Take a photo of a barcode or cover
lil_xo 's review for:
Broken Souls and Bones
by LJ Andrews
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Broken Souls and Bones by L.J. Andrews was one of my most anticipated releases this year—and it did not disappoint. If you didn’t already know, L.J. is easily one of my favorite authors. Her Broken Kingdoms series (and its spin-offs) have me in an absolute chokehold, so I went into this book with sky-high expectations. She smashed every single one of them.
BSAB serves up a brilliant dark romantasy that delivers on all fronts: plot, character, and spice. The cast is refreshingly diverse, featuring representation across disability, race, and sexuality. The male main character is mute due to an injury, communicating solely through sign language and expressive facial cues. The way L.J. writes his signing is incredibly authentic—it’s respectful, detailed, and emotionally resonant. Writing a mute character is no small feat, but she nails it. Some of my favorite scenes were the ones where he’s angrily signing or joking with his friend Thane—those interactions felt so alive.
The magic system in this new series is seriously dark—gruesome, twisted, and honestly? I kind of love it. In a genre overflowing with magical systems, this one managed to feel fresh and, at times, left me breathless.
The story as a whole had me laughing, crying, and literally on the edge of my seat. L.J. has such a talent for writing banter and deep friendships, always pulling you in with humor and camaraderie before utterly wrecking you emotionally.
Yeah, my girl did it again—Broken Souls and Bones is a solid 5/5 for me. I’ll be shamelessly begging for an ARC of book two.
BSAB serves up a brilliant dark romantasy that delivers on all fronts: plot, character, and spice. The cast is refreshingly diverse, featuring representation across disability, race, and sexuality. The male main character is mute due to an injury, communicating solely through sign language and expressive facial cues. The way L.J. writes his signing is incredibly authentic—it’s respectful, detailed, and emotionally resonant. Writing a mute character is no small feat, but she nails it. Some of my favorite scenes were the ones where he’s angrily signing or joking with his friend Thane—those interactions felt so alive.
The magic system in this new series is seriously dark—gruesome, twisted, and honestly? I kind of love it. In a genre overflowing with magical systems, this one managed to feel fresh and, at times, left me breathless.
The story as a whole had me laughing, crying, and literally on the edge of my seat. L.J. has such a talent for writing banter and deep friendships, always pulling you in with humor and camaraderie before utterly wrecking you emotionally.
Yeah, my girl did it again—Broken Souls and Bones is a solid 5/5 for me. I’ll be shamelessly begging for an ARC of book two.