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ashnreads's review against another edition
4.0
What can I say? I'm a sucker for the undercover princess who inevitably falls for the prince or guard or other prince she shouldn't... So Ruined pretty much met all of my expectations and then some. The only reason for a 4 instead of 5 is that the world development was a little lacking. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the characters and overall story! Ruined is sprinkled with plenty of action and a few really solid character relationships that were fun to read.
Don't feel like you're getting enough of the whole "I must avenge my family and my people!!!" attitude? Read until the end, and I think you'll be happy to meet Olivia (who I totally pictured as a creepy broken babydoll-like person with a sing-song voice, btw).
Don't feel like you're getting enough of the whole "I must avenge my family and my people!!!" attitude? Read until the end, and I think you'll be happy to meet Olivia (who I totally pictured as a creepy broken babydoll-like person with a sing-song voice, btw).
ani_paoletti's review against another edition
3.0
Okay so first off...I want to point out that I was really annoyed when Em was referred to as herself while she was still technically seen by Cas as Mary. That was just straight up confusing for me and I was like COME ON he doesn't know yet! Anyways besides that, this book was really fun, and an easy read that had me itching to read the second one. It was quite predictable which is why I'm giving it 3 stars and I found some minor plot holes that I feel should have been addressed a bit more, but in the end it was a great summer read! I gave it to a friend immediately after finishing it and she enjoyed it too. I'm looking forward to the second one!
saffity's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to the audiobook version of this and I think some of my issue was getting used to the voice actor.
I adored Reboot and Rebel and found that this was much slower paced than those books. The way that the Ruined were kept as some what of a secret with who they are and what they do being revealed slowly didn't work as well as it had in the previous books. I think that's mainly due to the setting, Reboot worked fine because it was set in our world so it was easy to identify with things that were happening even when it wasn't always clearly described.
Ruined being set in a fantasy world made that delay in description more confusing, and caused me to get a bit frustrated and just wanting to know what the Ruined were already!
Otherwise the story was a bit predictable, but well written and cute. I fell in love with Caz pretty quickly which was nice because I thought I was going to be annoyed with him.
The somewhat cliff hanger was disappointing, but that's more personal preference because I dislike cliffhangers.
All told, I enjoyed this book, but I don't think it's as good as her previous ones.
I adored Reboot and Rebel and found that this was much slower paced than those books. The way that the Ruined were kept as some what of a secret with who they are and what they do being revealed slowly didn't work as well as it had in the previous books. I think that's mainly due to the setting, Reboot worked fine because it was set in our world so it was easy to identify with things that were happening even when it wasn't always clearly described.
Ruined being set in a fantasy world made that delay in description more confusing, and caused me to get a bit frustrated and just wanting to know what the Ruined were already!
Otherwise the story was a bit predictable, but well written and cute. I fell in love with Caz pretty quickly which was nice because I thought I was going to be annoyed with him.
The somewhat cliff hanger was disappointing, but that's more personal preference because I dislike cliffhangers.
All told, I enjoyed this book, but I don't think it's as good as her previous ones.
ladykmac's review against another edition
5.0
I liked this. Easy to follow, likable characters, good character development, and it only took one day to read. I am excited to start the second in the series.
marie_44's review against another edition
3.0
It was a quick and entertaining read! Nothing out of this world but very enjoyable, I just had the feeling that if I had met the characters earlier in their lives, I would have liked them a whole lot better (I did not feel that attached to them and would've liked more of their lives before they infiltrated the castle)
kayceereads's review against another edition
4.0
Rating: 3.5 stars
I have conflicted feelings about Ruined which leads to me lisitng what I liked and did not like.
The Good:
* I loved the main supporting characters the most: Galo, Iría and Aren were at the top of that list.
* Casimir is a good, solid character. His growth is one that I am much looking forward to.
* Emelina's lack of magical powers makes her story arc and her characterization much more interesting. We don't see that often in a fantasy book that deals directly with magic. Usually, your main character is the most powerful or has the ability to be the most powerful when given a chance to use powers. Emelina doesn't have any powers but her ability to lead, fighting skills, and ultimately, her intelligence gives the character great potential.
* I appreciated that all the different groups are shown to be both good and bad. The Olso, the Lera and the Ruined. No one is simply the bad guy or the good guy. They each have good people and bad people in their ranks.
*The second half of the book is the main reason I gave it more than 3 stars and am going to continue to read it. The action was so good and you really felt like someone you didn't want to die might die any second. It felt like their were stakes in the end. I hope that continues as the series progresses.
*Olivia is a scary as hell villain.
The Not-So-Good:
*The writing feels a bit uneven. There are times when it really gets you connected and gives you great turns of phrases. And other times it reads like a painfully tropey YA fantasy novel.
*At the first part of the book, Emelina had all this inner narrative that consisted of detailing how she could kill a character. And that was fine? Except that it happened like EVERY FEW PAGES for at least the first 10 chapters. It just became annoying and unnecessary. Yes, I know she hated the Lera. Yes, I get she wants them all dead. Yes, I know she is a badass. Show, though, don't tell.
I feel like Tintera could have found much subtler ways to show Emelina's hate and anger then just having think over and over in her head ways to kill people.
*Sooooo many tropes. Sooooooo many. Some worked. Some did not.
*The main characters are all between the ages of 16-20 and that just - oh boy. The main romance doesn't offend but not the reason to read this book at all.
*Pacing. We have a problem. It felt very just sloooow to start and then suddenly shifted and got real fast at the end. Most of the action is in the last 75 pages of the book.
The Love:
*Representation, baby. Ruined has leads that are all POC and main characters that are LGBTQA+ and that isn't made a big deal. It just is what it is because that is how it should be.
*The rising action and climax of this book was super well done.
While I did end up enjoying the end I think the pacing took me out of the story a bit. I do recommend reading it though and will definitely be reading the next part.
Recommend: 3.5/5 stars
***This completes my third exam - Defense Against the Dark Arts -which had the prompt "Reducto: title starts with an 'R'"- for the O.W.Ls Magical Read-a-thon!***
I have conflicted feelings about Ruined which leads to me lisitng what I liked and did not like.
The Good:
* I loved the main supporting characters the most: Galo, Iría and Aren were at the top of that list.
* Casimir is a good, solid character. His growth is one that I am much looking forward to.
* Emelina's lack of magical powers makes her story arc and her characterization much more interesting. We don't see that often in a fantasy book that deals directly with magic. Usually, your main character is the most powerful or has the ability to be the most powerful when given a chance to use powers. Emelina doesn't have any powers but her ability to lead, fighting skills, and ultimately, her intelligence gives the character great potential.
* I appreciated that all the different groups are shown to be both good and bad. The Olso, the Lera and the Ruined. No one is simply the bad guy or the good guy. They each have good people and bad people in their ranks.
*The second half of the book is the main reason I gave it more than 3 stars and am going to continue to read it. The action was so good and you really felt like someone you didn't want to die might die any second. It felt like their were stakes in the end. I hope that continues as the series progresses.
*Olivia is a scary as hell villain.
The Not-So-Good:
*The writing feels a bit uneven. There are times when it really gets you connected and gives you great turns of phrases. And other times it reads like a painfully tropey YA fantasy novel.
*At the first part of the book, Emelina had all this inner narrative that consisted of detailing how she could kill a character. And that was fine? Except that it happened like EVERY FEW PAGES for at least the first 10 chapters. It just became annoying and unnecessary. Yes, I know she hated the Lera. Yes, I get she wants them all dead. Yes, I know she is a badass. Show, though, don't tell.
I feel like Tintera could have found much subtler ways to show Emelina's hate and anger then just having think over and over in her head ways to kill people.
*Sooooo many tropes. Sooooooo many. Some worked. Some did not.
*The main characters are all between the ages of 16-20 and that just - oh boy. The main romance doesn't offend but not the reason to read this book at all.
*Pacing. We have a problem. It felt very just sloooow to start and then suddenly shifted and got real fast at the end. Most of the action is in the last 75 pages of the book.
The Love:
*Representation, baby. Ruined has leads that are all POC and main characters that are LGBTQA+ and that isn't made a big deal. It just is what it is because that is how it should be.
*The rising action and climax of this book was super well done.
While I did end up enjoying the end I think the pacing took me out of the story a bit. I do recommend reading it though and will definitely be reading the next part.
Recommend: 3.5/5 stars
***This completes my third exam - Defense Against the Dark Arts -which had the prompt "Reducto: title starts with an 'R'"- for the O.W.Ls Magical Read-a-thon!***
oakandblackthorn's review against another edition
2.0
“You were born useless, but you don’t have to be helpless.”Buckle in everyone because it's time for my first unpopular opinion of the year!
Oh, I don’t even know where to start with this review! I’m so disappointed right now I want to bawl. I had such high hopes for Ruined, but, alas, this story fell short for me in so many ways. I’m sitting here right now, contemplating tearing my hair out, because I have no idea how to put into words how, well, mediocre I found this story. It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever read, but it wasn’t the best either, and I was never swept off my feet. The only reason I finished this story was that I hate leaving anything unfinished, so I pushed through, and honestly, I wish I’d just thrown the damn thing out of the window. Now it’s just sitting there, mocking me with its gorgeous cover and enticing premise. Ugh.
I promise you though, I didn’t go into this story determined to tarnish its good name. I really, really wanted to love this book. My Goodreads friends have been giving Ruined such glowing, positive acclaim, and the opening chapter was brimming with potential. Seriously, I found it exhilarating, heart-pounding and down-right daring. I was all ready to dive into a book that was going to forge its own path in a genre oversaturated with the same old nonsense, and I thought it would keep me hooked until the very end, where I’d be left desperate and aching for more. As you might have guessed, that isn’t what happened, and five days later, I’m on the side-lines watching everyone heap praise onto this book while I am left wondering how anyone can enjoy a novel that relied so heavily on overused, stale fantasy clichés, recycled, tiresome storylines, and underdeveloped, insipid characters.
Ruined offers nothing new to fantasy readers, and the entire time I was reading it, I couldn’t shake off the perpetual feeling of déjà vu. This story has already been published a dozen times, and I could pick out elements of The Orphan Queen, Throne of Glass, and Red Queen in every single chapter. The only difference is those novels are of a much higher standard. I also admire and respect the main characters in those three books, whereas Emelina Flores loses her drive for vengeance the moment her eyes meet the shy, nervous prince who seems to have no opinions or compunction over the genocide of a whole race of human beings until a beautiful, enticing stranger comes traipsing into his life and suddenly makes him think for the first time in his existence.
Yes, I’m bitter.
But don’t worry folks, there’s a lot more wrong with Ruined other than its second-rate characters and storyline. A lot more. Enough so that I have around six pages of notes I wrote down in a haze of rage and disappointment that I now have to condense down into something readable for you all. Although I’d like to note that at least two pages are just the word “whywhywhywhy” written over and over again – it’s also blurred in parts with my tears.
The first problem I had was with the worldbuilding, which I can only describe as underwhelming, simplistic, and dull. We have four kingdoms in this novel, but honestly, you only need to know about Lera and Ruina, because the other two have no bearing on the plot besides the fact that they hate the Ruined. From what I could gather from my skim reading, Lera decided to declare war on Ruina because they felt… threatened? by the powers the Ruined possess, and they were worried they would one day overwhelm their forces and invade their kingdom. I mean, I can’t be the only person who thinks these are really vague, unimaginative reasons for attempting a full-scale invasion on a kingdom with a military power that far exceeds yours, right? Honestly, though, I think we’re all aware that this whole feud was created by the author for the sole reason of creating conflict in Em and Casimir’s ‘romance’. And it’s a shame, too, because I could have appreciated this story a lot more if we’d spent time fleshing out this world. The Ruined, for example, were phenomenal and original creations, but everything else surrounding them was so drab and uninspired that I just couldn't give a damn! God, I’m so tired right now.
They were the most interesting part of Ruined, though, and they're one of only two reasons why I didn’t give this book one star. Their magic, insanity, and power were the only things keeping me going. They are so badass that I laboured through a novel that made me want to give up on the one hobby that gives my life joy just so that I could catch a glimpse of what they could do with their abilities! They can cause earthquakes, shatter minds, and extract people’s spines out of their backs. How intriguing is that? I think the second major problem with Ruined is that the titular characters are barely even present. How could you create some of the most original, powerful, and interesting magical users I’ve ever seen and side-line them for most of the story? The whole reason Em goes to Lera in the first place is to free her people, and we don’t even get a glimpse of the kind of chaos and destruction they could rain down on the kingdom who invaded, conquered, and chained them? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? For once, I wish we’d had a main character who possessed unlimited power because Ruined would have been a thousand times more interesting if Em had just been able to pull out Casimir’s spine like it was made of jell-o!
“The memory of how he felt when he cared about her was going to be the most painful thing after he began to hate her.”Ah, Emelina, my favourite walking disappointment. I have no idea what to say about her that doesn’t involve me just slamming my keyboard repeatedly in frustration. Our main character’s entire arc goes from “I’m going to infiltrate this kingdom and bring it to its knees for slaughtering my parents, kidnapping my sister, and enslaving my people!” to “Oh, wait… is that a brooding, mysterious prince with daddy issues? Screw my people, I should just throw away my year-long, intricate plans for vengeance and run away with you instead!”
What a downgrade, huh?
Yes, unfortunately, the fierce, vengeful heroine we’re introduced to in the first few pages quickly crumbles beneath the gaze of the handsome, wearisome prince, and what is left in her wake is a three-hundred and something page novel that’s filled to the brim with an unconvincing romance and a plot where barely anything happens. What’s worst is that this is... *shudders*... instalove, plain and simple. From what I could gather, this story only takes place over a few weeks, and somehow Em goes from hating Cas to swooning over him in a matter of days. One second, I’m having an amazing time reading about her plans to murder the damn fool with a curtain tie, and the next I’m listening to her droning on about how caring and misunderstood he is!
At this point, if you look up the word ‘disappointed’ in the dictionary, you'll see a picture of me holding this book with half my hair torn out and tears trailing down my cheeks.
Of course, Emelina isn’t the worst character in the world; she’s brave, fierce, and compassionate, but whilst those are admirable qualities, I’d been led to believe from the synopsis that I was being gifted a character who was heartless, scarred, and manipulative. Maybe, if I’d been expecting a character who had more in common with a character like Mare from Red Queen than Adelina from The Young Elites, I might have enjoyed this story a little more. Unfortunately, I desperately, achingly wanted a heroine who would be willing to sacrifice everything to avenge her people – even the man she loves. Em, however, is too empathetic and forgiving a character to spearhead a story about revenge in all its horrific, bloody glory, and given that’s what I wanted out of Ruined, I didn’t have it in myself to root for her. If Ruined had been published a few years later, when dark, gothic stories like The Cruel Prince and Wicked Saints reign supreme in all their murderous, slytherin-like glory, we could have expected Ruined to live up to what it promised in its first chapter. Unfortunately, for now, I’ll have to wallow in my misery.
“You have a tendency to see the good in people, and I admire that, but it will destroy you. I promise you it will.”I’ve moaned about him enough already, so I suppose I should probably address Casimir, our resident elephant in the room. Well, he has a dry sense of humour, an awkward disposition, and a strong sense of duty.
And I honestly couldn't care less about him.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy being in Casimir’s head, and I felt like his perspective added little to the story. I think the reason I hated him so much is that his personality is virtually non-existent, and you could probably say the same about his brain.
Olivia is someone I didn’t see coming. She’s everything I expected from the protagonist of Ruined when I read the synopsis and reviews, and I’m so angry she wasn’t the main character! Olivia isn’t exactly the ‘chosen one’, but Em describes her as beginning the most powerful Ruined born in generations. I actually think this is the first time I’ve wanted someone who’s overly special™ to be the protagonist of a YA novel, and I hate Tintera for doing that to me. She’s turned me into my own worst enemy! Olivia, though, has the vengeful, calculating nature I was expecting from Em, and she also has the intelligence and power to pull off an elaborate revenge plan. My girl is cunning, murderous, and unhinged, and I’ve never loved a character more. She wouldn’t have fallen in love with Casimir so quickly, and she certainly wouldn’t have had any qualms about murdering him with those curtain ties… or a spoon… or just by ripping his spine out. God, it would have been glorious having her as our anti-heroine, and we would have been gifted with one of the best revenge stories since Queen of Shadows.
I… think I’m going to go curl up in bed and cry about what could have been.
Overall, when you compare Ruined with the abundance of young adult fantasy novels on offer at the moment, it just can’t compare. It’s a light-weight, simple read, and it’s pretty much just tooth-rotting fluff with a fantasy backdrop. If you’re going into this looking for a fierce heroine, a tale of vengeance and girl power, and a whole lot of murder, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. I can see how this might appeal to people in the YA community, but I’m a sage, old woman who’s read far too much fantasy for this to be anywhere near ground-breaking in my opinion. I might try and pick up Avenged in the next year or so with the vague hope that Olivia will murder Casimir for me and singlehandedly make my year, but I’m not sure if I’m ready for that kind of disappoint yet.
“The only way to find peace was to kill everyone who threatened it.”
sprayededges's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars but only bc I didn't give my full attention so I will have to reread B4 I read the sequels (which will probs be physical since i audiobooked this) but I LOVE the enemies to lovers mhm mhm
pencilknot's review against another edition
2.0
Well, that went exactly as I expected. When I first read the synopsis, I knew the plot wasn't going to be anything new. But still, I hoped. I hoped the author could add something unique and make this a interesting story. Nope.
The main problem with Ruined is that the story follows the same trajectory as so many other books (Red Queen, Throne of Glass) except that those books do it even better. Our main character, Em is a princess of Ruina, except she is "useless" as she does not have the powers of her people, the Ruined. What powers do the Ruined have, you ask? Well, I don't know. The ridiculous fact is that the Ruined are so feared by the other kingdoms, yet we're never specifically told what they can do. All I know is that some are elementalists and other can control human bodies. This is literally the same as the Grisha from Shadow and Bone. :| Not just that, but the worldbuilding is ridiculously vague. We get an info dump on a few neighboring countries, but we never get a concrete image of what their about and their conflict with the Ruined.
Read my review of the trilogy on my blog!
https://artofreadingwithpencilknot.blogspot.com/
The main problem with Ruined is that the story follows the same trajectory as so many other books (Red Queen, Throne of Glass) except that those books do it even better. Our main character, Em is a princess of Ruina, except she is "useless" as she does not have the powers of her people, the Ruined. What powers do the Ruined have, you ask? Well, I don't know. The ridiculous fact is that the Ruined are so feared by the other kingdoms, yet we're never specifically told what they can do. All I know is that some are elementalists and other can control human bodies. This is literally the same as the Grisha from Shadow and Bone. :| Not just that, but the worldbuilding is ridiculously vague. We get an info dump on a few neighboring countries, but we never get a concrete image of what their about and their conflict with the Ruined.
Read my review of the trilogy on my blog!
https://artofreadingwithpencilknot.blogspot.com/