Review: Ruined (The Eternal Balance #1) by Jus Accardo

Ruined (The Eternal Balance #1) by Jus Accardo

Published December 30th 2013 by Entangled Embrace

Ebook, 325 pages

Series: The Eternal Balance

Genre: New Adult Paranormal
Heat Rating: Steamy-ish

Source: I got a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
Amazon |  Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads

Hell is looking for a way to break loose…

Jax lost the genetic lottery. Descended from Cain, the world's first murderer, he's plagued by a curse that demands violence in exchange for his happiness. He left everything behind, including the girl he loved, but thriving on the pain of others is lonely… And it's killing him.

After a series of heartbreaking losses, Samantha put rubber to pavement and headed for college as fast as her clunker could carry her. But she can't outrun her problems. When an attack at school drives her back home, she's thrown into the path of a past—and a guy—she's been trying to forget.

Sam strains Jax's control over his darkness, but running isn't an option this time. Someone—or, something—followed her home from school: a ruthless monster with a twisted plan centuries in the making. Forced together to survive, and fighting an attraction that could destroy them both, Jax and Sam must stop a killer bent on revenge.

For Jax, Demons are real and not just something that haunts him from his past. Jax has lost the lottery and because of his family history he has descended from Cain and has a demon living inside of him. The demon wants nothing more then to murder his own brother. Unable to do it, Jax leaves everything behind including happiness and the only girl he ever loved.

 

Heartbroken, Samantha  run away for college as soon as she could. Hoping to escape all of her problems, but instead she only encountered more. After being attacked in College, she finds herself home once more facing the only man she did not think she would ever seen again.

This was my first book by Jus Accardo, and I have heard a lot of great things about her earlier writing so I was very curious. That and the fact that Entangled Teen has been putting out some very interesting books.

Although I did enjoy the overall story, the ending had both thrown a few curve balls and surprises that kind of left me scratching my head. I think I am getting ahead of myself here, so here is a few things I liked and did not about this book.

• The writing was great! I really loved the way Jus Accardo can tell a story, it really pulls you in. She had created a bunch of great characters in an interesting world that had you guessing until the very last page...like literally. Thought the pace was slow in some parts, I enjoyed the general picture.
• Jax and Samantha. Really very polar opposite. Samantha is kind of sweet and confused. She wants answers, she wants to know why Jax had dumped and left her after that earth shattering kiss and even after learning his secret she doesn't give up. Of course finding out your ex-boyfriend/friend is a demon brings out a new different kind of disbelief and terror, but she manages to work through it. I did enjoy the romance between them, it was very realistic, given the situation. Really, I couldn't help but connect with them.
• The plot. I feel like demons can be a hard subject to write correctly much less alone get it write and Jus Accardo made it readable and done a fairly well job with it. I liked that Jax had all these struggles inside of him with this thing that was as much a part of him as he was a part of the demon. Two different souls in one body, fighting for all kinds of control with emotions.

 

What made me er...

 

• The book was slow in some places and maybe even dragged a little for me. But the good storyline did keep me very immersed so I was able to come back to it easily, unfortunately this did take me longer to finish the book then I originally wanted to.
• Thought I enjoyed the romance I think there was too much tugging and pulling between Jax and Samantha that at times left me kind of frustrated.
• The ending... The ending really left me scratching my head. I don't want to go too much into it for the people that did not read it, but the whole deals part left me kind of "huh...who...what...when did this happen?" and Jax was suddenly involved in it too with Heckle? I was so confused... I thought it was only Samantha... besides the fact that we never even see it coming or get a hint, it was just.. random. 

 

Overall I am curious to see where this story goes, especially with everything that has happened in the end. It was a lot to chew on, but it seems to set up book two nicely.