Book Review: Ruined

Kinley Baker has created an intricate and vivid world in her novel, Ruined. The mythology surrounding the world's development is fresh and unique. More than that, she's populated this world with rich and amazing characters. Jessa is endearing and warm, with a quiet inner strength that has you rooting for her from the beginning. You find yourself waxing and waning with her emotions, cheering her on. A couple of times, I caught myself fussing at her for some of her decisions, which just made her more real. It took some time for me to warm up to Vale. In the very beginning, I felt like punching him, hard. But, clever Kinley Baker opens your eye to who he is. He is everything a good leader should be, with a thread of vulnerability that endears him to you. There are still a few moments where you want to punch him, but he wouldn't be a good male lead otherwise. And this is just the two main characters. There is political intrigue, overlap from other worlds, and several other endearing characters that I cannot wait to read more about soon (in case you were wondering, Kinley Baker, that was a hint.) If you're looking for something with a unique feel, you're going to want to pick up a copy of Ruined.