If you love a book about confronting our inner demons and forgiveness, look no further. I’ve been a fan of May’s writing for a while – under a different name – and so I was so excited for this adult romance debut! Keep reading this book review of Exquisite Ruin for my full thoughts.
Summary
Sadaré wakes in a labyrinth, remembering nothing except that she is a powerful sorceress. Her only companion is a hostile immortal named Daesra—beautiful, dangerous, and demonic—who bound his divine soul for power and revenge.
Despite their animosity, the two have no choice but to work together to reach the center and defeat the monster who prevents their escape. But the longer they wander, the more deadly and alive the maze becomes—and the more Sadaré finds herself drawn to Daesra in ways she can’t explain.
As sorceress and demon develop a tenuous truce, the labyrinth gives Sadaré glimpses of their shared history of passion and pain that make her question everything she knows. Unlocking the secrets of her past may be the only way to survive and heal their entwined fates—but as she learns more about the betrayals that brought them to the labyrinth, Sadaré begins to fear that the monster at the center could be Daesra … or even herself.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Exquisite Ruin is a book that keeps us guessing. Even Sadaré herself doesn’t know what’s happening. However, May does a fabulous job at creating, and sustaining, this tension. We are slowly both introduced to Sadare and Daesra’s relationship. We witness their betrayals, love, and trust. What happened to them and why are they both trapped in the maze? Exquisite Ruin is a book that only builds. By the end I was entirely entranced. I loved how Exquisite Ruin explores control, love, and trust in relationships and with ourselves.
At the beginning, the mystery sustains you. You’re wondering what magical powers they will unlock and what binds them together. But by the end, I ended up falling in love with the character development. For both Sadaré and Daesra how have they changed since before and how much more could they change? Exquisite Ruin forces these characters to not only survive, but also to look inwards and explore the depths of love and trust.
Find Exquisite Ruin on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.
Book Tour Schedule
| Tour Date | Tour Hosts | Type of Post |
| March 25th | @becca.in.a.book | Instagram + Tiktok |
| @jbooksndreams | Bookstagram only | |
| @brittanykilinsky | Bookstagram feed post + Reel | |
| March 26th | Booksfilmsandtea | Bookstagram only |
| Utopia State of Mind | Bookstagram + Blog | |
| @kindling_books | Bookstagram feed post + Reel | |
| @thepageladies | Bookstagram feed post + Reel | |
| March 27th | @jennyfioreads | Bookstagram only |
| @reading.with.tabitha | Bookstagram only | |
| Bookishlykenia | Bookstagram only | |
| March 28th | @dana.loves.books | Instagram + Tiktok |
| @chaosandcourtships | Bookstagram feed post + Reel | |
| March 29th | Ambers.book.cave | Bookstagram only |
| @cozysabie | Bookstagram + Blog | |
| Jlreadstoperpetuity | Instagram + Tiktok | |
| March 30th | Ramblesandreads | Bookstagram only |
| March 31st | Wanderingintopages | Bookstagram feed post + Reel |
| @tohearts_content | Bookstagram + Blog |