Quick Thoughts: Ruined (Ruined #1) by Amy Tintera

Ruined
(Ruined #1)
by Amy Tintera

May 3, 2016
355 pages

Goodreads Summary:

A revenge that will consume her. A love that will ruin her.

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.

But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.

In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family.

Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the more she questions her mission. Em’s rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.

Review

Ruined is a series I patiently waited for all the books to release before reading. I liked the revenge arc but I felt like there could've been more to the story. 

What I Liked:
- Emelina is a princess to cheer for
- the power of the Ruined were interesting to learn
- kind and understanding Casimir (though a bit too dreamy?)
- Em's deception 
- sibling love and strong friendships
- there was more adventure than I imagined

The Not So Much:
- the story wasn't as dramatic and/or memorable as the tagline made it seem
- the pacing felt off
- the revenge plot could've been more satisfying
- I waited patiently for some shockers but none came
- the warriors felt like a convenient plot device