Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros Series: The Empyrean #3
Genres: Adult, New Adult, Fantasy
Published by Red Tower Books on January 21, 2025
Also by this author: Fourth Wing, Iron Flame
Format: Audio/Physical (527 pages) • Source: Libby, Purchased
Goodreads • Amazon • Barnes & Noble
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.
If you thought IRON FLAME was a slog to get through with all of the filler and unnecessary fighting, allow me to introduce you to ONYX STORM! Also a slog with even more filler and (at least) less fighting. This book would be boring for 100 pages and then offer 50 pages of intrigue and then keep repeating until the end of the book. I’m starting to question the sanity of myself and others who continue to read the series – I genuinely don’t get it.
FOURTH WING was a comparatively fun ride, especially for those nostalgic for old school YA fantasy, aged up into romantasy with sex scenes. I still didn’t really understand the five star reviews of that book because of the horrible, repetitive romance and writing style but at least I could understand why the experience was fun for folks. This book and its predecessor brought to the table a whole lot of nothing except for at the very end. And this one doesn’t have me itching to pick up the next book like IRON FLAME did.
I’m wondering if this is where me and my FOMO part ways with this series… We’ll see how I feel when the next one comes out but as of now I’m mostly frustrated and confused. I’m gonna go read some theories because this book pretty much answered nothing that was brought up in the previous two books. If it’s true that this was originally a trilogy and got pushed to a five part series because of its success, that is extremely clear and evident. I do think this could be a five book series if each of these books were cut in half page wise.
Everything I wrote in my IRON FLAME review is still true – a few excerpts that I completely stand by as also true for ONYX STORM:
Things that are bad: cheesy writing, cringe-worthy romance, trillion characters you can’t keep track of, mash-up of every magical element possible, and poor world-building. Things that are good: twists to keep you reading and our main squad of characters.
The…interesting…writing was still very much present in this book. The conversations sounded so weird sometimes and language felt out of place.
The romance was still just as cringe-worthy and I skimmed over every single sex scene between the main characters. Just no interest in reading their nonsense. Luckily I do enjoy the other relationships and friendships between the main squad. There are SO many characters and I rarely remember who is who, but the main group of people is a good time overall.
As I said in one of my status updates: without the romance, the magic system and world could be interesting… in the hands of a more skilled writer. Thank bob for Ridoc and some of the other side characters (especially the dragons – incredible) because without them, I definitely would’ve quit after the first book.
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney Genres: Adult, Mystery/Thriller
Published by Flatiron Books on January 14, 2025
Also by this author: Daisy Darker
Format: Audio/Physical (304 pages) • Source: Book of the Month, Everand
Goodreads • Amazon • Barnes & Noble
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“Her best book yet.” —Harlan Coben
The million-copy bestselling Queen of Twists Alice Feeney returns with a gripping and deliciously dark thriller about marriage. . .
. . . and revenge.Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.
Grady calls his wife to share some exciting news as she is driving home. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there. . . but his wife has disappeared.
A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible – a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.
Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t.
Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do.“Magnetic and jaw-dropping.” —Mary Kubica, bestselling author
"Unforgettable." —Chris Whitaker, bestselling author
Alice Feeney is one of those authors where I absolutely should have read more of her books by now. My mom is a huge fan and I know she’s kind of hit or miss in the book community (people either love her books or hate them, for the most part!). I made sure to include BEAUTIFUL UGLY in my BOTM box so my mom could read it, then she passed it back to me. (The audiobook is really good too – there are some random background noises and sound effects between certain chapters that really amped up the experience.)
The story follows author Grady Green in the year after his wife’s disappearance. She was driving home and went missing from her car – headlights, engine, and windshield wipers on. When his agent suggests a writing retreat on a remote Scottish island, he decides it’s the best thing for him and his dog. Spoiler on the fate of the dog for those who worry about that: View Spoiler » He starts seeing his wife and wonders if he’s going crazy… or if she’s actually there. The atmosphere of the island was kind of incredible; I could really picture everything and all of the people who lived there.
Like many Alice Feeney books (from what I understand), the ending was FULL of twists. I really enjoyed the first third of the book and the final third, but the middle third sagged a bit. It got kind of slow and boring at times. I don’t really think that should happen in a short book like this but despite that, I was still eager to finish and cranked through this one in a few sittings over the weekend.
I have a saying with mystery/thriller books that “it’s how you leave em” – the ending and final twists for me can make up for a lot. I would have loved to give this one a slightly higher rating but feel good about four stars. It does have me curious to read more books by Feeney because I have a bias for books that twist and turn multiple times.
Leave a Reply