Monday, April 9, 2012

[Review]: "Ruined"



Ruined by Kinley Baker
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press (July 16, 2011)
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Jessa is one healing away from death. Under the thrall of her gift, the Court's Senior Healer risks giving her life in exchange for her patient's.

Vale is a rebel ruler. When his brother is killed, he's given the throne and the decree from the Court to produce an heir or lose his family's hold on the land--and his deceiving advisors aren't afraid to use murder as a weapon if their directive to stay away from the Senior Healer goes unheeded.

But Vale burns to possess Jessa. The heat between them leaves a wake of smoke, and even the powerful forces above want to bind them in a union that lasts forever. Vale taking another would be a betrayal neither could survive.

Their enemies fear a child born of such a powerful Healer and Warrior, but the true threat lies in the bond forged in shadows and fused in fire.
 


Where to Buy*:
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My Review:
Fantasy, love and intrigue combine to form a quick story that is sure to please!

Vale has spent his entire life in the shadow of his older brother, Zander. As heir, Zander has always been the responsible one. As the King, Zander was the one in control, while Vale was most often seen in the forests hunting. But when Zander goes missing, and is later declared dead, the throne is suddenly thrust upon Vale's shoulder. Can he bare the weight of the job better suited for his brother?

Jessa, the Senior Healer, has spent the last few years secretly spying on Vale. Something about him captures her attention—and ignites passion within her. She knows nothing could ever come of such an affair, especially once he is made King, but how can she walk away when her body wants her to stay with him?

As far as creating an enjoyable fantasy world goes, Kinley Baker has done a wonderful job. I was very interested in the world she introduced to us in Ruined, and it's one I'd like to read more about.

However, I was left wanting a bit. I wanted to know more about the Realm of Shadows and the people who lived in it. I felt like I was only given parts of the picture and I wanted to see the whole thing. I will say I'm quiet interested by the mysterious Varner that are introduced towards the end of the book—they're mating bonds are very unusual, and, depending on how the writing is pulled of, it could be quiet sexy!

My feeling of disappointment spread to other parts of the story, too. The romance was pretty good, but nothing grand. I wanted to like Vale and Jessa, but in the end they were just “ok”. I felt like I only knew a little bit about them, and it just wasn't enough.


3.5 STARS! Overall, Ruined was a pretty good book, and I truly mean that. Despite the few things that I felt could have used more substance to them, it wasn't too bad. Best of all, it was quick and entertaining, only taking me a day to finish. Romance, magic and mystery make Ruined a great choice if you want something different to read. For fans of fantasy romance, this one is definitely one to look up! I'm interested to see what Baker has to offer us next.




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I received this e-book from Bewitching Book Tours, in addition to joining the blog tour for this author. In exchange, I agreed to give my honest opinion on the novel.
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Don't forget that Kinley will be here on the blog April 11th with a guest post! :)





Enjoy!



Until Next Time,
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