Review: Ruined by Jus Accardo

Ruined
(The Eternal Balance, #1)
By: Jus Accardo
Publisher: Entangled Embrace
Published: Dec. 30, 2013
Genre: Paranormal New Adult
Rating:

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Hell is looking for a way to break loose…

Jax lost the genetic lottery. Descended from Cain, the world’s first murderer, he’s plagued by a curse that demands violence in exchange for his happiness. He left everything behind, including the girl he loved, but thriving on the pain of others is lonely… And it’s killing him.

After a series of heartbreaking losses, Samantha put rubber to pavement and headed for college as fast as her clunker could carry her. But she can’t outrun her problems. When an attack at school drives her back home, she’s thrown into the path of a past—and a guy—she’s been trying to forget.

Sam strains Jax’s control over his darkness, but running isn’t an option this time. Someone—or, something—followed her home from school: a ruthless monster with a twisted plan centuries in the making. Forced together to survive, and fighting an attraction that could destroy them both, Jax and Sam must stop a killer bent on revenge.

Jax is a descendant from Cain. His family has been plagued by a curse. One where a male from the family hosts a demon inside of them. Jax was the winner of the draw. When his demon becomes too much to bear he skips town, never to be heard from again. But when his uncle (the man who raised him) falls ill, Jax finds himself back in the one place he vowed never to return to facing those he loves and those his demon would love to destroy.

This is the first book of Jus’ that I’ve ever read. I’ve heard a lot of great things about her other books and was really looking forward to this one. Sure I’ve read demon books before but they were just that, demon books. This one revolved around Cain and Abel and I must admit that it was an interesting story even if I was unfamiliar with the original story itself.

Even though Jax has a demon who demands peoples suffering and pain, he himself is a great guy. Sure he does the demon’s bidding when the pain get to be too much but he chooses people who are themselves either demons or horrible people and he never kills them, ever. So given his situation, he handles everything pretty well.

“My life was twisted. The more misery I caused people, the happier the demon was. The happier the demon was, the more I wanted to kick my own ass.”

Sam is the love of his life. She’s a stubborn woman who no matter what insults he throws her way, she sees through them. Even though she enrages his demon beyond control, she grounds him. She was one of those heroins who wasn’t too stupid and stubborn for their own good but wasn’t a total wimp either. She knew when to call bullshit with Jax and when to keep quiet as to not push the demon too far.

“San had blinders on when it came to me. I’d told her the truth. She’s seen the demon. I’s been a dick. Treated her like shit. I’d even tried-and failed- to scare her. What more could I possibly do?”

The story was a love story through the majority of it but quickly switched gears into a mega battle between demons by the end. A lot takes place in this story that I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. I didn’t see a lot of it coming and was really happy that the author thought outside the box and brought some creativity into the story.

“See now I’d love to say this is a good surprised, but ya know… You’re kinda like herpes. Totally unwanted.”