On wings of Blood
Wow was this a ride, it’s an academic setting that crosses with hunger games style trials.
It has enemies to maybe, I can foresee a possible love triangle, Lost powers, lost family, sort of found family, vampires rule humans obey.
So much happens to cover the world building , you get as frustrated as the MFC over not knowing what everyone else knows!!
I don’t know whether I like the MMC or not , or if he’s going to be another Tamlin!!
But needles to say this book is amazing and I can’t wait to jump into book 2

if fourth wing, harry potter, and vampire academy had a messy and ridiculously dramatic child, this would be it. and honestly? i'm obsessed. fully addicted. like ... i finished it and immediately went on to the next book (god, give me strength after i finish book two and need to wait for the third).

BLAKE AND MEDRA WERE OH MY GOD. the enemies to maybe lovers to definitely enemies again?? the way they hate each other but also don't?? blake being a living red flag who's overly obsessed with her?? medra being sassy and reckless and constantly jumping to the worst conclusions about him?? i hate them. but i also don't. they're so toxic and i need more. blake never denies any of medra's prejudices about how awful he is because he thinks it keeps her safe. SIR. therapy. but also, marry me.

the world and plot absolutely nailed it. this isn't one of those magic school books where the academy is just a vibe for the setting and nothing more. no, we live in this place. we suffer through the classes with medra, uncover secrets, meet teachers, get bullied in hallways. THE WHOLE PACKAGE. i felt like i was there, and now i consider myself a student of bloodwing academy too. also ... vampires. dragons. a mysterious history. actually intriguing secrets. the setup was so good, and not once did it feel like it dragged.

to be honest, i needed more from the side characters. visha, theo, catherine, and our unhinged teacher rodriguez are all ICONS in the making, but i really want the friendships to shine more. i'm begging for a proper found family in the next books. however, naveen, my sweet boy, broke my heart. i'm not okay.

OH, AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT NEVILLE. the fluffin was an absolute legend. star of the show. now i want one.

this book isn't a literary masterpiece, but it's here to ruin our lives in the best way because the addiction and obsession is real. it's fun, dramatic, emotionally exhausting, and i couldn't stop reading. the ending sets up for total chaos, and i'm so ready for it. this series is about to take over my life and i've accepted that. i'm thankful. i haven't felt this excited about a new fantasy series in so long. THIS is why i read.

Thanks to Net Galley, the author, and publisher for the eARC of On Wings of Blood.

On Wings of Blood is a Romantasy book with strong Harry Potter vibes, mixed with vampires, fae, and dragons.

Character development was lacking for our FMC and MMC:
- I feel I barely know Medra. She is a strong, independent young woman thrust into a brand-new world, but she barely asks any questions and rarely divulges any information about herself or her past. She showed reluctant interest in her mother’s soul but immediately bonded with Florence. I struggled to understand her lack of effort into investigating the items directly pertaining to her - dragons/consort/bonds or even escape/what else exists past Bloodwing Academy.

- Blake remained possessive and prideful. He hides his true feelings and thoughts and maintains a protective persona. He has a hidden soft side. He still felt entitled to Medra regardless of any events in the story. I didn’t feel like he changed at all throughout the story.

Pacing: This story started out medium paced, but severally slowed in the middle of the story, only picking up in the last 20% around the time of the Consort Games.

Spice: I’d give the spice a 🌶️🌶️ rating.

Plot: The plot felt a little all over the place. There were several plot points that didn’t seem to lead anywhere like the issues with Aenia, Medra’s sleepwalking, and the love interests of Theo. Orclades as a whole was absent from a large chunk of the story. Kage didn’t return to the story until multiple chapters after the dance. Theo was barely in the story (of any importance) after the event with Vaugn. Regan had a huge focus of the book but had very little final impact. Overall, events happened but there was very little discussion of the fallout of events or resulting actions.

Tropes: Found Family, Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn, Dark Academia, bonded mates.

World Building/Imagery: The scenery and characters were vivid and clearly described. The vampire houses and associated politics were deeply discussed. The school system, classes, and teachers were very detailed.

Overall, I give this book a 3.5 star rating. I am interested in reading Book 2 and continuing the story.

(i forgot to fill this out im so sorry)

BUT, i absolutely devoured this in one sitting, so so so good!
Love the characters, the world, i think its a nice twist on vampires, so excited to see where this is going.

On Wings of Blood by Briar Boleyn is a dark, seductive fantasy that sinks its claws into you from page one. Expect morally gray characters, enemies-to-lovers tension that burns, and a richly built world dripping with danger and desire. It’s fast-paced, full of twists, and completely addictive. If you love your fantasy with bite and steam, this one delivers.

Rating: 4.5

Thank you to Briar and Netgalley for providing me with the arc of this book. I cannot wait to continue this series. This book had the best plot and it had me absolutely sucked-in. I finished it in one sitting. Enemies to lovers? Perfection.

This book was really good and i read in on one sitting :) As much as I enjoyed this story I will say that I feel like it was missing something and it was a bit confusing time to time, but I am excited to see what book 2 has to bring!

Am I a vampire girly now? I think I am after reading this exciting dark academia novel! This book makes vampires mysterious, sexy, while still just a little bit scary. For me, the perfect combination to get me interested in the genre. Throw in a mysterious university setting, political intrigue, fae, and dragons and I’m hooked.

Medra Pendragon wakes up naked on a pile of corpses, seemingly with no recollection of how she got there. She is thrust into the political turmoil of the noble vampire houses that rule the world she has found herself in. In order to survive, she is betrothed to Blake, the nephew of one of the noble vampire lords, and forced to attend Bloodwing Academy. But it seems the more answers she obtains, the more questions she raises about this cruel world she’s found herself in.

This is of course the first book in a series, so expect a lot of world-building and exposition. But it’s written in an interesting and compelling way that kept me picking this one back up over and over again. Using the academy and classroom setting as a vehicle to develop the history and lore felt very natural and was fun to read. I kept looking for plot holes or inconsistencies with the world and lore and couldn’t find anything. Everything flowed well and the world felt well-developed and thought-out.

Medra is a fantastic FMC and I was rooting for her the whole time. I also loved that this book feels like a TRUE enemies to lovers. Medra loathes Blake and the feeling is mutual. A lot of other books marketed as enemies to lovers has some hint of attraction or compassion at the beginning—not this one though. I think this book builds a great foundation for Medra and Blake to build upon in future books.

Bottom line: this a strong, solid start to what seems like a very intriguing series. I’ll definitely be picking up the next book! 4/5

Immense gratitude to NetGalley and the author, Briar Boleyn, for the opportunity to read and review this digital copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A DARK ACADEMIA BULLY ROMANTASY WITH DRAGONS, VAMPIRES, AND A WHOLE LOT OF TENSION.

ACTUAL RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Tension & Spice: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
World-Building: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Banter & Sass: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Emotional Impact: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Its giving... Draco Malfoy meets Bryce Quinlan at Zodiac Academy—but with dragon lore, vampires ruling the world, and enough tension to set the pages on fire. I devoured this book in a single day.

Medra, a fae princess, wakes up in a new world run by vampires, where humans and anyone beneath them are considered blight-born. With her red hair and pointed ears, she’s labeled as something legendary—a dragon rider—except there’s one problem: dragons are extinct. But that title still holds power, and suddenly, she’s playing a dangerous game in a world where vampires are at the top of the food chain.

This book is teeming with political intrigue, academic politics, and high-stakes power plays. It’s a true enemies-to-lovers bully romance with tension so thick I was screaming, giggling, and kicking my feet the entire time. It tackles some dark and heavy themes like classism, so definitely check your trigger warnings.

Medra has a mouth on her, and she refuses to back down—even when it means throwing herself headfirst into danger. The MMC? Broody, cocky, misunderstood, and absolutely addictive. I ate that shit up.

The world-building is rich, the character development is layered, and the emotional impact hits hard. This book had me in a chokehold, and I’m immediately diving into book two.

For a girl who loves Harry Potter, Twilight and romantasy, this book ticked all of these for me!! I loved the characters of both Medra and Blake and loved seeing their relationship blossom throughout the book, the enemies to lovers had me screaming at parts of this book. I already can't wait to read the second book!! Also the fact there are fae and dragons drew me to this book, I'm going to rate this book 5 stars although I do wish there could have been a bit more action including the dragons but I'm praying this will be in the second book.

The chemistry, the tension, the plot, the side characters all worked perfectly together and that ending!!! Seriously, just left me wanting more!!

There are so many words in this book that I loved but one of my faves has got to be "There will be moments when you want to quit, when it feels like your mind is splintering from the strain. But you will endure".

10/10 would recommend this book!

The only thing I knew before starting this book was that people were comparing it to Zodiac Academy and Fourth Wing—two series I genuinely enjoy and would easily rate between 4 and 4.5 stars. So I went in expecting something entertaining, maybe a bit familiar. But honestly? This book surpassed my expectations in the best way.

The characters had so much depth, and their relationships were layered with tension, chemistry, and real emotional weight. I loved the dynamic between them—it felt messy, raw, and incredibly human. The world-building was immersive without being overwhelming, and the angst? Next level. It punched me right in the heart, and I loved every second of it.

This book didn’t just live up to the hype—it carved out its own space entirely. I was absolutely hooked from start to finish.

HOLY MOLY!

Firstly, thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was totally buzzing to get a copy of this book after reading the Empress of a Fae series prior to it, and let me tell you - it did NOT disappoint at all. In fact it was a stroke of brilliance to read about Medra and what happened to her following the previous books ( I won't spoil!). I thought I'd really miss the previous characters, however Briar did an excellent job of making us fall for all these new characters in their entirety (including Neville).

I love the plot, I love the direction the story is going. The mention of DRAGONS has us all itching to turn each of the pages. I love the politics, there were even some really brutal moments for the characters which both totally destroy us, but I have complete respect for Briar for taking the risk with these. I can't wait to see more from Blake, Florence and even KAGE!, Something's going on there surely...

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!! (review also on amazon)

On Wings of Blood offers an exciting start to what promises to be an intriguing series filled with dark magic and complex relationships. Readers who enjoy fantasy romances set in academies will likely find themselves drawn into Medra's journey at Bloodwing Academy.

I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have received a review copy of On Wings of Blood from the author and NetGalley! 🫶

“Why should I fight so hard to keep the monster inside when you’re so determined to bring him out”

If I was baking something and mixed up Fourth Wing, Harry Potter, ACOTAR, and Zodiac Academy together then the end result is On Wings of Blood! 🥹❤️ In other words I’m obsessed and I love this book with every ounce of my being! 🫶 I couldn’t put the book down and that cliffhanger had me screaming in shock because I didn’t see it coming! 😱 This book made me smile, laugh, cry, scream, get mad, and had me so invested in the story that I legitimately woke up one morning in bed with my kindle still in my hand! 🙊🙀

Medra wakes up on top of a pile of dead bodies in a completely different world and that hooked me in instantaneously because I had so many questions and I just had to know what was going to happen next! ☠️🖤 In other words, I was hooked with this story immediately! 😍 I think that Medra is such an incredible FMC and I love that she is raw, authentic, and always stands up for herself no matter what! 🫶 She speaks her mind and is so blunt and I love that 🥳🎉 Her friendships with Florence and Naveen are truly so beautiful and it’s wonderful how they all support one another! 🥰

Briar Boleyn seriously needs to offer a masterclass on slow burn and hate to passion because they made me have goosebumps running up and down my arms! 🤭🔥 The chemistry between Medra and Blake is simply *chef’s kiss* 👩‍🍳💋 I loved it so much along with the banter and all of the tension! 🤭

Briar Boleyn is now officially added to my list of favorite authors and I will be diving into book two immediately because I need to know what happens next! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️ Grothe’s writing style gave me goosebumps so many times as I was reading and it truly was so poetic and beautiful. This beautiful story is going to forever hold dearly in my heart! 🐦‍⬛🖤✨

To everyone reading my review, my words don’t even begin to capture how amazing this book is so be sure to pick it up and read when it comes out in because it’s an absolute must-read! 🫶

There was no indication this was a spin-off of another series by this author. I couldn't get behind the confusion in the beginning of this novel for that reason.

4.5 ⭐️

I totally get the hype for this book!! Fourth Wing meets Zodiac Academy with an mmc that gives Draco Malfoy vibes, count me in 🤭 Also, he falls first!!

This was super fun!! We have delicious enemies to lovers tension, a dangerous academy full of vampires and humans, deadly trials and just enough mystery to build up to a chaotic ending.

I loved all the characters in this and felt the story was well paced. Also very intrigued by the magic system and can’t wait to see the fmc explore more in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Briar Boleyn for this gifted copy

This was such an interesting take on vampires and dragons! Throw in Academia culture and it made for quite the story. Medra Pendragon has her world turned upside down as she’s literally dropped into a new one. Tethered to Blake- they work through court politics, school drama, and battle with the fact that they hate each other but can’t seem to leave each other alone. I love that Medra tries to make the best of the situation she’s forced into but also has boundaries when it comes to what she feels is right- new world culture or not. Blake, well…he’s growing on me- but he was a struggle to like. It’s a true enemies to lovers and he’s still an enemy in my mind. The ending was full of twists, turns, and betrayal!

Thank you to the publishers and author for allowing me an ARC via NetGalley!

Overall, this was an enjoyable book. It had a lot of my favourite tropes: slow burn, lots of angst, lots of character development. All of the characters were unique and fun, and I really liked the world building.
It is a bit slow at the start and takes some time to build your interest, and it can sometimes feel a bit ‘cliche’ with all the textbook tropes and events that one would expect in a fantasy novel. So I would’ve liked a bit more of the unique stamp that this author gives in all their other books!
But otherwise this was enjoyable, and if you like dark academia and vampires, this is the book for you!

Rating: 3/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

I think a lot of people will enjoy this book. However, this one was not for me. The inspiration from Harry Potter was a little too on the nose at times. I also felt like there was too much happening in the book. Trying to combine a bunch of popular titles into one didn’t flow well for me. I really appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback for this arc.

I enjoyed the book so much that I immediately downloaded the second one! The plot started off quickly and immediately drew me in, which I really appreciated. I don’t want to reveal too much and spoil the story, but if you love vampires, a mix of hate and passion, slow-burning romance, and side characters you’ll fall in love with, along with main characters you can't help but root for, then this book is definitely for you.

—vampires
—dark academia
—slow burn
—on KU
—morally grey

Looking forward to the 3rd instalment