🐉ARC review🐉
On wings of blood by @briarboleynauthor

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I stayed up way too late last night just to finish this. I couldn’t put it down. I was hooked. For all my #dramione girlies, this one is for you !! Everything about this reminds me of Draco and Hermionie, if Draco was a vampire. There is friendship, love and betrayal! I loved this sooo much and I cannot wait to get into book 2 💥

I adored this book, the main, side and support characters, story and worldbuilding! Its sequel is one of my anticipated reads.

Medra and Blake's connection is hot and dangerous - perfectly written with amazing vibes!
Plus the friendship between Medra and another character is just such a sweetly great thing.

The ending was great as well, loved all the seconds of it and can't wait to continue, diving into their world once more!

Brilliant world, fantastic characters, she improved from her debut books and still kept the skill of her amazing worldbuilding!

Medra is one of the strongest MFC I have EVER read and I enjoyed every minute of her story! This is a true enemies to lovers where he falls first and she keeps on hating him (genuinely) even when she realises the physical attraction is undeniable.
Very interesting and well executed world building and I thought the premise, pace and characterization were strong points. The banter and Medra's comebacks are gold, she is so witty and defiant and assertive, I love her. I thought the way we are thrown into the story was very cleverly devised and the fact that we are learning about this new realm along with Medra makes the worldbuilding seamless. Bloodwing academy is a very atmospheric place and it was fun exploring it along with Medra.I found the supporting characters all realistic and well fleshed out but Medra's character development has been so far brilliant. I hate Blake, he's a true bully and fully entitled! When the spice arrived, it was spicy, took me a bit by surprise but I'm here for it!
One piece of advice would be to have the second book nearby, I was not ready to let go of Bloodwing Academy and was so grateful to have the second book ready to go. For the fans of the genre, I found this a VERY satisfying read and I would 100% recommend, you will not be disappointed. Jumping straight into nook no2!
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for me review copy, all opinions are my own.

Devoured this book over 2 days! A brilliantly lengthy novel with great characters and an intriguing plot. Medra is a strong female lead & I love how she speaks her mind & resists Blake. No weak females here! There is a sad part near the end that I wish hadn't happened but only because I get attached to all the characters. The book had the perfect amount of angst & the dual pov helps you understand certain actions. Great ending, definitely keen to read book 2 when it comes out, hopefully not too long away! Kage was an intriguing character too so I hope we learn more about him & his house

On Wings of Blood by Briar Boleyn is a delectable dive into a world where dragon lore meets vampire courts, all wrapped up in the deadly drama of a magical academy. This first instalment of the Bloodwing Academy series introduces us to Medra Pendragon, the last of the dragon riders, who is unceremoniously thrown into the viper’s den of Bloodwing Academy. The highblood vampires here are ruthless, and as a so-called blightborn (read: someone they think is beneath them), Medra faces constant danger. Oh, and to make things even spicier? She’s betrothed to Blake Drakharrow, an arrogant and sharp-tongued vampire who seems intent on making her life a living nightmare...or so it seems.

The enemies-to-lovers trope is front and center in this book, and oh, does it deliver. The tension between Medra and Blake is simmering, their verbal sparring filled with just the right amount of heat and venom. Blake walks that deliciously fine line between brooding tormentor and someone who might actually care. Add to that Medra’s inner strength and razor-sharp wit, and you’ve got the makings of a pairing that keeps you flipping pages late into the night.

The world-building is lush and layered, with a gothic medieval vibe that pulls you right into the halls of Bloodwing Academy. I loved the hints of Arthurian legend intertwined with the dragons and vampires - how often do you get such a unique combination? The trials Medra faces are genuinely perilous, with deadly competitions and betrayals lurking at every turn. There’s also a dragon-shaped secret hanging over Medra that I won’t spoil, but trust me, it’s a game-changer.

On the spice scale, it’s a solid 1 chilli for now. The romance simmers rather than explodes, with plenty of tension to keep you hooked. For fans of dark academia with morally grey love interests and intricate power plays, this one is a must-read.

I’d give it 4.5 out of 5 stars - it’s an addictive, slow-burn start to what promises to be a fantastic series. Perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash or Zodiac Academy!

What a fun surprise this book was! A cross between Harry Potter and Fourth Wing, but with vampires.

It's about Medra Pendragon who suddenly wakes up, surrounded by corpses, in a world where vampires rule. When she is found by Prince Drakharrow, she also turns out to be the last dragon rider and this while there are no more living dragons. The prince takes her to Sangratha, the capital, where she is eventually required to attend the Bloodwing academy as a student. And she is also obliged to enter into a relationship with the prince.

In the beginning of the book I really got Harry Potter vibes, as it all came across as somewhat childish. But as the story progresses, it gets more exciting, there are more twists and turns, and a little spice comes in as well. All in all a very fun book to read, I enjoyed it!

🩸 Touch her and die

🗡️ Training scenes

🖤 Villain gets the girl

✨ Dramione vibes but make it dark/adult

💀 Morally gray everything

👑 Political intrigue for DAYS

Okay, friends, this book!! Think dark academia, Harry Potter, and House of the Dragon had a spicy, morally gray love child. The vibes? Immaculate.

Our MFC, Medra Pendragon, wakes up in a realm crawling with vampires and ends up standing before Lord Drakharrow, ruler of one of the four vampire bloodline houses. Turns out, Medra—last of the dragon riders—might hold the key to bringing back dragons. Rather than kill her, Drakharrow binds her by blood to be betrothed to his nephew, Blake, a blonde vampire prince (🚩but it’s fine, I’m picturing him brunette anyway).

Medra is shipped off to Bloodwing Academy as a hostage-student, pretending to be the dragon rider they think she is while secretly plotting her escape. But OH, the banter. The betrayal. The blood-drenched scheming. And THAT SCENE in the Sanctum of the Bloodmaiden on the mezzanine? 🥵🌶️ IYKYK. This book overall spice is probably 1.5 🌶️, but I think we will get more as the series goes on.

Tension. Dragons. Vampires. Fae. Read this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC of this incredible book! All thoughts are my own.

This was a great vampire academy story!!! Full of action and slow burn romance… But…. I was told this one gave all the Harry Potter and Fourth Wing vibes and so of course I went in with super high expectations and because of that I feel like it was doomed from the start…
I didn’t get any Harry Potter vibes, maybe some Zodiac Academy vibes with the bullying and such, and Fourth Wing? Are you joking? The one dragon in this book was at the very end… like literally last chapter!!! You are probably thinking well geez why did she give it 4 stars?!?! I gave the book 4 stars because even with going in with the higher expectations and it not delivering on those, it did deliver on being a good book! I loved Medra and her never back down attitude! I loved the side characters, and there is a critter and that for me is an immediate star right there!!! Blake is our typical MMC, broody with a mean exterior but secretly a marshmallow and good man! I am excited to continue with their story in book 2 and finally get to those dragons I was promised!!!!

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On Wings of Blood starts with Medra - a half-fae - being thrown into a foreign world to her. Here she is found by the Drakharrow family. A very powerful family of vampires. Medra has red hair and is told she is a dragon rider. However there are no dragons left in this world or the world that she came from.

To survive she decides to just go with the story that she lost her memories. They take her to the Blackharrow residency where she meets Blake. He is one of the princes and they betroth her to him to gain more power. Because dragon riders in their time were very powerful, so they don’t want any of the other 3 powerful families to gain advantage over them.

Also she is not the only one betrothed to Blake there is another girl called Regan. They are supposed to form a triad (which is normal in this world(, but Regan doesn’t want to share.

They all go to Bloodwing Academy a school à la Harry Potter. Medra quickly makes some friends, but also some enemies. Will she be able to survive? Figure out how to go back home? Will the dragons appear again? Will the vampires ever accept her?

If you love a good mix of fourth wing, Harry Potter, vampires, royal courts and intrigues this book is for you!

Yes! More Kage please. Not a fan of Blake. Never felt or liked their relationship. Excited to read the next book.

Vampires and an academy - say no more, I was intrigued. This story had a really promising, strong start! The writing was clever and witty. The characters had unique POV and seemed easy to root for.

I will say, sadly once we got past the inciting events and story setup, and into school, the story became a little boring for me…and a little too school. I did enjoy the characters, and enjoyed the story enough to keep reading. However, the conflict lacked depth for me. I also found the romance a little toxic at times, I’m hoping this improves in future books. There were definitely many elements of other successful books from the genre put together to make this story. Nothing incredibly original here, but still enjoyable!

Overall, this book holds promise! I loved the world, and dragon aspect. I’m curious to see how that unfolds in the next book! Thank you for this arc Netgalley!

So this one was compared to Fourth Wing, Harry Potter, etc. (because of the academia) but I truthfully just didn’t see it, and I lost interest very quickly. It initially had my attention but I found myself having to push myself to read shortly after. I tried to like it but just wasn’t my thing!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!
Dark academia, vampires, strong FMC, mystery, romance, games and trials and interesting friendships.. sign me up.

I absolutely liked the premises and thought behind the plot of the book. The characters felt multi layerd and had a clear own character which I enjoyd. It was nice to have some trials in there as well as the devision between vampires and non vampires. I perhaps didn't really catch on what makes her so special - physically different but perhaps that comes more in book 2? The pacing in the book was nice and enjoyable which definitely helped me to stay engaged with the story! The authors writing style is also very enjoyable.

As much as I absolutely enjoyed this story I will say that I feel like it didn't reach its full potential. It was a bit confusing time to time and i didn't feel like many questions were answered throughout the story just leaving me to question the plot. But I am excited to see what book 2 has to bring!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher & the author for a late Advance reader copy.

Thank you to Briar Boleyn and Netgalley for this ARC.

So what I liked: vampires, enemies to lovers, dark academia, slow 🔥, and dragons

The mmc Blake is hot!

The only thing I wasn't pleased with was the beginning of the book. The pacing was off, or perhaps it was too wordy? I felt that once i got past that, I did enjoy the characters.
Im looking forward to the next book.

On Wings Of Blood is an engaging and well-written fantasy that draws you into a dark, exciting world with Aerin and Kael at the centre. Their complex relationship adds depth to a plot that’s full of unexpected twists and high stakes. I loved the balance of action and emotion, which made it hard for me to stop reading. I give it a 4/5 stars!

So I loved Briar Boelyn's first series so much and it is still one of my favorite series. Having said that I was not disappointed with this newest book of hers. Half-fae dragon rider in a world with out dragons, vampires and dark academia all rolled into one. Sign me up!!!! I loved the slow burn and the anticipation is killing me. I cannot wait to see where this series goes.

This was fun in some aspects, but I feel like it could have been edited down a bit and just been a shorter book. Instead, it felt like there was a lot of filler content at certain parts which made it drag on. I did love the world building and the romance- I just felt like certain things just could've been edited out to make the book flow more smoothly.

⭐️/4
🌶/1

I was a fan of Brair Boleyn before and I'm even more of a fan now. If you want a dark academia world with a forced engagement, vampires, and a FMC hellbent on survival in a new world, this is the one for you.

Medra ain't got time for nobody and their nonsense and I love her for it. I wanted to hate Blake, but he's one of those bad boys who is working quietly to actually be good.

There is minimal spice, this is all about the world building and trials faced by Medra as she navigates the world she is dropped in to.

If you haven't read the Blood of Fae Series, I would suggest it. Not totally necessary, but it gives a ton of insight on where Medra comes from and what she has going on. Either series is one you're not going to want to miss

🌟Vampire MMC
🌟Half Fae FMC
🌟Hate/Lust
🌟Forced Betrothal
🌟Academy
🌟Dragon Lore
🌟He Falls First
🌟Bullying
🌟Peril
🌟Consort Games
🌟Magic
🌟Dual POV
🌟🌶️🌶️

Holy wow—On Wings of Blood completely consumed me!

From the moment Medra was thrust into an unforgiving, unfamiliar world, I was hooked. Her life is upended in the cruelest of ways, and watching her navigate this brutal land where death is a constant threat was nothing short of captivating. Medra is a force of nature—fierce, resilient, and unwilling to break even when everything, including her autonomy, is ripped away. Her sheer determination to survive, despite the cruelty she faces, made her a protagonist I couldn’t help but root for.

Then there’s Blake. Oh, Blake. He’s like a double-edged blade—sharp, deadly, and impossible to ignore. Arrogant, ruthless, and harsh, he’s the embodiment of power, but beneath that unyielding exterior lies another side to him. He, too, is a survivor, navigating the sinister web of his family’s cruelty. In some ways, Blake wields immense power, yet in others, he’s trapped, constantly striving to stay one step ahead. This duality makes him both infuriating and fascinating—a character you want to hate but can’t help being drawn to.

The dynamic between Medra and Blake crackles with intensity. Their undeniable attraction is as fierce as the hatred that fuels their clashes. It’s like watching a pot on a low boil, threatening to erupt at any moment. The sexual tension is electric, the drama relentless, and their will to survive absolutely gripping.

What truly pulled me in was the intricate layering of the story. It’s not just about Medra and Blake—it’s a world brimming with schemes and countless pawns on the chessboard, each move adding depth and stakes to the narrative. There’s always something happening to keep you on edge.

And that ending? Let’s just say I need the next book immediately. This is the kind of story that digs its claws into you and refuses to let go. If you love dark, layered tales with high-stakes drama and simmering tension, On Wings of Blood is an absolute must-read!

Thank you, NetGalley and Starwater Press (Indie) for this book for review. This was sooo good. It took me a minute to get into this book, but once I did, I could NOT put it down!! Going to get book #2 NOW! That cliffhanger!! Ugh, if you need more vampires, dragons, battles between the haves and havenots, READ THIS BOOK!!