Thursday, January 8, 2015

Title: Perfect Ruin
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Narrator:  Laura Knight Keating
Series: The Internment Chronicles, book #1
Length:  9 hrs 4 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books
Publication Date: October 3, 2013
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

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On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.


A really long time ago, I read Wither by DeStefano. To this day, I have not finished that trilogy. Which is so sucky of me! Not for lack of wanting too, but I just haven't gotten around to it. When I first saw Perfect Ruin though, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Because... Floating Island, how cool is that?

I ended up getting the kindle edition and the audio for super cheap. I listened to the audio, and I have to say the audio was good. I really liked the narrator. She has a nice voice. I probably would have waited longer to listen to this, but I scored an arc for the second installment, so I figured I would push it up my list.

I liked Perfect Ruin. It wasn't amazing, but I liked it. Enough to keep listening to it! lol. I was intrigued by the whole floating island thing. I was kind of hoping for more on that honestly, but there isn't much explanation as to why it's up there. None at all, really, so I'm hoping that we will learn more about all of that in the future books. I think I will skip reading my galley though, so that I can just listen to the audio.

I think my biggest issue with Perfect Ruin, is that the writing comes off a bit amateur. Almost as if, she wrote this before she wrote Wither. Although, I was less of a book snob back when I read that, I'm a bit pickier these days, so maybe it's just me who has changed.

Regardless, it's not a bad story. I think that it had a ton of potential to be better, but I'm hoping the sequels will make up for it. Great ending though, a bit of a cliff hanger but it has me wanting the next book. :)




About the author:

Lauren DeStefano was born in New Haven, Connecticut and has never traveled far from the east coast. She received a BA in English from Albertus Magnus College, and has been writing since childhood. She made her authorial debut by writing on the back of children's menus at restaurants and filling up the notepads in her mom's purse. Her very first manuscript was written on a yellow legal pad with red pen, and it was about a haunted shed that ate small children.

Now that she is all grown up (for the most part), she writes fiction for young adults. Her failed career aspirations include: world's worst receptionist, coffee house barista, sympathetic tax collector, and English tutor. When she isn't writing, she's screaming obscenities at her Nintendo DS, freaking her cats out with the laser pen, or rescuing thrift store finds and reconstructing them into killer new outfits.

Find Lauren:

Website | Twitter | FacebookGoodreads | Tumblr


10 comments:

  1. I liked this book. I think I liked it a bit more than you did... i can't honestly remember but yes it wasnt amazing as I hoped it would be. I was a big fan of wither and was hoping for the same response. I didn't get the ametuer feel like you did, not that I recall its been a while, but I am not one who generally catches that. I tend to just fall into stories. I only notice when I am bored with the book. I hope the next one is a bit more. I definitely want to read more just havn't been in a huge hurry. thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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    Replies
    1. I don't normally notice an "ametuer" feel either, and maybe that's not even the word I was looking for, but just from the way I felt reading Wither. It just kinda blew me away with the writing so when I didn't get that feeling with Perfect Ruin, I felt her writing took a step back for me..

      thanks for stopping by!

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  3. I haven't read this author, but this novel does sound interesting. Great review.:)

    Stormi
    BMReviews

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  4. I did read the whole Wither series, and really enjoyed it. I have this and have been trying to find the time to read it. But now you've made me a bit nervous.
    Jen @ YA Romantics

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    1. That makes me want to pull the others off my shelf. I really should finish them. And don't be nervous. I've seen hit or miss reviews on this book a lot. Maybe you'll be a hit! lol. :)

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  5. A floating island does sound so cool! And I love the cover! Holy moly. I haven't read her before even though I keep meaning to.

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  6. I see this as being either hit or miss with people. I happened to be one of the people who loved it. I tore through it in less than 24 hours. I couldn't put it down. I loved the world Destefano created and her characters. A floating island in the sky, who can resist that type of fantasy? I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!

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  7. That sucks that it didn't live up to your expectations! The cover is so pretty, isn't it? Great review! :)
    Kim @ Divergent Gryffindor

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