Avenged: An Impossible Choice Between Family Loyalty and Love―A High-Stakes YA Fantasy (Ruined, 2)

Avenged: An Impossible Choice Between Family Loyalty and Love―A High-Stakes YA Fantasy (Ruined, 2)

With the romance of The Selection and the epic stakes of Red Queen , Amy Tintera’s New York Times -bestselling Ruined trilogy continues with the thrilling young adult fantasy  Avenged . Emelina Flores has come home to Ruina. After rescuing her sister, Olivia, from imprisonment in rival kingdom Lera, Em and Olivia together vow to rebuild Ruina to its former glory. But their fight has only begun. Olivia is determined to destroy everyone who acts against Ruina. Em isn’t as sure. Ever since Em posed as Prince Casimir’s betrothed in Lera, she’s started to see another side to this war. And now that Cas has taken the throne, Em believes a truce is within reach. But Olivia suspects that Em’s romantic feelings for Cas are just coloring her judgement. Em is determined to bring peace to her home. But when winning the war could mean betraying her family, Em faces an impossible choice between loyalty and love. Em must stay one step ahead of her enemies—and her blood—before she’s the next victim in this battle for sovereignty. Gr 8 Up—While rescuing her sister from imprisonment in Lera, battle-skilled Emelina Flores gained a reputation for revenge. But her ruthlessness pales in comparison to that of Olivia, whose telepathic killing power leaves a trail of dead bodies behind them as the survivors of Ruina return home. The two rule together as queens, and Em hopes that Casimir, now king of Lera after the deaths of his parents, will keep his promise to leave them alone. But his cousin, Jovita, who thinks Cas is weak because of his romantic connection to Em, defies him and attacks Ruina, with disastrous results. Adding to this power struggle is Prince August from Olso, who offers the services of his warriors to protect Ruina if Em agrees to marry him and join their kingdoms. While Em and Cas want only peace, that seems unlikely to happen when hot-headed Olivia, Jovita, and August each vie for dominance. Em again proves to be a strong, conflicted character, but the wry sense of humor she displayed in the first book is sorely lacking here. Cas and some of the supporting cast are sympathetic, and another forbidden romance propels the narrative. However, pure hate and the desire for revenge make other characters seem one-dimensional. Graphic descriptions of exploding heads and other carnage caused by Olivia as she rages out of control become tiresome after a while. Still, there is enough adventure, intrigue, and passion to advance the plot and fuel interest in the next volume. VERDICT Fans of Ruined will want to read this installment.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT Praise for REBOOT: “A riveting premise, a romance with substance, and the urgent narrative voice lend [REBOOT] a burst of fresh energy.” - Publishers Weekly Praise for REBOOT: “Compulsively readable…Superb concepts and plotting will hook readers from the start.” - Kirkus Reviews Praise for REBOOT: “A fascinating premise, delivered in gory and glorious cinematic detail―and with a healthy dose of romance…The quick pace, familiar yet altered setting, and strong humanitarian message will draw Hunger Games fans.” - Booklist “Impossible to forget, the Ruined series has a perfect mix of passion and action.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) “A taut, riveting adventure full of magic, murder, and heart-stopping romance. I burned through this book!” - Michelle Krys author of Hexed “With a vibrant and intriguing world and conflicted characters you’ll love, Ruined is the perfect blend of fantasy, adventure and romance. I read it in one sitting!” - NEW YORK TIMES bestseller Amie Kaufman “Em is a fascinating heroine, and that alone will make readers eager for the sequel.” - Booklist “Tintera’s mix of violence and vengeance with a star-crossed-lovers story offers an olive-skinned heroine and only slightly lighter-skinned hero, abundant angst, and plentiful cinematic action sequences.” - Kirkus Reviews “Em is a resilient and likable heroine with a wry sense of humor, a knack for self-preservation, and the fighting prowess to match. This book will appeal to fans of female-powered battle-filled epic fantasy.” - School Library Journal Praise for REBOOT: “Fast paced and thrilling…I devoured this book!” - Veronica Rossi, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of UNDER THE NEVER SKY “Amy Tintera’s RUINED is so packed with action, intrigue, and romance, I was holding on for dear life until the very last page!” - Kiera Cass, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Selection A WAR THAT WILL FUEL HER. A BOND THAT WILL DESTROY HER. Emelina Flores has come home to Ruina. After rescuing her sister, Olivia, from imprisonment in rival kingdom Lera, Em has devised a plan with Olivia that will rebuild Ruina to its former glory. But just because Em and Olivia are out of Lera doesn’t mean they are safe. Their actions over the past year have had consequences, and they are now targets of retaliation. Olivia will destroy everyone who acts against Ruina. Em isn’