⚡️ The Storm Is Coming . . . Are You Ready To Brave The Dark? 🐉

I recently finished reading Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros. This is book #3 in the Empyrean series.

In preparation for Onyx Storm, I re-read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. You can find my old reviews on them here --> Fourth Wing (https://thebooklover45.wixsite.com/the-book-lover/post/everyone-has-an-agenda-because-once-you-enter-there-are-only-two-ways-out-graduate-or-die ) and Iron Flame (https://thebooklover45.wixsite.com/the-book-lover/post/burn-it-down)

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT

  Rating: 4.75/5 stars

"After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons.

No more time for uncertainty.

Because the battle has truly begun; and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust. Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre.

The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves - her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth.

But a storm is coming... and not everyone can survive its wrath."

Binging a new, highly anticipated release in less than 36 hours, has it's perks and it's cons, but here we are. First off, all I wanted to do in the past 12 hours is scream "Rebecca" like Klaus Mikaelson from the Vampire Diaries, because I can't comprehend any other words. I think this might be my favorite book in the series so far.

When I step back out of the emotion of Onyx Storm, I can objectively say it was an incredible book. It was well written. I got character development and relationship development from all the characters. I got answers to some key questions. My heart was in my throat for half of the book and then absolutely decimated at the end.

For book three of a five book series, where we are halfway through essentially, I feel like we’re right where we need to be.

*DO NOT CONTINUE IF YOU HAVEN'T READ ONYX STORM- SPOILERS BELOW *

The way the book ended- Violet, Imogen, Xaden...... They have to have some sort of plan. This is WILD and off page too. Excuse me I’m gonna need to know what happened during that 12 hours, that was dirty Rebecca Yarros.

I can’t believe Pancheck was the one who sold them out and was the venin spy. And is it Bohdi or Garrick who turned Venin?! Is that why Xaden married Violet and made her heir?! We don’t know where he is at the end, and Xaden was so upset about someone turning Venin. Unless it's Liam who returned from the grave in a Jack Barlowe style resurrection?

Is Violet venin now too? Because everyone at the end was staring at her so much and looking at her weird? And Andarna said “I won’t let them burn you” …Or was it just because she was missing? There's something we are missing here. WHAT HAPPENED IN THOSE 12 HOURS??

And Theophanie kept saying “I have what you want most” to Violet, like hello, the cure for Xaden? And Violet never even asked her about that. Like I’m so confused by that, and now she’s dead? Speaking of Theophanie, names always have meaning and hers means a visible manifestation of a deity.

I feel like her second signet, Dream Walker, is going to be HUGE in the next two books. And it still worked when Andarna left? But she came back?! Why’d she come back already?! I did not see the Dream Walker signet coming, I thought it was either mind control (which I guess it kind of is) or shifter (hello Violet's eye change colors, and so does Andarna). Maybe Violet will get multiple signets because Andarna's magic feels different with each color she changes to?

THE IRIDS CAN TALK TO EVERYONE? There's so much we don't know about the 7th dragons, and what happened for the short time that Andarna was with them? Why did she come back so soon?

Garrick is a distance wielder! I saw this theory everywhere. Did he channel from the earth at the end and become venin too? Because he said he was so tired and needed to find more power somehow or something, and he’s missing with Xaden. And Imogen’s second signet?! She like manipulated stone?! WHAT!

A BIG question/theory I have is… reading intentions is NOT Xaden’s second signet!!! Soooo many times in the book he read people’s actual minds, not their intentions, and Violet even called it out several times and questioned it like “that’s not how your signet works…” and “I didn’t say that out loud” …why is nobody else talking about this?! I think he actually reads people’s thought/minds not just intentions. And I think it’s more than just him being venin changing his signet, because in the first two books there was also signs of this?!

We've got to talk about Brennan. Since we met him, I've felt off. I know we all want to trust him because he's Violet's older brother, but I have questions. 1) Why did he pretend to be dead for 6 years? If there wasn't a reason to hide then why would he? 2) He has a rune shaped scar that we conclude is from when Naolin resurrected him (by giving him all his power), but Violet points out that when Sloane takes power from Dain to give to Brennan (because he's burning out) neither Dain nor Brennan have rune shapes marks on them. 3) He's bonded to an orange dragon, and so were people like Varrish and Jack... Coincidence I think not. Let's look at names again: Brennan- sorrow, Aisereigh- resurrection, Marhb- dead/deceased.

I knew Xaden’s mom was gonna make an appearance after how often she was mentioned the first two books. And same with them getting married, it was talked about too much this book to not end up happening. Also there WILL be an heir in the next two books, that has been foreshadowed so much this book about how they “need” one, especially since Bohdi doesn’t want it. The amount of times I made note of marriage, heir, offspring, future generations etc, are we getting a human/venin baby (a cure?)? I'm looking at you Violet. Also, does the contraceptive magic work on an isle without magic because Violet and Xaden had a lot of fun on the magic free island and you know there wasn't any extra protection being used.

What’s up with Aaric? I know Violet says he can see the future basically, that’s his signet. But like I need more details/back story to that. Also need more details on what Violet is/what her parents did to her- she was presented but not dedicated- this changed her hair? what else could it have done, and how might it impact her moving forward. I know it was talked about a little bit still need more info. I feel like so many things happened that just got brushed over.

Speaking of parents, I wonder why Papa Sorrengail is a Sorrengail? Because we find out his name- Asher, but that he was Asher Daxton before meeting Lilith. So why did he take her name?

I'm gonna address this one last time, WHAT HAPPENED IN THOSE 12 HOURS?? What happened to Tarin that he needs to rest? What other 2 riders are missing besides Xaden and Garrick? Who took the 6 dragon eggs (and are they the 6 types of dragons)- my guess is it was either the Irids or Violet/Tairn. The MARRIAGE???? Where did Xaden go? What did Xaden want Violet's help with and what did she do?

Mira? I sobbed. Andarna? I sobbed. Quinn? I sobbed. I swear if Ridoc dies in the next two books I’m rioting, I love him so much! But Rebecca said in an interview that someone we love will die in book 4...

But all that being said, the emotion and the unanswered questions are going to leave a lot of people feeling uneasy. And there are a lot of readers of this series who are new to fantasy romance or fantasy in general that aren’t going to like that icky feeling in their chest, where they don’t see a clear answer in front of them.

For every one question this book answered, it begged us to ask three more. The last two chapters, I wrote down 23 things I need answers to. It’s par for the course for where we are at in the journey, but it left me and I’m sure others emotionally fried. I just have so many questions!!!! This wait is going to be killer.

I’ll say this. It’s clear Rebecca Yarros knows EXACTLY what she’s doing here. Every single word serves a purpose - from character moments to the chapter missives to sentences with double meaning. She’s leading us, and I’ll follow to the very end.

Check out Onyx Storm, and discover what happens when the storm arrives and if you are prepared to brave the dark.

Happy Reading :)