This book didn’t disappoint. If anything, it left me wanting more. After waking up in an unknown world, Medra is forced to attend Bloodwing, which is like the vampire equivalent to Hogwarts, with her newly betrothed mate, Blake. Blake is the leader of House Drakharrow and definitely doesn’t make Medra’s first year at school tolerable. Medra is forced to endure several misfortunes and challenging events but after each one, her and Blake seem to grow closer.

The best way I could describe this book —
a magic school with vampires, a dark, moody MMC and fiery FMC with spice

There seems to be so much more to learn about the history of the world, the school, and many secrets for Medra to uncover. I definitely feel like something is up with Prof. Rodriguez and Kage’s warning to Medra. I can’t wait to read the next one!

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC!

Unfortunately I can’t give much feedback - as after multiple attempts to push through I had to DNF this book. I was told by a fellow ARC reader to fake my review but I did not feel comfortable doing that. The writing made this feel like I was jumping into the middle of a series and I didn’t understand what was going on, the writing also felt very choppy and it was just really hard to try to get into this story. While I can see this author holds promise and I would try again in the future - this wasn’t a book that I would have tried this hard to continue if I had just found it in the wild.
I won’t be sharing a public review anywhere as I didn’t finish the book

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

💝 Thank you to Briar for providing me with the eARC of “On Wings of Blood” in exchange for my honest review.

I have to admit that I was skeptical when I went into this read. This book is long, at over 500 pages, and it had a very intense marketing campaign. I kept seeing it everywhere; it felt like every one of my followers was on Briar’s street team for this one! Then, I saw some not-great reviews and DNFs. For all of these reasons, I almost didn’t pick it up.

But boy am I glad that I did!! This book was awesome. It was exactly what I needed from a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers situation. It had me feeling like I was back in college with a crush on the unattainable senior. It had me feeling the way I did when I first read the Sookie Stackhouse novels back in the early 2000s. It was like if True Blood met Harry Potter. So, so, so, so good.

I didn’t realize that there was a whole related series ahead of this one, but in the end, it didn’t matter. You got enough context from this book to be able to proceed just fine. It picks up with Medra thinking she died but actually being transported to a whole new world, where she lost her magic and vampires are real. Luckily, she gets found by one of the most powerful vampire houses and winds up in a magical academy betrothed to a vampire prince.

Medra is such a fun character, and Briar did a great job of really capturing the attitude, emotions, and actions of a college freshman. She thinks she knows everything and is stubborn and reluctant while simultaneously almost getting herself killed at every turn. The friendships that she builds with the side characters are well-developed and beautiful. I wanted to go to school with them!

And the romance… usually I hate a miscommunication trope, but this was done so well. Our MMC was just the right amount of morally grey that you couldn’t decide if you wanted them to get together or stay apart because he was such an arrogant jerk. He gave me Erik Northman vibes and I was here for it!!! Be right back - I have to go read the sequel now because that cliffhanger was too much! 🩸

I would recommend this to people who enjoy romantasy with a vampire MMC. You should definitely pick it up if you liked True Blood, Harry Potter, Sookie Stackhouse, Zodiac Academy, Queer as Folk.

#eARC # advanced copy #bookreview #bookstagram #booktok #booklover #fantasy #vampires #morallygrey

You liked Fourth Wing? Then there's a good chance you'll LOVE this story (it's definitely on my top 5 thus year!!). I absolutely couldn't put this book down as I fell in love with it quite at the beginning (earlier than most of the books I read). The characters are full of fire and battle-spirit... and it feels so right! I wanted to be there as much as I was hating Bloodwing Academy... but that end!!!! I definitely want to read the second book as soon as possible as I NEED to know what will happen to Blake and Medra!

A dark acedemia enemies to lovers vibe between vampire and dragon rider at a magical school full of mean girls and mindgames.

Vampires, magic and a dragon rider mixed into one book is a concept that kept my intruige throughout, its a completely unique read in the best way. I loved the found family aspect within the book too.There was enough twists and turns to prevent it from being predictable and that ending has definitely kept me wanting more.

This was everything promised and more.

Thank you Netgalley and (Starwater Press (indie))for providing me with this arc in exchange for a honest review,All opinions are my own.
- adelereadsromance

I absolutely love this book, however, I think that the marketing and the blurb is utterly wrong.
While there are elements of bullying, I feel like there is a forced correlation between this book and zodiac Academy. When really there is none. I hated zodiac Academy, the lead males had zero redeeming qualities, they brutally and constantly engaged in every type of abuse towards the two main females, yet the women still gained feelings for them for no other reason than they were hot. This book is not that at all, and if anything, it feels like a detriment to this book too say that it is similar. The only real similarities are that it’s a fish out of water scenario, and most of which takes place at a school.

The FMC, is a badass. She stands up for herself, she isn’t weak. Though she might have some fear of others, she doesn’t cower. She might be in a new world, she might have lost her powers and she’s got loads of insane things happening to her, but she still shows love and kindness to those around her, even if they don’t deserve it.

The MMC is complicated in the extreme. He is stuck in his own life. Haunted by the choices of his childhood and the choices he didn’t even get to make for himself. His evil uncle controls their world, and his even worse brother is the next in line. In the description it’s said he’s a bully but he’s not, hella neglectful, manipulative and brutal, yes. But he has reasons, should he just open up and say why he does what he does? Yes, 100% but would she trust him anyway? When everyone in his world is either a prey or predator?

I think if anything, the bullying trope reference should be replaced with miscommunication trope.

This was such a great read!! I DEVOURED it. The World building is so descriptive, it makes you feel like you're there,watching, imagining this world so vividly.
The slow ish burn is great! Love the characters, the friendships made, the rivalries are done really well.

It's like Twilight meets mean girls meets fourth wing.

I tried to read this a few times. I ended up DNFing it. I just couldn't get into it. The story just wasn't hitting my mood.. it should have been right up my alley, but it just didn't work for me.

This book showed up as advertised! The beginning was a little slow and I think if I had read the related series by this author it may have made more sense, but once the book hit its stride I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read the second book and continue the series!

I loved every second of this book! From the gripping Prologue (which I had to re-read after finishing) to the jaw-dropping ending, it had me hooked.

The enemies-to-lovers slow burn? Oh, it burned, VERY SLOOOOW and VERY INTENSE, and I absolutely loved it! The tension was off the charts, and the fact that HE fell first (and HARD) was the cherry on top. That dynamic is my kryptonite.

The side characters were such a highlight, well, most of them. Some deserved a solid punch in the face, and I say that with love. But there’s one character in particular who’s got me very intrigued, but no spoilers here. You’ll have to read it yourself to see what I mean 👀.

The Bloodwing Academy setting was amazing , and the last dragon rider storyline? I absolutely need to know more. I’m very curious to know how Medra’s past is going to shape what’s ahead.

Honestly, I’m thrilled that book two is already out because I need it RIGHT NOW. Let’s just hope it doesn’t leave me begging for book three too soon…

Thank you Net Galley & Briar Boleyn for providing me with an arc, this is my honest review!

Medra Pendragon dies saving her world only to wake up and find herself in a new one where vampires AKA highbloods basically rule the world and the blightborns (anyone who isn't a highblood) look up to the highbloods. Blake Drakharrow, prince of House Drakharrow, finds Medra, and Lord Drakharrow, Blake’s uncle, bonds them because she is believed to be a dragon rider in a world where dragons are extinct. She joins Blake at Bloodwing Academy where she learns the ways and history of this new world and their magic system.
I loved Medra so much! She is fiery, fierce and sarcastic. She hates bullies and stands up for her friends. I loved the dual POV and Blake’s POV just showed how down bad he’s been since meeting her. The world building was amazing with so many mysteries and secrets that still need to be uncovered. I’m extremely excited to read the next one!

I cannot get over the smart writing in this book. I was completely enthralled in this world and did not want to leave. The pacing was perfectly executed and I'm hoping to be approved for the next book!

Thank you NetGalley for the free copy to review!

This is not my typical genre to read, but the cover and synopsis intrigued me. That being said I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Yes, it’s reminiscent of Harry Potter, and I really loved Harry Potter. I hadn’t read the author’s other series prior, but will definitely do so to understand more about the FMC in this series.

The basics are the FMC is found by the MMC and she’s brought back to his “kingdom” to determine what is to be done with her. She is found to be part Fae and apparently a dragon rider. However, there are no more dragons. The MMC is a highblood (vampire) and his uncle decides that the FMC shall remain”kingdom” and attend the vampire school. The MMC’s uncle is in charge and immediately betroths the FMC and MMC. This creates some tension.

This book is the first in the series, so there’s a lot of world-building and character development. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and more about the kingdom. The ending had me wanting more, so I am glad the second book is out now!

First of all, thank you to Briar Boleyn, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this.
This was spectacular!!! Just wow!!!
It has so many things I love. A magical system like Harry Potter (the 4 houses, the school descriptions, the selections to the houses but, in here, its not right at the beggining), it has dragon lore and it seems will actually have dragons, the trials Medra had to participate gave me Hunger Games vibes by the way they were taken to the arena and it has vampires.
Oh I loved Medra from the start! She's a challenger, a fighter, she doesn't back down from injustice against her or her loves ones (her description gives so much Merida from Brave vibes) and she's very very fierce. I love her so much.
Blake, oh Blake... Blake was a mistery for me at first but I knew he was much more than what Medra thought and I was proved right. Blake has that hard facade but he cares, he puts himself on the line for her more than she knows (I'm so happy at a certain part of the book it started having Blake POV chapters too) and things were going on a good pace with them towards the end of the book. Why did he have to do it that way? Why couldn't he explain to her about his uncle and what he would do to her if he knew the truth? Oh Blake you unnerved me on that part. And after that, that dragon thing...
I can't believe the book ended with those 2 parts.
Gosh I need the 2nd book immediately.

Gonna be honest... I started reading this and realized the very next day that I had 6 hours until it expired in my Netgalley app. I was unable to finish 300+ pages in that time so I cannot give a real review :( I'm actually so sad because I was enjoying it!

Wow, just what I need, another Briar series obsession, at least with the other one it was complete! 😂😩
On Wings of Blood is a spin-off based on Merda, who I will admit I was not a fan of in her origin series. However, in this first book, I’m loving her. She’s head strong, opinionated, and thrust into a situation putting her in danger, but she handles it incredibly well. I won’t go too much into the plot, but essentially she’s woken up in a world different from her own and against her will she’s now betrothed to Blake, essentially a vampire prince amongst the four powerful houses. Medra’s half-fae traits have essentially guaranteed her survival, as she’s believed to be the last of a dead race know as Dragon Riders, of course the other problem is that the dragons have also died out.
Blake, I have complicated feelings about Blake. He’s hour typical, upper class male who was born into privilege, exudes an air of indifference, but of course has a hidden soft-side; he fits well into the mold of our morally grey MMC. Merda & Blake absolutely loathe each other, spend a lot of the book hating one another while fighting off how incredibly attracted to one another and the pull they’re both fighting.
There are a few wonderful side characters, some you’ll absolutely loathe, and others that are a bit of an enigma who I think we’ll learn more about as the series goes on. I had a few guesses as to where things were headed, I was wrong about most of it, and partially correct on some, which is great because she kept me guessing!
As with her previous series I read, I was enthralled with this book and couldn’t put it down, I’m excited for the next installment.

how to even put into words how this book brought me out of the biggest reading slump…I don’t think I can do it justice but I’ll try.

if you loved zodiac academy for the school, magic + bully romance

And loved rain of shadows & endings for the forced betrothal + bully romance

But add in SUPER slow burn + so much tension and very little spice…then this book is for you!

the bloodwing series may end up being a 5 star series for me which is saying something because I only finished book 1 but it was incredible!

It moves at the perfect pace, draws you in quickly & will have you in your emotions the entire time. You will hate the MMC, love the found family/ side characters & by the end, cheer for the bad guys.

This is a dark academia setting with vampires, dragons & dragon riders. Briar Boleyn really did something with On Wings of Blood & I can’t wait to start book 2 which released December 27, 2024!

I loved this book! I liked the fact it was similar dark academia trope focused fantasy like fourth wing and zodiac academy but also had its own twists. Also I am a sucker for anything that is based on Arthurian legend. My only draw back is that Blake was not as likeable in my view as other book boyfriends but I got the bully enermies vibes, hoping the sequel explores him more and I see more vulnerability and reasoning behind some of the character traits. I also liked how some of the female characters were written.

Briar Boleyn’s books are so captivating and hard to put down. I loved the dark academia fantasy vibes of this one and I’m excited to see where book two takes us. The final ~20% of this book was so strong and unputdownable. And hello, dragons?! I will say that the spider creatures are even more terrifying than those creepy kids from her other series that had me turning on all of the lights in my house at nighttime. 😅

Thanks to Netgalley, Briar Boleyn, and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.