Onyx Storm - Review

Onyx Storm (The Empyrean #3)

By: Rebecca Yarros

Published: January 21, 2025 by Red Tower Books

758 pages

Genres/Themes: Romantasy, Fantasy, Romance, Dragons, Fae, Magic, Adult, New Adult

Source: Personal Kindle Library

(Goodreads / Amazon)

Summary:

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.

MY REVIEW:
If you're living under a rock and haven't heard of the Empyrean series, it is one of the hottest topics of discussion in the Booktok romantasy world. Many (myself included) love it! I read the first two books in the Empyrean series in 2024 but did not review them since that was before my return to my book blog.

I think a re-read may be necessary for me to do this review any justice, but since I'm a slow reader I decided to go ahead and type up a few thoughts.

One of the major complaints from other readers I kept seeing that are non-spoiler in nature was the introduction to new characters immediately at the beginning of the third book. I did not find that to be an irritation or cause confusion. With Violet at a war college, there is likely a continual influx of new students. Many of these small side characters do not deserve backstories or introductions, so a brief mention of new additional names seemed normal and plausible to me. Book 3 picks up shortly after the cliffhanger ending of book 2, which I will leave vague for obvious spoiler reasons. It is not very long before conflict arises within the college walls and there is action and fighting but then the main characters find themselves back in class immediately after. I had a slight irritation to this. It seemed odd that the characters would have to fight for their lives, some lives are even lost, all within the college walls which should be safe, only to return to classes and student activity or training the very next day. I suppose being actively engaged in a war may make this normal behavior. 

The majority of book three has Violet and squad off in search of allies to help fight against the encroaching enemy, the Venin, and hopefully to learn more about Andarna and her unique (and absent) breed of dragons. 

I highlighted and made notes so much in this book! Deep diving into this series (after I read it) and seeing what others believe to be clues and theories, there is so much more depth to things than I would have ever realized solely on my own. (Again shout out to the amazing Booktok community and reader theories!) This is why I must eventually do a re-read of the first 3 books to dig a little deeper and pick up on things I missed the first read-through.

I'm not really going to talk more about the story than this. Suffice it to say, I read it faster than I usually read (in about 10 days) and loved every page! There are some political themes, battles, friendship, comedic relief at times to balance a lot of the heavier scenes, love, spice (after all, Violet and Xaden are what we are here for!), dragons, magic, betrayal, sadness and so much more. 

I'm a huge fan! Whatever minor irritations I may have had are greatly overshadowed by my love of the overall story and Violet and Xaden.

Top Favorite Quotes:

"We live by the Codex -" I try again. "I live by you... I am yours and you are mine, and there's no law or rule in this world or the next that will change that."

"I mean it when I say you own my soul. You're the only place I feel completely like me anymore."

We're already balanced because we're both strong for ourselves and each other.

For both war and love change souls irrevocably.

"Now that the Duke of Angst is gone," Bodhi says...

Language: 2 stars
Mature Content: 2 stars
Final Rating: 4.5 stars