Before I begin this double review, it’s important to note that this series is not intended for minors. There are adult themes laced throughout, including violence, romance, and language. If you’re looking for a recommendation that avoids any of these topics, I suggest doing a bit of research first. I also try to stay away from spoilers in my reviews, so take this as your overarching content warning.

Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series is one of the most compelling romantasy collections on the market today, and by now you’ve probably seen the hype. Full of action, suspense, triumph, and dragons, this is a series perfect for anyone who grew up reading fantasy novels and now wants something a little more grown up – something that still gives the same vibe as the books of their childhood.

The story begins at Basgiath War College, where students are pushed through brutal training in the hopes of becoming dragon riders. Violet Sorrengail, daughter of the fearsome General Lilith Sorrengail, always thought she’d live her life quietly as a scribe like her late father. But her mother has other plans, forcing her into the rider’s quadrant where only the strongest survive. From her first steps onto the deadly parapet to her first encounter with a dragon, Violet’s story quickly proves that surviving Basgiath is only the beginning. The larger world outside the college walls is full of secrets, rebellions, and dangers that stretch far beyond training exercises, and Violet is swept into all of it.

As General Sorrengail’s sickly daughter, Violet starts with a target on her back. That target grows even bigger with the presence of the marked students – those forced to enroll after their parents’ rebellion was crushed by her mother. Among them is Xaden Riorson, her new wing leader and the son of one of the rebellion’s leaders. Their relationship begins with mistrust and tension, but their connection becomes one of the most important of the series.

I read Fourth Wing a few months ago, before I even started this blog, and I was immediately hooked. I just finished Iron Flame, and I thought it was even better. There were so many plot twists I never saw coming, and every chapter was gripping. These books are long haul reads, layered, and immersive. I like to take my time with them so I can really sink into the story. The second book’s cliffhanger was epic, and the third installment is already waiting for me on my shelf – hardcover, with those beautiful stenciled dragon edges. Yarros has confirmed there will be five books in total, and with the news of a TV show adaptation, I’m already pumped to make my husband binge-watch with me, armed with as much popcorn as possible.

This series is also special to me for another reason. About a year ago, I was diagnosed with severe POTS after a long, anxiety-filled journey of not knowing what was wrong with me. Even after the diagnosis, some painful symptoms lingered that POTS alone didn’t explain. When I read about Violet’s mysterious chronic illness, I kept thinking, this sounds so much like me. With a little bit of research, I found out Yarros had based Violet’s struggles on her own experience with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). That was the missing piece for my medically complex puzzle. Soon after, I was diagnosed with EDS as well, and I learned that many people in the dysautonomia community (including Yarros) have both POTS and EDS as comorbidities. Reading Violet’s story made me feel seen in a way I never expected from a fantasy book.

There are so many reasons to pick up this series, and I’ve been recommending it to all my friends. I read the first two as ebooks on my Kindle, but I just couldn’t resist getting a physical copy of the third. I’ll probably buy matching editions of the first two eventually, because the stenciled edges are too nice not to have as a set. If you want a series with dragons, action, romance, and heart that somehow manages to be both nostalgic and entirely fresh, Yarros’ Empyrean series is absolutely worth your time!