A decadent and delicious adult debut. I was instantly drawn into the banter between our two morally grey main characters--a sorcerer and a demon--and their descent into a deadly maze. While the heat between them sets the book aflame, the interesting worldbuilding surrounding the maze made it impossible for me to put it down. Absolutely loved it.

I first noticed this book because of the cover. Something about it just caught my eye and I wanted to know more! Immediately the opening line captured me and I knew I was going to like this author. The depth of the world and the richness of the descriptions really created a movie in my mind, allowing me to fall into the story even more. I loved the idea of the maze, and that the maze itself was sentient, a character all its own.

As for character's, I really loved that we were trying to figure out the main character the same as she was if you will. The idea of a lost memory, and having those little snippets flitter just outside your reach is so relatable, but now imagine traversing a maze with no memory of how you got there AND with someone that clearly is NOT a fan of you. Chaos would surely ensue, which it does, and the banter of the two MCs is "chef's kiss". The tension is juuuust right and the payoff for said tension is 10/10. Also, the sidekick was something I didn't know I needed!

As for the story, it's lush and moves at just the right pace. I did NOT see the plot twist coming and sort of just had to sit there for a second when I realized what was happening. I thoroughly enjoyed being made to sit down and revisit everything I had just read, to see now what I didn't know then. I enjoyed the ending, and that there COULD be more, but was happy with the way things worked out!

Thank you to the team at Gallery Books and AdriAnne May for the e-ARC via Net Galley!

The Vibes:

—the minotaur (original mythology flavor)

—amnesia

—lovers to enemis to WHAT ARE WE

—kind of hardcore stuff (think CNC plus plain and degradation) handles in a fairly soft way)

Heat Index: 7.5/10

The Basics:

Waking up in the labyrinth, Sadare knows only that she's a powerful witch—and her only companion and help is the demonic Daesra, who hates her. With no choice but to work together, they move towards the center of the maze and the monster that lies in wait, troubled—and tempted—by memories of a shared past as passionate as it was complex...

The Review:

A lot of things should work for me here, and to an extent some things truly did.

There's kink!

There's second chance with a heavy dose of "FUCK YOU FOR LIFE" (the only second chance I truly want). There are so, so many feelings left unsaid.

But I do feel that what made this work for me more than it should have was a classic issue: This was almost entirely from Sadare's perspective. While she's a compelling heroine (delightfully amoral, we might say at points) it's just hard to sell me a romance where I spend most of the time in one person's head and not the other's.

I mean, listen—it can be done. But here, I kept thinking of how much more I wanted to know about Daesra and his feelings for Sadare. I get that a lot of secrets were being intentionally withheld from the reader, but. Come on! I want feelings. I want emotion.

So while I loved a lot of the world, and I found the leads compelling on an individual level, the emotion didn't quite hit for me. I also found that the writing sort of held them at arm's length in that sense. Perhaps that was intentional, perhaps it was a side effect of the POV choices. Either way, it threw me off.

The Sex:

OH, the sex is hot though. And creative. The author is very transparent about the CWs ahead of the story beginning, and please pay attention. You have some really intense pain and blood play, plus CNC, general role playing, and so on. The sex? Not an issue for this book.

While this wasn't a hit for me, I appreciate the creativity, and I would try another book of May's. I'd just love to see her dig deeper into separate POVs.

Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Exquisite Ruin is the story of Sadaré, who wakes up in a maze without any memory of who she is, how she ended up in the maze or her relationship to the demon Daesra, who is there with her.

I loved the conceit of Sadaré, our unreliable narrator. More commonly used in thrillers, the reader is able to learn about who Sadaré is and what her goals are in tandem with the character, really adding a mystery element to the book. I also loved Pogli, her chimera sidekick, who forms an instant bond with Sadaré. The book is filled with plot twists and turns that keep the audience guessing.

I would definitely recommend this book to a thriller reader interested in romantasy, although I would note that references to self harm might be traumatic for some readers. I know this is the first entry in the Owlcrate romantasy subscription and this book has really motivated me to subscribe!

I really wanted to like this. What's not to like in principle? A witch and a demon who love to hate and the witch is slowly getting her memory back as they fight their way through the labyrinth.

I try to never give 2 stars to a book I finish, however, the writing is not good. I read this as an advanced reader copy and maybe some of this feedback will help in editing before it is released, so take this with a grain of salt:

It could have used a lot of editing or someone to check for consistency sake. The first huge chunk of the book she's supposed to barely remember anything but she says multiple times "I wouldn't ... do/think/feel that." Girl, how would you know, you remember like 2 scenes from your whole life???? And then her flip flopping how she is supposed be feeling about the demon every other scene is completely inconsistent. It was if the author had a quota on how many different emotions should could make the main female character run through.

So much telling and very little showing. "I walked here" "I looked there" "I" "I" "I".

There are people out there that I am sure will love this book, I just wasn't one of those people. If this is your fave genre of books you can probably look past how inconsistent the plot is, but I couldn't get over it.

thank you netgalley and gallery books for providing an ARC for an honest review!

the blurb of this book promises enemies-to-lovers and dark gothic storytelling, and it does deliver that, but i did not find myself enjoying this book. the writing was very past-paced, but plot-wise, it does not seem like much happens and parts of the book felt rather repetitive. yes there is spice, but spice without a solid engaging story-line does not intrigue me. i’m sure this is someone’s cup of tea, but sadly it was not mine.

This was a unique retelling of the minotaur story that I enjoyed! The characters were unique and interesting, as well as the gods and their motivations.
We follow two main characters through a maze as they grapple with their history as a couple, betrayal towards each other, and their own personal past traumas. They must overcome it all to escape the maze. We have lovers to rivals to lovers, and a beautiful dose of masochism/sadism.
Pain has a unique role in this story and is written in extremely well!

There were moments where the plot got a bit cyclical and lost. I got the feeling that the author was writing with a notebook next to them making sure they didn't leave any plot holes, but the messiness of it was a bit confusing and had me wishing the characters would just get to the point and the action. We also had a few themes like betrayal and self-deprecation that came up so often and without progress that I stopped caring about them by the end of the book.

The characters did eventually grow and change but I stayed for the love and action, and did thoroughly enjoy the ending!

Do check Trigger Warnings before giving this book a try!

This is a Minotaur-inspired story. Sadaré wakes up in a labyrinth with no memories. Her only company is a handsome demon named Daesra with an obvious grudge against her. As the two traverse the increasingly dangerous maze, Sadaré learns more about her past and that she may actually be the monster.

I’ve read many of the same author’s YA books (published under the name A.M. Strickland) which are PACKED with romantic and sexual tension, and it’s a delight to see her in a genre in which the gloves can come off. It’s also a delight to see a genuinely skilled writer approach tropes like morally-gray and enemies-to-lovers – a lot of executions of this just show abuse and violence with minimal consent (if any at all). That said, your appreciation of this book may depend heavily on the content warnings at the beginning of the book, so read those carefully.

I found it an atmospheric and enjoyable read, though I think the twist at the end feels off-balance with what I found to be a pretty unsatisfying denouement. Maybe this is because the book is the start of a multi-work series, perhaps a duology. I’m looking forward to reading the next volume, and my rating for this one is likely to only go up.

A dizzying dive into the depths of human emotion and the way grief, greed, anger, love, and sacrifice shape our relationships and ourselves. I was not prepared for the chokehold this had on me, or the twist at the end.

While I did get a bit of whiplash in the early chapters as the characters and the maze established themselves, it was absolutely worth the ride. I could not put this down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶
🔥🔥

Sadaré wakes up in a maze with no memory. However, she is not alone in the labyrinth and is stuck with Daesra, a daemon who hates her. She has no memory of how she betrayed him, and he remembers everything about her. They must get through the maze, kill the monster, if they ever hope to make it out alive.

The book took a bit to get into. After about 20%, it started to pick up. Since Sadaré did not remember anything from her past, she goes through mirrors in which she is able to get back pieces of her memories on what guided her to this place. She is able to start slowly piecing together what happened, and how Daesra was involved.

Daesra truly hates Sadaré throughout most of the book, and they very much are enemies to lovers due to their unknown past. It was intriguing to try to figure out what happened in their past, and I did really enjoy when I got to read more about Daesra's past.

Some of the trials they had to go through were well written and enjoyable to read. It definitely kept me interested to keep going. However, some of the trials I felt were too drawn out, or could have been shortened, but it didn't take away from the story for me. I would say the same for something of the 'in-between' parts of the trials where they are just talking. It felt like they were talking in circles a lot, and I could almost pin it as a miscommunication trope, since no one was willing to share everything.

I will give the ending 10/10 for originality. I have never read, or could foresee, the plot twist. Even if it wasn't an ending I expected, it did ruin the book for me. I think I reread the plot twist a few times until I understood what happened, but I still felt dazed and confused. It did leave on an HEA, so if you pick this up to read, you don't need to worry about dedicating time for a series and get to enjoy one story.

Tropes:
☑️ Witches
☑️ Betrayal
☑️ Enemies-to-Lovers
☑️ Gods
☑️ Demons
☑️ Trials
☑️ HEA

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a real struggle to get through, and I finally decided to DNF around the 60% mark. I felt like I was reading the same scene over and over, with just a few little differences each time. I kept waiting for something to hold my interest but overall, it's a very forgettable story. My favorite character was Pogli, I love that creature so much. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I feel SO bad, but I have to DNF this arc. I am so grateful to the publishing company and author for providing me with this ARC, but I just don’t think this was for me. This book has an amnesia trope and tackles a lot of difficult topics. The author provided content warnings at the beginning of the book, so you do know what you’re getting into; however, these content warnings were not present in the summary of the book. I understand why this is, as that could be classified as spoilers, but I would not have requested this book if I had known about some of the content in this book.

I do not think this book is bad by any means—and reading is super subjective anyways— I just know that I would not have enjoyed continuing this read and didn’t want to negatively rate something that was not meant for me. From what I have read so far, there was tons of banter and angst. You jump straight into the action and the amnesia trope present in the FMC seemed intriguing. The characters are sort of stuck together solving the issue they are in which may lead to a great romance for some people. Again, this could be a really good book, but it is not for me and I will not be continuing.

This review is attached to a three star rating, as I cannot provide feedback without it, but I do not typically rate DNF’s since they are unfinished and the three star is only reflective of the content that I had read up until my DNF (around 60 pages).

First, I want to start out by saying I absolutely love the cover art for this book. It is what caught my attention, and then the synopsis of the book intrigued me even more. I love a good enemies to lovers and a morally gray man (wink wink)!

The story centers on Sadaré, an amnesiac sorceress, and Daesra, a horned and hooved demon who harbors deep resentment toward her. Trapped together in an ever-changing maze, they are forced to depend on one another to survive. As they navigate the labyrinth, we learn of Sadarés betrayal and buried secrets from their pasts.

I expected this story to be filled with lots of action and magic, but it felt like the same scene over and over. The maze would change, and if they tried to go their separate ways to stay away from one another, the maze would try and kill them. I struggled a lot to get invested in Sadaré and Daesra's journey. I just couldn’t connect with their characters. The only character or should i say creature, I truly enjoyed was Pogli—a creature that resembles a mix of dog, lion, and pig. He definitely had Sadarés back!

Unfortunately, this story just fell a bit flat for me and I dnf it at 54%. It had so much possibility, but I was forcing myself to even make it as far as I did in the story because the adventure was just boring. Thank you Netgalley for the arc. I know this story will definitely be enjoyed by other, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to the publisher and AdriAnne May for providing me with an ARC of Exquisite Ruin. The book offers an intriguing blend of enemies-to-lovers romance, magical conflict, and a dark atmosphere.

While the premise was promising, I found it hard to connect with the characters. The second-chance romance felt forced, and the transition from hate to love between the main characters didn’t flow naturally. The pain kink element also wasn’t for me, which made it difficult to fully engage with their dynamic. I had expected to connect more with Pogli, but ultimately, I didn’t feel attached to the story or its characters.

Despite its potential, Exquisite Ruin fell flat for me. The world and magic are intriguing, but I wasn’t invested in the characters or their journey.

Thank you Adrianne May and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC! I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What to expect:
- Minotaur retelling
- Morally gray fmc and mmc
- Witches
- Enemies to lovers
- BDSM/Pain kink
- Spice 3/5 🌶️
- Amnesia
- Betrayals
- A+ banter

My thoughts:
Wow, this book was so good! From the first chapter to the last I was hooked! I loved our two main characters, Sadaré and Daesra. They were both morally gray, which is something new for me. Their relationship was HOT, even as enemies. I also throughly enjoyed their backstory, it made them both feel so real. The relationship wasn’t sweet or fluffy, it was raw and fiery and I loved it. Shoutout to Pogli, I love when authors include animals in books! This book had so many twists and turns and they all were unexpected, especially that last one!

My only con is that the book was somewhat repetitive. Otherwise this book was amazing, definitely my favorite this month!

Totally recommend!

What a powerful book! The journey that Sadare and Daesre take is both poetic and meaningful.
I loved the themes found here of facing your fears from both your past and present, giving yourself to/for love, and the nature of true freedom.
The huge plot twist near the end was jaw dropping and so so good!
While there is some good spice, it's fairly limited. I'd give 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5.

“Exquisite Ruin” by AdriAnne May is a captivating reimagining of the Minotaur myth, blending dark romance with high-stakes adventure. The story follows Sadaré, a powerful sorceress with amnesia, and Daesra, a dangerous demon, as they navigate a deadly labyrinth together.

The heart of this novel is the romance between Sadaré and Daesra. Their relationship evolves from intense animosity to a deep, passionate bond, embodying the enemies-to-lovers trope. Forced to rely on each other in the labyrinth, their interactions are charged with tension and chemistry, making their journey electrifying and emotional.

May’s lyrical prose vividly brings their world to life, enhancing the story’s mystery and danger. Themes of memory, identity, and redemption are woven throughout, adding depth to the characters’ conflicts and growth.

Overall, “Exquisite Ruin” is a beautifully crafted tale of love, betrayal, and the quest for freedom. The compelling romance and well-executed tropes make it a must-read for fans of dark romance and mythological retellings.

I was down for a sexy tale of a demon and a witch teaming up to defeat a horrible labyrinth. However, the back and forth of the amnesia subplot and the manufactured tension with said demon felt so thin that it was difficult for me to care about either character.

Sadaré is a human witch, caught between her magical abilities and the dark truths of her past. Daesra is a Minotaur daemon, burdened by his own tragic history. Together, they embark on a high-stakes journey, driven by the palpable tension of their enemies-to-lovers dynamic and the forced proximity that only heightens their conflicted emotions. One suffers from amnesia, struggling to piece together fragments of their identity, while the other is haunted by the bitter sting of betrayal that has yet to heal.

I found myself yearning for deeper character development, particularly with Daesra. His motivations seemed only lightly touched upon, and I believe if we had explored more of the emotional turmoil he was enduring, it would have created a stronger connection to his character. The glimpses we were given of his inner struggles left me wanting more—more of his pain, his transformation, and the complexities beneath the surface.

Sadaré, on the other hand, often came across as somewhat juvenile in her communication. While this could have been reflective of her circumstances, it hindered her ability to resonate with me on a more mature level. The ‘pain for healing’ concept was also a bit confusing and could have benefitted from further development.

Despite these challenges, the journey itself kept me engaged. The plot unfolded in unexpected ways, and I wasn’t prepared for the multiple twists that led to the conclusion. Each twist added a layer of complexity, creating a web of convoluted aspects that, while sometimes confusing, also deepened my desire to reread the book from a new perspective. The storyline was refreshingly different from what I’ve encountered before, and I found myself eager to see what would unfold next—both in terms of the plot and their evolving relationship.

With such a captivating dynamic between Sadaré and Daesra, I truly look forward to what this author may have in store for them next.

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I eagerly look forward to more works from this author.

I wanted to like this book so much but ended up having to mark it as DNF at 30%. I enjoyed how the female main character woke up with amnesia, it created a fun mystery for the book. The reader and the character were figuring things out at the same time. However, the flow of the book seemed to jump from scene to scene, and it just didn’t work for me. I was confused on what was going on. It also seemed like some events were duplicates of events that already happened.