet and Xaden’s love story. I feel like the reader really got to feel more of what they actually are, and have more clarification as to what they both want. There were so many questions the end of the first book and I feel like there are so many more after the second book. Which is a great thing, because that means I’ll want to read the next one. Rebecca knew what she wa ...more

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Jan 26, 2024 Kelli rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Finished Fourth Wing only to immediately dive into this one.
She knows how to write a good novel and how to hook you and it’s just fun to read. What I would call a big old January winter hibernation read.
I love that the first half of this one is carving out the character development of Xaden and Violet. The world building seems richer by book 2. And the relationships with the dragons get fleshed out more.

In the best possible way, I think book 2 resembles Harry Potter. The school has already been Finished Fourth Wing only to immediately dive into this one.
She knows how to write a good novel and how to hook you and it’s just fun to read. What I would call a big old January winter hibernation read.
I love that the first half of this one is carving out the character development of Xaden and Violet. The world building seems richer by book 2. And the relationships with the dragons get fleshed out more.

In the best possible way, I think book 2 resembles Harry Potter. The school has already been established. It’s all about classes and training. And in a cozy way, it’s kind of fun reading it. It’s entertaining and keeps me reading during the first half getting to know the friends and the characters more. I love Bodhi and Sawyer and Ridoc — the squad she has at Basgaith is super cute. Garrick has some cute scenes too.

I did start to get bored with the back and forth of going and visiting each other over and over ‘for the dragons sake’ the book is clearly buying for time and slowing down but what worked so well in book 1 wasn’t as forth coming for book 2. Xaden was the Wingleader in Fourth Wing which added an element. He was always there at the college and it created those tension moments that kept the pages flying. All the middle has much of is realising how much we hate Varrish and I’m just constantly ready for Xaden to take him out. Plus tons of ‘research’ that Violet is doing on wards.

The best of the middle is the fun way the squad starts to band together. Again, this is where it feels like Harry Potter and I’m here for that. The story changes pace around then too, when Violet gets taken by Varrish. Seriously, Xaden has the best entrances and the best intense dialog — ‘who did you kill?’ ‘Everyone’

Part 2 definitely has better pacing. And it does have chapter 48. Definitely Violet and Xaden iron out alot then. Of course they are swoon worthy, the things said. But also still wishing the smut level was less spicy/cheesy🌶️. However, Yarros makes up for it with cute communicating between the two. That’s better and more precious than any of their smut stuff.

I think I’m going to have to reread the first one to get this intense ending out of my head. It feels like it will be such a long time till the third. I’m not even sure what to think happened fully after the wards are raised. Not even sure what Yarros’ direction is with venin and Xaden or how she could write three more books with that plot. I’m sure it seems crazy because it’s gonna get us to read book 3. I just need her to stay true to Xaden. He’s intense, holds his emotion, and always wins the fight.
I do want to give all four stars to part 2 because it’s the most insane half.

Fourth wing - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Iron Flame - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ...more

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Sep 16, 2024 Barbee rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: romantasy, dragons, violet-and-xaden, violence, oranges, my-house-my-chair-my-woman, cadets, quadrant, basgiath-war-college, ride-or-die

Book: Iron Flame
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Series: The Empyrean, Book #2
Publisher: Entangled, Red Tower
Page Length: 895 Pages
Overall Rating: 5 Stars but another (mind blowing) story
Blog Rating: 5 Saltire Flags

Second Year Cadet and Quadrant:

No one thought Violet would make it through her first year, but she proved them wrong as she bonded with two dragons Tairn and Andarna which is a first in history too. Violet’s besties in her squad quadrant are Rhiannon, Ridoc and Sawyer and they all made it to th ...more

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