Medra is ready to start her second year at Bloodwing Academy: with a fiancé she can't trust and a dragon she is supposed to tame - no pressure! Not to mention that she's hiding the secret that she's from another world. Turns out second year won't be any easier than her first.

The Bloodwing Academy series really combines some elements of Iron Wings (a dragon rider at school) and Dramione dynamics. I really enjoyed Medra's relationship with her female classmates. In a world where a lot of adult men seem to be arguing over her fate, the bonds she develops with her friends Florence and Visha are really heartwarming. I loved the scenes of the three of them brainstorming how to survive and supporting each other, despite the vast differences in their backgrounds. The ending of this book made me incredibly excited to see how their friendship develops in the next book. As I noted in my review of On Wings of Blood, Boleyn also draws the teachers at Bloodwing Academy very well, giving them own perspectives and personalities. Perhaps it is because I am reading these books as an adult, but I really enjoyed that the adults felt so well drawn.

But I also really enjoy seeing Medra take her love interest, Blake, down a peg. Too many books treat controlling behaviour as romantic, and I really enjoy that Medra understands when Blake is being toxic and makes it clear that she won't tolerate it. It was great to have a character agreeing with the thoughts that I was yelling at her - and it does feel like Blake listened.

I'm excited to read the next book in this series - Sarah J Maas and Rebecca Yarros fans will love it.

We pick up pretty much where book one left off and continue through with similar vibes from the first instalment. We went from enemies to lovers and then back to enemies again so we all want to know where that is going, but this time we chuck in another hopeful candidate just to make it interesting.

There’s plenty of scary people with power, dragons, vampires and little fluffy creatures to provide some much needed relief from all the stress. I have no idea how these kids get any schoolwork done with all the other drama going on. Do they actually learn anything?

There’s clearly more to come in this series, so I’m climbing on the back of a dragon and going along for the ride.

Thanks to #netgallery for access to this arc.

Genre: Romance/Fantasy FM
Format: Digital
POV: Multiple
Tropes: dragon riders, vampire school, creepy ruling families, how to train a dragon, mysteries to uncover, love triangle-ish, shifters, mated bonds, soul bonds.
Ending: Unresolved
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
Age suggestion: 18+

This book doesn’t waste any time—right from page one, we’re thrown back into the chaos, and I loved every second of it! All the dark academia, slow-burn tension, and magical intrigue I was hoping for, plus plenty of vampires, dragons, and even a werewolf.

Medra is really coming into her own this year, finding her footing in a world that feels both thrilling and treacherous. And speaking of treacherous… I still have no idea who the good guys are and who might not be so good—which makes the story all the more addictive. The Harry Potter-esque boarding school vibes are just as strong as in the first book, with an atmosphere that’s equal parts enchanting and ominous.

Oh, and let’s not forget: “A prince in the keep, a dragon in the sheets.” Enough said.

The only downside? That cliffhanger! I need the next book ASAP.

The Bond That Burns has been my top read of 2025 thus far and I do not say that lightly! This dark academia fantasy romance has claimed my heart in its grip since the start. After reading Of Wings and Blood, I was eagerly awaiting this release - Briar is the queen of intense cliffhangers - and both books fed them on silver platters! I had no idea how you-know-who would be able to earn back Medra’s trust after he did what he did (iykyk) but somehow throughout the second book, my heart softened for him. That scene in the library 🥵 and what he goes through at the end ? I don’t know how to wait for the next release to see what happens after that INSANE ENDING! Ahhh!! Anyways, if you haven’t read this series - get on it, I promise it won’t disappoint!

Thank you so much h to Briar Boleyn and NetGalley for the gifted ARC ❤️

This series is truly unique and Briar’s writing is incredible. It’s very easy to get hooked and immerse yourself in the chaos of Bloodwing Academy

The character development in this book is amazing. And the characters are so morally grey it’s hard to know who’s trustworthy and who might be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. One second you hate someone and the next they’re making you melt like a puddle. These characters are truly a work of art.

I still love Medra, she’s sassy, she’s a badass, and she has a heart of gold. I fell in love with Blake during book one, fell out of love with him in the beginning of this book, and fell back in love with him by the end (he definitely keeps you on your toes). I love the side characters in this book also. Theo and Florence are so easy to love. And if you like books with a cute animal companion, Neville is everything you’re looking for.

The twists and turns in this book were never predictable and even when I tried to speculate what was coming I never see the next plot twist before it smacks me in the face.

The spicy scenes in this book are PERFECTION! If you want a book with an amazing plot that also gets you feeling all warm and tingly this one is 10000% for you!

The last 50 pages were heart-wrenching, I’m still pretty speechless about what just happened. There’s so many crazy plot lines that have unraveled in this book and I’m so excited to see where the next book takes us!

Okay, so this book definitely had some familiar elements—weak student at a specialized academy, gruff dragon who speaks in their mind—but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It worked for me in book one, and I was curious to see where this would go.

Blake, though… wow. If the chapters weren’t labeled, I would have been hoping for a MMC switch because he sucked at first. But honestly? By the end, I didn’t hate him. He genuinely thought he was doing the right thing, and while it was frustrating, it made sense for his character. There was some actual growth, which I appreciated.

The romance? Kinda just happened out of nowhere. Like, okay, guess we’re doing this now. It wasn’t bad, just not super convincing. The pacing overall was a little slow—at times it felt like nothing was really happening—but then the last 10% absolutely took off. Chaos. So much chaos.

Some reveals were super obvious, but a couple actually caught me off guard, which I appreciated. Not my favorite, but still enjoyable enough to finish.

⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️

Yall I don’t know how to possibly get across to you how GOOD this series is. Like I just want to take a bunch of copies and put them on the front table at all my local bookshops so more people can get exposed to it.
This series deserves the same hype as Fourth Wing in my opinion. It’s a dragon book, it’s a school, and our FMC is a chosen one who isn’t afraid to fight back.
Blake drove me crazy at the beginning of this one with his possessiveness, but with the explanation of the bond, it began to make sense; especially as he became self aware and tried his best. Also the changes happening to him! Woah!!
His uncle still sucks and is one of the many villains. I enjoyed that we got quite a bit of the dragon in this one and I can tell he’s going to be more relevant in the next book.
I thought a love triangle was forming between Kage, Medra, and Blake but honestly the connection Medra and Blake have is so strong that I don’t think it can be broken (try as she may). He’s just her morally grey love that she has to stick with lol
And the history with the dragons is heartbreaking and the emotions it causes Nyxaris to learn of his own past (can’t remember much). I think you’ll fall in love with the bond these two have. Especially because they are both sarcastic and sassy.

Thank you R&R Tours for the copy of the book! One of my favorite series for sure!

Get ready for a pulse-pounding adventure! The Bond that Burns is the exhilarating sequel to Briar Boleyn's captivating tale, On Wings of Blood.
This book dives back into a world of vampires, a slow and torturous burning passion filled with much more danger and adventure that will leave you breathless!

Briar has created an impressive collection of one-liners and quotes throughout this book, each resonating with profound insight and wit.
I can't stop replaying these to myself because I have been captivated by their cleverness and complex emotions.

The ending leaves you questioning and wanting more about everything from Blake and Medra to Neville the Fulffin and Nyxaris. Briar has presented the ending with numerous unanswered questions that have kept me awake at night, pondering all the possible outcomes.

Thank you to @netgalley and @briarboleynauthor for the ARC!

I enjoyed this book more than the other one. Its giving dramionie vibes. Things heat up a bit, there are some betrayal and another major cliffhanger! I wish there was a little more development of the characters as one theme kept repeating and I found I it a bit tiresome. Overall an enjoyable read!

Fantastically written second book in the Bloodwing Academy. I absolutely could not put this book down. The storyline is incredibly compelling and I love the personal development of all the characters and am excited to see what happens next. Also that Medra and Blake have grown closer and the way their relationship is developing. It was also the first time that you could read from Florence's point of view, and I'm very curious to see how much further she will develop. After this ending, I really need the next book!

This is the second book in the series and I am so grateful to the author and Netgalley for this book. Medra is now facing what to do with the awakening of Nyaxis and where she and Blake go from here. The character arc for Blake this book has been great. I was disappointed he went all bully in the beginning after last book. It was really hard to read at times and one scene was almost like there was no consent. That being said, the attraction and bond they have are sizzling. I am not into why choose so I won't even get into Kage. What I will say, is it would be amazing to see them working together. Which I assume will come in next book or if there are more maybe after. There still wasn't a lot on their backgrounds both Medra and Blake. There was a scene where they did talk a bit and bonded but I think I would have enjoyed more of that. The scenes where Blake was vulnerable and sweet were my favorites. Along with Nyxaris. The cliffhanger was good. Lots to think about and speculate. If you like enemies to lovers, found family, dark academia, touch her and die and dragons then this is your book! I found myself not wanting to stop reading and I can't wait for the next book!

So so good. I can’t wait for the third book. High fantasy, vampires, dragons, and a deadly academy makes for an amazing book. Briar Boleyn hooked me with the first book in this series and the second book has me fully invested in Medra and Blake. The perfect combo of Romantasy.

"How does the saying go? A prince in the keep, a dragon between the sheets?"
I went through a whole range of emotions while reading this second installment of Bloodwing Academy; slow-burn tension, plenty of action, plenty of lies and secrets, fluffy and dragon tailed side characters with attitude just had me turning the pages constantly.
Medra and Blake continue their push and pull relationship but they both grow so much in this book, it was just chef's kiss.
The Bond that Burns is very much an appropriate title for this book.

As the second in the series - this did not disappoint! Non stop action all the way thorough - some great work on character development beyond just the main characters, lots of banter. The betrayals and secrets and half truths made this a page turner that you can't put down. Literally can not wait for the next book!

Thank you Netgalley and Brian Boleyn for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review

Vampires
Dragons
Training Academy
Court politics
Enemies to lovers

2nd in the series, this book continues to be a merge of zodiac academy and fourth wing. It's not quite living up to how much I love both of those series, but honestly I'm still having such a fun time!

I love the FMC in all her defiant, strong-willed and stubborness and in true briar fashion, there were characters I loved and those I truly hated.

There's some found family here, but at times the side characters feel a little one dimensional.

Having said that, I found myself picking up this book in every spare moment I had.

I'm looking forward to seeing where book is taking us!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher & the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my review!
Once again, Briar Boleyn has me fully back in my Vampire Academy era, and I’m not mad about it. This sequel was everything I wanted—high-stakes chaos, delicious tension, and enough drama to fuel my book-induced insomnia.

First things first: the rivalry between Kage and Blake? Oh, it sizzled! Blake’s jealousy toward Kage was absolutely chef’s kiss, and I lived for every second of it. Was I hoping for a bit more of a triangle situation with Medra stuck between them? Absolutely. But hey, book three, I’m looking at you—make it happen!

Speaking of no triangle, let’s talk about Medra and Blake. Look, I was a little surprised at how quickly that simmering hatred turned into… well, other things. But also? Same, girl. Same. It’s hard to stay mad when the tension is crackling between you and the brooding hot vampire twink you’re supposed to be feeding, I get it!

Now, let’s address the very attractive elephant in the room: Teacher Rodriguez. The man had a much smaller role in this book, and honestly? Tragic. Everyone in this story can’t stop talking about him, and I don’t blame them—he must be the hottest teacher to ever exist. I need more. I deserve more. Here’s hoping book three finally gives this enigma of a man the page time he deserves.

Returning to Bloodwing Academy felt like coming home—if home was a dangerous, backstabbing, dragon-filled institution where you could either rise to power or die trying. And honestly? Love that for me. There’s so much left to uncover, and I need book three in my hands yesterday.

Final verdict? This sequel delivered, and I’m already mentally pre-ordering the next one. Bring on the drama, the dragons, and please let’s keep stoking that Kage vs. Blake fire. And while we’re at it, let’s give Teacher Rodriguez the spotlight he clearly deserves!

I loved the second instalment of this series. The plot and characters I felt were more developed than the first and I liked how it moved way from the bully trope. The MMC was way more likeable in this installement.

This is the epitome of why it's important to support indie published books as this book is class!

I WAS SO NOT READY FOR THIS ONE!!

Okay, so, I loved the first book in this series and absolutely ate up this second one! To be honest, even without the romance in this novel I would absolutely LOVE the setting and environment. Bloodwing Academy is a school I wouldn't survive but truly enjoy reading about. I would looooove to have books set in this world even outside of this series.

At the end of book one a THING happens (if you haven't read book one then I'm not quite sure what you are doing in this review) and said THING literally left me BEGGING for book 2. Fortunately, Miss Briar Boleyn did not leave us hanging.

First, the relationship between Blake and Medra. I am exhausted with books that are "enemies to lovers" or "hate to love" that are just so...dislike to instant love. In other words, I hate where "we supposedly hate each other but are really so hot that we fall in love and all is fixed." I feared this book would fall into that category when I first picked it up. Yet I was quickly proven wrong. Blake really and truly does treak Medra like an enemy. He truly does bully her. And Medra doesn't just fall for him-in fact, she rejects him MANY times and NEVER accepts what he did to her. Even if we see Blake's POV and see how flawed he is, Medra has so much self respect and I LOVE it.

In fact, in this scenario Medra even considers other options which is something I greatly appreciated. Also (book one spoiler!) I LOVED the dragon!! If you have Onyx Storm hangover, this is the dragon book for you! I can only imagine how the dragon plot will continue into the next novel AND how Medra's fae side will come into play. Forgive me for the vagueness as I attempt to remain spoiler free, BUT IT IS SO GOOD.

Truly the best part of this series, however, is the side characters. Specifically, Theo. The side characters all have so much personality but it is Theo who goes through an incredible amount of self reflection and strength. I love his friendship with Medra and how he supported her through everything. In my mind, he and Ridoc would be besties.

Uhm, excuse me while I'm still trying to deal with the ending chapters of this book, because what do you mean I have to wait to find out what's happening???

The Bond That Burns picks up right where we were left, on the edge of a cliff and betrayal in book one and as you may suspect with a book like this, things seemed to just keep getting worse for our Medra. At this point I'm rooting for this story to turn into a why choose because I can't decide between Blake and Kane.

I will say that our characters are growing, slowly, but they are growing. Blake, oh Blake, the level of audacity Blake had, to go backwards and double down on bullying thinking that will get Medra to forgive him for the events of book 1? Like he hasn't been learning how Medra's entire personality functions this entire time? I thoroughly enjoyed the found family that has started to become clearer in this book and the roll little fluffy Neville plays in the history of this world. We get a new surprise POV and I was so excited to actually get into this characters head because I have been so curious as to how she's really been handling all the events since she was introduced in book 1.

I do feel like the inspiration for Nyxaris is a little too close for comfort, he's very Fourth Wing coded and while I love that series I wish I didn't hear a certain character when in a new world. Maybe it's just me because I'm coming off a very recent read of that series but I did pick up on the inspiration almost immediately now that we get more interactions with him.

However I ate this book up, I was here for a good time and I got left on a cliff screaming why at some of these characters actions. I NEED to know where this is going, what's going to happen because we are left in the worst possible situation.

Thank you to Briar Boleyn and Starwater Press for providing me an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book picks right where the previous ended and from the beginning to the end it’s fas paced,full of action , betrayals ,new pov’s and dragons? It was a valid sequel and i want the next book right now!