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.

This started out very strong for me, but somewhere along the way I just got very disinterested. I felt like I had read this story before and honestly the storyline was just so similar to a few other very popular romantasy/bully romantasy books I've read in the last year. I really wanted to like it more than I did.

It is a solid storyline with boarderline dark academia/bully and I do think that it would have been much more enjoyable if I hadn't just read several similar stories.

On Wings of Blood by Briar Boleyn is a captivating, dark fantasy that will sweep readers away into a world of magic, intrigue, and danger. From the very first page, Boleyn’s world-building grabs your attention with its richness and depth. The protagonist’s journey is filled with tension, growth, and compelling relationships that make for an emotionally charged read.

The plot is fast-paced, filled with twists and turns, and keeps you guessing until the very end. The characters are complex, and their emotional depth adds a layer of intensity to the narrative. The themes of sacrifice, loyalty, and power are beautifully explored throughout.

Boleyn’s writing is both poetic and gripping, with vivid imagery that pulls you deeper into the story. On Wings of Blood is a must-read for anyone who enjoys dark, atmospheric fantasies with strong characters and a thrilling plot. This book is a powerful start to what promises to be an unforgettable series. Highly recommended!

Harry Potter meets Fourth Wing meets Zodiac Academy
I honestly wish I had liked this one more, but it was a bit of a slog to get through. It felt like there were too many mini plot points instead of one main plot, and it was just too long of a book
Also Blake is a dick with almost no redeeming qualities, and he does not deserve to be lusted after 🤢
I MIGHT read the next book, but only if I have a lull in books to read.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4.


Fourth Wing meets Harry Potter. With a dash of Hunger Games and vampires.
This was a fun read! I didn’t realize it tied in with a previous series (and will now have to go add that to my never ending tbr) but it can definitely be read separately.

Medra is a fun, fierce character with all my favorite FMc qualities. Sassy, loyal, independent and kind. While I enjoyed everything from her pov, I was kind of disappointed she basically rolled over and got kind of complacent. From everything she hints at that she’s been thru in her world, she came off as kind of naive at times.


Viktor, Marcus AND Blake are jerks. Full stop. No excuses. Especially Blake after that ending. I’d like to use more expletives, but I can’t.

The supporting characters were all likeable and added to the story.

I really liked the writing, but there was repetition and it really did read like HP reimagined with vampires. Which isn’t a bad thing, but I was expecting a little more maybe.

Not going to stop me from reading the rest of the books in this series though!!

This book had me hooked from the prologue. A fast pace captivating story about a girl transported to a world she knows nothing about and has to learn on the fly. If you like vampires and need something to get you out of a reading slump I highly recommend. Ready to jump into book two right away. Thank you to Briar Boleyn and Netgalley for a gifted copy of this book.

I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK!

We had vampires, mortals, dragons and riders, an academy setting, bullies, ancient family houses, politics… some of my most favourite tropes all in one bloody brilliant book.

I loved the FMC, Medra. After waking upon a pile of corpses in a world that is not her own, Medra faces distrust, fear and outright hostility yet she takes it all in her stride. She is fierce and clever and her moral compass is strong. She sees this world for what it is - a game to those in power, who only seek more power, while those at the bottom of the food chain suffer the most.

I loved the way that Medra stands firm in her view of this world. She has not grown up here so her objectove view of it chafes against the propaganda and lies her new friends have been fed from birth. Their ever-so-gradual perspective shift was so well written and I really appreciated that everyone didn’t immediately throw their lot in with Medra. That they clung to their beliefs because to do otherwise, would be to admit that you had been deceived your entire life.

The MMC was a wonderful written bully. An elite, with an ego to match but a conscience he can’t allow others to see, he is as much a pawn in these power games as everyone else.

This book delivers injustice, a class system, control, corruption, the fine line between love and hate, quiet rebellion, forbidden desire and the lengths that those in power will go to keep it in a way that will keep your eyes glued to the page.

4,5✨
3🌶️

The moment I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. That cover alone might have pulled me in.

And boy did I love it. This was ✨addictive✨. I couldn’t stop reading. I loved the many mysterious things that were partially revealed as the story continued. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire 458 pages. It only took 2 chapters to have me completely HOOKED.

I absolutely loved the fmc, Medra. She’s stubborn and fierce. Never wavering despite the shit she’s facing. And believe me, there’s a lot of it. I also really liked the mmc, Blake. Medra thinks he’s a total ass, which he is, but the chapters from his POV give us a different perspective. Does that make him a hero? No. But we can follow his train of thought for some of his actions/decisions and I think it makes the story better for it. You just can’t help but fall a little for him. Too bad he’s blonde tho 😆

There were trials in the story but they weren’t too important imho. Meaning if that is your main reason for wanting to read a book, this one might dissapoint.

On Wings of Blood doesn’t have a lot of spice but when it hits, oh my 👀 Delicious.

I really enjoyed the ride and I can’t wait to see where Medra’s journey is going next.

𝒜𝒹𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓉𝒷𝓇 𝒾𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒:
🎓academy setting (Harry Potter vibes)
🧛vampires
🖤bully mmc
🫂friendship
❤️fierce fmc
🐉dragons
❤️‍🔥forced bethrothal
👥dual POV
🌶️spice
⚡️chemistry & banter