Beginning right where Fourth Wing left off, we find Violet Sorrengail in the secret place where her brother, Brennan, leads a resistance. After much discussion, Violet, Xaden and the others agree to go back to Basgiath, the war college for dragon riders, for their second year. But Violet can't tell her best friend, Rhiannon, or any of their friends that the real enemy - magic wielders called venin - are out there, and coming for them. She's determined to do what she can to help the resistance, even as she and Xaden are at odds since he isn't telling her everything. And Andarna, one of the dragons to which Violet is bonded, has grown after the battle they were in and has reached adolescence.

Where to start with a 600+ page epic romantasy that has a lot of action and revelations? The story seemed to me like it could have been two separate book, as halfway through things change dramatically, and where I thought the story was going was only part of it. The dragons are fantastic, and Andarna as a "teenager" is hysterical. I was disappointed that there weren't more interactions with her, because whenever she was present she stole the scene completely. Violet annoyed me for the first half of the book, being mad at Xaden for the exact same thing she does to her friends. I enjoyed learning more about the world, how magic works, and what Violet learns about the wards and the history of Navarre. So overall, it was a bit of a mixed bag but one that I mostly enjoyed... and of course, I'll be waiting for the next one with everyone else. ( )

Everyone online seems to be complaining about that ending, but honestly? I was expecting something like that to happen to either Violet or Xaden. Got to make the audience want to read the next book, right? ( )

rating adjusted re: narrator, not content ( )

Review:

5 of 5 Stars
Iron Flame #ironflamebook
Author: Rebecca Yarros @rebeccayarros
Publisher: Red Tower Books #redtowerbooks (Entangled Publishing #engtangledpublishing)

"The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year us when the rest of us lose our humanity"--Xaden Riorsen

WOW! This story is even more action packed then first book Fourth Wing. I have to admit when I got to the last ten chapters I just sat down and had to finish. The ending made me cheer, yell ad cry.

Violet and Xaden are just as sizzling as in the first book. They fight. They makeup. They fight. Secrets are revealed and secrets are kept secret.

Xaden is showing his "dark" side in this book and Violet is having difficulty with it. In the first book they are trying to figure out what their relationship is. In this book they are continuing to evolve. They are getting over their past, prejudices and all the obstacles that they have to circumvent to figure out what their relationship is. The reader also has to remember as they read this book that these two are in their early twenties and they have already lived a lifetime.

"Secrets make for poor leverage. They die with the people who keep them".

The supporting characters continue from the Fourth Wing are just wonderful in this book. There are many new characters introduced in this book some are good and some are bad.

But I absolutely love the dragons in this book. Tairn and Sgaeyl and their relationship. I also adore how Tairn supports Violet in this book and watch out when he gets mad everyone, the dragons and riders all know it. Then there is sweet Andarna who is now the equivalent of a human teenager and oh my she is very sassy and snarky,

"Good idea, I could use a snack"---Andarna's tone is indecently excited.
"We do not eat our allies"---Tairn lectures.
"You never let me have any fun"---Andarna

There are so many surprises in this book. I am even more excited to the third book now.

#ironflame #fourthwing #rebeccayarros #dragon #fantasy #violetandxaden #violenceandxaden #violetandxaden
#IronFlame, #BookLover, #FantasyLover, #Bookstagram, #FantasyNovel, #BookBlogger, #FantasySeries, #BookRecommendation
#VioletXaden, #VioletXadenJourney, #VioletXadenAdventures #bookstagram #instabook #ilovereading #bookaddictic #bookstoread #fortheloveofbooks #bookblogging #weekendreads #instablog ( )

Not as good as Fourth Wing but still such a captivating book. When I read this series, I’m instantly sucked into a movie in my head. This one was a little slower to get into but I think that’s because I really enjoyed Fourth Wing that it was hard to live up to that book.
Finished on the wildest cliff hanger and I’m nervous for book three! ( )