Romantasy

Review: Sword of Hadrian by Chloelia Salome

June 24, 2026

Synopsis:

In a kingdom where magic is forbidden, Sashki lived an ordinary life—until the day she begins having visions of a destiny she never imagined was her own. The visions reveal a shocking she possesses a rare, powerful magic, and her twin brother, whom she never knew existed, wields a dark and dangerous magic of his own. As the kingdom of Carserae teeters on the brink of destruction, Sashki is faced with an agonizing choice—use her magic to save the kingdom, even if it means destroying her brother.

But magic comes with its own dangers. To protect herself and her newfound powers, Sashki must keep everything secret, including her growing feelings for the prince of Carserae. Though magic is banned in Carserae, Sashki persuades the prince to assist her in fulfilling her destiny, all while keeping her abilities a closely guarded secret. As they embark on a journey to confront the kingdom’s fate, Sashki finds herself torn between her heart and her responsibility.

In a world where love and duty collide, Sashki must confront the truth of her identity, her powerful connection to the prince, and the heartbreaking sacrifice required to save her people. Will she destroy the brother she never knew, or can she find a way to save both him and the kingdom without losing herself in the process?

Review:

We meet Sashki and a close group of friends. Over the years, this group becomes smaller and smaller, and after the death of her parents and the prospect of an inheritance, she ends up continuing her life as a servant to one of her former friends. While she enjoys more freedom and luxury than other servants, it is still a constant reminder that her former life is long gone, and with it everything that came with being wealthy and secure.
While her friend Celia does look out for her, there are also moments when she reminds Sashki of her status. These were the points where I immediately realized that I didn’t like Celia very much.

When Sashki develops powers – at a time when magic is forbidden and can lead to immediate death – she begins having visions. This leads Celia to decide to fake Sashki’s status and seek help from a childhood friend at the kingdom, hoping to protect it from an evil that threatens to rise again, as it has in the past.

The overall premise of the story sounded very promising to me. The execution, however, felt a bit lacking. The writing style and characters did not fully connect with me. Who I did like was Sashki – her story arc, going from having everything to having nothing, and then learning that she is special and has an important role to play, was something I appreciated and felt was done well. Everything happening in between often felt a bit rushed and disconnected to me.
Still, it kept me entertained enough to continue the series and to want to know what happens next.

🌙 Recension: Sword of Hadrian (Sword of Hadrian #1) by Chloelia Salome
📚 Genre: Romantasy
📅 Release Date: March 3, 2026
📗 available in various formats
📱 Read as: Kindle
💸 Bought
🗣️ Language: English
📆 Pages: 796
⭐️ 3/5