At a glance
SettingPurgatory, Blackwood Academy supernatural school
AudienceYA (12-18)
ISBN0593898842
About the Author
I. V. Marie1 book reviewed
Ruinous Ends
A Good Morning America YA Book Club Pick
by I. V. Marie
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for: Fans of the Souls of Blackwood Academy series — particularly readers aged 14 and up who finished Immortal Consequences and are invested in the ensemble cast's romantic pairings, faction-based supernatural conflict, and the purgatorial Blackwood Academy setting.
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Ruinous Ends is the #1 New York Times bestselling second installment in I. V. Marie's Souls of Blackwood Academy series, sending six former students — August, Emilio, Irene, Masika, Olivier, and Wren — on a race to uncover the buried secret threatening purgatory's infamous school and the entire afterlife. A strong pick for fans of ensemble dark fantasy romance, it amplifies the diverse cast, multiple romantic pairings, and supernatural stakes of its predecessor, though Kirkus Reviews notes the prose can flatline — telling emotional states rather than rendering them — which is a real friction point for readers who prize sentence-level craft.
- Is it worth reading?
- For readers already invested in the Souls of Blackwood Academy series, Ruinous Ends delivers on its core promises: escalating supernatural stakes, a diverse ensemble of six leads with multiple romantic pairings, and character arcs that resolve across a tonal spectrum from tragic to uplifting. Its #1 New York Times bestseller status and Good Morning America YA Book Club selection reflect genuine broad-audience resonance. The one concrete caveat, sourced from Kirkus Reviews, is that the prose can flatline — favouring stated emotion over precise, evocative writing — which may frustrate readers with high stylistic expectations. Those who read primarily for plot momentum and character-driven romance will find it a rewarding middle chapter.
- Similar books
- Readers drawn to Ruinous Ends' blend of dark fantasy world-building, ensemble casts, and romantic tension will find kindred reads among the curated titles below. Holly Black's The Cruel Prince offers morally complex fae politics with charged romantic dynamics. Stephanie Garber's The Ballad of Never After similarly deals in afterlife-adjacent mythology and high-stakes sequel escalation. For supernatural school settings with ensemble mystery, Ransom Riggs' Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and its sequel Hollow City are natural companions. Kerri Maniscalco's Kingdom of the Wicked brings dark supernatural atmosphere with strong romantic undercurrents, while E. Lockhart's We Were Liars provides a darker emotional register for readers drawn to the tragic end of Ruinous Ends' tonal spectrum.
- Who should read this?
- Ruinous Ends is squarely aimed at fans of dark fantasy YA who enjoy supernatural world-building rooted in afterlife mythology, faction-based conflict, and ensemble casts with diverse racial and sexual representation. It particularly rewards readers who invest in character-driven romance — the novel features multiple romantic pairings among its six leads, with what critical coverage describes as steamy passages and waves of intense feelings. Readers who came to Immortal Consequences for its purgatorial setting, cast diversity, and blend of high-stakes action with romantic tension will find those elements amplified here. It is not recommended as a series entry point; new readers should begin with Immortal Consequences.
- What age is it for?
- Best for ages 14 and up. The review designates this as a YA title designed for that minimum age, reflecting the complexity of its multi-faction supernatural plot, the emotional intensity of its character arcs, and romantic content that critical coverage describes as including steamy passages and waves of intense feelings. Younger or more sensitive readers may find the dark purgatory-and-afterlife stakes and the romantic heat better suited to mid-teens and above.
- Where does this fit in the series?
- Ruinous Ends is the second of three planned novels in the Souls of Blackwood Academy series, preceded by Immortal Consequences and with a third book yet to come. I. V. Marie has also written the companion novella Twisted Vo within the same fictional universe, expanding the world for committed readers. As the structural midpoint of the trilogy, this installment functions as an escalating bridge — raising the stakes from the school-set Decennial of book one to the fate of the entire afterlife — while laying the groundwork for the trilogy's conclusion.
- How diverse is the cast?
- Diversity is one of the series' deliberate structural choices. The six lead characters — August, Emilio, Irene, Masika, Olivier, and Wren — represent a range of racial and sexual identities, and they are sorted into romantic pairings that critical coverage notes give readers plenty of chances to pick favourite couples or characters. This multi-ship ensemble approach, with representation built into the core cast rather than added at the margins, is identified as one of the book's primary engines of engagement for its YA audience.
Summarize this book
Is it worth reading?
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Where does this fit in the series?
How diverse is the cast?
Summarize this book
Ruinous Ends picks up directly after the Decennial — the deadly competition at the heart of Immortal Consequences — and widens the lens considerably. Six former pupils of the supernatural institution known as Blackwood Academy (August, Emilio, Irene, Masika, Olivier, and Wren) find themselves aligned with one of three factions, each dedicated either to defending or destroying purgatory's most notorious school. A buried secret threatens to shake Blackwood Academy to its core, with the fate of the entire afterlife hanging in the balance. As the structural midpoint of a planned trilogy, the novel escalates both the supernatural stakes and the emotionally charged romantic arcs between its ensemble cast.
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Age & Reading Level
Recommended age
Ages 12–18
Reading level
Young adult
Content to know about
supernatural peril and afterlife violence
steamy romantic content between teen characters
Best for: Ages 14 and up — YA designation reflects dark afterlife mythology, faction-based peril, and romantic content described by critical coverage as including steamy passages and waves of intense feelings.
Skip if You want standalone-friendly dark fantasy or literary YA with polished, precise prose.
Editorial Review
Ruinous Ends is the #1 New York Times bestselling second installment in I. V.…
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