“𝑯𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆,” have you dove into The Ever Seas yet? If not, then you must do so to meet your next book boyfriend, The Ever King himself, Erik Bloodsinger. LJ’s writing is fast paced and riveting. Her world building and character development is phenomenal. And who doesn’t want to see the villain get the girl? Highly recommend!

“I will tell you something, Bloodsinger.” Her voice was soft and breathless. “When I claim that moment of bravery, it will not be sudden. It will be slow. It will be well thought out. I will wait until I have you in my grasp. You may not even realize it has happened. In that moment, I will strike and watch you bleed.”

LJ Andrews continues to captivate me with her incredible writing! The Ever King is an amazing NA Dark Fantasy! With page turning action, witty banter, a fierce FMC, and a ton of my favorite tropes, I couldn't put it down! And after an ending like that, I'm going to The Ever Queen stat! 5⭐️

•Enemies to lovers
•Forced Proximity
•Kidnapping (ish)
•Pirates, fae, Siren
•Forbidden love
•He falls first
•Slow burn

I loved that we saw a sneak peek of a future generation. You don’t need to start with the original series to understand this one, but it was a cute Easter egg.

And this book is just as amazing re-reading as it was the first time! I'll never tire of it!

Absolutely loved this book! I feel like I would have loved it just a bit more if I had the background stories so I’m probably gonna read all the Broken Kingdom books. Then I’ll come back and reread The Ever King and The Mist Thief so I can really enjoy them.

But Erik and Livia are just darling and I loved the relationship and how wrapped up they are in each other, PERFECT.

This book is perfection. LJ's writing style and the way she creates worlds you can vividly picture in your mind are skills to envy. I adore this story and the connection between Erik and Livia. The real raw honesty between them cracks your heart open in the best way. The characters burrow their way into your heart and take root in your very soul, much like Livia's fury. This book holds a place in my top 5 favourites of all time. Thank you for the early copy!

This was a very solid romantasy!! I had a great time with this one, although I did find it slow from the 30% mark to the 50% mark. I think the ending of this was extremely well done! It had me captivated and I devoured it AND THAT CLIFFHANGER?!

I do think this would be a great place for someone wanting to get into the fantasy romance genre to start. The world building is very easy to grasp, and this is a classic enemies to lovers (kind of), slow burn romance with a touch of spice. I honestly can’t wait to read the second book!!!

I loved this book! It took me a second to get into but I was fully immersed by the end. I loved the vibes of this book with the ship, sea, and pirates. Great plot as well! I’m so excited to get into the second book because the cliff hanger I was left on?!? Are you kidding?! Loved it!

While yes, I'm a fan of Romantasy. This just didn't work. The Dialogue was so bland and could not stop eye rolling! Sadly will not be continuing with this series.

Thank you Net Galley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC. I'm Grateful 🙏🏾

"THE EVER KING" out Sept 5th 2025

Solid 2 stars!!

I really loved the dark pirate-y aesthetic of the old books but this rerelease makes it POP. I'm a big cover person and that is what drew me to this ARC in the first place. Also love the fact that there is bonus material at the end of the book.. that scene is so important because it explains why/how Erik Bloodsingers inner circle came to be what it is. Getting those different perspectives at the end really just shows you who Erik was/has been even as a child and how that translates into who he is as an adult, a man (and a overall king)!! The depths he was willing to go even as a child for the people here cared about, and even those he didn't just shows his character. I love that he's so nonchalant about the fact that he's actually a good guy under the hard king/pirate exterior.
A lot of folks on Tik Tok have already delved into this series but it was super new to me.. And if it's new to you and you're intrigued, the premise is basically that Erik and Livia met as children when Erik was being held captive by her father. Who he hates for a variety of reasons. So later in life, he kidnaps her in what anyone would assume is just revenge against her father. But it’s much more than that. Everything Erik Bloodsinger does has a purpose. Erik is the king of the Ever (he sea fae) and he’s a pirate captain. While Livia, is a princess, and future queen of the Earth fae. The earth fae are enemies of the sea fae and have been for yearrrrrs. MESSY that these two have been intertwined for so long but it feels so lovely and so meant to be that they end up back in each other's orbit. Royal politics and family's opinions be darned.. these two are meant to be and will stop at nothing to be together.
I loved LJ Andrews’ writing style, her way with words. I’d also recommend the audiobook if you'd be into an immersive read. It really brought the characters to life and I liked the voice actors, they fit the characters in my head and were well done without being cheesy. Erik, depending on how the rest of the series goes could definitely become one of my favorite mmc’s. We will have to see where the rest of the story goes in The Ever Queen. But I will say, there’s a way that he handles/helps/cares for Livia that is so intentional and caringggg. He really helps her keep her head above water. And the way Livia comes to stand up for him… it helped me respect her more.
Love the magic in this book and the way each character has different magic within them, some stronger than others and some, like Livia who haven't even tapped into their true potential. I am truly just so excited to see where the story goes next and what happens to not just Erik and Livia, but the side characters as well. The found family, and the way they mostly begrudgingly accept Livia into the fold, is so lovely. I am invested in all their stories and excited to see where they go.
After the cliffhanger that this book left me on… WOOO-weee!! Did someone say BETRAYAL?
All in all, I can’t wait to see Livia stand up for Erik even more when the time comes. I definitely need to read the rest of the Ever Seas books, I’m not sure if I’ll listen to the second or read it physically but I am deeply invested int the Serpent and the Songbird and I can’t wait to see where there story goes.

Around this time last year, I picked up The Ever King for the very first time not knowing it would become my gateway drug into the world of pirate romantasy. I’ve always loved pirate-themed video games and movies, but I wasn’t sure how that would translate to fantasy romance. But, this book grabbed ahold of me and refused to let go. So, first and foremost, a massive thank you for letting me be one of the first to read the republished version of this incredible story.

What truly sets this apart is its unique blend of pirates, fae lore, and Norse-inspired elements. That combination creates a world that feels mystical, dangerous, and brimming with political tension. You’re not just reading about a world, LJ takes you into it like you are walking alongside Erik and Livia.

Erik Bloodsinger is a force of nature, equal parts rage and restraint, ice and fire. He’s the kind of morally gray character that keeps you up at night thinking about his choices, his silence, and the weight of the crown he bears. Despite his brutal exterior, there's a quiet tenderness that emerges in the most unexpected moments, especially when Livia is involved.

And Livia? She’s fierce, clever, and unyielding, she never once lets herself become a passive player in this world. Her strength doesn’t come from swinging a sword (though she’s more than capable), but from her unshakable will. Every scene between them is a battle of dominance, trust, and longing.

This isn’t a soft fantasy-romance, itt’s raw, tense, and emotional. There are moments that toe the line of dark romance, especially when power dynamics are involved. But Erik’s restraint and unspoken protectiveness keep it grounded in mutual respect. He never crosses that line, and that matters.

This book also delivers on the story. There are secrets, twists, betrayals, and a brutal cliffhanger that left me itching to start book two. If you’re looking for a romantasy that blends rich world building, swoon-worthy tension, and characters who will haunt you in the best way, this book needs to be at the top of your TBR. Erik and Livia own my heart, and I have a feeling they’ll own yours too.

WHY did this take me so long to read?! I was completely sucked in from the beginning and I cannot wait to continue this series.

This was such a good romantasy and had all the elements I love in a book! We have pirates, fae, sirens and such an interesting magic system! This was my first pirate fantasy and it will definitely not be my last. The banter and tension between Erik and Livia was SO good and had me so invested in their love story. The book starts off a little slower but the slow burn was SO WORTH IT! If you’re looking for a bingeable romantasy this is definitely for you!

Romantasy
Morally grey MMC
Slow burn
Banter
Enemies to lovers
Captive romance

“You, Erik Bloodsinger, are the kind of darkness I would follow across the skies and seas.”

If you haven’t experienced the Ever Seas yet, you MUST! This series quickly became one of my favorite duologies with some of my favorite characters. Livia is my girl, and the perfect FMC. And trust me when I say, you NEED to meet Erik Bloodsinger.—Who doesn’t want a book boyfriend that will unalive the people who hurt you and make them into bone jewelry in your honor. 😮‍💨👑🤌🏻

The tension between these two is delicious! And the romance has just the right amount of spice, which keeps the heat building throughout the book. Erik is jealous, possessive, and a dark morally grey, which, if anyone has met me knows morally grey is my favorite color. This man would burn the damn world down for Livia, and I was here for it!

If you love a dangerous slow burn romance, antiheros and vengeance, incredible supporting characters, and a love that would burn the world down to thrive. You need to read this ASAP!

And for those who loved Sewell, there’s bonus content in the new ACE Hardcover edition that dives deeper into his backstory. (I love him with my whole reader heart.) 🥹💕🫶🏻

This was for sure a super solid romantasy!! *whispers really fast* it’s just that romantasy really isn’t my thing so much, but that’s so fine & to each their own!! I for sure thought that this world, this vibe, & the idea of the story was GREAT. Super aesthetic & a lot more compelling, to me personally, than some stories in the genre!! I even really loved elements of Erik & Livia. I think that the part that will always just not grab me so much is the immediacy of romance happenings. I know I’m the sole gal in the crowd who is thinking, “man, I wish they didn’t actually get together to the end.” I think that if the burn was slower, I’d probably be a bit more feral. But, hey! That’s really just me. I definitely thought it was a good time though & can for sure appreciate it!! I think that this’ll be such a good fit for a lot of fans of acotar & fourth wing, with its similar very accessible world building & writing!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & to Berkley for the eARC!

This is a reread and for the second time I ATE. THIS. UP.

“A man he’s not, we work we rot, no sleep until it’s through. A sailor’s grave is all we crave. We are the Ever King’s crew.”

Pirates of the Caribbean but with deadly magic, siren songs, political intrigue, and one very fine MMC who could absolutely kidnap me and take me to the Ever.

Erik Bloodsinger, the man that you are. “Hate me, curse me, I cared little, so long as I was the first thought of her day and the last of her night.” OH MY. Morally gray (leaning black). Possessive. Emotional. The tried-and-true “who did this to you” trope. And the nicknames, Serpent and Songbird, melt my heart. This man is my pirate fantasy, no notes. And don't get me wrong, I liked Livia too, but sorry babes, I want your man.

This is not really enemies to lovers. It is more “forced to be enemies because they are on opposing sides of a war.” I would say it leans toward second chance, childhood friends to lovers, and I am here for it. That history just makes their romance hit harder.

The book is the perfect blend of plot and romance, giving just enough of everything without leaning too heavy in one direction.

And those bonus chapters at the end? The backstory for Sewell, one of my favorite side characters, was such a treat and I am so grateful we got it. I would die for him.

If you are into morally gray pirate kings, slow-burn tension, captor/captive vibes, forced proximity, found family, and elemental fae, run, don't walk, to read The Ever King.

4.5 ⭐️

“𝒮𝓊𝒸𝒽 𝒶 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒾𝒻𝓊𝓁 𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝒷𝒾𝓇𝒹. 𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒶 𝓅𝒾𝓉𝓎 𝒾𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓈𝑒𝓇𝓅𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓇𝓊𝒾𝓃 𝒽𝑒𝓇.”

This had everything I wanted in a Pirate Fae Romantacy. The characters, the world, the magic, the tension & spice were excellent! Erik Bloodsinger is was delicious. Morally Grey, obsessive, touch her and die, tortured villain.

‎‧₊˚✧𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽✧˚₊‧

⤷ Enemies to Lovers
⤷ Captive/Captor
⤷ Morally Grey/Obsessed MMC
⤷ Touch Her & Die
⤷ Forced Proximity
⤷ Pirate Fae Romantacy

"𝒴𝑜𝓊'𝓇𝑒 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑜, ℬ𝓁𝑜𝑜𝒹𝓈𝒾𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇. 𝒴𝑜𝓊'𝓇𝑒𝓂𝓎 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒾𝒻𝓊𝓁 𝓂𝑜𝓃𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇."

“𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓈𝓊𝓅𝓅𝑜𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝒶𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝑜. 𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓇𝓊𝒾𝓃𝑒𝒹 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 ℐ 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝑒. ℛ𝓊𝒾𝓃 𝓂𝑒. 𝒟𝑒𝓈𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓎 𝓂𝑒. 𝒜𝓈 𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝓈 ℐ 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊."

“ℐ 𝓂𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉'𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒹𝑒𝓈𝓉𝓇𝓊𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓂𝓎 𝓇𝓊𝒾𝓃. ℐ 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓀 𝒾𝓃𝓉𝑜 𝒶 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓈𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓅𝒾𝑒𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝒾𝒻 𝒾𝓉 𝓂𝑒𝒶𝓃𝓉 ℰ𝓇𝒾𝓀 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓅𝒾𝑒𝒸𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂 𝒷𝒶𝒸𝓀 𝓉𝑜𝑔𝑒𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇“

Dedication ↴

𝒯𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓆𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃𝓈 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒾𝒻𝓊𝓁 𝒷𝓁𝒶𝒸𝓀 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓋𝒾𝓁𝓁𝒶𝒾𝓃. ℱ𝒶𝒸𝑒 𝒾𝓉, 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎'𝓇𝑒 𝒽𝑜𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑜.

Erik Bloodsinger…where do I even start? He is one of my favorite MMC’s of all time. He was rough around the edges and bullied livia, but she gave as good as she got. Which only made Erik fall for her faster. I love their backstory from when they were kids, even if it was a dark time for Erik. This has a twist on dated mates I absolutely loved. This one ends on a cliff hanger so you’ll need to pick up the ever queen immediately!

I loved this book! Has to be one of my favorite reads this year, exactly what I needed. The perfect balance of fantasy and romance, the books in this series have been gripping and just what a fantasy reader is looking to get lost in. I would recommend it to anyone that loves a little spice and fantasy.

No matter how many times I read this book, I will never get enough of Erik Bloodsinger. He is ruthless, vicious, dangerous, and such a beautiful monster.

After 2 decades of a simmering hatred for the land fae who cost him what he cared for most, Erik takes his enemy’s daughter in the hopes of reigniting a war and getting his revenge against the one he blames most for everything. What he didn’t expect was for a songbird to soften the heart of a serpent.

Livia Ferus is one of my favorite FMCs because of how relatable she is. She is kind, compassionate, and loyal, but also struggles with fear and anxiety that she fights against daily, and she often finds herself struggling to separate reality from the fears of her mind. When it comes to those she loves, however, she becomes fierce and bold and will stop at nothing to protect them.

This story is full of darkness and anger and passion and a battle between a decades-old resentment and the desires of 2 hearts.
The character development is phenomenal, the world building, perfection. I can see this world and these people in my mind so clearly, it’s as if I’m living the story.

The banter between our MCs is witty, sassy, snarky and hilarious. It’s the perfect balance of loathing and desire and everything between. And the embers simmering between Erik and Livia grows swiftly into a burning flame that will burn anyone who tries to tear them apart.

And the ending gets me fired up EVERY SINGLE TIME! I remember when I had to wait to read The Ever Queen for months after reading this the first time and thinking I wouldn’t survive the wait.

Thank goodness I now have TEQ on my shelves to pick up immediately (plus I know how it ends😜), so I am saved from the misery of the unknown. But that doesn’t ease the urge that I get to throw hands every time I read the last 2 chapters of this book.

And let’s not forget the bonus content we now get in the new hardcover editions. If you don’t have a copy yet, ORDER ONE NOW. You don’t want to miss the extra details that give us more insight into our Bloodsinger!

The Ever King is everything I love about romantasy turned up to eleven.

This book is a masterclass in making red flags look irresistible, and Erik Bloodsinger is the embodiment of one. He’s ruthless, violent, possessive, vengeful, jealous, outwardly heartless, emotionally scarred (need I go on?). So, naturally, I am utterly, unequivocally in love with him.

Now add a strong dose of found family and meaningful mental health rep? I’m convinced L.J. Andrews wrote this book specifically for me.

AND THAT ENDING. My jaw was on the floor, y’all. Thankfully I don’t have to wait for the second installment, otherwise I’d be an emotional train wreck trapped in perpetual panic.

I do wish I’d read The Broken Kingdom series first, since it’s set in the same world, but the author provided enough background that I never felt completely lost.

I’m officially on the L.J. Andrews train and already knee-deep in The Ever Queen, which currently has me in a chokehold (the good kind 😏). If you’re a romantasy fan, this one belongs at the top of your list.

Big thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for the gifted ARC!

I've got my copy of the new pub version . Love the pop of colour and Sewell's story!

I'll never get enough of this world no matter how many times I reread this!

Not only is the plot captivating, I love how it brings out all the emotions in me as if I'm right there alongside the characters.

Erik is a delicious, beautiful monster.
Love how Livia finds her strength and rightful place in the world. Add in the beginning of an epic love story and this makes it a definite 5 star read for me.

The bonus content about our loveable and kind Sewell hit me in all the feels. A glimpse of his past, love, betrayal, devastation and the start of a beautiful found family.

3 stars

thank you to berkley for the e-ARC

I have very polarized feelings on this book. it has quite fun romantasy vibes and I was loving the world and conflict. I just really got brought out of my enjoyment by the gender and consent politics of this book.

the MMC uses SA as a threat against the FMC early on when she’s a prisoner. and then later he gets in a tiff because she thinks he might be a perpetrator or supporter of sexual violence. and it’s like yeah, you kinda said you were. I wanted there to be more of an explicit reckoning about how that threat is used in war by men—there could have been a powerful moment where he had to acknowledge how he took advantage of women’s fear of rape—but we just moved on so that there could be a romance. I think romantasy really trades in weird consent dynamics because of the fantasy setting, but it stood out in this book for me. I can deal with dark but it felt like I watched the character get rewritten into a feminist later on….. like huh?

so idk. I think a lot of readers are able to read around this sort of thing, and I think the text encourages it. so many will enjoy this (and I know a lot of people already do). I just found the lighthearted treatment of assault threats a bit too much for me.