Wow. I absolutely adored Mistress of Lies so I knew this was going to be phenomenal but, honestly, I think I forgot quite how incredible this world and characters were. K.M. Enright is an absolutely amazing writer.

I am simply obsessed with Shan, Isaac and Samuel. Their love for each other in the face of monstrous cruelties and the world they live in is just beautiful to behold. I love how they accept their own monstrosity and forgive it in each other, how unbelievably unconditional their love is. It makes for such a compelling read when they're all acting in such different ways as they try to deal with, survive, and improve the politics and state of Aeravin. I especially loved how even though Samuel had the return of the Aberforth gift - a monstrous thing that can steip others of their agency - and Isaac became an manangall - a creature of bloodlust - it was Shan who was most monstrous of all. Shan who, with every action, took herself further from the men she loves and into the hands of the Eternal King, Shan who made decision after decision that furthered her cruelties. It's just such a good exploration of what makes a monster, of these characters, and also of women's wrongs (in this case I did support them, Sha I'm so glad you finally had a change of heart oby the end).

Going back to Isaac, I loved the body horror his murdering and transformation brought into the story. I'm such a sucker for good body horror and this was so well-done. I especially enjoyed the way it was touched about in other perspectives - like Samuel's, how he still loved and was attracted to Isaac in his monstrous form.

I also loved the way we got to see more of the Eternal King. I'm so intrigued by the cracks in his mask that he's starting to show Shan and I'm desperate to know more about him before he's (hopefully) ousted and killed. Again, he's just another character that is so interesting from an idea of the balance between monstrosity and humanity - I really want to see more of that humanity, of his weakness and emotion.

I also really enjoyed the rest of the supporting cast - especially Celeste, Anton, and Bart. I'm also super intrigued to see whether a genuine friendship evolves between Shan and Amelia.

Also, unrelated to really reviewing the book but, the new captain of the guard, Strickland - a reference to A.M. Strickland, who also wrote an incredible ploy, blood magic book??

All in all, an absolutely phenomenal reading that hooked me. I adore the main three characters and their relationship and I'm so, so eager to see them again and to see how the plot thickens.

Lord of Ruin is the sequel to the queer dark romantasy Mistress of Lies. After thwarting Isaac’s coup, Shan now serves the Royal Blood Worker, second in power to the Eternal King, working alongside him while furthering her own agenda. Samuel has accepted his place as heir but continues to resist both the trappings of his station and Shan’s apparent complicity, instead turning to her brother to support the rebels. Meanwhile, haunted by the consequences of his failure, Isaac embraces the beast within, determined to bring down the Eternal King by becoming something even darker. With blurred lines and shifting loyalties, each must navigate the treacherous complexities of politics, magic, and power that threaten to drive them apart.

While I was initially invested in these characters, I found myself increasingly frustrated by the directions their arcs take. Shan, who once stood out for her defiance of her father and societal expectations, feels completely unraveled here. Her goals were always somewhat unclear, but in this book, it’s hard to discern what she’s even working toward (despite the narrative insisting otherwise). She acts in service of the very king she was supposedly against, with little visible conflict or resistance. The story wants her to be a tragic figure, but it’s hard to see tragedy in someone who consistently and consciously chooses a destructive path when alternatives are clearly present.

Samuel, meanwhile, is depicted with an exasperating degree of infantilization. He is constantly described as sweet, precious, and innocent—which might be forgivable if he showed any sign of resisting that characterization. Instead, he embraces it, using it as an excuse to avoid meaningful action, leaving others to do the necessary dirty work. For someone positioned powerfully as the heir, he feels oddly powerless and lacking in any agency of his own.

Isaac’s arc is the only one that truly resonated with me as the consequences of his last act in the previous book catches up with him. His body is being corrupted, manifesting physically into something monstrous, and not just into the mythical vampires, but a manananggal (of Filipino mythology) due to his “Tagalan” heritage. His slow evolution is compellinglg evocative, and his embracing of the change understandable.

Their central throupling fell flat. Beyond lust, there’s no longer any emotional connection between them. The book insists they’re in love, but offers little evidence outside of sex. Instead of having the difficult but necessary conversations that could move the plot or convince us of the depth of their relationship, they simply have sex instead—often at the expense of the narrative. As sexy as some of those scenes are, I would’ve gladly sacrificed them in favor of any actual development. Too often, the story grinds to a halt from the spice when it should be accelerating.

In the end, Lord of Ruin is a sequel that feels like it has lost its way.

*Thank you Little, Brown Group UK for the eARC via NetGalley

I’ve found myself confused frequently throughout the book and I’m gutted as I loved book one🥲 this series has the opportunity to be amazing and I’m unsure if this is me or the book

I think these books have the capacity to be excellent with a little more editing and plot development.

Look, I didn't hate it but I was left confused most of the way through. I don't know whether this is a me problem where I'm just not reading it properly or not reading in between the lines or if there's just something missing.

Shan has the capacity to be very Lady Macbeth-esque but somehow just misses the mark and it's frustrating. She loses her agency (this might be purposeful and I could see why if this is the case with the ending of the book) but the male characters don't have any real change at all.

I will continue to read this series because I think some of the decisions could really pay off in this circumstance and I do genuinely enjoy reading them, this absolutely is not a bad book in the slightest.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown for this eARC!

My main two complaints from the previous book are here again, but somehow worse?

Shan... Shan I want to love. She should be this amazing powerful woman, but instead she comes across as more evil and stupid than the last one. Again she uses, lies and manipulates the people around her, the people she 'loves' and then gets mad and upset when they don't tell her things? She offers them no reason to trust her but is surprised when they don't. Eventually, she does come around and acknowledge this, but she did that last book so to see her having learnt ~nothing~ and have to sit through the same storyline of hers, only with higher stakes, was disappointing.

Samuel... what can I say about his arc? Page after page of characters going on about how pure and innocent and perfect he was, how they are *ruining* him. Meanwhile, when Samuel isn't with his loves, he's going around trying to make deals, make law and plan murder. This is no wide eyed innocent and the determination of everyone else to make him that remains deeply uncomfortable.

The characters seem to spend a lot of this book in a holding pattern almost. They repeat the same actions, the same thoughts, chapter after chapter.

It's infuriating because there is so much to like, so much I enjoyed and so much I wanted to enjoy.

The world remains a star, and we got to see a tiny bit more of it here, outside the city, which I loved. The blood working played a slightly less important part of the story overall, which fit perfectly in with the fact there is rationing. This is a hungry city in so many ways, so many layers and teeth.

The side characters are developed further, they have their own spark and I felt connected and engaged with all of them, be they good or bad.

The Eternal King was also fleshed out brilliantly, this is a villain to truly fear and the showdown when it happens, is going to shake the foundations of everything. I have no idea how they are going to be able to defeat him, not after the actions of this book.

I wish we could have learnt more about Mel's past, but her transformation was pitiful and terrifying in equal measures. The promise of her is a chilling one, and what comes next is going to be something to behold.

Anton is again, the star of the show, the real hero and I love him so much. He didn't have enough time with Bart, but he effortlessly stole every single scene he was in. Viva la Anton.

"But she had lied to herself just as much as she had lied to others." I felt sorry for Shan for a lot of this book, Samuel and Isaac were planning and excluding her and wonder why she also ends up leading to try and sort things out herself. Shan takes a lot of the blame, she knows she is chasing power but she is also trying to protect those she loves in the only way she knows how. I think it was unfair how they treated her through the book, Isaac blamed her for things they were both complicit in there was a lot but in the end they came together to protect one they loved. I am intrigued to find out how book 3 goes after the ending.

A fantastic sequel to Mistress of Lies - which I loved!
Everything you'd want from a dark vampire book.
Can't wait to read the next one!

my thanks to Netgalley, Little Brown and K.M Enright for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A solid second book in the trilogy - it didn't fall into the filler catagory for me, but rather it felt like a book of substance. It was really good to see the way the character arcs progressed, and it's just made me excited for the last book!

I’m still a huge fan of this series, even if I might be in the minority who liked the second book just a tiny bit less than the first. That said, Lord of Ruin was still an incredibly enjoyable read. I’m very curious to see how things conclude, especially since I didn’t realize this was going to be a trilogy, and I was half-expecting everything to wrap up in this book.

Lord of Ruin picks up right where Mistress of Lies left off. Our main characters – Shan, Samuel, and Isaac – are left dealing with the fallout from the dramatic ending of book one. It’s hard to talk about the plot without spoiling anything, but the consequences of what happened turn out to be far more far-severe than anyone expected, particularly for Isaac.

Speaking of Isaac – while the first book felt mostly centered on Shan, this installment shifts the spotlight more toward him, though we still get POV chapters from all three characters. Isaac’s arc is dramatic, but also quite epic, to be honest. If you’re craving the eat the rich vibes, this is the story for you. Each of the protagonists undergoes significant growth here, although I did feel that Samuel was somewhat sidelined. He seemed to lack a certain degree of agency in this book, but I’m hoping that changes in the final volume.

Plot-wise, the book reads well, though there were moments of repetitiveness and slower pacing. Part of that might be due to my own expectations – I mistakenly assumed this was the final book in a duology, which was obviously my error and not the book’s fault.

One element I wished had been fleshed out more was the emotional dynamic between the characters. Beyond the physical chemistry (this book is definitely spicier than the first), I would’ve liked to see a bit more emotional depth – more yearning between these morally grey protagonists. A deeper exploration of their feelings could’ve elevated the story even more, but that’s a fairly minor critique.

On a positive note, like the first book, Lord of Ruin handles representation exceptionally well. It’s still refreshing to see that in a fantasy setting, where trans representation remains rare. I also really appreciated how Filipino folklore plays a more prominent role this time.

All in all, despite a few minor nitpicks, I had a great time with this book and will be purchasing a physical copy. I’m eagerly awaiting the final installment, especially given how the ending sets up even higher stakes for the conclusion.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

🍵 𝗧𝗲𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
👉 Okay, Shan’s grown from badass to *ruthless monarch* energy, and I’m here for it—especially when she raids royal chambers for *more blood, pls*.
👉Samuel remains the most tragic cinnamon roll—every time he tries to fix the system, the system bites him back. I want to wrap him in bubble wrap.
👉Isaac as the “blood‑bent beast”? WILD. Dude started as sidekick, now he’s channeling literal ruin. I both fear and stan him.
👉This book is darker, spicier, and *smarter* than the first—more court scheming, more betrayals, more EVERYTHING.
👉I literally gasped, I literally whined, and I literally bookmarked pages to reread at 2 AM because I’m masochistic like that.

With thanks to Orbit and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

3.75 stars

This book throws us right back into the political turmoil where book 1 left off. I really enjoyed the multi POVs in this book, and I found it easy to tell which POV I was reading from. I really liked the continuation of the plot from book 1. There’s no rehashing of the storylines, we are put straight into the action.

The politics and worldbuilding in this book are just as strong as the first one, and we learn more about the conflict and the ongoing political machinations. We also learn more about the king, and I was fascinated with those scenes!

The only thing stopping this from being a 4 star read for me was the relationship between our 3 main characters. I love Shan, Isaac, and Samuel individually as characters. However, we are TOLD that they all love each other, and we don’t really get shown that they love each other through actions. They have sex on page but I feel there’s something missing.

I did enjoy this book and I do intent to keep reading this series because I am fascinated by the world the author has built. I am hopeful that the next book will have more moments between our three characters.