**this review contains spoilers**

I was building up my anticipation for weeks on end after finishing Fourth Wing, for it’s sequel Iron Flame to release. Still following Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson as well as other students in attendance at Basgiath War College. This book was actually longer than the first book with a whopping 600+ pages, but I was accomplished to finish it as quickly as I could to avoid spoilers.

Here, it picks up from a MASSIVE cliffhanger being that Violet’s brother, Brennan is in fact alive. The book picks up the storyline from when it ended and doesn’t skip over time but lets the readers return back to this fantasy world. Violet and Xaden are continually maintaining their relationship with ups and downs throughout the book. Especially with Xaden graduating from Basgiath, he is sent to a war post and isn’t in close proximity to Violet as they were in the first book.

More problems arise with more people knowing about the Venin and Wyvern which causes a panic amongst all students in attendance not only those in the Riders Quadrant. Officials, captains, generals, constantly argue with one another about what plan is truly beneficial for Navarre and to keep it brief, there’s a lot of stubbornness from both ends. Half of Basgiath leaves to go to Xaden’s home where they will continue their leanings; due to the Venin likely to attack Navarre. Here, Gryphon fliers join them which causes conflicts between Riders and Fliers but in the end they are able to put their differences aside.

Throughout Iron Flame, there is also the introduction of a lot of new characters which just adds to the depth of the storyline. Seeing snarky teenage Andarna is always a treat and can we talk about her being the SEVENTH type of dragon…..jaw dropping.

There are so many theories that have formulated because of Iron Flame, and I’m here for it. Does Xaden have any more secrets? How will he stop being a Venin? Does Violet have a second signet because of Andarna because a special dragon? To add on, would her second signet be something related to the dead? Especially with that moment between her and Liam while she was essentially getting tortured. Who knows, besides Rebecca Yarros! Those that have read this review probably will continue to read the 5-book series, and I’m excited to share this journey with my fellow readers.

-Madison C.

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.