Mai Corland’s “Four Ruined Realms” is nothing short of a fantasy masterpiece. From the very first page, this book swept me into an intricately woven tale of power, peril, and destiny, leaving me utterly spellbound. Corland has crafted a story that is as breathtakingly beautiful as it is heart-stoppingly intense—a rare feat that cements her as a powerhouse voice in fantasy fiction.

The world-building is simply extraordinary. The Four Ruined Realms feel alive, brimming with history, magic, and danger, each realm more vivid and hauntingly gorgeous than the last. Corland’s attention to detail is unparalleled, creating an immersive experience that makes you feel as though you’re traveling alongside the characters, breathing in the air of each ruinous, awe-inspiring land.

The characters are where this book truly shines. The main characters are fierce, flawed, and utterly unforgettable forces of nature, grappling with inner demons while facing external threats that grow ever more formidable. Their journey is a raw and emotional rollercoaster, and their strength and vulnerability make them incredibly relatable. The supporting cast is equally captivating, each with their own secrets, motivations, and complexities that make them leap off the page.

The plot is a masterclass in pacing and intrigue. Corland keeps you on the edge of your seat with twists and revelations that feel both shocking and inevitable, building to a climax that is nothing short of breathtaking. The stakes are sky-high, and the emotional payoff is immense. Themes of sacrifice, identity, and resilience are interwoven seamlessly, making this not just a gripping fantasy adventure but a deeply resonant story that stays with you long after you’ve closed the book.

And the prose—oh, the prose! Mai Corland’s writing is lyrical and evocative, painting scenes so vivid they linger in your mind like a dream. Every sentence is carefully crafted, every word chosen with care, creating a reading experience that is as poetic as it is thrilling.

“Four Ruined Realms” is an absolute triumph, a book that redefines epic fantasy and sets a new standard for the genre. It’s a story of magic and ruin, hope and heartbreak, and it’s one I’ll be thinking about—and recommending—for years to come. If you’re looking for a book to completely lose yourself in, this is the one. A flawless five stars!

Thank you to Red Tower for the advance reader copy. These opinions are my own.

This is the sequel to Five Broken Blades, and this series should absolutely be read in order. It started with excellent character bios and a reminder of what happened in Five Broken Blades. I found it so helpful; I love it when those elements are included.

As with the last book, there are multiple points of view. But knowing all the characters, I enjoyed each of them. This is a book that doesn't always have clear heroes. Just about everyone is morally grey. And it is so thought provoking on morality. I was particularly intrigued to read about the ramifications of different laws, especially for the status of women.

The book feels timely and relevant. And yet it also feels like a great escape. I can't wait to read what happens next.

CW: SA, graphic violence

4.25 stars

I cannot wait for book 3! This was such a well done second book and so much happened with the ending leaving me with my jaw on the floor. I really loved diving back in with these characters!

This was such a fun continuation of book one! I really liked the recap at the beginning. I love that we're now following the characters as they work together and are torn apart instead of all coming together from different places like in book one.

Their journey has only just begun. As they travel to the queen to help defeat Joon, each of our characters is facing something on their own. Aeri and Royo must confront their feelings, Mikail and Euyn must decide what their love is worth, and Sora deals with Ty's prison sentence. Ty does his best to survive the Idle Prison, and hopes that he can make it back to Sora before it's too late.

This was so much fun, and so great to see unfold. Twists in the story and with character revelations that made my jaw drop, I couldn't put this down.

I absolutely loved this one! Mai Corland does it again with this amazing sequel to Five Broken Blades! ⚔️

“𝑰𝒇 𝒊𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕, 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒔.”

The blades are back with another impossible task. This story has all the elements we want and need…vengeance, deceit, action, desire, betrayal, and love. The story is fast paced and riveting and all the twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very end! ⚔️

Special thanks to Entangled Publishing, Red Tower Books, and Entangled Insiders for the eARC!

This book exceeded my expectations, especially compared to the first book. While I initially struggled to get into the story, the deeper I read, the more I was drawn in. The character development and complex dynamics were handled beautifully, and the twists kept me hooked without spoiling the flow. By the end, I was completely captivated and eager to see where the story will go next.

Oh my gosh this was so good!!! I loved the quick chapters. Somehow the stakes kept raising with each chapter and I was very curious to know what would happen next. This was a fantastic follow-up to book 1. It had lots of the same secrets and intrigue that I loved so much in the first book. This book was a wild ride and I'm at the end of my seat waiting for the conclusion to this compulsively readable series.

Rating: 4.5 stars

This book was just as good, if not better than the first book! It did take me a bit to remember who was who and what happened in the last book; however, once I did remember, I was engrossed into the story. I love these characters. I love this authors writing. And I can’t wait to see what’s next. The betrayal, the sacrifices, just everything was so good! Honestly, I might like this series more than Fourth Wing.

Just finished Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland, and wow… I'm still wiping away the tears! 😭 If you’re looking for an emotional rollercoaster, this is it. The world-building is incredible, and Corland really knows how to make you feel for these characters. One moment you’re laughing, the next, you’re sobbing (trust me, it hits HARD). There are twists that will have you questioning everything, and I swear, just when you think you have it figured out, the plot flips and leaves you breathless. My heart is in pieces after reading this one, but in the best way possible. Highly recommend if you’re ready for an emotional journey that’ll stay with you long after you turn the last page! 💔✨

Wow. Wow wow wow wow wow. This was EVERYTHING a second book in a trilogy should be. The story was fantastic. I love the different POVs and again, I am in awe of the authors ability to create five distinct voices. Distinct enough I knew who was speaking without looking at the top of the page of the chapter. Truly impressive. And I love them. I love every single character. Can’t trust a single one but my goodness, I love them. The pacing of the story was relentless, especially towards the end. I had to put my kindle down a couple times and take a beat, only to immediately pick it back up to see what would happen next. The twists and the turns this story took, some of which I never saw coming. The end was just…absolutely wild. It definitely didn’t play out the way I expected but it was so good. SO GOOD. The problem with reading a book early is that it means you have to wait even longer for the next one. And I am DYING to see how this story wraps up. I cannot wait!!

4.5 stars

So I still love the writing and the world building and the characters and the magic system. This book is absolutely on par with the first book in that regards.

However, I would very much like the POVs to switch less frequently. Either through longer chapters or simply not switching every chapter. It makes it harder to stay focused on the story when the "voice" changes constantly.

I was really surprised that book 2 came out so soon. However, it was fun to see where the twists and turns would take us with the band of misfits. Not sure where I actually stand, it was entertaining. I will need to read this one again, because thinking back a lot of it is a blur. If you read the 1st book, give the 2nd book a try.

Let me start by saying Four Ruin Realms hooked me from page one! The little guide to the characters and the "previously on..." recap at the beginning? Absolute genius. Every book needs this feature—10/10, thank you, Mai Corland, for making my life easier to pick up a sequel after reading the first book a year ago.

This book delivers action, adventure, a heist, and a cast of morally grey characters whose secrets kept me on edge the entire time. I loved how untrustworthy everyone was—it added a layer of complexity that felt so satisfying. The story is far more plot-driven, leaning heavily on its twists and mysteries over romance, which was refreshing. Think Six of Crows, but with an adult edge. Yes, it’s that good.

Mikail is an absolute force to be reckoned with, and I can’t wait to see where his journey takes him, alongside Sora and Aeri, who were standout favorites for me. These characters brought so much life and intrigue to the story. And that quote—“Yours in this life and the next.” from Mikail and Euyn! WOW that needs to be a poster quote. Chills. The fact that both Mikail and Euyn said it to each other shows their love and that made it even more powerful.

Now, let’s talk about the ending. I have hands to throw with Mai Corland. Did that really happen?! I’m still in denial and not ready to process it. That broke me, but it’s a testament to how invested I was in the story and its characters. I may need 3-6 business days to recover from that emotionally.

All in all, Four Ruin Realms is an absolute masterpiece, and I’m counting down the days until book three. If you love high-stakes fantasy, layered characters, and heists with a dose of heartbreak, this is the book for you.

"Four Ruined Realms" was the perfect sequel to "Five Broken Blades." by Mai Corland.

First and foremost, I really appreciated the inclusion of a recap of "Five Broken Blades" at the start of the book for readers. It not only reminded me of the previous events but also helped me feel even more excited to start this one.

I love that we have multiple POVs from all the main characters and can see their different emotions and motives play out individually.

There was so much drama, action, and intrigue in "Four Ruined Realms" that I could not put it down. I am not so patiently waiting for the epic conclusion to this series now.

I feel beyond grateful that I was selected by Entangled to receive this e-arc from NetGalley.

Being a every fast reader, I wasn't able to get through this book as fast as I usually would which gave me red flags from the start. I am going to be BRUTALLY honest with this series so far, I was a little overwhelmed by the constant switching back and forth with the characters and all of the information each couple of chapters kept giving. I had to keep going back and forth between the pages because I was confused with the information or there was just too much going on in the story. Respectfully I did love the first book after a couple of chapters but this one had A LOT going on, there's just too much going on for me to comprehend and read through the story linearly. Picture a roadmap, the beginning of this book was the start and the end, the finish, and in between while you are on this trip, you have to make a hundred stops. The word that comes to mind is truly chaotic. While I loved the characters and the interactions, the plot, and the interactions between them, it could have been better planned to where everything was easy to understand. It did feel the ending was a little rushed and left me not in shock but just unfulfilled. Overall, I hope the next book will be planned better and include fewer perspectives because it felt like I was reading a book for school and there was an assignment that involved analyzing the book, it was just less than enjoyable because of everything going on.

Thank you Entangled for the e-arc! I bought a physical copy for my shelf. The cover is amazing and I cant wait to collect the special editions. Also, cant wait for book 3 and see how this all turns out.

4 ⭐️ thank you Entangled for an eARC of Four Ruined Realms. As I predicted in my review for 5BB, the incredible character development prepped us for an even better sequel. I couldn’t stop reading this book, simply because I had to know what happened to our five liars. You can expect action, romance, and, of course, deception from Four Ruined Realms; however, this book did feel like the middle of a story without a lot of major climax and some dull moments. This book was a SOFT 4 for me. That said, I’ll be hanging onto my pre-order of the physical book, as well as looking forward to the third installment!

Oh my lord I just love this series so much! I have been dying for this sequel and it did not disappoint. So many more secrets, so many more questions and so many more unforgettable scenes.

We pick up where we left off from book one with our crew of five trying to get to Khitan to steal the dragon lord’s ring from King Joon’s sister. Of course it can’t go easy. And our crew who can barely trust each other gets wrapped up once again in a plot they don’t know is brewing.

I love the complex characters and how their lives are changing by being together. Hoping they realize this found family is better than where they came from. Just pick up the series and attempt to detangle all the secrets. Its fast paced, has witty scenes and great character growth. Highly recommend.

* Four Ruined Realms is a sequel and best enjoyed by readers that have already read and enjoyed Five Broken Blades

What I loved
- helpful book one recap page before diving into the story at large

- Further development for the world and all my favorite characters

-Seeing Royo and Aeri's dynamic in particular

-more of the dragon relics being found than just the ring and crown.

- mystical hidden library element

What didn't work as well fro me

-The pacing of the first 15 % felt really wonky for some reason that I couldn't put my finger on.

- it did feel like there were more miscommunication elements that needed for the story to progress.


*I will be excitedly awaiting news on book three while trying to convince everyone around me to check out this series.

The crew of misfits turned found family are at it again. Their adventures through this book were nothing short of thrilling! I absolutely was in the edge of my seat the ENTIRE time I was reading this. There’s heartbreak, loss, betrayal, secrets, lies, and so much more.

Book two just came out and I IMMEDIATELY need book 3!!