Dragons, War, Romance, and a Series That Will Ruin Your Life: My Review of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

QUICK SIDE NOTE: Many people coming to read this review are DIE HARD fans of this series and while it is awesome for you to be here, if you are here simply to cause issues, start a non existent war or need to argue, I will simply remove you and the comments. While there are many who adore reading... there are many more people who are not avid readers, many have been bogged down by life and forgotten their love for reading. I'd also like to note that those who have endured trauma usually cannot simply sit down and read a book, I am healing from things I will probably never share... This book review is meant for the people like me... who have not been reading and have discovered their love for it once again. Not everyone has the time or safety to sit and read books so consistently they can argue with strangers on the internet. Please remember this going forward . Thank you.

I have a warning before we even start talking about this book: If you have no patience, if you hate waiting, and if you get emotionally attached to fictional characters the way some people get attached to their pets— DO NOT START THIS SERIES RIGHT NOW.

Trust me. You will suffer.

The Unintended Spiral Into the Empyrean Series

When I first stumbled upon Fourth Wing, I was still new to Kindle Unlimited. I had just realized that, despite paying for Amazon Prime for years, I had access to an entire library of books I could read for free. (Seriously, no one thought to tell me this??)

At the time, I had read maybe three books in January and was easing my way back into reading for pleasure. The last time I’d done that was Twilight (yes, I know, let’s not talk about it), so this was kind of a reawakening for me.

One small problem: I have no self-control. I get sucked into books so deeply that I binge them in a day, fall in love with the characters, and then have to deal with the crushing heartbreak of letting them go. (Hi, autism, thanks for making me hyper-fixate on everything.)

So, after a few standalone books left me feeling empty and abandoned, I decided I needed a series.

Then I found Fourth Wing. It was marketed as a three-book series with the third book set to release in ten days. Perfect, I thought. I’ll pace myself and be able to read all three back-to-back.

Wrong. So very wrong.

I had no idea that this was actually going to be a five-book series, with YEARS between releases.

So, let me say this again for my fellow impatient, neurodivergent readers: Do NOT start this series unless you are okay waiting. If you’re like me, and the idea of not knowing what happens next drives you up a wall, maybe just… start collecting the hardcover editions first. (Trust me, you’ll want them.)

Also : It does end on a bit of a cliff hanger so make sure you have Iron Flame on deck and ready to go.

Alright. Now that the warning is out of the way, let’s actually talk about the book.

The Premise of Fourth Wing

Set in the country of Navarre, Fourth Wing throws readers into the brutal and elite military academy of Basgiath War College, where only the strongest cadets survive. Basgiath has four quadrants:

• Infantry – The foot soldiers

• Scribes – The scholars and historians

• Healers – The medics

• Riders – The elite dragon riders (aka, the only quadrant anyone really cares about in this book)

Most people choose which quadrant they belong to—except for "The Marked ones" being punished for their families past. They must enlist in the Riders Quadrant whether they want to or not. And the Riders Quadrant? Yeah, it’s basically a death sentence.

Enter Violet Sorrengail.

Violet never wanted to be a Rider. She was supposed to be a Scribe. But her mother, General Lilith Sorrengail (a high-ranking military badass with zero maternal instincts), forces her into the Riders Quadrant on Conscription Day.

Conscription Day is their version of a military draft where young people are assigned to their quadrants. If you don’t pass the entrance tests, you’re dumped into Infantry (aka, cannon fodder).

Violet is small, physically fragile, and completely underestimated by everyone around her. But from the moment she steps into Basgiath, it’s fight or die.

Why This Book Hooked Me (Even When I Didn’t Want It To)

I’m going to be honest. When I first saw the words “war college,” I almost noped out immediately.

I hate war. I hate dystopian settings. I hate violence-for-the-sake-of-violence in books. I read to escape reality, not to stress myself out.

But something about Fourth Wing kept calling me back.

I gave it another shot… and then I couldn’t put it down.

The Fast-Paced, Addictive Storytelling

This book is like a drug for fantasy lovers. The pacing is insanely fast, the stakes are always high, and the twists keep you reeling. It’s the kind of book that makes you:

✅ Take notes just to keep up

✅ Reread scenes to catch all the hidden details

✅ Yell out loud when something shocking happens (yes, I did this)

One thing I will say is I kind of struggled to get the intros at the beginning of the chapters—but every single one of those intros is a little Easter egg of information that leads up to something even more.

The depth of the characters is also something I have not connected with or felt since the days of Harry Potter.

When I was reading this book, I kept putting it down, saying out loud to absolutely no one at all (because I was alone):

“My god, I think it’s better than Harry Potter.”

And I truly, honestly, never thought that was something I would say.

The Characters That Steal Your Soul

Let’s talk about my favorite characters (without spoiling too much).

🔥 Tairneanach – He so reminded me of my father, and that is something hard to embody. Growing up, my father was reserved, silent. Picky with his energy. Only those that were worthy were met with his presence. He truly held an otherworldliness within his aura that was magical. I used to joke that he was a dragon in human form. He worked on movie sets and would bring home movie props from all types of movies. One day, he brought home a giant black dragon head that was terrifying in every sense of the word. But because my dad brought it home and told me to pet it, I was never scared of it. And let me tell you—I probably should have been.

My father was very protective, the way a father is meant to be. He had humor and wit unlike anyone else and was actually a tested genius, holding himself in high regard. There were even times he would state the family he was born from and the strength he inherited because of them.

Reading Fourth Wing gave me something I hadn’t felt since 2012 when my father passed—his love and protection. Rebecca Yarros wrote these characters so intimately that they feel like they exist. Tairn is the ultimate father figure, one who protects, taught, and made you figure things out for yourself. His love, humor, strength, and wisdom brought back something deeply personal for me. Tairn gave me the feeling of being loved and protected the way my father did when he was alive.

💛 Rhiannon Matthias (Rhi) – Rhi is the friend we all want. I adore her character so much. She is a never-ending support to Violet and always there for her. When I imagine a best friend, she is it. Strong, honorable, truthful, and brave. We could all do with having a friend like Rhi.

😡 Jack Barlowe – Okay, hear me out. I can’t stand this guy. He is honestly the worst. From day f*cking one, he is the man we never want to run into… but that is what makes him so damn good. He is such a good villain. He is everything we love to hate, everything we want to stop. He fuels our need for Violet to come out on top.

STEAMY Level & Where to Read

The tension. The buildup. The “please just let it happen already.”

And when it does happen? It is EVERYTHING.

STEAMY Level: 10/10 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

(Absolutely NOT safe for public reading when those steamy parts hit. This one will have you needing a cold shower, maybe just close the book until it is just you.)

Final Thoughts

Fourth Wing is a masterpiece of modern romantasy. It blends fast-paced action, deep world-building, unforgettable characters, and just the right amount of steam to make it completely addictive.

For me? It’s already one of my favorite fantasy series of all time.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Have you read Fourth Wing? Let’s scream about it in the comments below!