Ruined

by Jus Accardo

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

Ruined was interesting. Jax is tainted, and a descendant of Cain. What this ultimately means is that he shares his body with a demon and has uncontrollable urges for violence. He's stayed away from his hometown for three years, because he was going to kill his twin. His brother is the person his demon hates the most, of course. But he comes back when he learns that his uncle is dying, but he stays when he finds out that the girl he loves is being stalked by demons. He wants to protect her, but he also needs her to hate him, so he'll stay away before he hurts her too.

I really liked the premise of Ruined. Ever since Cain killed Abel, his sons have had a mark on their souls. Not all of them, as it can skip generations, but his descendants are paying for his crime. Jax is currently that one, and he tries to control it by creating fear or anger in humans to feed his demon. It's not enough though, so he does kill every few days to keep the urges at bay. At least he targets criminals and not the innocent. I generally enjoy stories where the hero attempts to use a curse for good.

Ruined also has a really awesome kind of, but not really, sorta love triangle. No, it's not between Jax and his brother, although in the beginning it does look like it'll go that way. It doesn't. It's between Jax and his demon. Jax has been in love with Sam forever, but being with her literally causes him pain. The happiness essentially drains the demon, making him need to feed again that much sooner. But Jax's demon can take control of the body, while still having Jax aware so that he can be with Sam. She just has to accept and want both of them, not just Jax. I loved that! It's so bizarre! She has to love the body and the invading demon, and it's kind of awkward, but also kind of hot. It's just great!

The plot of Ruined was okay. I liked it better in the beginning and middle, when it was all about not letting hell break loose. Literally. But toward the end, it kind of morphed into something else. Of course, Jax saves the world (temporarily), but then there's this issue of balance and sacrifices. And it starts to focus on the romance. Like instead of saving the world from demons, Jax has to find a way to be with Sam. It was a weird switch, and doesn't really leave me wanting to read more.

I like Ruined a lot, especially the romance. But I'm not sure that I'd like all of this awesome mythology being wasted on the romance. If that make sense? I want interesting plot with demons and curses, with a side of bizarre romance. I may or may not continue this series.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.