On Wings of Blood (Bloodwing Academy)

On Wings of Blood by Briar Boleyn is a wild, addictive ride that plunges you straight into the shadowy halls of Bloodwing Academy—a world filled with deadly secrets, simmering rivalries, and enough brooding vampire drama to make your heart race. It’s the perfect blend of dark academia, fantasy, and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension that leaves you hanging on every page.Medra Pendragon is exactly the kind of protagonist you want leading a story like this—tough, clever, and stubborn as hell. Being a half-fae dragon rider with no dragons left is a harsh enough fate, but throw in being captured and dumped into a school run by vampire elitists who view her as little more than walking nourishment? That’s next-level brutal. Yet, Medra doesn’t cower—she fights back, and you can’t help but root for her as she navigates the twisted politics of Bloodwing Academy.Then there’s Blake Drakharrow. The cold, arrogant highblood heir who takes one look at Medra and decides to make her life a living nightmare—until fate intervenes and shackles them together in an ancient betrothal. Classic. But Blake isn’t just a cookie-cutter bad boy; there’s an undercurrent of something deeper in his tormenting ways. The slow unraveling of his motivations adds a layer of intrigue and makes their dynamic much more than the typical “hate at first sight.” There’s a real emotional push-and-pull as they’re forced into each other’s orbits. The sparks are undeniable—even if they’re mostly flung at each other like grenades.The world-building in this book is rich and immersive, with the academy itself serving as a battleground where allegiances are fragile, competitions are life-or-death, and every smile hides a dagger. The history of the dragons and the myths surrounding Medra’s bloodline add a compelling sense of mystery and destiny. And while there’s a lot of familiar "dark-academy-for-outcasts" territory, Briar Boleyn keeps it fresh by weaving in the dragon lore and giving Medra real stakes beyond just surviving her classmates’ venom.Now, let’s address the spice—or rather, the lack of it. If you’re expecting pages upon pages of steamy moments, this isn’t that book. The chemistry is there, absolutely—it’s sizzling just under the surface, all longing glances and biting banter—but it’s more of a slow-burn setup, clearly saving its fire for future installments. And honestly? It works. Instead of rushing into anything too quickly, the tension builds like a pressure cooker, making you crave the inevitable explosion. The emotional beats are strong enough to carry the story without needing constant heat.If there’s any slight critique, it’s that some of the "mean elite academy student" tropes can feel a little expected. There’s always the gaggle of rich vampires who sneer and try to get Medra killed, and while they serve their purpose, they don’t stand out quite as much as Medra and Blake do. That said, the stakes and pacing keep things moving so swiftly that it’s easy to overlook.At 4.5 stars, On Wings of Blood is an incredibly satisfying read that lays a strong foundation for an epic series. With its fierce heroine, tantalizing slow-burn romance, and pulse-pounding competitions, it’s everything you want from a dark, magical academy fantasy—and then some. Sure, the spice level is low for now, but you can feel the promise of future fire. If you love strong-willed heroines, complicated anti-heroes, and stories where survival means embracing the power inside you, this is one worth sinking your teeth into.

Medra Pendragon is tossed into a new realm without a stitch on her back and is found by a rude and arrogant vampire who unceremoniously throws her at his uncle who is the leader of a powerful vampire society. The uncle believes she is the last of the dragon riders, who apparently died out long ago, however, there are no dragons left. Not a single one. But with her arrival, the vampires take that as a sign that the dragons may come back and she needed to be attached to the vampire leader at Bloodwing Academy (his nephew who dragged her there) and she was enrolled with zero choice in the matter. The highbloods run everything and blightborn like her were just blood in their veins, pawns in their games. Although, her blood was different.Blake Drakharrow, her new betrothed is cold, entitled, and unbelievably gorgeous. He tormented Medra the second they met (although he did save her so, that is one small thing to be thankful for). The big issue with their relationship is he acts like he owns her as if she is his property and that she should be grateful for it. Medra has a history of not following the rules, and where she came from she wasn't new to fighting. Blake underestimates her and will find out the hard way how stubborn she can be.Bloodwing isn't just a school, it's a live-in danger zone where Highblood vampires are constantly fighting with one another for power. The weak die and the humans are just there for food and entertainment unless they can prove their worth. Even then, the blightborn are constantly reminded that their life can end in an instant.Deadly competitions, lies that could get her executed, a jealous betrothed, and vampires that seem to want to see what she tastes like... will she survive this school? The powerplay between the houses are fierce. She needs to do well, adapt to this new realm and learn their ways to try and stay alive.And Blake her betrothed? He's as aggravating as he is beautiful and will be just as much of a challenge as this school. His uncle thinks they can control and use her but they don't know who she is. They will find out in time once things are awakened.On Wings of Blood is a dark academia fantasy romance with a cocky bully villain with Draco Malfoy energy who falls first and through trial and error gets the girl (sort of). Lots of tension, banter, and a dangerous blend of court and school set in an intricately crafted world with unique vampire and dragon lore. This fantasy had all the things I love. Sexy brooding MMC, a strong-willed FMC who doesn't put up with anyone's crap but is smart enough to know how to stay alive. A slow-burn romance with some spice. A new world with different creatures that take a slightly different approach to how vampires live and their hierarchy.Bloodwing Academy may have crossover characters from the world of Blood of a Fae but can be read completely independently. (I read that series first so I know where the FMC came from and her lineage. If you're a fan of original mythology, unique world-building, and character-driven romantasy, Check out this new series! Read the trigger warning, please.

ACTUAL RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5Tension & 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 buIIy 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 it 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.