This was an exciting retelling of the Tempest. When I first started it, I wasn’t quite sure if I would enjoy it, but at about 30% I was dragged in. I think one of the things that struck me the most was that the plot spans over the course of a day. It was amazing how much could happen and how much the characters could change in so short a time.
The secrets and different personalities of the Prosper family definitely kept things interesting. I almost want to say that they were beautifully flawed (some being less beautiful than others). Overall, I think they were well written. Cohoe gave them a fantastical magical sort of aura while still showing their bad sides. The main character, Mae, began as a naive and innocent protagonist but did mature as the story moved along. While I did value this growth, I found the way she allowed others to walk all over was rather annoying. Also, at times she seemed a bit bland and it was difficult to connect with her.
I wish there was more depth into the 1920’s styles and mannerisms, but I did enjoy the way the Prosper’s house was described.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Full disclaimer, I have never read the Tempest. However, I do know I like Shakespearean retellings, and adding “Gatsby” vibes sold me. The mystery around the family on the island and their magic was truly this book’s actual selling point, and I enjoyed it a lot. However, as with Cohoe’s previous book, getting to the interesting bits was tedious at times. This book focuses more on who Mae is and who the family thinks Mae is. This would be fine if Mae were an enjoyable character to read, but unfortunately, she wasn’t.

There is a great mystery and we only find out the details of it in the last 75%. This was a slow build-up to a quick wrap-up, and I left wanting more. I genuinely wanted to like this book more than I did.

Full review will be published on September 27th, 2021.

DNF. I couldn’t get invested in the story and the characters. Might refer back to it, but shelving it for now!

Cohoe masterfully crafts a gripping tale of ambition, love, and family through a reimagination of one of Shakespeare's underappreciated plays, Tempest. The story just cuts through your core and will leave you in a trance throughout your reading experience.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to enjoy the arc! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and magic woven in by Samantha! I felt the pacing and charter development in this book was wonderful and made for ease of reading! I enjoyed Mae’s journey and the growth she experienced learning to user her voice! I highly recommend this read to anyone looking for some retelling fun and adventure!

This was an okay read. The main character was kinda boring and flat and was often frustrating. The other characters were also two dimensional and the one character I enjoyed we barely saw. But it was interesting and creative story.

Characters: Absolutely loved. I believed most of them. In the end, they petered out a little but it doesn't take away from a full star point.

Plot: I liked it. I didn't see the conclusion coming, everything felt resolved, and the last line leaves the book open to be a standalone or merge into a sequel.

Diversity: half a star point. There's implications of racial diversity but not enough to count as representation. As for LGBTQ diversity, you'll be happy to know the one gay person only almost died, rather than being offed entirely.

Would I buy it for myself: three quarters of a star. I'd add it to my daughter's library but not mine.

Would I buy it for others: half a star. Only if they asked for it. I wouldn't be jumping at the bit to share it.

This book was EVERYTHING! I mean 20s vibe on a creepy island, yes please! I loved how unique this world is and that alone had me so drawn to it. I did like the magical elements. The characters were good, albeit a little annoying at times). I feel like the book flowed well.

A retelling of Shakespeare's The Tempest, this was a really enjoyable and captivating read with twists and turns aplenty.

A great mystery and coming of age story. lively people and ghosts. The heroine is a bit dramatic but it seems to work for her.

This book is about Mae Wilson, a girl who lives on an island with the Prospers, a family of magicians that can control spirits. One day, the spirits start inexplicably dying and Mae - with the help of her best friend, Coco, and longtime crush, Miles - tries to find out why and how to stop it.

I loved that this book was a retelling of Shakespeare’s, The Tempest. I also loved the 1920s setting and the drama. The book started really good and the author did a great job building this unique world filled with magic. I think it’s cool that the events of this entire book took place in one day. Mae’s character development was very well written because she used to be sheltered and innocent but she became independent as the book progressed.

The beginning was interesting and kept me guessing, but it started to get really repetitive and boring at a certain point. I disliked most of the characters because they were terrible people and I really wish the main character was more likable. Despite her character development, Mae was one of the most annoying characters in this book. Also, her relationship with literally every single character was extremely toxic. Another thing I disliked was the romance. I found it to be bland and very unnecessary.

However, I did enjoy the ending. The action was a little confusing, but it was a good conclusion. I think Mae made the right decision to permanently distance herself from the Prosper family.

I personally think this book is okay, but Shakespeare fans might really like it.

Bright Ruined Things by Samantha Cohoe is a reimagined tale of Shakespeare’s The Tempest set in the early twentieth century on an island where Lord Prosper has created a haven of beauty and wealth and power through his magic. Eighteen-year-old Mae Wilson is the daughter of Lord Prosper’s old steward who had served him faithfully until he died, and who had begged Prosper’s care for his only child until she was an adult. Now an adult, Mae knows she is on the brink of being cast off the island she loves and out of the only home she has ever known. While she longs to remain on the island, she wants Prosper’s magic even more, the magic that would make a place for her on the island and secure her home there forever. To learn the magic, however, she needs Prosper’s agreement, but he has chosen Ivo, his oldest grandson, as the sole heir to learn his magic, allowing his children and other grandchildren to revel in his wealth and privilege with no responsibility for maintaining it.

As the Prosper family prepares for First Night, the festival that celebrates Prosper’s mastery of the island, Mae faces escalating conflicts that pull her away from her closest friends and link her to Ivo, the heir who frightens and repels her. The more she learns, the more she realizes that she cannot trust those she thought were friends, and she must re-evaluate the love she has for the island as its secrets are revealed.

As a reimagined version of The Tempest, this novel is enthralling and captivating. Readers familiar with Shakespeare’s work will love matching characters and themes to the original
play, and those who have read The Tempest may be drawn to read it — the most compelling tribute any author can give to the Bard! Cohoe’s characters are realistic, flawed and complex and surprising, and they each pull readers to their sides at times while frustrating them at others. The stakes of the plot are high and clear, and the story is difficult to put down from the first page. Most importantly, the novel’s themes are urgent reminders that good things that trample others are not good. Through the actions of Mae and the Prosper grandchildren, readers see the dangers of greed and selfishness, the sacrifices that must be made to restore justice, and the peace and stability that come from making one’s own way in the world.

When I started this book, I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect much. A Shakespeare retelling? I’ve read hundreds. But still I gave it a shot


And I’m glad I did.

This book was a ride. From the characters to the magic to the secrets and the drama, I couldn’t put this book down. I was hooked. I literally found out it was 2 am at one point and forced myself to go to sleep


The characters are so good and so flawed in the best ways. I loved the complexity of them ,especially Mae who I mistakenly assumed was just a regular begular ,naive novel protag. To see her grow from needing validation to being the source of her own was honestly so touching. She is morally grey and I love it . As are the rest of the characters and , spoiler, they do end up reaping what they sow. These characters are so real, and they don’t have some injected moral compass that comes out of no where like a lot of protagonists do. They are so human and that is the shining point of this novel.

The plot moved fast but in a good way. I usually have a hard time finishing books in a day but , as mentioned previously, my failings proved not to be a problem this time. It was intriguing and the twists where very well laid out and executed. Every twist and turn caught me of guard and as I reflect on it , I can’t help but be so impressed.

I must put a CW here though, because this book is deals with heavy themes of drug use , suicide, and exploitation, so if you feel uncomfortable with these subjects I would tread lightly.

When I saw this compared to the Great Gatsby, I didn’t fathom it could be something more than rich people in the 1920s. But it is so much more. The idealistic view wealth and the harsh truths behind it are well threaded through the novel. What is the true price of the wealth of the fortunate, and what do they feel when they learn about it.

Now there are things I would have loved more of in the novel. More Ivo and a little more exploration of Lord Prosper would have been much appreciated. I also wish the setting of the 1920s was more noticeable aside from subtle indicators of the era. I would have loved to also know more about the history of magic on this island.

That being said, I would definitely recommend this read. It’s not a love story, as Gatsby isn’t. It’s more of an exploration as Gatsby is.

As for my rating: would I give this book some of me 20 pack Pokémon fruit snacks ? Yes I would give them 4/20 ( a huge honor I don’t give them away lightly) and I would even throw in my Barbie fruit snacks that I found out I can’t eat cause the contain gelatin:(. This book deserves it.

4.5 stars (rounded up)

* Thank you to Netgalley for sending me this eArc in exchange for an honest review

The bright lights, glitter, and champagne of the 1920s come out in full swing for this bold and mysterious retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Full of dark secrets, forbidden magic, and deceptive characters, Bright Ruined Things lures readers into a wildly imaginative story.

The Prosper family is known for their powerful magic and endless riches, but what lurks in the corners of their haunting estate? We follow these elusive characters are they uncover the forces at work in a plot that will entirely blow you away.

I loved that this book had a Gatsby-esque feel to it! Even the mystery surrounding each of the characters was reminiscent of the allure and secrecy surrounding Gatsby's character. It had me flipping pages wanting to know each of their stories and intentions. However, the first two-thirds of the novel left me confused and struggling to understand what entirely was happening, but the last part of the book completely stole the show! It had action, sizzle, and spark, and it delivered one heck of an ending. (I mean, those last couple of sentences gave me CHILLS.)

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

THIS COVER! It's so gorgeous! As soon as I saw it, I had to see what it was about and luckily, it was right up my alley! I love the worldbuilding, it's just so beautiful! And of course, I love seeing a Shakespeare retelling!

Mae has spent her entire life in the island. In the only place in the world that has magic. The rich Prosper family controls it, as some of the only magicians alive, but the cost is something they’ve never considered. But Mae wants the magic, too. She’s in love with a Prosper, while another is intended for her. But is this the life she really wants? What would she choose, if she truly could?

Based in part on Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Twelfth Night, this book is set in the 20s and glitters with all the excess of the time. Mae’s naïveté and innocence butts up against the Prosper family’s decadence and secrecy. The favored son, Ivo, someone who might be her friend, is part of the key to the magic on the island, and that magic is what keeps Mae forever wishing she had a place in the family. Ivo is broody and difficult, his half brother Miles is the one Mae’s been pining for. His cousin, Coco, her only and best friend, is another anchor to this life.

But Mae’s character arc pulls her both toward and away from everything she thought she wanted. I enjoyed her journey. The other characters get a somewhat shallow treatment and I felt we could have had much more exposition to put them all more firmly in the story.

The entire work could have been 200 pages longer, with slower plot movement and a deeper treatment of the elements. While I enjoyed the bones of the story, I needed more from most parts of it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this free copy. These opinions are my own.

I loved this book . I loved it ,because it’s so different from everything else that’s out right now..
Mae is a ordinary girl who lives on a island . A magic island. This island is filled with a family that can manipulate and control magic . Also on this island , there are ghosts. Ghost that fuel the island so to speak . But beware . No one is what they seem . Being two faced rules the day .
Overall this story is played out in one night , ride or die . I was compelled by the story . I honestly wanted more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

I’ve always been fond of Shakespeare; I even took a Shakespeare Lit class in college. However, I’m super bad at remembering books, so I didn’t really remember much about “The Tempest” besides some basic stuff. I saw a couple similarities, but nothing that would’ve convinced me it was like a retelling. This story was definitely a simple, fast read. It was very basic/general YA. Nothing too engaging to suck you into the story or characters. It was okay, and the characters were okay. Mae’s character was so naïve and indecisive; it was quite annoying at times. I had a lot of hope for the book, but it just fell flat for me. If you’re looking for a super easy, “filler” book, this is it. If you want something to make you think, guess, and be invested, you may just want to skip it.

A whirlwind of one dreadful day on a strange island, Bright Ruined Things takes inspiration from William Shakespeare's The Tempest, but strays far from the original's mysterious charm. 

Mae has lived her entire life on a mystical island brimming with magic and spirits — an island controlled by the powerful Prosper family, who promised to house her until she turned eighteen after their loyal assistant, her father, died. This island is her home, more than it is to many of the Prosper relatives who only visit a few times a year, but soon its mysteries could be lost to her forever... if the Prospers realize that her eighteenth birthday has already come and gone. Mae has every desire to keep the island as her home for the rest of her life, and further (secretly) to have the powers of the covert magic of Lord Prosper and his oldest grandson for herself. On First Night, the annual celebration of Lord Prosper's harnessing of magic, Mae makes plans to take what she wants: to capture the heart of one of the Prosper grandsons — Miles, who she has always loved from a distance — and to gain a true place on the island as one of its revered magicians. But nothing goes according to plan.

The concept of this novel was interesting. The execution was not quite there. First, if you're going into it wanting a retelling of The Tempest, there are only fine threads connecting the two: the name of the Prosper family, the concept of an island filled with spirits... It is not a complicated, depth-filled tragicomedy. This novel was disappointingly flat. I was never pulled into the tension, never itching to turn the page. The novel tells the readers what the tension is from the beginning — oh, Mae wants to stay on the island, she wants to be magic — but there was no "showing" behind it that could tug at the reader-heartstrings. The central problem never really altered or grew over the course of the novel. The underlying plot of what was happening on the island could have been engaging, but there was no surprise at the reveal. Plot was pushed to the side to build pictures of a host of characters. Clearly, the author had developed and grown attached to a collection of characters, but it felt like everything else was pushed to the side in order to try to show off each of them. Often, interactions seemed to occur just to develop some aspect of a character that didn't help the plot at all (and didn't even help the characters seem three-dimensional... yes, I see that Alasdair smokes and smirks, yes, I see that Apollonia is stuck-up and nasty). I never felt connected to the emotions, never felt that things got deep enough to pull me in. It was like viewing an interesting concept-design and thinking, 'I can see how this could become so intriguing,' but never seeing it built up. 

There were also some aspects of the novel that simply rubbed me the wrong way. 

SPOILERS AHEAD:

First, the handling of LGBTQ themes sat wrong with me. The moment where Coco was outed as a lesbian felt like a cheap shot — using it as a shock factor and to cause some sort of additional tension between Mae and the family and Coco (where Coco gets defensive because she thinks they are judging her). What was the point? The only reason it was brought up was to cause some sort of negative tension which felt unnecessary to the plot. It felt un-thought-out... like something sprinkled in. Not to mention that Coco was an utterly toxic friend throughout the novel — why choose the lesbian to be so unfeeling? Which brings me to...

Second, the relationships in the book were all toxic and/or abusive. Ivo is so aggressive (borderline abusive) to Mae in the beginning, and yet, at the end, he is held up as the hero who she is truly in love with. Coco and Mae's friendship is held up as 'the only pure thing on the island,' and yet Coco was shown over and over to treat Mae horribly and Mae herself betrayed Coco multiple times. I physically cringed when their reunion was so important in the end. And then, for some reason, the novel tries to redeem Alasdair? There was no reason for that to happen, except maybe for the author's benefit, to redeem a character she had become attached to. I love stories of redemption... but once again, this particular way of handling things flattened the plot for me.T

he third thing that made me recoil a bit (and which I might have a hard time putting into words) was that the central horrible problem was the enslavement of the spirits, and their torment was used as a plot point, and yet our perspective came from that of their oppressors. Mae says (of Ivo): "He spent his whole life giving you all [the Prospers] what you wanted, knowing it was wrong. Knowing the evil he was doing. Hating himself for it. Even his death was for you." The perspective is telling us that the humans were oblivious or downright heinous in their actions, and yet, somehow, Ivo still comes out as the hero. Mae is, in a way, "redeemed," for realizing just what the magic was doing and helping to break it... but that isn't any of the humans' story, in the end. There was this sense that the climax had a message about injustice and violation, but this whole time, all of the characters we have come to know have been pursuing the power that comes from that injustice and violation... can they really be the ones to give us that message?

The one thing I will say is that I can see, I suppose, how these characters are indeed "bright and ruined things." 

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.

Bright Ruined Things is a story about a magical island where spirits serve the rich. It features a slew of characters connected to a powerful island family who may be using a darker kind of magic to fund their lavish lifestyles. Family politics and a spellbinding drama weave an intricate web of mystery and blood in this latest book by Samantha Cohoe.

The magic in this story was very unique and the overall concept of a spirit powered island was highly original. The characters were very angsty which made the story a bit too melodramatic for me. If it wasn't for the title and cover art, I would not have known this was set in the 1920s. Bringing in more details and descriptions of the era would have helped. I would also have liked more background info about the island, such as its history and whether or not magic was something known to the rest of the world?

This is difficult to rate because despite the small criticisms, I really liked the originality of the magic. 3.5/5 stars.