I clicked on this so fast 😂. I’m very glad you read it even if it wasn’t your favorite. I loved the dragons the most too! I gave it a 4 star mostly for the dragons and because of the nostalgia like you said. I say keep the tradition going and read the 2nd book on the release date for the 3rd one 😉 lol.
I’m so glad you didn’t absolutely hate it. I’m in the middle of Iron Flame and I feel like there’s a lot less Xaden and no perspective from him so far.
I am a fantasy reader, and I loved Fourth Wing - but you HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD with WHY I love it so much. It made me feel the way I felt in my early 20s reading the big middle grade and YA fantasies/dystopians. It's also written very accessibly compared to some high fantasies, so that may have helped it gain a wider audience. The dragons were great. There was a lot of cringy elements, but I was just having such an entertaining time, it didn't matter to me. Fourth Wing is my first romantasy, so I have nothing to compare to it (should I try SJM? lol). I am about to start Iron Flame tonight, and I just hope to be entertained again, but I am a little afraid. I super appreciate what you said that you should try things outside your comfort zone because you never know what you may find. I'm usually a lit fit, historical fic, fantasy/magical realism, and fantasy with touches of horror person - but channels like yours encourage me to try thrillers, horror and some romances. PS: I just finished The Last Word this afternoon and WHY is that not Goodreads Choice awards nominee - I thought that was a great read! (and like I said, I find it challenging to get really into a lot of domestic thrillers).
Ah! I’m soo happy you read it!! Honestly, I was NOT a fan of the narrator so I quickly made the decision to read it physically and I LOVED it so much. I’m about the finally start Iron Flame tomorrow! 🤗 I would loveeee to see you try out more fantasy!! 🤞🏼
I think you'd enjoy Eragon way more, and it feels like this one is a low budget version of Eragon (the inheritance cycle) and a lot of the themes in the this boo seem copy pasted from Eragon. Eragon series has so much more action and dragons and their personalities are fit here explored and their connection with their Rider
I had the same thought that it reminded me the most of Divergent. Although I thought it kind of pulled from a few of those nostalgic YA series’. Like the magic school aspect of Harry Potter, the cadets killing each other off in an effort to take out the “weakest links” reminded me a bit of Hunger Games, and then obviously the quadrants reminded me of the factions in Divergent.
I don't really read fantasy either, this book would absolutely not be for me, but I'm glad you found things that you enjoyed in it. I actually tried a fantasy book called "The Night Ship" by Jess Kidd earlier this month, I really liked it/gave it 4.5 stars, but I expected two kids across time meeting on a flying boat and kicking ass together, and it...definitely wasn't that lol was very much a historical fiction with a few hints of fantasy thrown in, so if that's something you think you'd enjoy I'd recommend that as a lite fantasy read. Great vlog as usual, thanks!
I’m one of the ones who loved Fourth Wing, and I just Finished Iron Flame and loved that one too! Iron Flame does have more dragon stuff and it reads more adult then YA so you may enjoy it more. Great video!!
Hi Gabby! By far, my favorite review of Fourth Wing. You had me rolling! 😂 I thought Fourth Wing was severely overhyped. I gave the book 2 stars. I liked the first half, but the second half was not my bag. This book had way too many stereotypical fantasy and romance troupes. I don't know how the hell this series is going to continue on for four more books? I will read Iron Flame to see if the story gets any better, if it doesn't, I'm done.
Thank you so much for the vlog! I'm still kind of weary of trying it. Maybe that will be a 2024 goal. I get what you mean about series. Unless it's a romance series or cozy mystery series, I like to wait for all the books to come out because I can't remember what happened.
I always love your reviews of books. Also, Tank is adorable! I am/was a huge fan of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Maze Runner so because you said this book made you think of those young adult fantasies makes me want to read it, but I'm also not sure if it's something I would enjoy now that I am in my 30's. Maybe I am too old for these types of books!
Thank you for this vlog! I got to page 65 and couldn't bring myself to be even slightly interested, so I watched all your spoilers and don't feel like I need to force myself to read the book anymore lol
Thank you for reading this book. I was interested in knowing what the big fuss was about, but not interested enough to actually read the book myself. So I am very grateful you read it so I don't have to.
Good video! I DNF Fourth Wing twice. Not really into fantasy books these days and it's definitely young adultish. Also very long! Good for you for finishing it!
If you like fairy tales at all, which I don't know that you do, I wold recommend the Carival trilogy by Stephanie Garber. It has a good sister relationship. I am not a big fantasy reader and these books were fun for me.
lol I just finished this book today after starting the audio yesterday. I also felt meh about it but gave it a 4.5. I kept forgetting it was New Adult and wasn’t YA as well. I am reading (listening to) the second one now and it’s much more action Also I keep describing this book to people as “Grown Up How To Train Your Dragon”
I’ve been reading A Natural History of Dragons. It’s a fictional memoir series like the Veronica speedwell mystery novels. So good, lots of dragon info and little to no world building because it’s pretty much the same as in England in the Victorian era.
I love this vlog and review! So accurate. I think it is nostalgia because there definitely are some better fantasy books out there. But... I do have iron flame and will read it!
This was truly the content I never would have expected from GabbyReads but I'm so here for it!!! Idk why but I have no interest in Forth Wing and after all its hype I am even more disinterested 😅😅😅 My friends say it's my toxic trait to not want to read popular/hyped books lol. Gabby came for the romance but stayed for the dragons 😂
NOOOO Gabby there are so many amazing fantasy books out there this book definitely does not represent the fantasy genre AT ALL!!! 😭😭 You picked the worst of the worst 😂 but I'm glad you had fun reading it ❤️
People can read whatever they want. This book is fantasy romance and not straight fantasy so of course it’s not going to represent the fantasy genre. And as far as fantasy romance goes, this book is definitely NOT the worst of the worst, in my opinion.
I just recently read "Fourth Wing" and it's definitely not a well written masterpiece or anything but I did enjoy my time reading it. I agree with what you said about it reminding you of the time of "Divergent" and "Hunger Games" and for that reason it was almost very nostalgic for me. The romance between Violet and Xayden was very cringe but something I can overlook for the time being. I'm going to read the second one and see where it goes from there.
Fourth Wing for me was fun - if you don't read it too critically, it was pretty entertaining. I just finished Iron Flame however, and oh my... part 1 was boring, and part 2 was unhinged - and not in a good way. The entire second book is Violet's POV, except for the last chapter (like it was in Fourth Wing). I think only absolute die hard fans will love this second book; other's might DNF before the halfway point as it's unnecessarily long. I think it's going to get a lot of three stars.
I agree that fantasy books that have too much world building can be a lot. I enjoyed this book too, especially the dragons. It wasn’t complex, it was good just for what it was 😊
One off my all time favorite books is The city of dreaming book by Walter Moers, it a book for those who love books and reading. Optimus Yarnspinner, a young Zamonian writer, inherits very little from his beloved godfather apart from an unpublished short story by an unknown author. This manuscript proves to be such a superb piece of writing that he can't resist the temptation to investigate the mystery surrounding the author's identity. The trail takes him to the City of Dreaming Books. After falling under the spell of this book-obsessed metropolis; Yarnspinner also falls into the clutches of its evil genius, Pfistomel Smyke, who treacherously maroons him in the city's labyrinthine catacombs. He finds himself in a subterranean world where reading books can be genuinely dangerous, where ruthless Bookhunters fight to the death for literary gems and the mysterious Shadow King rules a murky realm populated by Booklings, one-eyed beings whose vast library includes live books equipped with teeth and claws. And the book is beautifully illuminated by the author.
I was the same way! I thought this book was YA before that first sex scene and I literally had to go back and reread the front flap that says "20 year old Violet Sorrengail" I was like "Oh right, she's 20"
I loved you vlog. Like you, I loved the dragons most, and I found the romance cringy . But I did give the book 5 stars and now that I think about it, it was because of how fast paced it was and how much I enjoyed the fantasy . I’m not a huge fantasy reader so I found this very interesting. And probably like you said it was the nostalgia of reading the hunger games and divergent. We haven’t had any books like them in a while.
I loved fourth wing n i thought dain was soo annoying lol i wanted dain to go away 😂😂😂 and im in the middle of iron flame im about 241 pages in the way i gasp at the end of 25 chapter n im loving it so far n we dont get xadens pov at in this book until the last chapter n thats about it but so far im lovin it and
I do read fantasy but im starting to read it less and getting into thrillers more I dont think I will be picking this one up but enjoyed your thoughts on it 😊
I actually enjoyed the book overall surprisingly! I think it’s because like you said, the nostalgia. I do agree about the cheesiness as well but putting that aside I had a good time reading it. I think it was just the enjoyment factor and it kept me engaged. Violet was annoying though and did read like a 16 year old lol
Your introduction on why you're not a fantasy reader is so me too... I've tried time and time again but its just not for me...the only thing that works was HP...and it was looong time ago..
I just ordered a copy of fourth wing and I'm going to read it. If I like fourth wing then I'll order iron flame and read it too. I heard iron flame is not good.
I read this before all the hype, and I did not think it was that great. I would also give it 3 stars. I loved the dragons and that’s about it! lol I don’t think I’ll read the 2nd book.
I'm so happy that you read this. 😄😄It's one of my favorites of the year. I actually ranked this higher than some of my most anticipated books, which shocked even me. I think it's fine that you don't like medieval fantasy.🏰 I think a lot of people are tired of it. I'm not a romance girlie. I only read this one because Daniel Greene read it on his channel. I was so surprised when I realized how much I loved it. For someone like me who reads a lot of large fantasy series and a couple thrillers in between to break them up, this book was a great pallet cleanser. Spoilers: The two top romance tropes I hate are enemies to lovers and love triangles. I think the major reason I didn't mind either trope in this book is because they were both addressed either early on. Dean was a jerk, so it was obvious to me that she would end up with Xaden. And since Xaden went from enemy to an unwilling bodyguard, I wasn't too upset with how it all turned out. I did like the banter between them, and I liked that the dragons constantly picked on them for having feelings for the other. I love fantasy books that are set in a school. And the dragons were really cool. My only true grip with this book is that we didn't get to go deeper into the lore of Navarre. I always want to know as much about the world in every fantasy I read and this one was no different. And while we understand the fundamentals, I feel like we could have gone deeper.
I think if you would like to dip your toe into fantasy a bit more, I’d recommend Legends and Lattes. Now you have to remember that story is not action driven. But I think you may like it because you like doing cozy things at times. And honestly it’s not huge on the fantasy plot. You may try it.
I am admittedly a Fourth Wing hater (I DNFed it before we even got to the dragons; I didn't like the writing style and thought the worldbuilding & plot was really weak), but I also struggle with the fact that as of late, Rebecca Yarros has shared some opinions on her Instagram and done some interviews that show ignorance and disrespect at best about current world situations and the cultures and languages she features in her books. I was all for Fourth Wing getting people back into fantasy novels, but now hearing the hype for Iron Flame when Yarros has proven to be problematic just makes me wince.
I would've been interested in this except that you said there were some graphic sex scenes and that is not usually my jam. I love dragons (i want to nostalgia reread eragon. Loved that series as a kid) but I'm not huge on romance/sex scenes in most books
The dragons are indeed the best part. I read this a few months ago and could not understand the hype at all. I think the fanbase must be romance readers, because I've noticed in reviews that fantasy readers, like myself, see all the glaring problems with the world-building and the stakes involved. For a much better written fantasy book with dragons, I recommend Fireborne by Rosaria Munda.
This new genre of New Adult is super weird. I do like the Young Adult pace, but I do wish the characters were more mature. Overall, I enjoyed the book enough to read the next one. I did enjoy the dragons and the ending was pretty strong.
I totally agreed with you on the parts you liked and disliked. They could have kept all the romance and guys out of it and it would have been the same or better. It did read ya but i know they made it adult cause they wanted the sex stuff in it etc...I did give it a high rating cause i enjoyed the book cause of the atmoshere and the dragons. Glad you read it too. smiles.
I dnf'd the audiobook at 65%. I don't typically read fantasy but was suffering from FOMO. It felt like Game of Thrones meets How To Train Your Dragon, but not nearly as good. I didn't like the characters, I didn't feel the romance vibes, and I didn't really follow the story very well. They are creating an army to fight in a war, but at the same time, fighting and killing each other during practice, therefore depleating the very army you're trying to create? Maybe due to my lack of interest, I missed out on important plot points. Idk, it just missed the mark for me. Lol
"The idea of reading about dragons makes me fall asleep" 😅 ... that line made me chuckle out loud, as another non-fantasy reader.
I always love seeing tank cuddle up with you while you’re reading it’s so sweet ❤🥺
Thank you for all the spoilers because I’m never reading this book. I just know I would hate it 😂
Same!
Lol. I hated it so much. It’s been done just over and over and over. Shit can we please move on. 😆
Same 🤣🤣
same!
lmaooo me too
An interesting idea could be for you to do a' try a fantasy series vlog' like once or twice a year. Its a very diverse genre.
The dragons are dragoning 😂😂🐉
Was looking for this comment!
🐉🐲🐉🐲🐉🐲🐉🐲🐉
I clicked on this so fast 😂. I’m very glad you read it even if it wasn’t your favorite. I loved the dragons the most too! I gave it a 4 star mostly for the dragons and because of the nostalgia like you said.
I say keep the tradition going and read the 2nd book on the release date for the 3rd one 😉 lol.
I’m so glad you didn’t absolutely hate it. I’m in the middle of Iron Flame and I feel like there’s a lot less Xaden and no perspective from him so far.
I feel that if you liked the dragons and how they communicate, you might like Eragon. Everything you liked about this is done even better in it.
the dragons are definitely the best part
I always look so forward to your videos - love the book reviews but very much enjoy when you talk about what you’re doing that day,etc. fun😊
I am a fantasy reader, and I loved Fourth Wing - but you HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD with WHY I love it so much. It made me feel the way I felt in my early 20s reading the big middle grade and YA fantasies/dystopians. It's also written very accessibly compared to some high fantasies, so that may have helped it gain a wider audience. The dragons were great. There was a lot of cringy elements, but I was just having such an entertaining time, it didn't matter to me. Fourth Wing is my first romantasy, so I have nothing to compare to it (should I try SJM? lol). I am about to start Iron Flame tonight, and I just hope to be entertained again, but I am a little afraid. I super appreciate what you said that you should try things outside your comfort zone because you never know what you may find. I'm usually a lit fit, historical fic, fantasy/magical realism, and fantasy with touches of horror person - but channels like yours encourage me to try thrillers, horror and some romances. PS: I just finished The Last Word this afternoon and WHY is that not Goodreads Choice awards nominee - I thought that was a great read! (and like I said, I find it challenging to get really into a lot of domestic thrillers).
I’m so glad you gave it a chance. It was great reading it just after you did!
The dragons were dragoning 😂😂😂 best explanation ever!!! ❤❤❤
Ah! I’m soo happy you read it!! Honestly, I was NOT a fan of the narrator so I quickly made the decision to read it physically and I LOVED it so much. I’m about the finally start Iron Flame tomorrow! 🤗
I would loveeee to see you try out more fantasy!! 🤞🏼
Never clicked on a video SO FAST! 🤭🤭🤭
I think you'd enjoy Eragon way more, and it feels like this one is a low budget version of Eragon (the inheritance cycle) and a lot of the themes in the this boo seem copy pasted from Eragon. Eragon series has so much more action and dragons and their personalities are fit here explored and their connection with their Rider
That sandwich looked incredible I’m so jealous omg 😂
I had the same thought that it reminded me the most of Divergent. Although I thought it kind of pulled from a few of those nostalgic YA series’. Like the magic school aspect of Harry Potter, the cadets killing each other off in an effort to take out the “weakest links” reminded me a bit of Hunger Games, and then obviously the quadrants reminded me of the factions in Divergent.
Same! I gave it a 3. I loved the dragons! The smut I could do without.
This video is so much fun! Glad you found it entertaining, even if it wasn’t great. I’m definitely going to give it a try!
Oh my gosh this is going to be FUN
I love fantasy. I just finished Fourth Wing... read it straight through. Immediately put the next book on hold at the library. Can't wait.
So glad you read the book & gave full spoilers so I didn't have to read it🙈
I don't really read fantasy either, this book would absolutely not be for me, but I'm glad you found things that you enjoyed in it. I actually tried a fantasy book called "The Night Ship" by Jess Kidd earlier this month, I really liked it/gave it 4.5 stars, but I expected two kids across time meeting on a flying boat and kicking ass together, and it...definitely wasn't that lol was very much a historical fiction with a few hints of fantasy thrown in, so if that's something you think you'd enjoy I'd recommend that as a lite fantasy read. Great vlog as usual, thanks!
Love watching you read this and I’m in the middle of Iron Flame just chuckling..because I know what’s coming for Dain 😂
This was so interesting hearing all your thoughts!!
When the dragons hit the page, the book gets so much better ☺️🐉
Thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts because I felt the exact same way 😂 also gave it 3 stars and don’t know if I’ll read the next one
I love your hair!!! Looks so cute on you!
Thank you!!
I’m one of the ones who loved Fourth Wing, and I just Finished Iron Flame and loved that one too! Iron Flame does have more dragon stuff and it reads more adult then YA so you may enjoy it more. Great video!!
I’m not a fantasy reader either BUT I loved this book! ❤ Cant wait to get the sequel!
I love fantasy but I couldn’t get through this one so I’m interested to hear what you think as a non-fantasy reader!!!
Hi Gabby! By far, my favorite review of Fourth Wing. You had me rolling! 😂
I thought Fourth Wing was severely overhyped. I gave the book 2 stars. I liked the first half, but the second half was not my bag. This book had way too many stereotypical fantasy and romance troupes. I don't know how the hell this series is going to continue on for four more books? I will read Iron Flame to see if the story gets any better, if it doesn't, I'm done.
Thank you so much for the vlog! I'm still kind of weary of trying it. Maybe that will be a 2024 goal. I get what you mean about series. Unless it's a romance series or cozy mystery series, I like to wait for all the books to come out because I can't remember what happened.
my favorite book ever. so glad you read it
I hate fantasy but i LOVED fourth wing. And i was so so so shocked!
I always love your reviews of books. Also, Tank is adorable! I am/was a huge fan of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Maze Runner so because you said this book made you think of those young adult fantasies makes me want to read it, but I'm also not sure if it's something I would enjoy now that I am in my 30's. Maybe I am too old for these types of books!
You all are truly selling me on Fourth Wing 😂🤣 might have to pick it up!
Thank you for this vlog! I got to page 65 and couldn't bring myself to be even slightly interested, so I watched all your spoilers and don't feel like I need to force myself to read the book anymore lol
I love love love your reviews, I have laughed so hard 🤣🤣👏🏽
I agree with you on the dragons. They were my favorite part of the story.
Thank you for reading this book. I was interested in knowing what the big fuss was about, but not interested enough to actually read the book myself. So I am very grateful you read it so I don't have to.
omg haha! I loved this book so much! Read the second one please!!!!
Good video! I DNF Fourth Wing twice. Not really into fantasy books these days and it's definitely young adultish. Also very long! Good for you for finishing it!
If you like fairy tales at all, which I don't know that you do, I wold recommend the Carival trilogy by Stephanie Garber. It has a good sister relationship. I am not a big fantasy reader and these books were fun for me.
I screamed so loundly when i saw you listen to is it over now? I scared my dog 😂😂
14:45 this is so true for me when it comes to fantasy!
lol I just finished this book today after starting the audio yesterday. I also felt meh about it but gave it a 4.5. I kept forgetting it was New Adult and wasn’t YA as well. I am reading (listening to) the second one now and it’s much more action
Also I keep describing this book to people as “Grown Up How To Train Your Dragon”
I’ve been reading A Natural History of Dragons. It’s a fictional memoir series like the Veronica speedwell mystery novels. So good, lots of dragon info and little to no world building because it’s pretty much the same as in England in the Victorian era.
I love this vlog and review! So accurate. I think it is nostalgia because there definitely are some better fantasy books out there. But... I do have iron flame and will read it!
You liked it so much more than I thought you would! And honestly you’re right, the dragons were the star of the show 🐉
I haven't read it. But if you want to get into fantasy once upon a broken heart is amazing. I'm not a big fantasy reader and I loved it
This was truly the content I never would have expected from GabbyReads but I'm so here for it!!! Idk why but I have no interest in Forth Wing and after all its hype I am even more disinterested 😅😅😅 My friends say it's my toxic trait to not want to read popular/hyped books lol.
Gabby came for the romance but stayed for the dragons 😂
I still need to find a copy of this 😤
NOOOO Gabby there are so many amazing fantasy books out there this book definitely does not represent the fantasy genre AT ALL!!! 😭😭 You picked the worst of the worst 😂 but I'm glad you had fun reading it ❤️
People can read whatever they want. This book is fantasy romance and not straight fantasy so of course it’s not going to represent the fantasy genre.
And as far as fantasy romance goes, this book is definitely NOT the worst of the worst, in my opinion.
I'd love to see what Gabby would make of something like mistborn. Has a romantic sub plot in it aswell.
Did you read it?
Worst of the worst dang 🤣🤣
Great vlog. I haven't read Fourth Wing. I'm a huge fantasy reader I love dragons, romance, so who knows. 📚☕🐉
I just recently read "Fourth Wing" and it's definitely not a well written masterpiece or anything but I did enjoy my time reading it. I agree with what you said about it reminding you of the time of "Divergent" and "Hunger Games" and for that reason it was almost very nostalgic for me. The romance between Violet and Xayden was very cringe but something I can overlook for the time being. I'm going to read the second one and see where it goes from there.
Fourth Wing for me was fun - if you don't read it too critically, it was pretty entertaining. I just finished Iron Flame however, and oh my... part 1 was boring, and part 2 was unhinged - and not in a good way. The entire second book is Violet's POV, except for the last chapter (like it was in Fourth Wing). I think only absolute die hard fans will love this second book; other's might DNF before the halfway point as it's unnecessarily long. I think it's going to get a lot of three stars.
i would love to see you give diviners a try, it has mystery elements as well so you might like it, and the audio book is good
I love the diviners books
I think you would like Divine Rivals😊
I agree that fantasy books that have too much world building can be a lot. I enjoyed this book too, especially the dragons. It wasn’t complex, it was good just for what it was 😊
One off my all time favorite books is The city of dreaming book by Walter Moers, it a book for those who love books and reading.
Optimus Yarnspinner, a young Zamonian writer, inherits very little from his beloved godfather apart from an unpublished short story by an unknown author. This manuscript proves to be such a superb piece of writing that he can't resist the temptation to investigate the mystery surrounding the author's identity. The trail takes him to the City of Dreaming Books.
After falling under the spell of this book-obsessed metropolis; Yarnspinner also falls into the clutches of its evil genius, Pfistomel Smyke, who treacherously maroons him in the city's labyrinthine catacombs. He finds himself in a subterranean world where reading books can be genuinely dangerous, where ruthless Bookhunters fight to the death for literary gems and the mysterious Shadow King rules a murky realm populated by Booklings, one-eyed beings whose vast library includes live books equipped with teeth and claws.
And the book is beautifully illuminated by the author.
A Court of Thorn of Roses is probably my favorite fantasy, but it has romance that l liked, since I'm not a fantasy person either
Lol we need a dragon vlog now 🐉
Yes I tried with the audiobook and I hated it. This confirms the books isn’t better for me. Thanks for letting us know your thoughts.
I was the same way! I thought this book was YA before that first sex scene and I literally had to go back and reread the front flap that says "20 year old Violet Sorrengail" I was like "Oh right, she's 20"
I loved you vlog. Like you, I loved the dragons most, and I found the romance cringy . But I did give the book 5 stars and now that I think about it, it was because of how fast paced it was and how much I enjoyed the fantasy . I’m not a huge fantasy reader so I found this very interesting. And probably like you said it was the nostalgia of reading the hunger games and divergent. We haven’t had any books like them in a while.
I loved fourth wing n i thought dain was soo annoying lol i wanted dain to go away 😂😂😂 and im in the middle of iron flame im about 241 pages in the way i gasp at the end of 25 chapter n im loving it so far n we dont get xadens pov at in this book until the last chapter n thats about it but so far im lovin it and
Good morning Gabby happy Monday morning and I hope you having amazing day today and I loved your vlogs and you are amazing Supporter
I do read fantasy but im starting to read it less and getting into thrillers more
I dont think I will be picking this one up but enjoyed your thoughts on it 😊
You might like One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns ,great Gothic fantasy!
Divine Rivals was super good too!
i didnt care about the romance but the DRAGONS THO 🥰🥰
The ending was sooo random and I disliked the narrator change. His POV was honestly so weird to me LOL I’m so glad you mentioned that
I will say! I agreed it was overhyped …the romance drove me bananas. But I enjoyed the 2nd book much more. The romance improved.
Anything by Brandon Sanderson is amazing. His Mistborn series is 👌👌
I actually enjoyed the book overall surprisingly! I think it’s because like you said, the nostalgia. I do agree about the cheesiness as well but putting that aside I had a good time reading it. I think it was just the enjoyment factor and it kept me engaged. Violet was annoying though and did read like a 16 year old lol
Totally agree with everything hahah
Your introduction on why you're not a fantasy reader is so me too... I've tried time and time again but its just not for me...the only thing that works was HP...and it was looong time ago..
I dnfd this book
Not my genre either but I had to read. Gave it 3 ⭐️ too
Omggg no wayyyy!
I’m glad you enjoyed some aspect of it! I love FW, & currently am about an hour from the ending of iron flame. I’m obsessed lol
I’m not really a fantasy reader either, but I did like Fourth Wing!
I just ordered a copy of fourth wing and I'm going to read it. If I like fourth wing then I'll order iron flame and read it too. I heard iron flame is not good.
I read this before all the hype, and I did not think it was that great. I would also give it 3 stars. I loved the dragons and that’s about it! lol I don’t think I’ll read the 2nd book.
I'm so happy that you read this. 😄😄It's one of my favorites of the year. I actually ranked this higher than some of my most anticipated books, which shocked even me. I think it's fine that you don't like medieval fantasy.🏰 I think a lot of people are tired of it.
I'm not a romance girlie. I only read this one because Daniel Greene read it on his channel. I was so surprised when I realized how much I loved it. For someone like me who reads a lot of large fantasy series and a couple thrillers in between to break them up, this book was a great pallet cleanser.
Spoilers:
The two top romance tropes I hate are enemies to lovers and love triangles. I think the major reason I didn't mind either trope in this book is because they were both addressed either early on. Dean was a jerk, so it was obvious to me that she would end up with Xaden. And since Xaden went from enemy to an unwilling bodyguard, I wasn't too upset with how it all turned out. I did like the banter between them, and I liked that the dragons constantly picked on them for having feelings for the other.
I love fantasy books that are set in a school. And the dragons were really cool. My only true grip with this book is that we didn't get to go deeper into the lore of Navarre. I always want to know as much about the world in every fantasy I read and this one was no different. And while we understand the fundamentals, I feel like we could have gone deeper.
I think if you would like to dip your toe into fantasy a bit more, I’d recommend Legends and Lattes. Now you have to remember that story is not action driven. But I think you may like it because you like doing cozy things at times. And honestly it’s not huge on the fantasy plot. You may try it.
Hai. You should try reading Brandon Sanderson. 😊 the world building, the characters, and the storyline super epic. 😊
Hey Gabby, are you aware of the influencer space boycotting St. Martin’s Publishing? Curious about your thoughts!
Mistborn!!!!!!
A lot what you said about book is how I would reviewed it. I gave it 3 stars to,
Not Gabby embarking on her fantasy girly journey 😃🤭🥳😄❤️👏👏👏
I am admittedly a Fourth Wing hater (I DNFed it before we even got to the dragons; I didn't like the writing style and thought the worldbuilding & plot was really weak), but I also struggle with the fact that as of late, Rebecca Yarros has shared some opinions on her Instagram and done some interviews that show ignorance and disrespect at best about current world situations and the cultures and languages she features in her books. I was all for Fourth Wing getting people back into fantasy novels, but now hearing the hype for Iron Flame when Yarros has proven to be problematic just makes me wince.
I would've been interested in this except that you said there were some graphic sex scenes and that is not usually my jam. I love dragons (i want to nostalgia reread eragon. Loved that series as a kid) but I'm not huge on romance/sex scenes in most books
The dragons are indeed the best part. I read this a few months ago and could not understand the hype at all. I think the fanbase must be romance readers, because I've noticed in reviews that fantasy readers, like myself, see all the glaring problems with the world-building and the stakes involved. For a much better written fantasy book with dragons, I recommend Fireborne by Rosaria Munda.
This new genre of New Adult is super weird. I do like the Young Adult pace, but I do wish the characters were more mature. Overall, I enjoyed the book enough to read the next one. I did enjoy the dragons and the ending was pretty strong.
I dnf-ed it at 68%. I tried and tried to connect with this book and I had high hopes but I didn't like it.
I totally agreed with you on the parts you liked and disliked. They could have kept all the romance and guys out of it and it would have been the same or better. It did read ya but i know they made it adult cause they wanted the sex stuff in it etc...I did give it a high rating cause i enjoyed the book cause of the atmoshere and the dragons. Glad you read it too. smiles.
I dnf'd the audiobook at 65%. I don't typically read fantasy but was suffering from FOMO. It felt like Game of Thrones meets How To Train Your Dragon, but not nearly as good. I didn't like the characters, I didn't feel the romance vibes, and I didn't really follow the story very well. They are creating an army to fight in a war, but at the same time, fighting and killing each other during practice, therefore depleating the very army you're trying to create? Maybe due to my lack of interest, I missed out on important plot points. Idk, it just missed the mark for me. Lol
I feel really validated by Gabby hating the nickname Violence at the end, because I found it so annoying, and not cute at all!
I’m glad your enjoying it ya I couldn’t stand Dane Je sucks so badly drove me crazy lol 😂