The beginning of this felt a little slow/convoluted, but as it got further into the book, I was able to enjoy it more. This book was a different twist on magic. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

3 stars

Okay so i've never read the Tempest, maybe that would have made me liked the book more? or maybe less idk. I wasn't a huge fan of the fact that the entire book (300 + pages) took place over a single day. like there's details but then this is next level detailing. I felt like I was drowning in it. The romance, was the worst bit for me. The pace was breakneck, hurtling us towards a thrilling climax, just for the a moment of romance had to come and halt it. I would've left that out altogether.

The plot and characters were very interesting but I was not able to fully connect because of the writing style. This is more of a personal preference rather than constructive criticism. I would love to see what Cohoe does next, they seem like a very promising writer! I think many fantasy readers will enjoy Bright Ruined Things.

3.7, really. It just didn't feel cohesive, overall, but remains a decent concept. It's the 1920's there's magic, there's Shakespeare, there are a great many detailed clothing descriptions...but, unfortunately, there's no clear sense of purpose from basically anyone.

Bright Ruined Things follows Mae, a semi-loner/outcast girl that has been taken in by the Prosper family on an island that contains magic aethers. Though Mae is not a Prosper herself, more a ward, she desperately wants to learn how to do the magic that the Prospers have the ability of. One night she accidentally agrees to marry one of the Prosper brothers, but not the one she thinks, and thus begins a spiral of learning secrets, changing tunes, a few betrayals, and eventually being given the option to take what she wants.

I loved this book. From its intriguing premise, to the surprises throughout the story, I didn't want to put it down. There were loathable characters and ones that you just really want to succeed. Things happen so quickly throughout, and a lot is not as it seems. You may call this a quick read but it's got plennnnty of substance in there. It is much different than most magic/real world books I've read before, and that made it very enjoyable.. This is a great book for those who like intrigue, and lowkey magic, but more as a plot-point rather than as something that happens a lot. The ending was probably my favorite part, though I hated for it to be over.

Thanks to Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

This is a fantasy book of a type that I've never read. I like the magic having something to do with a specific place instead of just specific people. I find the island spirits concept to be very interesting. Character development was good and kept you guessing.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for an early copy of this for honest and professional review purposes! This does not sway my rating in the slightest.

Actual rating: 4/5

Story:4/5
This is a retelling of Shakespeare's The Tempest which is one of my favorite Shakespearean stories so I was very interested when I heard about this book.
The story follows Mae, a naive girl navigating a changing world around her as she learns the truth about her life and struggles with her family relationships.
The story was intriguing for the most part although there were some things I had issues with, particularly the romances which felt a little out of place to me. They didn't really feel necessary but it wasn't a major issue.
The relationship between Ivo and Mae made me very uncomfortable due to him being quite a bit older than her and having feelings for her and it wasn't clear if this was supposed to be an uncomfortable part of the story.
And the relationship between Miles and Mae was also very strange and I honestly didn't like it but I could see why it was such an important aspect of this story.
Other than that I found the story enjoyable and the magic and creatures were delightful and heartbreaking at the same time.
Characters 4/5
Mae was an interesting character to follow although I often found myself annoyed at how easily she let people get away with things. I could understand why she was so naive from a story perspective but at the same time it did get a little frustrating. Her development was definitely one of my favorite things about this book- seeing her go from meek to powerful and forceful when she needs to be was really thrilling.
Ivo was strange for me due to my complicated relationship with his crush on Mae but I did like a lot of his moments struggling between duty and beliefs which gave him more depth. Honestly I found Ivo had more depth to his character than Mae at times.
Miles was... a total jerk and garbage for most of the story. In a good way? He had a purpose I suppose even though I could NOT understand why Mae felt anything for him.

Writing 3/5
The writing was really good for the most part other than some issues with the fact that this is very loosely based on "The Tempest" when it was marketed as a re-telling. I was expecting to see more actual scenes retold through this rather intriguing setting but I found it was really lacking in that area.
As for the writing itself I found it beautiful for the majority of the story. I think the characters could have had a little more depth but its not something that REALLY irked me, just something that fell a little flat.

**3.5 stars**
I got this book when this book was available to read for 48 hours. I had tried the author's first book, but didn't find the plot engaging enough to keep reading. But this was the popcorn kind of book that I read at the right time. I liked the island filled with magic, the intrigue of these spirits and wondering what was really going on. The pacing was fun and easy to just keep reading. I think the author did a decent job with bringing the 20's to this made up island. Plus the best character hands down was Ivo; he was far more complex and developed than the protagonist. However, the magic in this book wasn't that well thought out. I've read books like "The Gilded Wolves" or the Diviners series where magic is more explained and detailed. There were a couple unanswered questions as far as the island and the spirits by the end that I felt slightly unsatisfied. The other annoying thing was that the author didn't flesh out this protagonist enough. Sure she was sheltered due to only growing up on this island and wanting approval from this family. But she was so focused on boys that she NEVER thought anything out to try and use her own brain to try and put things together. Instead, everyone had to explain things to her through dialogue. With how curious she is as a person, this felt like a disservice to the protagonist by not letting her do any critical thinking once the plot started going. So besides wishing the magic was more detailed and utilized, plus a dry main character and a lame romance option, this is a solid book. If you're just starting out with YA fantasy like titles, this is a good one. But by being an avid fantasy reader, I've read much better titles than this one. But I'm glad that I read it and that it helped me start to get out of a reading slump.

Bright Ruined Things by Samantha Cohoe is an urban fantasy mixed with mystery set in the 1920’s.

Mae lives on the island with the Prosper family. She is neither family or a servant, she’s merely a charity case that can live on the island until she is 18, which is soon. The island is the only home Mae knows, her father who was beloved by the family, died leaving Mae in their care.
The Prospers can do magic and Mae wants nothing more than to learn magic with Miles, the unofficial Prosper that she’s been in-love with since childhood.

Strange things are happening on the island and secrets start to come out. Mae, Miles and her best friend Coco Prosper all try to unfold the mystery of the Prosper family and the island.

There’s magic, love, a love triangle, family drama, secrets, mystery, and betrayal. Everything you could want in a story.

4.5/5 ⭐️

I received an e-arc from the publisher on NetGalley is exchange for an honest review.

Samantha Cohoe, from my cursory search of her website, seems to write YA novels. Her debut novel was A Golden Fury; I have not read it, but it has a Goodreads rating of 3.67, and is about a girl who is a talented alchemist trying to create the philosopher’s stone, which has caused her mother to go insane. Bright Ruined Things, on the other hand, is a story that primarily takes place on an island filled with magical beings whom the paternal figure (whom we will call “Poppa Prosper” in this blog post, although most of the characters in the novel call him grandfather because they are unimaginative and don’t like alliteration) has bound to get them to create a fuel called aether that has replaced gasoline.

The Prospers are a powerful and wealthy family, but our story is told by May, the orphan girl the family adopted when her father begged Poppa Prosper to take care of her from his (father’s) deathbed. May has never left the island, and she doesn’t want to – it is her home, and she is trying to stay quiet about the fact that she’s 18 and figure out a way to learn magic so that she can be useful to the family and Poppa Prosper will keep her around.

As the story opens, the Prosper family who live off the island all return for First Night, an annual celebration of the first time that Poppa Prosper tamed the spirits on the island. If you keep wanting to read Bright Ruined Things as Bright Young Things, you are not alone – I keep mis-typing the title, and I think this may have been done on purpose, given that the time period during which this novel is set and this fabulous party is slated to occur is the 1920s. The environment is wealthy, glamorous, on the cusp of ripe and spoiling. Something is happening to the spirits that no one has ever encountered before, and as May investigates, she is forced to confront the reality of her beloved island and the source of the Prospers’ wealth, and learns about herself and what she is willing to do for the love and power she has desired for her entire life.

Slated for release October 26, 2021, I also recommend this book, particularly if you are a fan of YA fantasy.

With a mix of magic and mystery, the tale Chloe spins is wonderful. I felt enraptured and engulfed by it. So much had happened that I couldn’t believe that the story took place in a single evening of First Night and not the span of multiple days. It was a truly delightful YA novel to read.

The author created each character really well and went into great detail with each one to the point that I felt I was able to understand the inner workings of the scenarios in which were being depicted from the perspective of the main character, Mae.

Having never left the island, Mae was naive and gullible to many things. The many storylines the author had going on allowed the reader to ponder what exactly was happening and what would happen eventually. Then bit by bit tiny specks of information were given but not enough for the reader to solve the mystery. But enough to keep us hooked and reading to find out just exactly what would happen next.

Then the ending!!! It ended in a whispered bang that leaves me wanting more!

I received an ARC from NetGalley.

I never have gotten the chance to read the Tempest, which this book is loosely based on, but this novel was a thrilling adventure! The female lead character is a strong, independent woman who observes everything around her, and the Prosper family is subject to her watchful eye. The magic and spirits on the island give a great atmosphere, and I was constantly turning the page (not literally since it was an Ebook but you get my point!)

A lot can happen in a day, and BRIGHT RUINED THINGS perfectly portrays that.

The story of Mae and the Prosper family is something of a found family, she wants so badly to be apart of this magical family, hell she already loves one of the grandsons. Unfortunately, things aren’t always as they seem and the First Night, typically a celebratory event, takes a turn for the worst and it’s up to Mae and the Prosper kids to figure out the family secrets.

The story itself has a great ending and an interesting concept. While it isn’t new, the way the story is told makes it feel refreshed and innovative. Mae comes into her own by the end of the story which I love to see. I see it done so often in YA that it’s gets predictable but truthfully Cohoe did it in a way that makes the reader root for the character even when we know she might not be making the most moral decisions.

The supporting character, the Prosper family, while while developed and interesting lacked any sort of characteristic that formed an emotional attachment with me. I obviously liked Ivo but I wish I knew more about him before the First Night. I didn’t Miles, but was I being too rash because, again, it’s only one night? That’s how I felt about all of the other characters truly. In the end even Coco I wasn’t attached to. Sure, I wanted the best for her but beyond that I really didn’t care. Perhaps it’s because I think that the Prosper family is just toxic and should stay far away from Mae like I’m protecting her in my head? I don’t quite know.

This story is based on Shakespeare’s Tempest so if you know and enjoy that story you will find yourself lost in this one, with some similarities to Tempest but with enough twists to make it it’s own work. It was action packed, especially the last about third of the story. The beginning laid the scene for lots of mystery and questions to be posed.

Overall it was a fun story and I LOVED the very end, it leaves the world open for the reader to imagine a little last piece of happiness but the book seemed chaotic at times as well as overwhelming in the span of one evening.

This book...just wow! Absolutely no time was wasted. We got right to the action and then the end?? Then the end of the prologue??? Oh my word!
I came in thinking I’d really like the book. I never knew I would end up loving it! It will definitely be my top recommendation of 2021 so far!

Link for full review coming soon!!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this book.

First, I know that this book is supposed to be a telling of Shakespeare's The Tempest, but I'm not familiar with that story, so I can't attest how similar the stories are. What I will say though, is that I am only about a quarter of the way through this book and struggling to continue reading. I'm sure I will finish this book eventually, but it's not of of those books where I'm invested and really have the urge to read and read it.

The main character is really whiny, I can't figure out why she has the motives and goals that she does. I feel like her relationships are seriously lacking in connection. Of course she has the "super ool, amazing, one-of-a-kind, how-could-she-ever-be-friends-with-me" best friend, the cute, mysterious, yet entirely bland love interest right off the bat, and then the older, meaner, dirtier developed love interest. Maybe I am being harsh, but it was just exactly what you expect from a YA novel. And while I sometimes like these tropes, this one was not executed as well. As for the idea the story follows, from what I have read so far, it seems interesting-ish, but also doesn't grab me in. It involved secret islands, spirits, magic, and an orphan girl caught up in all the drama of the family her father worked for. If that catches your attention, give it a try, maybe you'll like it more than me!

Again, I haven't finished this book, but it has taken me a couple of weeks to even make it a quarter of the way through.

*Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of Bright Ruined Things"
This is a fresh spin on Shakespeare's The Tempest. If anyone is covering Shakespeare and wants an easier interpretation than the original, this would do nicely. I found this version to be easy to read and understand. It was almost simplistic in its telling yet had enough details to create the proper amount of imagery. I feel the author done an okay job of creating this world but also think there could have been more. I don't feel like the world-building was as complete as it could have been, there was room for so much in addition to what was presented. I enjoyed the air of subtlety throughout the book yet was frustrated at the lack of intuition by a few key players. Things that seemed so overtly obvious to me, the reader, were an utter mystery to the characters. I really like Mae's character. I really do. I realize and appreciate that she lived her life on a secluded island with little interaction, however, she was well-read and mostly well educated. Some of the things were so 'in-your-face' that I find it hard to believe that she was in the dark. I was pleased when some of the secrecy started to be revealed so as to stop the dancing around the obvious but do wish there would have been more elaboration. I loved Mae but found her naivete to be almost annoying in itself. Until it wasn't. Once her eyes were opened to all that was going on around her, she took on an almost villainous quality that did not suit her. The flip-flop in her personality after she was 'woke' was such a stark contrast that it was almost uncomfortable to read. Fantasy is my go-to genre but I found this lacking in imagination and representation. I was able to get into it well enough, move through it at an acceptable pace, and then things started getting good! I was hooked once First Night started and couldn't put it down. Then I did. Because it was over. I did not like how abruptly it ended and the questions left unanswered (primarily IVO!). Overall, this book was a step above 'meh'. I enjoyed it well enough to not regret having read it. It was above average in parts yet barely average in others. If I were to rate this story based on its origin, as a retelling of The Tempest, it would receive 4 stars. If I am rating it based on it as a stand-alone novel on its own, I would give it 3.5 stars. Barely more than mediocre to me.

This book was incredibly hard to finish, by the end I felt like I was skimming pages just to be done with it. I have issues with almost every aspect of this book. The bones of a good story are there, but the execution fails magnificently. The story revolves around a mystery, yet the characters never work very hard to solve it. The villain "twist" at the end comes out of nowhere, with no foreshadowing or hints leading up to it. The author seems confused about what role the characters are meant to be playing, and almost every character seems to change personality or desires to fit the scene they're currently in. The main character was incredibly flat and boring, and never committed to an action, even though her entire arc revolved around her finding strength, and committing to her desires. Nothing felt earned in this story, there was no sense of finality at the end, and everything was meanderingly slow and too fast to be properly weighted and explored. I had high hopes for this one, but it disappointed me immensely.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an arc .

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Bright Ruined Things in exchange for an honest review.

Bright Ruined Things is technically a Tempest retelling, but as someone who doesn't really like The Tempest, I promise you'll still be able to enjoy it anyways. I really like the environment Samantha Cohoe creates here and that instead of trying to make her characters all super likable and easy to root for, basically everyone is so grey that your loyalties as a reader are constantly shifting. I wish Miles had more of a personality because of how much page time he takes up, but I also could have settled with him being as bland as he was if a few of his scenes were redistributed to other characters *cough cough* Ivo.

I almost really loved this, but I remain hung up on how I feel because looking back, I was 100% only reading for Ivo. I get its the 20s, but Ivo could have been 20. He acts like he's 20. It would affect basically nothing beyond him listing his (I think 7 year) age gap with Mae as a reason he feared she wouldn't like him. (note: it's framed as a reason he's worried she won't be into him, not as a reason he thinks he shouldn't be into a character who literally just turned 15) Most of Ivo's character and this book's final act are really reliant on his feelings for Mae and I just couldn't make myself forget the age gap enough to get behind it.

This novel uses Shakespeare's the Tempest as a jumping-off point, and the initial idea isn't bad: a young woman discovers that the magic island she's always lived on is made magic by the enslaved spirits who live there. But the execution is poor: the story becomes one of Cinderella, albeit with an evil royal family, manipulative princesses, and sullen princes, only one of whom is intelligent enough to know what's going on when the spirits begin to die. The narrator is independent and has a lot of self-esteem, but she's turned into a figure focused on boys and romance and somehow becomes unable to speak for herself for an annoyingly long time. The plot is rushed and decisions don't make sense; characters are uneven and inconsistent; and the conclusion is frustrating as the protagonist, who had achieved some autonomy, allows herself to be sucked back into the morass of the spirit-enslaving family.