Give me a new series by Briar Boleyn and I will read and read—I had to be careful of the timing that I started this knowing I’d ignore my family, friends and book club book in favor of Boleyn’s story. I fell in right into this world of vampires, and the academy —I was hooked from the prologue. Medra’s fierce spirit checks out, then there’s all the dragon lore, fluffin bribes and… Blake. With the secrets, deceit and intrigue, I devoured this book and the end.. I’m dead, dying and will be happily revived with the next book. Keep it coming, cannot wait to continue this series!

Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Spice: 3/5 🌶️

"This is the power you have over me. This is what you do to me everyday, Pendragon. You drive me wild. I can't look at you without longing to f*** you."

If you love a book that grabs you by the throat (metaphorically...mostly) and doesn't let go, On Blood of Wings is your next read. This story has it all: blood-drinking aristocrats, deadly survival games, dragons, and enough enemies-to-loves angst to make your heart ache. Seriously, I'm obsessed.

What I loved:
✨ The Vibes: Think Harry potter (magic school, four houses, houses, blood prejudice) + Hunger Games (high-stakes survival) + Fourth Wing (dragons and dragon riders). Oh, and vampires. HOT vampires.
✨ The Tropes: Arranged marriage? Check. Enemies to lovers to enemies again? Painfully perfect. Protective MMC who would kill for the FMC (literally, multiple times). Blake Drakharrow is IT.
✨ The Characters: Medra is smart, determined, and easy to root for. Blake is broody, dangerous, and deeply devoted. Florence is the ride-or-die bestie we all deserve. And not to mention, an adorable pet fluffin named Neville. NEVILLE!!

This book kept me hooked from page one with its twist, lush world-building, and swoony romance. I can't stop thinking about that one scene in the Sanctum ....iykyk 👀 By the end, I was reading slower and slower because I didn't want it to end. Briar Boleyn, I need book two. ASAP.

In On Wings of Blood we follow Medra Pendragon, King Arthur’s daughter who has been thrown into another world. She is found by Blake Drakharrow (basically Draco Malfoy) and brought to Bloodwing Academy, the Hogwarts for vampires. She is believed to be the last known dragon rider in their land and is simultaneously revered for her dragon rider blood and looked down upon for being a blightborn (non-vampire). Problem is, there are no more dragons. Despite this, Blake’s uncle, a vampire leader, declares Medra will be Blake’s betrothed to strengthen the Drakharrow name, something neither Blake nor Medra is keen about.

This was an overall enjoyable and highly entertaining fantasy. This book is promoted as a mix of Harry Potter, Fourth Wing, Zodiac Academy, and King Arthur and honestly … throw in a little Crowns of Nyaxia and that’s exactly what this is. Almost too much, in my opinion. There were way too many reference materials and while the story was still original in some ways, the result left me thinking more about the inspirations than the actual book itself. Nevertheless, this really was a fast, entertaining read and I would recommend if you are a fan of any of these books this is based off of. And after that cliffhanger I will definitely be picking up the next book.

A whole lot of nothing was happening in this book until the last quarter, and I feel it was far too long for what it was. I don’t hate it by any means, but I do wish it was about a hundred pages shorter. There was so much dialogue that it became boring. Especially reading the same thing over and over again.

I got some Hunger Games and Harry Potter vibes toward the end, and could have done without them to be honest. They were a little too in your face for me. What saved it was the found family aspect and Blake’s development. I am still very interested in reading book two based on the cliffhanger we were left on.

Thank you Briar Boleyn and NetGalley for the arc read!! I thoroughly enjoyed myself and found myself intrigued by vampires it was my first vampire book and I’m pleasantly surprised!

Loved the slow burn and the moral grey Mmc!! The spice was on point and the character development was perfect!

The ending of this book had me gasping and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series!!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This may be a longer review but I'm genuinely obsessed with On Wings of Blood and I have A LOT to say.

First, Briar Boleyn knocked it out of the park with this dark, twisty, and completely addictive read.
🧛 Vampires? Check.
📚 Dark academia? Check.
⚔️ Deadly competitions? Check.
❤️‍🔥 Enemies-to-lovers with all the tension? Big check.

The main female character, Medra Pendragon, is such a badass heroine. She’s the last dragon rider (which sounds cool, except there are no dragons left), and she’s trying to survive in a vampire academy where people like her—aka “blightborn”—are treated like dirt.
Life’s already rough, but then there’s Blake Drakharrow, the infuriatingly hot highblood vampire who makes it his mission to torment her.
I’ll be honest: I hated Blake at first. Like, full-on “throw him into a pit of fire” vibes. But through his POV (yes—we even get HIS POV!!!), I am now his biggest cheerleader and I love him!

The enemies-to-lovers vibes are strong in this one, with so much tension it practically vibrates off the page. Every interaction between Medra and Blake is like a battle of wills, and watching their dynamic shift was SO GOOD. So slowburn romance fans, prepare yourselves—it’s worth every agonizing second.

One thing I loved about this book is that it doesn’t shy away from making its characters messy and flawed. Medra and Blake feel so real—like they could jump off the page and argue with you about whose fault the latest disaster is. Throw in a solid crew of unlikely allies, and you’ve got a story that hits hard on the found family feels, too.

Just know that I absolutely devoured this book and thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. I cannot wait until book 2! 🙌

On Wings of Blood by @briarboleynauthor

This is one of my favorite books on my bookshop shelves!

I just can’t get enough of Briar Boleyn fantasy books. As if I didn’t love her other series enough, she then started a Harry Potter/Arthurian Legends mashup but with incredibly hot vampires and badass dragons.

As an introduction to this new series, it has the perfect mix of plot, love and adventure while maintaining a slow burn. Blake is a drool worthy MMC with his share of flaws, and communication is definitely not his strongest quality. If he can over come these flaws and the methods he would use, are both things I am very excited to explore further. I also enjoy all the side characters as everyone brings their own magic to the story, making for a real found family vibe. I can’t wait to see all the characters grow as the series continues, and with plenty of unanswered questions from this first instalment, I eagerly await the next part of this wild adventure, coming out on December 21st!

I will admit I wasn’t the biggest fan of Medra in the Blood of Fae series but her no nonsense attitude and fiery wit sold me. I loved getting more character depth for Medra and her Mother. You don’t necessarily have to read BoF series first but it is a very nice introduction to certain characters. I personally think you’ll get the most out of the story if you read OWOB as a spin off.

@victoryeditingngc #briarboleyn #fantasy #romance #harrypottervibes #kingarthur #vampires

♥ 𝑶𝒏 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒓 𝑩𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒚𝒏 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 ♥

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
Spice: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮: The story follows fae princess Medra Pendragon, who is killed in her world and wakes up in another—a realm ruled by vampires. She’s found by Blake Drakharrow, a vampire who becomes her betrothed, and is forced to attend Bloodwing Academy to prove herself worthy of her title as the last dragon rider... even though there are no dragons left. Meanwhile, Medra must navigate dangerous politics and avoid being killed by her co-consort, Reagan, who clearly despises her. With danger lurking at every turn and a dragon’s fate tied to her own, Medra must prove her worth and survive this new world.

𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨: I did enjoy this book overall. The world-building was easy to follow, and the academy setting with its four houses gave me definite Harry Potter vibes. That said, the pacing was pretty slow at times, and I felt like the "enemies" part of the enemies-to-lovers trope between Medra and Blake dragged on a little too long. Even by the end, they still seemed stuck in the "enemies" phase, especially with Blake making questionable choices like drinking from Medra without her consent.

I was also waiting the entire book for a dragon to show up, and it finally happened right at the end. The dragon awakening was exciting, and the cliffhanger definitely sets up for the next book, but it felt like a long journey to get there. Parts of the book felt unnecessary or overly drawn out, which slowed down the overall story.

That said, the characters were likable enough, and the book was an easy read. While it wasn’t groundbreaking, it’s a solid story for fans of slow-burn fantasy romance.

✨ Thank you to NetGalley and the author Briar Boleyn for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Starwater Press for the chance to read an ARC of this book!

Imagine if Harry Potter and Fourth Wing had a baby—and that baby turned out to be a vampire. That’s basically what this book is, and I am here for it, tbh. This book follows our main character Medra Pendragon (from *the* Camelot apparently), who should be dead but somehow isn’t, and instead, she’s transported to this other world (or universe? reality?), and things just do downhill for her from there.

I’m giving this a solid 4.5 stars! The only reason I didn't give it the full 5 stars is that sometimes the dialogue was a bit cringey or the information "too easy to come by", but it was such a minor issue that it didn’t take me out of the story at all. As for the romance: slow-burn and HOT. Though I did wish we could have had a few more interactions between the main characters; I was definitely invested and rooting for them. That said, the ending makes it clear we’ll be getting way more of them in the next book (and I can’t wait!).

The book was easy to get into, and while there were a few moments that lulled the pace, I was honestly so hooked most of the time that I couldn’t put it down. It kept me turning the page, and now I’m so excited for what’s next.

P.S. Although there isn't a TON of spicy scenes, the ones that it does have are about a 3.5/5 on the spiceometer so read at your own discretion.

Briar Boleyn really does know how to hook in a reader and never let them go! This was an intense, action packed Romantasy that will leave you desperate for more.

THIS. BOOK. I was HOOKED from the very first line: "I think I was drunk. Drunk on power, drunk on her blood." This book absolutely BLEW ME AWAY. It has everything I grew up loving about fantasy, and everything I love about it now as an adult. I'll be thinking about this story and these characters until the sequel releases later this month (thank the Bloodmaiden, because I needed it yesterday).

What do you get when you mix Harry Potter, Fourth Wing, Vampire Academy, House of the Dragon, and sprinkle in some lore & a heaping dose of vampires? Bloodwing Academy. It's the perfect recipe for dark academia fantasy romance brimming with betrayal, vampires, fae, dragons, political intrigue, and a magical school filled with complex characters you can't help but love (and maybe sometimes hate). Throw in a TORTUROUS and DELICIOUS slow-burn romance, and you've got a book I couldn't put down.

The FMC, Medra Pendragon, is a half-fae, half-human badass who's thrown into a world she doesn't understand - a world that doesn't understand her either. She's the last of the dragon riders (or so they claim), and stuck in a school full of highblood vampires who see her nothing more than blightborn (a mortal), and a pawn in their games. Oh, and she's also betrothed to the worst of the worst - Prince Blake Drakharrow.

Speaking of our MMC... our morally grey prince with Draco Malfoy energy and a touch her & die attitude? I couldn't help but fall for him, even as I questioned whether I was being gaslit as much as Medra was. He's the perfect match to Medra's fiery spirit. Their dynamic? Electric. The tension, the banter? Chef's kiss.

But this story isn't just about romance. It's a battlefield of lies, deadly competitions, and a world that drips with original mythology. The stakes are high, the twists are mind-blowing, and the dragons - though gone (?) - leave a shadow over the narrative that feels alive. The school itself, Bloodwing Academy, is a character in its own right - as haunting as it is captivating & magical.

This book perfectly balances character-driven storytelling with epic world-building, creating an experience that feels like coming home to everything I’ve ever loved about fantasy while still offering something fresh and exciting. The friendships are heartwarming, the professors are intriguing (and grow on you over time), and the political scheming keeps you guessing at every turn. I could go on forever about how much I loved this book, but I’ll leave you with this: do yourself a favor and read it.

Slept on

Holy smokesss! This book is slept on big time! It's true. Harry potter, zodiac academy, fourth wing, and even acotar all in one book but COMPLETELY different. It has all the incredible elements from each book but as an entirely unique storyline. Not one thing is really a direct parallel to the og series. If you loved the intense world building and school life from Harry potter, if you loved the bullying aspect of zodiac academy (ITS NOT NEARLY AS INTENSE), the stolen away and falling into something so much more from acotar, and the military aspect plus dragons from fourth wing, THEN PICK THIS UP!! This took me 1ish days to read and it's basically 800 pages but it felt like 200. It flew by because it was so good.

Early read from netgalley

Thank you for sharing a copy of this book with me, I really loved it and can't wait for the next one!
I thought the entire premise of the book was great and so fun, I love anything with some kind of academy in and a darker setting so this was perfect for me. I also thought the world building was done really well without just dumping information on the reader.
I also liked that the way vampires are in this world is different to typical vampire lore and behaviour which was refreshing.
There's a few things that meant it wasn't a 5 star read for me. One was that, although I really loved the characters, I was a little sad at the ending with Blake's behaviour as I felt like all of his character development throughout the book was then lost.
The second was that there was a lot of hinting at something the FMC had gone through previously which led to her landing in this new realm but we never found out what that was and it also wasn't really mentioned again after we reached 25% of the book and it just felt like a forgotten plot point, leaving me with lots of questions.
Other than those two small criticisms, I really liked this book and I am looking forward to reading the next one!

On Wings of Blood was my first dive into dragon fantasy, and what an introduction it was! I'm not sure what I was expecting when I went into the book because, like I said, I've never read dragon fiction before but I know it's a hugely popular subgenre so there must be a reason. To be fair, it's not heavy on the dragons (yet) as Medra, our main character who has been "dropped" into this world is supposedly a dragon rider, but there are no dragons left. I'm sure we can all see where that is going, but the story is about so much more!

This is a dark acadaemia novel at its core, so you've inevitably got a bit of a Harry Potter feel in there, but darker and more dangerous. Others have compared it to Fourth Wing and Zodiac Academy (both on my TBR!) but it has has a little bit of Hunger Games thrown in there, and of course, an ACOTAR feel too. It has excellent pacing and a lot of intrigue. There's still a lot left to discover about Medra to be explored in future books.

There's an excellent enemies to lovers relationship in this one. Blake, the other half of this partnership, is an excellent character who makes a good match in how well he's written to Medra. Someone described him as having Draco Malfoy energy - and I totally agree! There's also a found family element with a lovely friendship between Medra, Florence and Naveem.

This is one of my top new fantasy reads - it's a brand new release and I'm hoping it gets the attention it deserves in 2025!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

Briar Boleyn's On Wings of Blood is a captivating dark academia tale, rich with vampire lore, forbidden romance, and political intrigue. The world-building is immersive, and the atmosphere is both dark and alluring. I did have a bit of trouble getting into the story because I felt dropped into the middle of a story without a lot of background events explained. (But I have only read books 1 and 2 of the other series so I feel like this is my fault and not the stories.)

This dual POV story is engaging, but I also struggled with the FMC, Medra. I found her frustrating. Her character arc, while intriguing, can be inconsistent and at times, self-defeating. Despite her strong will and potential, her actions often feel impulsive and short-sighted. I definitely enjoyed the enigmatic and brooding vampire prince, Blake. Their tumultuous relationship is a highlight, filled with tension, desire, and a slow-burn romance. The supporting cast also really helped!

Overall, On Wings of Blood is a solid read for fans of dark fantasy romance. It offers a unique and captivating world, filled with danger, magic, and forbidden love.

Troupes: touch her and die, vampires, dragons (maybe), magic, found family, strong friendships
Spice 3/5
Plot 4/5
Pace 3.5/5
Character Personality 3.75/5
Character Growth 4/5
Writing Style 4/5
World Building 5/5

I don't even know where to start with this review! I just want to write - READ THIS NOW - but that would be inadequate. I need to start off by saying, that you definitely need to read the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book before going any further, because there are a lot of them.

This book has everything:
-vampires and fae
-dragon lore
-unique world building
-dark academia
-enemies to lovers
-political intrigue
-forbidden love
-found family

I was hooked from the prologue and had a hard time putting it down. You will love and hate so many characters. There were a few times where it seemed repetitive, but there was so much going on that the bigger parts made up for the slower ones.

Last thought...you think it's ending in a way where you can easily wait for book 2, but no, complete cliffhanger that you will lose sleep over. I can't wait for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I'm utterly captivated by 'On Wings of Blood' by Briar Boleyn, a dark academia fantasy romance that masterfully intertwines vampires, fae, and dragon lore. Set in the foreboding Bloodwing Academy, Medra, a vampire, must navigate a treacherous world alongside other supernatural beings, each with their own secrets and agendas. With its unique blend of tension and angst, this book is a must-read for fans of the genre. The author's skillful storytelling and vivid world-building have left me eagerly anticipating the sequel. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating read that will keep them on the edge of their seat. The complex characters, intricate plot, and immersive setting make 'On Wings of Blood' a standout in the dark academia fantasy romance genre.

I was surprised by how quickly this book absolutely enthralled me! I started texting friends about it very early on and insisting that they needed to read it, even though I was barely 1/4 of the way through. I was reminded of so many of my favorite series - my pitch to anyone who would listen has been “Imagine that the best parts of Hogwarts, Twilight, and Fourth Wing got tossed in a blender - this book is the result!” I love the unquestionably morally grey MMC, the sass of the FMC, and their interactions with not only each other, but with the supporting characters as well. The relationships read as authentic, and the rivalries are thrilling. I cannot WAIT for the next book!!

*On Wings of Blood* by Briar Boleyn is a mesmerizing dark fantasy that not only pulls you into an intriguing world but also tugs at your heartstrings. The emotional stakes are high, as the protagonist battles internal conflicts and external forces, all while navigating deep personal loss, betrayal, and a desperate fight for survival. Boleyn’s writing beautifully captures the raw emotions of the characters, making their struggles feel incredibly real and intense. The tension between love, power, and sacrifice adds layers of complexity to the story, ensuring you’re invested in every moment. With its rich world-building and emotionally charged narrative, *On Wings of Blood* is an unforgettable read that will stay with you long after the final page.

I was nervous at first but ended up loving this book! I think the author was right in saying it has a solid mix of inspiration from Fourth Wing, Harry Potter, and I would dare to say Hunger Games (a light sprinkle).

The things I could have used more of: more dragons, more dragons, more dragons! That part was a touch disappointing for me. I also would have loved to see the Consort Games take up a larger chunk of the book, and let some of the fluff go. Finally the beginning was a bit confusing and I'm hoping some unknowns get answered in the second book.

Thank you to Briar Boleyn, Starwater Press, and NetGalley for the ARC!