Fourth Wing—Enemies to Lovers Done Right

I usually avoid hyped up books, or at least wait until the hype dies down. I do it because I don’t think they live up to the hype. Admittedly, there have been a handful of exceptions over time. So why did I read it? Someone was bashing the book on social media and declared it was poor writing. As an author, I was intrigued. So I told myself it was research. You know, to see what comes across as poor writing so I can avoid it in my own works. As soon as I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. To be honest, I didn’t notice the writing. That’s awesome! If you notice it, it’s usually one of two things. It’s either really bad, and it pulls you out of the story. Or it’s really good, and it pulls you out of the story. I was so absorbed in the story; I noticed nothing else.

From the back cover

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die

My review of Fourth Wing

With its many surprising twists, this book held my attention from the start! I never found it boring or had the urge to skim through any part of it, and I can finally say that all the excitement and anticipation was well-deserved.

I loved Violet as a protagonist—she wasn’t mentally or physically prepared for this challenge, but she took it in stride. What I couldn’t understand was why she accepted her fate. She aspired to be a scribe, but her mother, the general, forces her to join the Rider’s Quadrant, a place where people become riders and form bonds with dragons—but many die before or during training. How motherly! If I ever found myself in that situation, I would claim to be an orphan. I would want nothing to do with my mother anymore and make sure everyone knew why. That would be a tough pill to swallow for a general.

Xaden comes across as grumpy and ruthless, concealing his emotions behind a stoic facade. However, his interactions with Violet reveal a thoughtful, kind, and trusting side that filled me with so many emotions. 

Another of my favorite characters were the dragons. Of course, the deadliest and strongest dragon would pick to bond with the underdog. And then sweet Andarna—the baby dragon that bonds to Violet, too. What’s not to love?

The way the book handled the enemies-to-lovers trope was excellently executed. It was realistic and upheld the idea of not punishing children for their parents’ mistakes. Xaden and Violet’s relationship blossomed without the weight of past guilt. The book took its time to develop their love story, even though they were enemies briefly.

Liam is another great character. Liam Mairi, a rider in their first year, and Xaden Riorson, were both raised by the same foster family after their parents were killed for leading the rebellion. Liam is loyal, charming, and funny. He’s well-liked by everyone. No spoilers, but the author totally screwed him over. If there’s one thing to complain about Fourth Wing, it’s this.

This book is a must-read for fans of romance, fantasy, compelling characters, intense chemistry, intricate world-building, and enemies-to-lovers stories.