I absolutely loved this book! I definitely know why everyone’s raving about it and I definitely regret not reading it sooner!

The tension and the enemies to lovers trope was done masterfully, I can’t wait to read the next books!

Fuck.

Encaptivating • OMG moments • first pumps. • emotional rollercoaster! (I normally only do 3 words.

First of all I’d like to thank Netgalley & Briar for allowing me to read the Arc edition of this book. It’s just taken number 1 spot for book of the year.

If you like you like vampires, if you like dradon stories if you like humans and a mix of magic this book is for you. If you like tense yearning and want to see how this absolute enemies to whatever the fuck they are then this book is for you,

I finished it a few hours ago and I just don’t know what to do with myself do I dive into the next one. Do I want a little while so I can return to the bloodwing academy?

Great characters great character developments. Story is fab I’m so excited to see where it goes!! I was absolutely enthralled with this and excited to see what happened with Medea after the Queen of Roses series which was a series I thoroughly enjoyed and I guess is the prequel to this in a different world.
5 stars, raise a glass. Bring on book 2!

✨✨

Absolutely loved this book!! Like i cant even explain!! Definitely getting it in physical form too!!

5 stars, thank you for the opportunity to read On Wings Of Blood!

On Wings of Blood was such an exciting and fascinating read! The story kept me hooked from beginning to end, and I really enjoyed every moment of it. It was an absolute pleasure to read.

Five stars for this fantasy romance! I was hooked from the very first chapter with its perfect mix of mystery, destiny, and danger. The world-building was detailed but never feeling overwhelming or hard to follow, and the fierce female leads brought so much fire and heart to the story. The enemies to lovers tension (always a win for me) between Medea and Blake made it completely addictive, and now I’m left desperate for the next book in the series. And yes…I absolutely need more dragons ASAP! If you love Fourth Wing, you’ll love this one, too!

I am going to start with saying that I did enjoy the book overall and I will continue with book 2 at least as I would like to see what happens next.

This book felt like a whole lot of world building and not much else until literally the last few pages. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen and it just never came. I also am not a fan of the MMC. He is useless imo. It's going to be hard for me to root for him. The whole relationship between the FMC and MMC gives me hardcore Dramonie vibes.

With the amount of info we received in book 1, I am hoping that books 2 and 3 have more action in them!

I was completely hooked by On Wings of Blood. This sizzling dark academia romantasy drops Medra Pendragon—a half-fae and supposed last dragon rider—into a brutal vampire-run academy. Forced into a magical betrothal with the cold and arrogant Blake Drakharrow, she must navigate deadly classes, highblood politics, and hidden dragon lore—all while trying not to get killed. The forbidden romance, slow-burn tension, and academy intrigue had me bingeing page after page.

What stood out most was the vivid, atmospheric world and Medra’s tenacious voice. The Bloodwing Academy pulses with power struggles, class divisions (Highblood vampires versus Blightborn), and whispers of long-lost dragons. Medra’s fight-back attitude and her evolving dynamic with Blake—brimming with banter, mistrust, and sizzling chemistry—made every moment feel electrifying.

thank you to the author and netgalley for a free arc in exchange for an honest review! this was so fun! absolutely deserving of the hype it's getting. I've always enjoyed briar boleyn's books and this one did not disappoint. gotta love a good enemies to lovers and this delivered

This is a dark academia romantasy featuring dark magic and heart pounding action.

🅃🅁🄾🄿🄴🅂
🫦 Enemies to Lovers
🖤 Dark Academia
🫦 Slow Burn
🖤 Arranged Marriage
🫦 He Falls First
🖤 Touch Her And ☠️

I am such a sucker for an academic setting and this did not disappoint. Our girl Medra finds herself dropped into a strange world where vampires rule. She has no idea what is going on and has been known to buck the rules. She soon finds herself as a consort to our vampire prince, Blake, and man does she loathe him. Oh Blake!!!!! I loved getting his point of view. He is full of angst and yearning!

You could cut that tension between Blake and Medra!!! I find myself constantly rooting for them to just both give in.

On wings of Blood is a fantastic read, pleasantly surprised as I knew I’d like it but didn’t expect to love it quite so much.

I cannot fully emphasise how amazing this book was, I was hooked from page one and literally finished this in 3 days despite the size. The plot was medium paced, packed full of action and apprehension. If you love slow-burn enemies-to-lovers, a magic world and dark academia this book is for you.

This was one of my top reads of 2024 and my new favourite novel by Briar Boleyn. The level of frustration I felt after the ending of this book and not being able to read the following one straight away was immense. In other words - I gobbled this book straight up.

Thank you NetGalley and Starwater Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Although I did really enjoy reading the first series prior to this, at this point in time I need to admit to myself that it's not the right fit for me anymore. It's a bit too much of everything, which perhaps will interest me again one day - so I'm not completely writing it off just yet - but that will be for future me to decide if I ever revisit this. For now, it wasn't for me.

Rating 4 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐


🐉 Dramione vibes
🐉 Exntinct Dragon riders ?
🐉 War college
🐉 Hidden Identity
🐉 Half Fae
🐉 Bully romance
🐉 Dragons
🐉 Forced Betrothal
🐉 Dark Academia
🐉 He falls first
🐉 Vampire MMC

You know me I would definitely eat up anything that has Dramione dynamics! Medra Pendragon is from another plane of existence and forced to be betrothed by a vampire? Well I wouldn't say no myself but these vampires have another agenda. However, dragons don't exist anymore in this world. She is half-fae tho so she has to survive in this academy where life is a battlefield.

I have read a book by Briar where Medea where one of her siblings is from, but I haven't got to where I met her yet? But the book was definitely giving more of a Fourth Wing vibe than a Harry Potter. The Vampire do look down on the FMC because she was different however the Blake does have this undeniable hate/lust attraction so I will definitely go with the next book and excited to see how book 2 develops with the story~!

This book took me a long time to get through, not because it was bad, but because it was dense. Lots of characters and quick world building it was sometimes hard for me to remember everything. This is a SLOW BURN bully romantasy very similar to Zodiac Academy. I’m excited for the dragons in book 2 and to learn more about the world of Sangratha.

This book pulled me right out of a hangover just to throw me right back into another one. On Wings of Blood was very well written, easy to follow along with, and nearly impossible to put down. I loved how much it lingered in my mind even when I wasn’t reading. The MMC completely stole my heart, and I always looked forward to his POV.

It truly had everything I wanted and needed in a book: dragons, vampires, and fae. Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book to others. Solid 5 stars from me.

Thank you so much for the ARC, and my apologies for the delay in getting this review out, life was happening, and things were difficult, but I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read this book.

I loved this! I loved the vampire school setting and dark academia vibes. I wasn't a fan of all the bullying and it was a little slow in the middle but otherwise I'd definitely recommend this for fans of romantasy and vampires + dragons!

Firstly. I read this awhile but took me forever to review! Let's just say I loved this book so much I bought it immediately after reading plus preordered the deluxe version to be pretty as a shelf trophy.

This has all the tropes, Dark Academia Check, Forbidden love Check, more plot over spice check! . If you want a kick butt female character this one is probably for you. Immediately draws you in, I am trying not to spoil it because I could easily because to me this book was everything of Fourth wing but MORE. Plus a brooding shadow daddy in all his glory. The tension was nice and the academy setting was brilliant.

This book started out so good! I mean, I originally thought they were older and then it went into this dark academia plot but that was still okay. It was a little reminiscent of Twilight to me...the girl who is just different then anyone...smells better...is at risk for her life all of the time...and then the moody MMC who is working his butt off to resist his bodies call to her. Then it turns into Fourth Wing, which again, another very entertaining read so we're looking good. It felt original in its blending of ideas and plot lines. We're 60% in and I'm thinking this is a 4.5 star read. Then it becomes Interview with the Vampire/Hunger Games (which hey, 2 more stories I love so I'm thinking we're still on the right track) but suddenly it just tanks. If it's trying to be a slow burn, then do that. If were trying to build yearning and hold it, do that. Instead it just kind of wishy washy jumps between the two. 60% in when they finally kiss and then suddenly he's fingering her and then that whole plot line just drops off. Suddenly he doesn't know her at all. Suddenly this sweet hearted core of a man doesn't understand what consent is or why its important? It got cringy, repetitive, horrific and twisted without cause or advancement of the plot. It just turned into a hot pot mess that felt like so many other stories just cut and pasted and reworked into trying to rush through and finish this novel. It dropped from a 4.5 star to closer to a 3. Was I still entertained? Yes. Will I read the next one? Eventually...but I'm not in any rush. Honestly bummed out because how was it so good for so much of the book and then just had 0 follow through or focus? Well... no regrets on reading, but the potential felt tangible.

On Wings of Blood is a fast-paced, addictive dark fantasy that blends academy drama, forbidden magic, and a fierce enemies-to-lovers romance. Medra Pendragon, a half-fae outcast and supposed last dragon rider, is thrust into Bloodwing Academy where vampires rule and danger lurks behind every beautiful face. Briar Boleyn delivers sharp banter, brutal politics, and a brooding love interest in Blake Drakharrow. With deadly rituals, explosive secrets, and a heroine who refuses to be tamed, this book is a thrilling ride from start to finish. Perfect for fans of dark academia and slow-burn fantasy romance.

I really liked this book! It was exciting and kept me interested the whole time. The characters were cool and the story moved fast. Definitely a good read if you like action and fantasy.