Threshing Day

The Empyrean #3.5

by Rebecca Yarros, Michelle Gyo (Translator)

"An uneducated cadet is a dead one" - Colonel Thadeus Palme

Welcome to Threshing Day, the brutal, high-stakes trial where would-be riders at Basgiath War College fight to earn the bond of a dragon or die trying. Amid rughtless competition and dragon fire, these thirteen cadets must survive a battlefield where desperate rivals will do anything to gain an advantage and dragons decide one's ulltimate fate - and where a single choice can forge a rider ... or destroy them.

Xaden Rioson, the powerful leader.
Rhiannon Matthias, the clever friend.
Dain Aetos, the dutiful rule-follower.
Liam Mairi, the kindhearted protector.
Ridoc Gamlyn, the jokester.
Sawyer Henrick, the underdog.
Garrick Tavis, the dependable aide.
Imogen Cardulo, the impulsive fighter.
Bodhi Durran, the second-in-command.
Mira Sorrengail, the fearleass rider.
Brennen Sorrengail, the brilliant tactician.
Aaric Graycastle, the restless royal.
Sloane Mairi, the determined sister,

On Threshing Day, there's only one rule: don't die

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Audiobook, Dragons, Romance, Fiction, Novella

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2026

About the author

Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and coffee addict. She is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing, The Last Letter and The Things We Leave Unfinished. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward. Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over twenty years. A mother of six, she is currently surviving the teenage years with all four of her hockey-playing sons.

Want to know about Rebecca’s next release? Check her out online at www.rebeccayarros.com.

Reviews

[Marianna Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody fucking talk to me. That was supposed to be fun. I sobbed my eyes out the whole time I feel sick. Actually I want to crawl into a hole and never read again this series sends me into psychosis. These characters are literally everything to me it makes my heart hurt.

Knowing this was the first time we got trustworthy POVs because they weren’t written by the scribes had me doing backflips! I thought everyone knew Violet was an unreliable narrator because the scribes have been rewriting/altering history for years and jesinia transcribed violets POV… so we don’t know the full truth to well anything. However turns out not everyone knew that… until Rebecca confirmed it in an interview. Meanwhile I thought we’ve all been crashing out about this together since book 1.

I would love to type out a long paragraph about xaden but I mean this so seriously from the depths of my soul when I say I simply cannot even go there. I cannot talk about what that man does to me on a good day. And his POV. No I can’t let those wounds gape open and get even more infected like he fucks me up so bad. But I would do it all over again and again and again. But yeah no I just can’t.

“Loving anyone in this place is fucking stupid.
It makes you vulnerable. Vulnerability is weakness. Dragons kill weak things.”
Little does he know what his future has in store and I can’t I can’t I can’t think about it.

Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis. Garrick Tavis.

Listen I have always been in love with Garrick from day one that man had me feral and finally getting more of him and finding out HE IS THE BIGGEST PATHETIC YEARNER IN THE HISTORY OF YEARNING?!!!!!! No no no no no I can’t I can’t do this. The way he secured a spot below xaden with that one chapter like truly send help. Him and imogen are my Roman Empire. He has been in love with her since the day she punched him in the face when he was 9. And never stopped loving her for 15 years. And the fact that she’s so in love with him but has lost everyone she loves so she’ll never let herself get close especially not after Quinn like im nauseous. I can’t talk about Quinn like no I can’t please Rebecca leave my girl imogen alone she literally has lost everyone. I’m so scared I’m so scared I need more of them I need their POVs I need them together I feel like I’m going insane because now I’m going to be crashing out over Garrick as much as Xaden and Garrick and imogen as much as Xaden and Violet and I don’t have the mental capacity for that.

THE WAY BOTH OF THEIR SIGNETS DEVELOPED BECAUSE OF EACH OTHER!!! STFU. I’m so ill. They’re soulmates.

I swear it imogen has been wiping garricks memories of moments they shared when she was vulnerable. No I can’t think about it please god no.

Just learning about all the riders reasons behind their signets in general I CANNOT. This book fed us!!!!

“The yearning hits so deep, so hard, that I splay a hand over my chest to try to muffle the ever-present ache. It took weeks to travel here on horseback, and I would give anything to cross those hundreds of miles and mountains if just to see her face for a heartbeat.”

“Say the word, Imogen.”
“Say the word and I won’t so much as look at another woman.” His gaze meets mine, and I’m trapped again. “Ever.”

Imogens chapter was my favorite (along with Sloan) and the LORE DROPS AND EASTER EGGS NO I AM SO GAGGGGGGEDDDDDDDDDD

I’m convinced bodhi is the brother that turned venin at the end of onyx storm even more after this and nobody can tell me otherwise.

Liam and Sloan. Actually no I’m not okay at all that was so fucking cruel I feel like I got punched in the gut repeatedly. Liam’s pov felt like voluntary torture.

Sloan Sloan Sloan oh my hod my sweet baby angel I adore her and she absolutely broke me I will never recover I need so much more of her and of her and Dain like right now !!!!!! I feel as though I’m so terribly attached to these characters and I’m so scared because nobody is safe and this just made everything worse. I’m so depressed it’s actually embarrassing.

I need book 4 but also it’s going to kill me. I’m terrified. Also why did all the riders bleed before bonding?

[Yana · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s like I’ve been starved for a week and instead of getting a full meal, I got a smell of one. This was SPECTACULAR but way too short, I would read a whole book from everyone’s POV

[Kaila.Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently crying. Perfection.

[marrireads · Rating 5 out of 5]

rebecca KNEW what she was doing when dain said "eyes on me, mairi"🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

[levi (starboy) (s.ia) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was completely unnecessary and changed the personalities of some characters for me

[èvieane · Rating 4 out of 5]

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍✦ . 　⁺ 　 . 4.2 - 4.4 ☆ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ˋ°•*⁀➷ㅤmight contain spoilers ❗

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ Just like promised, I am finally back after three days of doing almost nothing except reading each chapter slowly, trying to catch every possible easter egg my tired brain could identify, and avoiding every theory video related to this book because I wanted to make sure that everything I say here comes entirely from my own experience with it.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ So, yay... the so-called review is finally here...(you will understand soon why i am saying "so-called")


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ “Everything is a game if you’re smart enough to see the board.”


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ honest thoughts
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ Well, as I previously said, I still think this entire book was mainly released as a cash grab, and I am standing by that opinion. But was it a cash grab that worked? Absolutely. I bought the book, I liked the book, so congratulations, I am a successful victim, and I am not even complaining. Did I expect something more, or maybe something a little different? Sure. But I still had the time of my life reading it.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ As I already mentioned in my original thoughts, this really is not the kind of book I feel I can write an entire detailed review about. There simply is not that much to discuss beyond the fact that it works incredibly well at making you fall even harder for characters you already hold dear. So, bravo, Rebecca. You somehow managed to make me both happier and more depressed at the exact same time.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ One thing I did really love, though, was how much the book worked as constant foreshadowing for everything happening throughout the series. You get to understand why certain riders manifested the signets they did, you get inside their heads and finally see events from their perspective, and you get a few more details about their pasts that make certain things click into place even more.


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ characters / THEORIES (???) ❗ SPOILERS
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ Now, shall we get to the important part of this review? Since there really is not that much more I can say about the book itself or the characters, I decided to use this entire section for something far more entertaining: my theories and all the little things I noticed while reading each of these chapters.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ So, this part will not really focus on me talking about the characters themselves, but rather on all the things I noticed throughout their chapters. And let me warn you now, this is going to be LONG AND MOSTLY CHAOTIC because what you are about to read is basically a slightly polished version of the notes I was writing while reading the book.
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ So... prepare yourselves for some full-time psychosis, because apparently reading normally was never an option for me.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Brennan
・His chapter became so soft the moment his dad appeared. It was such a lovely way to see more of Daddy Sorrengail and get a better glimpse into that side of the family.
・I do not think there was anything revolutionary about Brennan himself in this POV, but I loved seeing more of the Sorrengail family and Brennan as someone doubtful and unsure, rather than the imposing older brother we meet later.
・HOWEVER, what is with the bracelets in this family??? Brennan gets one from Asher, then later recognizes a similar black bracelet connected to their grandmother. Is there something more going on here? And why is the parchment smell around them mentioned so often???
・His POV also completely cemented the idea that dragons know far better what their riders actually need, and that in some cases, they might even plan their choices in advance.
・“Dragons love Sorrengails”???? EXCUSE ME? DOES THAT MEAN MORE THAN WE THINK????

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Mira
・For me, her chapter hit on a much deeper level. That need to protect everyone, to do her best, and to please the people she loves even when she gets nothing in return? That is such a soft, painful kind of love.
・I loved that we basically got foreshadowing for her signet just through her conversation with Teine.
・HOWEVER, am I the only one getting the horrible feeling that this chapter might be foreshadowing her death? I really, REALLY hope I am wrong.
・“I may not be a Sorrengail firstborn, but I’m the eldest daughter. There is no such thing as breaking.” INSANE quote.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Xaden
・I love how some of the professors are actually smart enough not to treat these kids like the devil incarnate. Kaori has my heart.
・I am so glad we finally got the full story behind Alic’s death from Xaden’s POV because, let me tell you, that bitch of a man had it coming. Apparently both he and his older brother got the disgusting personality, while Aaric somehow inherited all the loveliness left in that family.
・We also got the very short story of how Xaden got his scar, and honestly, it is so perfectly fitting for their bond that I cannot even complain.
・I really enjoyed the information we got about the Riorson family because it explains quite a lot....BUT it also confused me even more. Would that technically change Xaden’s title?? Does that make him something else in his family??? I genuinely do not know, so if someone wants to put me out of my misery, please do, because family trees have never been my strenght.
・Xaden’s loyalty to everyone he feels responsible for is so fucking beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. He is not even that much older than most of them, and yet he carries all that pressure on his shoulders. God, damn it, this chapter somehow made me appreciate him even more than I already did.
・Also, the little banter with Garrick and him basically calling Xaden out for the exact things he is going to do later? Funny as hell.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Garrick
・Now, THIS is where the big dragon theory really starts taking shape. Chradh is supposedly only 27 and has never had another rider, so why are so many of his traits described as “older”? And then we get hit with: “I know. Yet another reason I have finally chosen to involve myself with your kind again.” AGAIN??? I am watching all of you, you lying dragons.
・And because I am a romantic at heart, we all know riders manifest signets based on what they need most, right? So imagine my reaction when I realized Garrick’s signet manifested DUE TO HIS LOVE FOR IMOGEN??? I DID NOT EXPECT TO READ GARRICK’S POV AND COME OUT OF IT WITH THIS MUCH APPRECIATION FOR THIS MAN.
・“I would give anything to cross those hundreds of miles and mountains if just to see her face for a heartbeat.” HELLO??? COME ON. That is disgusting levels of yearning, and I am obsessed. I cannot get over how many different things we learned in this chapter alone.
・I can definitely see why his devotion to Xaden, the way he constantly looks out for everyone just to ease some of Xaden’s burden, OR even his love for Imogen might make people think he is the one who channeled at the end of Onyx Storm. But for me, neither of those reasons feels strong enough to fully support that theory.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Dain
・“because Riorson would probably break every rule in the Codex to kill her.” Oh, he would absolutely break every rule in that Codex... just not to kill her.
・Honestly, Dain’s entire meeting with his father was just sad because it further cemented how badly he is being used. The emotional manipulation was so obvious that I genuinely felt sorry for him.
・Some of the things his father said also made me feel like the Empyrean is far more divided than we thought and that the dragons might have much more influence over the people they choose to bond than we realize. Almost like they already know exactly who they need to attract to their side.
・And that idea gets even stronger on the very last page, when Cath says his only condition is that Dain’s allegiance remains entirely to him, regardless of what his father might demand. That felt VERY deliberate.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Bodhi
・I already suspected Bodhi might be carrying a slight inferiority complex(?) when it comes to Xaden, and this chapter made that feeling even stronger. I do not think he necessarily sees himself as lesser than Xaden, but rather that everyone constantly expects him to be like Xaden to the point where they forget he is his own person too.
・“You’re closer to a brother than you are a cousin.” / “I will choose you every day until your death or your demise.” Yeah... this seriously strengthened my original Onyx Storm theory that Bodhi is the “brother" that channels.
・His entire chapter revolves around how little control he feels he has over his own life, how everyone keeps offering him ways to stay safe while Xaden risks everything, and how badly he wants the power to make it all stop. And what was Bodhi’s problem at the end of Onyx Storm? NOT. HAVING. ENOUGH. POWER. So what if channeling becomes his way of finally making his own choice, staying beside Xaden instead of abandoning him, and taking some of that burden from his shoulders?
・HOWEVER... this quote also scared me: “This place changes everyone, including you.” Because if my original theory is wrong, the other possibility is that all this bottled-up frustration pushes Bodhi toward becoming a traitor instead. And considering some of his past actions already felt slightly shady to me...I genuinely do not think I could survive that option.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Imogen
・To me, Imogen’s chapter was one of the most fascinating, and I have to start with the soft side of it. Her loving Garrick but being the one who keeps refusing him because she is terrified that letting him in means she might lose him??? And then her manifesting a signet tied to what she needed in relation to him, JUST LIKE HE DID FOR HER??? I did not expect to get one of the most compelling side-character love stories like this.
・And somehow, all of that makes Quinn’s death even more heartbreaking because now I cannot stop thinking that Imogen will never let Garrick fully close to her after losing someone she loved that way...again.
・Now, getting to the serious part, HOW THE HELL DID IMOGEN CHANNEL SO DAMN SOON??? My mind is a mess and apparently I need to reread these books AGAIN, because what exactly happened there?
・And then came the real bomb: dragons are hiding their true names and ages, and some of them are apparently doing it specifically so they can bond direct descendants of their previous riders. Glane basically handed us that information, and suddenly all those comments about “finally bonding again” or “waiting to finally bond you/your bloodline” have a completely different meaning.
・So now the real question is: how many dragons are actually doing this, and what could that mean for the Empyrean going forward? are only the dragons bonding the marked ones doing this specifically so they can aid them????

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Rhiannon
・I do not think I found anything truly revolutionary in Rhiannon’s chapter, but I really appreciated how clearly it showed that she was absolutely made for a commanding position within her squad.
・And I also loved that little detail about Dain actually being nice and choosing to take Sawyer. It was such a small moment, but still a cute one.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Sawyer
・Apart from wanting nothing more than to give Sawyer a huge hug and tell him he is absolutely AMAZING, his chapter did one other thing perfectly: it clarified that the dragons apparently do not only choose who to bond, but also WHEN to bond them.
・The revelation that Sawyer repeating the year was not caused by his own shortcomings, but because Sliseag was not ready to bond yet, or because the dragons themselves decided it was simply not the right time, raises SO many more questions about how much control the dragons actually have over everything. What do they know that they decide the exact moment when they have to bond a certain rider that might come?

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Ridoc
・You all already know I was more than ready for this chapter, and it was EVERYTHING I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. It was funny, adorable, hot because, obviously, it is Ridoc and everything he does is hot.
・More importantly, it perfectly proved something Onyx Storm already started showing us: Ridoc does not get nearly enough credit for how insanely smart, loyal, protective, and capable he actually is.
・Sadly, I do not think there was anything especially revolutionary here in terms of theories, but I definitely did not expect to see Ridoc basically arguing with a dragon because he did NOT want that specific dragon. I loved every second of it.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Liam
・Apart from being the chapter that somehow both ruined me and made me happy, I also have one VERY crazy theory here. And yes, I know it is crazy.
・At the end of Onyx Storm, the other person who channeled is referred to as “brother,” right? Well, who calls Xaden “brother” MULTIPLE times in his chapter? Liam. Seeing that repeated so much genuinely made my brain spiral into one horrible possibility: what if Liam is actually not dead, but something possibly even more heartbreaking....venin? Do the venin actually have the power of bringing someone back from the dead (or while they are very close to death)?. And yes, now I am thinking exactly about Naolin and Brennan.
・This is absolutely just my brain creating scenarios to cope, but still... WHAT IF?
・And then we get: “And those in my line have always favored those in yours.” HELLO???? I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THESE DRAGONS ARE DOING because this whole bloodline-bonding situation is getting more suspicious by the chapter.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Sloane
・For me, her chapter was the most heartbreaking one, and it genuinely made me put the book down for a while. I cannot even explain how awful it felt reading about her struggles after Liam’s death.
・And the most painful part? Their dragons were siblings too. Do not talk to me.
・DAIN. FUCKING. AETOS. I would like to formally apologize for every single thing I said about you after book one and the first half of book two because I WAS NOT AWARE OF YOUR GAME.
・I want it officially known that Dain Aetos is now exempted from all previous charges. The case is closed. He is hot af.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⊹ Aaric
・“I will fly for your kind, but not the Empyrean that has enabled this travesty. Kill me now for sedition or bond me. Your choice. Mine is already made.” I think we URGENTLY need way more chapters about this man because this line alone proves how insanely compelling he could become as a character. He genuinely feels like someone who could play a much bigger role in the next books.
・Also, if I cannot have Xaden, can I at least PLEASE have him??? Oh my god, this man is HOT and he absolutely knows it.
・But beyond that... I cannot stop wondering what else he knows. Because something about him makes me feel like there is definitely MORE going on there.


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ should you read this?
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ The answer is absolutely yes. Why? Because this novella will do nothing else than make you have evem more questions. I finished it, loved it, and yet I was left even more confused than before it. And some of these mose pressing questions for me are the following:

・How do the dragons even know exactly who to choose for their desired outcome, and how do they know when certain cadets are going to join the ranks so they can wait for them? And now that I used the word “outcome”....is Codagh somehow behind moving all these pieces and directing the dragons on who to bond? Does he know something that needs to happen, enough to know the exact steps required to reach that good outcome? And, more importantly... is he actually good???

・WHAT DOES KAORI KNOW??? Throughout the entire book, his scenes and the things he said felt WAY too deliberate. Especially the way he comforts the marked ones and tells them they will be fine once they bond strong dragons. Then there is the fact that he is responsible for keeping the records of all the dragons, right? So how are dragons apparently able to re-record themselves under different names and ages without anyone noticing? Kaori repeatedly says his loyalty lies only with the dragons, so... is he part of this too???

・And lastly, WHY IS EVERYONE BLEEDING??? At first I did not even notice it, but the more I read, the more jarring it became. Even in the Threshing Day game, before you get chosen by a dragon (or killed), you are made to bleed in one way or another. So what the hell is actually going on here? Why does blood keep coming into play? Is there some kind of blood bonding involved in all of this???

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ Rebecca, just give us the next book already.....

⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍendㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹




ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ᯓ ✿ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍pre-reading ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⪼
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ○ started ┆29-September-2026┆

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⤿ just got back from work and will immediately pick this up because i can't wait to send Rebecca my therapy bill

[nes ☾ · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5💫 Is it too soon to re-read this???

STOP - I loved this one so much! 🤍🐉 I found myself purposefully stopping to read further to stretch my time with this book and savour all the characters because I know this will still be a long time before we are reunited 🥹 I absolutely loved each of the characters POV and THE DRAGONS 😍 We seriously need more of ther POV’s in the next books.

What I think I loved most about all of these stories is how clearly you can see that dragons accept their riders as they are and how this truly is a bond unlike anything else. And the concept of choice can clearly be seen in each of the stories.

⊹ Brennan and Marbh - I loved seeing a bit more vulnerable Brennan: him just trying to live up to his family's expectations (especially his mom’s). and OMG we get Papa Sorrengail on the page - he was there for 5 seconds, and already so many easter eggs dropped I absolutely loved Marbh - him roasting Brennan was everything, and he is just absolutely hilarious.
“Only birds belong in the tops of trees. Are you a bird, Sorrengail?”

⊹ Mira and Teine - Mira knowing from the first second she belonged with Teine 🥹 My heart goes out to Mira - her feeling like she doesn't belong in her family, yet she loves them all so fiercely and finding that comfort and sense of belonging with Teine made me emotional 🤍

⊹ Xaden and Sgaeyl - XADEN POV WAS EVERYTHING I NEEDED, AND MORE 😍 His love and protection of the marked ones knows no bounds - I love him so much 🖤 Seeing the “don't fall in love at this place” side of him - oh boy, will he eat his words in just a couple months 😅 And Sgaeyl - I absolutely loved seeing more of her: she is truly a perfect pair for Xaden. The way she just roasted Alic and his peeps to protect the marked ones 🤣 also - QUEEN of easter eggs. You can already see the set-up for the previous books in the series clear as day. Also, can we talk about the fact that SHE gave Xaden his scar???

⊹ Garrick and Chradh - GARRICK IS PURE PERFECTION! I loved him in the previous books and always thought he was a bit underhyped, but YALL, THIS MAN, THIS MAAAAAAAAAAN 🫠 He is so selfless, always putting himself before others and always sacrificing his happiness and choices for others. AND BOYY OHH BOYYYY CAN HE YEARN! 😮‍💨

⊹ Dain and Cath - Rebecca made it her personal mission to redeem Dain for us at any cost, and she is doing a damn amazing job, and I am joining her ranks! Here we truly can see how his life was never his, and all he wanted was to just be accepted and loved for who he is 🥺 He cares deeply for Violet and wants to protect her - yes, he might have gone to extremes in the books, but he just wants to shield her from all the bad especially after experiencing her father's and Brennan's death. He also just wants his father to love him, especially after his mother left him and his father is all he has left, while at the same time trying to find his own ❤️‍🩹 I was so proud of him for choosing the dragon HE wanted, not what his father had arranged and trusting his own instincts.

⊹ Bodhi and Cuir - Bodhi: Always the reliable one, who just wants peace and for all of this to end. I loved him and Cuir together, and the crumbs Rebecca is giving us.

⊹ Imogen and Glane - I LOVED IMOGEN'S POV SO MUCH 🤍 She and Glane are so perfect together, and Glane is absolutely hilarious and sassy, but also their backstory is SOO INTERESTING: I feel like this will come back in the next books; it has to. My heart goes out to Imogen for all her loss and how she truly believes that anyone who gets close to her dies 🥺 Her and Garrick - CHEF'S KISS 🤌🏻 And what do you mean their signets reflect each other??? Him wielding distance because he wanted to see her, and her manifesting memory manipulation because she wants to erase some of their negative interactions

⊹ Rhiannon and Feirge - I love Rhi, but this was just an okay POV imo.

⊹ Sawyer and Sliseag - My baby Sawyer, I just want to hug him 🖤 He wants to be perfect, and after failing to bond during the first year, you can see how much his self-doubt is eating into him and making him truly believe he is not good enough. I love Sliseag, his gentle yet firm approach to stop this self-pity and remind Sawyer who he is 🖤
“Accept yourself as I do,”

⊹ Ridoc and Aotrom - Ridoc has finally found his match 🤣 Not Aotrom, being a dragon version of Ridoc - joking with each other and pulling pranks - they are so adorable together 🥹

⊹ Liam and Deigh - Liam, I will forever love you ❤️‍🩹 and Deigh guiding Liam to wait for him under Polylepis to remind Liam of home 😭

⊹ Sloane and Thoirt - Sloane's POV made me tear up 🥺 Her being angry at the world and everyone for anything that happened to her and her family, and for losing Liam. I did not expect Thoirt to be Deigh's sister! This was such a full-circle moment, and Thoirt is exactly what she needs ❤️‍🩹 “You will never see a sunrise where I am not waiting for you.”
Also - DAIN “EYES HERE” AETOS - this is all I will say🫠

⊹ Aaric and Molvic - Again, this one was just okay

↬ pre - read 🖤
GET IN LOSER, WE'RE GOING THRESHING 🐉⚔️😍

[Krista ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

“I hope you’re hungry……. For nothing”. This could’ve been an email.

Don’t get me wrong. I love a little novella about a bunch of characters I love but this just wasn’t needed?? Ridocs chapter was the only one I actually enjoyed because I’ve always wanted to know what him and that dragon are talking about. But other than that it added absolutely nothing to the series or the future of the series.

I just feel like when a series is so big, they’ll just do anything to get a few extra $$ out of fans and this was a prime example of it. This could’ve been a free read on a blog, but no, they’re charging a massive $24.99 (AUD) on kindle to read this novella of nothingness.

Maybe I’m more critical because fourth wing isn’t my ride or die like it is for some. Like are the ratings so high just because it’s fourth wing? Because it was a whole 200 pages of absolutely nothing.

Update - for those saying “you don’t see the hints” and “oh now she’s saying it’s the only reliable source because scribes aren’t reliable”. Since when?? I PERSONALLY think Yarros has decided a different ending to what she had originally planned so is now using the “don’t trust what you’ve read so far” as an excuse to flip the script. An unreliable narrator and an ending where it’s “nothing was actually real” is a big no no for me. Other than that, there was literally only one or two hints that will 100% be brought up in the next book. Which brings me back to my original point of “this is a total money grab”. It now has multiple editions, multiple audio versions and apparently a graphic novella. Total. Money. Grab. The publishers (and Yarros) should be ashamed of themselves capitalising on fans 🤢

[Ss · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐ I actually enjoyed this way more than I expected to. This was pretty much extra content, BUT 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁. And after Onyx Storm??? Some of these little details are VERY suspicious 👀. And some theories that were out there felt more real. AND I think I'm free of my slump 💃🏻.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱. Moving from story to story was smooth and knowing more about other Dragons that weren't mentioned much in previous books was amazing. I have to say, everything including: The writing, the POVs, the threshing stories, the dragons, each one was perfect and well done imo. It delivered 🙌🏻.

I also noticed that Rebecca tried to point out in almost all of the chapters how most of the characters are loyal to Xaden, I think it has something to do with book 4 and where they will stand and the situation they'll be put in... I don't even want to think about it 🫠💔.


𝙉𝙤𝙬, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨 :-

1- 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗵
I really liked starting with their story.. Getting to see Brennan before everything we know about him now was interesting. And Marbh??? I loved their dynamic. Brennan being so predictable while his dragon is basically the complete opposite was genuinely funny.

2- 𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗲
I'll always love Mira, she's such a responsible person I love her so much. And the way she and Teine bonded was meaningful bc you could immediately understand why that dragon chose her. Mira needed a dragon who wasn’t going to treat her like she was fragile. Their bond felt very much like mutual respect rather than an easy connection.

3- 𝗫𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗴𝗮𝗲𝘆𝗹
Obviously one of the main reasons I wanted this book 🫣. Xaden’s and Sgaeyl's Threshing was my favorite. Forever a Sgaeyl lover, she's a gorgeous strong dragon, AND a ruthless one. And getting to live that moment when Xaden got that hot line on his face🤭? As soon as I read “You’re split clean open from above your eyebrow to the top of your cheek. I’m surprised you still have an eye.” I was swaying.
Also, the fact that we get little pieces of information that make you start questioning things about Xaden’s family and everything we thought we knew??? Rebecca really cannot just give us ONE normal piece of information and leave.

4- 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗵
They fit perfectly, He and Chradh felt SO them. Garrick is loyal to the point of being reckless, and Chradh has this whole personality that makes their dynamic even funnier.

5- 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗵
I don't really love Dain, but I loved his threshing And the Dragon he bonded with. Cath being a red Swordtail felt fitting too because Dain is WAY more stubborn and independent than he likes to admit or act upon.
And his dad's comment “They weren't supposed to live last year”?? It made me wish I can just get in the book and tell him off.

6- 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝗵𝗶 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗶𝗿
Firstly, I have to say, I'm not a big believer of the theory that Bodhi is Xaden's brother but his POV made the theory feel more realistic tbh🙂‍↕️. And now to the threshing, Cuir choosing him felt like such a good match because Bodhi is powerful without needing to prove that he is. Their bond felt quieter than some of the others, but I liked that; Bodhi just needs a dragon that complements him and Cuir is just that.

7- 𝗜𝗺𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲
IMOGEN'S CHAPTER??? Stop because I LOVED this chapter muuuuchhh more than I thought I would. It was probably one of my favorites because there was SO much going on underneath it. She's already carrying all this anger toward Navarre, she's dealing with Garrick being around her, and then Glane shows up with a secret of her own.

8- 𝗥𝗵𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗶𝗿𝗴𝗼
Sorry but that was the least interesting story imo. Rhiannon's Threshing felt a little more straightforward compared to some of the others that were more interesting so I don't have alot to say. I liked seeing her Threshing and her relationship with Feirge, though.

9- 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗴
I felt bad for Sawyer knowing what being unbonded has done to him, so watching him finally get bonded and Sliseag choosing him made their bond feel so deep and meaningful.

10- 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗼𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗼𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗺
Ridoc’s threshing was exactly the chaos I expected and somehow even better. He's soooo random but so fun. Aotrom is basically just Ridoc but in a dragon form🐉🐉 They're the perfect match with the same vibes.

11- 𝗟𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵
LIAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMM
This one felt heavy ngl. Seeing Liam so happy and about to finally have a purpose made me want to scream at the book. Deigh choosing him and Liam finally getting something that belongs entirely to him made what happens later hurt even more🧍🏻‍♀️💔.

12- 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗿𝘁
Sloane’s was easily one of the most emotional for me. I loved seeing this side of her, when she dgaf about anyone. Her grief, anger, and the way her Dragon Thoirt understood it and didn't immediately expect her to become perfect was like a warm hug.
And, I noticed that Thoirt confirmed to Sloane that she's sure when time comes and "war" comes, she'll want to wield. Interesting 🫣.

13- 𝗔𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗰
I felt bad for Aaric dealing with rejection many times that he eventually said “fuck all of this”. His chapter was probably the one that made me most curious about what comes next. Molvic does NOT make it easy, and their entire interaction feels like Aaric proving that he isn’t Alic, isn’t Halden, isn’t his father.
That ending?? Out of all the chapters, his felt the most like the beginning of something rather than the conclusion of a story.


And now, the important question; 𝗪𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆? No. I really liked it and enjoyed it but no. I think the main reason to read it is to get more of the Empyrean world and its characters and dragons. And maybe even to be sure about some theories you might have believed or heard of. It gives you more to think about in the series, it gives you more of the Empyrean world since I'm sure most of us missed it and wanted something to give us patience after Onyx Storm and all. And speaking of that, it also gives you hope and reminds you of the time where there wasn't Venin and we just had silly things and small problems to think about.

So I wouldn’t call it a “you have to read this before continuing” book. But if you already care about these characters and this world? Yeah. I’m really glad we got to stay in the Threshing Valley a little longer.


“I would have repeated another year if I knew you would be waiting for me at the end of it.”

“They know everything—the best and worst of you—before they deign to speak to you.”



|𝐏𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 ઇ.‧ઉ
I'm in SUUUUUUUCHHH a bad reading slump that I haven't finished a book in almost a month now... So I'm gonna put all my hopes in this one to get me out of my slump 🙏🏻.

And I really miss all of you and miss interacting with your posts, I just got busy with life and all, tho I'll still be trying to be as active as I can 🫶🏻💗💗

[Laura Greenhalgh · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I am typically not one for novellas or bonus content but this felt like a homecoming. I feel like I have been chasing the high from book one in this series forever and this really rekindled my love for The Empyrean and made me so excited to return to the world!

[Ayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

i got everything in those 200 pages!

i laughed, i cried, i went into heat, i was shot 57 times, and stabbed with 3 arrows to my chest…

SPOILERS BELOW ⚠️

starting off with brennan’s threshing day was very laughable to me because the entire time everyone thought he was dead, he was just out there being gay! 🐬🖤

brennan and mira developing signets that reflected how protective they are over violet was so willing & able coded. i literally exploded into a million pieces.

every moment xaden’s “bothered” by violets existence was me giggling into my hands because THATS YOUR FUCKING WIFE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT! i am the center of this venn diagram

the way Imogen’s signet became memory erasure because she wanted Garrick to forget what she confessed to him… while his became distance wielding because he wanted to always be able to reach her…. LEGENDARY LOVERS!!!

and just when i thought i was gonna be jut punched again when i began to read Liam characters turns out, all this time, i had a gun pointed to my family when i read SLOAN’S chapter… i would take being shot 57 times over that again.

Aaric… i’m watching you but im also very attracted to you…

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crumbs, besties… Crumbs

[Salma (inactive) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⤿ rating: 5 stars
⤿ age: 18+
⤿ spice: none
₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ Review will contain spoilers for Onyx Storm and Threshing Day

══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══╡ Overview: ╞══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══

This was everything I didn’t know I needed and more. I love all these characters so much; they’re like family to me. They have a special place in my heart; I’m so attached to them—it’s not even funny.

I'm not usually a fan of novellas in book series, mainly because I either think they're useless or a money grab. This one managed to keep me entertained from start to finish. It's a novella I would re-read over and over.

Going back to the days when there was no venin, Liam happy and alive, and just them being cadets was bittersweet—I miss when that was all the series was about.

Who knew that a novella was capable of making me laugh and cry this much? I felt every motion in this novella; I laughed, I cried, and I swooned. Rebecca Yarros wrote this novella with such intelligence that not every author will be able to achieve. Most of the cadets “manifested” their signets.

I went into this novella not expecting much, but I was surprised at how much we came to learn about the riders and their dragons. The several reveals and easter eggs were shocking to read. I also loved seeing the dynamic between each rider and their dragon—it felt like the perfect match for their personality; it complemented them perfectly.

Also, what do you mean this is the first book we can trust because it wasn’t written by scribes? WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN’T TRUST MY GIRL JESINIA? Does that include Asher as well? I WANT ANSWERS. This novella definitely proved that dragons can lie about their name and age—they can never be trusted.

══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══╡ Characters: ╞══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══

જ⁀➴ Brennan and Marbh: Even though I don’t care for him, I enjoyed his POV. His dragon was very funny and cocky. It definitely had interesting reveals. I enjoyed seeing him and his dad. Notice how his dad talked about how their hearts won’t take it if something happened to Brennan. And what about that bracelet? He manifested being a mender to help Violet.

જ⁀➴ Mira and Teine: Mira’s POV broke my heart. I’ll always hate her parents for giving her the “middle child” treatment. She deserves so much better than that, but I’d like to think that Violet is her person. Her strength was always seen in the previous books, but her vulnerability here was very admirable. While Teine’s words cut deep, he saw her more than her own parents ever did.

જ⁀➴ Xaden and Sgaeyl: I could talk about this man for hours. The weight he carries on his shoulders, the responsibilities he bears, his loyalty, his protectiveness—everything about him is so heartbreaking and very sweet. I cried during his POV; his friendship with Garrick is so underrated—I love their bond so much. Him standing up for Garrick is so heartwarming. Sgaeyl’s ruthless matches Xaden perfectly; I’ve always adored her. They both share the same motives. Notice how he used Alic’s shadows to kill him. He manifested his signet to protect those he loved. Him talking about how love is a weakness, not knowing he'll turn for the two women in his life. Sgaeyl is the first woman who ever chose him.

જ⁀➴ Garrick and Chradh: MY OTHER MAN IS SO UNDERHYPED. THIS MAN YEARNS. He loved Imogen ever since she was NINE YEARS OLD. He manifested his “distance wielding” signet so he could see her. I wish his POV were longer; his dragon is one of those dragons who has a lot of secrets—it was very mysterious.

જ⁀➴ Dain and Cath: This page has no room for any Dain slander, okay? I am always his defender, and I love him so much. We’ve seen in Iron Flame that his father manipulated him, but we’ve never seen how deep the manipulation runs until we read his POV. My heart broke for him; not only does he have a shitty father, but a shitty mom who abandoned him as well. He manifested his signet so that he could be able to understand why his mom left him and stopped writing him letters. I really, really hate his dad. I loved his dynamic with Cath; Cath was very sarcastic, but also supportive. He saw Dain for who he really is, and not the man his dad wants him to be. I’m glad he had his own choice in choosing his dragon, and not the one his dad demanded him to. Him promising his dad to tell him if the marked ones break the Codex, and then him breaking the Codex for a marked one—Sloane—had me swooning. I need more of them ASAP.

જ⁀➴ Bodhi and Cuir: No one can convince me that he is NOT the new brother at the end of Onyx after reading his POV. That being said, I love him, and I loved the bond between them as well. He wants to be like Xaden, but he also wants to be his own person. He's so overlooked, and had his choices made for him without ever having one of his own. Cuir was very keen on letting Bodhi choose his dragon when all his life his choices have been made for him. I loved that he gave Bodhi a choice when dragons aren't lenient at all. Definitely one of the best dynamics in the novella. Bodhi manifested his signet to help Xaden.

જ⁀➴ Imogen and Glane: Imogen’s POV shocked me the most, and I hope we can get answers on her dragon and Imogen’s lineage—there's definitely more to it. I loved the banter between them; we already saw a POV of them in Onyx Storm. She and Garrick, on the other hand, had me melting. I need more of them, and I need Imogen to be happy. This man had yearned for her for years, but she refuses to get close to him to protect him from getting hurt—and to protect herself, too. Everyone she loved died, so Garrick can’t die, too—I refuse to. Notice how she manifested her “memory-erasing” signet so that she could make Garrick forget what she told him.

જ⁀➴ Rhiannon and Feirge: Not gonna lie, her POV was the most boring. It wasn’t something we hadn’t already learned in the previous books. I love her dragon's sarcasm, though.

જ⁀➴ Sawyer and Silseag: Sawyer is so underrated, and I’ve been screaming from the rooftops that he deserves way more hype. He can’t die in the upcoming books. My heart won’t take it. Their dynamic is also one of the best. Sawyer’s rage and shame are completely understandable and valid. I loved seeing Silseag giving Sawyer what he craves, and him taking it despite being a red dragon. Both of them speak to each other. Their emotions mirror each other perfectly. My heart broke for him as well. Notice how he manifested his signet for needing a blacksmith to help handle his emotions.

જ⁀➴ Ridoc and Aotrom: The funniest dynamic of all POVs. They are two sides of the same coin—besides the obvious. They are hilarious, and I was laughing at how silly they both are. Notice how he manifested his signet to help Aotrom remove the sap off his back.

જ⁀➴ Liam and Deigh: I obviously cried seeing Liam happy. Him teasing Xaden about Violet. Him making his figurine of Deigh. Liam and Sloane in one book but never reuniting—my heart hurts thinking about that. Notice how he manifested his signet so that he could see Sloane.

જ⁀➴ Sloane and Thoirt: Hands down, my favourite POV in the entire novella. I sobbed, and sobbed, and sobbed. Her dynamic with her dragon was the best. For being a red dragon, who are known for their temper, Thoirt was very maternal and gentle towards Sloane. The last two in each lineage bonded to heal over their loss. The way they promise to be there for each other through their healing process and her patience with Sloane broke me. It’s not something you’d expect from a dragon at all. My heart broke for her, and for how much pain and grief she’s carrying. She needs to be protected at all costs. If I thought Liam’s POV was emotional, Sloane’s was so much worse. The “banter” between her and Dain is chef’s kiss. Also, can we talk about how brotherly Aaric is towards her? It’s definitely what she needs right now, and I loved seeing it. I’d love to see more of that in the upcoming books.

જ⁀➴ Aaric and Molvic: His POV is definitely the shortest, and I wanted more—I wish it were longer. I love Aaric; he’s a hot man, okay? The amount of control and “dominance” he possesses HAD ME SCREAMING. But I don’t know if I trust him, especially with everything he said. Notice how Molvic asked him if he knows the future. He manifested his signet to help bring his kingdom down.

── .✦ 𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼: I loved this novella so much, and I need book four ASAP.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

˖ ֹ੭୧pre-read:⊹ ࣪ ⑅

IT IS FINALLY HERE. MY MAN, XADEN, HERE I COME. Ready to shed some tears 😭

⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ the empyrean
✦︎☆┇ Fourth Wing - 4.5 stars
✦︎☆┇ Iron Flame - 4 stars
✦︎☆┇ Onyx Storm - 3.5 stars

[Jaime Fok · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

This was genuinely just so much fun! The best part of this series for me has always been the dragons, so reading these scenarios and seeing how 13 of our characters initially bonded with their dragons was obviously going to be a good time.

I actually loved seeing how different each bonding story was. Both in terms of how our human characters approached it, but also how our dragons did. Whether it was a quicker, immediate connection vs more of a seeking game vs a test (or a premeditated situation 👀) - I think every bonding story really felt true to each individual!

Could also see ALL the hints being dropped, and it was fun getting a tiny little peek deeper into the lore of this world. I have become sceptical of novellas within series in general, because many of them just feel very epilogue-y and don't offer much - but I think this one had a great balance of pure entertainment & fan service but also providing additional info! I'll also always just have a fun time being in this world, let's be honest 😂

[Rachel Louise ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

five stars ⭐️

it felt like we waited forever for even the smallest of crumbs & now it's here, my god did it deliver! this was perfect & reminded me of everything I loved about Fourth Wing to begin with - the character depth & emotion, the politics, the foreshadowing, the dragon bonds... there was just so much to it for a novella, and it really brought back the love I have for the empyrean series

reading the pov's of so many characters was such a gift! not only to get that added character depth but to really be able to put the pieces together of how they fit into the overarching story. I just loved it so much, and when I got to Liam & Sloane's chapters... oh I was not okay 😭😭 and Xaden crumbs? my heart is aching!!!

all I can say is I NEED book 4 immediately 😩





pre-read p.2
IT'S TIIIIIIIMEEEEEEEEEE 🙂‍↔️🙌🏼




PRE-READ
WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S A FOURTH WING NOVELLA BEING RELEASED ON MY BIRTHDAY I'M GONNA THROW UP

[morgan ۶ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was so nice to finally get to hear what’s in these characters heads! their hopes and fears and crucially the dragons and why they chose them 🥹

i missed these characters so much i was happy but also emotional a lot of the chapters. i thought xaden’s pov would be my favourite but nope it was brennan, ridoc, sawyer, garrick, aaric, liam and sloane’s 😭 my babies fr

[yas reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

this has xaden in it. 5 stars is all you can expect.

[Alyssa Nieves · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’m so emo this was everythingggg 🥹

[Mia · Rating 0.25 out of 5]

This book is proof that we are desperately wasting our precious trees on 1-ply literature.

[Reggie Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Basgiath!!! This was so fun. The parallels?! The Easter eggs?! I am reeling. I can’t wait to read this again. Thanks for this, Rebecca.

[Grace Btrs (very busy - semi ia - trying to catch up)]

IT'S 13 STORIES FROM THRESHING DAY
ahhhhhhhhh
Okay my guesses:
1- Xaden and Sgaeyl
2- Ridoc and Aotrom
3- LIAMMMMM (fuck break my heart) and Deigh
4- Tairn and Naolin (hear me out!!!)
5- Lilith and Aimsir
6- Dain and Cath
7- Mira and Teine
8- Aaric and Molvic
9- Imogen and Feirge
10- Garrick and Chradh
11- Brennan and Marbh
12- Rhi and Feirge
13- Sloane and Thoirt
No I don't remember names of all dragons, I searched some of them up :p

She did say beloved characters, so not Baide and Barlow
I would be down for Codagh's story tho...

What are your guesses?


--
WHATEVER THIS IS, I AM EATING IT UP. Crumbs, dust, and all.

Okay also so
Since this is not listed in the Empyrean Series thread, but it's added on RY profile alone (like a stabdalone would be)
Which leads me to believe it is not a novella about the main characters
It's probably some world lore like the Fables or the codex or an extended glossary or the guide to dragons or ALL OF THEM COMBINED

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being back in my favourite world made my heart so happy and made me so emotional. I love them all so much and seeing one of the most important days in their life from their perspective was truly a gift!!

Some of them were hilarious, some gave me certain insight and some made me ugly cry.. We got to see how deep some connections go, some yearning and insecurities that broke my heart, bonds that matter more than anything, grief that consumes and we had some fun too. Also, I don't care what anyone says about Dain and a certain someone, I see it and I support it!!
I'm not going to dwell deeper as to not spoil anything, but just know that I loved all of the stories and the only thing we truly know is that we know nothing about the dragons...

Overall, this was such a great addition, I really enjoyed it!! I will honestly eat up anything that brings me my baby Xaden back, I love that man to pieces!! His villain era will be iconic!!

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

IT'S TIME!!!

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 3 out of 5]

1.) Fourth Wing ★★★★★
2.) Iron Flame ★★★★
3.) Onyx Storm ★★★★



you might cross the parapet in july at basgiath war college, but the first of october is when you walk into the forest in hopes of walking out bound to a dragon…

each and every year, this day is filled with a lot of horror and lots of loss, but the students who leave bonded from the threshing valley will forever dedicate their lives to the dragon that chooses them. and they will also begin shaping the world for the next generation to come. this anthology collection gives us thirteen unique povs from each character’s threshing day, while also reminding us that these are the only true direct account perspectives that have not been edited or redacted from other archival sources. much to think about, much to theorycraft about.

every story starts with a full art illustration of the dragon of said story! and the art is absolutely incredible! it really added a wonderful layer to starting each of these bondings and i am so happy all of these pieces were included in this anthology. also, rebecca and red tower choosing an amazing filipino artist deeply brings me so much happiness. (more artwork by joe requeza!)

☆ these individual story breakdown reviews may contain spoilers for the fourth wing universe! please use caution if you are not up to date with everything within this world as of 2026! ☆

━━🧡 Brennan / Marbh ★★

i feel like such a hater, but i just didn’t feel like this was a strong opening for this collection. it was very interesting to see their father (and his hair, and his disappearances, and his bracelet), but besides that the only thing i really enjoyed was seeing brennan’s perspective of the heavy weight of their family legacy.

━━💚 Mira / Teine ★★★

i am a big mira fan, so i think that that probably helped me enjoy this story a little more than the first. but again, the most interesting part was the discussion of the burden that is their family’s legacy and what is expected of them from birth. yet, one thing about the sorrengails, they do love to climb a tree (and... dragons apparently love them and want them as riders).

━━💙 Xaden / Sgaeyl ★★★★★

now this is exactly what i expected from this collection. i also realize this could be a little bit of bias talking, but this just felt like the exact behind the scenes that i actually wanted, but let’s be so real with sgaeyl just being the baddest dragon of them all. and i especially loved reading about the additional level of threat the marked ones face, knowing that the dragons can see all your secrets. but yeah, xaden and sgaeyl are really just that duo, and this hits extra hard after the events at the end of onyx storm! oh, and obviously there is some dishonestly about his family lineage (maybe a parent trap moment) and that is very, very, very interesting to think about.

━━🤎 Garrick / Chradh ★★★

his story picks right up after leaving xaden to bond with sgaeyl, while garrick himself keeps hearing the voice of the dragon that wants to bond with him. I feel like this story really emphasizes the fact that these dragons for sure have a completely separate agenda, that we are obviously learning more about with onyx storm ! but some of these records of these dragons, who they are, their age, who they have bonded with prior, are not as accurate as the scribes recorded it. like, these dragons are really doing so much from the shadows of this series and i just desperately want to know everything! also… obviously i love to read about a pro yearner and garrick is the definition of the power manifested from the act itself.

━━❤️ Dain / Cath ★★

i mean, the ships are for sure sailing with both garrick and now dain’s stories, which i will always love to see. there are SO many theories when it comes to dain, so i was very interested to see what his threshing day experience was like. very very very interested in dain’s absent mother. and we get to see his dad being evil, like always. this one was just okay for me, but i was happy he bonded the dragon he wanted to bond.

━━💚 Bodhi / Cuir ★★★★

“If we stand by while evil consumes the most innocent of us, we will deserve what happens when it reaches our own doors.”

bodhi is for sure one of my faves in this series, but i think i like him even more now after reading this. his threshing day was filled with feelings of having his life always be decided for him, and while constantly feeling like he is also forced to live within the confines of xaden’s shadows (metaphorically and literally, i suppose). but seeing him be picked just felt really special and this one did for sure get an emotional reaction from me. truly one of the most powerful things in all worlds is the act of being able to choose. extra can’t wait to see where that fourth book picks up after this, but i do fear that “death or demise” confirms a lot (i say through tears).

━━🧡 Imogen / Glane ★★★

i think one of the more interesting facets of this world is some people being able to have two signets and how they can manifest! sometimes… by being the chosen one and having two dragons, but also from your single dragon being bonded to a family member in the past. and again, this story extra proves that there is a lot of misinformation about dragons within the archives, to allow xaden, and now imogen, to be bond to dragons that were bonded to their respective grandparents! yet, this is also a story about how imogen is scared to let anyone get close to her, and in return pushes everyone away, because everyone she’s loved has been taken from her too early. and this just feels extra heartbreaking after the events of onyx storm, which i’m still so incredibly upset over, tbh!

━━💚 Rhiannon / Feirge ★★★

i just love rhiannon so much, and this was such a good reminder that violet and the crew are so lucky to have her among them. she’s selfless, she’s smart, and she does everything with such care. and i just enjoyed reading a happy bonding story, because rhiannon extra deserves that.

━━❤️ Sawyer / Sliseag ★★

this was for sure my least favorite in this collection, and i feel like such a hater, but it is true. sawyer was one of the few who are repeating their first year bonding because they were able to leave unbonded and still alive the year prior. he is dealing with a lot of self-doubt, which can be easily imagined because of these circumstances, but i did heartlessly just find him a bit annoying. i’m sorry! but i do recognize that this story did confirm that dragons are choosing the timing of these bonding!

━━🤎 Ridoc / Aotrom ★★★

ridoc is known for having a very different dynamic with his dragon, and i really loved seeing their first meeting so very much. this was a goofy fun time, and i did giggle at why an ice power was manifested, but besides that this really isn’t one that will stick with me, sadly.

━━❤️ Liam / Deigh ★★★

not a last chapter mention! Ah, this one obviously is heartbreaking because liam is no longer with the crew. everything with xaden felt sad, everything with the letters felt harrowing, and the woodcarving felt like a knife to the heart. but i smiled through the tears, and had a good time reading this one.

━━❤️ Sloane / Thoirt ★★★★★

“You will never see a sunrise where I am not waiting for you.”

without a doubt, this was the strongest story in this entire collection. healing is so deeply personal, and healing through the most terrible things that can happen to a human is an entire different realm of its own. and there is absolutely no correct one-way to do it. feeling rage, anger, the will to not carry on, all very valid feelings. and lately i have really appreciated reading things about people who are able to heal without feeling like they are being forced to make their pain feel lesser, or more palatable for others to be around. and i especially loved seeing sloane being instantly offered unconditionally support from thoirt’s and her gentleness. i just loved everything about this wholeheartedly.


━━💙 Aaric / Molvic ★★★

listen, i am a simple fantasy girl, i will always adore the hidden prince character. and i just love seeing a character break abusive cycles from their cruel family. i think aaric is the character with the most potential to become more of a bigger character in the books to come, and i simply cannot wait. while also trying to manifest it, i suppose. I love that he has a blue dragon, i love that his story was the way the collection ended, and i love the promise of what is yet to come.



in conclusion, this is what i appreciated in this collection: two very different uprising are happening, and the one happening within the empyreon has been in the works for generations. bonding is important, bloodlines are important, manifesting of signets is very important! yet, dragons are able to bond with riders wherever they want, very much including outside of threshing day, and that’s important for us to remember. and everyone is bleeding during these bondings, well, not everyone. okay okay, even though i had a fun time reading this, and it felt nice to have these things feel like they were confirmed within these pages, i feel like some of these stories just didn’t really contribute much, therefore i have to give this a three stars overall!

trigger + content warnings: death, blood, gore, violence, bullying, fire, abandonment, a lot of talk of loss of family, grief, parental abuse and manipulation, vomit, blood, talk of abusive home, suicide ideation, depression depiction

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♡ buddy read with amy + penny

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was Threshing Day necessary?
Not really.

It is definitely filler, written for the fans, and didn’t add that much.
Don’t get me wrong - it was fun. Dialogue-heavy which Yarros excels at and filled with snarky dragons.

However, I don’t think it offered much depth to any of the characters, except maybe for Sloane.

It is repetitive due to the very nature of the book - 13 instances of Threshing Day:
Brennan, Mira, Xaden, Garrick, Dain, Bodhi, Imogon, Rhiannon, Sawyer, Ridoc, Liam, Sloane, Aaric.

The book also provides warnings for which stories contain spoilers for Fourth Wing and Iron Flame which is pretty handy.

Would I recommend this?
If you’re a fan, it’s enjoyable, especially by audiobook due to the focus on dialogue and lacking description.
It is certainly not required reading for this series.
3.25 stars.🌟

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[Catie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars ⭐️

This was perfection for a novella. I absolutely loved all 13 stories of threshing. My favorites were definitely Imogen, Ridoc, and Sloane’s.

I loved how all the dragon and rider relationships were captured. The dragon/rider relationship is really such a unique partnership. I loved how some of the dragons and their riders have the exact same personality while others were polar opposites.

It was amazing that we got to see everyone’s insecurities, fears, and self doubts. It made me feel alllll of the emotions. I feel like we really got to know them better even in such a short story. I really hope book 4 will have multi POVs because this was just sooo good.

[Nicole is Reading Fantasy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could’ve been an email.

[Amara Quinn (semi-ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

it felt soooo good to be back at basgiath. this novella was perfection. i loved it so much.

oh gods, i missed xaden so much. XADEN AND SGAEYL, loved them. that was sooo good.

imogen and garrick, holy hell!! GARRICK TAVIS 💋 i'm down bad for him. and GLANE??? eager to find out!!!!!!

ridoc and aotrom? it delivered!!! i couldn't stop laughing. they are so perfect for each other. i love them sm. 😭🥹

liam and deigh 😭 it made me so emotional. 🥺🥺 so happy to see him.

sloane and thoirt!! wow, it was perfect. this one had me in tears and then DAIN? i want more 😩 love both of them 🥹

i have an overwhelming urge to reread the main books 🥹🥹 and i have so many questions!!!! ughhhh!!! gimme book 4 already.

_____________________________


let's go threshing day!! i miss xaden so much 🥹and i'm soooo excited to meet ridoc and aotrom 🤭🤭

[dak · Rating 5 out of 5]

uhhhh DEVOURED!!!!! 🙂‍↕️🤩 like are you joking Rebecca??!

lemme fr go reread the whole series now. truly am obsessed with this world and these characters 🖤🖤🖤

Sloane was my fav 🥹❤️‍🔥🤭 my girly!! but honestly i LOVED them all. 10/10 no notes ily Rebecca queen 💋💋

[✩ Yaz ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sloane Mairi.
That's the review.

But honestly, I devoured this. This was a scrumptious treat as we await the fourth installment in the series.

It was thoroughly entertaining and deeply emotional to witness the moment each rider bonded with their dragon.

The tangled connections and history was both surprising and fascinating. While I don't deep dive into theories for this series, there were some notable crumbs that had the wheels in my mind turning.

It does add an important layer to how we perceive these characters and their dragons moving forward in the story.

Welcome to Threshing Day.

[Alina ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, Sloane 😭😭😭😭😭

Other than that my faves were: Xaden (obvi), Bodhi, and Imogen.