This is, without a doubt, THE book of the year for me.
Absolutely phenomenal.
Fourth Wing sucked me in from the first chapter and reminded me exactly why I love the fantasy romance genre so much. I was absolutely enthralled by this story and I had to force myself to put it down and take breaks so I wouldn't read it all in one sitting- this is the kind of book you'll want to savor.
This book is full of death, brutality, turmoil, secrets, betrayals, war, true strength, delicious romance, and of course- the coolest dragons ever. These dragons are ~25 feet tall and are intelligent beings with their own laws and society and they only tolerate humans because they need help protecting their sacred lands. It's sick.
Our main character Violet is forced to attend the Basgiath war college as a potential dragon rider (instead of the scribe she's been training to be her whole life). Violet is
"frail" in body, but not in spirit, and she's forced to fight tooth and nail to survive and earn a bond with a dragon. It seems everyone wants Violet dead- especially Xaden, the traitor's son. Only about 1/4 of potential dragon riders survive until graduation and the odds are monumentally against Violet.
Everything about this book is fantastic: the pacing keeps you on the edge of your seat, the action never stops, and you'll fall head-over-heels in love with the characters. The romantic plot line is one of the BEST enemies-to-lovers relationships I have EVER read.

I would like to express my gratitude to Netgalley, RB Media, and Red Tower Books for providing me with an advance audio ARC copy of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros so that I could write an honest review. I really want to write, 'Five stars, no questions please' because I am having trouble expressing how enthralled I am with the world and this book. I'll do my best.

This is a thrilling novel that captured my attention from the start and tapped directly into my childhood nostalgia for the Dragonrider of Pern series. The book features a fiercely competitive and deadly school that trains individuals who bond with dragons. The dragons in this world seek out the strongest individuals to gift their companionship and magic - the others will die or remain unbonded to try again later. Among those at the school are the children of a group who attempted to rebel against the King. Their innocent children do not get a choice - they will attend school and defend their kingdom or they will die. This is a harsh and complex world we find ourselves.

Our protagonist, Violet, was groomed as a scribe to join those who prize knowledge rather than combat. Instead, she is forced to join the dragon rider hopefuls by her mother. Violet has some chronic health disabilities and fears that she will quickly be killed by those who hate her mother (who is the general who forced the former rebellion's children into service) or by the unforgiving and dangerous dragons. Among the classmates she fears is Xaden, a wing leader, and one of the children pressed into service. The book explores Violet's struggle to survive her classmates and the dragons, all while navigating a world where the odds are stacked against her.

Fourth Wing is a beautifully crafted book that kept me emotionally invested throughout the story. The constant action and dangerous situations kept me on the edge of my seat, and I could not put the book down. I appreciated the discussion of disability and how Violet found her way around complications in a completely different way, showcasing a unique strength that others did not possess. The romance was well-developed, and the spice added an extra layer of excitement to the story. The ending completely shocked me, and I can not wait to learn more about the world outside the tiny amount that was shown.

The audiobook narration was superb, and I particularly enjoyed the POV shift at the very end. Overall, I would highly recommend Fourth Wing to anyone who loves action-packed novels with dragons and well-developed characters. This book has left a lasting impression on me, and I will be thinking about it for quite some time. This world is violent and dark and terrible and will have you salivating for more while nursing your broken heart.

So this review process started off kinda weird for me. I requested this audiobook, was approved late the following day, only to find out the title had been archived on the next day before I could download it. So I wrote an angry "I won't be providing feedback" message via Netgalley to the publisher about understanding tight turn around times and limiting access of titles (especially desirable ones close to their release date because I am a librarian and I have been ARC reading for a long time) but also how I was super disappointed because this was one of my most anticipated titles for 2023 (I am a fan of Yarros and her other titles). At that point, I was resolved that I was just going to have to wait until my preorder arrived to read this title ... and I was OK with that. I was willing to wait having missed that very small download window.

Until a week later, when I was going into the Netgalley app to listen to another ALC and I discovered that the title had been unarchived and I could access it again. I don't think that I have ever downloaded something so fast.

This was incredible. This was everything that I personally love as a reader and everything I get excited to recommend to other readers.

Dragons. Enemies to lovers. War college and war games and political maneuverings of junky parental figures/supposedly wizened adults. Rebellion. This was all the good things that one could hope for in a romantasy. This will have broad appeal for readers - it will speak to general fantasy readers, romance readers, those who seek out romantasy specifically. This also has crossover appeal for mature/transitioning out of YA readers. As this features new adult aged characters, this is also a strong candidate for older/mature YA readers who are looking for titles that are clearly more adult (there is sex on page) that will give them the same types of excitement and vibes that they find in other titles that are traditionally shelved in YA fantasy instead of adult fantasy.

This does leave the reader on a cliffy with an ending sentence reveal that was completely unexpected but welcomed. And I can't believe that I now have to wait for the next installment of this to see what comes next ... but let's be honest, I will preorder that volume too.

5/5⭐️
2/5🌶️
🎧&📖

HOLY CANNOLI!!! This book just earned a spot in my favorites list. It is SO GOOD. Gonna try to formulate thoughts but just know whatever I write isn’t good enough to describe this book. 😂

First of all, the premise is super cool: a war college where young adults (20s) go to become dragon riders. And it’s absolutely cut throat. People are dying left and right. And our main character Violet is forced to go there by her mother, who’s a dragon-riding general. There are challenges, magic, a little bit of found family, and COOL AF DRAGONS!!

Seriously, the dragons are so cool. They can talk to the riders in their heads and they give zero f*cks what anyone thinks. And they’ll burn you to a crisp if you disrespect them (or even look at them funny). THEY’RE SO COOL.

I ADORE Violet as a main character. She has a chronic illness (some variation of joint hypermobility) and that’s a big part of her story because it’s hard for her to do the physical challenges while at Basgiath. As someone who has similar issues irl, it was really cool to see a main character in a fantasy book still be an absolute badass while wearing braces and actively having to think about protecting her body. And it’s not just mentioned in the background, it truly is part of the story. Violet is an absolute badass mother trucker. She’s smart, good with knives, confident, flirty, AND JUST THE BEST.

THE ROMANCE!!! I love a good enemies to lovers story with banter, and this one is *chef’s kiss*. Delicious. THE TENSION!! And it’s a slow burn too which is even better. It felt meaningful and I’m actually invested in their relationship. And I actually do like the way it ended in this book. 👀

The plot is great too!! I really liked reading about the war college and how they become dragon riders. And that’s the main focus of the book, but there is a plot going on in the background with little hints throughout that had me waiting for something big to happen… 👀 Very excited to see what happens in book 2!!

As far as the audiobook goes, I really liked the narrator. She does a great job of creating different character voices and expressing emotion.

Fourth Wing is the story of Violet, a weak and brittle woman who's all set to be a scribe. That is until her mom is all like "no, you're going to join the cadets vying to be dragon riders." But dragons don't just choose anyone to bond with, and Violet's body puts her at a great disadvantage. Then there's Xaden who pretty much wants her out of the picture.

Boy was this a ride! I was hooked from the get go! The world building! The dragons! The protagonist! Everything about this story was perfect perfect perfect! I enjoyed that Violet wasn't your typical protagonist and relied more on smarts to get by. The tension in this story! Wow, just wow!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. I've been dying to read this for some time, and I'm so lucky that I got approved for this. I've listened to Rebecca Soler narrate things before, and as expected, she's great here too. Teddy Hamilton had a small narrating part, but I enjoyed his voice. All in all, I cannot recommend this book enough!

Cue book hangover… Wow! An epic adventure with mythical creatures and warriors. The reader follows first year students at college to train them how to be dragon riders. They will either graduate or die… I found myself rooting for many characters - even the not so nice ones eventually gained my favor!

I cheered, I laughed, I shed tears…I will absolutely be re-reading this one!

Thank you NetGalley, RB Media, and author Rebecca Yarros for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

ALL THE STARS! This was phenomenal! It’s honestly one of the best books I have ever read. This brutal, fast paced and romantic story had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I had to find out what was going to happen. I’m obsessed and I will never shut up about it.

Violet was supposed to be living a quiet life in the Scribe Quadrant but her mother forces her to join the vicious Riders Quadrant. There she will have fight alongside other candidates to become a dragon rider. Violet was such a bad ass! I loved how determined she was. Even in the toughest situations she would give it her all. She would find her own way to get through any obstacle. She believed in herself when one else did. I love her so much!

The world building was wonderful. The author did a fantastic job explaining things in a way that was easy to understand & remember. I particularly loved when Violet would recite history facts during moments when she needed to focus. It was her way of calming down but also a clever way for the reader to learn more about the world!

The side characters were great too! I adore all the friends that Violet made…well except for one and if you have read this book then you know who I am talking about. No one is safe in the Riders Quadrant so I was nervous for each of them at one point or another!

This was a legit enemies to lovers (plus some other tropes!) and it was glorious! Violet & Xaden have valid reasons for hating each other so the tension between them was perfect. Heart eyes for days.

The dragons were AMAZING! They were ruthless and protective but there were lots of heartfelt and laugh out loud moments too.

The audiobook was so well done. I’m happy that I went this route. Rebecca Soler & Teddy Hamilton are two of my favorites and they are always fantastic.

I cannot wait for the sequel! That ending left me needing more!

Thank you to Red Tower Books, RB Media, and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook!

First, I want to comment on the audio itself. I've listened to the main narrator before, and audio from RB Media, and haven't been disappointed before. I'm not sure why but the first about 20% of the book, the sound was off. I could hear the narrator fine, but there were also mouth/nasal noises that became distracting. The intonation and pauses also seemed off and it was a bit jarring. After that beginning chunk, the rest of the audio was completely fine. I can only assume the audio wasn't completely done when they sent it out for reviews.

Now for the book... DRAGONS. 20 year old Violet is thrown into the brutal war college of dragon riders. She's trained her whole life to be a scribe and at the last minute, her mother (who is a general) decides to make her enter the war college. Violet is very behind in her physical training because of this decision, and now has to train so she doesn't die. If the obstacles don't kill you, the other cadets or dragons will. Very few people who enter the college live to graduation, and if they do, a dragon still may not choose them. This is an adult book and contains multiple spicy scenes, but at times the main character felt very YA. I got annoyed at her multiple times because of the adult/YA flipping, and it was sometimes hard to believe all these characters are 20+ years old. While those moments may have annoyed me, it didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying the world building and magic system the author created for this series. I grew to care for these characters, even to the point of crying and screaming out loud at times. The ending is a doozy and left me wanting more. I feel like we've only scratched the surface of the world. Dragons.

Oh my god I am going to have the biggest book hangover after this one. This is like, Divergent mixed with ACOTAR and Throne of Glass. The perfect balance of fantasy and romance. There were times where I legitimately choked back tears- it was emotional, brave, exciting, and hot.

I absolutely love this storyline. The interaction between the riders and dragons was incredible! I love the bond between the MC and her dragons - and you can’t help but root for the little guy. I love a story where the underdog is challenged to prove herself - and wow did our MC deliver!

Seriously- this is one of my all time favorite fantasy books and I am highly recommending it to everyone I know. With a massive cliffhanger ending I am going to be chomping at the bit until November when the second book releases.

**Sharing my review on my site and socials April 28th!**

HOLY DRAGON.

This book owns me. I am devastated. I will not recover. I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH.

Brief audio notes interlude: Love the narrator!! Would have loved a little more Teddy Hamilton (but maybe that’s coming in book two??) Any who, it was a fantastic listen and highly recommend that option!

BACK TO THE BOOK.

I don’t even know where to begin because I have been an incomprehensible mess since finishing. Flailing around about how incredible this book was. I LOVED the FMC, Violet. The way she exhibited strength outside the standard “muscles and weapons” nature was great. I thought she was clever and full of heart and just an all around get main character.

AND THE ROMANCE? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? A beautiful enemies to lovers slow burn that will have you absolutely BEGGING for more. I loved the build and the chemistry. Watching the sparks fly and ignite. There were some scenes towards the end that put me in an chokehold and this is why FANTASY ROMANCE IS THE BEST.

The plot is intriguing and opened up a whole can of worms that I can’t wait to see explored in the sequel. I enjoyed all of the betrayals, reveals, announcements, politicking and more. It was seamless and deserves all the hype it’s been given because it is WORTH IT.

DON’T MISS OUT.

Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: 2-3 open door
- Violence: high
- Trigger/Content Warnings: war themes, loss of loved ones, loss of life, physical and magical altercations, weapons violence, bullying

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 3/5
Writing: 4.5/5

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the audio ARC!

Perfect for fans of the 2012 YA dystopian genre. While this book was a lot of fun it does take about 100 or so pages to really grip you and drag you into this wild ride of a story.


Characters:
I felt that the characters were very underdeveloped. There was one trait that overwhelmingly defined who they were in the story and their place in the hierarchy of the world. It made it hard to relate to the characters and the struggles they were going through. I wish we got to see more sides to these characters rather than the archetypes that they embodied. I am not a romance girly nor a spice girly. I usually prefer books with little to no spice so my opinion is very biased for this next part. I didn't love the smut but the romance was cute. I appreciated the romance for what it was even while not enjoying the smut.

Plot:
As this book is very character driven, there wasn't much in terms of plot that could be separated from the character side of the story. We follow Violet, who is an underdog character, as she is thrown into this very intense war dragon training academy. She tackles this challenge in the same manner she tackles any challenge, with her brain. She is a main character who uses her brains over her brawn so as the academy scenes progress in the book, we get to see fantasy from a different perspective, in that most fantasy MCs are very physically gifted and we get to see the warrior's perspective on the story. The world building was also done through the lectures at the war college which I thought was a nice touch. It felt like I was learning along side the riders which was a very fun experience. Overall, really fascinating premise which makes for an exciting read/listen!

Writing:
The writing was very 2012 dystopian YA which was a fun throwback. The content is more mature, NA leaning towards adult, but the story still managed to be fun. A lot of times adult fantasy can be very dense and serious and while this book is thiccc, it is light in the sense that it's just a good time. The writing allows for you to escape into this world and it makes you feel all the feels.

Overall, fun read, would recommend to any romance and fantasy lover!

TW: Sibling death, parental death, war, battle, blood, assault

Wow! I've been seeing all the hype for this book but didn't really believe it until I got the chance to read it and now I wish I had read it sooner!

Fourth Wing follows Violet Sorrengail, a frail and slight 20 year old woman who is being forced to join the Rider Quadrant of Basgiath War College by her mother, a highly decorated general. She isn't supposed to stand a chance, the college is brutal and it's a fact not everyone will survive the challenges it poses. The challenges include walking dangerous parapets, hand to hand combat with fellow students, mock war games, and oh yeah...bonding with your own DRAGON. Becoming a rider is not for the faint of heart and Violet is determined to survive it all.

Fourth Wing really has it all, dragons, magic, fights to the death, war, special powers, evil super villains...I could go on and on! I really loved Violet's character, though she was small and frail she was so smart and fierce. Her determination to succeed no matter the odds was so admirable. I also loved how Xaden pushed her to her limits, he never coddled her or tried to "save" her or put her in a cage. A lot more than I can say for someone else! He gave her so much confidence in herself and it didn't hurt that he was the hottest man she'd ever laid eyes on, just too bad that they were supposed to kill each other! Tairn and Andarna were awesome, I loved how grumpy he was and how sunshine-y she was...perfect dragons for Violet.

Yarros's secondary characters were so much fun! Ridoc and Rhiannon were so funny and I love how much they supported Violet. Liam was an absolute doll, almost like a brother to her. Mira was pretty bad ass and I hope we get to see more of her.

This one does end on quiet the cliffhanger and though I felt there was a twist coming and had an idea of what it would be it was still quite emotional and I definitely wasn't expecting that OTHER twist right at the end, OMG!

I did listen to this book as well and to be honest I just felt the narrator, Rebecca Soler, has too much of young voice for this book content. Don't get me wrong I love her as a narrator, she's really good, I just don't think this book fit her voice and that's no fault to her. Fourth Wing just has more mature situations and her voice sounds in line with what a teenager would sounds like. So I wouldn't really recommend the audiobook of Fourth Wing but the overall story was fantastic and definitely recommend it to all fantasy readers!

Thank you so much to Recorded Books Media for providing me with and audiobook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Oh my god what an amazing book. Excitement from start to end, slow burn romance that had me hooked and unable to put this one down. Beautiful world building, witty characters, action packed and spectacular character development only begins to describe this master piece created by Rebecca Yarros. If you haven’t already added this to your TBR and placed you’re pre-order then do that now!

Wow! Wow! Wow! This book deserves all the praise! Although, I will be in a perpetual state of sadness until I get my hands on the sequel!

The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Violet Sorrengail. There is a surprise one at the end that I wasn’t expecting! Violet has been studying to be a scribe just like her father who had passed. Throughout the book you get a sense of her book smart and it does give her an advantage at times. It’s important to have a cut above the rest in this school because it sure is ruthless and on the cover when it says fly or die they truly mean it. I liked that she used what she knew and didn’t rely on brute strength. Violet does have a good throw when it comes to daggers and it was awesome to read about her kicking butt and taking names!

Besides all of that, Violet is cares about her sister. I don’t really think she cares deeply for her mother, but she does want her actions to be approved by her. It sucks when your mother is the one running the show and throws you into the pit of vipers aka the school. I understand why she would want that approval, especially it’s the only parent you got. I did enjoy reading about her relationship with her sister and the small moments we got between them.

Since this is a Romantasy you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be an amazing romance! Definitely one of my favorite plotlines (although I liked all of them!). The romance is a slow-burn and I loved every minute of it. So much happens over the course of the book and their bond only grows stronger. There are hints of two different love triangles and I was definitely rooting for one person over the other but quickly changed my mind because of reasons. By the end of the book I was just floored with how a certain someone did certain things and then questioned everything! It was just insane. If you aren’t a fan of love triangles I don’t think this book has a big enough one to deter you from reading it.

The dragons are phenomenal and reminded me a lot of the ones in Eragon or Novice Dragoneer. You learn a lot about them which includes their own politics, rules, and powers. I definitely understand why someone would kill to be a rider.

There are a lot of unanswered questions by the end when it comes to the plot that left me in a hangover. The plot was just so good and I had a hard time stopping. So many moments of me gasping out loud in utter shock from the plot twists too! I even cried. If you like politics, cutthroat schools, dragons, and war then this is the book for you.

Overall, I just loved this book so much! I am on the hype train and will be on it for the rest of my life!

Violet Sorrengail's life goals have been upended by her mother's demand that she enter the Riders Quadrant instead of the Scribe Quadrant. To fragile, quiet Violet, this seems like a death sentence. How can her mother expect her to compete with aspiring dragon riders who have been training their whole lives for this moment? But she has no choice, and to her continual surprise, she survives the challenges put before her. But how much longer can her lucky streak possibly last? Multiple classmates are literally trying to kill her. There's the larger problem of eventually having to RIDE one of these giant, scary dragons that only value qualities Violet herself doesn't possess. Oh and did we mention that there's a war going on?

Y'all this book was SO FUN! It's the dragon academy romance fantasy you didn't know you needed until right now. Or maybe you did know you needed it, in which case — congrats! you've found it. It's a long read, but I found the pace to be steady and was never bored. The only bit that dragged for me was 75-85% or so, when two of the characters start hooking up and the book essentially becomes erotica for a solid 50 pages? Just not my thing, but I know lots of readers love the spice.

Anyway, Violet is a great character and I enjoyed her journey through Basgiath War College. The dragons are also excellent characters and there were a few minor twists of the plot that I genuinely did not see coming! I'm excited for the second book and will definitely be recommending Fourth Wing to fellow fantasy lovers.

I listened to this one as an audiobook, which probably benefitted the way I would have butchered all the people, place, and dragon names. Highly recommend this version, as the narrator does an excellent job. Thank you to Rebecca Yarros, Red Tower Books, and Recorded Books for my advance audio copy!

Receiving lots of great early reviews and with an amazing first print run special edition announced, this certainly lives up to a lot of the hype. Though one caveat I do want to note is that the audiobook execution was not the best. The first 1/3 felt like the narrate suffered from a head cold, congestion, or allergies, imparting and eerily and somewhat “ick” feeling of having someone sneeze on you. I did altérnate a bit to jump into the audiobook at times and the congestion issues did relent a bit as it moves on, but it may be a tough hurdle for some. In addition, the production and editing towards the end felt very poor. The climactic battle action was at an incredibly higher volume than the rest of the narration, overcompensating for tone and pitch to convey the emotions of the battle sequence, and it was very apparent and this choppy when the narrator ended a narration sequence and then came back to finish the rest of the chapter because it was at a distinctly different volume, pace, and tone. The inconsistency from literally one paragraph to the next was very pronounced and not in an intentional way.

That said, I would review the story itself separately. For a brief synopsis: Violet Sorrengail spent her life preparing for the life and training of a Scribe, yet on the eve of Conscription, her tough as talons commander mother forces her to instead join the most elite quadrant of Navarre - the dragon riders, who bond with a dragon and come into magical powers after. For Violet, petite and with literally brittle bones, this feels like a certain death sentence for her in an academy where killing your peers is encouraged and the weak are literally incinerated by dragons.

Add to that her famous mother, and she’s got a target on her back for more reasons than one. Drawing the attention of the fiercest and most ruthless wing leader, Xaden Riorson, who has a personal hatred for Violet’s mother and well…what follows is surely a bumpy battle to try bond with a dragon and awaken magical abilities, or you know…maybe just survive.

This was incredibly bingeable and easy to lose yourself into. A lot of it will certainly feel familiar from other hit fantasy series, but that doesn’t diminish your ability to get sucked in. To me, the strongest part about this was the romance which, although a bit of a slow burn, features a lot more open door and steam than most typical fantasy features. You can tell Yarros flexes her romance writing skills here and it’s only to the ultimate benefit for us dear readers. Xaden is hot and all but when the feelings hit, I WOULD FUCKING SLAY FOR HIM.

Violet for the most part felt ok, relatable at times, but also more like a plot veo hi le at others. Her arc really turned the corner around the 65% mark for me and I absolutely loved her by the last few chapters. She grew on me and while some might think that’s too long, I think it speaks to some good character development and also helps build momentum and interest into who Violet will be in the next book.

The worldbuilding and magic system are by no means perfect or well explained, the magic especially feels a bit fast and loose, popping up at suspiciously convenient times and doing things that feel like a stretch…can “shadows” really do ALL that? Idk, but it’s a fun enough ride I can look past it.

This isn’t perfect but it’s a perfectly fun escape and especially for those dipping their toes into fantasy, romance readers looking to delve into fantasy romance, or those just looking for a fun popcorn entertainment time, this will definitely work for you. Even for seasoned fantasy readers, this will still be enjoyable as perhaps a more stripped down fantasy that feeds those guiltier pleasures (ahem, finally open door steam).

Rating: 3.75/5, rounding up to 4. Many thanks for my ARC and ALC!

Fourth Wing was engaging from the first page. Thrilling and action-packed, I absolutely devoured it.

Violet has spent her life training to be a scribe, after a childhood illness left her ‘fragile’. But her brother and father’s untimely deaths pull her mother away from her, and as General she decides that Violet will instead become a candidate for the Rider Quadrant. Riders are the toughest of the tough… and many initiates die in the attempt to become one. Violet will need to exceed everyone’s expectations - including her own - if she is to survive her first year and bond to a dragon. Or she’ll die in the attempt.

When I say I devoured Fourth Wing, I mean I knew I would love it within the first 15 minutes and haven’t put it down since.

I immediately loved Violet and her attitude to the situation she had been put in, as well as her relationship with her sister. The fact that she was determined to be her own person despite her legacy and her perceived weakness made her a fantastic main character, and the found family she built at the college made me so happy for her.

The relationships all felt realistic and developed at a rate which made sense. I loved that all the characters had their own distinct personalities, desires, and hopes for the future which made them feel very real.

The plot was fast paced and full of twists and turns. I did find many of them to be fairly predictable, but in a delightful way which I generally find very enjoyable. It was more a ‘Oh no, I know what’s coming 🙊’ rather than a ‘Well obviously this is going to happen 🙄’, and I adored the twist at the end! (I wouldn’t personally consider it a cliffhanger, but it does end on a reveal which makes you want to read more!)

The narrator was fantastic and really added to the story. The way they voiced the characters and the style they told the narrative with immediately drew me in, and I will definitely listen to more books narrated by her in the future.

Overall, I absolutely loved Fourth Wing and am delighted to see it was sold as part of a three book deal. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series!

This is one of the best fantasy books that I’ve read in a while! The idea was super new and interesting, the main characters had a pretty good enemies to kind-of-allies to lovers arc (and tons of tension) and the dragons were amazing (obviously, because they’re dragons). The writing was atmospheric; I could actually envision what was happening (and I can’t usually visualize, so that’s really cool). I listened to this book as an audio arc, and the narrator was super emotive and great for the story as well (on 2x speed at least). Overall, I would 150% recommend this book; I can’t wait for the second one! November can’t come fast enough, because WHAT was that ending???? I need the next one immediately.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the audiobook ARC of Fourth Wing. This was on my TBR and I had heard really good things, but went in assuming it would be another average, maybe slightly above average, fantasy story.

Boy, oh boy, was I wrong.

This was incredible. It honestly shot right up to my top five books I've ever read, maybe even my top three. I just finished listening and I already am excited to read it again and desperately was searching to find out if there is a release date for the second book. And might need to sell my soul to get a an early copy of that one because I simply cannot wait after that ending.

Anyway, this story is the perfect formula: a headstrong and intelligent heroine, the good boy, the bad boy, the good bad boy, dragons, chronic illness representation, friendship, heartbreak, romance - truly it is expertly crafted and delivers on every page

The dragons in this story is the best rendition I've ever read. I truly couldn't have loved them more. Some of the plot twists were expected, but many weren't. I'm excited to read it again to see if I catch the foreshadowing and word play now that I know how it ends.

If you read any book this year, read this one. Especially if you love fantasy, romance, dragons, and women who learn to become their most bad ass self. This is one of the few reads where I'd give it a million stars if I could because 5 simply doesn't seem enough.

I truly enjoyed Rebecca Soler's narration, but it did sound like she was a bit congested at the beginning. I was happy when it cleared up as the book progressed. I'll definitely be listening to additional books that she narrates, though!

_____
It's been a long time since a book has made me want to stay up past my bedtime to read it, and FOURTH WING led me to do that not once, but THREE nights in a row. It was written in a manner that caused my palms to sweat and gave me an adrenaline rush without even needing to leave my couch. I'll be honest and say that if you're a fantasy purist looking for a complex, well-explained magic system, this book may not be for you. It contains plot elements and themes you've probably seen elsewhere, but it offers absolute entertainment, which should be celebrated. I hope that some things are better explained in the next installment, but even if they aren't, Yarros's writing has a bingeable quality that is beloved by many and would easily translate to the screen.

It's safe to say that I'll absolutely be continuing the series, and I've already preordered my finished copy for this one. Many thanks to Red Tower Books and RB Media for the ARC/ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.