Fourth Wing

🐉⚔️ 𝙵𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚐 ⚔️🐉✍🏼 𝚁𝚎𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚌𝚊 𝚈𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚜 I’ll be honest: I didn’t want to fall into the hype. Everyone was raving about Fourth Wing, and I went into it thinking, “It can’t be that good.” Well, joke’s on me because I was hooked from page one. This book is pure entertainment—fast-paced, addictive, and so much fun. Is it perfect? No. Is it original? Not really. But does it make you want to drop everything and read it in one sitting? Absolutely.The story wastes no time throwing you into the chaos of Basgiath War College, where survival isn’t guaranteed and dragons literally choose who lives or dies. Violet Sorrengail is thrust into this brutal world, and watching her transformation is one of the most satisfying parts of the book. She starts out fragile and underestimated, but her quick thinking and determination make her a character you can’t help but root for. And her bond with the dragons? Perfection. Tairn, with his gruff wisdom and sharp wit, completely steals the show. Add in Andarna, the small but fierce golden dragon, and you’ve got a dynamic duo that’s impossible not to love.And then there’s Xaden Riorson. Dark, brooding, tattooed—basically the blueprint for every morally gray love interest we secretly adore. His chemistry with Violet is off the charts, and their enemies-to-lovers arc is everything. Sure, it leans into tropes, but it’s done so well that you won’t care. Their banter, tension, and the way he always has her back? Chef’s kiss.The worldbuilding is surprisingly easy to follow, which I appreciated. There’s no endless info-dumping or overly complicated magic systems—just a rich, immersive world that lets you dive right in. And while the plot is fairly predictable, it’s packed with high stakes, betrayal, and just enough twists to keep you on your toes. The dragons, though, are what truly make this story special. They have their own personalities, their own motivations, and they feel just as alive as the human characters.Was some of the dialogue a little cringey? Sure. Were there moments where the drama was over the top? Definitely. But honestly, that’s part of what makes this book so fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and it’s not trying to reinvent the wheel—it’s just here to give you a wild, unforgettable ride.If you love dragons, romance, or just need a book that’ll completely pull you in, Fourth Wing is it. It’s the kind of story that makes you lose track of time, and when it’s over, all you’ll want is more.💭“𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸’𝚕𝚕 𝚍𝚘 𝚒𝚝. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸’𝚖 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝.”“𝙷𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚎, 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙸𝚝 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚌𝚞𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚒𝚖𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚜-𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜.”

Welp, after hearing about this book…and contently thinking once I’m finished with my series I’ll hop on it, but paused my series to come and I have to say it’s really good! I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting, but definitely got my dragon/enemies to lovers itch scratched! Looking forward to more of the empyrean series!!!

I’m not a fast reader and I don’t read this book in record time but for me I read it faster than any other book. I’m not a fantasy reader but each page not just chapter but each PAGE had me hunger for more. The cliff hangers, the love, the betrayal, and the END!!!!I NEED MORE!! So glad there’s more to this series and I can’t wait to start the next book!

This book has become a bit inescapable in reading circles, so when it was presented as an option for a Kindle Reading Challenge Achievement, I grabbed it right up. I've mostly heard bad things, but I went through a dragon shifter romance phase so I thought I'd at least like this. Given how long it is, I see the merit to both the praise and criticism that this gets and I'm at its ok as I finally reach the end. I'm not reading on in the series, though, because this book alone was unnecessarily long and it's only the first in a series that seems subject to expansion due to popularity. I may have been on board with all of that had my favorite character been treated like he should have been, eventually getting his own story, rather than being killed off. Not a fake out death and not to be resurrected like I know some other characters get in this series, he's dead dead.Xaden is a much better character than I expected, except he seems to exist only for Violet which takes away the dimensionality I want from such a main character and love interest. Violet is ok, but I hate how she's just gotta be the beloved special specialest girl boss and any who don't adore, love or praise her are evil. Give me a realistic character all day, every day, not her fantasy world that revolves around her. (Ok, I kind of hated Violet.)The dragons are great, but all the lore around them needs more thought and work. All the rules of the war college and human interactions and the war and dragon kind needed more intentional plotting and planning before the book was finished. It was so hard to get through this because there'd be good parts with great ideas or potential then it would almost mock you for wanting to enjoy the whole story and it'd go to aspects that entertain or distract rather than progress the plot. It makes for a very skimmable read, almost like a choose your own adventure. If you just want the romance read here, just the dragon fantasy fighting read here, but if you actually want to read it all... I, personally, just was not feeling it until 50% in and I should have quit but was determined to actually read this. Then Liam got pulled into Violet's friend group and I loved him. He was really one of the best developed characters in the story and that should have given him the same plot armor as all of Violet's other favorites, but the author killed him off and that was the dumbest decision. Yes, I absolutely cried at that and it was an impactful series of events, but I feel like it wasn't his time or place. If he was destined to die, I still hate it, but kill him later in the series so someone like me would keep reading. I think killing someone like Garrick or Bodhi instead would have packed a similar punch without wasting all the potential that was built into a character like Liam. Ultimately, it's better this way so I can mark this off my list of curiosities and now go back to the work I prefer reading. I'll follow this series to the end through the reviews of others to see if anything really interesting comes of anything introduced in this book and realm.

Amazing book. I am completely obsessed. It starts off a bit slow, but only because the author is providing context, world-building, and is giving a backstory on the main characters, which I appreciated. I love the idea of a magical war college and dragon riders. I love that gryphons and wyverns are also part of the list of magical creatures. While some of the magical concepts in this book may sound familiar if you read a lot of fantasy novels like I do, this plot and these characters are completely different from anything I've ever read before. I really like that the author wrote a female main character who is intelligent, isn't a damsel in distress, and has a good sense of sarcasm! And the romance in this book... whew. Don't even get me started. All I can say is... wow! Very well-written. I don't want to give any spoilers, so you'll just have to read it for yourself. 🥵 I also really enjoyed the plot twists toward the end of the book. I definitely did not see some of it coming, and now I'm really looking forward to reading Iron Flame and Onyx Storm even more!If you like Harry Potter and Hunger Games, and also like a spicy read, you will thoroughly enjoy Fourth Wing. Rebecca Yarros' writing is really great. She will be one of my "automatic-buy" authors from now on. 🤩Overall rating : 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Spice rating: 5/5 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

I don’t even know how to put into words everything I want to say about this book but YES! BUY IT! I was worried it would be an overhyped viral book and not be as good as people made it out to be but it is AMAZING and I really love the author as well from what I’ve learned! My favorite thing about the series is that Violet is an EDS girlie! As someone who struggles with EDS as well it was so nice and healing to read about a strong bad*** character that doesn’t let her disabilities slow her down! Not even just slow her down but makes adaptions to continue on and excel!! I’m like if Violet can ride dragons and go into battle with EDS certainly I can handle my day to day! I love the characters, the world building, the friendships, the romance, and OF COURSE THE DRAGONS! Also Xaden quickly became my favorite book boyfriend!

I’m so invested in this book with Violet and Xaden. When I heard it had dragons I rolled my eyes and assumed it was a game of thrones ripoff but that couldn’t be further from the truth! It is its own series and very captivating. I just finished the 3rd book and I’ll be feeling dead inside anxiously waiting for book 4. My sister took off from work when book 3 came out so she could stay home and read it. I like to take my time and finish in about 3 monthsThe third book started out kind of slow for a while but This first book I seem to remember it being action packed and captivating from the very start. Please read it and send Vi my regards

This is my first read of Rebecca Yarros and I’m impatient to move on to the next book in this series so, I’m keeping it short.This is some great fantasy world building coupled with heart wrenching reality and soul lifting hope. This author is able to immerse us in a world with vivid description and subtle prose that make the “real” world disappear. I can honestly say there was no point in this story where I was board or found characters so over the top that they were not believable or relatable, as so often happens in fantasy.For any avid reader my following statement will convey my admiration for this author: she does not TELL you about her world, she SHOWS you.

I used to read a lot growing up. Once I became an adult, college, work, marriage, divorce, and a child halted any extra reading time I once had. I struggled finishing books. Usually one per year is all I’d have time for.I must’ve been reading the wrong books because this one took me less than a week. I started reading it last Sunday at 11am and just finished it this morning (the next Sunday) at 10:40am. I found time to read while brushing my teeth, making dinner, waiting in the school pick-up line, at the gym on the treadmill, I’d even sneak a page or two in while on the toilet. I’m not ashamed to admit that this book had a literal grip on me that I could not stop thinking about it any time I wasn’t reading it. My boss and my best friend have already finished the series and hearing the excitement in their voices when they ask where I’m at in the book made me want to read more. The slow burn between Violet and Xaden, being inside Violet’s head throughout the entire book and Xaden’s at the end, the bond between a dragon and its rider, the crazy turn of events I was definitely not expecting, the literal drop of my jaw/audible gasp/full body CHILLS as I turned the last page ready to devour the next chapter that was nonexistent…. This book brought back my desire to read again, to make the time to read again and I wish I could re-read this book for the first time. To feel everything I felt all over again in its truest form. I can’t wait to experience the feeling of reading books 2 and 3 of this series. I’m certain I’ll be able to finish them just as quickly as I finished this one. Just in time for me to be able to actively participate in Fourth Wing trivia night with my best friend sometime in June.

Originally, I thought it was overhyped. But my god, now I get it. I get why everyone loves this book. Sure it may have some clichés. But its still unique and not like the other books I've read.I hate his name but Xaden is definitely my book boyfriend now. The twist and turns and that ending I was not expecting at all. I had to reread the last page over and over to make sure I didn't misread.I shed many tears, I felt like I was the one loosing a friend. The connections with the side characters were so strong I even felt Violet's love, hate, and even the betrayal she felt for each of them.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros completely took my breath away. From the very first page, I was drawn into the brutal world of Basgiath War College—a place where survival isn't promised and trust is a luxury. But what made this story unforgettable was how deeply I came to care about the characters, their relationships, and the raw humanity that pulses through every chapter.Violet Sorrengail is a protagonist you can root for—fierce, vulnerable, and determined despite the odds stacked against her. Watching her grow into her own power was incredibly satisfying, but what really kept me turning the pages was her dynamic with Xaden Riorson. Their relationship is a slow burn, layered with tension, distrust, longing, and ultimately, something stronger and deeply earned. Xaden is complex and guarded, but his loyalty and quiet protectiveness toward Violet make their evolving bond one of the best enemies-to-lovers arcs I’ve read in a long time.And then there’s Liam. Brave, kind, and endlessly loyal—his friendship with Violet is pure gold. He’s the kind of friend everyone wishes they had: supportive without overstepping, protective without being controlling. Their camaraderie brought a lightness and emotional anchor to the story that balanced the intensity of the college and the combat training. When that moment came—“It’s been my honor”—I was wrecked. It was heartfelt, tragic, and deeply beautiful. It encapsulated the cost of war and the strength of the bonds formed under fire.The friendships Violet forms throughout the story, from Rhiannon’s unwavering support to the shared respect and teamwork among her squadmates, are just as compelling as the romance. They’re a testament to how connection and trust can bloom even in the harshest environments.Yarros delivers high stakes, sharp dialogue, fierce dragons, and emotional depth in equal measure. Fourth Wing isn’t just a fantasy novel, it’s a story of resilience, of finding your people, and of learning to fight not just for survival, but for those you love.If you’re looking for a book that’ll make your heart race, swoon, and break all at once, this is it.It’s been my honor to read this story and I can’t wait for the next.

A million, gazillion stars PPL!! I haven’t been this excited about a fantasy series since Twilight & Harry Potter! But it’s riders, dragons, and mystical powers, instead of vampires, werewolves, and wizards! This had me riveted to my seat with each turn of the page! I cheered, booed, cried, and swooned! No wonder they’re making it a series! I totally get it now & the hype! Lays potato chips Ppl! You obvi can’t just read one - you absolutely “must” have the whole series! So impressed with Rebecca Yarros work! She knows how to weave an extraordinaire story about a mythical world! Really 💜🩷💙the cliffhanger too! It’s such a “gotchu” moment! Eeps, starting on book two now….until next time! Get these books now!! Enjoy! Happy Reading!

Fourth Wing grabbed me from page one and refused to let go. The world is dangerous, the stakes are sky-high, and the characters are equal parts fierce, flawed, and completely unforgettable. Violet is the kind of heroine you root for with your whole heart — clever, stubborn, and braver than she believes.The dragon bonds were everything I hoped for and more, with personalities that practically leap off the page. The tension (both romantic and otherwise) crackles, the battle scenes are pulse-pounding, and the betrayals hit hard. I especially loved how the story balances brutal action with moments of tenderness, friendship, and sharp-witted banter.It’s one of those books that keeps you up way past bedtime, whispering one more chapter until suddenly it’s 3AM. I’m obsessed and absolutely desperate for the next installment.If you love high-stakes fantasy with dragons, fierce heroines, dangerous romance, and enough twists to leave you breathless — Fourth Wing is a must-read.

I think 4.5 stars would be official rating, I cant do half stars so I gave it the full five.I purposefully did not want to know much about the story before I started reading it. I just knew it was about Dragon riders. I liked that I did not have any spoilers and a clear head. It was a little confusing at first as the book just jumps right in and it did not seem to have much intro. After a little while and I was able to get into what was going on and the story and the world, I was hooked. It build well and the story flows easily. I like the focus on the learning how to be a rider and I like all the little surprises. I like not having to endure a love triangle, and I definitely am waiting for the information on what happened with their society. Why things were covered up and kept form them. I need to know!Reread it for the second time: I tried to pay more attention to the smaller things happening and the hints Xaden might give from his side knowing what is happening. It was not any less thrilling and exciting than first time. It is so much to take in, I will most likely reread it again!

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (The Empyrean #1)Rating: 5 (billion) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Spice: 3 🌶️🌶️🌶️Tropes:- Enemies to lovers- Dragons!- Slow Burn (and worth every second of it)- Romantasy- Chronic Illness Rep My Review 🌸(excuse my French) HOLY F***. Hello fantasy?? Hello romantasy??? Hello Xaden Riorson?? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN AND WHY HAVE I NOT BEEN HERE SOONER?! Y'all, ten pages in... I could tell I was going to love this book. It totally gave me Harry Potter x Divergent/Hunger Games vibes. I feel like I was addicted to this book, just wanting to keep reading and know what was happening on the next page. Rebecca Yarros painted such a vivid picture of what Basgiath looked like, each person, dragon, landscape, etc. I felt like I was visualizing an entire movie in my head. This book was told from Violet's (the FMC) POV, and I absolutely LOVED her character. Originally trained to be in the Scribe Quadrant, Violet was forced to enter the Riders Quadrant by her mother, General Sorrengail. With all of her siblings before her and her mother being riders, she wasn't given much of a choice. Violet may have setbacks, but she is mentally strong, brilliant, quick, witty, determined, and just a total baddass. All of these qualities and a few more, are what makes her survive and be successful in the Riders Quadrant. Violet is the definition of "work smarter, not harder".Xaden Riorson.... Another book boyfriend to add to my collection LOL Xaden is a third year Wingleader for the Fourth Wing, and you can just tell his presence is commanding, powerful, mysterious. and guarded, but in some moments you also see sides of kindness and loyalty. Xaden is the child of separatist, Fen Riorson, who made it known that Violet was his to "handle".The sexual tension between the two of these characters was, let's just say, electric. Despite this being a slowww burn, it is so worth the wait. There was so much banter between Xaden and Violet throughout the whole book, and you can just feel the built up energy between them.  Being that this was my first fantasy book, I loved the dragons were just as much the main characters as Violet and Xaden were lol they each had their own unique personalities and they made the book so much better.If you are on the verge of hopping on the romantasy train... Just do it and start with this one. You will not regret it!! Sooo looking forward to Iron Flame and Onyx Storm when it comes out. AND A SHOW FOR FOURTH WING? Sign. Me. Up. No spoilers in comments please!! lolPS - f*** you Dain.

It was initially hard for me to give this 4 stars despite what a great read it was and it truly was a really great read.I hate when a writer has the FMC chase and pursue the MMC, even more so when he rejects her. This one took it to a new level. She persistently chases after him and pines for him; her desperation made me cringe so many times I lost count.For the majority of the book, the MFC is constantly drooling and obsessing over the MMC yet he’s seemingly indifferent to her. Then when something does happen between them, it’s just casual sex for him while she chases and chases, she just wants him so bad 🙄 and he tells her several times he doesn’t want to be with her.I get secondhand embarrassment and it’s just an uncomfortable feeling for me, especially with how far it went.She seeks him out, even stalks him, walking across the parapet risking death when he wants to be alone on a painful anniversary. Like Jesus girl WTF? Ladies, a man is supposed to pursue you, neither should chase but this is one of the reasons women find themselves emotionally attached and in “situationships” with men they want so desperately to be with. I’m not chasing no man regardless that’s why it frustrates me for book heroines to do so. But alas, that’s just me.Some annoyances were as follows:The instructors put the MFC up against Jack, knowing he’s going to try and kill her and if he kills her they lose the 2 strongest, most powerful dragon riders they have, and potentially their dragons as well who are also the strongest/fiercest. They’re complete idiots. If this were real war, they would get rid of him seeing as he’s a major threat to their most valuable assets of a war they’re clearly struggling with.MMC doesn’t kill Jack when he’s blatantly trying to kill the MFC yet he’s killed several others for the exact same thing.At one point in the book, the MFC’s childhood friend admits to her that he wouldn’t break a rule to save her life yet he tries relentlessly to convince her to leave the Rider’s Quadrant and sneak and join the Scribes against the General’s orders. So he won’t break a rule but he’ll disobey and disregard the direct order of a General.. it’s pretty contradictory especially considering the latter would be treason. So won’t break a rule but will commit treason..Another thing that irked me was how many Rider’s they lost whose deaths were 100% avoidable. I understand such a high mortality rate throughout the training before they bond a dragon and their ‘weed out the weak’ mentality but once they make it through that first long stretch of training and they’re successfully bonded to their dragons, there’s absolutely zero attempts/efforts to mitigate deaths even though they’re so very alarmed that the numbers of bonded riders are dwindling every year and there’s already not enough riders.Many Rider’s deaths are complete accidents and not a result of weakness.It’s beyond nonsensical to me. Especially considering the MFC gets to use a harness/saddle for her dragon yet other riders have fallen off their dragons and died.Then there was the totally unrealistic scenario with Jack, one of the villains, racing across the parapet (which is a super thin ledge and in this case with a hundreds-of-feet drop), while it’s super slick from pouring rain along with raging wind, and being able to push another trainee off then gaining on the MFC when she was way ahead of him, especially when he’s described as being quite a large guy so he would therefore have much larger feet which would make it even harder for him. I thought that was pretty ridiculous.Also annoying is how dramatically the MFC reacts to learning a secret the MMC has been keeping when he’s told her several times he has secrets and she’s lamented several times about how he clearly has secrets but wanted him anyway but then she finds out he has a secret and is so ridiculously dramatic about his secret lol Like what? You knew he had secrets.I like how inclusive the writer was with same sex relationships, etc. without making it weird, she managed a natural flow which I can’t describe how other writers I’ve read have just made it awkward like I’m all for representation but I hate when it just doesn’t flow with the story and they’re clearly they’re forcing it.All in all, it was a very good read with a captivating and original plot that never felt like it was dragging, a strong female lead, (aside from the simping), a strong masculine male lead that was morally gray without being abusive, all of which is exceptionally hard to find in stories these days. I definitely recommend this especially if you’re tired of stories lacking the aforementioned elements.

"You turned oranges into a weapon, Violence?" - Xaden RiorsonHigh fantasy, dragons, and an enemies-to-lovers romance in a world wrought with war? YES PLEASE! Okay, let's start at the beginning, the part before I even start reading the book. Fourth Wing is everywhere: Bookstagram, BookTok, everyone and their mother AND brother have read Fourth Wing. I was interested. I had been putting it off for fear that it would disappoint. Well...when I started reading, I was thinking "Yeah, a nice new young adult fantasy with dragons. I hope it's as good as Eragon!" Yes, I know I know...I found out very quickly that this is an adult fantasy and definitely NOT young adult. I could tell by the type font and layout, as if the sexuaI innuendos weren't enough right from the get-go! And man...were some of then so cringy. What force on this planet made me even think it was young adult?! Some of the innuendos and just the bickering, bantering type of dialogue was so cringy and awful that I had to read parts aloud to my husband for a serious laugh. It was like twelve-year-olds who have heard about $ex but haven't experienced it trying to talk about it. It was awful. Cringy. So terrible that I was affronted that I was still enjoying the book! One of the lines I remember most was something like "I want to climb him like a tree." Okay. I get what she means...but if you picture that particular simile...what DOES that even mean? There were better choices out there than...a tree...🤦‍♀️Cringe aspect incoming: While I love a good enemies-to-lovers trope, in fact one of my favorites, the way this was set up made the characters feel flatter than paper. We have our main character, Violet, whose small size is constantly emphasized for a good portion of the novel. Yes, thank you for telling us for the FORTIETH TIME that she is small and petite. Point taken. Cool. She is also warned early on about the traitor son, Xaden Riorson, who from the moment he sees her, emphasizes his need to kill her. Except...every time he has the chance, there's some dumb excuse as to why he didn't. And then all of a sudden, he's saving her from death MUTIPLE times, and then they are kissing. ⚔️ This is all well and good, or would be, IF there was more to the enemy aspect. There should have been more time taken to explore Xaden's own hatred of Violet, and vice-versa.At least it gets better. After about halfway through the book (roughly page 250), the cringe isn't there anymore. It's like the author became a better writer AS she was writing. The (human) characters finally started getting some dimension to them, and the cringe-worthy dialogue (with one exception about measuring size, though it's placement wasn't too bad) was no longer present. We finally get a little bit of Xaden's hatred-turned-passion toward Violet, but still not enough to see why he would want to kill Violet, as opposed to attempting to kill her mother, the main responsible party for his misery, instead. I know there will be more books to explore this later, but to make the true enemies-to-lovers feel, and for it to feel genuine, there should have been a bit more from the start. What truly makes this book shine is the dragons. Absolutely everything about the dragons. The series is named after their mysterious governing council (or what it is perceived as, though may be something else entirely), the Empyrean. The dragons are intriguing characters who all deserve more page time, especially Andarna and Sgaeyl, as well as the secondary characters dragons, which we don't get to see a whole lot of. With the dragons having their own governing system and being respected as the highest of beings, they certainly deserved more. The dragons also channel magic into their riders, and each rider manifests their own unique power based on their inner self. The magic system is enjoyable and works well for this world.There are two parts about the book that absolutely make it phenomenal: Threshing, and the last 50 pages of the novel.Threshing is the day when riders get to go out into the field and try to bond with a dragon. The dragon must pick the rider, of course, and not the other way around. No spoilers, but this scene comes somewhere between pages 120-180ish and is the part of the novel that truly had me hooked. I couldn't put it down! The last 50 pages of the novel are the exciting battle one waits for in this kind of book. Once again, no spoilers, but with references throughout and the multiple reveals during this stretch of reading make for an action-packed cliffhanger ending making the reader itch for more. I don't even know where this story will go from here. I know whatever happens, I'll be along for the ride and I know I'll have my wildest imaginings blown out of the water.Final consensus:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💎Why? Overall, the entertainment value of this novel has great sway in my final rating. Despite complaining about cringey aspects, they offered great laugh-out-loud moments. Despite the flat characters at first...