SYNOPSIS

In college, there are four paths to choose from: a Scribe, Healer, Rider, or Infantry. Violet wanted to be a Scribe when she grew up. Her father was a Scribe and they’d spend time together in the Archives, reading stories and studying up on history.

After he died from a broken heart caused by her brother Brennan’s death, Violet’s mother, who is high up in the military, decided Violet would actually switch paths and become a Rider. She’s a Sorrengail after all. It doesn’t matter that Riders have a high death rate or that she’s disabled, constantly breaking bones and dislocating joints.

Now Violet must switch gears and fight to survive in a cutthroat environment where everyone knows her name because of her mother and sister’s status. What could possibly happen?

RECAP AND REVIEW

This is the first book in a romance fantasy series. It’s told in the first person perspective mostly by Violet. The story follows Violet’s journey to graduation, struggling to learn, train, and not die by other cadets or dragons who flesh out those they consider weak.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book even among all its hype. It helped that I managed my expectations and read a review that critiqued it. The world building was nice. The way information was told didn’t feel like a lecture to me, though there are pockets of information throughout the entire book. The plot kept me engaged and the pacing was great.

Violet is a typical “chosen one” character defying the odds stacked against her. She’s “weak” and becomes “strong” and though that trope usually annoys me, I think it was executed fine here. I was surprised to read a little accommodation that occurs in the second half of the story because we’re so used to characters gaining power and shedding what had them othered in the first place. It was refreshing that she wasn’t cured, though who knows what’ll happen in the next book with the way this ended.

Xaden is a typical brooding, mysterious, but caring type that carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. He is powerful and one of many children of declared traitors, which others him. Violet is warned to stay away with him so inevitably she doesn’t.

The romance between Xaden and Violet you could see coming from a mile away. It’s sort of enemies to friends to lovers. It’s annoying that Violet always questioned his intentions. Their back and forth didn’t bother me so much because it makes sense why Xaden was so conflicted about her. However, their relationship felt rushed in the end.

Speaking of annoying, Dain is the worst, as intentioned. He is selfish, power hungry, and hides behind feigned sympathy. Real friends advise but they also support and trust when someone makes a choice for how they want to live their life. I don’t think what he did in the end was out of character. He was always honest with where he stood in regards to his rank, the rules, and his goals. He is law abiding and would put the mission over his personal feelings.

There are a few twists throughout the book. One of them didn’t surprise me but some of them did. It’ll be interesting to see what the next book brings because it’s going in a slightly different direction than I anticipated.

The dragons are important but kind of separate from the story. The Threshing, bonding of dragons, was made to be a big deal and though it was a spectacle, we didn’t get to see the relationships between the rider and dragon develop. I also didn’t like how snarky the relationship between Violet and her dragon are. Like y’all just met. I actually didn’t like how much sarcasm was in the book in the first place. At times, the attitude and defiance felt forced.

OVERALL

Overall I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I wish we knew more about the dragon’s politics and how they operate. I’m interested to see what happens next because it’ll either be more of the same tropes which will get stale, or be completely different. I liked how it ended so it gives me hope.

I’d recommend coming into this book thinking of it as romance forward and not so focused on dragons.