Avenged by Amy Tintera
Music Pairing: From Sleep by Max Richter
What a fantastic sequel! I read Ruined as soon as it came out last year, and I had the joy of meeting Amy on her tour for the book. I love all the tropes that were in it – arranged marriage, hate to love – so it was the perfect book for me. Needless to say, I needed the sequel.
Now that I’ve finally gotten around to reading it – *glares at TBR pile* – I am SO happy. Of course, what second book in a trilogy doesn’t end with a cliffhanger, but everything before the last few pages was exactly what I was looking for in the sequel to Ruined.
The relationship between Emelina and Olivia was definitely one of the most intriguing and difficult parts about this book. You can see where Olivia is coming from in her arguments (sometimes), but of course you know Em is right… Right? I was having these thoughts the whole time as I was reading. I was excited about the addition of Olivia’s POV, as well as Aren’s, which added another layer to the book. It gave us four sides of the same story, which again conflicted me about where people should go and how they should act.
I often found myself guessing what was going to happen… and then being completely wrong! This book kept me on my toes, and it was action-packed! Fast-paced, get-to-the-point novels are some of my favorites. Amy doesn’t mess around with too much description – she gets us there and she moves the plot along. So, if you’re looking for long, drawn out, flowery descriptions… move along. I’m glad Amy packs a punch into every page – I couldn’t put the book down! It was in a constant state of movement, keeping me flipping the page for as long as I could.
And lastly – this wouldn’t be a review from me if I didn’t mention the love story. Cas is… *swoons* I just love him! I didn’t realize how much I missed him. At the beginning of the book, I thought I was going to be very disappointed in who he was becoming, but the way he turned things around for himself was so fun to watch. The relationship he started to grow with Aren – also *swoon* – was hilarious and fun. I’m still skeptical of Violet… but I’m glad nothing has happened there yet.
Ultimately, if you love fast-paced, action-packed fantasy novels – pick up Ruined and Avenged! I recommend this series to fans of the Seven Realms series by Cinda Chima and the Midnight Thief duology by Livia Blackburne. Also read all of these if you haven’t read them because they’re the best! Enjoy Cas, and enjoy the world that Amy has built. Can’t wait for Allied next May, and thanks for reading!
Library of Colors 