Latest / Cait & Court's Cozy Corner: Romance Readers / Let's Talk About: Bloodwing Academy Books 1 + 2 by Briar Boleyn
Transcript
- Caitlin Stryker: Hi. Courtney Richter: knee on it. Hi! Caitlin Stryker: Executive producers and hosts, Caitlin Stryker and Courtney Richter, producers, Canasia Ngo and Hollie Lobosky Original music, Cassie De Silva. This is a podcast for lovers of romance and romantasy novels who want to go on a deep dive into their favorite genre. Honest discussions and salacious details giving romance books the respect they deserve. We are two friends, actors, moms and romance readers who like a bit of spice and everything nice in their books. It's a game now. It's officially like a thing we do. Courtney Richter: That was so unintentional. can't... Caitlin Stryker: even do it to you on purpose either. was like, here we go. You're like, yep. And then in You know the drill. Be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to our podcast. You know the drill. Be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to our podcast. Courtney Richter: I didn't register the countdown yet. ⁓ my gosh. Anyways, it's fine. Caitlin Stryker: It's counting down and I'm like, and we do a little thing and she's changing her lighting guys. And I'm like, yeah, that looks good. And then I was like, wow, we've gotten really good at like talking in five seconds before we start. And then I'm like, hi. And court's like, okay, I got it. Like she's like ready to do. Anyway, I just feel like that's our opening. That's how we open. Yeah. I think it gives everybody welcome, welcome. ⁓ Courtney: Thanks for tuning in to Cait and Court's Cozy Corner Romance Readers. Courtney Richter: we do it. That's fine. That's great. Welcome everyone. We're always jumping in from life as everyone else's ⁓ my gosh, but Kate, I'm so excited about the books we're talking about today. ⁓ we are finally digging into the Bloodwing Academy books, which I've been pushing this on Kate because the third one was coming out and she hadn't read them yet. And I read them. Caitlin Stryker: Hi, I'm Cait Courtney: And I'm Court. Welcome to Cait and Court's Cozy Corner Romance Readers. Caitlin Stryker: Thank you. Yes. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Last year right before they got traditionally published and then I found it that it was one of those Third ones coming and then the book gets picked up and then it's like now you're waiting a year to find out what happens Which is fine. It's worth the wait. I'm very happy for Briar Bowlin the author But I have been waiting a minute. Yeah, I have been a minute Courtney: As we like to say, you don't need spice for a book to be good. Well, you don't need running shoes to run, but they sure do help. Caitlin Stryker: Wait. Every time, yeah, every time we're so thrilled for the authors. Like that's the dream. That is the goal. Courtney Richter: Yes, it's the dream. But this was one I was like, no, have to read it. And then Kate, because we're so busy and reading so many books. And she's pushing and she's like, maybe or maybe I'll just like quick read and I can dive into the third. I'm like, no, you need to read these books. Trust me. I'm like, you'll read them fast. They're small books. Just get in there. And she's like, okay, well, maybe I can just read the first and she kept trying to find reasons that she could just read the third book like we do with romances so often. Caitlin Stryker: Ha ha ha! I was trying to wiggle out of this because you have to think, I'm playing, like we're reading constantly. You see how much you, and we love it because we love it and it's great. But then court's like, hey, play catch up on a series, on a romantic series. And I was like, girl, you are asking me to read two extra books to get to the third book that's releasing. I was like, this better be good. And then I did, I kept being like, it's okay, I'll find a way. Courtney Richter: Yes. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: learned I do I learned in university that this is like something that I do to to kind of like calm myself down and be able to commit to doing something or you know in university you don't really have a choice you have to get the paper in you know like to be like like to find a way that I could find a shortcut in case down to the wire Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: I'm totally fucked and I just have to like wing it. And then I will do all the steps and go the long way around. I just need to know where the shortcut is. In case they're like, you have to be at the finish line now. And I'm like, shit. I just need to like tuck and roll. I used to tell myself, and it's funny because I do it now in other ways, in university I used to tell myself, well. Courtney Richter: Hmm. you Caitlin Stryker: you know, the papers do on this day, so it will be done. It'll happen. Just to like get rid of like like anxiety of how I was going to achieve, you know, getting all of that. Because I was an English Lit major, so it was the same. was like reading a ton of books and then like breaking them down and writing a ton of papers. And it gets to the point where you're like. Courtney Richter: That will get there. It's just like. with everyone. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: I don't know how I'm gonna do all of this, but the due date will come and I know I'll hand something in. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yes, now I mean, procrastination is like a big part of university college, I have life for me in school always. I need a deadline, I need a deadline. And then I can like, get there. But that's what she was doing this book, which fine, but I'm like, no, no, no, don't do that. Like, trust me, you're gonna want to actually read it. And the one great thing I will say about the series, there's a bunch of trigger warnings that I'm going to call out ⁓ before we get into it. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I know. Courtney Richter: that the author calls out for this book. Yes. Yeah. So it is a romantic very much, but it's a little bit like a hybrid dark romance. It's dark as in there's a lot of trigger warnings, but it's not like crazy. You're not going into like real dark territory by any means. It's still dark light. If that makes sense. No, but it does have triggers. It does. It's darker than you expect. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, why don't you do those right now so we don't forget because we'll get caught up and then No, you're not. You're not going out. You're not going dagger mouth. But, ⁓ but you are. It really does. There's a cut. I'm excited to dig into some of these things. Yeah. Courtney Richter: So the trigger warnings, abduction, assault, blood and gore, blood play, bullying, child abuse, death, dubious consent, emotional manipulation, graphic violence, injury, threat to animals, mental health issues, murder, non-consensual blood feeding, non-consensual mind control, physical abuse, power imbalance, psychological abuse, sexual assault threat of strong sexual tension, substance abuse, I know strong sexual tension had to be a warning, suicidal ideation and torture. Well, I'm turned on, so we'll just... Caitlin Stryker: That to me was like when you see commercials for like, hey, if you have this illness, take this pill. And then they're like, but these side effects may happen. And Bex always comments on them. He's like, why would you take the pill to fix one thing and get 10 other? Courtney Richter: Yep. That's... And I get it though, authors have to cover themselves. Caitlin Stryker: We just were like, don't worry, it's not too dark. And then you read that list and I was like, or we're really fucked up. Courtney Richter: Right? Well, I will say this book did surprise me when I first read it actually with how dark it went because it I hadn't I'd been reading other romances and I hadn't dove in like that with other like, it's darker than say a quarter of Thorn and roses or the other because because of the non consensual things that happen in it, it is much darker and it took me a minute to be like, oh, it's this but I still liked it and I loved it. I think the series is fantastic. It kind of has you haven't read it yet. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yes, it is. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: but it's very much has like early Zodiac Academy vibes ⁓ in that it is an Academy setting and the bullying. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, this is my this is gonna This is my zodiac academy. There's already like nine zodiac academy books and I realized i'm like i'm not gonna get to that Courtney Richter: ⁓ this is not your zodiac academy. Trust me. That is a different thing one day down the road for you. It's a fever dream, but like worth having. It's a whole other thing. This doesn't compare. Like they're not comparative at all. But the exactly that's the, that's the only thing is that they're dark Academy and they both have early zodiac Academy as even more of a, like the bullying trope, like bullying romance, which some people like, some people don't. So if you're not a bully romance person, this is not for you. Caitlin Stryker: Ugh. There's so many. There's so many. Well, but they are in their dark academy books. They're the same trope. Okay. Mmm. Mmm. Yeah, yeah. Courtney Richter: ⁓ and either Zodiac Academy, honestly. ⁓ But they are both fantastic. ⁓ Caitlin Stryker: They are, and there's some cool stuff in this. So I didn't love the Bully romance element of it. I did love, and I think because it's come up a few times and it really hit me this time, ⁓ I have started to really love the... Courtney Richter: No, no. Caitlin Stryker: The sort of the trope in romanticism, maybe or the theme that comes up a lot, I think it's more of a theme that comes up a lot in romanticism of like, you have to learn to shield your mind from others getting in and manipulating your thoughts or digging through your memories and you know, from these like, beings getting in there and just taking what they want or taking over your mind. I love this messaging. Courtney Richter: Yes, yes. Caitlin Stryker: Because I think we need to do this in real life. I think this is mindset work. I think this is meditation. I think it is critical ⁓ that we do this even in like, you know, in all the time. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Caitlin Stryker: We weren't really raised so much with it. I know that our kids are being raised with a lot more social emotional learning, which is really cool and mindfulness. And that's what this is, taken to like a supernatural level in the in these books, you know, to a totally different degree. But it plays into your personal ⁓ world, because if you just let like, you know, if you're just like doom scrolling or you just let like the news media into your brain constantly or other people who are like walking around like, Courtney Richter: Yeah. And mindfulness. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: everything sucks and all that you get really dragged down and I was like ⁓ it like actually affects my energy if I but but I don't really kind of naturally live in that place even though I'm very aware of what's going on and like what are the solutions to you know like certain problems and everything and actively doing things in my community to to help but Courtney Richter: Okay. Caitlin Stryker: You don't have to be like mind controlled or you don't have to think the way that everybody seems to like want you to think, you know, because of, and so I just think that's a really cool element that comes up in these romantic books a lot where the main, the FMC is taught to strengthen her own mind so that she won't be, so that she can battle, like so that she can survive, you know, in these worlds. It's just fucking awesome. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yeah, no, I agree. I think it's a really cool part of romanticies ⁓ that we do see in so many books as part of it. This one is like another level, I guess I should give the breakdown the actual stories. So when we dive into it, we're like deep in and we're like, haven't even talked about what the book is about. So Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Oh, Okay, yeah. Let's get really quickly though, let everybody know today we are talking about books one and two and court is okay. Great. Court is right though when she was like convincing me she's like we're gonna read these two and you're gonna catch up and I was like I can't read two and I'm thinking like to like Sarah J Maas, right? You know, no, these are these are not huge, which is nice. They kind of like as one book would be like, yeah. Courtney Richter: That's I was about to say. Yeah. They're almost one book into like they are worthwiles each book like you're getting your money's worth but they they read as one they really dive right into it like it ends and picks up right away. And they they're very digestible. Yeah, the length resos one and they're very digestible books even though they are a dark romantasy. So we decided to do book one and two together and then we'll do book three on another time when Kate has had a chance to read it and we can come back. So Caitlin Stryker: also think the length reads as one yeah the length reads as like one yeah Hahaha! Courtney Richter: That's where we're at right now. We're going to do books one and two, ⁓ wings of blood and bonds of fury. Caitlin Stryker: blood, the bonds, the bond that burns. I remember the title being like, the title of this second one is very telling. Courtney Richter: The Bond That Burns, thank you. I get the three titles of this. Wings of Bind is the third one, yes. Yes, yes, exactly. So we'll try to stay on point of where so the first book is about it kind of starts off with our main female character, Medra, Medira, Medra, okay, Medra, kind of awakening into this war zone. There's like dead bodies all around her. And this like, beautiful prince man in an army is there she's like naked stripped down. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Medra. You're like naked on a pile of bodies. That's the opening. Courtney Richter: on a pile of bodies. Like it just opens with a wham. Here we are. ⁓ And they are like, who are you? They've never seen a creature like them, like her, because she's tall, she's got elongated ears. Basically she's Faye. This is what the deal is. She's Faye and she's woken up in a world of vampires. And they take her to the prince's uncle, Victor. Caitlin Stryker: you sorry that's the log line right there that's like okay i'll read it Courtney Richter: Yeah. Exactly. That's basically she and he brings her to his uncle who is like, you are a dragon rider. We they are extinct from our world. We haven't seen in centuries that all the dragons are gone. They have not seen a fae or as they come dragon rider in years or lifetimes because they're all hundreds of years old. So he's like, basically, he said we're going to keep her and bonds her as a betrothed to his nephew. Blake, who is the guy that had found her, the gorgeous prince, but who is like an asshole of all assholes, like true enemies to love are also a trope in this. ⁓ And he's like, you are now in their triad, which is common in vampires. They go for two, three. And it doesn't have to be like a guy and two women. can be two men and a woman. can be like, but that's their common way with their patrols is to end up in a triad. And they're like, you are now the second patrol to him and you will attend Bloodwing. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: which you are so fortunate because people work their whole life to get into this blood wing Academy and she's just being thrown in she's basically like what the fuck like she's honestly like stolen kidnapped this is all good that thing and told now you go to school here and now you're but throws to this guy and she's like trying to survive and fight it the whole time. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. I mean, honestly, all of that happens, all of that happens before a girl gets a shower. Courtney Richter: Yeah, like it's very quick. She's just thrust into this world. ⁓ and then it's kind of the story of her like figuring out the county the first day, the other girl Reagan, who is the first patrols obviously hates her. It's like, think she's disgusting this blooded person because she's a vampire. So everyone else is vampires. And then there's the blooded blood red light born. ⁓ my gosh. I'm mixing up so many books guys. I'm sorry. The blight born who are essentially human or in this case, Faye. Caitlin Stryker: No, that's okay. Courtney Richter: ⁓ and it's the world where the vampires rule. They have Blightborn that come to the Academy, but like if a high born or vampire wants to drink from you or enthrall you or make you do anything they want, they're basically allowed to, with very loose rules around it is essentially this world. They, they are first and then everyone else is below them. ⁓ and right away they use mind control, ⁓ Reagan does to embarrass her and Blake sets her up in an. in a self defense class to get the crap beaten out of her like purposely, which then the person he asks goes farther than he wanted because of course that always happens. And she actually defends herself really well. Like she's surprisingly able to defend herself. She's got some warrior in her. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. I loved that moment. I was like, ⁓ thank God. Because we jumped in so fast in this, I needed her to be able to kick us. I needed her to, I probably would have been like, no, I was like, I'm not, I was not gonna go on the ride of her getting strong enough as well. I needed her to be strong in her own way from her world that she came from before. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: and be in this world to support because like we said, it opens with a bang and then you're at this academy and then she's being manipulated. Reagan really manipulates her that first day. She's sort of like, oh, Reagan's all like, oh, I'll help you get your classes and everything and all this stuff. And then she shows up at the wrong classes at the wrong time. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: asks the wrong questions and everything that Reagan seemed so nice. And then as you as the reader know, you're like, there's no way that Reagan, yeah, she's a total mean girl, totally manipulating you. And then she also very quickly becomes friends in that time with Florence and Naveen who become her two friends who are blight-born. But. Courtney Richter: Yeah, she's a mean girl. Yes, they're both blight born. Florence is like the smartest blight born ever to exist. Can't decide her major is just like loved by every teacher. This amazing smart girl and then Nabeen is their other friend that has a crush on Florence that we get to know. And he's a dwarf. Yes, which is another curtain. No. Yes, exactly. And there's different levels, although they really mostly talk about Dragon Riders, dwarfs and Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yes, and Naveen is a dwarf. this is, being black-born doesn't mean that you're human, it just means that you're not a vampire. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Humans, essentially. That's kind of the three types. Caitlin Stryker: Yes, yes, yes. Yeah, Dragon Riders, Dwarfs, Humans, and Vampires. Like we're not, I don't think we brought in any other, we didn't bring in any witches. ⁓ that's right, an Animorph type of thing does come in there. Yeah, yeah, that's the book too. ⁓ But yeah, that's the, Courtney, you've covered the setup of book one. Courtney Richter: I don't think so. I might be wrong. mean, there wolf a wolf does come in. So who knows? But yeah. Hmm. Yeah, that's kind of the setup of book one. And it's kind of going along with her. She's figuring out. This is really why we talk about both books, because it is going along with her in the first book of figuring out Bloodwing Academy, building this relationship with Blake, building the world. And then right when it kind of hits its high point is when it ends. And then we go into book two. So that's kind of why Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, which means building the world, you know, you're, yeah. Yeah, yeah, there's not really ⁓ there is that battle in there is the ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yes, the consort battle. So the book is building towards she's going to have a consort battle, which is the two in the triad, the two consorts of the archer on are supposed to work together to win the consort battle. That's the concept that Reagan is like, No, I'm not helping her. She plans to try to kill her. She sets her up. She puts this horrible crown on her that shows who she loves most. And they turn poor Navin and kill him and turn him into this awful spider thing she has to kill like the Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: It's like torture in the worst way messing with her mind. But before that, there's a whole that's the end of the book. So before we really go into that, her relationship with Blake, I love the slow burn of it. Like they really, really pull that out. And it continues into the second book. It's never Caitlin Stryker: It really was. In the first book, you know, the slow burn of it or kind of this like, they were both, she was like, listen, I'm not just going to bow to you. And he's like, you have to, you know, just like, no, I don't. Courtney Richter: Yes, he's so set and is like, like, it's very much like a on people that are very set in there. In I'm free. It's not macho. Like, yeah, like the patriotic, like, way of like, man. Yes, this is how it works. This is your role. You should be in his world like she should be so excited and honored to be his consort, like she the fact that she rejects it. Caitlin Stryker: his dominance or like his... Yes, in the patriarchy. He's like, this is how it works. You have to play by these rules. You should be honored. Courtney Richter: Like it just doesn't compute for him. Like he truly doesn't understand why she's not bowing at his feet. And then at one moment they do have a moment they share and finally kiss. And even that she like sees it almost like she's growing tender form, but sees as a moment of weakness. Caitlin Stryker: And yeah. Yeah, because he is treating her like like shit like I mean he's really bullying her and I I I said that part I was kind of like ⁓ like I just I was not getting into this guy but then when I was in her brain and she was kind of like in her perspective and everything Courtney Richter: Like garbage, because he doesn't get it. He truly doesn't. He's like, what? Caitlin Stryker: I was like, ⁓ but I am having that like, then I was like, ⁓ I'm getting her like weird attraction to him. And I'm also getting why she was having this feeling of like, this is weird. Like, why am I attracted to him? You know, like, why is it? And then even myself, I was like, ⁓ but now it's like kind of hot. But I was also like, he's such a fucking dick. no. Courtney Richter: Listen, he's not it's not a healthy relationship by any means it's not something I think in real life you should go after or set your expectations for but it works in this book and it's it's spicy it builds up that sexual tension like the trigger warning so well and you do find yourself rooting for it even can canada ⁓ What's his name? Caitlin Stryker: No. It works in this book, yes. yeah. You do. Paige Tanaka. Courtney Richter: cage Tanaka I combined his name into one cage Tanaka is the rinse of one of the other houses. So there's like the four main houses in this world. And he's one of the opposing houses and he starts to show interest in her as well. Which makes Jake Blake super jealous but like she's never had a choice. It was just like you were not with him because the uncle wanted to control the Dragon Rider. So she starts flirting with cage a bit he asks her to the dance that Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Blake didn't bring her to and also didn't bring Regan, but she sees him with Regan and thinks that he's choosing her, which Regan purposely sets up. And so she's got little feelings of jealousy. So there's something there, because they have shared that kiss and they've shared a couple of moments in like the tunnels. he's the one redeeming thing about Blake is he doesn't feed on bloodborne for sport or just kill them willy nilly. Like he. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: only pays for it because he only wants it from people who are willing and paying he doesn't enthrall anyone like he does reject a little bit the usual hype of high blood. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yes, and that's where as the reader, I was like, okay, he's not the worst. He comes from a really bad situation. His uncle is the worst and does abuse him and his brother is the worst. And yeah, nah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Courtney Richter: ⁓ So abusive the two men in his life are literally the worst and his dad has killed himself Which we really think the uncle killed the dad and just said that it was suicide and his mom's been putting in asylum Somewhere which also we think is just the uncle has her captured somewhere and it's been torturing her Yeah, that's pretty much what what is happening. So I mean he has not had good Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, yeah, we know this. We know this to be true. No, and he's kind of, he's trying to fight it. And you can see that there is like good in him. ⁓ So as you're reading this book, you're like, ⁓ okay, and it's turning you on. I will continue to say though, that this is not a healthy thing in real life. You cannot change the damaged guy. Do not go there for longer than like a night or two. Like if you wanna have a little fun with the bad boy, great, but you're not gonna change him. Courtney Richter: Yes. Yeah. Don't let yourself be the one. Yes. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: ⁓ Okay, I just have, I always have to put that PSA out there because there's some dangerous messaging in these books. If you're like younger, you know. ⁓ Yeah, no. It's, we love it and it's so hot. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yes. Yeah. 100%. Yes, thinking that's what you should go for. You should not. But in here, we do love it. And so they get to the battle. And basically, because I'm shifting us, so we get to second book two, she has to fight just to kill a friend of bean, which is the worst thing ever. He's been turned this horrible spider, which is very upsetting. I know. It was so cruel. Like, and that's one thing I respect her breath. She doesn't hide away from it. Like she does go there. She does like, ⁓ that you could Caitlin Stryker: I actually thought it was a dream. I like didn't believe it. I was like, it can't be. can't be. It can't be. No. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: sidestep in a book like this, but she doesn't she really like digs in and like, man, like the heartbreak and poor Florence was like he had confessed that he loved her and she was trying to figure it out. And, and all this this little creature Neville has appeared he's a fluff in that Blake sister who's really a child Blake tried to turn to save her life and it didn't work out. And so she's just like rabid vampire that attacks things and can't be controlled. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: You could. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, child vampire that attacks things. Courtney Richter: she attacked the fluff and and they saved him and now he's like bonded to Florence and Blake. Caitlin Stryker: You guys, a fluffin is a little creature that's like part dog, like a sort of a dog slash fox with the face of an owl. It's like the cutest animal with the cutest animal name you could ever think of. Courtney Richter: Yes. Yes, yes, 100%. And so this fluffens like in the world now Neville, we love him and they we kind of find out more about what fluffens do as the book goes on into book two. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: I love you. we do in book two we really get into the fluffin'. ⁓ Before we get to the consort games though, let's do our peak spice moment in this book because I think it comes before the consort games and it's the tunnels. Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: And yeah, it is before the consequence. it's, it's, she's, she's, she follows him through the tunnels a couple of times. She follows him through these tunnels and then winds up like at a balcony overlooking a crazy vampire ceremony that she had just heard of with the Blightborn that she wasn't supposed to witness. But that is such a fucking hot scene. Courtney Richter: Yes, and she wasn't supposed to witness. Yes, because it's supposed to be before the step also again with the darkness though, like this is supposed to be something blight borne fight and want to do to be the volunteer to be this thing that sets off the concert games. And what they discover is that it's like a full draining of a and killing of a blight board, which it's like this horrible ritual. didn't know they didn't know. So when they went to see it, they had no idea what they were in for. So Caitlin Stryker: It's so dark. which they didn't know. And so they didn't go to see it on purpose. Blake went to see it. She followed Blake. Then they're there and they're looking over the balcony and they've kind of, you know, they're doing the whole thing. And then this like naked, like this blight-borne chick is like on a throne on a vampire. Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: you know, who's in charge of the whole thing, who has a mask on. There's a bunch of other vampires with masks on, like, watching. This whole thing go down and then she's getting, this light-born girl's getting bit and then it's turning like really central and her clothes are coming off and Medra's watching and she's getting turned on and Blake's like, ⁓ you like this, don't you? You like to watch. And the whole thing, and then he's like playing with her. And then, then like down below. The two who are on the throne like start having sex while he's and like it's so hot and it's like starting to really pick up and then it turns into like a massive orgy down below them and then he like totally gets her off and like she's loving it watching this while he's like behind her and like it is hot like it is so hot and then Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. becomes like a big orgy basically, like. Yes. Yes, very hot. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: They like string up, like as she comes and it's all what it been, they're like having this moment and then they string up the Blightborn girl by her feet and drain all the blood out of her into a thing and you go from like so turned on to like horrified. Courtney Richter: you so horrified. And it's such a great juxtaposition that she does in this moment. And that is kind of the feel of the book series, genuinely, whenever you usually these peak moments being turned on with it. And then it goes to reality, which is this world. ⁓ my gosh, it's it was just you don't see it written like that very often. Where it takes such a hard turn. And Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. You don't. I mean... Court. The pumpkin spice level on this one is high. It is. Courtney Richter: ⁓ It's interesting though because it doesn't like my memory my feeling of it isn't that it is because I think because it switches so fast it like Tags at the steam so to me book two has so much more spice But that scene Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, but Book two has one space that you're it's normal. This spice is like this is like pecan you know this I would give this because of that scene alone. I would give this book a for pumpkin because of Courtney Richter: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, a sassy pumpkin. Caitlin Stryker: all the things that go on in that scene and then because up until then you're just kind of getting like teased you know ⁓ but that is like really heavy duty and pretty wild and i loved it like it was really fun but Courtney Richter: Yeah, I loved it. I'm still at a three and a half with it, but I think Caitlin Stryker: book two is actually a three and a half but it has more like traditional sort of hot sex scenes but it's not as like wild ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yeah. me I didn't feel as like I felt fine on the bus with it so you know what I mean like I always go for is like if I'm on the bus reading it like ⁓ god I have to like hide my face and go like that's where I used for me and I was okay reading it still that like I loved it it's hot it's hot hot hot Caitlin Stryker: I what you're saying. I could have read it on the bus, but I just sort of wonder with the whole orgy thing going on and everything, I'm like, are we downplaying? That's a lot. Courtney Richter: It's great that is a four for you. There's nothing wrong with that. It's great. They're like, yeah, this is a fucking four. I think that's awesome. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: like if somebody says I will put it in for you can put it at 3.5 so then people who are listening maybe who are a little bit more like okay I haven't read a lot of this before and then the next book for me which has more like you know regular sex scenes in it but because it's more like normal I'm like three and a half yeah Courtney Richter: Yes! Yeah. Yeah, exactly. So it all just depends on which way what's getting you going. But yeah, it's a three and a half four for sure. It definitely brings the spice. It's not as nice light, which is such a great part of this book because you go on such a ride, but then you do get the romantic part of it. Nice and heavy and it's it's worth Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: the guy wrenching that happens to you too, because you get to like, get to that scene, and then go into the horrible concert games, and then go into the tribunal. And basically you get this like, hi, the way this book goes before we go into book two now is that it kind of ends on this craziness that happens. So they win the concert games, no thanks to Reagan, they get pulled into the tribunal where they have to face like, Kim, the headmaster Kim, and basically, Caitlin Stryker: Mmm. Yeah. you Courtney Richter: They're like Blake, you gave her your blood because Blake gives her his blood before the games because he knows Reagan is not going to help her and is going to try to hurt. And even though it's against the rules, he gives it so that she'll be able to move faster, heal faster, like have a bit of vampire power when she's in the games. And also because to bond, she has to drink his blood. He has drinkers. He doesn't tell her that part, which is the other downfall of Blake. He's tricking her. He's not consensually like tricking her into the bond, basically. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. This is, listen, Blake has a lot of downfalls. He has a lot of downfalls. He's, he's... Blake's not a great guy. He's not a great guy. Courtney Richter: Yeah, yeah, not great. So he they do that they're in the trap. And they're like, Okay, you guys were right, because Reagan broke all these rules. And Blake basically says that he is no longer he wants to break the patrol bond with Reagan. She's no longer part of their triad. He's just gonna be patrolled to ⁓ MedrA. And so and the uncle agrees, which is surprising, we don't expect him to just be okay with it, because he goes against everything. Caitlin Stryker: I know. Courtney Richter: Blake does and is always trying to control him. So you know something's up, you don't know what, because he's like, yes, he's made this decision, I'm okay with it. And, and then they leave it up to her if she wants to kill Reagan because of what she did is worthy of death. And obviously, because she's our female main character, she does not want to kill someone. So she, and she looks like, and he makes the decision for her that the letter live, but she'll be outcast. And so they end that she's kind of bonding with Blake. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: And they get like this really hot spicy makeup scene that again gets interrupted. Because he to go see Victor. And basically, Metro real she needs to get her mom out of her mind. She wants to do this like blood spell that she's been learning throughout the book to separate her mom, her because her mother sorry, we forgot to mention this has been in her head this entire time she comes to this world and also she's got a voice in her head. She's like, Who are you? What are you talking about? And she realizes it's her mother. Caitlin Stryker: I just realized we didn't tell people this. Courtney Richter: who she never knew in her old life, but her mother has in some kind of blood bonding spell, placed herself in her head. And so she's been the whole time as a county trying to look up ways for blood spells. And this teacher kind of leaves a book to her, kind of curious what she'll do with it, what she might cause to happen. And so she finds a spell that'll release her mom from her head. Because she's like, this is the right way. We should be separate. We can't live our lives this way. And so ⁓ she goes to perform this ritual. and Does, before I say this, does the Blake drinking her blood happen, it's after she does the ritual, right? It's kind of like, yeah, yeah, okay, perfect. Just making sure. So she goes to perform the ritual, does it, her mom gets gone from her head into a dagger. And this stone dragon from the ritual ground wakes up this big red dragon. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, it's after. It's a few days after. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that was part of the ritual. So she kind of screws up. No, he doesn't wake up in that moment. It's just that everything starts to shake. ⁓ Yeah, Eventually, yeah. Courtney Richter: shaking and bring him Blake comes out but I'm just fast boarding it the dragon wakes up there she talks in the head everyone's freaking out that there's a dragon awake Blake basically the way it ends forces her to let him drink like he bites her she doesn't want it and then he's like you have to this is what we're like supposed to do we are bound to the rituals complete she's like what do you mean you didn't tell me she uses his compelling to like hold her still Caitlin Stryker: He just spites her. He doesn't force her to let him. Yeah. Courtney Richter: literally like basically rapes her for blood like not with sex but with biting and drinking her blood forces her to do it so that their bond and he will no longer be able to drink from anyone else. He's doing it in his mind to protect her because he's told his uncle that like they are completely bonded and then also she wakes up a dragon and all the houses are like the dragons are she's ours and he's like no she's bonded with my nephew so she's belongs to our house you guys can't have Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yes, because. But he makes sure that they are bonded so that neither his uncle, whose business, nor his brother can have her at all. in the world they're in, what he is doing, his thought pattern, how he's protecting her and everything by kind of forcing this bond does make sense. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yes. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: on his side. Again, this is where like he's not a great guy, but you can see his angle and you're sort of like, okay, like, yeah, this has to happen and she's never going to agree to it. So, you know, you just got to find a way. Courtney Richter: Yeah. The problem is he doesn't tell like his ex when she's like, what the fuck? And he doesn't apologize. Like, sorry, this is the only way this thing he just says you should want this. Like, that's the problem. He has the inner thoughts and he can't get it out. He just shuts down and he's like, what do you mean? We are meant to be bonded. You are mine. You should be grateful. that. And that's her thing. Like she was just started trusting him and like him and he just refuses to see what he's doing. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. I did. That's the, it's his language. He doesn't say no. Yeah. Yeah, that's the problem on top of the problem. Courtney Richter: and the problem it causes. Like it's just it's so crazy and frustrating as the reader because you're like, ⁓ my god, dude, just like get it together. Like read the room. But he does not. He can't. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Every time. Yeah. But like, I was shocked when he drank from her without her consent. That was shocking. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yeah. It is a shocking moment. Yes. Like and how forcefully he does it and how much he doesn't understand how that would affect her and that truthfully, he could just talk to her about it. And she may have been more willing or at least understood before it happened instead of just doing it. But in his head, he's like, it has to happen now. It has to happen tonight. Before we go to school, like it has to be done. He's Yeah. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, he's so, he's so fucked up. ⁓ Okay, now we're on to book two. So the dragons awake, we know this, ⁓ they're blood bonded. And all the houses, everybody's like, there's a dragon back because this is the first dragon alive in this world in a really long time. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yes. Yes. And the house of Avari is trying to claim it, which is Cage's house because he's technically their dragon. And then he, it's not a red dragon story. It's the black dragon. ⁓ Neroxys, Nerox, what's his name? Neroxys. Yes. And then they've decided though, she's like, no, I can bond it. I promise. Like she makes these promises to them. They're like, we'll give you the summer to bond it. You can stay in the Draco house and we'll have the tribunal three months. ⁓ she has no choice. She's going to be killed. Caitlin Stryker: because it's tight, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Nieraxis, nieraxis. Well, because she knows she has to like her only power play If she admits that she does not have any control over this dragon because you know the dragon sort of sister like I'm not I don't belong to you Courtney Richter: Okay, this is a grumpy dragon. He fully wakes up and is like, thanks and also peace. See ya. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, thanks. Adios. Like I'm not killing you right now because you woke me but otherwise like and she's like, you know, she does this whole like super gravelly thing and he's like, I can give a fuck. Courtney Richter: Yeah, sorry. This is not your friendly dragon who's looking to bond a rider. He's just done. So he flies off, she goes to the house, we come back three months later, she's basically refused. She only lets like drink from her once a week on her setting it comes to just like hold out a rest and make some like drink from that which to him is very degrading and going but like he's still just licking his moons. But the problem is every time she does this to him, he's just getting madder and madder and he's making the situation worse and worse. Caitlin Stryker: No. ⁓ Courtney Richter: And almost the worse he feels the more he pushes her away. Every wrong choice possible. Yes. He just keeps like hurting her and in the worst way and her friends and his friends like he's just making himself alone. And basically the tribunals come up we're like, ⁓ what's gonna happen? But she's been talking to the dragon over the summer and his promise because he has no memory of what happened before. So she basically says if you help me out in this tribunal, I will find answers for you. Caitlin Stryker: He makes every wrong choice. He makes every wrong choice. He fucks it up at every turn. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: and figure out what happened, how you got caught in a stone, and what the history was. That's their deal. So he does show up, he helps her, and then when they want the dragon to bow, the dragon refuses, and it's like badass and blows fire at them, and it's like, fuck you. And they can't do anything about that, and they still also, it's super awesome. And it's kind of what you wish she could do, but she can't. So you have to live it through him. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, it's awesome. Yeah. Yeah. Well, especially because at this point, like after the whole first book and you really know the world and you're into the thing and then you're at this point in this book, I mean, we hate the vampires in this story. Like they are the worst, they are evil. We love the Blackborne, we love the dragons, we hate the vampires. Like we all want to just burn the vampire world to the ground. They're awful. Courtney Richter: Yes. Yes. And then the fact they're sexy and super like in good shape. We hate them. That's their only thing is that they always look really good. I mean, as we should, you should hate vampires. Sorry. We should not be looking to like befriend vampires should they exist. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, but like, we hate them. that like everything they do. Yeah. No, we shouldn't. But sometimes, you know, sometimes it's written in a way that like, you know, you're on their side or whatever. In this one, it's like, no, their whole thing is vile. Courtney Richter: ⁓ And the level so like Blake in his like misguided way of like trying to get under her skin get her back He changed the rule of the house so that people are now allowed to openly feed on their thrills in the living space like before he made people do it in the rooms and be away because he also found it run over he makes out with some other girl in front of her like he does all these Stupid things that makes her not just like she's just so all it does is like reinforce what she's already Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah, team maker jealous. No. Courtney Richter: feeling and thinking about him. And it's just so dumb. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. In the first book, he's very like, kind of strong in his ass-fulness and you sort of see where it's going. In the second book, you just see, he just unravels. Like he's just petty. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yes. He's just petty. He just unraveled petty little boy and you're like, come on, dude. They're like scorned X and yeah, he fully falls apart, which is actually quite funny. And we're just like looking at it. Like he just doesn't know how to handle this or what to do. And he's great. He's just everything he's done to help her. He just pulls back. And his own like revenge and you're like, okay, cool. Thanks. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. No. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, and then when is that, remember the scene where he has somebody fight her again and like. Courtney Richter: ⁓ yeah, he sets up a class again, like another defense class gets the biggest like, loudest most like high blood rah rah dude, like would would be like a right Trump supporter guy in the real world version to like fight her and you're like, Okay, thanks. Like the guy that would have the muffler over the top of his fucking truck with the thing. Caitlin Stryker: annoying Yah! Yah! Yah! Totally. But then, I love this, but then the dragon flies in and is like, what the fuck are you doing? Just save her. Courtney Richter: The dragon flies in to save her. Yes, I love it. Even though he's not bonded with her. He still has a kinship with her and still has like a moral compass of right wrong and doesn't want anyone taking advantage of her. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. I really like the relationship with the dragon that develops like throughout this second book. I also really love how the relationship with the mom is handled and like the way that the mom is in her brain and then in the knife and then like, no, listen, I will always suspect that she gets to learn a little bit about her history and then, yeah, it's so, it is. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yes. Yes. Yes. I love the mom and the dagger. I think it's so funny. Like it's such a funny concept that your mom's in a dagger, but I love the relationship. Like you're saying that they maintain throughout that. It's so well done. Caitlin Stryker: It's great. It's really great. And I really love ⁓ Neville, the little fluffin who like is how he comes through because I wouldn't like it if it was just sort of like, here's a cute animal for animal lovers, because I that's like, kind of not my thing, actually. But I love when they're used, like when they're a great tool, and like a nice like element in these worlds. And I think that happens with Neville. And it turns out that Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: fluffins are kind of like dragon caretaker little creatures. Yeah, which is really cool. So then you get this like, because as Blake is unraveling, ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yeah, they're attached to dragons. Caitlin Stryker: there's also something else that's happening to him and the fluffing has always kind of like been sort of drawn to him. And then as we're reading and we learn like, ⁓ they're always kind of around dragons and dragon fighters and stuff. And you're like, okay, but so then what's like the draw to like, and I love like the way that that starts to sort of, you know, lead you what's gonna happen. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yes. Yeah, the foreshadowing that the Neville gives with Florence and Blake is really cool. Because Blake's starting to become a dragon, like he's get scales on his skin. He has like these different moments that he starts panicking because he sees like dragon scales and things start to come and he doesn't know what's happening. And also in the middle of all this chaos, a wolf has appeared a couple times to start fighting on their behalf. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah It gets really like it gets really exciting like these elements that come in because the first book, you know, you're you're getting the lay of the land at the Dark Academy. And that's great, but you know, it's like, I've read that before. And then in this second book, you're getting all of these other layers of this world that start to come through and play in, and it gets really exciting. because, again too, because yeah, I've read Dark Academy stuff or fantasy stuff like that before, it's really cozy and fun. And that's where I said to Cora, and was like, ⁓ I'm in. I'm enjoying this. I like this setup that's happening. And then in book two, I was like, okay, I like that now we're Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: and we're going further and we're going places that I haven't necessarily ⁓ seen or experienced or I have but they're coming together in different ways you know that are really fun like the wolf was so exciting I didn't see that coming Courtney Richter: Yeah, the wolf. vampire books, obviously, but I haven't read I know they exist. But I haven't read ones with like the dark, romantic vampire one as pure as like this one in line time, or at least in the stuff I've been reading. I really, really enjoyed that we get to dive into this world and see what it looks like when it's and especially vampire dragon combination. I haven't read a lot of again, I'm sure it exists, but I haven't read it. And I really love Caitlin Stryker: Hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Mm. Yeah. Courtney Richter: how she took those two dynamics and then made them almost enemies, but also could work together. And then also it's like the rise of the blood, like bloodborne. It's it, yes, sorry. I so many words in my head of different ways to call people like this, which I think it's like, again, because this stuff has been done so many times. It's great when there's an author like Briar Bowlin who was able to give this unique spin to it that. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Lightborn. Yeah. There's so many. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: pulls you in and honestly, I love all the characters in the books, even the people I hate. I love them like they're written so well to be the villain they are to be this role. Reagan like she has a big arc that happens. ⁓ and into the third book, especially you have read so I have to remember because I have read the third what's the second what's the third. But even when she is yes, listen, she's the mean girl, but she's also a badass like female vampire and power that like Caitlin Stryker: I do. Yeah. They are. Yeah. Nice. ⁓ I bet. Yeah. Courtney Richter: fights for what's hers and what she thinks is right and like stands her ground and is like, not just taking this extra concert, which was also thrust upon her like her world was flipped upside down. Like that there is a power in her too. And I love that like every female character in these books is written really strongly and like fully about like there's layers to them. It's not just like, and this person doing that, like Visha Blake's second in command, who in the first book is the one that beats the crap out of Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah! Yeah. Courtney Richter: Medra and then this book actually becomes her ally because she helped her in the consort games and they become close and Theo who's Blake's cousin and then there's that word Theo is Get vampire version of gay sleeping with men and apparently that's still not accepted even though they live in a world triumph It's just his uncle. It's his house Yeah, it's his uncle's house, which obviously happens ⁓ so I liked that element of it and then and then the way of them like Caitlin Stryker: I like how that develops. Only by his Uncle Victor. It's accepted by the rest of the world. It's just his uncle. Yeah. Yeah. Me too. Courtney Richter: feeling out how to protect that and what to do with that and how that works in like a power play of this dynamic. I thought it was really cool. And then I hate like his partner that he, the guy that he was talking about gets like the crap beat out of him and is almost killed and it's heartbreaking. And then Theo almost gets killed by like sister. She goes rabid on them in a carriage and almost drains him to death. Cause he's trying to save Florence. Caitlin Stryker: I know that was terrible. you Yeah. Courtney Richter: Then he goes into the hospital and when he comes to like they bring in Jonah to come and like help him and like talk him through and they work through their stuff, which was a really nice like side story. I was glad we needed a wind. We need something. Naveen was dead. You know, Florence was like going through that stuff. Like we needed a wind somewhere and we got it with that, which was really nice. And then unfortunately at the end of the second book, Theo has to kill Amina, like sister who he's been trying to like protect. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, I was glad that came back. That needed to come back around in a good way. We did. Yeah, we did. Yeah. Yes, she had to die though. I never... Courtney Richter: But she did and it saved him from having to kill her. I never felt bad about it. know what we're probably supposed to do, but it was like, no, she does need to be killed. But I didn't want Madra to be the one that had to do it. And I didn't want it be Blake. So I was kind of glad. I was glad that it was Theo. Caitlin Stryker: No. No. She was... No. No, no, that wouldn't have worked. It had to be Theo and Theo retribution for what happened. Like it worked out in the right way, but she had to go. Like... Courtney Richter: Yeah, yeah, she was way too much of a liability and danger. Like in general, she was attacking kids, she was attacking students, she was there was a lot and the uncle was using her to hold power over Blake and also releasing her at times to like upset things that he knew what she would do. And so it was another example of his mind games. Listen, this uncle is a bad dude. There's nothing redeemable about him. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, he knew. Bad dude. Courtney Richter: So the uncle is this ⁓ old mastermind that is always different games and they can never get ahead of him every time it feels like they may have one step up on him. He is already there. He already has plans and things in action. ⁓ And there's this big confrontation Blake and him where he's and he's been asking Blake throughout the book like, are you feeling weird about anything? Has anything been changing and Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: Blake has been hiding it and what's going on with the dragon because he doesn't want to reveal to his uncle. But then his uncle gets him so frustrated and angry that Blake fully goes dragon. And we don't really know what happens other than we see the uncle starting to get scared and they're in a battle and Blake fully turns into this massive dragon and they fight. And that's kind of all we know at that point. Yes, it's amazing. It's the battle we've been waiting for. Like someone to take out this uncle and mean about the same time as that. That's when Theo is killed. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. It's awesome when that happens. Courtney Richter: Nina because she was going to kill Florence. We saved Florence, which obviously is when, but then basically Blake and, ⁓ I'm going to say Knack again, which is wrong cage and the teacher was ordering is they have decided that they need to get the dragon back into stone because as he, the teacher was like, realized throughout the stories, like it's imbalancing everything. The balance of nature is off. Dragons are supposed to be gone. The whole reason they were put into stone in the first place that they had agreed to it because Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Courtney Richter: the they needed to restore the balance and people were doing soul binding with blood to control dragon riders. So vampires were soul binding and then riding the dragons. And they figure out that Victor is trying to plan to do this with Medrath. They're planning to get her to bond to the dragons so that they can soul bond with her and she'll lose her all of her identity and be stuck and be his slave, which they've also done to this other houses had Lysander's sister. Blake, I just realized we missed so many things now that I'm talking about it. I'm like, ⁓ right. But basically she was soul bonded. Yeah, she got soul bonded to the brother, and he now controls her and they're trying to raise up this other dragon at the same time that the other three came out to like put Nixis, Norexis back into stone. And Blake is like, we can't do this. Him and... Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, that happened not really no no that's such a sea storyline. That's not a thing Yeah. Courtney Richter: Medusa had been bonding throughout this book and they finally got to a place that they have sex and he fights her and it's the first time it doesn't hurt and it's actually enjoyable and she orgasms for this like super spicy delicious scene. And he's like, this is how it was supposed to be. This is what blood bonding, which then arcs her again. And the reminder of like, well, there's a reason but this wasn't happening. You and you forced me to do this. Caitlin Stryker: ⁓ it's great. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: But he does get to the arc of like apologizing almost by the end of the book for how he was treating her and he starts to redeem himself. And that's where this big battle with his uncle comes in because he doesn't want him to try to take over Madra. And they've hidden, but he's hidden and he has said like, I don't want to hide this from her. I don't want to keep this from her. But they're like, we have to, it's the only way. And he knows this is going to like break her and what they've already built back up the tenuous relationship that they have like the ground they've gotten to. Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yes. Courtney Richter: and he knows what's gonna happen. And basically she goes and he's not there because he's battling the uncle, but Cage and the teacher let it slip like where the fuck is Blake? And she's like, ⁓ God, he knew about this. Cause she's obviously does not want to turn the dragon back in stone. She's fighting them. This big explosive end of book scene that basically Florence almost dies, gets shot. The brother and it's crazy to Carolyn, who's one of the other house leaders and the sister of Lysander, they get the golden dragon awake, but something's off with her. She's like half. Caitlin Stryker: No. Yeah. Courtney Richter: dead half alive dragon that's being like soul controlled because they use necromancy. Yeah, which doesn't work as everyone always says never a good magic to use in every book every story every folktale. You never want to go with necromancy. And the mom in the dagger is like, let me get in there with her. I will stab me into the dragon and I will take over I will save you. And she realizes her mom's been gone. She does and the mom enters the dragon and then is battling her and the girl who soul bonded to her. Caitlin Stryker: Because they use necromancy, which is one of the powers, yeah. No. It doesn't work. Yeah. Yeah. No. Courtney Richter: And then she's like, I've got her, I'm gonna fly her away from you and save you. And I was just really upset that she's gonna say bye to her mom, but she's like, no, this is the way I gotta do this. She takes the dragon with the other two and the girl that sold onto her, they fly off. And we're left with Blake arriving late. Florence is almost dead. The teacher is almost dead. Cage is in a wolf form. All this being revealed. And then she begs. Caitlin Stryker: Florence, Blake arriving, the teacher. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: the teacher says there's one way to save your friend, but the dragon would have to bond with her. And he's like, no, she's very clever. She's a great, like clever, brave soul, but it's not enough. I refuse. I will not be bound. Like that's his hard line through the whole two books is like, I will not bond to someone ever again. It's not worth that to my soul. But then Neville shows up and Neville has a conversation with him and he's like putting his place and he's like, how dare you talk to me like that? And like they have a whole thing and Neville's like, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: so disappointed in him that he won't say Florence who's Bonn. So finally, Nexus agrees to appease Neville, which is like the cutest thing. And Bonn's Florence. And that's kind of like where it's ending. That's where we end. She hasn't gotten to like have it out. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, it's amazing. That's where we end. That's where we end. Literally you end like on the messy battlefield of all of this stuff that happened, you know, and you realize you're like, ⁓ my gosh, okay. Now we're going into book three with Blake can turn into a dragon. Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: Cage has been the whole time aware that he can turn into a wolf Florence is now a bonded dragon rider with their axis There is now a gold dragon out there with that is like necromancy to live bonded to lycander whatever sister Who seems like a really sweet person actually if she had her own mind. She'd be fine and medras mom in there And met yeah Courtney Richter: Yes. Yes. Yes. And his brother and Caroline, who are two like off the hinge, like with them. We think, yes. Caitlin Stryker: Victor is dead Because Blake killed him ⁓ It when Blake was in his dragon form and that's like that's where we end before we go into book three and you're just kind of like Damn, okay Yes, Blake is missing an eye. I mean like from the battle with his dad ⁓ and we also know that Reagan has agreed to be bonded with to like marry Victor Blake Courtney Richter: ⁓ and Blake's missing an eye. Blake shows up with one eye. Yes. ⁓ yes, Reagan has been like rising back. She's been trying to get back with Blake doesn't happen. And then she's now betrothed to Victor, which is at the end of it. There's like, this is all that happens. So like in these two books, and so it becomes a lot about what's happening in the books when we're recovering two of them. But like, what's so fun about this series is all of that is in these two books, but it's such a ride. Like it doesn't feel like you're like wading through all of this. Caitlin Stryker: to Victor. What? Yeah. Mm. Courtney Richter: Stuff to get to it. Like you're just on the ride. You're on the adventure you like hop in and you're in and I love Caitlin Stryker: No. No. You hop in and you're in and it's actually like pretty like cozy academia, know, kind of thing. Like it's really fun in that way. And all of these stuff that is built up in the world, some of it we've seen before, some of it's new, it's mixed in a fresh way. Like it's really fun. These are really fun books. Courtney Richter: Yeah. Mm-hmm. great, like morally gray, shadow daddy of that is Blake, and you really are on the fence with him a lot. It's not like the morally gray guy weighs an ass will be like, Okay, but he's hot, like, and book two for a lot of it, you do not like it. Like you are not like rooting for him for so like you really do get pulled back. But the redeeming arc when they do start to bond and they do get into the scenes that we were talking about, like, it is hot and it is Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. a lot. Yeah, no. Yeah. Mm-mm. Yeah. It's so hard. Courtney Richter: you you follow along with her and you I understand where she gets to with him because you've also had his POV throughout the book. So you've had an understanding of why he's doing the things he's doing. ⁓ Again, not healthy, but it makes sense. And so you get to enjoy when they finally get to these scenes, which we were talking about. So these scenes as you were saying, Kate put you back to a three and a half and book two. Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Mm-hmm. Yeah, they do. They do. Yeah. Courtney Richter: And I agree. Yeah, I put them in three and a half four because I can't there's one in particular about when they're doing it and the blood sharing and like, just how much the details of how much more it enhances ⁓ orgasms and going like it's very deep. And I just remember it being really hot when reading that scene. Like it really Caitlin Stryker: In minutes. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, these books are like unexpectedly spicy, you know, because they're so dark ⁓ in places and then other places you're just like you're in school ⁓ and then and then that sex scenes are hot like when they come through. Courtney Richter: Yeah. Yeah. It takes big swings, but they all work. That's what's so great about it and so great about viral and it all works really well together. It's a, it's a great read. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, they all work. It's a and half, four. mean, these books, so I'm going to set them for me at a four pumpkin, these books. I think they're really up there, which is fun. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yeah, it's super fun. I'll put it, I'll put 3.75. That's where I'll go with them. But they're very spicy. They're super fun. Caitlin Stryker: There you go. I mean now, but not like throughout, you know, because this is a romantic scene. There's a lot of world stuff. There's a lot of that. Like it's, this isn't just like nonstop spice that we're getting here, but when you get it, it's, it's spicy. Yeah. And it's a little different every time and there's extra elements in there and it's Yes. There's a lot. Courtney Richter: Yeah. It's Yeah. sensual stuff happening around all the time, even with the thrall people like there's just there's a different like energy in these kind of worlds. So that part is done really, really well. And it's really, it's fun. It's fun to dive into these. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. ⁓ huh. Yeah. Yeah, these are, these are like fun, dark Academy book, you know, like they're, they're not heavy, they're easy reads, ⁓ but worth it. But like, you know, you're gonna have a, you're gonna have a good time. Yeah. I'm very glad that court was like, no, read them. Let's do this. Like, I'm very glad that we're, that we're in and we're doing it. I'm like, and I'm glad I'm like caught up now. I mean, I know book three came out and you've like already, but like, Courtney Richter: Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: I feel now like, okay, now I can read that one. I'm like, Courtney Richter: Yes, I know. And I'm trying to remind myself what happens in book three to like stop from getting too far because it's hard to remember because it all goes together so well. It's such a fun, well written series. So I'm super excited. Caitlin Stryker: I know. Mm-hmm. Yes, and I believe it's designed to be four books, I think. So that'll be fun, too. I like when something is designed to have its, you know, its wrap up as well, ⁓ which is pretty cool. Yeah, yeah. Courtney Richter: It is for you. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. Yes, yeah, when they know where it's going. Yeah, yeah, and there's a prequel series to the series actually. There's a four book completed prequel series that you can find at Briar Boleyn and it's all on Kindle and Limited as well that you can read along and get into the characters of her aunt and uncle that we don't really see. Back, it's before. Caitlin Stryker: There is. Mm-hmm. You can. Yes, back, it's in the same world that Majora came from. Yeah. So, which I think is cool. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yes. Yeah. Super cool. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. That's going to blend. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. All right. Well, that's it for today's episode of Kate and Court's Cozy Corner talking about the first two books in the Wings of Blood series by Briar Bolin. The Bloodwing Academy series. Yeah. By Briar Bolin, probably said blood something else because there's a few blood books. ⁓ Courtney Richter: Yeah, the Bloodwing Academy series. Is that what it's called? Bloodwing Academy? Yes. Yeah. Yeah, but these one ⁓ and even the cover I don't have it here today with me the covers of these books are so cool ⁓ with the dragons and then they have the scales on the edges it's it's beautiful they've done a great job with these books too yes worth grabbing Caitlin Stryker: Mmm. ⁓ Nice, nice, nice. So yeah, so we highly recommend them if you're looking for a dark academia, know, dragons and vampires. Who isn't looking for that? With a four pumpkin spice level, dive in, catch up. We're gonna be coming back at you with book three really later next month to give me time to read it. Courtney Richter: Right? Yes. you Caitlin Stryker: ⁓ my gosh. All right. Well, that's it for today's episode. Thanks again for joining us on Kate and Cords Cozy Corner Romance Raiders. We'll be back again soon talking about more books with you. Bye. Courtney Richter: Yeah, bye.