Bright Ruined Things is, above all, a mystery, full of intrigue and betrayal. Set, more or less, in the 1920s, this novel skims steampunk but never quite dips into it; there are machines powered by aether - magic produced by spirits - but they are never described clearly, and are, for all intents and purposes, incidental to the story.

Mae Wilson is, not quite a poor relation, but certainly poor, the daughter of Lord Prosper's deceased caretaker, who had been his friend. Like the Prosper family, Mae lives on the never-named island, where the family produces, in some mysterious and exclusive fashion, aether, the raw stuff of magic, which they then sell, thus creating their great wealth and power. Mae, as an orphan of no particular family, spends her life on the island, but always on the outside, looking in, and wishing to be a part of something: the family or the magic; either would be sufficient. But there is something odd going on, something to do with the family and how it produces magic, a secret Lord Prosper wants, and needs, to keep, to maintain his position as the only source of aether. Intrigue abounds as the family - some of whom know the secret and some of whom don't - attempt to manipulate each other for their own benefit.

If you enjoy mystery and intrigue, you will enjoy this novel, as that is the focus of the plot. Secrets abound in the Prosper family, and even those who think they know the truth are, largely, wrong; there are secrets within secrets within yet more secrets. Recommended for high school and adult readers, as the intricacies that make the plot so engaging may be difficult for younger readers.

I am providing this review in return for being given a preview copy of the novel by NetGalley.

This was a really interesting reading experience. I was ready to give up on it really fast because it *seemed* to be setting up a very very typical YA love triangle with a villain-who's-actually-good and a bad-boy-who's-really-bad. I kept reading though, because I felt for Mae, who has spent her whole life on an island sort of on the outside of this very rich family. And it's very well-written, which helped.

And then... everything flipped. And flipped again. I spent most of the book trying to figure out who is actually the good guy. My thoughts were like "Is he the good guy? Is *he* the good guy? *Is* there a good guy? You know what, these are all terrible people, why does Mae want anything to do with them? Oh ho, now Mae is a terrible people, what? Is... is there anyone on this island with even the tiniest redeeming quality?"

I couldn't look away from the scheming and the backstabbing and the betrayals and the lies. It was like the Great Gatsby in that way. They're all rich and terrible but you can't look away.

And even after that, after all the darkness and lies, a whole new level of darkness and lies is reached. It was impressive, actually, that my opinion of these people could sink any lower. There is a tiny hint of redemption for *some* of them at the end, which is good because otherwise I would have come away with a very bitter taste in my mouth and might not have liked this book very much at all. As it is, yeah. You know, I really did enjoy it.

Also. That ending! That is a gutsy place to end a book, especially one that seems to be a standalone. And it's also absolutely the right choice, because I've thought about it way more than I would have if the scene had gone on another few seconds and I think I like it more than I would have otherwise.

I have not read the Tempest, which I know this is a re-imagining of, but I don't think that really impacted my enjoyment of this story. It definitely has Great Gatsby vibes, but again, I don't think you need to be familiar with that story to read it. Just don't write it off early on, because it does a great job of twisting that love triangle trope.

The audiobook performance was excellent. The narrator did a great job giving all the characters believable voices and acting out the story. I read a portion of the story and listened to a portion of it and I definitely enjoyed the listening experience more because it was so well done. It was like a movie playing out in my mind, seamless and totally immersive. I would definitely recommend getting the audio for the best reading experience.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and MacMillan Audio for providing an e-arc and audio arc for review.

The family dynamics of Knives Out meets The Great Gatsby if it contained magic and a whole bunch of ghosts.

Bright Ruined Things is a retelling/inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest; although I haven’t read The Tempest yet, this book definitely has some Shakespeare vibes going on. Like the play, there’s magic on an island and the whole sequence of events in the novel takes place within twenty-four hours. Mae, our protagonist, has lived her whole life on the island, trying to be in the good graces of the wealthy Prosper family so she won’t be kicked off the island come her eighteenth birthday. Bright Ruined Things details the events of First Night, an annual celebration held on the island to commemorate when the magician Lord Prosper tamed the ghosts of the island and began producing aether, an otherworldly energy alternative that’s made his family fabulously rich. Mae’s always wanted to be like him and study magic, and has had a crush on one of the Prospers, Miles, for years, and this First Night is when she plans to make a move to get what she wants. Only things aren’t necessarily what they seem on the island…

The first thing I have to say about Bright Ruined Things is that the last third of the book is incredible. There’s steady and exciting action, decisions and consequences, development in relationships, and more. For me, the stretch of book from the climax to the end was one of the better climax-endings I’ve read. I couldn’t put the book down because I wanted to know so badly what happened; however, the first two-thirds of the book were not as easy to get through (as I mention later below). Another one of the more interesting, and maybe refreshing, aspects of the book is the fact that the majority of the characters are unlikeable. It’s not often that there’s a cast of characters that are pretty unlikeable and yet still make a book fun to read.

However, there were a few things that really pulled me down from loving this book to thinking it was just okay. While I already mentioned that the characters were unlikeable, I didn’t mind it so much except for the protagonist— there are multiple times where it feels like her only purpose is to narrate the interesting things that other characters are doing and saying, and it was hard to relate to a character that felt so lacking and one-dimensional for a good portion of the book. This book also lacked the atmosphere of the 1920s that I was promised— there was nothing except for someone wearing a dress occasionally that cemented the setting in the 1920s, and if I didn’t know from the cover and description that it was meant to be set in the 1920s, I never would have known. The last thing that really made this book feel a little off-kilter to me was the variance of pacing; there were times when everything happened at once and there were times when one small, normal event took several chapters to get through. I found it hard to focus on reading until the last third of the book, where this book really took off. It made me wish that there had been some more consistent pacing to interest me from the beginning and throughout.

i was really excited about this but found it boring and too focused on boys/relationship so i quickly lost interest.

The Great Gatsby but make it much more magical and the characters more interesting (sorry, not sorry) in this Shakespeare-inspired novel!

**Possibly a few trigger warnings to be observed before reading Bright Ruined Things, but nothing that is seemingly overexplicit.

Mae was orphaned when she was younger, but has been allowed to remain island belonging to the Prosper family thanks to the promise made between her father and Lord Prosper. But now that she is eighteen, Mae knows her time on the island is coming to an end. So when presented with an opportunity to stay by marrying Ivo, the Prosper reclusive heir, she cannot bring herself to refuse. However on the day of First Night, when the Prosper family and their friends gather to celebrate the island's magic and source of their wealth, the spirits of the island begin mysteriously dying and Mae is certain that Ivo is behind these deaths and so much more.

About 50% through and I'm truly enjoying this reimagining of Shakespeare's The Tempest! This is definitely a fun read and has a killer Roaring 20's and Great Gatsby vibe. Cannot wait to finish and see exactly how Cohoe decides to let it play out! Full review will be uploaded to Goodreads upon completion.

***Thank you to NetGalley for providing this eARC for review!

In this YA fantasy, Samantha Cohoe mixes magic and an atmospheric historical setting into a fantastically immersive world. Set over the course of a day, a girl realizes her life on a glittering, magical island isn’t what it seems in a 1920s-set fantasy, inspired by The Tempest. The only life Mae Wilson has ever known is on the island where her father, a loyal servant of Lord Prosper, passed away 6 years ago. Mae has been living on the charity of the wealthy Prosper family who control the magic on the island and the spirits who inhabit it as well as the incredibly valuable aether.

She's never been off the island. She is neither family or a servant, she’s merely a charity case that can live on the island until she is 18. Now that she's turning 18, she's terrified that she won't be allowed to stay. This is an island where spirits of all kind roam freely, and one in particular, Aeris, loves to taunt and tease Mousy Mae. The spirits are also used as servants in a variety of ways. Mae wants nothing more than to learn magic with Miles, the unofficial Prosper that she’s been in-love with since childhood.

Mae longs to have a place among the Prosper family, where her best friend, Coco, will see her as an equal. To get to that point, she may have to marry the mysterious Ivo. Mae and Ivo were once close friends, but a secret was exposed by mousy Mae, and he's been distant and reclusive ever since. But tonight is First Night, when the Prospers and their high-society friends return to the island to celebrate the night Lord Prosper first harnessed the island’s magic and started producing aether – a magical fuel source that has revolutionized the world. With everyone returning to the island, Mae finally has the chance to go after what she’s always wanted.

When the spirits start inexplicably dying, Mae starts to realize that things aren’t what they seem. And Ivo, the reclusive, mysterious heir to the Prosper magic, may hold all the answers. As Mae begins to unravel the mysteries of the island, and the Prospers’ magic, Mae starts to question the truth of what her world was built on. Mae can be a frustrating character because she's so meek and fearful in how she interacts with people, even if inside she wants to be different.

Thankfully, Mae finds a backbone. The book takes place almost entirely in a single day, with the exception of the epilogue which takes place off island. I have opinions about certain characters. I felt so badly for Ivo. I thought that he got a really bad deal. I ended up hating both Miles and Coco since they both showed their true colors when it came to how they treated Mae. I would have liked to find out who May meets on the final page. I have my guesses, by I hate taking guesses as to what happens next.

I absolutely devoured this book. It is a refreshing fantasy concept, well-paced and plotted. The Prosper family lives on an island of spirits, previously wild and untamed, until the Patriarch of the family harnessed the island's potential to produce aether and provide its power to the mainland and other neighboring islands. Grandfather Prosper possesses magic that allows him to control the weather around the island, to control the storms and the tides, and to keep the spirits of the island in harmony. Magical teaching is only passed down selectively to the males in the Prosper family. As the family black sheep, Mae lives on the outskirts both physically and metaphorically, dependent on the good will of the family to continue providing for her meager existence now that she is of age. Her only dream has been to learn magic.
The family holds a large party each year for First Night to commemorate the birth of aether power. This year, for Mae, First Night is more of deadline than a party. Family secrets are coming unraveled in the days leading up to First Night, and Mae fears for the safety of her family if she can't solve the mystery before the end of the festivities.
My only qualm is that the book blurb touts this as a 1920s story, but there is little detail (and MANY missed opportunities) in the story to place the reader squarely in that timeline. Descriptions of clothing are kept mostly to color, no style descriptions of typical 20's fashion, there is mention of one of the Prosper grandchildren receiving a gramophone and bobbing her hair, and another papering her room with silent film memorabilia, but that is the extent of any detail to anchor the story anywhere but an anonymous fantasy world lacking modern technology. There's a lot of focus on the "favored" granddaughters having beautiful dresses and accessories, and on the fantastic parties thrown by the family for first night. It just killed me a little that music and fashion are the hallmarks of the 1920s, and absolutely no detail was given to support the reported time period. I still loved the story though!
Content-wise, Mae is naive to the ways of the world. There is some discussion about other characters being womanizers or "sluts" and multiple male characters indicate willingness to engage in affairs with Mae, but there is no sexual content beyond kissing and a character being felt up. Historical fiction fans will find this lacking the detail they crave, however, lovers of fantasy, family drama, and coming of age stories will find much to appreciate.

This was a clever and enjoyable read. I didn't like it because of my love of the characters. No, they were mostly a nasty and ungrateful group. The main character, Mae was finally redeemed in my eyes by the end of the book but I didn't even like her through most of it. However, I thought the book itself was clever, I liked the setting. A magical island in the 1920's. There's a mystery surrounding the magic . There are mysterious men who are hiding their magic and not everyone is trained in the ways of magic. It appears that they are being selfish with it and keeping it to themselves, but maybe there's more to it.

The book started a little slowly, but then it took off and I couldn't read fast enough. I thought it was a compelling and creative read. I liked seeing Mae's character grow and mature due to life's events.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

"Today had been a day of dreams coming true, as nightmares."

I feel like I need to go read The Tempest after finishing Cohoe's newest release. After I fell in love with A Golden Fury last year, it was easy to see Cohoe's talent for capturing an era and incorporating magic and otherworldly manifestations.

Bright Ruined Things is just that. Another exquisite work of author talent that captures the growth of a multitude of characters all while pressing the boundaries of love, family and desires.

Imani Jade Powers elevates each character's voice as the plot escalates through family drama and secrets. She captivated Mae's spirit and determination as she struggles between acceptance, power and rising above her station in life. I was ecstatic when I heard she was the narrator for Cohoe's second novel. Her talent has fit both novels perfectly.

Though this is set in the 1920s, I felt readers were given the feel of island isolation and ghostly servant upbringing Mae experienced. Yes, I wanted a smidge more of the specific era vibe but I also found myself drawn to the drama and mystery of the Prospers and their secluded home.

A touch of romance, a haunting mystery and characters that area easy to love or almost hate in equal measure. Cohoe is quickly becoming an author I keep on my watch list. This is a novel I recommend to young adult readers who love magic and mystery with a historical flair.

Thank you Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for the gifted digital and audio copies in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts are my own.

Listen, if you have followed my reviews or my #bookstagram for any length of time you will know that Samantha Cohoe's previous book, A Golden Fury, is one of my underrated favs. I loved it and have always felt it was deserving of more readers. Cohoe's sophmore novel, Bright Ruined Things, is perhaps even more deserving. I loved this one too and struggled with rating this because it is objectively not perfect, but that ending was just brilliant so I am rounding up to 5 stars because personally I loved it that much.

This is a retelling of The Tempest with A Great Gatsby vibe. I mean... if that does not call your name, I don't know what will. It is full of flawed characters and a flawed protagonist. Somehow this story is compelling despite each character's flaws. I think in part because there is something very human about each character. I do have to say that Ivo is possibly the only likable character and I am not lying when I said he made the book for me. You know I get unreasonably attached to characters and Ivo is a favorite.

I do wish some things had been explained further as I have a few questions about the world-building and its characters, but I could not put this one down and I pretty much loved every second of reading it so I can forgive some lack of depth on its absolute readability alone. It has been hard for me to read lately so huge props to this book to have captured my attention so fully. Despite some holes, I think it is just brilliant. This is definitely up there as another favorite read.

Thank to you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for letting me read this gem in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interesting rendition of Shakespeare's The Tempest. I just couldn't find myself to get into it. If anything, it kind of drew me into a reading slump I can't quite get out of. I might return to it in the future to see if I can get back into it. The cover, however, 10/10. It's what drew me to the book in the first place.

"The Tempest" meets "The Great Gatsby" in this fantasy YA novel from Samantha Cohoe.

Mae has never truly belonged on the island she grew up on, a source of great magic owned and controlled by the rich and dazzling Prosper family. But she’s always wanted to. Just like she’s always wanted to have a hand in the magic.

At eighteen, Mae is afraid that her time on the island will end and she’ll be sent away forever to the mainland, where spirits don't fill the air with song and magic is an anomaly, or worse, an impossibility. As the Prosper family and their friends gather for the largest celebration of the year, Mae must figure out how to find her way into becoming a part of the family at all costs…not knowing how many secrets she’ll uncover in the process.

In this new take on a classic, Cohoe quickly builds a world of wonder, magic, and mystery. In only a few chapters, readers are thrown into the compulsively readable drama of the Prosper family and will find themselves avidly flipping through pages to see what the story will unveil next.

A fast-paced and fun read, "Bright Ruined Things" is not only a nod to Shakespeare's earlier piece but an ode to those deeper concepts the late, great writer weaved into one of his last works. Yet, the story makes these themes much more digestible and entertaining for a younger audience. With a plot full of murder, romance, backstabbing, gossip, and more, this story would likely have made ol’ William proud, although it may lack the nuance and literary prowess of the original.

Highly recommended for fans of the characters and intriguing plot of "A Winter’s Promise," I gave "Bright and Ruined Things" 4 out of 5 stars.

When I read the blurb this book seemed like it had everything I look for in a book. And it did, for the most part. The first half was amazing, I loved the mystery and intrigue and getting to know the characters and what made them tick. The second half felt kind of meh to me. The magic bits were kind of confusing and I wish there was more explanations. And the ending kind of dragged on and I lost interest several times.

Overall a solid book and worth reading!

4 stars

A magical retelling with an amazing setting!

Reading Bright Ruined Things was so much fun! The author does a great job of creating a spellbinding story. I especially enjoyed the 1920s era setting. I also enjoyed the characters and their dynamics. I found myself not wanting to put the book down!

I always am interested in reading books inspired by Shakespeare. I love that Cohoe lifted some character names and general plot points from The Tempest for Bright Ruined Things. Overall, I enjoyed the book. The plot was interesting and I liked the magical elements of the spirits and that Lord Prosper was a sorcerer. Mae's character was a little wimpy in the beginning, but I liked the growth arc she showed as the book developed. The dysfunctional Prosper offspring could have been a little more developed, but generally, the story was well done.

I am hoping for a sequel based on the ending.

This was a one day read for me, not because of simplicity, but due to pure desire to solve the mysteries and find clarity to the relationships in this book. To me, this book read as a cross between Gatsby, the Tempest, and Wuthering Heights. It combined elements of historical fiction, fantasy, and gothic romanticism. I loved it! And the ending of the Epilogue…gah! My only complaint…add more Ivo! The development of Mae’s and Ivo’s relationship lacked for me a bit, but maybe that is the making of a good book, it leaves you wanting more. I will be purchasing a hard copy of this text to add to my classroom library. Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an e-ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This ya fantasy standalone shows us 1920s wealthy family intrigue through the eyes of a girl on the periphery. The orphaned Mae is largely ignored by the Prospers even though she has been permitted to live on their magical island since her father died in childhood. Terrified that they will send her away from the only home she's ever known, she has trouble saying no to even their most high-handed demands, including an unwelcome engagement to the eldest grandchild of the patriarch (cue uncomfy age gap: 18-year-old girl meets 25-year-old boy ew). Ivo is the family heir, responsible for harnessing the island's magic through the labor of spirits, thus perpetuating the family's vast wealth. Unfortunately, Ivo's been pining for Mae while she's been obsessing over his cousin Milo, so no one is on the same page here. Mae feels unseen and cornered, panicking about a future outside her control as well as a mysterious and believed impossible malady striking the island spirits.

While I know the story intended to show the dark side of this family and their relationships, I struggled with the fact that even the ones meant to walk on a slightly lighter shade of the morally grey spectrum still felt sticky and toxic to me. Mae's gaslit by her best friend about some seriously traumatic experiences, belittled by one romantic interest and controlled by another, and generally insulted and managed by everyone. I don't think it's necessarily bad to have Mae learn to protect herself more and gain confidence despite these putdowns. However, her path descends into bitterness, revenge, and schemes as if her past role as mediator and dreamer is as embarrassing as her tormenters would have her believe. Essentially, I didn't mind the growth or loss of innocence but didn't feel like she retained some of her initial strengths after remaking herself.

Also, I didn't care for the ending, to be honest. It's a bit open (not, I believe, for a sequel, but for drama). It's also a sort of stilted ending for some of the relationships rather than a smooth or powerful conclusion that might have felt more meaningful. I only felt irritation towards Mae's final moments with each Prosper.

I think readers who enjoy morally grey characters, vicious drama, and dark magic will enjoy this more than I did. Thanks to Wednesday for my copy to read and review.

The magical world and history of the island and the prosper family were interesting. The mysteries and tied-up relationship kept me engaged.

5-Star Read! I loved this book and was pleasantly surprised by it and how much I enjoyed it. After reading this book, I realized I've read Samantha Cohoe before with Golden Fury and that book was amazing also and got me a bit creeped out, but this book was just as good maybe even better. There was swoon-worthy romance, family/friends, a different magic setup than I've seen before which was great and intriguing. I'm hoping that there will be another book where I can maybe learn more about the magic with the spirits on the island. This is about Mae who's only ever lived on the island with the Prosper family and wants to figure out a way to learn and have the magic of her own. It's also about Mae deciding who she is, what she wants, and what she wants to do to get it. This is about how the magic and the system of things with the spirits on the island for years basically fall apart and chaos breaks loose and they're all left to figure out what to do. I'm so glad that I got to read this book and can't wait for the next one hopefully there's a continuation and a next book because the way the end was left I am going crazy to know what happens next. This is a fantastic read, go get it, you won't be disappointed.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the chance to read and review this amazing story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a brilliant read and I loved the historical aspect to this book. This had such a fun atmosphere and I would recommend this to any historical fiction lovers.