On Wings of Blood

There are fictional men who are walking red flags, and then there is Blake Drakharrow, who apparently looked at the red flag and decided it wasn’t dramatic enough, so he set the whole thing on fire. Naturally, I loved him. Well… I hated him, then I liked him, then I hated him again. Eventually, I accepted that both feelings could coexist and continued reading like the emotionally responsible adult I clearly am. What can I say? I love a good villain, and apparently my standards for fictional men become increasingly questionable the more morally compromised they are. On Wings of Blood completely pulled me into its story. Medra is thrown into a dangerous world where vampires hold the power, she’s believed to be the last dragon rider despite there being no dragons left, and somehow she has to survive Bloodwing Academy on top of everything else. The academy setting was one of my favorite parts because it wasn’t simply somewhere convenient to stick the characters while the romance developed. There were power struggles, prejudice, dangerous competition, secrets, politics, and enough mystery surrounding Medra and her heritage that I constantly wanted to know more. The vampires may have initially gotten my attention, but it was everything happening beneath the surface of this world that kept it. I also really liked Medra. She’s stubborn, impulsive, determined, and absolutely unwilling to quietly accept whatever role everyone else has decided she should play. Did I occasionally question her survival instincts? Absolutely. Antagonizing extremely powerful vampires isn’t necessarily what I would call a solid self-preservation strategy, but I’d much rather have an FMC who fights back than one who politely accepts being treated like property. There was something satisfying about watching her push against a system designed to remind her exactly where everyone thought she belonged, especially when she clearly had no intention of staying there. And then there’s Blake. Sir, I spent a ridiculous amount of this book trying to decide whether I wanted Medra to kiss him or knock some sense into him, and honestly, either outcome would have satisfied me. He’s arrogant, controlling, possessive, infuriating, and frequently an absolute menace. There were moments when I genuinely disliked him for the way he behaved, but unfortunately for me, there were also moments when I was completely fascinated by him. I blame my long-established weakness for villains, morally questionable men, and fictional characters whose moral compass appears to have gone missing somewhere around birth. What made Blake work for me was that he wasn’t introduced as a villain only to suddenly become a misunderstood sweetheart the second attraction entered the equation. I didn’t always like him, and I definitely didn’t agree with him, but I wanted to understand him. That’s far more interesting to me than taking a morally questionable character and sanding away everything that made him complicated in the first place. If you’re going to give me a villain, let him actually behave like one. I’ll complain about him, question every decision he makes, and apparently continue turning pages to see what ridiculous thing the man does next. The dynamic between Blake and Medra was entertaining for much the same reason. Medra doesn’t simply give in and let him control her. She challenges him, they clash constantly, and the attraction between them is tangled up with anger, distrust, power, and enough hostility that I was never entirely sure whether they were about to get closer or start another argument. Apparently, that’s my idea of entertainment, and I’m no longer interested in examining what that says about me. As much as I enjoyed their complicated relationship, though, the romance wasn’t what made On Wings of Blood a five-star read for me. The storyline did. The dragon lore, academy politics, friendships, betrayals, mysteries surrounding Medra, and all those unanswered questions kept me invested because I genuinely wanted to understand this world. Every time I learned something new, it seemed to uncover another question I suddenly needed answered, and instead of feeling frustrated by that, I just kept wanting more. That’s one of the biggest things I consider when deciding whether a book deserves five stars. Did it make me feel something? Was I entertained? Did I care about what happened to these characters? Was I captivated enough that putting the book down became considerably less appealing than ignoring whatever I was supposed to be doing? Most importantly, when I reached the end, did I feel satisfied with the story I’d just read while simultaneously wishing there were another hundred pages waiting for me? With On Wings of Blood, absolutely. I wasn’t checking my reading progress because I wanted to know how much longer I had left before the book finally ended. I was checking because I was running out of book, and those are two very different situations. By the end, I was invested. I wanted more answers, more danger, more dragons, more Medra, and—against all reasonable judgment—more Blake Drakharrow. Would I recommend Blake as boyfriend material? Absolutely not. At least, not yet. Did I immediately want another book containing Blake Drakharrow? Well, duh. Obviously. 🖤 ★★★★★ 5/5 Stars — Sassy SassyReviews .com NOTICE: This review reflects my personal reading experience and opinions. Books are subjective, and what works for one reader may not work for another. My ratings are based on the overall experience—including story, plot, pacing, character development, emotional impact, entertainment value, and how invested the book kept me. All thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own. Sassy Reviews will always be 100% unbiased, unfiltered, and unapologetically truthful.

Just casually waking up in another world after thinking you died? Yeah...no big deal. Medra Pendragon is an absolute mood. She's a badass FMC who gets dropped into a world she knows nothing about and somehow rolls with it before immediately becoming the consort of Daddy Drakharrow. I was hooked from the very first chapter. Vampires? ✔️ A magical academy with major Harry Potter-esque vibes? ✔️ True enemies forced into a betrothal neither of them wants? ✔️ SIGN. ME. UP. On Wings of Blood had everything I love: incredible tension, the slowest of slow burns (that very much continues into Book 2), nonstop action, and a story that was impossible to put down. And Blake...that man is everything. Even when he was making questionable decisions where Medra was concerned, I couldn't help but love him. Watching him slowly fall for her while being completely oblivious to what was happening to him was equal parts hilarious and adorable. He was down bad before he even realized it, and I ate up every second of it. I cannot wait to see where this series goes next because I already need Book 2.

When Medra wakes up in a strange place, she has no idea how much danger she is actually in. She quickly finds out when she is taken to House Drakharrow, where she is labeled a lowborn dragon rider and offered up to the highest bidder. Ultimately, she ends up with Prince Blake Drakharrow and is told she will become his consort, an arrangement she is definitely not happy about. However, she is left with very few options since the Drakharrows are highborn vampires. Medra agrees to go along with the arrangement as she is enrolled at Bloodwing Academy and forced to study a culture and people she is not even sure she likes. She remembers who she is and where she came from, but she cannot share that information with anyone. She has to keep everything hidden just in case. Even worse, she has never heard of the place where she is now basically being held prisoner. Still, she quickly finds friends while learning more about dragons, her future husband, and her mother’s lost soul. First off, this book is a little slower because it is clearly setting up a larger series, so I would not judge it based only on the pacing. It is still well written and feels like the start of something really exciting. I loved the vibes. Dragons, vampires, and an academy setting all together was such a fun combination. I knew within the first ten chapters that this series was going to be good. Blake is also a very interesting male main character. He is not exactly likable at first, but he gives me early Rhysand vibes. He seems harsh, but at the same time he is protecting Medra in his own way. I really feel like he is going to turn a corner in book two and everyone is going to fall in love with him. I am really excited to see where this series goes and how everything develops with the dragons.

If you like YA, this book will probably be a hit for you. If you came looking for an adult academy romance with vampires and dragons, then you may end up frustrated too. The story idea is solid, and the world-building is strong—vampires, dragons, academy setting—all great. Unfortunately, it just didn’t live up to the hype for me. I don’t understand the obsession people seem to have with this book. It’s a decent read, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not this amazingly written, mind-blowing, angsty, slow-burn romance to rival the ages as people are touting it to be. It’s... okay. This book is the latest viral “it” recommendation, and the way it’s been talked about, I genuinely expected to be blown away. It’s average. The slow burn is more of a slow warm. Angst? Where? Swoon? Who? Banter? Must’ve missed it. Dark fantasy? Huh? Are the dragons in the room with us?? The tropes aren’t troping. The FMC is likable, but her flaws are frustrating. She’s just another heroine who can’t be bothered to tap into the power we’re told she has—should have—but doesn’t. The MMC is mid. He’s a bully with a heart, but he’s being touted as morally gray? Meh. Also—we KNOW his full name. We knew it after his first introduction. We definitely knew it after the second. Then we read it again. And again. Seventy times, to be exact. SEVENTY. TIMES. I think if I were a teen, this might’ve slapped. But I’m not. So it didn’t. Maybe I’m the problem here, but if you’re an adult reader who loves a true angsty slow burn with an eventual hookup as a reward, you might walk away just as underwhelmed as I did. Still, it’s a decent book and worth a read.

Did I enjoy it. Yes and I had to keep remembering it was young adults. They acted and reacted like them. It was eye rolling 🙄 at times but it kept me interested enough to finish. There were some really great moments where I loved the storyline. Then it devolved into 15 yo bickering. I like the strong nature of Medra (but she protested more than I liked) and I loved Blake. Theo was great and made me smile and snicker a couple of times. The mother angle is a little different and it will be interesting to see where that goes. I will be reading the next as I want to see what happens next. A cliffhanger but not unbearably so.

This book is SOOOO good. Vampires. Blightborns. A Dragon rider, BUT no dragons. This dark academia fantasty romance follows Medra Pandragon who was from another world, a fae but was thrown into another world where vampires rule over blightborns. Medra woke up with none of her fae powers, but she did carry the mark of a dragon rider so the vampire king bonded her to his powerful nephew, Blake. From there she survives because of the vampire kings "kindness" and his "plan" to control her and her dragon blood. Medra is forced to join the other vampires at their academy Bloodwing. Blake and Medra hate each other and the other vampires don't like her. She goes through quite a bit of challenges and obstacles but does come to love the academy itself and everything she is learning as well as the few blightborn friends she makes along the way. She's stuck in this world, so it's do or die. Omg. There is so much that happens in this book. I love the way it reminds me of fourth wing, but it has its own original storyline with its own obstacles and plot. Boleyn is quite the story teller. I couldn't read anything else while reading On Wings of Blood. I was so engrossed in this story and with the characters. Medra is the firecracker FMC that I love and want in a fantasy. She's made to seem like she's less than, below the vampires because she isn't one but really she's better than them because she's willing to fight for everything versus believe she deserve it. She's not entitled. Blake, the MMC, is said entitled, powerful vampire who believes he's the God's gift to all vampires and blightborns. Don't get me wrong, he's definitely yummy but he's also a bully. Though throughout the book, we all get to see multiple sides/layers to him and his personality. You come to see why he is the way he is, which doesn't excuse him, but it definitely makes you feel for him and start to see him differently. Of course we have our evil king, Lord Victor Drakkharrow, Blake's uncle who will do whatever it takes to stay in power over all vampires and blightborns. There's never enough power for him. On Wings of Blood has everything you would want in a dark academia fantasy romance! You have the power hungry villain, the slow burn tension between the MMC & FMC. You also have the tension of there being no dragons and everyone wondering whats really so special about Medra. So many different things going on at once but it just works. I couldn't help but bite my nails at certain moments, cry at others and of course want to throw my kindle at times because of these characters. ** of course this wouldn't be a great read without a intense cliffhanger!!**

This book surprised me—in all the best ways. I came for the blood-soaked fae and morally gray lovers, but I stayed for the razor-sharp tension, deliciously dark worldbuilding, and that underlying ache that hums through every chapter. The heroine? Obsessed. She’s not here to be likable—she’s here to survive, seduce, and slay. There’s a cool elegance to her, like she’s always two steps ahead, even when everything is falling apart. And the love interest? Whew. That man is a walking red flag wrapped in shadow and silk, and I ate up every interaction like it was forbidden fruit. There’s a slow-burning cruelty to the romance—just enough softness beneath the brutality to make you care, but never enough to let you breathe easy. The tension is so well done. The power dynamics, the mind games, the magnetic pull they both hate to admit—it’s intoxicating. Why not five stars? A couple pacing dips pulled me out of the moment, and I wanted slightly more clarity on some plot threads toward the end. But honestly? Those are minor things compared to how deeply I was pulled into this world. Final take: On Wings of Blood is seductive and savage in all the right ways. If you like your fae untrustworthy, your heroines feral, and your romance toeing the line between love and ruin—this one’s for you.

This was a great story. The characters were great and it really held my attention. Strong FMC! I loved her character. Lots of action and a little suspense.

Book dragons, stop whatever you are doing. STOOOP & LISTEN NOW!!! You need to drop whatever is on your TBR and read this book RN! On wings of blood is gonna draw you in right from page 1. Medra is now one of my favorite FMCs. She’s one of the most fiestiest, coolest female characters. The world building was done amazingly well in this book. The anticipation for the dragons is gonna keep you on edge. The plot is solid. If you loved Draco and are a Darius Acrux girlie, you are gonna love Blake. He was the perfect tortured complicated morally grey MMC. His POV was everything. And that ending. I KNEW IT!!! I can’t wait to jump itno book 2. The stakes are so high now. Highly recommend if you loved Fourth wing, Zodiac academy and Harry Potter. 🔥🔥

On Wings of Blood had everything that I could want in a fantasy novel and more. From the very first page the author's writing had me hooked and I kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened and the pacing was just right. I loved the place settings in the story and there was a great cast of characters. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.

I very much enjoyed the plot. I did not like the main character, but I was still rooting for her throughout the book. I liked Blake very much. I liked his protectiveness, and enjoyed how much he was more inthralled he was with her. The jealousy Regan had towards Medra was very amusing. I liked the Academy aspect, and you actually had her going to class and learning. But it would’ve been nice to have more of her schooling like what she actually learned brought up. Very much liked how it ended. I don’t really have any guesses of what could happen next, which makes this very intriguing and I am looking forward to continuing the series.

On Wings of Blood throws readers into the dark, thrilling world of Bloodwing Academy, where half-fae Medra Pendragon is forced to survive among elite vampires who see her as little more than prey. With a unique blend of vampire and dragon lore, Boleyn crafts a gripping tale of power, rivalry, and forbidden attraction. Medra’s love-hate tension with Blake Drakharrow keeps the stakes high, while deadly academy politics add an extra edge. Perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers and dark academia, this book offers a fresh, addictive twist on fantasy romance.

Briar Boleyn did it again!!! This book is full of action and is impossible getting bored while reading On Wings of Blood! Medra is one of my fav female main character, she’s strong and fierce. Waking up in a new world full of ruthless vampires, Medra Pendragon find out that she’s the last dragon riders left. A dragon rider without dragon. She’s a Half-Fae girl in a new world where no one looks like her. She never let anyone tell her what to do, a bold character that stays true to herself. Blake Drakharrow at first may look arrogant and cold, but he is a good mmc, he’s always ready to protect Medra, maybe not at start, but at the end he’s ready to fight for her. The slow burn between them is amazing, I really loved Blake pov, I hope to read more of his pov in the second book! The side characters are important and present in the story, especially Florence, she never let Medra side, she’s a good friend always ready to help. The found family definitely one of my favorite trope of this book! The political part and the world building are really well written. And the cliffhanger at the end is crazy!! If you loved Fourth Wing, Zodiac Academy, Harry Potter and Hunger Games this book is perfect for you!!