Ruined by Amy Tintera

Ruined, by Amy Tintera, is the first book in a Young Adult fantasy trilogy. This book is written in the third perspective through the main characters Emelina “Em” Flores, who is a powerless Ruined daughter of the late Ruined queen, and Prince Casimir Gallegos of Lera, son of the Leran king. The Ruined are a group of people who possess magical powers, however there are some who don’t have any powers (such as Em) and are deemed “Useless”. Ruined is all about an intricate revenge plot to rescue Em’s sister from the enemy country of Lera, who became enemies with the Ruined by unfairly murdering many of the Ruined. The story begins with Em infiltrating the Leran royal family by pretending to be the prince’s betrothed. This infiltration kickstarts Em’s revenge plan to rescue her kidnapped sister, destroy Lera, and help get the Ruined back on their feet. Another part of Em’s plan is to prove her worth to the Ruined, who have belittled and spoken down to her for her entire life simply because she is Useless. However, life gets in the way and Em’s plan isn’t followed exactly. This is a very enjoyable read for me. I typically like any sort of fantasy romance I read, so this isn’t surprising, but I still enjoy the book very much. I do feel as though there was a bit of a disconnect with the worldbuilding, however. The Ruined magic is easy enough to understand, and the relations between the four main countries are also easy to follow. However, it is a bit hard for me to picture the world in my head. There is no map in this book, which is completely fine for various reasons, but it becomes an issue when it isn’t easy to understand the layout of the countries. The characters refer to the cardinal directions they are traveling and which country that will lead them to, but I still can’t exactly grasp the geography of this world. Even with all of this being said, I still really appreciate and enjoy this book. The plot was perfectly executed, always keeping me on my toes and I never could truly guess what was to happen next. I also loved the dual perspective between the two main characters. While the story is mainly focused on Em and her plan, I loved switching between Cas and Em. The dual perspective made for a well rounded story which I enjoy. I also like the themes of the book. One major theme is that those who rely too heavily on magical powers are the fastest to fall. Another is that despite all, love prevails. I absolutely love Em’s character. Em is a very headstrong, stubborn character and I really enjoy reading from her perspective. Em also is so strong despite her lack of magic, and it really shows that no matter who you are or what cards you have been dealt in life you can always find a way to accomplish your goals. Em’s character is somewhat different from other typical YA main characters because typically the main character is the “chosen one” or the only one who has powers, yet Em is neither. I also love Em’s character development throughout the book, starting from very cutthroat and angry to powerful and mature. I also love Cas’ character. Cas is a very sweet, strong, and protective character who stole my heart the minute he was introduced. Cas is so understanding and very aware of others’ feelings, which makes him even more likeable as a character. Cas truly understands the magnitude of his country’s actions and laws, and rather than just pretending to help he actually attempts to make a change in order to bring peace and justice. Overall, while there were some flaws with the writing and execution, I truly enjoy this book and recommend it to anyone who likes a good fantasy romance.