imogen, i've got my eye on you
This is a book review of Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros with (potentially major) spoilers.
This is the third installation of Rebecca Yarros’s Empyrean series, and it was eons better than Iron Flame (in my opinion)… until it isn’t.
The Facts
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Release Date: January 21, 2025
Genre: Romantasy
Main Characters: Xaden Riorson & Violet Sorrengail
Number of Pages: 544
Rating: 4 out of 5
What I Loved
This book made me fall more in love with Ridoc. His response to someone from First Wing speaking up during a challenge: “‘Not sure I’d brag about being in the wing that produced Jack Barlowe!'” *slow claps in respect for an icon*. I love him so much that I almost lost my lunch, breakfast, and dinner when I thought Ridoc died at the end of chapter 36/beginning of chapter 37.
To make him even better, he and Violet used sign language as a mechanism of communication since it was the only thing the Irids wouldn’t understand (because the Irids could read anyone’s mind).
Speaking of the dragons, Tairn delivered more legendary lines. My favorite is when he called crying “dehydrating.” I think it was when he got injured; Violet started crying, and he said, “‘Do not dehydrate on my account.'” It was a serious moment, and I was almost in tears from laughing so hard.
On the lines of laughing to the point of tears, Mira laughing and struggling to get it together when Narelle calls Xaden by Dain’s name is so me.
Besides Ridoc, Xaden’s devotion to Violet is truly the only reason I keep reading. It’s impossible not to swoon. I like how this book is not as sex-heavy, but I still feel the romantic tension; we also experience different versions of physical intimacy.
Also, I liked how discovering each of the isles allows for exploration and explanation of each of the gods.
Another I liked is switching between friend POVs at the end, even though it did show us Quinn’s death. I don’t know if this makes me a horrible person, but I didn’t have a reaction when Quinn died; I didn’t know much about her to mourn her death. The only death that will continually destroy me is probably Liam, even though it happened in book one and has been years since I read it.
What I Need to Rant About
Though I didn’t have a reaction to Quinn’s death, Trager’s death… wtfffff. That was so shocking to proccess, simply because of the way it happened and the fact that no one was allowed to react. That whole moment effed me up. Plus, right when Cat falls in love again??!!?! Disrespectful, Rebecca.
On the subject of grief, Violet saying, “I’ll mourn later, always later” at the beginning of the book is worrisome. This whole book, I was waiting for her to breakdown and freaking feel her emotions and allow herself to grieve. It never happened, and I fear there’s going to be a crash out in book four, at probably the worst possible time.
I was really hoping Andarna gave Violet a cooler signet. Like… is Violet supposed to sleep on the battlefield to defeat the enemy with a dream-walking signet?
I’m gonna need someone to clarify the ending because wtffff. They’re married? Xaden is missing? Violet remembers nothing, and it’s only been 12 hours? What did she tell Imogen to do? Did she tell Imogen when she was dream-walking? What is going onnnn? I understand needing a cliffhanger with there being two books left, but it was kind of a weak/rushed cliffhanger. Yes, a good cliffhanger needs to leave the reader asking questions, but not with a suddenly rushed plot.
Final Thoughts
I hate the name Theophanie and not simply because she’s the antagonist. It’s just a very horrid name (no offense if that is actually a human’s name).
Also, I fear Aaric foreshadowed his death on page 300. I genuinely hope I’m wrong.
The final lines of chapter 39 have me twitching because if it comes down to Xaden being overtaken by venin and having to fight Violet in book five, I don’t think I can emotionally handle it. Though, there are theories about Imogen being venin and intentionally wiping Violet’s memories, which makes so much sense. I wonder if she’s going to be the big enemy Violet fights in book five, after dealing with the betrayal? I wonder if this theory contributes to Rebecca Yarros saying book four is going to be heartbreaking… or is Violet finally going to grieve? Rebecca said book four is Xaden in his villain era, and that alone make me want to cry.
"'Pain isn't a competition. There's always enough to go around.'"
