Broken Souls and Bones by. L.J. Andrews | Book Review – Past Midnight Book Reviews & More

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Broken Souls and Bones (Stonegate, #1)

Author: L.J. Andrews

Format: borrowed (Libby)

Pages: 470

Publication Date: 4/29/25

Categories: Romantasy, Series, Viking-Inspired

Together they’ll restore a divided kingdom—or burn it down—in this new romantasy from USA Today bestselling author and TikTok sensation LJ 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.

Content Warning: violence, bodily injuries

+ I didn’t know this was the same author who wrote The Ever King series, which I love. But I shouldn’t have been surprised – I finished this book in three days (only because I was reading another book at the same time).

+ This is a viking-inspired romantasy and I found it refreshing especially with the unique magic system in place. The magic consists of bone magic – and there are some gruesome parts in this book where Lyra has to plunge her hand into a would to use her magic. Or she can manipulate someone’s bones – yikes! What a weapon to have! I found it fascinating and hope to learn more about it. There is political drama, secrets also and a few plot twists.

+ Our MMC, Roark, can’t speak and uses sign language so it was interesting to see him and Lyra go from enemies to lovers but I was definitely rooting for them the whole way. He is basically her bodyguard and with all the forced proximity their desire and like for one another grows substantially. I liked how protective he was of her but we shall see what happens in book two!

+ I loved the side characters like Emi and Prince Thane. I like the camaraderie and sense of family that Lyra observes between Thane, Emi and Roark. Lyra has her own found family as well with Kael and the other people in their group.

~ I did find it a little challenging to figure out what was happening with the magic they were using. I definitely could visualize it when they did it, especially bone craft but I think there is a lot more to learn about all the crafts and I hope we get that in book two. Lyra has all three, she’s a melder, but she learned the magic a little too fast I think for someone who was hiding that part of her and never used it before.

~ There is a major plot twist but I will admit I was confused for a minute as to what was happening. A lot was happening at the end of this story that shocked me. And it ends in a cliffhanger, of course!

Final Thoughts:

I’ve been in a reading slump and I feel like this pushed me out of it! I like that it was viking-inspired instead of all the same romantasy settings I’ve been reading lately and the magic system is unique, though would love to learn more about it. I loved Lyra and Roark’s romance story but with that cliffhanger ending and I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!