Lyra and Roark have my heart. A "touch her and die" MMC, but deep down, he's a total sweetheart. “Tears? What must I do to return them to your eyes?” UGH.

Set in a Viking inspired world, LJ Andrews knows how to create beautifully descriptive settings that completely immerse you. There was so much action especially towards the end. I know this book isn't out yet, but that ENDING was wild and I'm so excited to see how the story continues.

I loved every second of this!!

⚔️ I have read many of LJ Andrews’ books and I can honestly say she just gets better and better. I can’t believe how good this book is. I immediately wanted to reread it.
⚔️ LJ certainly knows how to write those silent broody types and I am here for it.
⚔️ Everything from the world building to the plot to the chemistry and personalities of the characters was mesmerizing. I couldn’t put it down.

Broken Souls and Bones is not a short read but it's a story that will have you on the edge of your seat and ends with a cliffhanger that will have you wanting the next book asap. I really don't want to give anything away, but this story is full of characters you will love, and those you will love to dislike. However, when it comes to this story Lyra, Kael, Roark, Emi, Prince Thane and Yrsa are just a few of them you will love. The chemistry, attraction, desire and protectiveness that develops between Lyra and Roark is everything. This story is funny and it's full of great main and side characters, suspense, mystery, enemies, allies, death, lies, secrets, betrayal, greed, power plays, attraction, romance, desire, need, a sense of belonging, divided and entwined souls, magic and so much more. It ended with a cliffhanger I didn't see coming at all and I can't wait to read the next book in this series. I think readers that enjoy paranormal stories filled with action, unexpected surprises, romance and fated souls will enjoy this story. I know it's one I will be recommending to all of my paranormal romance book loving friends.

He’s a 10, but he leaves men he’s killed and dismembered on pikes in front of the palace because they insulted or harmed you… and then asks if he frightens you 💀

L.J Andrews is truly the queen of writing and creating Viking worlds and atmospheres. I loved this book as much as her Broken Kingdoms and Ever Seas series, and I can’t wait for more of this new perfect and hopefully long series.

Immediately in Broken Souls and Bones we get thrown into the world of Jarls, Kings, armies (Stav), and the life of Lyra, a bone-melder. Our FMC is so easy to love, and so easy to relate to. We watch her grow in strength and confidence throughout this book and watch her grow into her magic. Did I mention that this Viking world is full of blood, bone, and soul magic? Yeah, it’s freaking awesome. As we meet our MMC, the prince’s stoic and reserved sentry named Roark, he is also easy to love with his hand speak, skill, brutality and tenderness to those he protects and loves. The two main characters are obviously connected all the way down to their souls, and seeing their character development and relationship was such a perfect journey. This book was really intense at times, had many elements unravel, and a lot of action which always had me wanting to read more, making me stay up way past my bedtime many nights. This book gave me all the feels, and I enjoyed every single second of it.

I am on L.J Andrews’ Street Team and have previously ARC read The Mist Thief. I was given this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and I am not exaggerating when I say I’m OBSESSED with L.J Andrews writing style and books. This book is worth the read x500,000,000,000,000. If you love Vikings and magic, this is for you.

*Scenes are subject to change through editing as this has not been published yet

LJ Andrews is proving herself an autobuy author for me!

Broken Souls and Bones is the perfect introduction book to this new series, with such an interesting, unique magic system and worldbuilding. I loved the MCs, they had great chemistry, fun banter and interactions, and I loved the ending! I can't wait for the next one!

Thank you LJ Andrews, Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC!

Another amazing Romantasy by LJ Andrew’s! I cannot wait for the world to meet Roark and Lyra! Infinity stars for this one! Thank you to LJ and her team for this e-arc!

LJ Andrews doesn’t miss, and her newest shows that. This felt new and fresh with so many of our favourite fantasy qualities. I was hooked in quickly and didn’t stop until it ended. I loved this book, the characters and the beautiful development. The pacing was perfect and world building was excellent.

Broken Souls and Bones by LJ Andrews is a captivating, emotional read that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The characters are relatable, and the story mixes suspense with romance perfectly. If you love a thrilling, heart-wrenching journey, this book is definitely worth picking up!

This was stunning. The world building was a fresh new idea, deep, and well developed. The magic system was fascinating but never felt too tricky to understand. I feel like information was perfectly distributed throughout the book and was constantly learning more without being confused. The plot had great twists - even though you thought you knew, there was still some shocks. The characters put a heavy emphasis on family and I am so excited to follow their growth in the next installment. I cannot wait for more Lyra and Roark.

This is the first book in the Stonegate series, a new Viking dark romantasy inspired by blood, Bone and soul magic. This is in a separate world from the author’s prior series. This book does include adult spicy content and is dark in terms of themes and content.

Tropes and themes include:

✨found family

✨court intrigue

✨sign language rep

✨LGBTQ+ rep

✨touch her and die

✨enemies to lovers

✨banter

✨forbidden romance

✨angst/hurt/comfort.

The Lovely: I’m not even sure where to start on what I loved. Is “all of it” fair? If I have to narrow down to my favorite part, it would be the rich characters and their relationships. The supporting characters, the found family, are well-developed and each have their own role to play in the story. The MMC and FMC have a delectable chemistry that grows and changes as the book progresses. There’s a definite push and bull between them and I enjoyed this dynamic.

Also Lovely: Back to picking lovely part - I think it’s hard because all the pieces of the work and come together in such a seamless manner. The author’s writing flows in such a manner you don’t even notice the individual pieces. The tension and pacing kept me engaged and the mysterious nature kept me guessing. I would think I had something figured out and then something would happen to change my mind. This made for a fun read.

Rating: 5/5 Stars 3/5 Flames

Recommendation: Thank you to the author and the publisher for this ARC. I have no doubt I will re-read this at least once before its release - it is just that good. The ending isn’t so much a cliffhanger as there’s a big reveal that turns the story upside down. I need to know what happens next - like NOW. I’m in love with these characters and just want to live in their world.

LJ Andrews has done it again. This was an absolute masterpiece. Everything about this was absolutely fantastic. I’ve been able to really see how her writing has grown, and seeing her start over with world building and creating an entirely new cast is mesmerizing. Her style of writing is so incredibly immersive and I can’t help but feel proud of her as I read this first traditionally published book.
I was gushing over these characters the entire time, and one thing Andrews has always excelled at is writing a found family. This book had my new favorite found family, I absolutely adored every single character. Seeing their banter, and the small details she adds in to show how much they care for each other is unmatched.
The story and plot felt new and unique while still utilizing well loved tropes that never seem to get old. She has a way of sucking you in, and getting you so invested. The ending of the book was some of her best work honestly, every reveal had me gasping and on the edge of my seat. The way these books are written make you feel so much for every single character. You know when you feel so deeply for characters, it truly feels like you know them. I am not so patiently awaiting the next book in this series.
Thank you endlessly to Berkley and NetGalley for the arc of Broken Souls and Bones. Getting to experience a new favorite early is truly an honor.

LJ Andrews is one of my all time favorite Romantasy authors, so I was very excited to read this new series. As expected, it was an amazing read. I was hooked as soon as it started and couldn't put it down. Her skill with building a world and characters you can easily fall in love with is the reason why I will always recommend her work to everyone, and this book is no different. There is so much detail in this story that just sucks you into the world, and leave you craving book 2. I can't wait to see what happens to our cast of characters and see what happens next in their story!

This is the first book of the a new series by LJ Andrews. It is a different world from her Broken Kingdoms / Ever Series and I LOVED IT! Once again, LJ takes us into a world of magic and Vikings.

Lyra is a girl from a small town who doesn’t really remember her past. She wants to stay with her brother and live a simple life. Roark is the strong, silent type. No really. He is mute and speaks a type of sign language. He is the personal guard, and best friend, of the Prince.

I really enjoyed the all the new characters LJ has introduced. The relationship and dynamic between the MCs is amazing, as well as the relationships between Lyra and her brother, and Roark and the Prince. The story is captivating and, of course, the world building is phenomenal as always. Now, you may get lost in the new magic system as it is different from LJ’s other book. Don’t worry! It is well described (and very interesting). Like always, I had to read a little slower to make sure I understood what was happening. But it is fascinating!

Spice. Is there spice? There is a little. Like most first books in a romantasy, there is some heat between the characters, but I do love the natural build up to the spice. This couple is a bit of a slow build, but I think it will get a little spicer as we get further into this world. This book is filled with magic, found family, secrets and fate!

Another home run by LJ Andrews! Lyra is trying to live a quiet, simple life, far away from the kingdom's capital. The king is obsessed with collecting every magic wielder for his own use, and as a melder, Lyra is highly sought after by the king. She feels she is succeeding in hiding away from the king until Roark Ashwood marches into her village and immediately uncovers her. The choice is simple, cooperate and come to the capital, or watch those you love suffer. Her plan is to go along until escape becomes possible, but when suspicious and sinister things begin to happen around them, Lyra learns that the cold, stoic Roark may be her closest ally and the only one who can save her from the darkness all around her.

I adore a slow burn, and this book gave me exactly what I wanted. Their banter is witty and fit the attitudes of their characters. I did like the dual POVs but was still blown away with the secrets. I had no idea they still held onto until the end, even from the reader. Roark can not speak and uses a form of hand signs that represent the ASL community. Roark is 100% my new book boyfriend! My only warning is the ending is a cliffhanger... but a mind-blowing, absolutely perfect, throw my book cause I need more ASAP cliffhanger. I CANNOT wait for book two! Add this to your TBR now, you can thank me later.

Broken Souls and Bones (ARC REVIEW)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First off, I want to say a huge thank you to LJ and her team for allowing me to be a member of her street team. This is the 4th book I've read of hers, and she has quickly become one of my favorite authors. 2025 is going to be a LJ heavy year, as I fully intend to devour her 9-book Broken Kingdoms series as well.

Onto BSAB- this book is incredible. I adored the world building, and the unique magic systems at play. The magic system was unlike anything else I've read. I absolutely fell head over heels for the characters. I would honestly read an individual story about each and every one. This story also kept me guessing until the very end. I need book 2 😅

Tropes:
-Found family
-Soul mates
-Enemies(ish) to lovers
-He falls first (and harder)
-Touch her and die
-He's soft only for her
-Sign Language/Speech impaired representation

Broken Souls and Bones will be out in the world April 29th 🖤 I highly recommend this one!

#bookreviews #ljandrews #wickeddarlings #arcreview #booktok #bookstagram #2025reads #beautifulbooks #fantasyromance

Broken Souls And Bones immediately pulled me in and held my attention. It’s full of banter, magic, suspense, and intrigue. The world building is artfully done and makes it easy to imagine slipping into this world of fantasy. Not only is there fantastic chemistry between the two main characters, but the interactions between supporting characters is just as good! If you love a good story filled with Vikings and magic, you’ll enjoy this book.

It’s the story of Lyra & Roark. Lyra is a young girl, who has spent her entire life in hiding because of the rare melding magic in her blood. Lyra is the last of her kind; both feared and hated for something she never asked for. Roark, a Draven by birth, is the silent and brooding Sentry for the Prince of Stonegate. When he was tossed out of his own clan, unable to speak and left for dead, Roark found a home and purpose amongst those who should be his enemies.

When the fates turn, Lyra finds her hiding days are over and nothing will ever be the same. Brought from the safety of Skalfirth into the King’s service in Stonegate, Lyra has no choice but to endure Roark’s constant presence. Detest him as she may, Roark may be the only one to protect Lyra from those who want her dead. Because “fate or something crueler had always been there” forging their paths together.

Tropes in this book include:
Slow Burn 🔥
Enemies to Lovers
Found Family
Morally Grey Characters
Touch Her & ☠️
Fated Mates/Soul Bonding
Non Speaking MMC/Sign Language Rep

Really enjoyed this story. I kind of guessed a couple of the details that are revealed near the end but I wasn't upset by them. Looking forward to the next book(s) in this series.

Broken Souls and Bones by LJ Andrews (Release date April 29, 2025)

It’s no secret how much I adore LJ Andrews and the worlds she creates. I’m not even remotely joking when I say she is an IMMEDIATE auto buy author. Needless to say when I was asked if I wanted a physical ARC I did not keep my chill. No regrets. This book was PHENOMENAL, the world building, the magic system, the depth of both side and main characters, the lore, the politics, the banter, the romance, and the spice 👀 The hands and mind on this man, yes the HANDS AND MIND. In true LJ fashion I was reeling by the end and needed a minute to calm down properly. I’ll share my annotations publication day

LJ Andrews I wanna lick your brain, respectfully.

5/5🦝🦝🦝🦝🦝
3/5🌶️🌶️🌶️

What you can find:
- Viking/Nordic Themes
- Unique Magic System
- Forced Proximity
- Sign Language Rep
- Touch her and Die
- Enemies to Lovers
- Banter
- He’s her Body Guard
- Side Characters I would Die for
- Your heart in your butt
- Your figurative balls being held captive by this book

Muddle Summary:

She’s been on the run her entire life for the curse with in her eyes. A marking, a damnation. The silver sliver through her eye marked her as lost melder, yet she was not just any melder. She was the lost melder that everyone had searched for before. Specifically from the raids that claimed so many lives from so many kingdoms. She doesn’t remember how she escaped, only that she did. She did however remember the screams in her dreams. This is why she was taught to blend it, to stay hidden and to become unnoticeable. All was well until what was thought to be a routine visit of the Kings Stav to their Earldom, turned into a battle of wills. The question was whose will would win? Would her will to stay hidden or would the will of the Death Bringer, the Kings Sentry, to reveal her as the lost melder win out?

Broken Souls and Bones by Tik Toc sensation LJ Andrews transports you to the Viking Era with it’s imaginative storyline full of twists and turns, magic, tension, and mystery. Lyra Bien was kidnapped as a small child and sent to live hidden in a small out of the way town. Lyra knows she has to hide her silver eyes but she isn’t sure why until the King sends the Prince’s silent guard and rumored killer for the crown, Roark Ashwood, to find her. The power hungry king immediately claims her as the “melder” and she is revered and feared in equal measure because of the magic she can perform. What Lyra learns is nothing is as it seems and using this new power is a death sentence for her but the King will not let her stop as her powers strengthen his army. She needs to save herself and her friends but how?

If you are a fan of romantasy and the enemies to lovers trope with magic fueled by blood, soul and bone – known here as the craft- this is the story for you. It had a unique and imaginative storyline with well developed characters, including the side characters that really move this plot forward. But that ending though….. WOW, didn’t see that coming, The story wraps up all of the loose ends but then blindsides us with additional questions that are screaming for a sequel.

Thank you to @authorljandrews @berkleypub and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC for an honest review.

LJ Andrews never lets me down. This story was so unique I truly could not predict what was going to happen next at each turn. I did find the magic system to be a bit confusing which led to a little confusion during some of the conflicts but that might just be a me problem. I also thought the beginning was a tad slow but once it finally picked up it was full speed ahead until the end.

The romance is pretty insta love-y which I don’t hate but wanted to call out. I found it really interesting how the author wrote the MMC as a non-speaking character and really enjoyed that aspect of the book. The plot twist at the end was INSANE in the best way. So out of the box my jaw was on the floor.

I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next one and think this one is worth the read!