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Cover of Game of Hate and Lies

Game of Hate and Lies

by L.J. Andrews

🌶️🌶️🌶️moderate·The Broken Kingdoms #5

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Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

The most emotionally devastating book in the Broken Kingdoms — Kase is trapped in a cruel spell that makes him see Malin as an enemy, and watching her fight to steal back his stolen memories is absolutely gutting.

Synopsis

When wicked men first took the boy she loved, she was a child. Now they’ve taken him again, but this time…she’s a queen. For weeks, Malin plotted and schemed with the kingdom’s cruelest crooks, the Nightrender and the Guild of Kryv, to infiltrate a wicked masquerade. They survived. They escaped. Most of them. To the underbelly of the kingdom, the Nightrender never made it out of his own scheme. To Malin, he’s only Kase, the man who owns her heart, and who is once again a prisoner of their enemies. Malin and the Kryv will stop at nothing until he’s free. Even if it means claiming her birthright to a throne that brings death and war. But when they discover Kase has been locked in a cruel spell, Malin must find a way to steal his new twisted memories before he is lost to them for good. The only trouble is when Kase looks at Malin, all he sees is an enemy with a death sentence. Return to the vicious world of the Eastern Kingdom. Part Viking, part Cinderella, the battle continues with more schemes, romance, and epic adventure. *This book includes steamy romantic scenes and is suitable for readers 17+*

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Andrews chose violence with this one. Taking the childhood-sweethearts-reunited couple from book four and ripping them apart via magical amnesia is cruel in the best possible way. Malin fighting for a man who looks at her with nothing but hatred is the kind of angst that rewires your brain. The spice is hotter here than anywhere else in the series, and it earns every bit of that heat through sheer emotional devastation. Bring tissues and clear your schedule.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Romantasy

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Dual POV

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Dual Narration (unspecified)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Stina Nielsen and Tim Campbell

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
enemies to loverschildhood sweethearts reunitedamnesiacursed love interestfound familyforced alliancehurt/comfort
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

intenseangstyromanticdramaticemotionaldarkheartbreaking

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

emotionaldramaticimmersivedarksuspensefulatmospheric

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

fast

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

devastating

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

high

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

emotional devastationpage turner

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

MC ArchetypeThe main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

general badassspy/thiefvengeful / revenge-drivenqueen / ruling monarch

Love Interest ArchetypeThe love interest's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend, girlfriend, or otherwise.

cursed MMCmorally gray MMCdark/tortured soulanti-hero

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

enemies to lovershe falls firstpush and pullhurt/comfortonly one who understands themferal devotionwho did this to you

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
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Spice Level 3

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

The spiciest in the series so far — emotionally devastating scenes woven with passionate intimacy. The heat serves the angst rather than existing separately from it.

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

possessive/protectivetensiontouch starvationanticipationmine declarations

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

possessiveclaiming
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (6)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
violenceemotional abusedeathmemory manipulationcursed amnesiawar
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

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World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

high fantasy

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

Eastern Kingdom — the vicious underworld of thieves and scheming courts

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

fae

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

the angst deliveredcathartic releasebook hangover incomingferal brain activated

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

at nightcozy eveningrainy weekend

The Broken Kingdoms

Curse of Shadows and Thorns

#1 Curse of Shadows and Thorns

Court of Ice and Ash

#2 Court of Ice and Ash

Crown of Blood and Ruin

#3 Crown of Blood and Ruin

Night of Masks and Knives

#4 Night of Masks and Knives

Game of Hate and Lies

#5 Game of Hate and Lies

Den of Blades and Briars

#7 Den of Blades and Briars

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Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️🌶️moderate
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

The Broken Kingdoms #5
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