Perfect Ruin

Ok, Perfect Ruin (The Internment Chronicles #1) by Lauren DeStephano is the opener to a new series that you will want to pick up...like yesterday!  How to explain this one...it's seriously a dash of Matched, a little Across the Universe and a hint of Castle in the Sky all rolled up into one!  DeStephano is a master at storytelling and weaves and exciting and addictive plot that will captivate and intrigue you until the very end. 

Summary courtesy of Goodreads:

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.

For lovers of YA Dystopian (like me) this is definitely one to add to your collection.  Perfect Ruin really has all of the necessary elements for a great series.  Restrictive government, check.  Thoughtful and curious protagonist, check.  Dashing love interest who would go to the ends of the world for said protagonist, check.  A loyal sidekick, check.  Snarky, bantering with potential bad-boy that has you breaking all the rules, CHECK!  A plot twist that pushes protagonist into action?  CHECK! 

Okay, let's break it down and look at the setting, the characters and the plot/pacing.  First off, the setting is incredible.  I mean, imagine living your whole life on a floating island.  Think Hawaii but in the air, with a King who is hiding societal secrets.  Seriously, that's pretty incredible right there!  So much can happen and does happen on this little floating island.    No one can leave and no one can come to Internment.  Births are regulated and the elderly live out their lives and then give their lives as offerings once they hit a certain age to make way for new births.  Crazy right?! Wowza!  

So next, let's look at few these characters.  We have our protagonist, Morgan, the patrolman's daughter.  Sheltered from more than she should being that her father is a patrolman and works for the king and her brother Lex was a jumper.  Typical law abiding, rule following teen who strives to do right by her family and society.  Next we have Pen, Morgan's best friend and sidekick (although Morgan feels more like Pen's sidekick sometimes).  Pen excels at academics and watches out and protects Morgan.  She can be sassy at times, but Pen and Morgan really help balance each other out.  Then we have the adorable and wonderful Basil, Morgan's betrothed.   I seriously love him and his altruistic ways.  Basil, is that guy who would take a bullet for the ones he loves, who accepts Morgan, flaws and all...think Darcy from Bridget Jones's Diary.  Swoon!  And finally we have Judas...Judas, Judas, Judas.  I really hope he comes to life more in the next books.  He is that mysterious lurks in dark corners, you feel like he's watching you kind of guy.  He has a very hard exterior shell and rarely lets anyone in.  He clearly comes with baggage, but there is something about him... Love these teens, who are about to embark on this amazing adventure! 

The plot was amazingly written and so packed that reading Perfect Ruin was a breeze.  DeStephano certainly excels at detail and no detail is spared.  Everything is so eloquently written that readers can feel the cool night breezes, and the dust on the streets.  Seriously, this book has all the makings for a wonderful series ahead.  I could not put this book down.  There were some questions that never really were answered that I'm hoping DeStephano will address in the future novels, but overall, her writing style kept me engaged through the entire read.  What a whirlwind of action, adventure and discovery!  Add this one to your TBR piles and enjoy!