The Best Candle to Buy When Reading Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Fourth Wing sold more than two million copies in its first six months, which means a whole lot of people are currently white knuckling their way through Basgiath War College with a dragon on the brain. Rebecca Yarros built a world of leather, smoke, cold stone, and the occasional fireball, and the reading experience deserves a scent that matches. A bright vanilla cupcake candle is not going to cut it while Violet is dodging death on a parapet.
Below are seven candles ranked for how well they set the mood for the Empyrean series. Two are ours, five are not, so you can judge for yourself. If you want to skip the reading and start sniffing, browse our full beeswax candle collection and pick your own dragon rider fuel.
What makes a good Fourth Wing candle
The Empyrean books live in a world of woodsmoke, weathered leather, pine, and cold mountain air. You want something atmospheric and a little moody, not sugary.
Burn time matters too. Fourth Wing is a doorstop, and once you hit the good chapters you are not putting it down. A candle that quits after twenty minutes ruins the vibe. And since you will be sitting three feet from an open flame for hours, a clean burn keeps the headache away so you can actually finish the chapter.
1. Room Service by MBur Candle Co.
Wax: 100% beeswax | Wick: wooden | Fragrance: phthalate free | Burn time: up to 80 hours | Dyes: none
This is our top pick, and here is why. Room Service has that fancy hotel lobby thing going on, saffron and white tea over big dramatic florals with something golden and rare underneath. It reads as luxurious and slightly forbidden, which is basically the Basgiath elite in candle form.
The wooden wick crackles like a small fire while you read, which is a genuinely nice touch when Violet is huddled near a hearth. Beeswax burns longer than soy or paraffin, so the 80 hour size ($65) will outlast several reading marathons. Best for the reader who wants their dragon fantasy to feel expensive.
"This scent has me in a chokehold. I burn it in my room and my living room and it fills my space SOOOOO nicely... Theres nothing I hate more than a candle that can't fill the room and baby this is NOT that." Tiffany Gordon, verified buyer
2. Voluspa Burning Woods
Wax: coconut wax blend | Wick: cotton | Fragrance: brand proprietary
A frequent recommendation across bookish circles for the Empyrean series, and it earns it. The woody, smoky profile suits the war college aesthetic and the general broody dragon energy. Voluspa candles look gorgeous on a shelf, which counts for something when your reading corner is also your backdrop for the inevitable bookstagram post. Approximately mid range pricing. Best for readers who want a woodsy scent from a widely available name.
3. Monsters Candles Fourth Wing (Licensed)
Wax: eco friendly blend | Wick: cotton | Fragrance: brand proprietary
This is the actual officially licensed Fourth Wing candle, with notes of violets, leather, cedar wood, pine forests, and lime. If you want literal on the nose accuracy, this is it. Vegan and cruelty free, available in a small and large size. Approximately specialty pricing given the license. Best for the superfan who wants the book's exact scent story bottled up.
4. Slice of Life by MBur Candle Co.
Wax: 100% beeswax | Wick: wooden | Fragrance: phthalate free | Burn time: up to 80 hours | Dyes: none
Slice of Life is green, sharp, and a little bitter, with crushed stems and citrus peel and an aired out, open window freshness. It is our pick for the outdoor flight scene readers, the ones who love when the story leaves the castle and gets into cold air and open sky. Cleaner and greener than the smoky options, so it works if heavy woods give you a headache. Best for daytime reading sessions when you want the mood without the fog.
5. Fire and Fury (Song of Fire and Spice)
Wax: brand dependent | Wick: cotton | Fragrance: brand proprietary
A bookish market pick built for fantasy epics, with spicy cinnamon and clove and a hint of smoke. It leans warm and a little dangerous, which suits the battle heavy stretches of the story. Approximately standard bookish candle pricing. Best for readers who want heat and spice rather than cool woods.
6. Three Witches (Aarka Origins)
Wax: brand dependent | Wick: cotton | Fragrance: brand proprietary
Pumpkin spice, rosemary, and aged oak, aimed at dark fantasy and gothic romance. It channels a mysterious, enchanting vibe that fits the more sinister corners of the Empyrean world. Approximately standard specialty pricing. Best for cozy autumn reading and the shadowy plot twists.
7. A generic vanilla candle from the grocery store
Wax: usually paraffin | Wick: cotton, sometimes metal core| Burn time: short | Dyes: usually present
Included so you know what to avoid. Paraffin is petroleum waste, full stop, and it can release compounds like benzene and formaldehyde as it burns. A sugary vanilla scent also clashes hard with a book about dragons and death. Skip it.
Comparison table
| Candle | Wax | Wick | Burn time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Room Service (MBur) | 100% beeswax | Wooden | Up to 80 hrs | Luxe, forbidden mood |
| Voluspa Burning Woods | Coconut blend | Cotton | — | Woodsy, widely available |
| Monsters Fourth Wing | Eco blend | Cotton | ~40+ hrs | Literal book accuracy |
| Slice of Life (MBur) | 100% beeswax | Wooden | Up to 80 hrs | Green, fresh, daytime |
| Fire and Fury | — | Cotton | — | Spicy battle scenes |
| Three Witches | — | Cotton | — | Gothic, autumnal |
| Grocery vanilla | Paraffin | Cotton/metal | Short | Avoid |
The verdict
The officially licensed Monsters candle wins on pure accuracy if you want the exact leather and pine story bottled up. But for the best all around reading experience, our pick is Room Service. That crackling wooden wick, the long clean beeswax burn, and the saffron and florals hotel lobby drama make it feel like you are reading somewhere far more glamorous than your couch.
Beeswax burns longer than soy or paraffin and does not leave soot on your walls, so you can log hours with Violet and Xaden without the headache a lot of cheaper candles cause. MBur candles carry hundreds of five star reviews, and readers keep mentioning the same thing: they fill the whole room and never trigger the discomfort they get from mass market brands.
Pick your dragon rider companion from our full beeswax candle collection and light it before chapter one.
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