Me on Ruined

Title: Ruined
Author: Amy Tintera
Release Date: May 3, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen (HarperCollins imprint)

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.

Ruined is a story of dangerous secrets and hated magics, of deception and plots and plans. Of revenge.

Em is angry, determined to carry out her plan. She's rough, tough, and smart. She's driven by rage and revenge, by her hate of the people who wanted her family killed and kidnapped. She's driven to prove herself to the Ruined that she's capable of rescuing her sister, that she can be a leader. Even when she's not one of the Ruined herself. While she doesn't have an ability of her own, she can fight, she can plot, and she can take action. She can do it. Hopefully her plan will work long enough that no one will question who she really is, that she can find her sister before it's too late.

Cas is an outlier in the royal family of Lera. His personality is at odds with the controlling one of his father and the ruthless one of his mother. He's annoyed at this sudden marriage, that he wasn't consulted or asked what he wanted, and would rather do his own thing. He's confused as to why his father makes certain decisions regarding the Ruined, why he hates them so much. He's been left to make his own decisions, left alone by parents who thought he would be easy to manipulate as time went on, and soon finds that he doesn't like whats going on.

As I read this I was intrigued as to where it would go. How far Em and Cas would have to pretend in their marriage. How much they would clash. How long the deception would last. How long until the looming battle, because it's looming, like a dark thundercloud, would begin. There were moments of tension, moments of clashing personalities. Moments of vulnerability. Of betrayal. I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book, I'm curious as to where the story will go next. What will happen to Em next.

(I downloaded an e-galley of this title from HarperCollins through Edelweiss.)