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dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This in the second book in the series that I affectionally refer to as vampire Harry Potter. This is not an original story in basically any way, but it is extremely enjoyable for what it is. At the end of Medra's first year at Bloodwing Academy, she accidentally awoke a dragon, when dragons have been extinct in Sangratha for a century. The ruling highbloods demanded that she control her dragon and become their tool, but that's not so simple, and of course Medra has no intention of being used by the very beings she despises. To make things more complicated, Medra is now bonded to the bane of her existence, Blake, which means he has to feed from her every week despite her not consenting to the bond. Medra is basically in constant danger, and the relationship between her and Blake swings wildly in all different directions. It's truly so fun.
I am very happy to report that this book did not fall victim to the curse of the second book in a romantasy series! (At least to me of course lol). I adored this second installment so much. The world-building actually made more sense than in the first book, which is no mean feat: Boleyn narrowed her focus to who and what directly affected and implicated Medra, which was smart, and we got answers at a pace I appreciated while still leaving a lot up in the air. The conflict between Medra and Blake feels very real and not contrived, and although Medra's feelings are a bit all over the place, it didn't grate on me because she's fully aware of everything she's feeling and trying to make sense of it along with the reader. The spice in this book is also really, really good - truly some of the best I've read in a while (TLDR it's the definition of the female gaze). The plot moves along nicely, minor characters get fleshed out without overburdening the main narrative arc, and the book ended with a bang. Loved this one so much and can't wait for the next to book to come out in March 2026!
Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and Starwater Press for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!
I am very happy to report that this book did not fall victim to the curse of the second book in a romantasy series! (At least to me of course lol). I adored this second installment so much. The world-building actually made more sense than in the first book, which is no mean feat: Boleyn narrowed her focus to who and what directly affected and implicated Medra, which was smart, and we got answers at a pace I appreciated while still leaving a lot up in the air. The conflict between Medra and Blake feels very real and not contrived, and although Medra's feelings are a bit all over the place, it didn't grate on me because she's fully aware of everything she's feeling and trying to make sense of it along with the reader. The spice in this book is also really, really good - truly some of the best I've read in a while (TLDR it's the definition of the female gaze). The plot moves along nicely, minor characters get fleshed out without overburdening the main narrative arc, and the book ended with a bang. Loved this one so much and can't wait for the next to book to come out in March 2026!
Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and Starwater Press for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Death, Torture, Suicide attempt, War
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.75🌟 again, this was a good story but i had high expectations after what ive heard about this series and it didnt live up to them unfortunately! i will be continuing because its entertaining and an easy fantasy read and i want to see the romance play out (if it turns out to be mfm then like the theories ive seen then.... say sike🤐) it reminds me of zodiac academy which is half a good thing half a bad thing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death
Minor: Suicide, Death of parent
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The first thing to be said about this book is that it has some issues, so I will address the negatives first.
The main thing that was missing is a good editor. I could not believe some of the errors that crept into the text that should have been corrected before this came to print. For example: The use of the expression “you’ve got another thing coming” ❌ the correct term is “another think coming”.!!! Another was the use of the term calvary instead of cavalry when talking about the need for reinforcements. These were the two that stood out but OMG, for some reason, these improper usages really annoyed me and should have been caught and corrected by someone with an editorial background.
Most of the other problems I had with this volume are the same as with book one, namely anachronistic details that seem to clash with the overall world building and a jarring effect of contrived story lines. There were also parts that read as Harry Potter fan fiction but, at least she used good source material to work from.
However, there were things that I would add to the plus column. IMHO, the author did a good job with the characters from the MCs to the secondaries. Their interactions and dialogue made for a fun read that helped to overcome some of the negatives. I have to say, I loved Visha’s sharpness, wit and in your face statements. For example, at one point she says to Blake, “Then why have you been acting like a fucking pussy? An expression I obviously hate using since my pussy is stronger than your dick any day of the week, but hey, if the expression fits.” I will admit this had me laughing out loud for its boldness and truth. Then there are others like Orcade (loved her but still mystified why her presence and link to Medra’s backstory have yet to be explored and we’re already on book 2…), Florence (every FMC needs a bestie and she’s also this world’s Hermione), Theo (more of him in the future please) and, of course, Neville, the fluffin (definitely a favourite - totally original, cute, adds light humour and has a bigger part to play). And then, of course, there is the snarky dragon for those of you that are sufffering from an Onyx Storm hangover.
Another good point was the development of the political intrigue plot-line and jostling for power which became more complex and mysterious and therefore more interesting for me as a reader. And then, of course, the mix of tension/spice plus the action with the addition of a dragon made this second volume more engaging than the first. There were some plot twists (kudos to the author) which I sort of saw coming and others that I didn’t and then there are also some - no spoilers, you will have to read the book to find out. 😉
As to the sensual tension and relationship between Medra and Blake, there is enough spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️ to satisfy the prurient parts of you but well done enough that they don’t overwhelm the plot but support it. This is still an enemies to lovers though the “touch her and die vibes” have been somewhat toned down and the characters do develop emotionally which was really nice to see. The dark nature of the story, which is to be expected from any story that includes vampires, is still present — so expect your spice to include blood🩸🩸🩸.
For me, there were too many small things that I just couldn’t get past to give it a higher rating. As before, this series is a question of taste and mood. But I still want to know what happens next and will be continuing the series when the next book is released. Fingers crossed for some better editing that could potentially transform this book (and series) from OK to mind blowing.
3.75 stars 🤓📚
#OnWingsOfBlood @BriarBoleynAuthor
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#romantasy #romance #adventure #fiction #action #darkromance #vampires #fae
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Blood
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
OMG OMG OMG, the last 100 pages locked me in! I need the next book like yesterday. I want more, I need to know what happens next. The first book piqued my interest, this one LOCKED ME IN. I absolutely loved it. I started this book hating Blake and thinking I could never forgive him as things went on but I’m glad he’s surprised me. THE ENDING?? Jesus, so many unexpected twists!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love the first book, and I was very excited to read the sequel, The Bond that Burns which started right after the ending of Book 1, On Wings of Blood.
Truthfully, I have mixed feelings about this book.
Plotwise, it was fascinating. I was intrigued as Medra set out on a mission to uncover the hidden history of the dragons and their riders, as well as secrets kept from the public by the Four Houses. Not only that, but another shocking secret finally came to light.
Medra is doing her best under the immense pressure and expectations of being the only dragon rider. I admired the way she stands up for herself and her dragon, and her friendship with Florence.
And who could forget the adorable Neville ? It’s impossible not to love him; his cute antics always liven up the story!
While I enjoyed the storyline and love the characters, the direction of the romance wasn’t what I expected.
I spend most of the time hating Blake (Medra’s love interest) due to his attitude and action toward Medra, which angered me so much!
Initially, I was rooting for Medra and Blake, but after this book, I no longer feel the same way. I don’t’ get the Dramione vibes anymore and I think Medra deserves better than Blake…
The last few chapters were quite intense, with twist after twist, some of which were left unanswered. This left me wishing I had the next book in the series.
Overall, this was still a pretty good sequel. The easy-to-read writing style, short chapters, epic world building and loveable characters kept my eyes glued to my Kindle.
Despite my mixed feelings, I’m continuing the series since I’m curious to see what the author has in store next.
<i>I received an advanced review copy through Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Huge thank you to the author and publisher!</i>
⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: blood, death, violence, sexual content
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Sexual content, Blood
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Suicide
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide