March 24, 2025 • 40 mins
Bookclub is BACK!! and it is FILLED with SPOILERS!!
This is the first half of Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros where we have read from the beginning to chapter 28 (read chapter 28 and STOP before 29)
We dive halfway through Rebecca Yarros' Onyx Storm, exploring its shift from romance-focused to military-heavy storytelling and what it means for the series.
• First impressions range from "surprisingly good" to disappointment with the military focus
• Confusion about characters and military ranks creates reading challenges
• Violet and Zayden's relationship evolves into a more compelling slow-burn due to his Venin status
• Taryn's diminished role in this installment disappoints fans of the dragon-rider relationship
• The search for Andarna's family drives the main plot but sometimes feels disconnected
• Character growth, especially Violet's increased confidence and power, stands out as a strength
• Theories about Violet potentially having a second signet or different parentage emerge
• Inconsistent pacing with unexpected time jumps between chapters
• Final chapters of the first half show more promise and momentum
Cover Art by: Fabienne and Jordan
Contact email: thebookishhourpod@gmail.com
Intro/Outro music: Season Two: Ramaramaray by Aiyo via Epidemic Sound Season One: Sweet Psycho via TikTok’s Offical Sound Studio on Capcut
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jordan (00:07):
welcome to the bookish hour with jor and fab, silent um
, I feel like we should justdive right into the book shall
we I think we shall.
Fabienne (00:17):
I think we shall wait, give me your first three
thoughts about this book AboutOnyx Storm by Rebecca Yaros, by
the way, oh my gosh.
Jordan (00:27):
Part one which is reading from the beginning to
chapter 28.
So read 28,.
Stop at 29.
We're discussing the first halfof the book.
I want you to go first.
Fabienne (00:43):
Okay, I'm going to go first.
Okay, I'm going to cheat here,okay, and I'm going to use two
of those three words asbasically one descriptor
Surprisingly good, okay.
And actually in the fourth oneOkay, fuck this.
(01:03):
And more military focused.
Oh, actually in the fourth oneokay, fuck this, um and more
military focused.
That might not make completesense maybe it does, maybe it
doesn't, um, but likesurprisingly good, because I
wasn't expecting it to be likethis um type of storyline after
(01:25):
um iron flame.
To be really completely honestwith you, um, and I like how
much plot heavy it is as opposedto the romance from like iron
flame.
So yes, why are?
Jordan (01:48):
you waiting um oh my god , you hated it I didn't hate it,
oh, but I'm not enjoying it asmuch as I thought I would be.
At this point, I do have to saythe last three chapters really
sucked me in, like when theywent to the aisle and are like
(02:14):
fucking around trying to findlike a Goldie dragons, like
family, so, and then like thehow the King was like kill them
all.
And then like I liked that.
That.
I like that it's not the backand forth, like I like this
conflict of zayden and violetwhere they can't be together
(02:37):
because he's like venon and helike doesn't want to kill her.
So I like that back and forthof the, instead of it being like
like I love you, I don't loveyou, I love you.
You just need to tell me Like.
I feel like that was tough inIron Flame.
But if we were not reading thisfor the podcast, I'm pretty
(02:59):
sure I would be in single digitchapters still.
The only reason I was pickingit up to read it was to meet
this deadline today.
Fabienne (03:09):
So no it didn't work for you.
Jordan (03:13):
Yeah, but not in a like super bad way.
But there were, I am thinkingin my head, knowing I have to
pick this up.
I was like fuck, I really wantto read this book.
I really want to read this bookright now, but I also don't
want to be spoiled on anything,so, like it is good that I'm
reading it.
I'm just and maybe I likesecretly didn't have low
(03:35):
expectations and I still hadhigher ones.
I am so confused with all thedifferent characters.
Fabienne (03:43):
I swear more were introduced.
Jordan (03:47):
Also, you just sent me that reel of like how the map
doesn't have any of the isles,which I agree, uh-huh.
But you know his province, likeZayden's province, that was
gifted back to—well, not gifted,but was given back to him.
Yeah, and Lewin—I think that'show you pronounce it, it's like
the l-e-w-e-l-l-e-n lewin.
(04:10):
Um, yeah, he was.
I have it here in front of me.
So zayden was saying, oh, he'sgonna be in charge.
So this whole time I thoughtthat was a, but apparently it's
a fucking place.
Fabienne (04:27):
Okay, fair, fair.
I can see the miscommunicationtrope happening in real life
here.
Jordan (04:32):
Yes, so, but he was literally like I'm gonna have
this person make decisions in mystead when I'm gone, but then
it's a fucking place.
So I'm like a little confused.
Fabienne (04:47):
I, yeah, okay okay, um , to be fair, when I sent you
that reel I was, it was more oflike a general fun thing as
opposed to look at how no, Iagree, I agree, I don't really
look at the map.
Jordan (05:05):
Oh, I didn't either.
But then, like you sending methat reel, I was like, oh, let
me look at it and then I waslike, wait, what the fuck is
this?
And I just didn't get it and Iwas like, oh well okay, question
marks bubbling and popping upall around me.
Fabienne (05:25):
Yes, I think the reason actually, because I do
agree heavily with you on thefront of that.
I have no idea who like 70% ofthe characters are, but I think
that's actually and I saw this,I saw someone say this, like on
their Instagram Also bless themfor saying that this was not an
actual like spoiler, like plotheavy spoiler, but just like a
(05:47):
syntax thing really, if you will, where in this book, because I
think that Rebecca took all oflike the, the feedback, to put
you know, like to put it mildly,like all of the criticism from
like Iron Flame and when it likedid a complete 180.
So, as for Iron Flame, this one, like I said, military focus,
like it's more like focus on thefor iron flame, this one, like
I said, military, military focus, like it's more like focus on
(06:08):
the war that's supposed to, likethat's happening or, like you
know, starting to begin.
Um, everyone is more nowtalking in rank.
Jordan (06:14):
so we have cadet soaring gale, we have cadet whatever,
we have cadet x and y um, and Ithink that also messes up like
the readers keeping track of whoeveryone is that I was gonna
say that too, because especiallywhen people like and that's
another thing I'm not totally afan of just because for the
(06:35):
whole time we don't knowanybody's last name like
everything from the first twobooks was people's first names,
and now to switch to last names,I'm like I only know violet and
zayden's last name, and then itlike you have to be careful,
because then it's likelieutenant is her sister, so it
is, and like when she's listingoff who's going to be in her
(06:59):
pack to go to one of thoseaisles yeah, she's like listing
off all these people and I waslike, oh, there it goes, I have
no idea who any of these peopleare, so I do, I.
And then I kind of I agree withyou that like makes sense, that
like it took, she took thefeedback and then have them.
(07:23):
But I do, true, but I doappreciate that it is more plot
focused and not likerelationship focused.
Like I feel like therelationship and the romance
should be like a subplot and thefocus should be like this war
(07:43):
that's starting.
I do still really love therelationship between Taryn and
Violet.
I'm sad that there was less ofthat in this book because I
lived for that, the first andthe second book.
Like it was in, like it was apretty heavy part of the first
half of the second book, so Iwas really sad to see that
(08:06):
Relationship Between them twoNot really there for this one.
Fabienne (08:13):
As if it was like Put on a back burner, so to say.
I feel like he was more of likea side character that once in a
while, just like you know, popsinto the scene, as opposed to
like one of the actual maincharacters.
I agree with you.
I think the one scene actuallywhere he kind of like took
precedence in that sense is whenthey flew through this tornado.
Um, I don't even know wherethey were actually going, but
(08:38):
they kind of like where are youalready looking for andarna?
See, I thought it was adarna,like I told you, by the way, but
it's like andarna or andarna, Idon't have a goalie little
goalie little dragon.
Yeah, that one.
I'm not sure why she even flewlike that way, because she was
alone and then all of the otherwriters and flyers were behind
(08:58):
her, or something.
Also, who, who is?
Who is griffin graham garrick?
Also, who was Griffin GrahamGarrick Garrick?
That's the one who was that.
I completely forgot who thisperson was.
Jordan (09:09):
So he, I thought he was like Zayden's, like friend, but
like they're equal, as in thesame year, right, oh.
But I know emogen, emogen,she's like scare it, because I
remember violet in fourth wingreally didn't like emote, emogen
(09:31):
, emogen, yeah, imogen, becauseshe was likeet thought she was
staring at Zayden, but she wasactually staring at Garrett, so
that's the only reason Iremember her.
I do like the one-liners thatTaryn would give, even
(09:53):
throughout this one Like,especially when the king was
coming out of the basket and helike, instead of like lifting
his bag up, he just rips it.
And Taryn's like you must haveliked him for his like common
sense or something like,something like that, and that
was funny.
Or when Zayden was like, oh,this is my consort Violet, and
(10:14):
he's like, oh, I don't know if acongratulations or
commiseration is in order, solike there were, I still laughed
out loud at like certain partshe said I just wish there were
more of them yeah, no, true, um,he still has like all of those
sarcastic one-liners.
Fabienne (10:31):
I will say then, as opposed to him, like the, like
her other dragon, I feel likeshe's I know that she's like
plot heavy, like the, the goldendragon, like you know, where
are.
We are all trying to likesearch for her in this, like in
this book, like where, like herfamily is like where the other
dragons are, like the seventhbreed, um, but I don't like her
(10:52):
as a character in the books.
She's like, she's like a tinychihuahua, she's like chihuahua
energy and I hate chihuahuas andI, I, I know.
The only thing that I did likewas when they were at this one
king, I want to say like in oneof like the, the southern isles.
(11:13):
She got the books from likethis bookstore, from her dad,
and then they visited like thisone king who apparently held,
hauled and captive, and thenandarna was holding one of the
lions, tigers, panthers whateverlike yeah, panthers and her
like, and then just like yeah,and then, just like I'm starting
(11:33):
to drool here, that part I Ithought was kind of funny.
So I I actually, yeah, I didlike the.
There was like actualwell-placed humor in this book
and that I really appreciate.
And I think, like in the lastone, like iron flame I don't
have to say that every singletime, everyone knows that the
second book was iron flame um, Idon't know, everything was just
(11:55):
like a tad off, like there wastoo much sex, there was too much
unnecessary smile at least forme, because you know it's still
like opinion based in that inthat way, um, the jokes were
like two fours.
I felt like too many storylineswere just like crammed together
into like one book.
And I also also also I rememberyou saying that you thought
(12:17):
that this series would have donebetter romantically wise if it
were a slow burn, and I thinkthis book is more of a slow burn
type of romance as opposed tothe other two.
Jordan (12:30):
No, Well, I mean yes.
What I meant is like theultimate slow burn, as in like
they wouldn't have gottentogether until like the fourth
or fifth book, Like they wouldhave still been like either
enemies or like whatnot.
But I did appreciate how theirrelationship grew in this book.
(12:53):
So how they can't be togetherbecause he's going to like lose
control.
But when they went to the aislewith no magic they could be
together.
Because he's going to like losecontrol.
But when they went to the aislewith no magic they could be
together because he could notlike pull anything because there
was no magic, so he had no likevenom in him.
So I liked that they couldfinally be together at that
(13:13):
point.
But the thing is is like to becompletely honest, like that
chapter, it was like a fullchapter.
I just skimmed the whole thingbecause, like I didn't I didn't
want the like to see the sceneand it was like it was like a 16
minute chapter.
So I was like, dude, well, I wasreading on my Kindle, so
instead of flipping pages, I waslike pass, pass, pass, pass,
pass, pass, pass, Just skimming,just skimming just skimming,
(13:40):
but I'm like I feel like, as I'mreading this one, I'm like I
want it to be like how I feltduring fourth wing, like it was
just so good and I I lived forlike reading the next chapter,
like I needed more of it.
But I don't know if it's.
Maybe I like those kind ofbooks Like I like a book where
she enters like a new area, soto say, like this war college,
(14:03):
but she was growing up to be ascribe and then she has to be
like strong, not necessarilylike physically strong, but
mentally, and and then she comesacross, she gets these drag
Like I just liked that wholedynamic of the book, that this
one.
I do like how powerful she isin this book, though, so like
(14:27):
she knows her power, and I likethat she's not like she's grown,
if that makes sense, so likeshe knows, it does make sense.
And she's like like standing herground too.
Like I appreciate that.
Fabienne (14:42):
She's basically growing more into her
personality as, like a person inthat sense, like in the books,
yeah, as opposed to what she waslike the two, you know, like
two previous ones.
Yeah, I feel like the characterarc.
Yeah, that's how you say it,right, oh yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, arc, Ithink that's.
Yeah, I think that's prettyobvious, that that's been like
implemented in this story andthat I really do appreciate.
(15:05):
Also for xayden, great xayden,xayden xayden.
Jordan (15:08):
Yeah, I sometimes pronounce the x, I don't know
yeah, no, I feel like he's beenthe same, though.
The thing is is like I haveseen a lot of people say that
they don't think forthwitten wasenemies to lovers, which, not
gonna lie, I can kind of see itlike I don't think it was really
enemies to lovers.
I didn't know.
(15:29):
It was labeled as that, though,because everybody's like it's
not enemies to lovers, and I waslike was it enemies to lovers?
I thought like there was like alittle hate to love because
they didn't like yeah, butthey're not like enemies, it's
not like they are like onopposing sides of a war, for
example exactly so I don't know.
But I don't know if it waslabeled as enemies to lovers.
(15:49):
But that's also because I go inblind and I read that.
Fabienne (15:55):
I don't think I actually looked up the tropes
for fourth wing Me either.
Jordan (15:59):
Yeah, like I don't.
Yeah, I don't know, but I doappreciate how slow-er this is
happening.
Like I agree with you plot-wiseit's making a lot more sense,
even though I still have no ideawhat the fuck is going on with
all these people now that youmentioned that, um, I'm blanking
(16:27):
wait, so we're halfway throughnow.
Fabienne (16:31):
Yeah, yeah what has actually happened so far.
We are 253 pages in if you takethe paperback.
Oh, like, what is what hasactually happened?
So he sometimes loses morecontrol of himself.
Jordan (16:52):
He killed he killed all those people in um, that one of
the southern isles that has nomagic.
He killed all the guardsbecause they were gonna kill or
they were gonna hurt violet.
So then violet had to step inand be like okay, cover your
face, we're gonna fix this.
And I feel like that's where itended.
Fabienne (17:14):
And then I don't know also who Takaris is.
Jordan (17:23):
I think he's.
He's just like one of thepeople.
He's like the head dude of oneof the aisles in between, that
aisle with no magic, and likethe war college.
So they're using his home aslike a home base to find an arm,
kind of like ironic though,like how much I am.
Fabienne (17:46):
Here we go again with the word appreciate.
You know all of more of themilitary terms and like ranks
and whatnot, but I have half thetime I am just like whoop.
I don't know who that person is, you know.
Jordan (17:57):
Right, right.
But also too, like we know shewrites military romances, so we
know she knows all thesemilitary terms.
Why not just start with it?
I feel like if she would havestarted with fourth wing and
started these military terms,and especially Violet, not being
a writer, could be learningthose things, and then we could
(18:18):
have learned those things.
Yeah, like I don't know thedifference.
All I know is a cadet is likethe people still in school,
which makes sense, but then thedifference between a lieutenant
and a captain, I don't fuckingknow no, me neither, but I feel
like the only only cadet that Iknow is cadet kelly.
Fabienne (18:35):
Such a good movie, such a good movie she's not in
this one, though, no but wepretend we can't pretend.
Jordan (18:41):
Yes, yes, yes, we do, but I just, I don't know.
I yeah, I still like.
No, I still want justice forliam.
I'm sad he's gone.
Rebecca yaros has no problem,just fucking killing people off,
though, no, gary.
No, gary Was his name Gary.
(19:02):
Maybe it wasn't.
Fabienne (19:05):
Gary, gary's still alive.
Jordan (19:07):
No, the one you want to know what's behind him?
No, no, no, no, no.
Aura lit him on fire becauseshe thought he was Venom when
they went to that house.
Oh yes, I think his name wasGary.
Like lit him on fire becauseshe thought he was venin when
they were went to that house.
Oh yes, I think his name, ohyeah.
And then the venin killed warah.
I was like oh damn, rebecca,except those works really fast
(19:28):
on those aisles there right, butthose people like don't matter
because they're just like true,like you know, like that, I feel
like we didn't build this likerelationship with them, so it's
like off with their heads.
Fabienne (19:41):
I don't really care.
You know it's like when, whenyou're like when you're watching
like a series and you are likefrom the very beginning you're
invested with like those veryyou know original characters,
and then season three comesalong and you're like if one of
the like, if one of those peopledies, I don't give a shit,
you're new, you don't matter.
It's the same with this book.
You know, if a new character isintroduced, I'm like I don't
(20:02):
have a feeling toward you.
Jordan (20:04):
Have you seen Game of Thrones?
Fabienne (20:08):
I have watched it indirectly, like Jay watched it
when it came out back in the dayand I was like incredibly
active on Tumblr and I wouldhave like fin fin blocks and the
walking that was on there and,um, game of thrones, even though
I didn't watch it, but I keptup to date with like the series
(20:28):
through like tumblr.
So I I basically know it.
Jordan (20:31):
Yes, I haven't watched it but I watched it like way,
like when all the seasons werelike out.
I then watched it.
But what I was thinking is likehow, basically, you love all
these characters.
And then the Red Wedding comesand you're like, well, god damn,
george R R Martin.
But so I was thinking that like, at least you're like invested
(20:54):
in these characters, like how wewere invested in Liam, which,
granted, everybody who'slistening to this, I hope you
read Fourth Wing and Iron Flamebefore reading Onyx Storm.
But yeah, so I feel like thethe death of him hit harder than
the death of her mom.
At the end of Iron Flame, I waslike, don't care.
(21:14):
And then here you kill offthese two people.
It doesn't matter, because likeI don't care.
And then here you kill offthese two people.
It doesn't matter Because, likeI don't care about them.
Fabienne (21:21):
It actually doesn't.
I will say that the coming backto like the head being served
at like Courtland's table, yeah,that was kind of gruesome, even
though, like I didn't like thecharacter before.
I think no, wait, because shewas already killed by the Venon.
No, that was Ora Wait who wasbeheaded.
Jordan (21:44):
Wait who?
That was Holland Halden's likepersonal guard.
So he brought somebody with him, so it was his guard that was
beheaded and like and then that.
But I I agree that was gruesomebecause then taken out of like
they lifted the caps or the oflike the dishes off and then
(22:06):
like the raw meat was there forhis cats, his like pet cats, and
then they just like ate them.
Yeah, I think he was like he'slike crazy, but I don't, I'm
fucking nuts man.
Fabienne (22:20):
But then violet comes in and saves today.
Yes, oh wait.
Do you always like activelyread, like, the like, the little
like text before the chapterheader?
I do like the, thecorrespondence and everything.
Jordan (22:36):
I do.
Fabienne (22:38):
I know that we are not supposed to read Chapter 29,
but I have it obviously right infront of me and I'm not going
to like dive into like the textitself, but just like a name
stood out to me and I haven'treally come across.
Wait, let me, I'm fucking thisup.
Jordan (23:05):
Wait, let me fucking this up.
Fabienne (23:05):
We only found out what Violet's dad's name was in this
book and it's Asher.
Yeah, yeah.
And so, for example, here,chapter 23,.
There's like this entire text,whatever, whatever, and it says
by Lieutenant Colonel AsherSorengale, and now I see here by
Second Lieutenant Asher Daxton.
Does Rebecca have like twoAshers?
(23:27):
She has like an entire skull ofnames in her arsenal and she
takes two names Like two of thesame names.
Is this the same person?
Jordan (23:35):
Wait, wait.
So chapter 23 has AsherSorengale, right?
Okay, which I didn't.
To be completely honest, Ididn't know.
Lieutenant could be above infront of a name that wasn't a
writer, though Like thatconfused me because he was a
scribe Me too, so maybe thatsort of has to give us insight
(24:02):
that there was more to the man.
Fabienne (24:05):
Question mark.
Jordan (24:06):
Maybe or because.
I don't know question markmaybe, or because I don't know,
or it's like see the thing is,is like, sometimes it kind of
like, it's like from afterreading, iron flame yeah it's
tough.
Okay, you know how I'm gonna be.
It is tough brutally on us here,but you know like sarah j ma
(24:31):
she like says something andyou're like, oh, like you know,
like whatever she's saying shemeant to say and you can read
into it here after, especiallyafter reading iron flame.
I don't know if that's justlike a fuck up on rebecca yaros'
part or if that's actuallysomething to pay attention to,
because I could see that justbeing a fuck up.
(24:52):
That I'm like yeah yeah, sowhat chapter did you say that
the other Asher was?
That wasn't chapter 28.
Fabienne (25:04):
Chapter 29 was sorry.
Chapter 23 was done with AsherSorengil and chapter 28 is Asher
Daxton Interesting, but thenit's also like he has like a
different rank, so maybe thiswas before.
Yeah.
Jordan (25:19):
Yeah.
Fabienne (25:22):
So did he take Lilith's last name.
Jordan (25:26):
Or oh, I was going to say maybe he had a different
last name because maybe he'sfrom that aisle and he left that
aisle and then he changed thatyeah, so I don't know okay, wait
(25:46):
, I want to circle back to like,uh, what you said.
Fabienne (25:49):
Like, whenever sarah j maz like put something in her
books, you kind of have to readinto it because it will make
sense, like for the plot laterin the book, so like in the
series.
Um, I feel the same because,especially when it was noted
that mira, myra mira, like, tooksome personal time off for
forever in her career, I'm likeis this, is this information
(26:12):
like that we should like stashaway?
Is this like necessaryinformation?
Also, I feel like Brennan ispretty much on the background
and I think that it's weird.
That sentence came out reallyreally weird as well.
Um, I don't know what is upwith brennan.
(26:32):
I don't know really what is upwith mira, because I feel like,
after, I think, found out thatyour brother apparently is alive
for the entire being, that youthought he was dead.
There would be more, I don'tknow connection or like you know
, dialogue, interaction, youname it, but you know among
those characters.
Jordan (26:49):
But and they just, well, I think mira like hates him for
like lying, I think so.
I think she that's like whythere's no dialogue, she like
doesn't want to talk to him fair.
So there, I think that's that.
But like I feel like if I washim, I would be trying to talk
to my sister.
I mean, like talk to me, bitch,but he's like go do your own
(27:10):
thing, I guess I'll go do my ownthing over here.
So it is kind of.
But I do agree, it's almostlike these characters that are
supposed to be so important andhave like taken a Back burner on
it, but it's also it's likereally weird Because they're
also back at this War college.
But they're also back at thiswar college but they're also
(27:40):
like trying to like start thislike revolution of like killing
this Venon, but then the warcollege people also know about
this Venon and this likerevolution, Like it's like I
don't really know what's goingon.
And Fourth Wing was so simpleand I think it was.
So I think this, as I'mcontinuing this series, I don't
think it's very fleshed out.
To be completely honest, Ithink the simplicity behind
(28:03):
Fourth Wing was perfect becauseit's a first book, but, as we
should be getting moreinformation, we're not and the
series is trying to continue atthe simplicity level, if that
makes sense, but it it shouldn'tand it can't rebecca a for
(28:25):
effort honey yes, a for fuckingeffort.
Fabienne (28:28):
A for fucking effort.
Jordan (28:31):
So I'm like getting like I don't know, I don't know, I'm
hoping the second half isreally good.
I don't know.
Fabienne (28:40):
Fingers crossed, but also not fingers crossed,
because that would mean that youget your hopes up and you don't
want to have your hopes upbecause you could already be
crushed down.
Jordan (28:54):
Do you have any predictions?
Slash theories so far?
Oh, I have seen some people.
I don't, I think because of howI feel of the first half I
haven't really thought that farahead.
But I have seen other people.
They think that Zayden is goingto memory, erase Violet memory
(29:17):
of him.
So they won't, she won'tremember him.
I've seen a lot of theoriesabout that.
Uh-huh, that's all I really got.
What about you?
Do you have any theories?
Fabienne (29:32):
Me personally, no, because I'm not creative like
that, but I did see someone onInstagram say this Um that they
suspect that, um, violet hasthis weird bonding like with two
dragons and possibly has like asecond signet oh, I have over
(29:52):
hair because her mother wasvenin when she gave birth.
Jordan (29:57):
To violet oh, I, yeah, I have seen that.
Oh, that's true.
I've also seen people say thatthey thinket can see dead people
, that that has some way.
A second signet thing, which Idon't know how that would be
like, but like rebecca yarostold us or showed us about venin
(30:32):
in the first book, because jackbarlow, like before they would
have fought in one of their like, um, like things in the
classroom, like battled, likeviolet and him, there's a moment
in time where violet's like hehas red around his eyes, like
you almost think he's, likeshe's explaining it to be like
(30:52):
he's tired, like his eyes arered.
Oh, yeah, I think that'sRebecca telling us that he was
actually just turned Venom thenin the first book, but we don't
know about Venom yet.
So I thought that was cool, butI haven't reread the first one,
or iron flame, so I don't, Ican't comment on that, but I
feel like that would be reallycool, like that almost makes me
(31:14):
think of sarah j mass and likethe first book of throne of
glass, like leading you intolike the rest.
So I thought that was cool, ifthat actually is the case, but I
don't know.
But I have seen because, likeyou know how, when they went to
the Isle.
With no magic, violet couldstill talk to Taryn and Arnarn,
(31:35):
but like nobody else could talkto their animals and like the
dragons couldn't talk to eachother.
So like a lot of people weresaying, like that has something
to do either with like thesecond signet or like the yeah,
just the second signet.
Hmm, the second signet, or likethe yeah, just the second
signet.
Do you think she'll findInarna's family In this book?
Fabienne (32:06):
Okay, statistically speaking, seeing how she did
like with the last two books,then I think yes, because like,
basically, like the entirestoryline for this book is
defined that family.
So yeah, but since she has likewhat five, six books in this
series, I think there's fiveplanned.
Jordan (32:25):
I hope not I hope not.
Fabienne (32:29):
I hope not, or at least like it ends on a
cliffhanger, which I would hate.
Jordan (32:34):
But I would find that a better solution than to like
them like finding her dragonfamily, I do appreciate the
endings in the sense of like herfinding out her brother was
alive at the end of fourth wingwas a complete twist for me.
I didn't see that one coming,but I did see Zayden turning Ben
(32:54):
in, like a mile away, but Istill enjoyed that ending.
So I feel like Rebecca willfollow that same formula and
there will be some type ofending to this one.
I don't know what, but I I amlike I've been seeing things on
(33:14):
instagram which I appreciate.
Everybody that's been postingonyx storm.
They like say spoiler, likespoiler warning.
So I just keep scrolling, but II do think something will
happen.
I just don't know.
It just like it makes me so sadbecause I feel like this series
(33:35):
has so much potential, so muchpotential.
Fabienne (33:40):
Maybe the second half will pick it up for you.
Jordan (33:42):
Maybe, maybe, because I do have to say those like last
three chapters, from like 25 tothe end of 28, were like I'm
like okay, okay, I wanted tokeep reading they just had like
they were just more packed.
Fabienne (33:56):
You know, like everything was action story.
Jordan (34:01):
I don't know I guess sometimes I don't like how it
jumps, like there's parts wherea chapter will start right where
the last one ended and thenthere's other times where it
jumps like two weeks.
Fabienne (34:14):
Yeah, I don't love that yeah, the inconsistency
like with the time timing, andthat I don't like either and,
like you said before too, Istill find it a little bit weird
with everything going on inthis like world right now, like
with the war that's looming likeover them.
You know them in search for, orlike the rebel squad or the
quest squad is what rydeck,rydeck, rydeck called it.
(34:38):
Um, there's like so many sidequests and, like you said, they
are still basically in like inschool.
Jordan (34:48):
Yeah, I find a little strange that's what's like, I
think, kind of confusing me,like they're still in school, I
don't.
I don't know, it's like alittle.
It's like a little weird.
I could actually see it endingwith like one of the venon
people like that tier, non, non,non, non, like taking her.
Fabienne (35:09):
You know which who I'm talking about the one also was
so yeah, also one with thesilver hair and who can wield
lightning yes I think that's.
I think that's why people thinkthat viola's mother might have
been like a venin, or you know,or maybe that maybe that was her
mom, maybe, maybe asher jackwas with somebody before
(35:32):
Violet's mom, oh my God.
Jordan (35:34):
And then this Lilith is not really her mom and that's
why she can't kill her, eventhough she says it's because I'm
going to train you.
But what if it is like that'sher mom and like Asher, what a
ton of worms.
Fabienne (35:50):
Oh my God.
Jordan (35:51):
Oh my God.
But that would make sense,because Rebecca didn't want us
to get attached to Lilith, whyshe killed her off so fast.
So maybe Lilith really isn'ther mom.
Fabienne (36:07):
Interesting, interesting.
Jordan (36:15):
So many things.
I think this is also too like.
I think I'm just gonna read,like, no matter what, even if I
don't totally love this book, Ithink I will forever, like I
will finish this series.
Like I think every time a newbook comes out, have you been
seeing those things like peoplewill so.
Like on the release of this onethat Tuesday, like so many
people were excited for it.
(36:35):
Like, don't get me wrong, I wasexcited.
Still, like I feel like I haveI like need to feel something.
So like having this release wasme feeling something.
But because the last time Ifelt something was for Sarah J
Maas and like she isn'treleasing anything anytime soon.
But have you seen like a lot ofpeople also will say, um, like a
(36:58):
lot of people were like, oh,onyx Storm is out today.
It's like not my kind of book,but I'm super excited for
everyone else to read it.
Or the people that are superexcited to read it, like I'm
excited for you, but they alllike they're all prefacing this
with like it's not my kind ofbook, but I'm excited for you to
have this like release.
But I I'm kind of interested onwhy it's not some people's book
(37:23):
like they'll finish fourth likethey read fourth wing.
They finished it, but thebook's not for them, so I'm so
I'm like, okay, did you read abook that's like this but better
Like?
Can you let me know Should Iread it?
Fabienne (37:36):
Yeah, can you just like give me recommendations
then, please, instead of justsaying how happy you are for me
to read this, because I need theother books too, because you
know we need to feel something.
Jordan (37:47):
Exactly yeah, so I like know we need to do something,
exactly yeah, so I I like pleasehelp a girl out, but I actually
have a potential book for you,maybe then just, but I'll, we'll
discuss that obviously afterthis one oh, okay, okay, but
yeah.
So I'm like very curious, likeI don't, I don't know.
I'm just like I'm going tofinish the second half and I'm
(38:10):
going to finish it fast becausethere's books I actually want to
read.
But I'm excited.
Fabienne (38:15):
We did this for the podcast though, because honestly
, me too, like you said, like Ithink, like in the beginning,
like the first two chapters,like, say, the first six, seven
chapters, I was like I'm notreally sure if I can finish this
for the podcast.
But then you say that youpowered through.
I'm like girl, you know what?
I'm glad I did too, becausegenerally I'm enjoying it, but
(38:37):
we should be proud.
we should be proud, yes, butwait, I was going somewhere with
this.
No, I'm enjoying it, but youknow if for it, you know
hypothetical here.
If I were to just close thisbook now and would not finish it
(38:57):
, I will be fine too, but I amstill like interested to see
what comes next.
Jordan (39:02):
Yeah, like I think at this point, like I do want to
like To invest it.
Fabienne (39:07):
You know halfway through.
Jordan (39:11):
I do want to like to invest it.
You know, halfway through Ithink I just have like mixed
feelings though, because I feellike I am with you, like I could
put this down and never pick itup again, but knowing that I
could be spoiled if I do thatmakes me also want to read it
like I don't like.
Ever since we've been spoiledfor the house of breath and sky,
or you, I was spoiled, I don'tthink you were, thank god no,
but I lived vicariously throughyou in that anger like fuck
(39:33):
people so I feel like now I likedon't want that to happen again
.
So there's like certain booksthat I need to read right away
and I know too, like as soon aswe're done recording, I'm like
I'm gonna pick this up just tofinish it.
Fabienne (39:48):
Girl, me too, then I just hope that we can record
fairly soon too, I know, becauseI can't wait X many days, x
many weeks to talk to you aboutit, I know.
Jordan (40:01):
But at least we'll have it done, so then we won't be
spoiled for it.
Fabienne (40:04):
That's very true, so shall we continue reading then?
I think we shall.
Thank you so much for listening.
Jordan (40:10):
And please don't forget to rate and review wherever you
can find us.
Fabienne (40:14):
So catch you next time .
Bye.
welcome to the bookish hour with jor and fab, silent um
, I feel like we should justdive right into the book shall
we I think we shall.
Fabienne (00:17):
I think we shall wait, give me your first three
thoughts about this book AboutOnyx Storm by Rebecca Yaros, by
the way, oh my gosh.
Jordan (00:27):
Part one which is reading from the beginning to
chapter 28.
So read 28,.
Stop at 29.
We're discussing the first halfof the book.
I want you to go first.
Fabienne (00:43):
Okay, I'm going to go first.
Okay, I'm going to cheat here,okay, and I'm going to use two
of those three words asbasically one descriptor
Surprisingly good, okay.
And actually in the fourth oneOkay, fuck this.
(01:03):
And more military focused.
Oh, actually in the fourth oneokay, fuck this, um and more
military focused.
That might not make completesense maybe it does, maybe it
doesn't, um, but likesurprisingly good, because I
wasn't expecting it to be likethis um type of storyline after
(01:25):
um iron flame.
To be really completely honestwith you, um, and I like how
much plot heavy it is as opposedto the romance from like iron
flame.
So yes, why are?
Jordan (01:48):
you waiting um oh my god , you hated it I didn't hate it,
oh, but I'm not enjoying it asmuch as I thought I would be.
At this point, I do have to saythe last three chapters really
sucked me in, like when theywent to the aisle and are like
(02:14):
fucking around trying to findlike a Goldie dragons, like
family, so, and then like thehow the King was like kill them
all.
And then like I liked that.
That.
I like that it's not the backand forth, like I like this
conflict of zayden and violetwhere they can't be together
(02:37):
because he's like venon and helike doesn't want to kill her.
So I like that back and forthof the, instead of it being like
like I love you, I don't loveyou, I love you.
You just need to tell me Like.
I feel like that was tough inIron Flame.
But if we were not reading thisfor the podcast, I'm pretty
(02:59):
sure I would be in single digitchapters still.
The only reason I was pickingit up to read it was to meet
this deadline today.
Fabienne (03:09):
So no it didn't work for you.
Jordan (03:13):
Yeah, but not in a like super bad way.
But there were, I am thinkingin my head, knowing I have to
pick this up.
I was like fuck, I really wantto read this book.
I really want to read this bookright now, but I also don't
want to be spoiled on anything,so, like it is good that I'm
reading it.
I'm just and maybe I likesecretly didn't have low
(03:35):
expectations and I still hadhigher ones.
I am so confused with all thedifferent characters.
Fabienne (03:43):
I swear more were introduced.
Jordan (03:47):
Also, you just sent me that reel of like how the map
doesn't have any of the isles,which I agree, uh-huh.
But you know his province, likeZayden's province, that was
gifted back to—well, not gifted,but was given back to him.
Yeah, and Lewin—I think that'show you pronounce it, it's like
the l-e-w-e-l-l-e-n lewin.
(04:10):
Um, yeah, he was.
I have it here in front of me.
So zayden was saying, oh, he'sgonna be in charge.
So this whole time I thoughtthat was a, but apparently it's
a fucking place.
Fabienne (04:27):
Okay, fair, fair.
I can see the miscommunicationtrope happening in real life
here.
Jordan (04:32):
Yes, so, but he was literally like I'm gonna have
this person make decisions in mystead when I'm gone, but then
it's a fucking place.
So I'm like a little confused.
Fabienne (04:47):
I, yeah, okay okay, um , to be fair, when I sent you
that reel I was, it was more oflike a general fun thing as
opposed to look at how no, Iagree, I agree, I don't really
look at the map.
Jordan (05:05):
Oh, I didn't either.
But then, like you sending methat reel, I was like, oh, let
me look at it and then I waslike, wait, what the fuck is
this?
And I just didn't get it and Iwas like, oh well okay, question
marks bubbling and popping upall around me.
Fabienne (05:25):
Yes, I think the reason actually, because I do
agree heavily with you on thefront of that.
I have no idea who like 70% ofthe characters are, but I think
that's actually and I saw this,I saw someone say this, like on
their Instagram Also bless themfor saying that this was not an
actual like spoiler, like plotheavy spoiler, but just like a
(05:47):
syntax thing really, if you will, where in this book, because I
think that Rebecca took all oflike the, the feedback, to put
you know, like to put it mildly,like all of the criticism from
like Iron Flame and when it likedid a complete 180.
So, as for Iron Flame, this one, like I said, military focus,
like it's more like focus on thefor iron flame, this one, like
I said, military, military focus, like it's more like focus on
(06:08):
the war that's supposed to, likethat's happening or, like you
know, starting to begin.
Um, everyone is more nowtalking in rank.
Jordan (06:14):
so we have cadet soaring gale, we have cadet whatever,
we have cadet x and y um, and Ithink that also messes up like
the readers keeping track of whoeveryone is that I was gonna
say that too, because especiallywhen people like and that's
another thing I'm not totally afan of just because for the
(06:35):
whole time we don't knowanybody's last name like
everything from the first twobooks was people's first names,
and now to switch to last names,I'm like I only know violet and
zayden's last name, and then itlike you have to be careful,
because then it's likelieutenant is her sister, so it
is, and like when she's listingoff who's going to be in her
(06:59):
pack to go to one of thoseaisles yeah, she's like listing
off all these people and I waslike, oh, there it goes, I have
no idea who any of these peopleare, so I do, I.
And then I kind of I agree withyou that like makes sense, that
like it took, she took thefeedback and then have them.
(07:23):
But I do, true, but I doappreciate that it is more plot
focused and not likerelationship focused.
Like I feel like therelationship and the romance
should be like a subplot and thefocus should be like this war
(07:43):
that's starting.
I do still really love therelationship between Taryn and
Violet.
I'm sad that there was less ofthat in this book because I
lived for that, the first andthe second book.
Like it was in, like it was apretty heavy part of the first
half of the second book, so Iwas really sad to see that
(08:06):
Relationship Between them twoNot really there for this one.
Fabienne (08:13):
As if it was like Put on a back burner, so to say.
I feel like he was more of likea side character that once in a
while, just like you know, popsinto the scene, as opposed to
like one of the actual maincharacters.
I agree with you.
I think the one scene actuallywhere he kind of like took
precedence in that sense is whenthey flew through this tornado.
Um, I don't even know wherethey were actually going, but
(08:38):
they kind of like where are youalready looking for andarna?
See, I thought it was adarna,like I told you, by the way, but
it's like andarna or andarna, Idon't have a goalie little
goalie little dragon.
Yeah, that one.
I'm not sure why she even flewlike that way, because she was
alone and then all of the otherwriters and flyers were behind
(08:58):
her, or something.
Also, who, who is?
Who is griffin graham garrick?
Also, who was Griffin GrahamGarrick Garrick?
That's the one who was that.
I completely forgot who thisperson was.
Jordan (09:09):
So he, I thought he was like Zayden's, like friend, but
like they're equal, as in thesame year, right, oh.
But I know emogen, emogen,she's like scare it, because I
remember violet in fourth wingreally didn't like emote, emogen
(09:31):
, emogen, yeah, imogen, becauseshe was likeet thought she was
staring at Zayden, but she wasactually staring at Garrett, so
that's the only reason Iremember her.
I do like the one-liners thatTaryn would give, even
(09:53):
throughout this one Like,especially when the king was
coming out of the basket and helike, instead of like lifting
his bag up, he just rips it.
And Taryn's like you must haveliked him for his like common
sense or something like,something like that, and that
was funny.
Or when Zayden was like, oh,this is my consort Violet, and
(10:14):
he's like, oh, I don't know if acongratulations or
commiseration is in order, solike there were, I still laughed
out loud at like certain partshe said I just wish there were
more of them yeah, no, true, um,he still has like all of those
sarcastic one-liners.
Fabienne (10:31):
I will say then, as opposed to him, like the, like
her other dragon, I feel likeshe's I know that she's like
plot heavy, like the, the goldendragon, like you know, where
are.
We are all trying to likesearch for her in this, like in
this book, like where, like herfamily is like where the other
dragons are, like the seventhbreed, um, but I don't like her
(10:52):
as a character in the books.
She's like, she's like a tinychihuahua, she's like chihuahua
energy and I hate chihuahuas andI, I, I know.
The only thing that I did likewas when they were at this one
king, I want to say like in oneof like the, the southern isles.
(11:13):
She got the books from likethis bookstore, from her dad,
and then they visited like thisone king who apparently held,
hauled and captive, and thenandarna was holding one of the
lions, tigers, panthers whateverlike yeah, panthers and her
like, and then just like yeah,and then, just like I'm starting
(11:33):
to drool here, that part I Ithought was kind of funny.
So I I actually, yeah, I didlike the.
There was like actualwell-placed humor in this book
and that I really appreciate.
And I think, like in the lastone, like iron flame I don't
have to say that every singletime, everyone knows that the
second book was iron flame um, Idon't know, everything was just
(11:55):
like a tad off, like there wastoo much sex, there was too much
unnecessary smile at least forme, because you know it's still
like opinion based in that inthat way, um, the jokes were
like two fours.
I felt like too many storylineswere just like crammed together
into like one book.
And I also also also I rememberyou saying that you thought
(12:17):
that this series would have donebetter romantically wise if it
were a slow burn, and I thinkthis book is more of a slow burn
type of romance as opposed tothe other two.
Jordan (12:30):
No, Well, I mean yes.
What I meant is like theultimate slow burn, as in like
they wouldn't have gottentogether until like the fourth
or fifth book, Like they wouldhave still been like either
enemies or like whatnot.
But I did appreciate how theirrelationship grew in this book.
(12:53):
So how they can't be togetherbecause he's going to like lose
control.
But when they went to the aislewith no magic they could be
together.
Because he's going to like losecontrol.
But when they went to the aislewith no magic they could be
together because he could notlike pull anything because there
was no magic, so he had no likevenom in him.
So I liked that they couldfinally be together at that
(13:13):
point.
But the thing is is like to becompletely honest, like that
chapter, it was like a fullchapter.
I just skimmed the whole thingbecause, like I didn't I didn't
want the like to see the sceneand it was like it was like a 16
minute chapter.
So I was like, dude, well, I wasreading on my Kindle, so
instead of flipping pages, I waslike pass, pass, pass, pass,
pass, pass, pass, Just skimming,just skimming just skimming,
(13:40):
but I'm like I feel like, as I'mreading this one, I'm like I
want it to be like how I feltduring fourth wing, like it was
just so good and I I lived forlike reading the next chapter,
like I needed more of it.
But I don't know if it's.
Maybe I like those kind ofbooks Like I like a book where
she enters like a new area, soto say, like this war college,
(14:03):
but she was growing up to be ascribe and then she has to be
like strong, not necessarilylike physically strong, but
mentally, and and then she comesacross, she gets these drag
Like I just liked that wholedynamic of the book, that this
one.
I do like how powerful she isin this book, though, so like
(14:27):
she knows her power, and I likethat she's not like she's grown,
if that makes sense, so likeshe knows, it does make sense.
And she's like like standing herground too.
Like I appreciate that.
Fabienne (14:42):
She's basically growing more into her
personality as, like a person inthat sense, like in the books,
yeah, as opposed to what she waslike the two, you know, like
two previous ones.
Yeah, I feel like the characterarc.
Yeah, that's how you say it,right, oh yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, arc, Ithink that's.
Yeah, I think that's prettyobvious, that that's been like
implemented in this story andthat I really do appreciate.
(15:05):
Also for xayden, great xayden,xayden xayden.
Jordan (15:08):
Yeah, I sometimes pronounce the x, I don't know
yeah, no, I feel like he's beenthe same, though.
The thing is is like I haveseen a lot of people say that
they don't think forthwitten wasenemies to lovers, which, not
gonna lie, I can kind of see itlike I don't think it was really
enemies to lovers.
I didn't know.
(15:29):
It was labeled as that, though,because everybody's like it's
not enemies to lovers, and I waslike was it enemies to lovers?
I thought like there was like alittle hate to love because
they didn't like yeah, butthey're not like enemies, it's
not like they are like onopposing sides of a war, for
example exactly so I don't know.
But I don't know if it waslabeled as enemies to lovers.
(15:49):
But that's also because I go inblind and I read that.
Fabienne (15:55):
I don't think I actually looked up the tropes
for fourth wing Me either.
Jordan (15:59):
Yeah, like I don't.
Yeah, I don't know, but I doappreciate how slow-er this is
happening.
Like I agree with you plot-wiseit's making a lot more sense,
even though I still have no ideawhat the fuck is going on with
all these people now that youmentioned that, um, I'm blanking
(16:27):
wait, so we're halfway throughnow.
Fabienne (16:31):
Yeah, yeah what has actually happened so far.
We are 253 pages in if you takethe paperback.
Oh, like, what is what hasactually happened?
So he sometimes loses morecontrol of himself.
Jordan (16:52):
He killed he killed all those people in um, that one of
the southern isles that has nomagic.
He killed all the guardsbecause they were gonna kill or
they were gonna hurt violet.
So then violet had to step inand be like okay, cover your
face, we're gonna fix this.
And I feel like that's where itended.
Fabienne (17:14):
And then I don't know also who Takaris is.
Jordan (17:23):
I think he's.
He's just like one of thepeople.
He's like the head dude of oneof the aisles in between, that
aisle with no magic, and likethe war college.
So they're using his home aslike a home base to find an arm,
kind of like ironic though,like how much I am.
Fabienne (17:46):
Here we go again with the word appreciate.
You know all of more of themilitary terms and like ranks
and whatnot, but I have half thetime I am just like whoop.
I don't know who that person is, you know.
Jordan (17:57):
Right, right.
But also too, like we know shewrites military romances, so we
know she knows all thesemilitary terms.
Why not just start with it?
I feel like if she would havestarted with fourth wing and
started these military terms,and especially Violet, not being
a writer, could be learningthose things, and then we could
(18:18):
have learned those things.
Yeah, like I don't know thedifference.
All I know is a cadet is likethe people still in school,
which makes sense, but then thedifference between a lieutenant
and a captain, I don't fuckingknow no, me neither, but I feel
like the only only cadet that Iknow is cadet kelly.
Fabienne (18:35):
Such a good movie, such a good movie she's not in
this one, though, no but wepretend we can't pretend.
Jordan (18:41):
Yes, yes, yes, we do, but I just, I don't know.
I yeah, I still like.
No, I still want justice forliam.
I'm sad he's gone.
Rebecca yaros has no problem,just fucking killing people off,
though, no, gary.
No, gary Was his name Gary.
(19:02):
Maybe it wasn't.
Fabienne (19:05):
Gary, gary's still alive.
Jordan (19:07):
No, the one you want to know what's behind him?
No, no, no, no, no.
Aura lit him on fire becauseshe thought he was Venom when
they went to that house.
Oh yes, I think his name wasGary.
Like lit him on fire becauseshe thought he was venin when
they were went to that house.
Oh yes, I think his name, ohyeah.
And then the venin killed warah.
I was like oh damn, rebecca,except those works really fast
(19:28):
on those aisles there right, butthose people like don't matter
because they're just like true,like you know, like that, I feel
like we didn't build this likerelationship with them, so it's
like off with their heads.
Fabienne (19:41):
I don't really care.
You know it's like when, whenyou're like when you're watching
like a series and you are likefrom the very beginning you're
invested with like those veryyou know original characters,
and then season three comesalong and you're like if one of
the like, if one of those peopledies, I don't give a shit,
you're new, you don't matter.
It's the same with this book.
You know, if a new character isintroduced, I'm like I don't
(20:02):
have a feeling toward you.
Jordan (20:04):
Have you seen Game of Thrones?
Fabienne (20:08):
I have watched it indirectly, like Jay watched it
when it came out back in the dayand I was like incredibly
active on Tumblr and I wouldhave like fin fin blocks and the
walking that was on there and,um, game of thrones, even though
I didn't watch it, but I keptup to date with like the series
(20:28):
through like tumblr.
So I I basically know it.
Jordan (20:31):
Yes, I haven't watched it but I watched it like way,
like when all the seasons werelike out.
I then watched it.
But what I was thinking is likehow, basically, you love all
these characters.
And then the Red Wedding comesand you're like, well, god damn,
george R R Martin.
But so I was thinking that like, at least you're like invested
(20:54):
in these characters, like how wewere invested in Liam, which,
granted, everybody who'slistening to this, I hope you
read Fourth Wing and Iron Flamebefore reading Onyx Storm.
But yeah, so I feel like thethe death of him hit harder than
the death of her mom.
At the end of Iron Flame, I waslike, don't care.
(21:14):
And then here you kill offthese two people.
It doesn't matter, because likeI don't care.
And then here you kill offthese two people.
It doesn't matter Because, likeI don't care about them.
Fabienne (21:21):
It actually doesn't.
I will say that the coming backto like the head being served
at like Courtland's table, yeah,that was kind of gruesome, even
though, like I didn't like thecharacter before.
I think no, wait, because shewas already killed by the Venon.
No, that was Ora Wait who wasbeheaded.
Jordan (21:44):
Wait who?
That was Holland Halden's likepersonal guard.
So he brought somebody with him, so it was his guard that was
beheaded and like and then that.
But I I agree that was gruesomebecause then taken out of like
they lifted the caps or the oflike the dishes off and then
(22:06):
like the raw meat was there forhis cats, his like pet cats, and
then they just like ate them.
Yeah, I think he was like he'slike crazy, but I don't, I'm
fucking nuts man.
Fabienne (22:20):
But then violet comes in and saves today.
Yes, oh wait.
Do you always like activelyread, like, the like, the little
like text before the chapterheader?
I do like the, thecorrespondence and everything.
Jordan (22:36):
I do.
Fabienne (22:38):
I know that we are not supposed to read Chapter 29,
but I have it obviously right infront of me and I'm not going
to like dive into like the textitself, but just like a name
stood out to me and I haven'treally come across.
Wait, let me, I'm fucking thisup.
Jordan (23:05):
Wait, let me fucking this up.
Fabienne (23:05):
We only found out what Violet's dad's name was in this
book and it's Asher.
Yeah, yeah.
And so, for example, here,chapter 23,.
There's like this entire text,whatever, whatever, and it says
by Lieutenant Colonel AsherSorengale, and now I see here by
Second Lieutenant Asher Daxton.
Does Rebecca have like twoAshers?
(23:27):
She has like an entire skull ofnames in her arsenal and she
takes two names Like two of thesame names.
Is this the same person?
Jordan (23:35):
Wait, wait.
So chapter 23 has AsherSorengale, right?
Okay, which I didn't.
To be completely honest, Ididn't know.
Lieutenant could be above infront of a name that wasn't a
writer, though Like thatconfused me because he was a
scribe Me too, so maybe thatsort of has to give us insight
(24:02):
that there was more to the man.
Fabienne (24:05):
Question mark.
Jordan (24:06):
Maybe or because.
I don't know question markmaybe, or because I don't know,
or it's like see the thing is,is like, sometimes it kind of
like, it's like from afterreading, iron flame yeah it's
tough.
Okay, you know how I'm gonna be.
It is tough brutally on us here,but you know like sarah j ma
(24:31):
she like says something andyou're like, oh, like you know,
like whatever she's saying shemeant to say and you can read
into it here after, especiallyafter reading iron flame.
I don't know if that's justlike a fuck up on rebecca yaros'
part or if that's actuallysomething to pay attention to,
because I could see that justbeing a fuck up.
(24:52):
That I'm like yeah yeah, sowhat chapter did you say that
the other Asher was?
That wasn't chapter 28.
Fabienne (25:04):
Chapter 29 was sorry.
Chapter 23 was done with AsherSorengil and chapter 28 is Asher
Daxton Interesting, but thenit's also like he has like a
different rank, so maybe thiswas before.
Yeah.
Jordan (25:19):
Yeah.
Fabienne (25:22):
So did he take Lilith's last name.
Jordan (25:26):
Or oh, I was going to say maybe he had a different
last name because maybe he'sfrom that aisle and he left that
aisle and then he changed thatyeah, so I don't know okay, wait
(25:46):
, I want to circle back to like,uh, what you said.
Fabienne (25:49):
Like, whenever sarah j maz like put something in her
books, you kind of have to readinto it because it will make
sense, like for the plot laterin the book, so like in the
series.
Um, I feel the same because,especially when it was noted
that mira, myra mira, like, tooksome personal time off for
forever in her career, I'm likeis this, is this information
(26:12):
like that we should like stashaway?
Is this like necessaryinformation?
Also, I feel like Brennan ispretty much on the background
and I think that it's weird.
That sentence came out reallyreally weird as well.
Um, I don't know what is upwith brennan.
(26:32):
I don't know really what is upwith mira, because I feel like,
after, I think, found out thatyour brother apparently is alive
for the entire being, that youthought he was dead.
There would be more, I don'tknow connection or like you know
, dialogue, interaction, youname it, but you know among
those characters.
Jordan (26:49):
But and they just, well, I think mira like hates him for
like lying, I think so.
I think she that's like whythere's no dialogue, she like
doesn't want to talk to him fair.
So there, I think that's that.
But like I feel like if I washim, I would be trying to talk
to my sister.
I mean, like talk to me, bitch,but he's like go do your own
(27:10):
thing, I guess I'll go do my ownthing over here.
So it is kind of.
But I do agree, it's almostlike these characters that are
supposed to be so important andhave like taken a Back burner on
it, but it's also it's likereally weird Because they're
also back at this War college.
But they're also back at thiswar college but they're also
(27:40):
like trying to like start thislike revolution of like killing
this Venon, but then the warcollege people also know about
this Venon and this likerevolution, Like it's like I
don't really know what's goingon.
And Fourth Wing was so simpleand I think it was.
So I think this, as I'mcontinuing this series, I don't
think it's very fleshed out.
To be completely honest, Ithink the simplicity behind
(28:03):
Fourth Wing was perfect becauseit's a first book, but, as we
should be getting moreinformation, we're not and the
series is trying to continue atthe simplicity level, if that
makes sense, but it it shouldn'tand it can't rebecca a for
(28:25):
effort honey yes, a for fuckingeffort.
Fabienne (28:28):
A for fucking effort.
Jordan (28:31):
So I'm like getting like I don't know, I don't know, I'm
hoping the second half isreally good.
I don't know.
Fabienne (28:40):
Fingers crossed, but also not fingers crossed,
because that would mean that youget your hopes up and you don't
want to have your hopes upbecause you could already be
crushed down.
Jordan (28:54):
Do you have any predictions?
Slash theories so far?
Oh, I have seen some people.
I don't, I think because of howI feel of the first half I
haven't really thought that farahead.
But I have seen other people.
They think that Zayden is goingto memory, erase Violet memory
(29:17):
of him.
So they won't, she won'tremember him.
I've seen a lot of theoriesabout that.
Uh-huh, that's all I really got.
What about you?
Do you have any theories?
Fabienne (29:32):
Me personally, no, because I'm not creative like
that, but I did see someone onInstagram say this Um that they
suspect that, um, violet hasthis weird bonding like with two
dragons and possibly has like asecond signet oh, I have over
(29:52):
hair because her mother wasvenin when she gave birth.
Jordan (29:57):
To violet oh, I, yeah, I have seen that.
Oh, that's true.
I've also seen people say thatthey thinket can see dead people
, that that has some way.
A second signet thing, which Idon't know how that would be
like, but like rebecca yarostold us or showed us about venin
(30:32):
in the first book, because jackbarlow, like before they would
have fought in one of their like, um, like things in the
classroom, like battled, likeviolet and him, there's a moment
in time where violet's like hehas red around his eyes, like
you almost think he's, likeshe's explaining it to be like
(30:52):
he's tired, like his eyes arered.
Oh, yeah, I think that'sRebecca telling us that he was
actually just turned Venom thenin the first book, but we don't
know about Venom yet.
So I thought that was cool, butI haven't reread the first one,
or iron flame, so I don't, Ican't comment on that, but I
feel like that would be reallycool, like that almost makes me
(31:14):
think of sarah j mass and likethe first book of throne of
glass, like leading you intolike the rest.
So I thought that was cool, ifthat actually is the case, but I
don't know.
But I have seen because, likeyou know how, when they went to
the Isle.
With no magic, violet couldstill talk to Taryn and Arnarn,
(31:35):
but like nobody else could talkto their animals and like the
dragons couldn't talk to eachother.
So like a lot of people weresaying, like that has something
to do either with like thesecond signet or like the yeah,
just the second signet.
Hmm, the second signet, or likethe yeah, just the second
signet.
Do you think she'll findInarna's family In this book?
Fabienne (32:06):
Okay, statistically speaking, seeing how she did
like with the last two books,then I think yes, because like,
basically, like the entirestoryline for this book is
defined that family.
So yeah, but since she has likewhat five, six books in this
series, I think there's fiveplanned.
Jordan (32:25):
I hope not I hope not.
Fabienne (32:29):
I hope not, or at least like it ends on a
cliffhanger, which I would hate.
Jordan (32:34):
But I would find that a better solution than to like
them like finding her dragonfamily, I do appreciate the
endings in the sense of like herfinding out her brother was
alive at the end of fourth wingwas a complete twist for me.
I didn't see that one coming,but I did see Zayden turning Ben
(32:54):
in, like a mile away, but Istill enjoyed that ending.
So I feel like Rebecca willfollow that same formula and
there will be some type ofending to this one.
I don't know what, but I I amlike I've been seeing things on
(33:14):
instagram which I appreciate.
Everybody that's been postingonyx storm.
They like say spoiler, likespoiler warning.
So I just keep scrolling, but II do think something will
happen.
I just don't know.
It just like it makes me so sadbecause I feel like this series
(33:35):
has so much potential, so muchpotential.
Fabienne (33:40):
Maybe the second half will pick it up for you.
Jordan (33:42):
Maybe, maybe, because I do have to say those like last
three chapters, from like 25 tothe end of 28, were like I'm
like okay, okay, I wanted tokeep reading they just had like
they were just more packed.
Fabienne (33:56):
You know, like everything was action story.
Jordan (34:01):
I don't know I guess sometimes I don't like how it
jumps, like there's parts wherea chapter will start right where
the last one ended and thenthere's other times where it
jumps like two weeks.
Fabienne (34:14):
Yeah, I don't love that yeah, the inconsistency
like with the time timing, andthat I don't like either and,
like you said before too, Istill find it a little bit weird
with everything going on inthis like world right now, like
with the war that's looming likeover them.
You know them in search for, orlike the rebel squad or the
quest squad is what rydeck,rydeck, rydeck called it.
(34:38):
Um, there's like so many sidequests and, like you said, they
are still basically in like inschool.
Jordan (34:48):
Yeah, I find a little strange that's what's like, I
think, kind of confusing me,like they're still in school, I
don't.
I don't know, it's like alittle.
It's like a little weird.
I could actually see it endingwith like one of the venon
people like that tier, non, non,non, non, like taking her.
Fabienne (35:09):
You know which who I'm talking about the one also was
so yeah, also one with thesilver hair and who can wield
lightning yes I think that's.
I think that's why people thinkthat viola's mother might have
been like a venin, or you know,or maybe that maybe that was her
mom, maybe, maybe asher jackwas with somebody before
(35:32):
Violet's mom, oh my God.
Jordan (35:34):
And then this Lilith is not really her mom and that's
why she can't kill her, eventhough she says it's because I'm
going to train you.
But what if it is like that'sher mom and like Asher, what a
ton of worms.
Fabienne (35:50):
Oh my God.
Jordan (35:51):
Oh my God.
But that would make sense,because Rebecca didn't want us
to get attached to Lilith, whyshe killed her off so fast.
So maybe Lilith really isn'ther mom.
Fabienne (36:07):
Interesting, interesting.
Jordan (36:15):
So many things.
I think this is also too like.
I think I'm just gonna read,like, no matter what, even if I
don't totally love this book, Ithink I will forever, like I
will finish this series.
Like I think every time a newbook comes out, have you been
seeing those things like peoplewill so.
Like on the release of this onethat Tuesday, like so many
people were excited for it.
(36:35):
Like, don't get me wrong, I wasexcited.
Still, like I feel like I haveI like need to feel something.
So like having this release wasme feeling something.
But because the last time Ifelt something was for Sarah J
Maas and like she isn'treleasing anything anytime soon.
But have you seen like a lot ofpeople also will say, um, like a
(36:58):
lot of people were like, oh,onyx Storm is out today.
It's like not my kind of book,but I'm super excited for
everyone else to read it.
Or the people that are superexcited to read it, like I'm
excited for you, but they alllike they're all prefacing this
with like it's not my kind ofbook, but I'm excited for you to
have this like release.
But I I'm kind of interested onwhy it's not some people's book
(37:23):
like they'll finish fourth likethey read fourth wing.
They finished it, but thebook's not for them, so I'm so
I'm like, okay, did you read abook that's like this but better
Like?
Can you let me know Should Iread it?
Fabienne (37:36):
Yeah, can you just like give me recommendations
then, please, instead of justsaying how happy you are for me
to read this, because I need theother books too, because you
know we need to feel something.
Jordan (37:47):
Exactly yeah, so I like know we need to do something,
exactly yeah, so I I like pleasehelp a girl out, but I actually
have a potential book for you,maybe then just, but I'll, we'll
discuss that obviously afterthis one oh, okay, okay, but
yeah.
So I'm like very curious, likeI don't, I don't know.
I'm just like I'm going tofinish the second half and I'm
(38:10):
going to finish it fast becausethere's books I actually want to
read.
But I'm excited.
Fabienne (38:15):
We did this for the podcast though, because honestly
, me too, like you said, like Ithink, like in the beginning,
like the first two chapters,like, say, the first six, seven
chapters, I was like I'm notreally sure if I can finish this
for the podcast.
But then you say that youpowered through.
I'm like girl, you know what?
I'm glad I did too, becausegenerally I'm enjoying it, but
(38:37):
we should be proud.
we should be proud, yes, butwait, I was going somewhere with
this.
No, I'm enjoying it, but youknow if for it, you know
hypothetical here.
If I were to just close thisbook now and would not finish it
(38:57):
, I will be fine too, but I amstill like interested to see
what comes next.
Jordan (39:02):
Yeah, like I think at this point, like I do want to
like To invest it.
Fabienne (39:07):
You know halfway through.
Jordan (39:11):
I do want to like to invest it.
You know, halfway through Ithink I just have like mixed
feelings though, because I feellike I am with you, like I could
put this down and never pick itup again, but knowing that I
could be spoiled if I do thatmakes me also want to read it
like I don't like.
Ever since we've been spoiledfor the house of breath and sky,
or you, I was spoiled, I don'tthink you were, thank god no,
but I lived vicariously throughyou in that anger like fuck
(39:33):
people so I feel like now I likedon't want that to happen again
.
So there's like certain booksthat I need to read right away
and I know too, like as soon aswe're done recording, I'm like
I'm gonna pick this up just tofinish it.
Fabienne (39:48):
Girl, me too, then I just hope that we can record
fairly soon too, I know, becauseI can't wait X many days, x
many weeks to talk to you aboutit, I know.
Jordan (40:01):
But at least we'll have it done, so then we won't be
spoiled for it.
Fabienne (40:04):
That's very true, so shall we continue reading then?
I think we shall.
Thank you so much for listening.
Jordan (40:10):
And please don't forget to rate and review wherever you
can find us.
Fabienne (40:14):
So catch you next time .
Bye.
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