Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Royal Houses #1

House of Dragons

Rate this book
USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde introduces the Royal Houses series with House of Dragons: the story of Kerrigan Argon, a half-Fae, half-human as she seeks her place in an unforgiving world filled with magic, mayhem, and romance. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black, and V.E. Schwab.

Ten years ago, half-Fae, half human Kerrigan Argon was discreetly dropped off onto the steps of Draco Mountain with nothing but a note. Her life changes completely as she’s swept into the care of the House of Dragons—an elite training program for gifted Fae.

On the year of her seventeenth name day, each student will be chosen by one of the twelve tribes of Alandria to enter society.

Everyone is chosen, except Kerrigan.

So, she strikes a bargain with the Dragon Society: convince a tribe to select her or give up her birthright forever.

With the unlikeliest of allies—Fordham Ollivier, the cursed Fae prince, who escaped his dark throne—she has to chart her own destiny to reshape the world.

492 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 13, 2020

Loading interface...
Loading interface...

About the author

K.A. Linde

90 books9,631 followers
K.A. Linde is the USA Today bestselling author of the Avoiding Series, Wrights, and more than thirty other novels. She has a Masters degree in political science from the University of Georgia, was the head campaign worker for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as the head coach of the Duke University dance team. She loves reading fantasy novels, traveling to far-off destinations, and dancing in her spare time.

She currently lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her husband, son, and super-adorable puppy.

Visit her online at www.kalinde.com and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @authorkalinde.

Join her newsletter at www.kalinde.com/subscribe for exclusive content, free books, and giveaways every month.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
416 (30%)
4 stars
567 (41%)
3 stars
315 (22%)
2 stars
68 (4%)
1 star
15 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
Profile Image for Sentranced Jem.
1,134 reviews601 followers
October 5, 2020


I see the words "Dragons" and "Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black, and V.E. Schwab"......

I am excited!!!

Update:

Ok..I can see it. I can totally understand why they would recommend this book for SJM fans. Kerrigan gives me total Aelin vibes..she is badass, reckless, unapologetic and I totally dig her.

House of Dragons is the perfect fantasy read.It has everything I want in a fantasy romance..it’s adventurous, has wonderful characters, it is high in magical elements; be it magical flicks of wonder or fantastic magical creatures. The escapades in House of Dragons is fun, reckless (at times), epically adventurous.
When it comes to romance, House of Dragons is a slow burn romance which tingles your senses by capturing your attention without distracting you from the storyline that includes betrayals, friendships, social politics, misfortunes, pride and prejudices.
I cannot wait for book 2!
Profile Image for Nadene  (Totally Addicted to Reading).
1,382 reviews206 followers
October 18, 2021
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I wanted to read 🎧︎📚House of Dragons for a while now. So when the opportunity came for me to listen to it on audio, I took the plunge. Narrated by Amy McFadden 🎧︎📚House of Dragons introduced the reader to a world of faes, dragons and elemental magic.

I had a great time with 🎧︎📚House of Dragons, which came as no surprise. I trust the author to deliver an engaging tale, whether its contemporary romance, paranormal romance or fantasy. She did not disappoint. The Royal House series is off to an exciting start.

🎧︎📚House of Dragons introduces Kerrigan, a half-Fae, half human. Ostracized by her father, because of her human side, he left her at Draco Mountain. Soon the House of Dragon took her under their wings. As she grew older, she learns of the prejudices and the hatred against her because of her human side. In this world, humans are inferior and its worse for half breeds. Kerrigan hopes to be selected by one of the twelve tribes. However, when she wasn’t chosen, she had to find a tribe to select her or face being stuck at The Society forever.I found the world Linde created fascinating. We have elemental magic, dragons bonding with their riders and so much more. Although based on fantasy, the world created mirrored reality with its prejudices and racism. Linde explored hard hitting issues in this incredible story.

I enjoyed getting to know Kerrigan. Such an awesome and kick ass character. She is not afraid to stand up for her beliefs and refuses to allow her fears to hinder her. The story brought Kerrigan’s loyalty, strength, courage, and determination to life.

The introduction of Prince Fordham Olivier, a dark fae from the House of Shadows, made for some interesting moments. Fordham and Kerrigan made a great team. Their relationship began on rocky ground, but throughout the story an alliance and ultimately friendship developed between them. Sparks burned between them and I kept hoping for their romance to develop. Alas, it did not materialize, because of complications on both their parts. 

Besides this, Kerrigan finds herself embroiled in a mystery surrounding the death of a friend. I enjoyed the mystery, which kept me guessing as it unfolded. Throughout it all, Kerrigan discovers secrets about herself and her heritage. The story featured several surprises, both pleasant and unpleasant. 

The story ended on an interesting note. Although not a cliff hangar, it left me with several questions, leaving me eager for the next book.

Narration

Amy Mcfadden’s narration was pure perfection. This was my first time listening to her narration I would definitely listen to her again. She brought each of the characters to life and  she made it easy to distinguish between each of their voices. The narration made my journey into this world of dragons and faes doubly exciting.This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
Profile Image for Amy Krissann.
15 reviews4 followers
February 7, 2024
Are you KIDDING MEEEE😍

I’m absolutely obsessed with this book. The will-they-won’t-they, super back and forth of Ker and Ford kept me wanting more. The action wasn’t overbearing, world building was perfect, everything about this story is fantastic.
Profile Image for Steph's Romance Book Talk.
2,790 reviews1,361 followers
November 28, 2020
4.5 Stars / 1 Steam Fans

I will never doubt the skill and amazing writing of K.A. Linde. I never thought I would enjoy a YA fantasy so much until I dove into House of Dragons. Kerrigan, Fordham, and the entire hosts of characters were very diverse and interesting. An underlining social commentary was interesting, not preachy or tilted in any one direction other than equality. I am very excited for the rest of the series and learn the connection of this series with K.A. Linde's other fantasy series.

Video review available in Week 45: Nov 1 – Nov 7 weekly book reviews.

For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
Profile Image for Francesca.
2,184 reviews148 followers
July 24, 2022
L’univers des Sociétés est intéressant à suivre et il y a bien des Dragons, qu’on va sûrement voir davantage par la suite. L’héroïne se fourre trop dans les problèmes, elle m’a parfois énervée surtout qu’elle entraîne ses amis qui lui sont loyaux. J’avais peur d’un triangle amoureux mais non. L’intrigue est bien développée. La fin est un peu précipitée mais c’est assez courant. Hâte de lire la suite.
Profile Image for Tanaka K.
897 reviews7 followers
November 2, 2020
Scales!!! What did I read? I am utterly bewitched. Wow!!! K.A. Linde has cast a spell on me with an incredible and brilliant story, House of Dragons. A deeply entrancing tale, intriguing me as a reader and taking me on a journey of magic and fantasy. I am a huge fan of fantasy. Lord of Rings being one of my favourite movie trilogies ever made but I am new to reading it. Let me tell you, K.A. Linde swept me away with a beautiful, exciting and captivating world with thrilling storyline and impeccable characters. House of Dragons is simply titillating.

House of Dragons is the enchanting first book in the Royal Houses series written by K.A. Linde, who takes you on a journey with a book filled with mayhem, magic, action and power. House of Dragons opens my eyes to a breathtaking world of adventure and wonder. House of Dragons pulls me into a spectacular world with a sensational storyline and fantastic characters. Spell Binding. Stunning. Magical. House of Dragons is a mesmerizing fantasy romance that catapults your heart into the world of faes and dragons. A YA/NA fantasy novel with an enthralling story of betrayals, friendships, rollercoaster twist and turns, fast paced suspense and social and political issues set in an alluring world full of splendour. K.A. Linde creates a fascinating story that truly possessed both my heart and soul. Mystical. Other worldly. House of Dragons is extraordinary.

House of Dragons introduces you to Kerrigan Argon, a half human, half fae exceptional woman who navigates her life as she tackles her life in the fae world, makes friendships and goes through struggles. Kerrigan is feisty, strong, reckless but with a wild spirit that made me fall in love with her so much. She is a remarkable character that I admired so much. Along the way she meets and friends Fordham Olivier from the House of Shadows. He is cold, aloof and dangerous. Together they form a bond with so much chemistry. I am so excited for Kerrigan and Fordham’s adventures together. It is going to be exciting.

As a reader who doesn’t read fantasy novels, I was truly enchanted by House of Dragons. I can’t wait for more adventures in the Royal Houses series.

ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Carole.
1,461 reviews53 followers
May 22, 2023
4.5/5
https://my-bo0ks.over-blog.com/2022/0...

C'est lors de ma précommande pour la PopUp store de juin dernier que j'ai littéralement craqué pour Les amants maudits de K.A. Linde. Il faut dire qu'entre sa couverture, beaucoup trop canon et le fait qu'il soit question de dragons, j'étais déjà à moitié conquise. A noter que ce titre est une avant-première et est prévue pour septembre/octobre en numérique et papier. Et notez bien cette sortie, parce qu'elle vaut clairement le coup.

D'ailleurs, pour ceux qui se poseraient la question, les dragons font partie intégrante de l'histoire et on fait plus que les croiser ! Ils ne sont pas juste là pour attirer les lecteurs. Pour ma part, j'étais jusque-là souvent déçue par les autres romans mettant en avant les dragons, pour ne pas les voir finalement des masses durant mes lectures. Ici, ce n'est pas le cas, ils sont bien présents !

Dans Le maisons des dragons, nous faisons la connaissance de Kerrigan. Mi-fae, mi-humaine, elle a été abandonnée très jeune à cause de sa nature. Depuis, elle a trouvé refuge dans la maison des dragons, une tribu dans laquelle les faes sont formés et prodiguent des soins et s'occupent des dragons. Ainsi, au fil des années, Kerrigan a tout fait pour s'intégrer au mieux et faire partie de Bénis des dragons. Elle s'apprête à faire son entrée dans la société afin d'être quelqu'un et surtout de s'affranchir des autres. Etre libre. Mais rien ne va se passer comme prévu. Disparitions, cérémonie qui tourne au désastre et invité de dernière minute, Kerrigan va devoir tout faire pour être choisie comme tribu avant le délais impartis et c'était sans compter ses visions du Prince de Ombres, Fordham Ollivier, un ennemis qu'elle va devoir suivre comme son ombre.

Clairement, ce premier tome pose les bases d'une histoire plus que fascinante. J'ai rapidement été happé par les événements. Il faut dire que notre héroïne Kerrigan, ne manque pas d'intérêt. Bien sur, son passé et le fait qu'elle ait été abandonné très jeune, ajoute au capital sympathie. Sa nature de sang-mêlé pèse aussi dans la balance. Elle n'a jamais réussi à se sentir totalement à sa place au sein de la Maison des dragons. Certes, son lien particulier avec les Dragons est comme une soupape pour elle, mais elle n'en reste pas moins différente des autres. Et pour cause, si elle a quelques amis et alliés, elle reste malgré tout une "anomalie" face aux Faes. Alors, chaque jour, elle va dans les Bas-Fonds, et affronte toute sorte d'individus sur le ring des Rebuts. Kerrigan est donc une héroïne attachante, qui au fil des pages se dévoilent. Pour autant elle n'en ai pas moins forte et courageuse, bien au contraire. Elle a une force de caractère à toute épreuve, elle est déterminée à s'en sortir, elle dispose non seulement d'une force physique mais aussi de magie. Elle ne se laisse pas marcher sur les pieds et on apprécie clairement cela. Sans pour autant tomber dans l'excès. Pas de tête brûlée ici.

Je l'avoue, le démarrage à de quoi effrayer. Dans le sens où l'univers est dense et assez complexe. On est plongé dedans et il faut un petit temps d'adaptation pour comprendre les tenants et aboutissants de cette histoire. Moi-même, j'ai eu quelques passages où je n'étais pas sûre de tout bien comprendre sur le coup, mais ensuite, cela s'éclaircit et on est totalement happé par les rebondissements et l'action. Passé les cents premières pages qui donnent les bases de l'histoire, on est embarqué dans celle-ci jusqu'à la toute fin. Il faut dire que le futur de notre héroine est incertain. Le fait fait qu'elle n'est pas été choisie lors de sa cérémonie vient tout remettre en cause. Et voilà que pour être libre, elle va devoir convaincre les autres tribus. Mais comment convaincre quand on est regardé de haut et si différente.

Comme si cela ne suffisait pas, le tournoi qui se déroule au même moment va s'ajouter aux problèmes de Kerrigan. Un tournoi dans lequel un candidat de chaque tribu va devoir passer des tests pour avoir la chance d'arriver à l'épreuve finale et repartir avec un dragon. Et comme dans sa vision, Fordham Ollivier, le Prince des ombres débarque pour y participer. Un ennemis mortel pour Kerrigan, la Maison des ombres étant réputée et exclue depuis des années pour la cruauté et le massacre dont ils ont fait preuve. D'autant que ce Prince semble l'avoir prise en grippe.

Le duo improbable qu'ils forment est épique ! Clairement, ces deux-là sont si opposés que les voir, devoir composer l'un avec l'autre est aussi drôle et plein de tension qu'on peut s'y attendre. Fordham est clairement irrité par la présence de Kerrigan et inversement. On sent que les préjugés ont la vie durent. Après-tout, ils sont ennemis depuis tellement longtemps qu'il est difficile de faire abstractions de tout ce qui les opposent. Et pourtant, cette obligation de "travailler" l'un avec l'autre va les amener à changer doucement mais surtout de point de vue l'un sur l'autre. J'ai d'ailleurs apprécié cette lente évolution de leur relation. On sent la romance qui arrive doucement mais surement en arrière plan. Et qu'est-ce que j'ai aimé chacune de leurs confrontations !

Côté suspense et rebondissements on est plus que servis. Comme je vous le disais plus haut, passé les premiers chapitres, on est happé par l'histoire et l'action qui monte crescendo. Entre les combats sur le ring des Rebuts, les manigances de chacun, les disparitions de personnages, les attaques surprises et toute l'intrigue autour du tournoi, on est vraiment embarqué du début à la fin. Fae, magie, humains sont au rendez-vous et la touche dragon est plus que réussie d'ailleurs. J'ai apprécié ce lien qui doit se faire entre le cavalier et son dragon et la façon dont tout cela se déroule. Je ne pourrais vous en dire plus car le mieux est de découvrir soi-même au fil des pages mais sachez que ce premier tome nous tient en haleine comme il se doit. Quant à la fin de ce premier tome, je dois dire que j'ai tout simplement adoré ! Pas mal de révélations pour ce premier volet et quelles révélations ! La suite promet son lot de surprises et comment vous dire à quel point je suis pressée de la découvrir. Clairement, on est sur une fin de tome à la hauteur de mes attentes.

En conclusion, j'ai adoré ma lecture des Amants maudits de K. A. Linde ! Je suis passée à pas grand chose du coup de coeur pour ce premier tome. Un univers riche et passionnant, des personnages attachants mais avec de forts caractères, une romance qui s'annonce plus que prometteuse et encore pas mal de rebondissements à venir ! J'ai été séduite par l'histoire et en redemande !
Profile Image for Mel.
754 reviews66 followers
October 14, 2020
4.5 stars!!

House of Dragons is set in a world where full-blooded Faes are at the top. Humans and half-Faes are on the bottom, and they are the ones who must fight for their place in the world and Kerrigan is among them. She is half-Fae who doesn’t really belong anywhere. She was left at Draco Mountain when she was a child to be a Dragon Blessed and at the age of sixteen she can be chosen by a tribe to join their clan. However, things don’t go as planned when it’s her turn at the ceremony and she isn’t chosen. Now she must figure out how to convince a tribe to take her or she will be bound to the Dragon Society forever.

It’s been ages since I have read fantasy and I am so glad that this is the one that brought me back into a mystical world full of magic, mystery, murder and mayhem. The vivid imagery transported me to Alandria and gave me a whole new world to captivate me along with wonderful characters who drew me in.

Kerrigan is a fantastic character. I love that she takes things into her own hands and doesn’t let fear stop her. She does what she needs to do stay alive and make a place for her in this world. Her fight is constant but she never backs down. I love her perseverance. With obstacle she encounters, her determination to overcome it gets stronger. She’s not perfect though and gets help along the way form the most unlikely of characters.

Fordham is of the House of Shadows, the group of Dark Fae who were cast out of the land. They are known for their brutality to all who are not full-blooded Fae. He comes to Alandria for personal reasons, set on keeping to himself, and ends up spending way more time with Kerrigan than he imagined.

Kerrigan and Fordham are awesome together. They begin as enemies but slowly form an alliance. They are both hiding secrets and have their own vulnerabilities and insecurities. I liked seeing the trust build between them and the start of a what could be a wonderful romance. However, there are complications that won’t allow them to pursue the feelings that are growing and I was curious if they could ever make it work.

The mystery is well written and keeps you guessing as the story unfolds. There are heroes and villains, friends and foes. Characters who want to lift Kerrigan up and those who want to tear her down. And we can’t forget about the crime lord, Dozan, who wants to own her.

I loved the way the characters are weaved together and all the magic surrounding them. I loved the dragons and connection they have to the characters. I loved the competition, the challenges and the action packed fighting. I wanted to know all of the secrets and enjoyed all of the twists and turns the story took. It’s an exciting new series to get obsessed with, and I couldn’t put it down.

I love that we are not left with a gut wrenching cliffhanger. We still have questions and the ending promises more of this world Linde has created. More Kerrigan and Ford. More magic and dragons. And more of everything I love in this book! I can’t wait, House of Shadows is coming next year!

*ARC generously provided by the author and Wildfire Marketing Solutions*


Profile Image for Kodie Mackay.
1,046 reviews65 followers
September 26, 2020
I'm at a loss of words here. I just wasn't ready for it to finish.

This is my first read from this author but I'm already hooked. It's so different to what I normally read but it was so refreshing. Whilst it has a small romance element, that is definitely not the front focus of the book and it's more N/A-Y/A vibe but it was so freaking good.

There is so many things I love about this book but the first and most important things are the fact that there is a pronunciation guide and glossary type information in the beginning so you can better understand how this world works. Love that.

Kerrigan is a great heroine period. Despite her young age she has already lived some real hard lessons in life which toughened her up. She's smart resourceful and determined which is a leathal combination for a young woman set out to prove everyone wrong. She's hardened and lethal in many ways but she's also vulnerable due to her insecurities and painful past experiences. She's super depthy and I really enjoyed reading the many layers to her character throughout the story.

This book is a masterpiece that's carefully woven and flows seamlessly from one page to the next. The story is multidimensional with so much depth and substance there was never a moment of reprieve. The characters all play great parts and held my interest immediately from the beginning, each one super dynamic and strong in there own right. I love the unique and very original world this author created and as far as a first book of a series goes I feel like she just layed all the right foundations down for what is going to be phenomenal series.

The build up and suspense was everything here. I feel like the story progressed at a perfect pace with just the right amount of action and emotionally impactful moments to give you all the feels whilst reading. This is a absolute rollercoaster in the best ways. Its climatic it's drama filled and full of surprises. It has a sweet budding forbidden frenemies romance that I was living for!. It just had everything I wanted and then some. I'm living for the fae/ dragon aspect of this world and the conflicts between half fae and the fae!. So fucking fascinating.

I'll probably come back and add more/ change this so it makes better sense later but these are just my immediate thoughts after reading.
Profile Image for Melliane.
2,056 reviews349 followers
September 27, 2022
Mon avis en Français

My English review

Je ne connaissais pas ce roman, mais j’avais vu que certaines des romances paranormales de l’auteur avaient été traduites en français, même si je n’en ai lu aucune.

Kerrigan vit dans la Maison des Dragons depuis qu’elle été abandonnée quand elle était plus jeune. Ça n’a pas été facile et elle se défoule comme elle peut en combattant dans Bas-Fonds, un endroit en marge de la société. Mais voilà, cette année, la vie de Kerrigan va changer : elle sera choisie par une Tribu qu’elle intègrera pour enfin avoir une vie à elle. Pourtant, rien ne va se passer comme prévu et ça commence par l’arrivée de Fordham Ollivier, un membre de la Maison des Ombres qui n’a pas froid aux yeux et qui va remettre en cause tout le fonctionnement de la Société.

C’était un premier tome assez dense, mais qui m’a permis de passer un bon moment. La vie de Kerrigan n’est vraiment pas simple et ses choix vont avoir de grosses conséquences sur la suite. Je suis curieuse de découvrir ce qui ca se passer par la suite. Fordham et Kerrigan sont deux personnages touchants et différents, et je suis sûre qu’ils s’aideront l’un et l’autre en se côtoyant.
Profile Image for Katie Prouty.
482 reviews134 followers
March 12, 2021
"Do you trust me?"
"Yes," he said easily.
"Then trust me."


Kerrigan Argon, half fae, half human, abandoned when she was a child and fighting for a place in her world. Adopted into House of Dragons. Ker makes a bargain... one month until the end of the tournament to find a tribe to accept her. As a form of punishment, she is to escort Fordham Ollivier, the fae prince who escaped hs dark throne in House of Shadows. A favor for a favor and the duo ally themselves. Will Ker be able to find a tribe to accept her?

I love Kerrigan's character- she is brave, wild, reckless, tough, spunky, spontaneous, and fiercely loyal. Fordham, the sad, broody boy who writes sad, broody poetry. Adore that princeling. Need more romance! More, more, more! The elemental magic system is RAD. The dragons (and riders) are awesome and remind me of wyverns from ToG. The tournament felt similar to the tri-wizard cup. Super cool, fantasy world with one BAWSE, female MC!

READ IF YOU LIKE:
-elemental magic
-super slow burn romance (sub plot)
-political intrigue & rules of royal houses
-murder mystery & mayhem
-dragons the size of wyverns (Throne of Glass series)
-dark, broody fae prince
-BAWSE female lead (Aelin vibes)

Song: Believer by Imagine Dragons
Profile Image for Kaily Warren.
101 reviews
November 5, 2023
A lovely fantasy filled with magic and dragons. I look forward to continuing the series!
1,084 reviews4 followers
August 22, 2023
L'héroïne est fort jeune ce qui se ressent dans ses décisions parfois impulsives et/ou stupides. J'ai eu beaucoup de mal à m'y retrouver dans l'univers créé par l'autrice au début, mais j'ai fini par le comprendre et l'apprécier.
September 26, 2020
I received an arc for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

You never know until you try. That was my motto going in this book as it was my first book about Fae or Fae like. It also helps that K.A. Linde writes this book as I felt like I floated to a magical land that I never wanted to leave. A land that needed Kerrigan Argon, a heroine who wanted to do the right thing regardless of what the high Fae’s had thought and what rules had been set in place. It was time for a change, and Kerrigan was unknowingly changing the rules and lives of everyone.

“I’m half-Fae, Helly. Half. You can’t possibly understand how everyone treats me because of who I am. I can’t tell people about my abilities. I can’t show who I truly am. And even if I could, no one would accept me for it.”

Kerrigan Argon has lived at the House of Dragons since she was 12 years old. She was taken care of by Mistress Hellina, Helly, for most of her life. It is time she finds her proper place. Kerrigan has spent years sneaking out and going down to the Wastes to fight to earn respect. With her being half-Fae, not everyone is on board with her being around. Some don’t want Fae’s mixing with others. They want to keep the pure just that, pure. With the Dragon tournament coming, she is one of several Dragon Blessed kids chosen by a Society member and lives with them. Though when it comes time to get picked, something unexpected happens.

“Someone once told me that if you master your fear, you’ll do great things. So for most of my life, I’ve walked right into every fear I’ve had. I face them and embrace them. I don’t want to have any fears holding me back on my way to greatness.”

Prince Fordham Ollivier, Ford, of the House of Shadows has lived his life away after the Society banished his tribe. He is now back to fight in the competition for one of the five dragons up for grabs. The tournament is hard, and if it wasn’t for Kerrigan's help, he may not have gotten as far as he would have without her help. Kerrigan was assigned to help him with anything he needs; having a half-fae assist him is not what he wanted. The House of Shadows has been known to get rid of anyone who isn’t pure Fae. He should not like or fall for Kerrigan, but he decides to help train her for her upcoming fight with the notorious Basem Nix. Will helping Kerrigan be his downfall?

“Where’s your sense of adventure, princeling?”
“Securely on the ground.”
“Are you afraid of heights?”
“Heights? No, falling from extreme heights – like off the back of a dragon, for instance....”

After the last tournament that happened five years ago where a human entered the game and won, riots occurred in the streets. The Red Masks were an anti-human and anti-half-fae no likey group. They went to the streets burning anything and everything in sight. Kerrigan had nightmares from what she experienced with them. If it hadn’t been for an unlikely person who saved and brought her back to health, she might not have been around to see this tournament. Will the Red Masks once again prevail to instill fear or will they once and for all be obliterated?

This book was everything, and even while I am typing this up now, I am already planning for a reread before it comes out. It was that freaking good. I love Kerrigan. I want to be her, but I don’t think I would have the courage to do what she does with as must gusto. I love her courage to do the right thing. I also fell in love with the broody Prince Ford. He grew on me, and I started rooting for him to win the tournament. Though to be honest, the workout that he had Kerrigan do would have taken me out. He had her run miles. I can run maybe a mile if I need to, but cardio isn’t my jam at all. I also wondered who was behind the Red Masks, as to who would have that much dislike with people just because they were different. Though you will have to read the book find out!

I highly recommend this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Profile Image for Kayleigh {K-Books}.
1,059 reviews24 followers
October 26, 2020
House of Dragons Review on K-Books

House of Dragons is definitely one of the biggest surprise reads of the year so far for me. I’d never heard of it before seeing a shout out on social media looking for bloggers to review this book. As soon as I looked this one up and read the blurb I knew that this was a book I needed to read. I am a huge fan of YA Fantasy and add that to the fact that there was dragons this was a must-read for me. I am so glad I gave this one a chance as I loved every moment of it.

House of Dragons tells the story of Kerrigan, a half-Fae, half human who is dragon-blessed. While living at The Society she finds that she is surrounded by people who are prejudiced against her due to her human side. When she isn’t chosen by one of the tribes Kerrigan finds she is running out of time. She must find a tribe to select her or she will be stuck at The Society forever.

House of Dragons was such an incredible story. I went into this one expecting an amazing fantasy world and lots of action… and I did get that… but I also got so much more. At it’s heart House of Dragons is a tale of racism, prejudice and overcoming hatred. Kerrigan deals with so much hatred because she is half human and this was so realistic of the racism that goes on in the real world. KA Linde deals with such horrific and real issues, in a fantastical world and she did it perfectly. It really does make you think about what people go through on a day-to-day basis. I loved that message that was so clear throughout the entire book.

Kerrigan was such a phenomenal and fantastic character. She is head-strong, stubborn and spunky. She won’t put up with the discrimination that she receives and fights people’s belief systems every step of the way. I absolutely adored that about her. Add into the mix her dark and brooding Fae Price… this book was everything I could have wanted and more. It’s a phenomenal fantasy book with a twist of murder mystery and it was fantastic!

I loved every single second of the book. It was so much more than what I was expecting and I am left reeling waiting for book 2. If I had to complain about one thing it would be that I wish there was more romance. I’m holding out hope that book 2 will have lots more romance for me to sit and swoon over. If you’re looking for an amazing YA fantasy to devour then I cannot recommend House of Dragons more. Pick it up… you won’t be disappointed.

“We’re all afraid. Every minute of every day. But those who master their fear, they’re the ones who go on to do great things.”

Profile Image for Books, Coffee & Passion.
519 reviews60 followers
October 13, 2020
This world is complex, magical, stunning and captivating. I was not expecting a fae world as complex as this one. There are a lot of characters, 12 tribes divided into 4 groups that use magic differently: one group that uses magic for might: warriors; another group that uses magic for good: healers; a group that uses magic for efficiency, basically for everyday tasks and another group that doesn't use magic at all. I think the first three groups are pretty much self-explanatory but the fourth group is definitely unique. In a world full of magic there's a group (3 tribes) that choose to not use magic. It's quite bizarre and intriguing.  Then there's also the Society that rules over everyone, half-fae, humans, dragons, a dragon tournament and a uprising. A uprising was brewing in this world filled with racism, poverty and discrimination. 
Kerrigan, the main character, half-fae/half-human, was abandoned by her father when she was a child. She had been living and training in the House of Dragons, in the mountain, for years. Now that she was seventeen, she could finally find her place in the society. But she needed to convince a tribe to choose her. Being half-fae just meant she never truly felt like she belonged. Her heart wanted to belong to a tribe, however she was also questioning if she belonged downward with the humans. Maybe even fighting for the criminal that saved her life once before. 
The beginning of the tournament really kicks this story into a fast pace. There was a lot happening! So, we have a fierce half-fae girl fighting for a place in the society, a mysterious dark fae prince, ruthless competitors, five dragons up for grabs, an assassin on the loose, an uprising lead by a mysterious red masked group, a slow burn romance and so much action!
I do think that there were too many things happening at the same time and it felt too much at times. I wanted a bit more insight on some of the tribes too, but I think we'll get there in the next books. There's some things about this society that did remind me a lot of The Hunger Games. I also didn't know this series is connected to the Ascension series, which I didn't read and there are spoilers for the events of that series. In my opinion, you don't need to read the Ascension series before House of Dragons, but just keep in mind that if you want to read the Ascension series it is best to read it before you start the Royal Houses series. 
House of Dragons is a very entertaining, fast paced story with a complex magical world building. I can't wait to read the next one because I bet there's going to be a lot more of a certain banned tribe. 
*Thank you to Wildfire Marketing for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.*
Profile Image for Clarabel.
3,419 reviews40 followers
August 22, 2023
Dans ce premier tome, on doit absorber beaucoup d'informations sur le monde imaginaire et les personnages. Surtout dans les premiers chapitres.

Au centre, nous avons donc Kerrigan, une demi-fae abandonnée dès son jeune âge et recueillie dans la Maison des dragons pour y suivre une formation. L'annonce de son affectation est d'ailleurs proche et pourrait changer le cours de son destin.
Or, rien ne se passe comme prévu. La cérémonie tourne au fiasco, un invité indésirable se présente pour le tournoi, la jeune fille enchaîne les visions et donc les malaises mais ne doit absolument rien confier de ses tourments.
De plus, on lui assigne le rôle d'assister le Prince de Ombres, Fordham Ollivier, tout au long des épreuves. Un calvaire pour l'un comme pour l'autre. Fordham n'a que du mépris pour sa nature de sang-mêlé, ce contre quoi elle riposte en montrant bien qu'elle exècre son attitude hautaine.
À côté de ça, la tension en ville se durcit. Son meilleur ami disparaît au cours de la nuit. Kerrigan est elle-même victime d'agressions. Un assassin est à ses trousses. Et le roi des Rebuts la force à accepter une compétition à la vie - à la mort en échange de ses bons et loyaux services.

Dit comme ça, l'histoire semble confuse et éparpillée. Elle se concentre aussi beaucoup sur Kerrigan, une héroïne au caractère bien trempé, qui fait preuve de courage pour aider ses amis et qui peut compter sur eux en contrepartie.
C'est aussi une gamine fragilisée par son abandon et par le poids des secrets qu'elle porte. Mais elle a envie de s'en sortir, de trouver une voie royale et non une porte de secours. À ce propos, sa capacité à plonger dans des situations improbables reste spectaculaire.
Par contre, la demoiselle a tendance à éclipser son entourage. Le prince obscur cache bien son jeu. Poète torturé et grognon, nous voilà ! La relation entre Kerrigan et lui est cependant épique car ils vont ensemble se lancer dans des missions contre l'avis de tous. Ma foi, c'est pas mal. Est-ce qu'il y a un soupçon de romance ? Sans doute. Toutefois, le dénouement ne nous autorise guère à glousser comme des dindes.
Et pour ça, je dis bravo. Cette lecture pleine de fraîcheur et d'enthousiasme possède de solides atouts, malgré quelques points faibles dont cette sensation trop diffuse et brouillonne. Suis curieuse pour la suite, sans l'inscrire dans mes priorités pour autant.
Profile Image for Erica Chilson.
Author 42 books435 followers
September 25, 2020
I received a free copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads

4 Stars

Word of advice, you should probably read the Ascension series prior to Royal Houses. House of Dragons is the debut in the Royal Houses series. I didn't find out until after I finished the novel that it is directly tied to another series, Ascension. Do I believe this affected my reading enjoyment? No. Do I believe you can read the two series independently of one another? Probably. I suffered no confusion, as the story unfolded as if it were new, without a ton of info-dumpage. As well, I feel as if there wasn't too much information given that it will ruin my reading experience for the Ascension series. However, I'll hold judgment on that until I read the previous series, though.

With a classic young adult epic fantasy vibe... Kerrigan has spent her entire life as a ward of the House of Dragons, after her royal father dumped her on their doorstep. Struggling with how the world views a halfling, half fae and half human, Kerrigan is seen as beneath the fae, equal with the humans. This has taught her another way to survive, given her tools her fellow fae haven't learned. Caught between two ways of life, Kerrigan is equipped to handle both worlds.

Strong, intelligent, and independent, Kerrigan is the rope in a tug-of-war, being pulled downward to join the humans, feeling a sense of loyalty to a dishonest man that saved her, while feeling a sense of duty and history with her father's people and the power that runs in her veins. All the while, she refuses to be put in her place by anyone around her, even if she feels abandoned by her father.

Hiding her powers, Kerrigan navigates the politics, the deception, and the rules of society as the royal houses converge for a tournament held every five years, the winners are rewarded with a bond with a dragon and entrance to the Society.

Intrigue, betrayals, mysteries, loyalty, love, loss, friendship, and honor, Kerrigan takes the reader on the beginning of an epic fantasy journey, where we're eager for the sequel as soon as we finish the last page.
Profile Image for K D.
1,359 reviews9 followers
May 4, 2023
I didn't know what to expect from this author with a fantasy romance book, but I was pleasantly surprised. I think the story got better as the series went on, and now I'm waiting for book 4 eagerly.

It's sort of a magical school, with fae and dragons. Our FMC is a half-fae (read 'not part of either group') "orphan" who's trying to become a member of the ruling, dragon-riding, magic-using, policy-making group through a long apprenticeship, etc.

The back drop is the social unrest caused by friction between the fae and humans. Where the humans want equality, and some fraction of the fae want the humans to be serf-like...

Of course of FMC is special somehow, three books in and stuff is still being revealed...
Profile Image for Nicki - The Overflowing Bookcase .
4,000 reviews158 followers
September 24, 2020
Wow - I have been misguided in the past. I have not enjoyed the fantasy genre previously but holy crap this one sucked me in from the opening pages and I literally never put it down. It made the trip out to dinner and it was with me everywhere I went today. Filled with mystery and mayhem, magic and imagination but it was not all just fluff. The strong heroine in Kerrigan and the wickedly shameless hero in Fordham Ollivier were both characters that were a perfect union with each other. Love and futures know no bounds!!
Profile Image for Devin McCain.
178 reviews1 follower
November 5, 2020
Oh how I missed Linde's fantasy writing! House of Dragons was such a great read. Full of magic, mystery, mischief, strong women and one roguish dark prince, this new world doesn't disappoint. Gimme an underdog, a secret identity or two, and all the magic and dragons!! I couldn't get enough.
Profile Image for Rhonda Ziglar.
3,901 reviews39 followers
January 26, 2023
5 AMAZING STARS!! WOW, is all I can say....I am so addicted to this story from the first page. Kerrigan was so fun to watch, she had me on the edge of my seat all the way through. I can't wait for the next book. You must read this book.
Profile Image for Moto Z.
298 reviews24 followers
January 6, 2021
I need time to unpack this book, cause I loved it
Profile Image for Book_bandit01.
46 reviews2 followers
March 18, 2024
3.75 stars
I wanted to be in my dragon era, and this book has kick started my search for more.
Kerrigan Argon is a fierce, bold, outgoing, passionate person. The red hair giving her even more props to me, as red hair is quite rare for MCs. With her being half-Fae, she was thrown away by her father and given to the House of Dragons, an orphanage that gives kids a second chance. They are called dragon blessed and has the job of taking care of dragons until they are ready for the dragon tournament. Which allows members of Dragon Society to give their best to compete for a dragon.
There are 12 tribes split into 4 groups with how they perceive their use of magic. (Divergent) None of the 12 tribes want to care for Kerrigan at her graduation, which deeply hurts Kerrigan. Being given a month (the end of the dragon tournament) she has to find a way to have one of the tribes choose her. (The Hunger Games)
Fordham Ollivier is a prince from the House of Shadows. the 13 tribe that has been shunned because they believe that Half-Fae and Humans are a disgrace and should be exterminated. He comes to win a dragon in order to win back his honor to the throne. (Avatar: The Last Air Bender) He's the dark brooding MMC who has the impression that Kerrigan is just another Half-Fae who has nothing going for her except death and solitude. But he's more than that. He's misunderstood. Kind, strong, caring, and cursed. He learns that what he has learned through his tribe is wrong and that in some cases they are somewhat behind on the times. It seems that the House of Shadows lives up to its name. No fun, the arts is forbidden. (Fordham loves poetry, but it seems that he must keep it a secret) You can see that the more time Kerrigan and Fordham spend together, the more you can see their chemistry and feelings grow. It was cute and I liked them together.
Kerrigan is special. She seems to have the powers of the elements and seem to be strong in all of them. But that's not all. She has a secret. She can see the future. Though she can't control them, she is able to see snippets in which she must figure out what they mean. No one can know about her visions though because people would imprison her and force her to tell them about their fate. The only people who knows of her power is Dozan, a psycho attractive human who is basically a mafia don leader to a fight club, Lyam, a friend of Kerrigan that has a crush on her and follows her to keep her safe, and Fordham, because she told him since the current visions had him in them.
Though R.I.P Lyam. He is murdered in an alleyway by an assassin that was following Kerrigan. He wasn't the target, but he was in the way. Luckily, they found out about the murder and was able to find out who was behind it. But the actual assassin herself, Isa, is still out there because of her bigger role.
It seems that we will have more dragon content in the next book because though she didn't participate in the tournament, she did pass the test to become a contestant. It just so happens that one of her visions made her enter the last test and become the 5th and final contestant to enter the cave before anyone else. From there, a dragon has to choose them and Tieran, the most prettiest and smallest dragon picked her. But they did not bond and. now have to pretend to be bonded as they train together. I'm excited because they don't really get along, but are now forced to because everything is riding on this if they get found out.
Also, Kerrigan has accepted Fordham's offer to join the House of Shadows instead of Byronica. Her father is King Argon of Byronica and disowned her because she was Half-Fae, and because her mother died at birth. She doesn't want to go back to somewhere that never wanted her in the first place. I don't think Shadows is any better, because though Fordham changed his ways doesn't mean that his tribe had. She was too naive on that one I believe.
Overall, the book was good and if I can find the next book, I would definitely like to read on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Megan.
200 reviews94 followers
February 12, 2024
First half was interesting, second half was just boring & a bit cringe.
March 6, 2024
Ok so the whole time I thought 4 star, too tame for me. And the. I realized this series is YA so that’s my bad. Of course it’s tame! So for a YA series, 5 star.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.