Read Me Next Podcast

EP. 29: Iron Flame/Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

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In this episode of 'Read Me Next', Carina and Pili dive into the book series by Rebecca Yarros, discussing "Iron Flame" and "Onyx Storm." They explore the plot twists, character developments, and emotional highs and lows of the series. The hosts share their ratings and favorite moments, including the intense battles, romantic confessions, and the complex dynamics between characters like Xaden and Violet. They also delve into fan theories and reviews, highlighting the passionate reactions from readers. The episode captures the excitement and emotional rollercoaster of the series, leaving listeners eager for more.

SPEAKER_00

Welcome to Read Me Next, the Book Club But Make It a Podcast, where we have lots of feelings and no qualifications. What are we reading this week? We're reading Iron Flame and Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarrows.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, we just had to finish the series because it was so good. It was so good. Yeah, so fourth wing was our book club pick for March, and we said, you know what, we need to keep this going. You can't leave it on the fourth one. No, especially when we finally got a good book club pick. Finally. Oh, fourth wing was so good. No, it was so good. Yeah. So we said, you know what, we need to keep it going. And I'm so happy we did. Yeah. We did realize though last episode that this is not a trilogy and it's a five book series. Yeah. It's not a finished series. It's not finished. So Onyx Storm really left us hanging. Yeah. So we're going to talk about it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. I'm excited to talk about everything and then why we think things happen.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. All the theories that people have. Yeah, all the stuff. So are we rating all of it? What are you rating? So Fourth Wing, I gave six stars. Yeah. And then Iron Flame and Onyx Storm, like kind of as a combined five stars. Okay. Okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_00

Same. Literally. Yeah, same. I'm doing five stars for those two. Yeah. So good. I love them. I love them. Okay. Now let me ask you. Do you have one of the three that you think you liked the most? I think I think fourth wing. Really? The first one? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

I really, really liked it. If I had to pick like a close second, I think it would be Onyx store.

SPEAKER_00

Really? I think I was giving Iron Flame. Yeah? Yeah, I think I really liked the second one. Oh my gosh. I mean, so many things happen throughout the entire like all three books. It's hard to separate, especially how we read them, right? It's hard to separate like which parts happen in which books.

SPEAKER_01

Alright, I'm intrigued to know like what parts of Iron Flame really stuck out to you. Yeah, me too. I wonder why. That's all I feel. So Um, what about your spiceometer? I think I'm giving a four. Oh, I agree.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. It was good. They had like their ten their spicy moments are good. I like them. I agree with the four. All right. So you want to just get into it?

SPEAKER_00

Yes, please. Let's get into it. Okay. Peely's gonna run it back and let me know how Let me know what actually the fuck happened. Yeah, let me know how it happened and what was the end of each book. That's what I want to know. Okay. So Fourth Wing ended with they have a battle with the first venom that they ever came across. Yeah. They finally saw what people were hiding, and it is the Venom.

SPEAKER_01

It was in resin, right?

SPEAKER_00

Yes. It was a battle in resin, yeah. Yeah. Um, and the Wyburn. That's how you say it. The Venom, the Wyburn. Uh-huh. And then she was stabbed with a poisoned blade.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And then Zaidan knew where to take her, which was to her undead brother. To Erasha. To Erasha and was mended there, and that's it. Yeah. So the end of the fourth wing.

SPEAKER_01

End of fourth wing.

SPEAKER_00

We we see Brennan's alive and they're in Erasia, and that's it. And then pretty much goes into Iron Flame and Violet's like, what the fuck?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Violet's like, what the fuck, Brennan? How the hell are you alive? She finds out about like the assembly and erasia.

SPEAKER_00

Like, she finds out that the real enemies are not the Griffins and the Flyers. The real enemies is the Venon. The Venom, yeah. And that they're actually just trying to work together to defeat said Venon.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. And so their plan is for all of the ones that made it out alive of resin to go back to Bascaya. Mm-hmm. Shit. And so it was crazy. So Iron Flame starts, and essentially they're reading the death tool. And these motherfuckers just come stride in like, hell no, we ain't dead, bitch. You tried to kill us. You sent us to our death. Fuck you. We're alive. Yeah, no.

SPEAKER_00

I think that was crazy.

SPEAKER_01

That was such a badass moment.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, it was such a badass moment.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, Zaydan's like stepping in. He's like, um, sorry to like, he's like, sorry to try to disappoint.

SPEAKER_00

We're alive. It was so good. That was really good. He's such a badass. I can see why everybody says Zaydan Ryerson is that guy. Love. He's amazing. I loved him. I loved him. He's really good. Loved. I also really liked Violet as an FMC. She was the best. She really stood her ground on the things that matter to her, and I I liked that a lot.

SPEAKER_01

I think that's like a common theme with at least the romanticy ones that I've read. Like the FMCs, they're not dumb. They're not stupid as fuck. They're fucking badass bitches. As they should. Love. Oh my god. To be with these men.

SPEAKER_00

Love. Oh good.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. So something else that happened in that book, they go back and you know, basically everyone's trying to everyone's kind of coming for them. And they're all second years now. Uh-huh. Zaydan's a lieutenant, so they're back in like the gym. There's this whole scene that happens where they're talking and some guy's asking, like, oh, Violet Soringale, and she Nadine goes, like, oh yeah, that's me. Ha ha. And that's her neck. Oh my god, there's an iron flame. Holy shit.

SPEAKER_00

I can't believe that.

SPEAKER_01

So that was insane. I was like, oh my god. So then she just killed Nadine off right there. I said, damn.

SPEAKER_00

What I really enjoyed about these books is like the excerpts that she would give gave like a little bit of a foreshadow of what was gonna happen in this book. In the book, yeah. Yeah, because I think the excerpt for that chapter was like, you can't be surprised if somebody is paid for your death, or like something like that. Um, so then I was like, oh shit, these people are really paying to kill Violet Soringale. Yeah. No, when they first said the excerpt about freaking bearish, I was like, fuck, like this man is going crazy. And then I found out that he was coming. I was like, no. Oh, hated that. Yeah, I hated that man.

SPEAKER_01

Something important that also happens in Iron Flame is that basically the squad kind of puts it together, like everything that's happening with the Venom with the Wyvern, like re-puts it together. So they tell Sawyer and Riddick, which was kind of crazy. And Arik comes into the picture. Arik being like the I love Arik. Oh, loved him. And so he was the prince. He's the son of King Tari, but nobody knows he's there. Which is so funny. I love that.

SPEAKER_00

So another jaw-jobbing moment was when they were in class randomly and they were like, Oh, Nolan has been working to mend one of the hardest things he's ever had to do. And in walks in Jack frickin' Barlow. They were like, This person was killed by rocks or something the side of the mountain. And my heart, of course, who does my heart go to? Liam. Liam. 100%. And I was like, Liam. And then that was shut the fuck down.

SPEAKER_01

No, that was Jack Barlow. Insane. Ew. That was insane. And everybody was like, What? Yeah. She was like, Oh my god. Like, you're fucked. He's coming for me. That was crazy. Yeah. I couldn't believe that. No, me either. Not Jack coming back from the dead. So I think it was like in that same class, one of the professor goes, like, oh, there was an incident in one of the outposts, and she's like kind of looking at like Violet, like, bro, like Zaydan. And and an officer was hurt. And so she's like, oh my God. So she just fucking runs out. Love that. It's crazy. And so at this point, Zaydan's a lieutenant at the outpost, and they can only see each other with permission.

SPEAKER_00

They have every other week for like 48 hours.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. So she was, she just was like, I'm dipping without leave. Yes to Samara. I think it was to Samara. I think it might have been. So Bodie comes in running after her and he gives her the jacket, first of all, which is so funny. So he gives you that was one of my favorite parts. I know. So he gives her the jacket and and he also says something like, oh yeah, because like Catriona. And she was like, Oh my god, that was another.

SPEAKER_00

Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a goddamn fuck are we talking about here? I didn't think we were gonna like throw in another person in there. We're gonna throw a love in dress. Oh my god. An X, you know. I have to say, now since we bring this up, I think this, these vibes is why I like the second book. You love a good jealousy. Bro, I love the jealousy moments. And Zaydan had a bunch in this part. Yeah. In this book, or her and Zaydan.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. So that was funny. So then she ends up going. She's obviously gonna get in trouble because she just went without leave. And Zaydan's like, fine. He was completely fine because they had mended him. So yeah, she like finds him fighting in like the pit or something. And he's like, What are you doing here? Like, are you okay? Whatever. And she's like, I thought you were hurt. And he's like, I'm chilling. Like, I'm fine. And he's like, Whose jacket is that? And she's like, Are you fucking kidding me? Like, that's what you're focusing on right now.

SPEAKER_00

Literally, it was so good. So good. So good. And so we're like, who is Katriona? Yeah. Immediately. I'm like, and then it's so funny because the book just like left that there for a little bit. And I was like simmering a single time. I was like, shit, shit, shit. And then of course, as soon as she's like, this woman is so beautiful, this, this, and that I'm like, fuck, it's Katriona.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, 100%. So Kat ended up being she's the niece of Takaris. She's like third in line to whatever, to the throne. And she was like betrothed to Zaiden before. Oh my god. And he like is I love Zaydan. The fact that he mentioned none of this, no.

SPEAKER_00

And it was just like, you didn't ask me.

SPEAKER_01

Bitch. Bro, his whole theme, this book being you need to ask me the right questions.

SPEAKER_00

I was like, Zaydan, get the fuck out of here. Come on, puppy. Okay, okay, okay. Let me get can I give you my thoughts on that? Of course. Because I was also really fucking annoyed for a while with that. But then he turned it around on her and was like, I tell you to figure out what you want the fuck to ask me because you need to be able to realize who I am and want to confront that. Yeah. And I loved that for him. Obviously, it was so fucking annoying, but she really was ignoring the hard questions. Yeah, because she didn't want the answers. Yeah, she didn't want the fucking answers. And he was like, We can't live like that. It was a it was a it was hard on both of them. It was hard on both of them. They were not direct. No, no. They were they're low-key real toxic, but it doesn't matter. We love it anyway. If it worked for them, and then he doesn't even mention anything about their mind games that these freaking flyers can do, and she is like off the walls, jealous. Yeah. I was like, oh my god, Violet. And he's like, no, she's in your mind. Yeah. And she can heighten emotions. That's her power. That's so cool.

SPEAKER_01

I love, I love all the signets, all the powers. Yeah. Like this book is really like if Game of Thrones and Harry Potter had a baby. Yeah. It would be this. Cool. Because they have like powers and then they have the dragons. It's so good. I've seen none of those. No. Yeah. So so good. So good. You should. They're really good. Cool, cool. But so when Kat challenges her, and then oh my god. And Violet was like, I'm going to kill her. Like, I cannot stop myself. She's in my head. I'm going to fucking kill her. Yep. She's like, yield. And she's like, no. And then she's like, I'm going to fucking kill her. And Zaidan's there and he grabs her and he's like, I'm taking you away. Yep. That whole part with Kat, he takes her to the throne and it's a throne scene. Oh, we love that. Love the throne scene.

SPEAKER_00

And she's like kept that bit going the whole time. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And so that's also when she was like, You don't want to like know about any of my exes. And he's like, No, I don't.

SPEAKER_00

I know.

SPEAKER_01

Something important that also happens during that part when they're in Bas Gayeath is she's getting like her shit confiscated by fucking bars because he's a piece of shit. And he like always goes through her bag and stuff. I hated that man. And Zaydan gives her a dagger that's supposed to be for the wyvern and the venom. Varish is going through her shit and she's like, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. And all of a sudden, she's wearing his jacket at that point, right? And it's in the jacket. Yeah. And so whatever. So it happens, and she's like, oh my god, oh my god. And he doesn't find it. And all of a sudden he leaves and Ree pulls her in the door. And she's like, Can you tell me what the fuck this is? And so it was her signet that she pulled it through the wall. So that was the first time that happened. And so Sawyer, Riddick, and Re are like, You're gonna need to explain yourself what the fuck is going on.

SPEAKER_00

And that's when everybody started to know everything.

SPEAKER_01

Everybody started to know everything. It was so good. I loved that part. Because then it's like, all right, everybody knows now. Like Iron Squad. I love Riddick. I bro, Riddick book three. Oh my god, he was so fucking funny. Elite. Elite. Literally Riddick telling fucking Sawyer, like helping him sign to like get Justinia, and he signed and he taught him how to say hello, but it was that sex. Yeah, yeah. Riddick was so fucking funny. I love that man. He was hilarious. I loved him. So basically, how like the book starts wrapping up is Varish being the fucking weasel he is. He's like, he puts her in the interrogation room and he's like torturing the shit out of her for days and days and days. I don't really remember. That was stressing me out. He was just like trying to find out like what she knew about the venom.

SPEAKER_00

Right, like what had happened in resin when they were at the outpost or whatever. Mm-hmm. And she wasn't saying shit. No, and he wanted to see Andarna the whole time. V Varish was that one too.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, he wanted to see Andarna. He wanted to know what the fuck happened in resin, what she knew about the Venom. She was holding strong. And I think it was like day five that oh my god, this one had me stressed out. He brings in Dane, which is like Dane at this point, he's a villain. Yes. We hate Dane at this point at this point because he killed Liam. Basically. Basically, it was his fault that Liam died. Bearish is like sleazy, slimy, and he's like, I'm gonna need you to like owen her brain and like see what she knows. This is for like the good of the continent. Shut the fuck up. Yeah, shut the fuck up, Bears, for real. Hated Bearish. Oh no, and uh this entire time she's being tortured, she starts hallucinating Liam.

SPEAKER_00

Oh my god. No, no, no, no, no. Which was like, that was so cute.

SPEAKER_01

I cried a lot. So did I. Obviously, it was her subconscious, but like that Liam would help her through it. It was so, so cute. And he was like, I'm not leaving you. Like, don't worry. I'm dead. Anyways, so Dane like goes through her head and she's like, I'm sorry, like I let everybody down. They're gonna know about like the re the rebellion, they're gonna know about the venom, this, that.

SPEAKER_02

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01

And lo and behold, Dane goes and stabs Bearish.

SPEAKER_00

We love that. Shout out Dane for like really coming to his senses. I love that. Because I think he really tried to be a good guy. Yeah. Like he wanted to be a good guy, let's say. He just went about it the whole freaking wrong way. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01

I know I was I obviously think also like being influenced by his dad. Oh, he's the goddamn worst. Yeah, 100%. He was as bad as bearish, to be honest. Yeah. But he like saw what she saw, and he was like, Holy shit, like this is bigger than all of us. What the fuck? There's Venom and Wyburn and all this shit. Hell no. And so he's about to save her, and who walks through the door? Zayden. Those Onyx eyes. Those Onyx fucking eyes come. And so Zaydan and Dane are saving her with Garrick, and it was beautiful, and it was such like a I was so nervous. I'm like, oh my god, like what's gonna happen? The mom ends up coming too. Oh my god, yes. And she's like, I need a moment with my daughter. Yeah. Oh fuck. And so they were talking or whatever. But I love that because that was the part where his love confession. So obviously, Zaydan being back and like them killing everybody, like it's gonna start the revolution at this point because it's like there's no going back after this. She says, You lose everything you've worked for. My voice breaks because of me. And he goes, I'm sorry if you expect me to do the noble thing. I warned you, I'm not sweet or soft or kind, and you fell anyway. This is what you get, Violet. Me. The good, the bad, the unforgivable. All of it. I'm yours. You want to know something true, something real? I love you. I'm in love with you. I have been since the night the snow fell in your hair and you kissed me for the first time. I'm grateful my life is tied to yours because it means I won't have to face a day without you in it. My heart only beats as long as yours does. And when you die, I'll meet Malik by your side. It's a damn good thing that you love me too, because you're stuck with me in this life and every other that could possibly follow.

SPEAKER_00

I mean king. King is fucked. Yes. Dude, Tyrandork. I bowed down to you. Yes, Aiden. Oh my god. Beautiful. And that's exactly what she fucking needed. Oh, because she was like, he doesn't actually love me. Girl, I guess he fucking does.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, he does. And then a little while later, Dane's like, I heard that confession. I I think I'm in love with him too. It was so funny. Dane started like throwing in like a little bit, like he was cool after he got over his jealousy moment.

SPEAKER_00

He was fine. He was funny. So another thing that made me crack up during these chapters was um Andarna and Taryn. Uh because Andarna was like in her like adolescent teenage stage. So she just cuts on like anything that Taryn said to her, she was like, okay, and like she would literally mock him. So I have this part here that I guess they're talking about a luminary or whatever, right? She makes a good point. And Darna agrees. Can you carry a luminary? Taryn goes, that question insults me. Can you carry a luminary while insulted? She was such a bitch. She was so funny.

SPEAKER_01

She was so freaking funny. Yeah. Oh. Them together. Yeah, their banter was so funny. I love them. They were like, and every time Taryn would go into this whole bloodline and and fucking. Violet would be like, okay, okay. Okay, okay, we get it, we get it, we get it. Like, don't go into it. It's fine, it's fine. It was so funny. Oh my god. I love Taryn. Taryn was really good. Okay, so something very important that also happens in this book that we learn is that Zaydan is intensic. Mm-hmm. That was crazy. Yes. So I cried at that part. Because he was like, tell me the fucking truth. Tell me everything. What's your fucking second signet? Because he didn't think that she was gonna ask him that. No. And he was like, ask me the good question. She's like, fine, what's your second signet? And he was like, shit. And he's like, How long do you think it takes somebody to fall out of love? Oh. And then he tells her and he goes, less than a minute. Zayden Whispers as the gale moves towards us. That's how long it took you to fall out of love with me. When he told her.

SPEAKER_00

And I was like, fuck me, man. That's so fucking sad. I cried. Yeah. No, I was crying during a lot of this for it's anything. For anything. Like a profession of love. Crying. Yeah. Somebody was dying? Crying. Crying. Somebody we thought was dying. Crying.

SPEAKER_01

In the middle of a battle, crying. Crying. Oh. Literally. No, but that shit got me. I'm like, that was sad as hell. Like he knew it was coming.

SPEAKER_00

So we find out that everybody who has a rebellion relic actually does have a second signet. Because they bonded to a dragon that was previously bonded to somebody in their lineage. Yeah. Right? Mm-hmm. Which I think is super cool because it wasn't just like Bodie and Zayden.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. No, it was all of them because the dragons basically were like, okay, you guys need like a the upper hand because all these people are trying to fucking kill you. So you're gonna get a second signet. How fucking cool. So they all it was so good. I love finding out everybody's segments. They were so fun. So much fun.

SPEAKER_00

Because we got more of that also in like book three, because we got their seconds and like some of the first year's firsts, which was really cool. And then we find out Sloan's, of course, at the end.

SPEAKER_01

So Sloane, something we didn't mention about her is that she is Liam's sister, who's a first year in Iron Flame.

SPEAKER_00

And she really hated Violet. Mm-hmm. But she came around towards the end. Yeah. No my god. I thought it was really sweet that Violet saved those letters to her.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, that was really nice because like they have like the whole tradition of burning everything. Yeah. And it was crazy because Sloane was like, You're really not gonna give me the letters that my brother left for me. And she's like, No, no, train. Train, motherfucker. Yep. Cause you fucking need it.

SPEAKER_01

You suck ass. So right after he tells her that he's in Tinsic, shit starts like flying off the walls, and we're like, oh shit, something's happening. The Venom ended up invading because fucking Jack ended up being a Venom.

SPEAKER_00

Oh my god, yes. Yeah. So he was a Venon from the beginning. Right? Doesn't she mention at one part where she was like, at the challenge, he looked at me with red rings around his eyes in one of the challenges. Didn't she mention that? I don't know. Or no. I don't know, because I don't really know when he became Venom. I'm pretty sure he was Venom for a long time.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Just go ahead. Yeah, so Jack Bean ended up Venom. So he killed his dragon and fucked up the basically the Iron Flame, which is the name of the book. It was this whole The Ward Stone. Yeah, it was the Ward Stone that he ended up breaking. Mm-hmm. So right when Zaydan and Violet are having like this argument about him being intensic or whatever, shit starts going down. And so she's like, My love isn't fickle, so you better live because I'm ready to ask you all the fucking questions. Mm-hmm. So this whole battle's going on, and it's crazy. All of them are fighting. It ended up being like hundreds of venom were getting there because of the wardstone.

SPEAKER_00

The Venon and the Wyvern were trying to attack Beskayath and Navarre because they were trying to get to the Vale. Yeah. Where all the little eggs are, right? Yeah. That's what the point of that is. The hatching grounds, yeah. Thank you. Not the little eggs. That's just crazy. The little eggs. Um, the hatching grounds. Yeah. I just think and Darna is a skin little dragon. So she's like I need an egg. Yeah. Okay. Anyways, um You're completely right. Yes, they did actually want to invade because of the veil. That's why they were there. Yeah. So of course they're like, oh, fuck that. And Darna, they're starting to figure out, is not who they think she is. They think she is the seventh breed. So at this point, they figure out that she's an Erid. Yeah. So they're like, what the fuck? We gotta protect Andarna and all this stuff. So everybody's fighting. And then all of a sudden, Sawyer and Sleag are in the middle of this big battle with a wyvern, and Sawyer doesn't want to let Sleag get killed. So Sawyer runs or something and then ends up getting his leg bitten off. I was like, oh no. No, no, no, no, no. I mean, at least he wasn't dead. Yeah. Because I was like, fuck, Matt Sawyer and not their Iron Squad. No, I don't want any of them to die.

SPEAKER_01

Thank God it was just his leg. Yeah. Thank God. They took him to the healers because he didn't have a leg to mend at that point. Yep. So that was whole crazy. Yep. Violet gets to the wardstone. She's with Andarna. They're like, all right, we're gonna have to save this fucking warstone. We've got to put it back up. Yep. She was trying and she couldn't do it. She was about to burn out, and they were like, oh my God, bitch, stop. And then the mom comes and she's like, okay, like I'm sacrificing myself. Like, this is what I was meant to do.

SPEAKER_00

No, no, no. That's not how she did it, though. The way she did it was so fucking badass because she was like, Sloan, I killed your mother. I killed your parents. Like, you need to do this. Take it. I will do it. And Sloan is like, fuck. But then she's like, you need to save us. Her mom was a badass. As much as she was like, maybe not the best mother. No. But she was a fucking badass. Yeah. I like that part was so like that was heart-wrenching for me.

SPEAKER_01

100%. Yeah. And it also, right when she got to the wardstone, the mom, I'm like, I'm nervous. I'm like, is she evil? Uh-huh. I got the sense that she was evil.

SPEAKER_00

But then it ended up being, no, she sacrificed herself. She wasn't evil. When she had that first conversation after she was tortured almost to death, and she was like, You will see how whenever you have children, you'll see how far you will go to further safety.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. And so Brennan and Violet were there when the mom died. That was so sad. That was really sad. But they powered the wardstone. Yeah. It worked.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, thank God at least worked. And then Mira shows up. Oh. And Mira saw that she was dead because Mira and the mom were really close. So she's like, Brennan, what the fuck did you do? Thinking it was Brennan's fault. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

She's like, how could you let this happen on your watch? And I was like, oh my no. So then Sloane starts thinking that she's a piece of shit.

SPEAKER_02

And I'm like, no, Sloane!

SPEAKER_01

Everybody's like, I'm a piece of shit. Literally. It's a very low self-esteem group of God. Oh my gosh. So after all that happens, they got the ward started. Up and she's like, Okay, now that she knows that everything's good, she's like, Okay, I gotta go find Zaydan. So Taryn takes her to him and Segail, and Zagale's like, Be careful with your words. So she's like, Okay. So she like goes up to him and he's like, I killed him. Like he killed the sage. So then they're basically saying that they're gonna come back to Best Gaias, and he goes, It's safer for you here. This is where you should be. You won't be scared under the full wards. Please do tell me what I could possibly be scarier than that. And he's like, You love me. And she's like, You know I do. What the fuck is going on, Zaden? And then he's oh my gosh, I go, What's out there? What did you tell you? What did you see? She's like, What is it? Oh my god. And it says slowly he drags his gaze up my body, and it feels like it takes years for him to just look at me. When he finally does, I gasp, my hands tightening on his as a reflex. No, that's the single world that I can think of. Oh my god. And he goes, Me, he whispers, a faint, almost indistinguishable red ring emanating from his gold-flecked onyx irises. You should be scared of me. Fuck. And that's how it ends. Fuck. Immediately into Onyx Storm. Are you kidding me? So he turned Venon.

SPEAKER_00

So that's how that ended. I knew that was gonna happen though.

SPEAKER_01

That he was gonna turn Venon?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. I mean, it's not like I knew that, but I figured that's what was gonna happen.

SPEAKER_01

So something that makes me a little little iffy is the beginning of all the books. It says the following text has been faithfully transcribed from Navarian into the modern language by Justinia. And then it says all events are true and names have been preserved to honor the courage of those who have fallen. May their souls be commended to Malik. Mm-hmm. I don't like that. It makes it seem like Zaydan's gonna die, and I don't like that. And he says in every single book, Violet, you're gonna be the death of me. I don't like that. I'm like, is that foreshadowing? Are we foreshadowing Zaidan's dying? No, no, no, no. Don't.

SPEAKER_00

No.

SPEAKER_01

Don't. We can't. Don't even don't even play with me. We don't like that. No, I don't like either one of those things. Alright. So. So then we move into Onyx Storm. So at the beginning of Onyx Storm, he ends up signing this accord or whatever that he becomes the Duke of Tirandor. You know, as like some sort of peace treaty with Navar. And he also becomes a professor, which I love that. Professor Ryerson, give it to me. I loved that. It was so good. So basically, a lot of this book is their journey into finding out a little bit more about Andarna and her kind, the Erids, and seeing if they can get the Erids kind of on board to come back to Navarre to fire up their wardstone.

SPEAKER_00

To fire up Arasha's wardstone. That whole thing was making me nervous. I was like, Andarna's gonna find her family and they're not gonna accept her, and like that that was making me nervous this entire book. Well, it happened. Yeah, I know. And I'm like, fuck. Like, I knew that was gonna happen, and I was just so nervous for this poor kid. I was like living in a little kid, trying to meet like my mom or my dad, and they don't want you. No, no, no, no, no, no. It was really sad. I didn't like that at all. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

They had like their quest squad. The Riddick, of course. Riddick was there, it was just so fucking funny. They go through like the aisles seeing if they can get anybody to kind of be allies with them too and help them, you know, give them armies to fight the venom.

SPEAKER_00

They are trying to go find um the father's books because the books is what is helping them lead to where to find, right? So this is the part that I loved because they go to find that lady who was gonna give them the books. He goes, Oh, this is the actual line. I guess they're brown eyes and how utterly smitten he predicted you two would eventually be for each other. Well, he described you almost perfectly, Dane Atos.

SPEAKER_01

I was like, No, it was crazy. I love that. And everybody's like, awkward. Dane's like, that ain't me. Oh my god, I loved that part. That was so, so funny. I love that.

SPEAKER_00

Dane rubs the back of his neck.

SPEAKER_01

No, and another jealousy moment in this book. Oh my god, you're gonna love? Please. When we meet Halden. Oh my god, yes. So Halden is Arik's older brother, like next in line for the throne. The actual prince. The actual prince. Turns out he's Violet's ex, who cheated on her. Fuck him. No, fuck him. He asks her out on a date in front of Zaydan Ryerson. And he gets his shadows and pushes him, like he throws him into the fucking wall. It was so funny. Shadows blast straight through the wards and hit Holden in the chest like a battering ram, sending the crown prince of Navarre flying backwards straight into the rock wall. Shit. Shit. I loved that part. That was so good. I loved that part.

SPEAKER_00

And he's like, This is why I didn't want to know who your exes was. Literally. He's like, I told you why I didn't want to know. This is the reaction you get out of me. It was so good. Oh god. Because now he had to worry about Dane and Holden. Uh-uh. I couldn't catch a break. This was right after the part with the whole Dane thing. And Dane is like, how do you want to handle this? And then Zayn goes, just like it's gone for the last 18 months, Zayn answers, losing any and all trace of the niceties he showed Dane an hour ago. Everyone assumes she'll wind up with you, but it's my last name she ends up wearing on her flight jacket formation. And she's like, seriously, that was one dime. And yeah, no.

SPEAKER_01

I loved that. So another part is when they're in one of the aisles, they're like, uh, to get a meeting with the queen, you need to fight like their best soldiers. And so it starts. All these fucking games they had to play. I was like, what the fuck? No, I was into it. Yes, but I was like, what the fuck? Every time.

SPEAKER_00

I was like, who's gonna die? It was like the hunger game.

SPEAKER_01

Literally. So Zaydan is like, all right, Zaydan is like their best fighter. Zaydan's gonna fight this big ass, huge guy. And then his twin, he's like, All right, Dane, you're up too, so Dane has to go fight too. And lastly, she goes to Violet and she's like, You're gonna have to fight too. And so Violin, Zaydan, and Dane fight the three of them, which I loved because they're like, you can only pick one weapon and Zaiden's like daggers. Yes. And Dane's like daggers.

SPEAKER_00

And Violet's like, but you guys, they're like, we don't care. Oh, I love that. No, and then at this part is when she finally starts seeing people with silver hair. So she's like, Why is that person like me?

SPEAKER_01

Why what's going on?

SPEAKER_00

So all those questions start coming up, which I loved. And I was like, Where what are we what are we getting with with that?

SPEAKER_01

That's a whole other thing. Mm-hmm. So whatever they end up fighting, they get the best of them, of course. Of course, how can we not? And she was fighting the queen. I was like, Zale. That is so funny. Yeah, I didn't expect that.

SPEAKER_00

She's like, I did not know you were the queen. She's like, I didn't know you were the queen. So sorry, ma'am. Apologize. So funny. So in the next aisle, all these fucking aisles and all these fucking games that they had to go through pissed me off. Haldin is this piece of shit that nobody likes, and he's not a great king, and he's just like a little toddler with tamper tantrums, right? So he's the only one allowed to talk to this leader of this aisle. Yeah. Um Cortland. Cortland, yes. And I guess he tried to, first of all, he tried to trade something that wasn't even his, which was Zaydan's dad's dagger or something, right? And um, I guess he assigned his guard to steal things from his house. And they found out. And when Zaydan and Violet get there, her head was on a plate. I was like, okay, King Cortland, like who are you? Yeah, they don't come to play in this aisle. No, they were not playing in that aisle. That was crazy. That was fucking crazy. Yeah. And that is why Arik stood up and was like, I can't let you guys take Haldon again. No, I'll go.

SPEAKER_02

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00

And that's when he and and Halden met again.

SPEAKER_02

Yep.

SPEAKER_00

Cam? He's like, it's Arik. Yeah. Shut the fuck up. Yeah. And then, oh my god, Halden was like, We checked, we checked all the brothels and this and that. And he's like, the fact that you checked your hunting grounds, like, what the fuck? So good. Oh, I loved Arik. So one of the other aisles, we meet Talia.

SPEAKER_01

AKA Zaydan's mom. Oh my god. That was a crazy aisle. That was oh my god, that was a crazy aisle too. So Zaydan's mom, she's abandoned him when he was 10, and then she went to go live on this aisle all happy and dandy. She married one of the upper-ups. She's living her best life while she abandoned Zaydan. Rude as fuck.

SPEAKER_02

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01

Whatever. She's like, please, can you get him to come to dinner with us? Whatever. They go to dinner. Turns out this fucking guy poisoned everybody. Her husband poisoned everybody. The only one that actually ate the cake was Garrick. Garrick. So they're trying to figure out how to like the antidote for it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. And of course, that's even more annoying as fuck because they Violet starts to find out that they knew they were coming. That's why they made the chocolate cake. Oh, son of a bitch. Yeah, and the fact that she was making chocolate cake because she remembered that from frickin' Zaydan's childhood. Get out. Ugh. But fucking Gary eating the goddamn bolula.

SPEAKER_01

Come on, bro. So Gary can just down the cake that was poisoned. Violet's trying to figure out the antidote or whatever. Her and Riddick run into the kitchen. God. No, this is another part. That was a heart palpitation. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. She's like going to the chef, and the chef ends up trying to kill them or whatever. And so he throws a kitchen axe at Riddick and she's like, oh my god, and it's in the side of his stomach or whatever. And I'm like, oh my god. Riddick cannot die.

SPEAKER_00

No, Riddick out of all people cannot fucking die. And she says that in the book, actually.

SPEAKER_01

She's like, out of all people, Riddick, nobody but out of all people, Riddick can't go. No. And it ended up being that the the axe like kind of just grazed him and it was right on his flight jacket. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00

No fucking good. And you know what got me was when he realized he realized she was freaking out because of him and she he gave him like a little hug.

SPEAKER_01

And he's like, I love you too. Come on, let's go. I love that Riddick part. It was so, so cute.

SPEAKER_00

I love Riddick. I love the whole squad. So after that whole thing happened, they had to go to another aisle where again they had been waiting for them. So I guess like the rumors were going around that the dragons were everywhere. Yeah. Cool, cool, cool, whatever. And they're not finding any fucking answers. Yeah. Nobody has answers for them. Nothing. So then they get to this other aisle and they're like, we have games to play. And everybody had to like pick a card. Yeah. That was terrifying. I hated that. I hated that so much. It made me so nervous. So nervous. I thought it was so cute that I think it was Drake got the freaking cat. Oh, yeah, broccoli. That was so adorable. So cute. It was Drake. I feel like Drake and Mira are gonna. Oh hell yeah. There's something. There's something. That was so fucking cute. But then freaking Traeger getting the arrow and then immediately shot, and then they had to act like nothing. They were like, No. Thank you. No. I didn't know.

SPEAKER_01

No, like her, her the way she described everything. Her with Zayden and then Kat and Drake holding her. Because Kat was finally a little bit happy. She wasn't as fucking insufferable as she was the entire book. Oh, I felt so bad. I really got that got me. Because nobody saw anything until he turned around and he had an arrow in his chest. I fucking hate that.

SPEAKER_00

So then that was the reason they ended up at the other aisle because she was like, I cannot fucking leave him here. We have to go burn him. So they went to the randomest, closest aisle they had. Yeah. And they burned him and they were like, okay, everybody, this I this aisle is tiny. Yeah. Split up. And then that is when the Iriots come in.

SPEAKER_01

The Eerrits show up. Yeah. So Violet and Riddick, Taryn and Indarna. They all were there when they beached when on the beach when the Eerids showed up.

SPEAKER_00

Mm-hmm. And that's when Andarna finally's like talking to them. And then she's I felt so bad because Violet's like, I don't think it's going as well as she thinks. No. And I was like, Andarna was just so excited. She's like a little teenager.

SPEAKER_01

So cute.

SPEAKER_00

And they're blaming Violet. They're like, you're the one who made her into this weapon, this and that, like our our kind isn't like that. This is peaceful, whatever. Like, shut the fuck up. You're not living in the continent. Yeah. And they're like, why would you make her a weapon as just a juvenile? Like you didn't know? And she's like, of course I didn't fucking know. Literally. And then she was like, you left her here as an egg, thinking that humankind is not gonna do the one thing they know how to do, which is kill each other. Mm-hmm. What did you expect? I was so upset with Randarna. I was like, I'm really feeling it for her. Yeah, it was really sad. And then I thought it was really cute because like they all knew how to sign, so they were all able to talk to each other without the mind thing. Yeah. So then, of course, Zaydon walks up. And then it goes a little downhill from there.

SPEAKER_01

Zaidan walks up, and I don't know if there was some sort of like lingering magic or whatever from the Air Rids, but then they all figure out that he's Venon. Not only do they figure out and they're like, we're dipping. Bye. But Riddick finds out because he's like, um, don't even act like I didn't just see his fucking eyes turn red. And we're like, oh shit. Yeah, it's gonna go down.

SPEAKER_00

But I also love Riddick so much because he's like, What the fuck? I thought we were having no more secrets. Come on.

SPEAKER_01

I was like, I thank you, Riddick. I know. And she's like, but it wasn't my secret to tell. And he's like, I don't care. Yeah, he's like, I don't care. Like, this is affecting you. Tell me now everything that's happening. Yes. So they go into this whole spiel in the forest or whatever, just them two having like a private moment, which is so funny. Violent ends up getting like pissed off and like lightning strikes, which is so funny. So Zaydan's waiting for them at the end, and Riddick is like, fine, I won't say anything, but you have to tell Sawyer, Rihanna, and Justinia. That's that's my condition. I won't say anything. And then To Zaid. To Zaden. And I love that he was like, give me a breaking point. Like, what is the point to where you are like, okay, like enough is enough. And she's like, no, but there isn't one. Give me a fucking breaking point. Like Riddick, uh, loved, loved.

SPEAKER_00

And I love that he mentioned that. He's like, you guys think I'm all funny and this and that, but I care and I need you to tell me what the fuck is going on. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And so he tells Sadan straight up, like, everybody that knows that you're Venom loves you more than they love her. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00

He was he was giving very valid fucking points. Super valid. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Like they they are going to protect you over anybody else. Like she needs Violet needs people that are on her side. Love. Which a hundred percent. Literally. Riddick had that. Super valid. Yeah. And so whatever. So they come to like this truce agreement, whatever. They're gonna tell the squad. And he's like, he goes to Zaidan and he's like, listen, bro, like we we weren't having sex out there.

SPEAKER_00

You know, like the lightning strike was because she was pissed off, not because we were doing anything. And he goes, well aware, Zayden replies, first because I trust Violet, and second, he glances at Riddick in a in a dismissive ones over. It wasn't a big enough strike.

SPEAKER_01

I love that. I love your good thing.

SPEAKER_00

And then Riddick, of course, goes, Nope, you and I are not back to dick jokes yet. Not that we were ever there. I'm still pissed. Yeah, literally. So funny.

SPEAKER_01

So good. So yeah, so they go back, they end up telling the squad about, you know, Zaydan, and like they're trying to get as much information as they can to see if there is a cure for Venom, which they kind of find out that there isn't. Mm-hmm. That's what the Earids tell them, right? And the Earids tell them that. And we get this whole thing, which honestly we didn't even talk about uh Theophany. Oh, fuck that bitch. So she's a fucking bitch. She's like one of she is she a sage or a Maven? A Maven. She's a Maven. So she's been like hunting uh Violet down this entire time.

SPEAKER_00

Because we thought they were both lightning wielders.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, turns out she's not a lightning wielder. We find out the last battle that she is a like a weather wielder. She's like her mom. She's like her mom.

SPEAKER_00

Which we found out then that her mom had fought her before. Which I was like, that was like a big jaw-dropping moment for me because that's why she hid behind the wards. So then after everybody finds out, the Venom and Theophany are here. Yeah. And there's another big battle that's happening. And Darna is like, I need to stay here to protect these people. And they had all the silver hair too and the tattoos. And then that's when she kind of linked that Theophany was one of them in her past life or whatever life. Yeah, she was a high priestess. And I think that's how she kind of started to figure out how she was trying to put the the links together, how to really defeat Theophany. Yeah. Right? And I guess everything was going to shit and all of a sudden it wasn't because the last Irid came.

SPEAKER_01

So like Theophany's about to like basically just kill everybody. And she's like, holy shit. And she like just disappears. And Violet's like, I don't know what the fuck just happened, but blessed. And it ends up being that the last Irid comes to save everybody. He powered the ward. Yeah, he fired up the ward stone again. Which we love. Love. And so he's basically like Andarna. Yeah. You gotta come with me. That was so fucking sad. I was crying. Yeah. So sad. Yeah. And she's like, I don't, I can't leave Violet. And he's like, You're gonna leave her. Mm-hmm. It's like you you made that bond so you can cut it. Break the bond. And so she broke the bond and dipped. I hated that they couldn't say goodbye. I know, but we knew that was gonna happen. I know, but I I hated that. Yeah, I know. We're like, oh fuck. So that was hella sad. So she was a little depressed after that. Mira came back, and you know, she was trying to like get her spirits up. Brennan was there, Zayden was there.

SPEAKER_00

We're all trying to like get Violet to feel a little bit better. And then when Mira comes back, she sees Brennan, and that's when we find out that she really was. Violet was dedicated. She really was dedicated to the Temple of Dune, and that's why she has the silver hair.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Which I feel like hopefully we'll get a little bit more information before. Because I'm a little confused. On that, right? But it ended up being that the dad took her. Yep. And the mom came to save her. Yep. And that's how all these like that aisle realized that holy shit that there are dragons. The mom came and like took her, took her ass back. Like, what the fuck? Why are you dedicating our daughter? Which I don't know what that whole thing is about.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Very intrigued. We'll find out. I'm assuming Violet at in one of these books is gonna have to go talk to Niara or whatever her grandmother's name is. Uh yeah, probably. She's probably gonna go talk to her. Yep, I agree.

SPEAKER_01

So after all this, like the last battle of the book, it's getting down, it's crazy. Theophany's back, this bitch. I don't even know what's going on. Getting insane. Getting all the POVs at this point. We're getting everybody's POV, yeah. We get Ree's POV, and she's like this whole thing in the battle. Violet is facing Theophany, and she's with Taryn, trying to get him like out of this net thing, this net contraption shit. Imogen's POV, we find out that Quinn dies, and like Garrett goes to like help her out. And oh, that part really got me because Imogen had a crush on Garrick the entire time. Imogen's like, I can't leave her. Like, I can't leave her. Like, this is my best friend, I can't leave her. And he goes, Oh, I can't leave you. And I was like, I thought they were gonna like kiss me or something there.

SPEAKER_00

I was like, oh my god, but I love that. So cute. And then I think it was cute because everybody finds everybody like at this point, it's like you're dying or you're not. So everybody's finding out about everybody's second signets. Yeah. So like now everybody knows that um Garrick is a distance wielder or whatever. Crazy. So that's insane. Yeah. And then we also find out that because at this point, then Violet ends up using whatever Arik gave her to defeat the Theophany. And then she's like, no, Arik is a type of intrinsic, and he knows what's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, he's like better than Melgren. Mm-hmm. Because he he like he actually sees what's gonna happen. He actually sees, which is so crazy and dangerous. And dangerous. We get Violet's POV, and she is about to like stab Theophany or whatever, and she sees like this wall of shadow that's coming, and she knows what's going on. She's she knows that like he basically turned. He's like using the power from from the ground. She's never seen it that powerful before. And so she whispers, I love you, and then she oh my god, down the bottom, like, kill me now. And so then right after that, we get Zaydon's POV, which I thought was crazy because Zagale was also trapped in some sort of contraption, like that net. The entire book, we are like getting the foreshadowing that he's gonna turn Venon for love because he loves her, he loves her, he loves her. But it ended up being that he loved Zagale so much that he turned because he's like, uh-uh, you're not fucking with Segail. Yep. And oh, I love that. I was sobbing. So I don't know if you caught this, but during his POV, he's with Segail, he's with Berwin, which is the sage that turned him Venon, and he's like the two venoms, and there's like other venom there also, the two venom standing guard ahead of me at the mouth of the canyon. I'll have them desiccated within heartbeats. But the one who walks forward towards Panchex cowering traitor is ass, which that was crazy too. Yeah, putting himself between Segail and me, he's a problem. Not because he's more lethal, not because he's supposed to be dead, but because I can't kill him. I could no more raise a blade to his throat than I could to Violet. And so that was supposed to be his sibling, his brother. I can't let Segael die. Can't leave him to stumble down the same path I did. And so people are like, who is that? Like, who is his brother? Mm-hmm. Because it's like, is it Liam? Mm-hmm. Because it says he's supposed to be dead. Is it Bodie? Because Bodhi was causing stern shit the entire time. Is it Garrick? Like, who is who just turned Venom with him? Somebody turned Venom with him.

SPEAKER_02

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01

So that's like, mmm, I don't know. Shit. I don't know who it is, but I want to know. I love that. Like there was there was a third guy there. Yes. So he turns and he goes to Sigil and he's like, Will you forsake me now? She goes, What is there left to forsake? And then he goes, You tell me. I lower the eyes to let her in. So I guess they can still kind of have that telepathy. And so she goes, her next breath is laced with sulfur and her eyes widen. You cannot mean to. You saw what happened. It's the only way. And you think she'll help? She loves me. Taryn does not. You haven't looked in a mirror yet. The red veins branching from your eyes look like her lightning. And he goes, She'll help. She promised. Even if she agrees to, no one will, someone owes me a favor. And so that's the whole part. So he she goes, even if she agrees, no one will, and I think they were gonna say no one will marry you guys. But you remember he had said that the priestess of the temple, right before that battle that you were talking about, the previous battle, for saving that entire temple, Zaydan says that that priestess owes him a favor. Oh, oh, oh. And so it's like if she agrees, no one will, and then he goes, Someone owes me a favor, which was supposed to be that that priestess. And then Zagale says he'll never let you near her, especially when she's in a vulnerable state. And he goes, Is she hurt? And she goes, Yes, but she will survive. They have completed the wards, but they extend no further than Draythis. And then he goes, Persuade Taryn.

SPEAKER_00

And then she fucking wakes up with a fucking diamond on her ring.

SPEAKER_01

On her finger ring, on her wedding finger. So they got married. Oh, Brennan gives her a little note from Zaydon and he goes, Don't look for me. It's yours now. Which is interesting. That's another theory I got you. Because I perceive that as it's yours now, like uh Tyrandoor. Tyrandoor's same. But the entire book, he mentioned Tyrandoor as she. Yes. Yeah, it was like a her. And so people say that it's yours now. He's talking about that one little piece of a soul that he's that he still has left. I don't know, I don't know. I don't know. I feel like he she always had his soul. No, but I don't know. Not in like this sense. That he's completely turned venom. I don't know. I don't know, but I don't know. But oh whatever. Point being, we don't think it's Tyrandor. Okay. It has to be something else. Got it. So she goes, How long have I been missing? Brennan says 12 hours. And then she goes to Imogen. What did you do?

SPEAKER_00

I thought that was like, ooh.

SPEAKER_01

She slowly lifts her gaze to me what you asked me to. What did you do? And Imogen's power signet is to ask. Erasing recent memories. Recent memories. So we don't know what the fuck happened. Shit. God damn. What a fucking ending of a bug. I know. Eat that shit up. That was crazy. Love. It was so good. Oh, I'm so fucking excited. So he Here are the top onyx storm theories. Oops so Zaden's soul and cure. Um, so it says a major theory is that Zaydan hid his soul in his ring to keep his humanity separate from his venom body. Another theory suggests that Lynx signet is a clue, because Lynx ended up being a shadow wielder. Being a shadow wielder. So and Zaydan's mimic signet will allow him to harness a cure, as he may have mimicked a power to fight the venom rather than just using shadows. Interesting. The other venom, there is speculation that a close ally has turned into a venom, candidates being Bodhi, ooh, some people say Brennan or Garrick. The only thing that was interesting was that he said he's supposed to be dead. So who the fuck was supposed to be dead? It's either, I feel like supposed to be dead, Liam, or can I just say if Liam comes back as a venom, crazy. Or it could also be, I haven't seen this, but Terran's previous writer who saved Brennan. Oh, the one that we cannot speak of. Yeah. Noellen, Nolan, whatever this name is. Interesting. That's a good that, P. We like that. Mm-hmm. Another theory suggests she completed a dedication to the goddess Dune during her 12 hours, her missing 12 hours. That's also gonna be something interesting. Like this whole dedication. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. I'm interested to see what that means for her. Yeah. Because they were all really fucking vague about it. And we also have to figure out what the Erids are gonna do with Andarna.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Ugh, I don't know. There's so many unanswered questions.

SPEAKER_01

Can't believe it. If Andarna's even gonna bond back, oh fuck. Some other people were saying that Zaydan went to one of the aisles to get a cure, right? And what he's telling Zagale to persuade Taryn to do is to break Sagale and Taryn's bond. So Sagale can go with him and they'll be apart. Jesus. I don't like that. I saw that. I don't really like that. That'd be crazy. Also, we didn't even say Violet's second signal is that she's a dream walker. Oh yeah. What are we gonna do with that? So that's gonna have to be something. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

How do you think she'll use that to her advantage?

SPEAKER_01

I don't know. Okay, so you wanna do good reads? Yeah, let's do it. They were so freaking funny. So this is five stars. It goes reread. Six stars the first time around, a hundred excruciatingly painful stars the second time around. Guys, my heart is absolutely broken. I cannot stop crying. The way this book and these characters have seeped into every part of my life, all I feel is dread and anxiety and pain. Knowing the ending that made this read a million times more painful, but this book is absolutely perfect. I will accept zero criticism. So good. So it says final thoughts as I wipe the tears off my phone. It says Zaydan is the only fictional man to exist. Number one book, boyfriend, forever and always. Also, Zaydan's love confession is the best love confession I have ever and will ever read. Zaydan and Violet are soulmates, and their love makes me actually physically and mentally ill. They are endgame, but I know that they're gonna go through hell and bag a million times to get over there. It says Zaydan, my Shayla. Why? Why, why, why? Why can't my baby catch a break? Oh my gosh. I I can't read. I can't read anything else. Literally, I can't do it. Books ruin my life. It's so fun. So there's another five stars. It says, I think I like this more than Fourth Wing. I'm scared something's wrong with me, but I really don't know why people have so many negative things to say about the book. A lot of people didn't like it. Iron Flame. A lot of people didn't like it. A lot of people don't like Rebecca Yarrows. I don't know why. I don't know. She's controversial. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, gotcha. One of those things. She's one. It's one of those things. That's what I'm saying. Whatever.

SPEAKER_01

It says it was action-packed and Zaydon was as gorgeous as ever. Even though it was spoiled for me. I actually like the ending and I'm excited for the plot line to pick right back up in the next book. I will say a qualm I have is that things are described in a way more complicated than they need to be. Which I think is true. It says examples. The ruins, wards, like also can't for the life of me orient myself in the battle scenes. Like, I kind of do get that.

SPEAKER_00

I don't.

SPEAKER_01

No?

SPEAKER_00

No, I really like how everything is explained.

SPEAKER_01

You were locked in?

SPEAKER_00

I was locked. When it comes to like, that's why I remember all those stupid minute details. I feel like I know what she's talking about when she's describing things.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I guess. I don't know. I think some of them were a little confusing. And it goes, and yes, Violet was annoying in the beginning of the book, but we all have our days. Four and a half stars. A hundred percent. Oh my gosh, this is so funny. One star. It says literary fast fashion, fast fantasy. So the people rating this five stars, get well soon. Whatever you're going through can't be easy. Oh my god. Uh so funny. This is five stars. I kicked my feet, I laughed, I cried. The ending of the book took my breath away in the worst possible way. Yes, literally. The kick my feet is so funny.

SPEAKER_00

This one killed me.

SPEAKER_01

It says one stars. Should be called Iron Lame because it was awful. So that's a good one. I like that one. This is, I think this was five stars. I just screenshot it. The things I loved. Dane's redemption arc. We love that. Uh-huh. Mama Soringale's somewhat redemption arc. I like that too. Sassy Teenagers uh and Darna. Love. Love. Her banter with Taryn was perfect. Also, and Darna's entire arc in this book. Taryn and Darna, just in general. Zaiden being in Tinsic. That was cool. Zaiden and Dane's joint rescue of Violet. Love that. Iron Squad's Friendship, Riddick, Sawyer, Rihanna, and Violet, and the pact they made to stay alive. I love the romance. So it says, um, basically all the action sequences were amazing. My heart was fucking racing the entire book. I was so stressed out to the point of a panic attack in my sleep while reading this, but yet I still loved it. It says another point. Verish's demise. Fuck that. Hell yeah. Yes. Loved. And then it says the whole throne scene. Oh, yes. Love. This is one star. Oh my god. One star. Because I'd rather go through an open heart surgery without anesthesia rather than read another book written by Rebecca Yarrows. Jeez.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

This is a lot of hate.

SPEAKER_01

Something like that is a lot of fucking hate. I don't know. So this is now Onyx Storm. Five stars. This killed me. It says, I'm going to need a year to recover from whatever the fuck that was. Rebecca put her whole Yarrow seat into this book.

SPEAKER_02

I fucking die.

SPEAKER_01

Onyx Storm wrecked me in the best way. Rebecca really said, Oh, you thought you were emotionally unstable? That's cute. The tension, unmatched. The twist had me on the edge of my seat. Yep. The grip this entire series has on me, absolutely suffocating. Absolutely. It says Violet and Zaydan's relationship just gets deeper, messier, and somehow more freaking addictive and heart-wrenching. The emotional devastation, let's just say I'll be unpacking that for a while. Zaydan was unreal in this book. The jealousy? Screaming. Oh my god. Literally. So funny. It says, I laughed, I cried, I threw my kindle. My heart was pounding. My soul was screaming. My brain was trying to really process everything that happened. So funny. The book consumed me, y'all. I was fighting for my life to finish in. So good. It says five stars. It actually says seven stars because six years, six stars simply isn't enough. I'm actually crawling into my grave and never coming out. I am sick. I'm disgusted by how completely and utterly obsessed I am with this series. I cannot stop crying. All I know is pain and tears. I cannot form coherent thoughts. I cannot form a concise review because I don't know how to speak. I don't know how to exist. How do I keep living? I can't. Guys, this is my new favorite book ever. Like, how? How? Zaydan and Violet are everything to me. No fictional couple will ever compare. It's them or nothing. Violet, you are that bitch, and I will defend you with everything I have. Zaydan, no, don't even start with me. No other fictional man will ever come close. Number one, forever and always. How did he get even better in this book? Every time he opened his mouth, I folded. Gone. Soul left my body. I cannot think about anything else. Um, I have so many questions. What just happened? That ending, jail, jail, foul. I want to wipe it from my brain. How am I gonna wait years for answers? I'm not. I'm never reading again because all I know is this book. So funny. That one is another one, seven stars. Listen, listen when I tell you this, because I'm so fucking serious. This is hands down, not only the best book in the series by far, but the best book that I've ever read. Rebecca delivered with this one. The banter, the plot, the character development, 100 out of 10. I read this all day in one sitting and under 24 hours, and I literally might never read a book that can be the same level as this. That's crazy. That is crazy. Oh my gosh, this is so funny. One stars. Sending hate from Ohio. That fucking killed me. Another one star. She's so brave for publishing this. Bro, how do we go from seven stars to this?

SPEAKER_00

I'm gonna text you when I don't like something, sending hate from Ohio.

SPEAKER_01

Sending hate from Ohio is crazy. That's our new fucking standard when we don't like something. This is so funny. I love that. And said fucking, she's so brave for publishing this. Oh my god. No. Between that and Iron Lame. Oh, that's so fucking funny. It says four stars. Put my name on the death roll and commend my soul to Malik because I'm dead after reading that ending. Rebecca, I need to pick up that pen right now and start writing the next book. Oh my gosh. This is literally insane. I'm never going to recover from this, I fear. I love this world so so much. Those characters are so special to me. Zaydan was hot in the book. I need to marry this man. Reading about him just isn't enough. Violet was iconic as always, and I was living for Terran and Dharna. And Riddick, I loved him so much in this book. Thank you. Finally, somebody naming Riddick. Yeah, literally. It says, All that being said, this was four stars. All that being said, was the book perfect? No. The first 100 pages had me so confused. It was information overload, and I couldn't remember half of the people and places from the first two books. You did mention that too. Yeah. I was starting to think it was a little dim. I would really wish it was easier to get into, but I love the ending so fucking much. I literally don't know how I'm going to wait for the next book to release. This is five stars. What the actual fuck did I just read? This book, this damn book, I am not okay. I felt every single emotion imaginable. Anger, joy, despair, hope, heartbreak, you name it, I lived it. I'm absolutely unwell. The ending, Rebecca Yarrows just ripped my heart out, stomped on it, and said, You're welcome. I have so many questions and not and no one to answer them. The twists, the stakes, the emotional damage, I'm still reeling, empty inside, and staring at the ceiling, wondering what I did to deserve this. The absolute devastation I feel right now. Everything about this book was a masterpiece of torment. It was brilliant and cruel, and honestly, I loved every painful second of it, but I also need therapy now. And this one made me laugh. It says five stars. What the fuck? Okay. Upon 72 hours of rest and recovery following this book, I've decided I'm entering to a medically induced coma until book four comes out. Love that, love that. It says, Zaydan, I would genuinely I would genuinely sacrifice a human for being for you. Violet in my head were best friends. It says Taryn, smash. It says Dane, Smash. Riddick, smash. Garrick, smash. Arik, you guessed it. Smash. The unreal development of the side characters. Vi and Zaydan's love, the plot, the story, the setting. Everything was Chef's Kiss despite leaving me with more fucking questions than Iron Flame. Ugh, so obsessed. Nothing compares. I like that review. That was really funny. So funny. I love the reviews for that. But literally same. I'm like, where do we go? What a series. What a fucking series. I'm so excited. I can't believe there's two more books that aren't out.

SPEAKER_00

See, but I love that. I love the series. Yeah. I just love how so much was in it. So like that last review, like really hit it on the nail, or whatever they say. Yeah. Because everybody did grow. Like you got to know all the side characters even more. Yeah. Love that. Oh my god, no. And Mira almost dying. Also, that was like a big thing. I mean, say that. Mira almost fucking dying. She slit her throat.

SPEAKER_01

No, no. Theophany slicing her throat. No, no, no. That's when I texted you. I'm outside. Like I had to take a lap. Yeah. I'm like, I I can't be right here. Like, I need to go outside and figure out what the fuck is happening. And Brennan came to save her. Thank fucking God. With Sloan. Yeah, that was a whole thing that we didn't even cover. Yeah. So many things.

SPEAKER_00

Too many things. No, the one when I sent you this picture was when um Segael saved her. Like when she was like, put her arms up and thought Taryn was gonna happen. And it was freaking Segail. I was like, thank God. That was so good. Yeah, that was so fucking good. I love that. Oh my god, there were so many things. Now we wait and hope it comes out the end of the year.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, maybe early 27. Yeah. But I mean, I guess we're gonna have to reread the books to remember everything. I guess we're gonna have to.

SPEAKER_00

I think you're twisting my arm. I know, but it was so good.

SPEAKER_01

Really like the series. This was really, really good.

SPEAKER_00

I'm excited to keep the romances going. I have to say this series over Quicksilver. Like 100% now. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's Krimstone really like wasn't at all that good.

SPEAKER_01

I yeah, I agree. But I also feel like I was thinking about it, like what makes this like really like why am I so into it? And I really do think it's like the whole like dragons and magic and signet aspect of it.

SPEAKER_00

Everybody kind of has their own thing. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And just the action. It was so fucking good. It was so fucking good. God bless. Thank you, Rebecca. Thanks, Rebecca. Don't listen to anybody else, obviously. Please write your next one. Don't don't listen to the people sending hate from Ohio. Ohio doesn't exist anymore. No. We're good, we're good. All right. So I guess that's it, huh? Yeah. It was so good. We were wrapping it up. I'm happy we read it. Yep. Yeah. All right. Read responsibly or don't.