The Romantasy Book That Saved Me From My Reading Slump
We all know the dreaded feeling of falling into a reading slump. As the new year approaches (scarily quickly), I’ve noticed myself falling behind on my Goodreads goal for the year. The current book on my nightstand had become more of a decoration than anything, and my screen time had been hitting highs with the beginnings of early darkness in London.
Which led me to my unlikely saviour, a genre I promised myself I’d never touch. Maybe it was my own ego, or maybe it’s the truth I knew in the back of my mind that I’d end up loving it, but I’d sworn off reading any Romantasy books for years. So when I finally picked up Fourth Wing earlier this month, not only did I quickly fall headfirst into the romantasy hype, but the most common response I received was “You’re late”. Suddenly, the first book of the Empyrean Series sparked a month of non-stop reading. By the end of the first week, I had somehow devoured 2,292 pages across the series and mourned the long wait for the next release before quickly diving into another popular romantasy series I’d long ignored.
What is Fourth Wing About?
Fourth Wing follows Violet Sorrengail, a sharp but small and usually underestimated student who suddenly finds her life flipped upside down. Instead of following her lifelong plan to become a Scribe, her mother, the infamous General of Navarre, forces her into the Basgiath War College to train as a Dragon Rider. It’s a brutal, dangerous path that Violet has zero interest in taking, but she doesn’t have much of a choice. Thrown into a world where survival is not guaranteed and everyone seems to have a target on her back, Violet has to figure out not just how to make it through, but how to belong.
Fourth Wing follows Violet Sorrengail, a sharp but small and usually underestimated student who suddenly finds her life flipped upside down.
It’s the classic female underdog setup that’s been done before and will be done again, but that doesn’t make it any less addictive. You can’t help but root for her as she navigates her first year at Basgiath and what happens between.
Why should you read it?
Fourth Wing is fun and, most importantly, unpretentious. Dragons, angst, enemies, and romance, it’s all familiar, but that’s the point. It brings back the nostalgic comfort of staying up late reading Harry Potter or Twilight as a kid. Fourth Wing is the perfect intro into romantasy because the world-building is rich, but it is not a slow build like other hyped series. You’re thrown straight into the action and are kept on the edge of your seat from the first page all the way to the end. There’s a reason the series has a wide and passionate following, and you’ll quickly understand the hype. It’s the perfect first step into a genre that looks daunting when you step into that section of the bookstore. There are currently only three books out in the series, which gives you more than enough time to catch up without feeling like you need to read a dozen (something I’ve noticed is incredibly common with the genre as a whole).
Verdict
I had so much fun reading Fourth Wing, and that was a big wakeup call for me. Reading doesn’t always have to be serious- in fact, reading Fourth Wing was a reminder of the importance of joy in reading to me. It’s the first book I had read in a long time that forced me up into the early hours of the morning because I couldn’t put it down.
Reading doesn’t always have to be serious- in fact, reading Fourth Wing was a reminder of the importance of joy in reading to me
Caitlin, Senior Campaign Success Manager
There are plenty of moments where, in all honesty, I found myself hating characters, thinking it was too cheesy, and even questioning why I’m reading about a Dragon’s inner conversations with their rider. But even in those moments, I couldn’t help but keep turning the pages, excited for what was next. Will Romantasy become my go-to genre? Probably not, but it’s a genre I’ll be happily weaving into my reading from here on out. Thanks to this series, I’m now on track to go far past my yearly reading goal.
Fourth Wing was the perfect reminder that fun, creativity, and even escapism in books are just as important as the books that feel daunting but end up being worth it once you get through them. Maybe the solution isn’t forcing yourself deeper into your reading slump or waiting for that moment of inspiration to get through a heavier book- it’s all about adding that lightheartedness, magic, and excitement back into your reading routine. So if you’ve been avoiding Romantasy like me, you might be missing out on the perfect antidote to your reading slump.
