Ruined

Ruined is an enjoyable, quick, fantasy read full of action, magic, and secrets. In it, we follow Emelina as she disguises herself as a dead daughter of a Lord, to infiltrate the royal family home in order to gather the information she needs to take back her kingdom and save her people from extinction and further execution.

I was definitely drawn in by the world and the premise of this book. I didn’t want to put it down, even when it became clear how predictable and simple the plot line was. I wanted to see if it got better, if we got twists and spirals of deceit and vengeance! We didn’t. Fortunately though, the ending is not one I predicted from the beginning, and that was a redeeming point for me. So in spite of some issues, I enjoyed reading Ruined.

The writing is rather simple. It’s strong and full of character, but it unfortunately lacks a unique voice. In the beginning there is potential for a dark, deadly tale of vengeance and retribution, and the writing hooks you. It’s engaging, especially since the story opens with Em and her two friends killing Mary and her guards. It was action packed, dark, and exhilarating. Unfortunatly, the rest of the story takes a much softer turn. If that's what you like, then this book is perfect for you!

Romance plays a huge part in this book. Once Em and the Prince meet, we follow their journey to romance, with only a few scenes including the danger and vengeance and darker plans until near the end. The romance is not instant, and it’s actually very adorable, but there’s not much connection or dimention. Cas, unfortunately, feels more like he’s there merely for romantic interest as he never spoke up until he met her, and by then he only ever repeated what she said. It didn’t seem like he thought for himself, making it hard to connect to him and the romance. He was the reason why Em lost sight of her determination and will. But he’s also the reason why she began to see things clearly, why she developed so well. It was enjoyable to read.

There were a lot of compelling discoveries and secrets that only made me want more and more, however. Especially once we met Olivia. Her character is what I expected out of Em, and it leaves immense potential for the next book to be as dark as I hoped this one would be.

Overall, Ruined is an intriguing fantasy read that, despite its flaws, had me turning pages quickly.

Emelina Flores is out for vengeance and justice. Her people, the Ruined, have been ceaselessly slaughtered, and her sister, the one set to one day rule the Ruined, has been kidnapped. Though Emelina is considered a useless Ruined (not having any of the magic the others do), she will do whatever it takes to get her sister back and help her people. Her plan involves pretending to be Princess Mary, the future wife of the enemy kingdom’s prince. It is her job to set everything up for the ambush, but as she gets to know the prince, far different than what she imagined, she will find herself questioning her role and her mission.

Amy Tintera’s RUINED features of my all-time favorite protagonists, Em. I am always on the lookout for more protagonists who aren’t very nice, whose motives are steeped in moral ambiguity, and Em is exactly that. At the beginning of the novel, she is furious and bold, driven by grief, injustice, and a lot of anger. She is layered and fierce, and her pain is almost tangible. Her growth is simply stunning, especially as she learns to see kindness once again.

Between Em’s (and the Ruined’s) quest for revenge and the enemy kingdom’s horrifying ethics, there is a lethal edge to the story that will make readers clutch the book until their fingers cramp from anxiously trying to read as quickly as possible. While the story (thankfully) doesn’t go near any Game of Thrones level of death, it’s also not afraid to kill off characters with firm purpose, with more than one dealing a strong emotional blow. With the action and life-or-death scenarios, this is an excellent pick for anyone in a reading slump or for reluctant readers.

The slow burn romance begins a touch predictably, but instead of continuing to fall into a usual pattern, it takes some swift and rewarding turns. The moment of truth between Em and Cas, the crown prince, comes sooner than expected and doesn’t wait until book two to sort some things out. However, the twist-fueled ending will still leave a mountain of questions and an intense desire for the sequel.

RUINED is a must-read for the year. The dangerous circumstances, the battles between blood, love, and justice, and the gripping intensity will, in the best way, leave the reader as the title indicates: ruined.