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Bookish Banter: Was “Onyx Storm” Worth The Wait? w/ Alexis, Alyssa, and Emily
27 Plays21 days ago
Join us this week as we discuss “Onyx Storm” by Rebecca Yarros and what we thought. We’ll give our ratings and opinions on key moments, characters, theories, and plot lines.
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Instagram: @familyfictionpod
Karmen’s Bookstagram: @karmensreadingcorner
Hallie’s BookTok: @hallie_br00kes_n00k
Alyssa’s Bookstagram: @lyssa_elainereads
Alexis' Instagram: @alexismariaa1
Emily's Instagram: @ejh15
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Transcript
Character Abilities and Development
00:00:00
Speaker
I thought she was going to be able to commune with the dead. That was me. And that was why the Venom liked her so much. Yeah. and be but i I do think that her second segment will, like, build upon itself. Because I've seen, like, I think even in an interview, Rebecca Yaros said that she has only, like, mastered 10% of her second segment. So, i think that, like, she's not only going to be able to, like, dreamwalk, but, like,
00:00:30
Speaker
change people's decisions about things. can back up seeing that one I've seen where she can potentially morph it into mind walking and that's the one that I really like that she could like jump into their minds whether she's awake or not but being able to change their decisions would be good because I feel like she almost kind of changed Zayden's decision when he was in when she was in her dreams.
00:00:59
Speaker
What we've got to find is our perfect melody. So we'll open up a book to a story memory. A fantasy to hold on an expedition.
00:01:13
Speaker
Won't you step into our world?
Podcast Introduction and Guest Appearances
00:01:16
Speaker
This is Family Fiction.
00:01:20
Speaker
So hello everyone and welcome back to Family Fiction with Hallie and Carmen. And today we' are going to be... doing a discussion on onyx storm by rebecca yaros this is the third book in the empyrean series um before we get into it just want to throw out a quick spoiler warning we will be discussing details about onyx storm as well as probably the other books so if you have not read onyx storm or rest of the series then stop listening go read them and then come back and join us um
00:01:56
Speaker
But we do have some special guests with us today. um First up is Emily Henry, not the author or Emily Hill. It's Emily Hill now. Yeah. um Pretended like I was the author.
00:02:11
Speaker
I mean, we can pretend. Yeah, we can pretend. um She's been on the podcast before several times, um mainly for Sarah J. Moss. As always.
00:02:23
Speaker
And then we also have Alyssa, who is our lovely book club host and bookstagrammer. And joining us for the first time on the podcast is Alexis.
00:02:34
Speaker
And hopefully not the last, considering how this episode may go. still love you. It's fine. Everything's fine.
Discussion Excitement and Format
00:02:46
Speaker
Um,
00:02:47
Speaker
Yes, so we asked them to come on today to discuss Onyx Storm because this was a pretty heavy discussion that we all had and we're all big fans of the series, so we thought it would be a fun discussion.
00:03:02
Speaker
Especially because I feel like we all had different viewpoints, so I thought it would be a fun time to just have everyone on. yeah One of these days I'm just going to bring two mics to book club and we'll just do a book club episode.
00:03:16
Speaker
yes i would be That would honestly be a lot of fun. yeah yes Just to like record the conversations everyone has. time a record yeah We can't have proof of what we talk about. yeah Yes, yes.
00:03:30
Speaker
We do in fact talk about the book at least 20 minutes of the meeting.
Current Reads and Book Preferences
00:03:35
Speaker
It's fine. 20 minutes is generous. yeah 20 seconds at least. Yep.
00:03:41
Speaker
Yes, yes, yes. um But before we get into today's discussion, we usually give our currently reading. so Hallie, do you want to start us off with yours? Okay, so my current read, technically not started it yet, is The Teacher by Frieda McFadden.
00:03:58
Speaker
um I was reading the song Burden the Heart of Stone, but I've kind of started to hit a reading slump. So I figured I would switch because I don't want to get into one. So we're switching to a mystery. I'm excited.
00:04:11
Speaker
Carmen? I am currently 30% of the way through Beautiful Exile by Catherine Kowles. It's amazing so far, and I plan to finish it tonight.
00:04:23
Speaker
Everyone knows I love me some Catherine Kowles. better Alexis, what are you currently reading? I just finished Happy Place this morning, so that was really good. I just started. i'm on page one.
00:04:36
Speaker
I started it so I could say what I was reading. I started The Crash Frida McFadden today. That'll be good. Alyssa? Okay, I am currently reading three different books, so. Okay. First one, if that's on audio, is Do Not Disturb. I'm pretty sure it's what it's called, and it's by A.R. Tori.
00:04:57
Speaker
um I literally have, like, 20 minutes left, so I'll finish it soon. And then I'm also reading Beautiful Exile by Catherine Cowles, and I think I'm, like, I think I'm right at 30% too, so.
Ratings and Opinions on 'Onyx Storm'
00:05:10
Speaker
so I want finish it. Yeah. yeah I want to finish it tonight. So, and then the last book that I'm reading that I put on hold to read Beautiful Exile Kiss of the Basalic, I think is how you say it.
00:05:26
Speaker
um It's, it was previously called Spit or Swallow. So, yes. um It is exactly what you would think it is, but it's actually really, really good. So I'm like 30% into that too. so When you said the name of the book, I thought it was a fantasy book. It is.
00:05:44
Speaker
But it's called Spit or Swallow. Yes. It's a very smut fantasy. Okay. Thanks. Wow. Okay. Interesting. um Emily, would you like to...
00:06:02
Speaker
I don't know how to follow up, but I am reading Home is Where the Bodies Are but Geneva Rose, and it's very good. I've got lot of mystery going on. Yeah, I've got like 100 pages left in it, so it's getting very good.
00:06:20
Speaker
It's so good. i'll really enjoyed that one. I think I listened to it, um and it was really good. Um, okay. So we'll go ahead and get into the discussion of Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yaros.
00:06:35
Speaker
Um, we'll just start off with everyone's overall ratings. Um, I'll start us off. I gave it four, which was a 3.8 rounded up to a four. Um, Alexis.
00:06:47
Speaker
I gave it a five and if I could rate it higher, I would. It's an infinity rating for me.
00:06:54
Speaker
Hallie. I gave it four stars. Um, Yeah. Alyssa? I gave it a 3.5. The side side eye from Alexis right there?
00:07:13
Speaker
I'll be recording on my own device now. Thank you.
00:07:18
Speaker
I would give it a solid 4 for me. See, nobody gave it below 3, so we're all good. on and We're all in the same general area. So that at least is something.
00:07:36
Speaker
Yes.
Character Dynamics and Plot Criticism
00:07:37
Speaker
um So our next topic of discussion, I just wanted to kind of like any like characters you want to highlight um or by maybe we should just start like what were your overall thoughts of the book, I guess.
00:07:50
Speaker
here So for me, I there were certain parts that I really enjoyed and then there were parts that I fell out of the book a little bit because it was dragging. um But as a huge fan of Riddick, I enjoyed this book.
00:08:07
Speaker
But overall, just kind of felt like there was a lot happening. and then, but nothing was gained from everything that was happening was my overall feeling.
00:08:18
Speaker
um i don't know. I felt like it was too long, too. don't know. There was a lot of information without there being enough information, if that made sense. all um i would kind of go along with that. um There were certain parts that I did like, like, for example, all the stuff were like hopping around to different islands.
00:08:39
Speaker
That was kind of fun because there were some shocking moments in that as well. And, but I will say there were parts that definitely dragged. I will say like the first quarter of the book, like up until about maybe in the chapter 20 further,
00:08:56
Speaker
further I dragged it dragged for me. I was like, okay, this has got to pick up or else I'm going lose interest. But it did pick up. So once we start, once we started traveling, it got a little bit better for me. Yeah.
00:09:11
Speaker
Alexis. overall really enjoyed the book. In the beginning, i kept telling Alyssa, this is such a different book. It is not anything comparable to Iron Flame.
00:09:22
Speaker
And I really liked how different it was. I also loved the aisle hopping. I loved eating to see more of the world. I also think I liked the book more because I sat there and finished it. i had nothing to do one day.
00:09:34
Speaker
Work was canceled. So I just sat there and finished it within like two days. So I was set on finishing this book and I loved it. Alyssa?
00:09:45
Speaker
Um, yeah. I see there's a screwdriver right next to Alexis. So if you see me getting failed. um No. Okay. So I definitely agree with what Alexis said, where it was a completely different book because I did not, I had such a hard time getting into Iron Flame and like staying engaged with it. And this was different. I will give it that. I definitely was more engaged in this book.
00:10:08
Speaker
I wanted to finish it. At one point I was doing audio for the majority and Jack had woken up. And so I switched to a hard copy book I could like, actually read it and that's how I finished it I do wish that maybe I would have read the hard copy because I feel like maybe that's why i gave it such a low rating was because it was audio and maybe sometimes I wasn't like understanding what was going on um and the reason I gave it such a low rating I think is just because like Carmen said there was a lot going on without a lot going on
00:10:42
Speaker
Like, I don't know. I just, I feel like I forgot so much. Like, I have very little scenes that I can remember from that book. And I almost feel like it's because I just wasn't, like, super into it.
Character Relationships and Growth
00:10:55
Speaker
Yeah. Emily? I feel the same way as you, Carmen. I feel like there's a lot going on. And I just hated that, like, some of the big things we were super excited about learning, we didn't learn until, like the later half of the book. Mm-hmm.
00:11:13
Speaker
learn more about her second signet earlier on and, and things of that nature. So I'm sure like in the fourth book, it will center more around the things that we did learn at the end of Onyx Storm.
00:11:23
Speaker
um was just trying to get to that point in the book. Yeah. Yeah. And I, like, I would agree with what Alyssa said. I think part of the issue might've been because I listened to it because honestly,
00:11:38
Speaker
I had a really hard time getting myself to pick the book up because I was in a reading slump to begin with. And so I figured listening to it would kind of help. And so maybe that actually made it worse.
00:11:51
Speaker
So i don't know.
00:11:55
Speaker
We'll see. Okay. So now we can get into any like character highlights we want to do um So for me, Oh, good For me, Riddick was my, like, is my favorite character. So honestly, I feel like he kind of became like the main character of this book.
00:12:20
Speaker
And somebody passed him the JBL. I've been seeing so many TikToks of him getting the JBL while he's on his ah dragon. And they're so funny. But um I also like one of my other favorite characters is Sloane.
00:12:36
Speaker
And so I was really disappointed to not see her in this book as much. um And then also I felt like we were missing Imogen and Rhiannon, even though we got their POVs, but even that felt random because like, where have they been the whole book and now we've got their POVs? Like, what do you mean?
00:12:56
Speaker
Yeah. um I would 100% say this was the Riddick show because ah he was very much um, um one of the main characters as far as like, and I really like how they focused on him and Violet's friendship a little bit more and showed their dynamic a lot.
00:13:16
Speaker
um But I will also say that a lot of the rest of like the squad that Violet was with, they really got pushed to the side. And Rianna, she wasn't really in Iron Flame as much, but in this book, she really wasn't in it at all.
00:13:34
Speaker
And also with Sloane, because Sloane was a centerpiece, almost, in Iron Flame, and she wasn't really involved. And as far as, like, there was also to the point where there was too many characters.
00:13:47
Speaker
There were so many that got introduced, and I couldn't remember a single one. But I did, i did remember Broccoli. I will always remember Broccoli. I forgot about Broccoli until just now.
00:14:00
Speaker
that's right.
00:14:03
Speaker
um But there was a lot of people that were involved on this quest where their name would show up and I'm like, who are you? um But another character that did kind of stand out to me and he's kind of growing on me how you say his name? I forget it. Arik. Arik.
00:14:22
Speaker
Man, oh man. He's growing on me. And especially with his signet kind of being revealed where he's like, kind of like a, He can see things into the future.
00:14:34
Speaker
um i think he has great potential if Rebecca does it right. I think he'll be a really important character as long as she doesn't kill him. I'm fine. Honestly, like I beg her every book to leave Riddick alone and every book she puts his life in peril.
00:14:53
Speaker
Make it stop. Make it stop. Yeah. Oh, shoot. I don't think I have the text anymore. But I remember I was getting my nails done and ah I hear my phone buzz and it's she, Carmen goes, Riddick in all caps. She goes, Riddick has been stabbed.
00:15:14
Speaker
And then like five minutes later, never mind. He's fine. i was like, yep. um Alexis, did you have any characters you wanted to highlight?
00:15:26
Speaker
I did. This was my favorite Violet book. I loved seeing how much she grew in her confidence and her skills. i also just, which I'll actually talk about that later when we talk about the couples because I have a lot to say about that also.
00:15:41
Speaker
um So this isn't a couple, but the relationship between Riddick and Violet, I'm obsessed with it. I specifically think that my favorite scene in anything I've ever read is whenever Riddick made Violet draw a line and how much was too much when she was talking about Zayden being Venom.
00:16:02
Speaker
It was just, I think it was just such a good point that you can love someone, but at a certain point you're going to have to stop and like acknowledge to take care of yourself. And that that was it for me.
00:16:14
Speaker
um Alyssa, do you have any you want to?
00:16:18
Speaker
Okay, listen, I'm going to go ahead and say this just get out of the way. I feel like i forgot everyone in the book. So I have nothing to add, but I agree with everything you guys are saying. Great.
00:16:33
Speaker
Emily? and i would agree with Alexis. I feel like this is my favorite book of Violet. ah feel like she grew so much as a character. Whereas in Iron Flame, I found myself like getting frustrated with her. Yeah.
00:16:47
Speaker
yeah And that you have, like, these weaknesses and things like that. And that, you know, you're scared in certain situations. But in Onyx Storm, she was the girl. Like, she took charge.
00:16:59
Speaker
So, she was, she's probably my favorite character
Challenges in Names and Pronunciation
00:17:02
Speaker
in this one. I do love that we got rid of more. i think he is, like, the comedic relief that we need in the book.
00:17:10
Speaker
So, yeah He's the styles of the group. He is. He is. that Somebody compared him to styles from Teen Wolf. on TikTok and I was like that's it yep he's the one yeah I was thinking of Scott from the Keeping Up with the Kardashians he's the one yes he is Scott Disick actually yeah um yeah I there was I feel like what this book lacked too that I really love that a lot of other other authors will do is like the like where they kind of
00:17:48
Speaker
They introduce the book, but then they'll kind of do like a, um like a smooth way of telling you what happened in the last few books. Like a previously Like a previously on kind of situation. And this book didn't really do that. So there was a lot of characters that I was like, go right into it.
00:18:07
Speaker
Who's that? Don't know who that is. Never met him. Speaking of that, um Alexis, in your notes, you have Asher. Who is that? Yeah. Her dad.
00:18:18
Speaker
i feel like we got to know Asher so much more. his name? That's his name. me Okay, it's said in the book that his name is Asher. It is her dad.
00:18:29
Speaker
And you get to see him so much more with, like, the quest that you're going on. I feel like she got to know her dad so much more and just even starting it. Well, I agree. Still leaving so many more questions.
00:18:40
Speaker
But she did get start piecing some things together about her dad. Yeah. Yeah.
00:18:48
Speaker
I forgot that was his name. Yeah. I saw that in the notes and I was like, who is that? Never met him. Some of the names are so hard to pronounce and then you have like Asher or Voplin.
00:19:02
Speaker
It goes from zero to 100. The dragon's names? I don't even begin to pronounce them. No. It's seagull for me. Wolf?
00:19:13
Speaker
Seagull?
00:19:15
Speaker
Well, and I like, that's one of my pet peeves too. And this probably isn't even like really on her. Technically I could look at the beginning of the book and figure it out, but I can't stand when she just mentions the dragon's names. And I'm like, until you mentioned who's riding that dragon, I got nothing.
00:19:32
Speaker
I don't know who's that is. ah don't, I have none of that minimized. So. It's like Raymond's dragon. i I always see it. think it's like, it's a weird name, but I always see it like Fergie. Oh.
00:19:44
Speaker
oh Speaking of, like, character names, what about Thea Phenomenomenon? Like, what in the world is that name? didn't go to me, because I could not. At one point, I was like, this is not right.
00:20:04
Speaker
This is Fanny?
00:20:09
Speaker
That's like when Harry Potter came out and nobody could figure out how to pronounce Hermione's name. Yeah. ah Yep. Okay, moving on to couples.
00:20:20
Speaker
I'm kind of excited about the potential for Dane and Sloane. Hello, enemies to lovers. Was not expecting that. Real enemies to lovers. If we really think about it.
00:20:32
Speaker
Her flipping him off on her way out, like, yeah, we're in it. Same. We are in it. I don't know. I saw a TikTok that said that, um,
00:20:46
Speaker
They think that Zayden and Violet got together too quickly. And so now they're kind of like, they're not really like the focus couple anymore. They're stagnant.
00:20:56
Speaker
So yeah, for me in this book, I was just like, nah, they're there. ah I'm not like the ride or die for them anymore as much as I used to be. I feel like the slow burn could have lasted a little bit longer.
00:21:10
Speaker
I hate it. and I just want them to jump to it. Make the lightning strike. Like, let's move it along. Yeah. This was one of my favorite Violet and Zayden stories. Honestly, again, I love that you got to see him.
Plot Frustrations and Unresolved Arcs
00:21:27
Speaker
I don't like that he's struggling, but I love that you got to see the relationship where they are struggling and where she's having to love him through something. But again, still acknowledging that there is the limit to like how much she can do and how much danger she can put herself in. i just think that it's such a good story that I don't feel like you necessarily get in fantasy books all the time, that romance side of that struggle, but still loving them. Emily, were you going to say something?
00:21:56
Speaker
I was going to say this is like the same as Alexis just said. This is probably my favorite book I've been to. And I think a lot of it is probably because TikTok has swayed me in that direction. Like seeing so many people say this whole book was Zayden's love letter to her.
00:22:13
Speaker
Like he's preparing himself the whole book to have to leave and So I love their relationship in this book. And I feel like their dynamic kind of shifted a little bit where like in Onyx Storm, Violet was Zayden's rock.
00:22:30
Speaker
Whereas like Zayden had been Violet's rock and iron flame. And when they were getting to know each other, just because he was like so much stronger than her, you know, in the books then. So ah loved it. I love Zayden. If anything happens to him, I'm coming for it.
00:22:50
Speaker
I just feel like maybe, Go ahead. Sorry. I was going to mention one other couple that literally broke my heart. was freaking Kat and her boyfriend. can't remember his name.
00:23:01
Speaker
When he died, I was like, why? I agree, Carmen. When he died, i was like, who is this? He was there, but I didn't know. Don't care. I don't know. She's really finally happy. Okay. She could finally be happy. She moved on And then, bam.
00:23:17
Speaker
Arrow to the heart. like time so That too. That was wild. yeah he died they left yeah and then she to say you thank you for killing him like yeah no that's crazy yeah well and then that's the thing that I think got me was like okay we've done all this build up done all these things and it feel it feels like it was just to kind of get characters to where they needed to be rather than actual like sustenance in the plot don't know
00:23:50
Speaker
Because i didn't we didn't learn anything. Except for losing a character. Yeah. know um For me, um give me Dane and Sloane.
00:24:03
Speaker
I will take it. like um But it's like Carmen said, in the beginning I was like, yes, Violet and Zayden, let's go. But now I'm just like, okay, they're together. Now what?
00:24:18
Speaker
but Like, i don't I'm kind of almost waiting for the other shoe to drop and something drastic happen. But honestly, at this point, anytime I see them, I'm like, okay, whatever.
00:24:30
Speaker
They love each other. think it was more so they got together too quickly. Well, no, i think my issue of this book was like the same issue I have with Feyre of like, okay,
00:24:44
Speaker
You get over it and you're like, let's just be together. You know, it's fine. We'll figure it out. And then the next chapter, he's like, stay away from me. I'm too dangerous. It's like, okay, i mean I'm going to need you to figure it out, buddy.
00:24:56
Speaker
What do you want to do here? Make a decision. So. I don't know. It was nice to see them happy. Like, cause I feel like Iron Flame was so much of them just running away from each other.
00:25:08
Speaker
As soon as they would like be happy and together, other shoe would drop. And then I feel like almost to a point and i in Iron Flame, Violet was nitpicking certain things that I was like, okay, like we can move on.
00:25:18
Speaker
And I feel like in this book, she stopped nitpicking as hard. no I agree with that. I feel like Zayden was the one that constantly was like, we'll be fine. We'll figure it out. And then the next chapter, he's like, actually, I need you to stay away from me. I'm dangerous. And then the next chapter, it's like, we'll feed back together. We'll figure it out. And then I need you to stay away. I'm dangerous. Like, figure it out, Zayn.
00:25:40
Speaker
Pick a lane. They're like, I need Tessie. Get so close. And then something happens. But um I also, so Emily and I had talked about this. It's the way that I thought Imogen was not attracted to men.
00:25:54
Speaker
yeah i just paid zero attention, honestly. I thought she attracted women into that last chapter.
00:26:05
Speaker
Yeah. When Quinn died, I was like, her girlfriend is dying but before her eyes. And then taste sentences later, Quinn's telling her, tell him how you feel. I'm like, what?
00:26:17
Speaker
You are the love of her life and you're dying. You're telling her to tell him how she feels about him. But yeah, I thought she was. hows your orange that Well, because I thought in Iron Flame, I don't know, the way she, like, guided Imogen's character arc, I thought that she was with Quinn.
Theories and Speculations on Future Developments
00:26:41
Speaker
I never even guessed that she was in the Garrick until this book, and then I was like, oh. Seagal and Taryn.
00:26:52
Speaker
You know, that sad. I'm sad. and i'm sad Sad day. um Okay, so theories for this book.
00:27:03
Speaker
One thing, and I full on believe that this was 75% of my disappointment was that I got so many of my hopes up for theories to be true that I had seen on social media.
00:27:17
Speaker
And so then for them to not be true. like really deflated the book for me overall. And that probably is my own fault for getting my hopes up and theories.
00:27:28
Speaker
But um like the hair theories, I thought her silver hair was going to mean something. And then it was like, nope, just means you were partially baptized on this island. Okay, got it.
00:27:40
Speaker
um And then I thought her second signet was going to be a little cooler, if I'm honest. I thought she was going to be able to commune with the dead. That was me. And that was why the Venon liked her so much.
00:27:55
Speaker
Yeah. ah big fun I do think that her second segment will build upon itself. Because I've seen, you like, I think even in an interview, Rebecca Yaros said that she has only, like, mastered 10% of her second segment.
00:28:12
Speaker
So I think that, like, she's not only going to be able to, like, dreamwalk, but, like, change people's decisions about things. that one I've seen where she can potentially morph it into mind walking.
00:28:26
Speaker
And that's the one that I really like that she could like jump into their minds, whether she's awake or not but being able to change their decisions would be good. Cause I feel like she almost kind of changed Zayden's decision when he was in, when she was in her dream. Yeah.
00:28:42
Speaker
Yeah. um One of mine obviously, obviously I am fully ah on board with this, that Brennan and Nowlin were lovers.
00:28:54
Speaker
Yes. that And he died to save him, and that's how he's been in. oh I forgot who Nowlin was. okay Okay. He was Terrence's previous writer.
00:29:06
Speaker
um ah yeah, I'm fully behind that theory. I 100% believe it. the yeah And also the hair theories. I'm so sad about that.
00:29:17
Speaker
I just felt like it was going to have so much more oomph behind it than it did. i don't know. just didn't
00:29:28
Speaker
it. Well, because the whole thing was like the Venen are silver haired. So then that's where everyone's theories came from of like, she's connected to the Venen somehow then. But what if she still is? What if being baptized like being baptized on this aisle is like a connection to the Venen somehow that they're going to discover in the fourth book?
00:29:48
Speaker
Well, if that happens, then that will be great. But until then, I'm disappointed. yeah
00:29:58
Speaker
Alexis, did you have any theories? Yes, um I agreed. my other theory was that Naolin and Brennan were lovers. um Also, I don't have much proof of this other than just a feeling.
00:30:11
Speaker
I feel like Asher, her dad, should be a Maeve, which is like the higher up tier of Vennan. there who like tell the Venen who to go find and I think that's why Theopany is so set on getting Violet and Adarna back okay and alive and not hurting them so see that that being said that's why I like really fell into the hair theories because then i was like what if her father was Venen and then like but they her mom and
00:30:45
Speaker
him got together when he was turning Venom and so that's why her hair is only partially silver because she's part Venom. I had the whole thing built in my head and it just didn't happen.
00:30:58
Speaker
Her bubble was busted. Yes. Yeah. ah No. oh Oh, I have another theory that I didn't write down, but I've said this before and not many people have agreed with me.
00:31:10
Speaker
I suspect that Brennan is potentially the one who turns Ben at the end. I want to reread it and like really dive into that. But i just feel like he knew Satan was Ben before he ever fully anyone told him.
00:31:26
Speaker
He also at the end, it talks about there being a brother, like you're now your real brothers now. And I'm like, okay, well, that could be it. don't know. I just also, i think it would be a really good story if it was Brennan's.
00:31:42
Speaker
I know that some people might disagree with that, but how good of a story would it be if it was Brennan that turned Vinan? Rebecca puts such an emphasis on anyone can be Vinan for it not to be something so controversial like Brennan being Vinan.
Character Bonds and Potential Twists
00:31:56
Speaker
Yeah. I fully think that my conspiracy theory with him is that he is either evil and he is the one like, that relates information to and the Vinan about like their operations.
00:32:11
Speaker
Or that he was already been in and like he was trying to search for a cure with Zayden. In the book, it's set like from Zayden's perspective, like he says he's not supposed to be here.
00:32:24
Speaker
Like, why is he here? And in the like that battle, Brennan was supposed to have taken Myra away and not be in battle. So I believe that 100%. I think that it was him.
00:32:37
Speaker
Yeah, I think Brennan. I've always been suspicious of Brennan. I don't know why. Just from the moment I've met him, like, you're suspicious. And a lot of other people have pointed out like he's also suspicious. It's because of his dragon. Because his dragon is orange.
00:32:53
Speaker
And a lot of people have suspected like anybody that has like an orange dragon, they're like a wild card of sorts. Because Jack had an orange dragon and he turned evil. And there was somebody else.
00:33:04
Speaker
As I have an orange dragon sitting on my bookshelf. That's cool. and well heart time yeah ah well So speaking of Jack, I thought it was so weird how the Theo girl was like, bring him to me.
00:33:24
Speaker
And then as soon as she like sees him and he, I guess comes out of his cage or whatever, she tries to kill him. So I think Jack knows a lot more than what Jack has told anybody. I think Jack will play like a central role.
00:33:38
Speaker
in the upcoming book on killing Dang it. Carmen rolls her eyes like Jack.
00:33:46
Speaker
um Also, have y'all heard the theory where they think that the dragons are telling the writers to tell the other people their wrong names? so like they don't act They're not actually telling everyone who their real name is so they can't track their lineage?
00:34:03
Speaker
Yes. saw that. That's crazy. Yes, because it would make sense on why so many of the, um I just lost the word for them, the ones whose parents were, the marked ones, why so many of the marked ones so have second cygnets, because no one knows that they're bonding dragons that they're connected to in their lineage.
00:34:29
Speaker
Wow. Yeah, that was typical. hadn't like thought a lot about it in detail, but I had seen on TikTok, people talking about it. How the dragons are not going, like, they're not wanting to bond because they're waiting for the marked ones. I also think that that's why there's, like, puts such an emphasis on why, like, less and less marked ones or less and less dragons are wanting to bond.
00:34:53
Speaker
But then all of the marked ones are getting bonded with. They're not getting, like, not marked, not marked. What's the word? Not bonded with. Whatever you want to call it Whatever.
00:35:07
Speaker
Um, so one other theory I just thought of the, somebody had put on this girl, I watched this girl's video after I finished the book and she was talking about how, um, it could either be Bodhi or Brennan, that is the brother, but then somebody had commented on her TikTok and it's a good point.
00:35:31
Speaker
What if um violet's not married to zayden but she's married to bodie because bodie's supposed to take over the kingdom and he wanted to make sure it was the hands he had bodie and violet get married i'd be so mad would also would violet agree to that i feel like she would not under any i don't if it's like i need you to make sure that my kingdom whatever you want to call it is safe
00:36:03
Speaker
um Bodhi's going to take care of it but he's going to need some like your help that kind of thing and then maybe that's why they took her memories
00:36:15
Speaker
I think some crazy stuff went down in the 12 hours that we are not I think that maybe Zayden dedicated himself to one of the gods similar to how Violet was dedicated um I don't know feel like Zayden's going to show back up and be like I've been walking all over the realm looking for a cure. And guess what, guys?
00:36:39
Speaker
I'm back. I'm not looking for the bad guy. He's literally the Kardashian sound. Guess what, guys? We're back. Did you miss us?
00:36:50
Speaker
Like in the final scene of the fifth book, it's just, you know, like the same thing. I'm going to need it to be at least the beginning of the fifth book. I need more details. Yeah.
00:37:02
Speaker
yeah
00:37:05
Speaker
yeah I saw a TikTok of somebody saying like those 12 hours are probably like the amount of things that happen in those 12 hours. It might be equivalent to the amount of things that Allison De Laurentiis got done in the 12 hours of the day that she went missing in Pretty Little Liars.
00:37:23
Speaker
ah yes ah but And that really cracks me up. She did so much that day. She's got more than ugly, ruffled, yellow tank top. Yes, that poor tank top.
00:37:35
Speaker
It saw so much. Yes. So I just imagine it to be, like, that level. Also, it is, like, them taking her memories just really gives me vibes to, like, when Elena wanted her memories of Damon taken away.
00:37:50
Speaker
It's just, like, it's not going to be good. No. i agree. I have PTSD for people getting their memories taken but cause yeah
00:38:02
Speaker
Do we think that Sigel and Torn had their bond broken? Yes. Yes. I do. I'm devastated. and Or what if, guys, just throwing this out here because I don't want to believe that theater for you. want them to be together as bad as I want Violet and Zayden to be together.
00:38:23
Speaker
What if maybe Sigel broke her bond Zayden and she's like, do you? I'm staying here with my man. i kind of i don't want to embark on this journey with you. know I don't know, because then how does he get anywhere? Because it feels like the only way to get places in this world is via dragon. True.
00:38:43
Speaker
But if he's Venom, then they don't, if he like fully dabs into being Venom in those 12 hours, then he doesn't necessarily need his dragon anymore. See, we're getting closer and closer to my theory being true that Zayden's just going to become full venom.
00:39:01
Speaker
Something's going to happen and she's going to have to kill him. Whether or not like he's still evil when she kills him, like maybe it's a you have to kill me and it's going to kill both of them. And that's why everything says like this is recovered from the papers of Violet Swarengill.
00:39:18
Speaker
yeah. Ever after, I cannot believe it.
00:39:26
Speaker
can't.
00:39:29
Speaker
Um, okay. So moving on to some plot lines. Um, this kind just reiterates what I said at the beginning. Like, I feel like 70% of the book was looking for cure for them to then say it doesn't exist.
00:39:44
Speaker
Great. I've wasted days of my life here. Thank you. Um, and then looking for Andarna's kind, the whole book.
00:39:55
Speaker
For them to not want her. And then for them to say. Actually we'll take you. But you have to leave now. And then Dara to be like. Deuces. I was reading that like.
00:40:10
Speaker
You gotta be kidding. She just left. And then I get a text. She just left. And I knew exactly who she was talking about. Like we spent this whole book.
00:40:21
Speaker
Looking for your fam. And you just ditch us. Are you kidding And then she came back in such a short period of time. Like, girl, did you even
Humor and Unexpected Roles
00:40:31
Speaker
go him? like Or did you just chill in the background away from us? Like, what happened?
00:40:38
Speaker
She came back to break up Seagal and Taryn's bond. Like, she literally came back and said, I'm back. I'm here to wreck some stuff. You're done. You're done.
00:40:52
Speaker
I also thought it was funny that Dane going on the trip was like the whole reason was because he spoke this language and then they get there and Ark's like, actually speak it fluently.
00:41:03
Speaker
And Dane's like, okay, why am I here? Why are you here? yeah very question That was pretty funny. ah thought that was hilarious.
00:41:13
Speaker
I was very glad that Prince Halden ended up being a douche because I was really afraid that he was going to throw a wrench in Violet and Zayden. So for him to actually be the worst was like, okay, now this is, this is like a fun addition. Didn't Violet like walk up and just like uppercut him?
00:41:31
Speaker
i so I'm pretty sure she did. That was so funny. The so whole time I was like, why are you here? Because you are doing nothing but causing more trouble than your words. Like you are causing Zayden to go nuts.
00:41:46
Speaker
Yeah. was funny. And be Mr. Possessive. Like, stop it. But I kind of like Mr. Possessive. I do like the possessive, but also i'm like, you are causing so much unnecessary drama.
00:41:59
Speaker
Now is not the time. See, for me, this was when I was hitting my lull and Violet and Zayden, but this kind of spiked it a little bit. I was like, okay, we've got some action going.
00:42:10
Speaker
Cool. I was kind of lucky hoping that we would like him. And that there would be kind of like that third, oh, I'm so jealous of your ex-boyfriend, like whatever. But he was just a douche the whole book and we hated him.
00:42:24
Speaker
But then I was afraid because I remember the theories going on that um something would happen with Violet and Zayden and she would end up with Dane. i remember that being a theory in book one.
00:42:38
Speaker
So then for him to be introduced, I was really afraid we were going to go that route with it. yeah so I was glad that he turned out the way did even Aurek is like yeah my brother's the worst he does not need to be king that's great he reminds me of the brother in um Aurek is Nikolai and the brother is the brother from Chatter and Bone yes exactly Aurek is Nikolai um okay Alexis did you have any
00:43:10
Speaker
well I don't have anything new I feel like I kind of talked about my plot line earlier when we were talking about the theories. and Holly, want to give your notes?
00:43:23
Speaker
Like I said, so much happened, but also nothing. um I saw somebody say that this was kind of like a repeat of Iron Flame ah little bit. and Kind of, but also not really. um I will say that the first quarter of the book, like the first few chapters,
00:43:40
Speaker
was Confusion City because we're talking about all these different, like the council and like all these different people who are dukes and duchesses over all these places. I'm like, what is going on?
00:43:52
Speaker
and i felt like I missed a couple, missed a couple things. um Another thing that had me almost flipping off the couch was pretty much Mira's fake out death.
00:44:05
Speaker
um Oh, yes. I seriously thought she was a goner. But then she was fine. And I was like, okay. Yeah. Great. And then also the ending.
00:44:18
Speaker
When they literally said, what did you do? And Imogen goes, what you told me to. I flipped the page. And I seriously thought there was a mistake with my book. Because I thought there was going to be just a little bit more.
00:44:31
Speaker
But it ended just like that. And I was like, what the heck, Rebecca? Really? that was crazy. I was angry. i love that she ends her books on such a huge plot line. Like, I hate that it takes so long to get the next book because of that, but I also love it.
00:44:50
Speaker
Yeah. Can you see PTSD from There Is No District 12?
00:44:57
Speaker
We can't talk about that. I'll start crying. Anyways. Yeah, that's all I had. um and i have one thing, and so...
00:45:07
Speaker
Everyone on this comment I'm a very slow reader because I will pass on at night. ah Most likely to pass on at night. Amen. So it took me a long time to read the book.
00:45:20
Speaker
So obviously ah saw some stuff on TikTok. Like I had some expectations for what the ending was going to be like, sadly.
Family Dynamics and Backstories
00:45:29
Speaker
But the one thing I had not seen on TikTok was that Zeta's mom is on the island.
00:45:35
Speaker
And so when we find out that his mom is there, I'm like, how much more can you take? How much more can this man ah Yeah. Like how he said, Garrett could just like, Violet figuring out that the cake is poison and Garrett's got like, he's like neck deep in the cake. Like what?
00:45:55
Speaker
but but but What's wrong? but yeah Was that was Zayden's favorite kind of cake? And the fact that there was poison in it, um he's like, oh, she made my favorite cake.
00:46:08
Speaker
Surprise, it's got poison in it. She's been totally watching it. She has the stuff to make the cake. She knew they were coming before they came. That's another, like, little plot hole.
00:46:19
Speaker
Mm-hmm.
00:46:22
Speaker
Yeah. She's the worst.
00:46:25
Speaker
Yeah. I'm like, these people have awful parents. Like, Dane's dad is the worst. Yeah. yeah Zayden's dad is dead but his mother's the worst. father Violet realizes her parents are somehow the best.
00:46:42
Speaker
but yeah Exactly. I'm like yeah that's crazy. That's wild. When you realize you actually don't have the worst family like childhood it's fine.
00:46:56
Speaker
yeah um I also really love the little like plot point of ah Riddick and his dragon actually being the same personality.
00:47:07
Speaker
And then in a prank war?
00:47:12
Speaker
That's really funny. Someone compared them to Hiccup and Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. and I wonder yeah great ah ah just love the TikToks.
Themes and Future Implications
00:47:21
Speaker
This one guy did one where it was like them going into the threshing and Riddick goes in, crushes a beer can on his head and he's like, let's do this. And he's like,
00:47:31
Speaker
dancing in and the guy goes that'll never work and then it shows trauma and a trumps going
00:47:39
Speaker
right exactly i cannot those are funny um does anybody else have anything else they want to bring up there was one other theory that i saw on t-talk and this one was pretty recent like i want to say i saw it two or three days ago But the theory was that while Lilith was pregnant with Violet, she channeled from the earth, like, for some reason, maybe trying to, you know, be in a fight with Theo or whatever.
00:48:14
Speaker
And I can't pronounce her name. I'm sorry. they The girl's name.
00:48:22
Speaker
That she channeled from the earth while she was pregnant with Violet. And so they dedicated her like in an effort to prevent her from like turning. So that's what her two choices are that we keep seeing over and over.
00:48:35
Speaker
That's a good one. I've not seen that. I like today that's good ah like that one. yeah that would That would save the hair theory.
00:48:45
Speaker
When I saw that theory, I was like, okay, I could get behind this. Yeah.
00:48:51
Speaker
but also, can we talk about the... I completely forgot about this. The guy that's in like the college that also um spawned shadow abilities out of nowhere.
00:49:04
Speaker
but so I can't remember the name. I don't even remember that scene. But anyways, I just thought that was weird. They keep reiterating over and over and over in the Like, in this book specifically, that there has to be balance.
Surprises and Final Thoughts
00:49:19
Speaker
So if there's a woman... That can wield shadows. There's got to be somebody else. Yeah, that offsets them. Yeah, because wasn't there anyone that can wield lightning?
00:49:31
Speaker
Theo. Oh, yeah, that's right. Okay, that makes sense. No, but she made a full-blown tornado, and I'm like, all right, Violet, time to step it up. Like, we've got to figure out how to make a tornado.
00:49:43
Speaker
Theo was Lilith's equal. They say that in the book. Because Lilith can make storms. yeah there we go okay well i think in the fourth book we're gonna meet a real white angel there or something yeah heck yeah but also why did sloan using her ability not leave the handprint on brennan and dane
00:50:13
Speaker
i don't know and it has to mean something because rebecca specifically made mention You know, she specifically calls something out, it's going to have an explanation. i also had thought about this, and then I've seen a theory on TikTok about it since then, that Sloane might be the one that saves everyone because she might be able to channel Venom to put magic back in the earth.
00:50:43
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, I did see that. I saw that theory. I was like, hot dog? What is Sloane's signet? Siphoning. She can, like, siphon down anybody's power and use it.
00:50:56
Speaker
Because she siphoned Dane's. That's crazy. I don't remember that happening. That's crazy. So she's the reason, because she siphoned the magic from Violet's mom.
00:51:08
Speaker
Yeah. To put up rewards. And then she siphoned magic from Dane to give to Brennan so that Brennan could heal Mira. Yeah. And that's another thing.
00:51:19
Speaker
So she siphoned from Dane. And that's when she tells him like, I hate you. So she saw something. And that man's brain. What happened? I don't know. I think that one's going to be a fun one because she definitely blames him for Liam's death.
00:51:36
Speaker
So that's going to be a fun relationship to explore. wow That's going to be the one that I will constantly think about. Yeah. Yeah. We love a good toxic relationship.
00:51:51
Speaker
Oh. um Yeah. See, that's why like I think she's such ah she has such a good ability to be a really cool character, and that's why I was really upset that she wasn't in this book more.
00:52:07
Speaker
I also, like, Arik, I feel like, could have played a bigger part with finding out what we found out at the end. I feel like It maybe would have been a little bit more alarming finding out what we found out if he was in it more because then it's like, oh, you're completely different than the way I've been reading you this whole time. Yeah. I don't know.
00:52:31
Speaker
Anyways, does anyone have anything else they would like to discuss?
00:52:40
Speaker
I don't think so. Okay, so we have Our question week this week is what were your thoughts and writing for Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros?
00:52:52
Speaker
um Be sure and let us know on our Instagram post in the comments.
00:52:58
Speaker
And be sure to follow the podcast and rate us five stars. Also be sure to follow us on Instagram at familyfictionpod um and we will be linking everyone's Instagram down below.
00:53:11
Speaker
um so you can also go follow everyone that's on this episode. um Any final thoughts or hopes for the next book?
00:53:23
Speaker
I hope that it snows and we're canceled again and I get to read it all in one day. ah Fair. Yep. Fair point. See, that's going to be me I'm off today the day that Sunrise on the Reaping comes out.
00:53:35
Speaker
I will be home reading. Yep. I hope that it's on 2027 when the next book comes out. Yes, got one. go um I hope that we get more of the characters we missed in this book, like Rhiannon and Sloane, and maybe like, i don't know, more Bodhi.
00:53:59
Speaker
Maybe more Bodhi. Yeah. And hopefully Dane and Sloane. Yep. Yeah. um It's very random, I know. I know we're closing, but... what if she introduced like Rihanna's POV and Imogene's POV at the end and and because like either the fourth or fifth book will be multiple POVs you know she did say that we would never get Zayden's POV full-time until he quit hiding all his secrets so do we think that we'll finally get full-time Zayden POV since he's gone maybe
00:54:39
Speaker
I think she's going to have multiple POVs in at least one of the books. Because that was just too random. So we got three. And i call her Imajean. It might be Imogen. I don't know.
00:54:56
Speaker
Imajean. I look at TikTok. Somebody was reading signs they found in Hobby Lobby. And they got some signs. And she goes, Imajean. And the mom goes, it's Imajean.
00:55:14
Speaker
that's hilarious okay all right thank you guys so much for listening and we will see you guys next week yep thanks for coming on the podcast guys