Perfect Ruin

This book was a little slow in the beginning, but it picked up and became very interesting. It's a dystopian with a new setting and twist. I enjoyed it and am putting the next book on hold at the library.

I received a copy of Perfect Ruin as a first read through Goodreads giveaways. Before I even get to reviewing the book I just want to say it is seriously one of the prettiest paperbacks I own. The cover is gorgeous! And the font! swoon

Anyways, Morgan Stockhour lives on the floating city of Internment. The city was placed in the sky by the Gods and the inhabitants of Internment are never allowed to leave and getting to close to the edge of the city can lead to death or madness.

On the surface Internment seems like a paradise. Lives are simple and happy and everything is taken care of. Before birth you are matched up with your betrothed, you go to school, you work, you have children and then 75 years later you are dispatched. This is Morgan's life and she has never questioned it until there is a murder in the city. After this, Morgan can't stop herself from seeing the cracks in her world and wondering if perhaps Internment isn't what is seems to be. As you get to know Morgan better you learn that life on Internment isn't always perfect. There are the jumpers, people who have tried to leave Internment by jumping off the edge who are left forever scarred. Morgan's own mother has serious mental health issues. Her family has basically drifted away and Morgan is left feeling lost and longing for her childhood when things were happier.

I really enjoyed Perfect Ruin. As the story progresses, Morgan learns that her entire life has been a lie and her family and her world are not what they seem. I loved that while Morgan was naive she was never weak and as the reader you learn along with her instead of just being told how things are. I also enjoyed her relationship with Basil, her betrothed. It is one of the few not creepy relationships in YA stories. Basil's character could use some more development but I have a feeling that is going to come later in the series.

It is really obvious that Perfect Ruin is the first in a series because a ton of questions are asked and almost none are answered. You get to know Morgan very well, you understand her life and her family and the world she lives in but very little else. Because it is the first book it is also not the most exciting. BUT that doesn't mean it wasn't entertaining and captivating.

And now for the sad part. The expected publication date for book two is February 2015. That. Is. So. Far. AWAY! It doesn't even have a title! There isn't even a pretty cover for me to drool over! Sad...very sad...

Beautiful. Just beautiful! If I overuse any adjective in this review, I can guarantee you it will be “beautiful”. Though you can trust me when I say that it's totally warranted. I loved this book. The kind of love that makes you swoon over and over the further on you read. Okay, okay. I'll stop gushing so blatantly. I really think you need to read this one though. I really do.

Morgan Stockhour is growing up on a floating island in the clouds. Intrigued? I was. I adored was the idea of the unknown world below. Imagine floating above the clouds. Unable to leave the small world you've come to know. I fell in love with the image that floated into my head while reading. Morgan's curiosity felt on point with what I'd feel. She wasn't unhappy in her life. Not entirely. Simply filled with wonder at what could be just beyond the barrier. Add in a King who isn't exactly benevolent and a violent murder, and you have a gorgeous mystery that is just waiting to unfold.

I read Perfect Ruin cover to cover in a few days. I was lost in the beauty of Internment, and the grittiness that was lurking just beneath the surface. It's been a while since a book has so wholly immersed me that I didn't want to set it down. There was something about Morgan's innocence, about the way her eyes were slowly opened to the truth, that wouldn't let me go. I know I'm being vague, but trust me when I say that it's necessary. I don't want to spoil a single minute of this for you. Suffice it to say that Lauren DeStefano has built a world that is well worth your time.

Oh, and the ending! Cliffhanger doesn't even begin to describe it, so don't say I didn't warn you. However, if you love Perfect Ruin as much as I do, you'll be chomping at the bit for more. Perfectly paced, hauntingly written, and utterly perfect. Thank you Lauren DeStefano for giving me a new place to visit in my head. This book is beautiful, and I am so ready for more.