Saturday 24 December 2016

REVIEW; Ruin (Ruin #1), by Rachel Van Dyken

Rating: 

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

Book 1 of 3

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Kiersten is from a small town and a sheltered life when she moves to college. She suffers from nightmares and depression and tries her best to hide all this. On her first day of college she literally bumps into Wes Michals - who happens to be her RA. 
She soon realises he is a true friend she can rely on and in no time things become more as she spends Thanksgiving with him and his father. Little could prepare Kiersten for the secrets Wes harbors though, as she realises everyone has a past, but not all have a future. 

My Thoughts:

To start with I found the writing and first meeting of the two main characters to be awkward and cringe. Ruin had received such positive and high-rated reviews but I can't help but feel a little bit disappointed. I don't see what the huge fuss was... I never really warmed to Wes. I really didn't find the banter back and forth believable or charming in the slightest.

POV: There is dual POV in this and it didn't work. The only way I could distinguish between if it were Wes or Kiersten was just from who was being addressed. The writing style didn't change depending on who it was and it often changed mid scene, just making the exchanges harder to follow. 

Insta-Love: Deduct a star immediately. Kiersten slams right into Wes and he instantly falls for her. So bored of it. Absolute no reason for even a sparked interest in an attempt to make it develop naturally or anything- just two characters inseparable from first sight. It all just makes it more difficult to believe their feelings are real and genuine and not clouded by lust. 

Wes: I didn't really like him much. I guessed his secret from the beginning, or near enough. I didn't really like his cocky attitude at the start and saw nothing to see why Kiersten warmed to him. 

"I'm going to make it so hard for you to forget this first kiss that you don't want anyone else kissing you ever again. When the guy you fall in love with kisses you - it better put this kiss to shame - if it doesn't, then he isn't the right guy. Because I'm going to do a damn good job, and I want the guy that earns you, that takes that heart of yours and holds it in the palm of his hands... I want that guy to be able to make you feel things I'll just be tapping into. Do you understand, Kiersten?" 

Maybe that sort of romantic declaration is what a lot of girls want to hear, but for me... major cringe when you hardly even know the guy! By the end, I felt like he was a totally different character beyond what had been already depicted and much preferred that side of him. 


Overall:

I've read other books by the author and loved them so presumed I'd enjoy this. For some reason the characters just didn't work this time for me. The writing style didn't flow like I expected and it was awkward at times.

Goodreads 

No comments:

Post a Comment