**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review from the author.**
Title House of Bastiion (The Haidren Legacy #1)
Author K.L. Kolarch
Release Date January 19, 2021
Description from Amazon
Behind the mask of duty and power, no one is who they seem…
Centuries after the Forgotten Wars ravaged the world and turned it to ash, the Houses of Pilar, Darakai, Boreal, and Bastiion forged an accord with the royal line of Thoarne, founding a Quadren of advisory to the throne of Orynthia. Every generation, a single Haidren from each of the four Houses is appointed to this coveted chair.
Upon her Ascension to adulthood, Luscia Tiergan takes her seat at court as al’Haidren to the House of Boreal and is quickly drawn into a maze of political traps and dark secrets. As she adjusts to her new life, Luscia uncovers a pattern of forgotten children, slain in the streets of Bastiion.
Raised on superstitious rumors about Boreal’s penchant for sorcery, Zaethan Kasim, al’Haidren to the House of Darakai, inevitably clashes with Lusica when she arrives in Bastiion. But when his position is threatened by an old rival, Zaethan is forced to set aside his hatred and form an uneasy alliance with the Boreali al’Haidren to secure his claim.
Following a disturbing stream of innocent bloodshed across Orynthia, Luscia and Zaethan discover their ideals are far more aligned than they might have imagined. But in a land of war and deceit, the path to peace should never be trusted.
Initial Thoughts
I am obsessed with this cover. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to read this one. As luck would have it, the author partnered with one of my favorite indie tour companies, Book of Matches Media. I jumped at the chance to review this book.
Some Things I Liked
- World building. I thought the societal structure and world building were really interesting here. It was very Throne of Glass or Game of Thrones and I enjoyed that. I don’t read enough High Fantasy so this book only made me want to read more of it.
- Enemies to lovers. Zaethan and Luscia are so perfect in every scene together. They remind me of Rowan and Aelin in Heir of Fire and I’m so here for that.
- Murder mystery. I loved puzzling out the mystery in this story. It was full of twists and turns and I thought the reveal was really well done.
Some Things I Wasn’t Crazy About
- Romance, or lack there of. I really missed romance in this book. The enemies to lovers tension was definitely there and I was so sad to see that it’s so slow burn. Painfully slow. There is a smidge of romance, but it was NOT the ship I wanted. Hopefully, there will be more romance in future sequels.
- Language and names. This book is dense with names, titles, new languages, and more. You really need to have the glossary handy when you read. Since I had an e-book, I didn’t even realize there was a glossary and it was a struggle to understand who was who for several chapters in the beginning.
Series Value
I would definitely continue this series. I am invested in these characters and I want to know more.
However, I think this would be a series better read all at once. I’d rather binge multiple books when slow burn romance is involved. But, that’s a personal preference.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed this book. I read it with my bestie, @lianne_the_bibliophile and she kept me motivated when I was a bit confused initially. Again, my recommendation is either to read this one with its sequel or sequels, or to read with a friend or friends. There’s a lot that happens and it was awesome to have someone to theorize with.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
- Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas – yes, I’m recommending this again. But, it’s so good so how could I not? Seriously, though. House of Bastiion has a lot of similar vibes and themes.
- Air Awakens by Elise Kova – if you enjoyed the painfully slow, slow burn relationship between Zaethan and Luscia, try this series. It’s also amazing.
Books Over Everything 