I'm a sucker for a dark academia fantasy romance clearly. The MFC Medra (half fae/dragon rider) wakes up in a strange world full of vampires. She then gets taken back to their Bloodwing Academy and forced to attent this rather prestigious school as vampire Blakes consort. Medra is kind of a bad ass and is easily likeable character while Blake is just an asshole vampire and hard to love in the beginning. We do get both POV's which does encourage us to like Blake after a little bit. The bullies reminded me of somewhere between Harry Potter, Mean Girls and Zodiac Academy. I really liked the MFC and her found family. The side characters and their friendships were amazing. I would've liked more dragons but I'm thinking that's coming in book 2. It was fast paced and I had a hard time putting it down.

Thank you NetGalley, Briar Boleyn, and Starwater Press for giving me the opportunity to read On Wings of Blood.

On Wings of Blood is a solid 4 ⭐️ read. I’ll be honest, when I first started reading this book I wasn’t sure if I could get into it. Next thing I know, I’m finding every opportunity I can to finish the story. I truly did not want to put this book down! The character development, world building and overall plot were all so captivating. Medra Pendragon is a FMC that I can root for. She is strong, sarcastic, determined and kind to those deserving. The banter between Medra and Blake can come off a little too YA, but not enough to make me lose interest. I also really enjoyed the friendships Medra forms with her fellow blightborns (and even occasional highblood) throughout her time at Bloodwing Academy. So often these romantasy stories put all of their focus on the love interest that there isn’t much room for other character development. Briar Boleyn, however, did not fall into this trap. Her characters came to life on the page. I cannot wait to read the next installment in this series and see what happens to these characters I’ve come to love.

On Wings of Blood is an enthralling fantasy novel that introduces readers to Medra, who finds herself in a world with vampires and ancient prophecies. Enrolled in Bloodwing Academy, Medra must navigate a risky environment filled with magic, danger, and complex relationships.

I think it’s important to remember that being the first book in a series, there is a lot of world building which some people may struggle with, but it is easy to follow. The story blends elements of dark academia, vampire lore, and dragon mythology, and is compared to Harry Potter, Zodiac Academy and Fourth Wing. I agree that the dark academia elements are similar to those in Fourth Wing. I would say the main similarity is the world building being a big part of the beginning of the story, with a slight drop of towards the middle of the book to then pick up in the last quarter of the story.

In my opinion, On Wings of Blood is a captivating read for fans of fantasy romance, especially those who enjoy themes of magic, forbidden love, and academy settings. Its blend of familiar tropes with unique twists makes it a good addition to the genre – I’m excited to read the next book in the series and see how the story develops further!

I've been seeing this book all over Instagram and was finally able to grab a copy from NetGalley!

This is the line that had me hook, line and sinker- "What do you get if you mix Harry Potter with Fourth Wing, Zodiac Academy, a dash of Arthurian legend, and lots and lots of vampires? Bloodwing Academy." I absolutely had to pick up a copy and read it. All of this is right up my alley!

From the first page I was hooked on the writing from Briar Boleyn. I found the world building captivated me and I couldn't get enough of it.

Medra is the FMC who takes no sh!t from others. She finds herself in a new world that she is stuck navigating all while dealing with the loss of her powers and the hierarchy of the new world she finds herself in. Let's not forget she also has some insane things happening to her throughout the course of the book.

Blake is the MMC who finds himself struggling with the life he finds himself in. Haunted by the choices he's made as a younger male and the choices forced upon himself. His uncle is the one in the place of power in this world and has plans of his own.

Both of these main characters were exciting characters to read about, and their tension, banter, and chemistry was fantastic. I always found myself wanting more of it.

I will definitely be diving into book two right away and eventually the Blood of a Fae series! I cannot wait to see what book two brings for these characters after that ending!

🐉 Book Review: On Wings of Blood by Briar Boleyn

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

A captivating dark academia romance that weaves together vampire politics, dragon lore, and magic within the haunting halls of a mysterious academy.

ARC provided by Briar Boleyn and NetGalley, thank you!

Key Elements:

- Enemies To Lovers Romance
- Ancient Dragon Legacy
- Vampire Nobility
- Gothic Academy Setting
- Complex Power Dynamics
- Political Arranged Marriage
- Dangerous Trials
- Exquisite Slow Burn
- Mild Spice but still new adult
- Found Family Bonds

In this masterful blend of dark academia and paranormal fantasy, Briar Boleyn crafts an immersive world where vampire aristocracy rules and the legacy of war-riding dragons echoes through history.

The story follows Medra Pendragon, a fierce protagonist thrust into vampire society and betrothed to the enigmatic Blake Drakharrow, whose cold exterior masks deeper wounds. Their path leads them to the prestigious Bloodwing Academy, a ruthless institution that shapes future leaders through strategy, combat, and magical arts. While peace currently reigns, ancient tensions simmer beneath the surface, threatening to ignite at any moment. Do yourself a favour and read this book :)

I just know the next book is going to be amazing!

Wow this was a fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and cannot wait to read the second one. I loved Medra and to think there's still more about her they don't know lol I love it. Absolute 4.5 stars from me. Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the ARC in return for an honest review. Love, love loved it

This book! Oh my goodness! The cover is what drew me in but once I started reading the words I could not put it down! Ready to jump into the next one

A truly amazing book, fantastic characters, unbelievable plot and story. The world building was amazing

On Wings of Blood is the first book in Briar Boleyn's dark academia fantasy romance series, Bloodwing Academy. My attention was captured from the very first sentence, and I enjoyed the dynamic between Medra and Blake. Although the bones of a spectacular opening novel were present, my biggest problem was the need for some condensing. If scenes were edited that weren't necessary to maintain the plot integrity, I believe that the flow events would have had more impact and not felt forced or dragged. The ending was set up perfectly for the continuation of the series. I am eager to discover what the future for Medra and Blake.

Medra is a half fat in the school of vampires, she is also the last of the dragon riders but there are no dragon riders left. Still she is taken and trapped in the school with the vampires. Blake has been tormented her since they met and due to an ancient ritual they are betrothed. At this school you either fight for power or you die. There are deadly competitions and even deadlier secrets and Medra needs to survive them all.

This book is really focused on the world building and allows you get immersed in the setting and lay the groundwork for the rest of the series. There is also a strong slow burn romance between the two main characters. I loved the Medra is willing to stand up for herself and will not take crap from anyone. Blake is secretly a softie which is my absolute favorite type of MMC. The found family is strong in this book and I loved it.

This was such a fun fantasy romance! I'm still newer to the genre but this was so easy to follow and beginner friendly! I can't wait to continue the series and read more from the author!

This book had me captivated from start to finish. Briar Boleyn's writing, storytelling, and world building was impeccable. Between the tension in this slow burn and the academy setting, I could not put the book down.

✨📚 I was immediately drawn into this story. Briar Boleyn has truly brought the best of dragons, vampires, and the Academy experience.

❤️‍🔥 Bonded Mates
🗡️ High Stakes Challenges
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
💖 Found Family
✨ Magic
🌶️🌶️🌶️ Desire & Spicy Scenes

Running to read The Bond That Burns!!

*received a digital copy from NetGalley so thank you to them and thank you to the author*

*4.25* so much fun. It really reminds me Zodiac Academy but it also gives me a little of Crave by Tracy Wolff not gonna lie. I enjoyed it however I was bored a little in some parts and I was tired of Medra saying you are monsters without having a second thought. And honestly a lot of people are just cruel here. Too cruel. Annoyed. Even the teachers were mean to her when the teachers suppose to be there for students. Not like Medra asked to be there. Rodriguez is okay though. I love Medra but I disagreed a little with some of her decisions. Blake just pissed me off a little in the book. The ending shocked me so I can't wait to see what happens next

Wow...just wow, I had so much fun reading this, that I didn’t want to put it down.

This has all my favorite tropes, dark academia, morally gray characters, he falls first, vampires and dragons.

The FMC gets cast into an alternate world when she "died" and wakes up in a world where everything is different and vampires rule over the mortals.

The MMC is a vampire who finds her and captures her to take back to their ruler. Who ties her to him via a betrothal.

They both have to attend Bloodwing Academy,be warned this is a bully romance and there are trigger warnings before reading this book.

There are some trials/games also included while at Bloodwing Academy

The storytelling is fast paced, and I look forward to reading book 2. This was a duel POV book, and I really liked learning the why behind actions taken from each character.

What a wild ride! On Wings of Blood had me hooked from the start. I loved that it jumped right into the action without an overwhelming amount of world-building to wade through. The pacing was strong, though there were a few moments where I found myself eagerly waiting for the next big development.

The standout element of this book was, without a doubt, the complexity of the characters—especially the MMC. This is the first romantasy I’ve read where I wasn’t immediately head over heels for the love interest, and honestly? I think I love that. The author masterfully peels back his layers bit by bit, making me warm up to him—only for him to do something absolutely despicable and send me spiraling back into frustration. The emotional whiplash was real in the best way possible.

Beyond the characters, I’m fascinated by the groundwork this book lays for the series. The school setting, the shifting alliances between professors, and the tension between the blightborns and highborns all kept the intrigue high. The way the houses are pitted against each other adds another level of tension, and I need the next book immediately. There are so many unanswered questions, so many secrets waiting to be unraveled—I can’t wait to see where this story goes next.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

This book had me in a *chokehold* from start to finish. The tension, the betrayals, the slow-burn romance—I was living for every second of it. The characters are so well-written, and the world is dark, dangerous, and absolutely mesmerizing. If you love fantasy with high stakes, dark academia and swoon-worthy moments, this one’s a must-read!

I've just finished this book and really enioyed it! It felt like a kind ofndark acedemia Harry Potter with vampires and a splash of dragons.

I felt like the story started in one direction then took a bit of a turn early on and followed the acedemia storyline more than I was expecting, but honestly I enjoyed that a lot so I'm glad it did!

The FMC is quite the badass but also a little bit annoying at times, she seemed to be determined to get herself into trouble 😅 MMC is a definite bully character, but clearly down bad for her when we see his POV and I'm a sucker for a grumpy man who falls first 🙈

The writing and pacing were great, this is my first Briar Boleyn read and I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series.

Este libro ha sido, sin duda, una de esas lecturas que te atrapan desde la primera página y no te sueltan hasta el final. Desde el inicio, la historia te envuelve en una atmósfera increíblemente envolvente, casi magnética, que hace imposible dejar de leer. Nunca había leído nada parecido, y para mi sorpresa, todo en él ha sido un acierto: desde el worldbuilding hasta la construcción del pasado de los personajes y las complejas relaciones que se tejen entre ellos.
¡Y qué personajes! Mi corazón pertenece a Medra, y eso no va a cambiar. Me ha parecido uno de los personajes más fascinantes que he leído en mucho tiempo. No solo por su carácter arrollador, sino porque es un personaje que encarna unos valores y creencias con una convicción inquebrantable. Desde el primer momento deja claro quién es y qué defiende, sin importarle con quién hable ni en qué situación se encuentre. Medra es un ícono, una reina, una fuerza de la naturaleza. Cocinó, devoró y repitió plato.
Blake, por otro lado, me ha parecido un personaje tremendamente interesante. No diría que es lo mejor del libro, pero hay algo en su evolución, en su manera de pensar y en cómo actúa frente a los cambios que lo hace destacar. Me tenía completamente en su bolsillo… o al menos eso creía hasta que llegué al último capítulo. No sé si sentirme decepcionada o aún más intrigada por él. Supongo que la única solución es lanzarme de cabeza al segundo libro para descubrirlo.
En cuanto a los personajes secundarios, no puedo decir demasiado sin adentrarme en spoilers, pero sí puedo asegurar que aportan muchísimo dinamismo a la historia. Y sí, estoy hablando especialmente de esos dos profesores (guiño, guiño). Necesito urgentemente más páginas dedicadas a ellos.
Ahora, hablemos de la subtrama de los dragones. Admito que me habría encantado ver más sobre ellos, pero tampoco puedo decir que haya sido una decepción. La trama principal no gira en torno a ellos directamente, sino en torno a Medra como jinete en un mundo donde, en teoría, los dragones están extintos. Pero ese final… ¿I beg your finest pardon, sir??? Necesito respuestas. Necesito saber más sobre los secretos que esconden, sobre lo que realmente está ocurriendo y sobre todo lo que se oculta tras esas alas. Porque si hay algo seguro es que la historia no ha hecho más que empezar.
QUE GANAS DE LEER EL SEGUNDO LIBRO!

I just finished this book, I had a hard time putting it down. Would highly recommend this book, especially if you are a fan of Fantasy Romance books.