I started reading Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros when I rented a copy of the book from my local library. I enjoyed it so much that I returned the book and bought my own copy along with the sequel, Iron Flame. I started Fourth Wing based on the hype around the book. It’s interesting reading a popular book. There are some books where the hype doesn’t align with my feelings about the book. I am happy to say that Fourth Wing rocked, and I can’t wait to read the sequel.

Violet Sorrengail was meant to become a Scribe, but unfortunately for her, she didn’t have a choice. Violet’s mother is a military general, so she enrolls Violet to become a dragon rider. Violet is already at a disadvantage because of her mother’s reputation, but on top of that, Violet is weaker than the other students due to an illness from her childhood. Xaden Riorson wants Violet dead, as Violet’s mother was responsible for the death of his parents. Violet bonds with a dragon, and while she comes to terms with being a dragon rider, she is led to believe that Navarre is hiding darker secrets from both her and the other students she trains with.

I loved Fourth Wing. From the outset, I was drawn into Violet’s life and the training process of students who aspire to become dragon riders in Navarre. I thought it was fascinating to hear about the bonding process and how dragons choose their riders. I liked how Basgiath, the war college Violet studies at, was the background for most of the book. This book was ruthless at times with the number of people who died early on. It’s not often that I rent a book from the library, and a week later, I bought Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, so I could read both right away. I’m happy I did. The cliffhanger that Fourth Wing ended on, I was shocked! I’m curious to see how this cliffhanger impacts the rest of the series.

As far as the characters, I liked Violet. She’s smart, and while she may be physically weaker than other students, she still excels in many ways. I wrote recently about how I’m seeing Romantasy leads being written as weak or being thin and small in other books. In Fourth Wing, I don’t have as much of a problem with Violet because she can fight for herself when she needs to. Xaden is fine, but I’m here for Violet and her story.

One of the reasons I rated Fourth Wing five stars is because of the pacing. Another book I enjoyed was The Serpent & The Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent. I loved that series too, but found it took a bit to get into it. With Fourth Wing, that was not the case. I found myself trying to find time to read a chapter or two here or there, especially when life got busy. This series was always on my mind, and I couldn’t wait to keep reading. In some Romantasy books, the plot can drag for a few chapters before picking up again, and I did not experience this at all with Fourth Wing.

I understand that while Fourth Wing is rated highly on Goodreads, some did not like this book. That’s okay, those opinions are valid. I wouldn’t say that the writing in Fourth Wing is the best I have ever read. For me, it’s the story that kept me engaged throughout the book. I hope to read Iron Flame this year and finish the series next year. As mentioned previously, I rated Fourth Wing five stars on Goodreads.