Booktok likes to call this one the vampire Fourth Wing and honestly? On Wings of Blood pulled me out of a reading slump the same way Fourth Wing did — it’s pure fun, fast-paced, and addictive in that “oops I stayed up until 3am reading” kind of way (because I did). It’s giving Crave, Harry Potter, and Fourth Wing all stirred together in a cauldron of the supernatural, politics, and school drama.
The writing sometimes feels a little juvenile, but then it will suddenly hit you with these vivid, imaginative moments that totally pull you in. The romance is full of tension and heat, but I also had mixed feelings — there’s a definite controlling/bully aspect to the love interest that rubbed me the wrong way at times. But still, the chemistry was there and it delivered in terms of drama.
The world and characters are intriguing. The FMC clearly has a wild, powerful history that’s only been teased so far and I really hope that gets fleshed out more in future books. It sometimes feels off though, because that past makes her feel older and more experienced, yet she’s thrown into this magical school setting that sometimes undercuts the maturity and makes the story feel a bit more YA when it seems to want to be something darker and deeper (some of those twists, wow).
There were definitely parts I wish had been more fleshed out, but I’m guessing (hoping) that was intentional, since the FMC is also still in the dark about a lot of things. Overall, if you’re in the mood for something fast, fun, and a little messy in the best way — this one’s a fun ride.