The Wings That Bind

The Wings That Bind earned five stars from me. While the vampires initially drew me into the Bloodwing Academy series, it’s the dragons, their mysterious history, and the expanding supernatural world that keep me coming back for more.

What I especially enjoyed about this book was how much the story progressed beyond the academy setting. The political conflict, divisions between highbloods and blightborn, dragon mythology, and growing resistance added depth to the worldbuilding. I appreciated that the story continued moving forward rather than repeating the conflicts from the previous books.

Medra remains the kind of heroine I enjoy reading about. She’s stubborn, fiercely loyal, independent, and willing to challenge authority. I liked seeing her character develop as she began understanding that her choices and actions could affect more than just herself.

Florence’s character development was another highlight. I enjoyed watching her discover her own strengths while learning to face situations that challenged her confidence. Her connection with Nyxaris also gave us more insight into the dragons, which was easily one of my favorite parts of the book.

Blake continues to be a complicated, morally gray love interest. He’s protective, possessive, and still has some serious communication issues, but I appreciated seeing more emotional depth beneath his usual attitude. His relationship with Medra continues to develop, although neither of them makes things particularly easy for the other.

I also enjoyed getting to know Regan and Kage better. Their additional character development brought different perspectives to the story and made the supporting cast feel more important to the larger conflict. And of course, Neville remains one of my favorite little characters. I’m increasingly curious about his abilities and what role he might play as the series continues.

The multiple points of view worked well for me. They allowed the story to explore different characters and conflicts while keeping everything connected. I occasionally wanted more time with Medra and Blake, but I appreciated the additional depth the other perspectives provided.

The pacing kept me interested, with a good balance of action, mystery, political intrigue, romance, and character development. The worldbuilding continues to be one of the strongest parts of this series, particularly the history surrounding the dragons and the questions that remain unanswered.

As for the spice, I’m giving this one four out of five peppers. There’s plenty of sexual tension, possessiveness, blood drinking, biting, and explicit romance, but the intimate scenes don’t overshadow the fantasy storyline.

The ending definitely left me wanting more. There are still plenty of mysteries surrounding the dragons, the characters, and the future of Bloodwing Academy, and I’m looking forward to seeing how everything develops in the next book.

As for Blake’s boyfriend application, I’m still not giving him unconditional approval. However, considering how I felt about him in Book 1, he’s made enough progress that I’m finally willing to grant him an interview.

Would I recommend The Wings That Bind? Absolutely! If you enjoy dark fantasy academia, vampires, dragons, dragon bonds, political intrigue, found family, morally gray characters, complicated romances, multiple POVs, dangerous magic, and plenty of spice, this series is worth reading. I recommend starting with On Wings of Blood and reading the books in order, since the storyline continues across the series.

My Final Verdict: A five-star read with strong character development, engaging dragon mythology, expanding worldbuilding, and a good balance of romance, mystery, and supernatural conflict. I particularly enjoyed Florence’s growth, the additional perspectives, and learning more about the dragons. The story kept me invested from beginning to end, and I’m looking forward to With Hearts of Flame.

Final Rating: ⭐ 5/5 Stars | 🌶️ 4/5 Peppers

— Sassy