When Rebecca Yarros released Fourth Wing in May 2023, she may not have realized that she had written the next pop culture phenomenon and the most explosively popular book of the year.
But she is far from being a newcomer to the writing world. In fact, before taking over the online reading community with her viral book series, Yarros had been writing—a lot.
Throughout the years and until today, Rebecca Yarros’ books mainly focus on military topics and romance, with which she is profoundly familiar.
However, the addition of the fantasy element made The Empyrean series her standout work, dominating BookTok and bringing Yarros to author stardom.
From Fourth Wing to her works beyond—here is everything you need to know about Rebecca Yarros’ books.
- Who Is Rebecca Yarros?
- The Empyrean Series: Rebecca Yarros’ Magnum Opus
- Which Other Rebecca Yarros Books Should You Check?
- All Of Rebecca Yarros’ Books In Order
- Everything We Know about The Upcoming Fourth Wing TV Show
- Have You Been Captivated By Rebecca Yarros’ Books?
Who Is Rebecca Yarros?
Today, Rebecca Yarros is best known as one of the world’s bestselling authors, achieving #1 in the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal lists. However, before her achievements, she remains a woman with a passion for storytelling and a love for military heroics.
Self-described as a “hopeless romantic,” Yarros’ love affair with writing began during her husband’s deployment in Afghanistan. She found solace in crafting stories about romance amidst war and conflict, which nurtured her niche and made her one of the most notorious voices in the military romance genre.
Rebecca Yarros’s books share three common themes: romance, military, and open discussions of tragedy. Sweet, heart-wrenching, and with spicy content to taste—her tales captivate readers who yearn for a rollercoaster of emotions with each page turn.
When not writing, she focuses on her large family—husband, six children, dogs, cat, and chinchillas. She is also well-known for her work with the non-profit OneOctober, which she and her husband founded to support children within the foster system.
The Empyrean Series: Rebecca Yarros’ Magnum Opus
When thinking about Rebecca Yarros’ books, most people think, first and foremost, of the Empyrean book series.
The Empyrean saga—also known as the Fourth Wing series—is Yarros’ first romantasy series. However, don’t be fooled—although it may have dragons and strange worlds, it still focuses on war and romance, as most Yarros books tend to do.
The series is set within Navarre, a fantastical country that holds in high esteem its elite warriors: the dragon riders. To recruit the best and the most talented, young cadets must face deadly challenges at Basgiath War College, where the only options are graduating or dying.
Violet Sorrengail has the ancestry and blood of a warrior but the mind of a scholar, yearning for books and knowledge. However, once the Commanding General—her mother—demands she become a dragon raider, her frail body must match her clever mind to ensure her survival and navigate the irresistible allure of Xaden Riorson.
How many books are in The Empyrean series? It depends—there are three published novels thus far, but Yarros has stated the saga is set to have two more.
Fourth Wing
Fourth Wing is the first book in The Empyrean series and the one that kickstarts the franchise.
Violet Sorrengail is a bookworm eager to spend the rest of her life among texts and history. However, her mother has different plans—she is the Commanding General and wants her daughter to become an elite dragon rider.
The problems? Many: she’s not particularly strong, her mother has earned her additional enemies, and many highly covet this deadly position. The price of graduating from Basgiath War College may be her life.
With Fourth Wing, Yarros stepped away from the contemporary romance niche that had dominated her bibliography thus far and entered the world of Fantasy Romance. The result was a breakthrough hit that, within months, became a BookTok darling and her most famous novel—not in small part thanks to the gorgeous aesthetics of its sprayed edges edition.
Iron Flame
As the second entry, Iron Flame directly continues the plotline established in Fourth Wing through the eyes of Violet Sorrengail. This time, facing challenges unlike anything before.
After all, dragon-riding is not for the weak, frail, or delicate. And while Violet may be all three, she has a privileged wit and a strong determination to help her make it through—at least, if she can manage not to crumble down.
Iron Flame continues Yarros’ dive into the “romantasy” genre, deepening the relationship developed in the previous book and expanding the complex worldbuilding of her universe.
Onyx Storm
Onyx Storm starts immediately after the shocking ending of Iron Flame. Violet continues her stay at Basgiath War College, and things have changed beyond recognition—her country, Xaden, and herself. Now, war is brewing both outside and inside.
In need of new and unfamiliar alliances and desperate to help Xaden, Violet must venture far beyond what she knows to save what she loves, even if it costs her everything. Her strength awakens, her secrets increase, and the story unravels into a shocking ending that will delight—and despair—any fans of the franchise.
The eagerly-anticipated Onyx Storm book became an instant best-seller and one of the top 5 bestselling books of 2024.
Which Other Rebecca Yarros Books Should You Check?
Although she is most well-known for The Empyrean series, Rebecca Yarros has plenty of other books, most of them contemporary romances with a bittersweet edge and focused on the military experience from multiple angles and perspectives.
If you want to try her non-fantasy books, the following novels might be a great starting point.
The Things We Leave Unfinished
As famous author Scarlett Stanton passes away, she leaves behind an unfinished manuscript and a Colorado state. Her great-granddaughter Georgia takes over both, following a painful divorce and a yearning for a new start.
The problem is that she’s not the only one inheriting from Scarlett. Famous novelist Noah Harrison is hired to complete Scarlett’s last manuscript, but his outlook clashes with Georgia’s when they realize the story is based on Scarlett’s tragic romance amidst World War II.
The Things We Leave Unfinished is a tragic and bittersweet romance that intertwines two couples—past and present—to drive the impactful ending forward.
The Last Letter
Beckett Gentry receives the letter he never wanted: a goodbye one, sent posthumously by his best friend Ryan after the war takes his life. His last wish is only one: for Beckett to leave the Army and look after Ryan’s little sister, Ella.
Ella has lost everyone in her life—her parents, her grandmother, and now her brother. As she raises her twin sons alone, the only solace in her life is Chaos, whom she meets through letters. She doesn’t know he’s Beckett.
The Last Letter is a Rebecca Yarros book that focuses on so-called “broken people”—those who have been hurt yet try to heal their shattered lives through love during grief. It’s bittersweet and poignant, apt for tragedy enthusiasts.
Great and Precious Things
The three Daniels brothers and Willow were inseparable as children in their small town. As adults, the brothers left Willow behind to go to war. Only two of them returned alive.
Soon after his arrival, Camden Daniels left the town. He knew he’d never be forgiven. But when outside circumstances force him to return, Camden must confront his past—and her, Willow. The girlfriend of his late brother and the only woman he has ever loved.
Many tropes can describe Great and Precious Things—small-town romance, friends-to-lovers, military romance, and more. But beyond that, the book addresses tragedy, family, guilt, and repentance.
Full Measures
Full Measures, published in 2014, stands out among Rebecca Yarros’ books as her first published romance novel and the start of her love affair with military fiction.
December Howard is a proud army brat and the oldest child in her household. So, when soldiers told them that her father had died serving his country, it was up to her to support her grieving mother and younger siblings. Luckily, she has her boyfriend—and Josh Walker, her old crush and new next-door neighbor.
The first entry in the Flight & Glory series is not perfect, but it encapsulates everything that Rebecca Yarros is known for, giving a clear insight into what makes her books what they are.
Muses and Melodies
Muses and Melodies is the third and final book of the Hush Notes series, a multi-authorial project that features a collection of standalone yet interconnected romance stories.
In this book, Yarros is in charge of writing the romance between Nixon Winters, the lead guitarist of the band and certified bad boy, and his assistant manager, Zoe Shannon. Zoe has to look after Nixon for a few months, and her reward will be the privilege of managing her own band—but Nixon is about to hit rock bottom, and his past keeps haunting him.
The book is a contemporary romance that features dark topics and approaches mental health and addiction, so readers beware.
All Of Rebecca Yarros’ Books In Order
Yarros’ bibliography combines series and standalone novels, which means it can be complicated to figure out which books can be read at leisure and which have a strict order to follow.
To make things easier for you, here are all of Rebecca Yarros’ books in order, to ensure your best reading experience.
The Empyrean Book Series
As previously discussed, The Empyrean series is a romantasy saga that focuses on an academy for dragon-riding warriors and the subsequent political machinations within the realm.
- Fourth Wing (2023)
- Iron Flame (2023)
- Onyx Storm (2025)
Flight & Glory Series
The first series published by Yarros is a contemporary adult romance saga focusing on military life and all it entails—war, tragedy, family, and love that endures it all.
Although each book has a different set of protagonists, the stories are interconnected, so you must read them in order.
- Full Measures (2014)
- Eyes Turned Skyward (2014)
- Beyond What is Given (2015)
- Hallowed Ground (2016)
- The Reality of Everything (2020)
Legacy Series
This short series focuses on Reason to Believe, a novel that could be read as a standalone. However, it has two optional prequel novellas written as companion pieces that can enrich your understanding of the story.
- Point of Origin (2016)
- Ignite (2016)
- Reason to Believe (2022)
Renegades Trilogy
A nine-month cruise. Three extreme sports athletes. What could go wrong?
Standalone Novels
These books are not part of any series and, thus, do not require a specific reading order. However, despite being standalone, some of the following novels are part of a collaboration series and are projects featuring other authors.
For simplicity’s sake, they are presented here by publishing date.
- The Last Letter (2019)
- Great and Precious Things (2020)
- Muses & Melodies (2020)
- The Things We Leave Unfinished (2021)
- A Little Too Close (2022)
- In The Likely Event (2023)
Everything We Know About The Upcoming Fourth Wing TV Show
Yarros fans, rejoice—a TV adaptation is coming soon, and progress has been promising.
In 2023, right before the release of Iron Flame, Amazon MGM Studios got the rights to adapt the Fourth Wing series for the small screen, with Michael B Jordan’s Outlier Society producing it. Moira Wallet-Beckett, of Anne with an E and Breaking Bad fame, has been appointed as the showrunner.
Although not much else is known, Deadline states that if the first season succeeds, there will be subsequent installments for Iron Flame, Onyx Storm, and any further books in the series.
Even better—Rebecca Yarros is thrilled with the first scripts. According to People, Yarros considers Wallet-Beckett’s work “amazing” and confirms that she believes the showrunner has captured the essence of the books, which means the show has the potential to be a faithful reflection of the beloved saga.
Have You Been Captivated By Rebecca Yarros’ Books?
With a finely tuned formula, Rebecca Yarros has perfected the concoction that encapsulates her bibliography.
Using militaristic settings as a backdrop for heart-wrenching tales of romance, loss, and hope, Yarros gives her books a tear-jerking quality that readers cannot get enough of. Whether a contemporary setting or a fantasy story, each narrative will delight readers with a penchant for romances that touch the soul.
If you’re looking for emotional reads that evoke strong feelings, consider exploring our articles on Nicholas Sparks books, Colleen Hoover books, or check the list of sad books.
