Broken Souls and Bones
L.J. Andrews
Lyra Bien intended to live a quiet life to avoid the attention of the magic-obsessed king in the fortress of Stonegate. Until Roark Ashwood—the prince’s silent guard and rumored killer for the crown—invades her village and uncovers the truth behind the silver scars in her eyes. To save her best friend from death, she’s forced to reveal her abilities, and is immediately claimed by the crown as the next melder.
To be the King’s melder is to be revered and feared in equal measures, but above all it is a slow death sentence. Lyra is determined to find a way to free herself and her friends from bondage. But first she must get more information from the silent, brooding sentry who first took her captive: Roark.
As Lyra gets closer to Roark, she soon learns he’s nothing like she assumed—and in fact everything she needs. The more they work as allies, the harder it becomes to ignore the growing passion between them. After a sinister truth is revealed, Roark and Lyra must choose to stand against all they know, or accept their dark destiny.
Book Review: Broken Souls and Bones (and blood magic)
L.J. Andrews crafts a dark and alluring world in Broken Souls and Bones that pulls you in from the start.
The setting feels immersive, even if not every aspect of it is immediately clear—but that didn’t take away from the overall intrigue I felt, especially with the magic system, which was one of the standout elements. The combination of soul, bone, and blood magic is very imaginative and keeps you interested. It adds both depth and danger to the plot, making interactions feel high stakes and emotionally charged.
Did I see the twist coming? Yes. Did that ruin my enjoyment? Absolutely not. In fact, the pacing and story made the 400+ pages fly by. It’s a testament to Andrews’ writing that even when you think you know where things are headed, you’re still compelled to keep turning pages.
Something else I appreciated about this book was that its just very readable—descriptive and easy—without ever feeling unpolished or simplistic. It strikes that ideal balance between lyrical and accessible.
Broken Souls and Bones is marketed as another enemies to lovers romantasy, but I wouldn’t quite label it that way. There’s no real hatred or rivalry here—just more of a lack of understanding and hidden motives. It’s not insta-love, but it is very much an insta-connection due to plot reasons, which is a trope I’m personally starting to tire of. That being said, the chemistry is there, and the emotional tension feels genuine, even if the arc follows a somewhat familiar pattern for fans of the genre.
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