I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano
Series: The Internment Chronicles #1
Published by Simon & Schuster on October 1, 2013
Pages: 356
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
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On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.

With Perfect Ruin, Lauren DeStefano has written an amazing, imaginative world filled with incredible, lovable characters. She’s descriptive and elaborate, and the reader will feel as though they are on Internment, living out the events of the story right alongside the characters.

Morgan, the MC, is a daydreamer. She has a unique voice and through her eyes, we see what it’s like to live in a world in the sky. Morgan is the perfect balance of curious and obedient. She’s curious about the ground, yet smart enough to know she shouldn’t think about it. Because of her brother, Lex, she knows all too well what thinking of the ground will do to a person. I found her character fascinating, and I loved seeing the story through her eyes.

Pen, Morgan’s best friend, is an incredible character. She has all these beliefs and all this faith. She’s the obedient one, with her feet planted firmly on Internment. And yet she seemed like a wild card to me, throughout the majority of the book. I had this feeling she would end up getting into a lot of trouble. My suspicious were pretty accurate!

Lex is a particularly interesting character. I don’t really know how to describe him without spoilers, but he’s a very insightful character, offering clarity at times when clarity is needed. And yet, he’s troubled and he knows more than he is letting on. We learn more about that as the story progresses.

And then there’s Basil. I absolutely adored Basil. He was sweet and romantic, open-minded and loyal. He’s the perfect Book Boyfriend and I loved the chemistry and attraction between him and Morgan. He has some incredibly sweet moments throughout the book and I adored him for it.

There are so many fascinating characters in this story, I could go on forever just discussing what I loved about them. But then I would also spoil the entire book for everyone. So just know that the characters in this book were fascinating and interesting. There were certainly some characters that were unlikeable. Every book has some unlikeable characters; without them, there is no conflict or resolution. And, in true DeStefano fashion, the characters never have an easy time of it. If you’ve read The Chemical Garden trilogy – all three books, I mean – you’ll probably read that, groan, and grab some tissues before sitting down with Perfect Ruin!

And then there was that ending… Uhm, whoa! First of all, I totally guessed one thing and sort of guessed another, yet they were still shocking to read and I was thrilled! But that cliffhanger!!! The suspense!!! I seriously can’t wait a whole year to see what happens next!

All in all, Perfect Ruin was an incredible read. I loved every second of it, I would definitely recommend it and I can’t wait to see what happens next! DeStefano is a truly incredible story-teller and I can’t wait to read more books by her!