|
So, the hype got to you, huh? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. After all, Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series is one the most popular adult fantasy series of the 21st century, with its third novel, Onyx Storm, becoming the fastest-selling adult fantasy novel in 20 years (it sold 2.7 million copies in its first week of release).
Before you can dive into Onyx Storm, though, you’ll first have to read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, as they set up the all-important and overwhelming romantic relationship between the series’ protagonists, Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson, as well as the war between the Continent and the venin; dark magic wielders who steal their power from the world they inhabit.
The Empyrean novels, including Iron Flame, the second installment of Yarros’ mega series, are decidedly not Young Adult (YA) novels. They are adult fantasy novels, or to be more precise, New Adult (NA) novels, and as such, readers should expect a little … spice now and again. These are not closed-door stories. It’s certainly not included on each page or even in every chapter—Iron Flame has 66 chapters, so you’ll see the spice doesn’t take up that much space in the book—but it does sometimes creep up when you least expect it. So, if you’re looking to dive into this dragon-rich world but aren’t in the mood to read about Violet and Xaden’s numerous physical escapades, we’re here to help. (And if you just want a little refresher, that’s obviously fine, too.)
All of Iron Flame’s spicy chapters, in order
This is a relatively tame scene; I’d classify it as mildly spicy. Xaden and Violet share a steamy makeout sesh (you have to ease readers into it, you know?) and, because they’re telepathically linked, their thoughts become quite heated. There is a bit of lore explanation after the scene, so don’t skip this chapter entirely.
This is another kissing scene, and much more brief than the last, though Violet was certainly eager enough for it to turn into more. This scene is only a page long or so and very mild, and the rest of the chapter is much more important to the plot.
Okay, now things are starting to get a bit hotter. On BookTok and other book-ish social media spaces, Chapter 27 includes what has become known as “The Shower Scene.” Xaden and Violet go all the way in, you guessed it, a shower, fueled by Violet’s worry about Xaden and his stubbornness. This takes up most of the second half of the chapter. Do with that information what you will.
This is another full sex scene. Violet wakes up from a nightmare and naturally seeks some comfort with Xaden. If you’re hoping to skip the relatively spicy spice, I would recommend reading the nightmare that precedes it (Violet’s nightmares become rather important in Iron Flame’s sequel, Onyx Storm) and resuming the chapter after the paragraph break.
Chapter 48 includes the “Shower Scene’s” successor. This one is known as the “Throne Room Scene” and involves Xaden cheering Violet up while she sits on his throne and he lowers himself to his knees. I’m sure you can figure out the rest. This is capital “s” Spicy. Xaden says, “My house. My chair. My woman,” and readers everywhere swooned. Watch out, the action starts right at the beginning of the chapter!
This is one of those “last kiss before we might die” kind of chapters, so the spice level is relatively mild, but still. We wanted to include it on this list to be thorough. A lot happens around Xaden and Violet as they share their moment, though, so there’s a certain level of urgency and necessity involved.
Happy reading!
