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Golden Ruin
In the aftermath of a chaotic gold rush and the resulting war, a mega-corporation emerges, seizing control of the nation’s gold and the technology produced from it. Those defeated scattered to the coasts, left to fend for themselves. The once vibrant California now contends with radiation, harsh elements, and bandits.
Cassidy moves to one of California’s last two surviving towns for one thing: to save her life. Suffering from a mysterious illness, Bell Valley is her last chance at finding a cure. Despite her best efforts to keep her distance, she’s drawn to the town and its locals. New beginnings are hard — even harder in the wastelands, and it doesn’t help that her enigmatic boss, Willa, wants nothing to do with her.
But as things start to change between the two of them, Cassidy is being tracked by a man with a dangerous bounty on her. Will she be able to save herself before it’s too late?
Stardew Valley meets Westworld in this emotional adventure in the wastelands.
Golden Ruin is a sci-fi/western with a slow-burn sapphic romance. This book is a standalone.
Tropes: found family, small town, forced proximity, dystopian landscape
Cassidy moves to one of California’s last two surviving towns for one thing: to save her life. Suffering from a mysterious illness, Bell Valley is her last chance at finding a cure. Despite her best efforts to keep her distance, she’s drawn to the town and its locals. New beginnings are hard — even harder in the wastelands, and it doesn’t help that her enigmatic boss, Willa, wants nothing to do with her.
But as things start to change between the two of them, Cassidy is being tracked by a man with a dangerous bounty on her. Will she be able to save herself before it’s too late?
Stardew Valley meets Westworld in this emotional adventure in the wastelands.
Golden Ruin is a sci-fi/western with a slow-burn sapphic romance. This book is a standalone.
Tropes: found family, small town, forced proximity, dystopian landscape
316 pages, Paperback
Published October 4, 2024
43 people are currently reading
920 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
September 23, 2024
The premise of this book was really promising, and I was really eager to read it. A sapphic science-fiction western! That’s, like, all of my favorite things.
I hate to say but this book fell really flat for me. Golden Ruin was mostly telling, not showing. I understand that it can be really difficult to immerse a reader in a science fiction world but unfortunately I found that this was a significant point of trouble with this book.
The world building felt very clunky and stereotypical. We were told about “The Corporation”, “The War”, “The Gang” but the world surrounding them and supposedly influenced by them was flat. I also found myself frustrated by the lack of creativity with the naming and fleshing out these entities. I didn’t feel immersed in this world and I often forgot that it was supposed to be futuristic until something was overtly described as robotic or technologically advanced.
A standout example of my struggle with the world building is this: The repeated use of “shiner” as a derogatory term for folks with mechanical augmentations. Considering the lack of functional world building, we have no real idea of understanding the context of mechanical augmentation. The main character mentions that her communities in The Big City use this term for people who go “too far” with augmentations, but what does that mean? What does that look like? Wouldn’t that be considered standard in such a technologically advanced world? The main character is called this imagined slur because she has a prosthetic hand, so what is the line that can’t be crossed? I felt so lost in the murky world building that I had no way to answer these questions for myself as the reader.
This book reads like the author holds a aesthetic appreciation for science fiction and western concepts, but perhaps hasn’t read very much science fiction or very many westerns. Many points in the story lack the nuance and complexity that comes with both genres that were on the table. It felt more like a romance than anything, but with such flat world building and unconvincing characters, I didn’t care whether they ended up together or not. There were cute scenes with them in it, but I felt no connection to those cute scenes because I had no stakes in the characters or their relationship.
I think this book could really improve with a a very, very thorough edit by someone with experience in science fiction that can help the author flesh out the ideas that they wanted to explore but just didn’t quite have the right words for.
**I received and advance readers copy for free from this author, and I am reviewing this book voluntarily**
I hate to say but this book fell really flat for me. Golden Ruin was mostly telling, not showing. I understand that it can be really difficult to immerse a reader in a science fiction world but unfortunately I found that this was a significant point of trouble with this book.
The world building felt very clunky and stereotypical. We were told about “The Corporation”, “The War”, “The Gang” but the world surrounding them and supposedly influenced by them was flat. I also found myself frustrated by the lack of creativity with the naming and fleshing out these entities. I didn’t feel immersed in this world and I often forgot that it was supposed to be futuristic until something was overtly described as robotic or technologically advanced.
A standout example of my struggle with the world building is this: The repeated use of “shiner” as a derogatory term for folks with mechanical augmentations. Considering the lack of functional world building, we have no real idea of understanding the context of mechanical augmentation. The main character mentions that her communities in The Big City use this term for people who go “too far” with augmentations, but what does that mean? What does that look like? Wouldn’t that be considered standard in such a technologically advanced world? The main character is called this imagined slur because she has a prosthetic hand, so what is the line that can’t be crossed? I felt so lost in the murky world building that I had no way to answer these questions for myself as the reader.
This book reads like the author holds a aesthetic appreciation for science fiction and western concepts, but perhaps hasn’t read very much science fiction or very many westerns. Many points in the story lack the nuance and complexity that comes with both genres that were on the table. It felt more like a romance than anything, but with such flat world building and unconvincing characters, I didn’t care whether they ended up together or not. There were cute scenes with them in it, but I felt no connection to those cute scenes because I had no stakes in the characters or their relationship.
I think this book could really improve with a a very, very thorough edit by someone with experience in science fiction that can help the author flesh out the ideas that they wanted to explore but just didn’t quite have the right words for.
**I received and advance readers copy for free from this author, and I am reviewing this book voluntarily**
April 10, 2025
4.5 Stars
This was so unexpected. Everything about this book was unexpected. First off, it’s in a western setting with cowboy hats and desert lands but set in a post apocalyptic future. The coming together of old human way of living and modernity with artificial intelligence as norm such as synthetic food, synthetic upgrades on human body parts was a magnificent stroke of genius and it was perfectly balanced. The new world order was vivid, interesting and original. It wasn’t hard to imagine the world the author built.
My general impression of Golden Ruin is a solid positive. Not only did it have an amazing setting, the whole storyline and characters were layered and written just perfectly for my liking. It’s emotional though so get them tear ducts primed.
This was so unexpected. Everything about this book was unexpected. First off, it’s in a western setting with cowboy hats and desert lands but set in a post apocalyptic future. The coming together of old human way of living and modernity with artificial intelligence as norm such as synthetic food, synthetic upgrades on human body parts was a magnificent stroke of genius and it was perfectly balanced. The new world order was vivid, interesting and original. It wasn’t hard to imagine the world the author built.
My general impression of Golden Ruin is a solid positive. Not only did it have an amazing setting, the whole storyline and characters were layered and written just perfectly for my liking. It’s emotional though so get them tear ducts primed.
April 1, 2025
4.75⭐️
A really unique read of which I enjoyed and could really relate to, in some aspects.
I really liked the plot in the book, it was really moving and I felt the character development too, really was the cherry on top.
Cassidy is chronically sick and lived in a city that was run by “The Corporation” and she knew she’d never get the help she needed there so she fled in search of a cure for her illness that was slowly etching away at her day by day. This tugged my heart strings because as a chronic illness warrior myself, I understand how debilitating illness can be and we’d go the lengths of the earth to get the help we so desperately needed.
Other characters in this book were the sweetest most kindest individuals who loved there’s friend dearly and again, went to all kinds of lengths to make sure Cassidy was happy and as healthy as she could be with a bit of love in the mix too.
I loved the theme too especially living on a ranch in a deserted town trying to make ends meet, whilst trying to avoid loneliness, and cure a chronic illness.
Highly recommend, if you’re looking for something unique which covers a few topics ❤️🩹
A really unique read of which I enjoyed and could really relate to, in some aspects.
I really liked the plot in the book, it was really moving and I felt the character development too, really was the cherry on top.
Cassidy is chronically sick and lived in a city that was run by “The Corporation” and she knew she’d never get the help she needed there so she fled in search of a cure for her illness that was slowly etching away at her day by day. This tugged my heart strings because as a chronic illness warrior myself, I understand how debilitating illness can be and we’d go the lengths of the earth to get the help we so desperately needed.
Other characters in this book were the sweetest most kindest individuals who loved there’s friend dearly and again, went to all kinds of lengths to make sure Cassidy was happy and as healthy as she could be with a bit of love in the mix too.
I loved the theme too especially living on a ranch in a deserted town trying to make ends meet, whilst trying to avoid loneliness, and cure a chronic illness.
Highly recommend, if you’re looking for something unique which covers a few topics ❤️🩹
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2025
I really enjoyed this and wasn’t expecting it to raise the questions it did.
I think this is a great debut and I’d definitely read more from Emma Kennedy.
(read as part of bloom book club, romance book, March 2025)
I think this is a great debut and I’d definitely read more from Emma Kennedy.
(read as part of bloom book club, romance book, March 2025)
September 29, 2024
Thank you so much to Emma Kennedy for the ARC on her first novel!!
I really enjoyed this book!! The story was fresh with the futuristic- western theme throughout. It’s two things I would’ve never thought to put together, but they worked PERFECTLY. the found-family trope also hit every note that my little heart needed it to and i loved every second of it. I got attached to the characters quickly and really enjoyed seeing how they developed throughout the story. The sprinkling of a wlw relationship also made me so so happy as well! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book & hope that everyone else does as well!!
I really enjoyed this book!! The story was fresh with the futuristic- western theme throughout. It’s two things I would’ve never thought to put together, but they worked PERFECTLY. the found-family trope also hit every note that my little heart needed it to and i loved every second of it. I got attached to the characters quickly and really enjoyed seeing how they developed throughout the story. The sprinkling of a wlw relationship also made me so so happy as well! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book & hope that everyone else does as well!!
August 22, 2024
thank you for the ARC!
i really enjoyed the setting and characters, although there was a little left to be desired. futuristic corporation-run america, with what sounds like a few cities that are "online" and a bunch of abandoned states with their own locally-run towns is such a fun concept, even when it was fairly basically explained. i also love to see a character who genuinely enjoyed growing up and being in the corporation run city (or at least thought she did) who is reluctant to move out to the "wastelands"! she's aloof and it's easy to distance yourself when you think you aren't sticking around for long, which seems to be her motto in life.
the characters all felt lively, lovable, diverse, and realistic, and you love to see it! i wish i had a friend group like them.
there's a few loose ends i feel didn't quite get tied up, or at least not in a super satisfactory way for my tastes.
the romance aspect was cute and had some tense moments of not knowing how to communicate with each other better. that usually puts me off a bit but they were both understandable and stuck in their own heads. easy to do out in the big grand desert where you feel so small!
also, the cover rocks. absolutely beautiful art from charles utting for this.
with all that said, i think this was a very neat debut novel and i'm looking forward to seeing future works from emma kennedy!
i really enjoyed the setting and characters, although there was a little left to be desired. futuristic corporation-run america, with what sounds like a few cities that are "online" and a bunch of abandoned states with their own locally-run towns is such a fun concept, even when it was fairly basically explained. i also love to see a character who genuinely enjoyed growing up and being in the corporation run city (or at least thought she did) who is reluctant to move out to the "wastelands"! she's aloof and it's easy to distance yourself when you think you aren't sticking around for long, which seems to be her motto in life.
the characters all felt lively, lovable, diverse, and realistic, and you love to see it! i wish i had a friend group like them.
there's a few loose ends i feel didn't quite get tied up, or at least not in a super satisfactory way for my tastes.
the romance aspect was cute and had some tense moments of not knowing how to communicate with each other better. that usually puts me off a bit but they were both understandable and stuck in their own heads. easy to do out in the big grand desert where you feel so small!
also, the cover rocks. absolutely beautiful art from charles utting for this.
with all that said, i think this was a very neat debut novel and i'm looking forward to seeing future works from emma kennedy!
September 28, 2024
“She couldn’t help but wonder if she belonged in two places, or if maybe she was becoming someone else entirely.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stardew valley but make it sci-fi? Yes please 🤭 I had so much fun reading this book! The dystopian style world, the touch of mystery, and the beautiful relationships were so well done 🥹
I think the world building was excellent! There are so many high tech things that this society thrives on and I really enjoyed learning about them. We don’t learn a ton about the government, but I think we know enough for what’s important to the story!
“All the tech and implants in the world couldn’t save someone from being human, from being mortal.”
I was eating the plot of this book up!! I didn’t want to put it down bc I needed to know what was going on with Cassidy! I was really getting some mystery/thriller vibes while she was searching for a cure and dealing with a mysterious stalker.
Cassidy is from Chicago and thrives on her tech, yet she has to abandon the life she knows to find a cure for her unknown chronic illness. I loved watching her growth while she found a family in the wastelands 🥹
Our side characters are all SO kind and selfless. Finn is adorable and seems like a big teddy bear. Sam is soft and incredibly caring. Willa is fierce but very loyal. I loved watching this group come together and protect each other 🥰
I was expecting more romance, but I’m not disappointed! We had so much development on Cassidy’s journey so the romance subplot definitely made sense. At first, I didn’t really see the chemistry between Willa and Cassidy, but I truly started to feel the depth of their relationship as the book went on! They are so sweet together 🥹🩷
“Willa didn’t need to fill the silence, like so many Cassidy usually surrounded herself with. It was nice to just be together.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stardew valley but make it sci-fi? Yes please 🤭 I had so much fun reading this book! The dystopian style world, the touch of mystery, and the beautiful relationships were so well done 🥹
I think the world building was excellent! There are so many high tech things that this society thrives on and I really enjoyed learning about them. We don’t learn a ton about the government, but I think we know enough for what’s important to the story!
“All the tech and implants in the world couldn’t save someone from being human, from being mortal.”
I was eating the plot of this book up!! I didn’t want to put it down bc I needed to know what was going on with Cassidy! I was really getting some mystery/thriller vibes while she was searching for a cure and dealing with a mysterious stalker.
Cassidy is from Chicago and thrives on her tech, yet she has to abandon the life she knows to find a cure for her unknown chronic illness. I loved watching her growth while she found a family in the wastelands 🥹
Our side characters are all SO kind and selfless. Finn is adorable and seems like a big teddy bear. Sam is soft and incredibly caring. Willa is fierce but very loyal. I loved watching this group come together and protect each other 🥰
I was expecting more romance, but I’m not disappointed! We had so much development on Cassidy’s journey so the romance subplot definitely made sense. At first, I didn’t really see the chemistry between Willa and Cassidy, but I truly started to feel the depth of their relationship as the book went on! They are so sweet together 🥹🩷
“Willa didn’t need to fill the silence, like so many Cassidy usually surrounded herself with. It was nice to just be together.”
December 5, 2024
This was enjoyable enough but I feel that the setting, which is a dystopian United States with some states being complete backwaters, a shadowy "Corporation" bringing modern amenities to certain cities, having microchips implated to deal with payments, time, access to places, etc., was a really interesting place and I wish we had engaged with it more. This book straddles the line between being an interesting dystopian fiction book and being a romance and tries to land on the romance but there is so much more happening that it feels like a shame to ignore it all.
That said, the characters and small-town vibes are excellent, finding community and love at the end of a hard life while dealing with chronic illness is engaging and well-presented. I would have enjoyed this more if the world was fleshed out a bit more and Cassidy engaged with it as a person on the run from medical debt or as a city person coming to a low-tech town in a state ravaged by drought.
That said, the characters and small-town vibes are excellent, finding community and love at the end of a hard life while dealing with chronic illness is engaging and well-presented. I would have enjoyed this more if the world was fleshed out a bit more and Cassidy engaged with it as a person on the run from medical debt or as a city person coming to a low-tech town in a state ravaged by drought.
August 27, 2025
3.75
post-apocalyptic cowboy lesbians is really lovely
post-apocalyptic cowboy lesbians is really lovely
March 18, 2025
4.25 ⭐️
September 6, 2024
This honestly only took me about two days to read but I couldn’t get into the story at first. I really wanted to like this book; wlw, Wild West, and dystopian future vibes. However, the characters fell a little flat for me. They were developed, I just felt little to no connection to them at all. The slow burn romance also didn’t hit for me either, I just wasn’t feeling the tension between them. I also felt that there was so many family bonding scenes that there wasn’t too much space for the romance. The plot twist with the man in white was a nice touch. Another thing , Cassidy annoyed me so much. Like her thought processes and decisions in general. And also the fact that the corporation ended up doing nothing?? There could’ve been such a good action plot point with that.
I just wanna thank the author for giving me an e-arc of her book in exchange for my opinion!
I just wanna thank the author for giving me an e-arc of her book in exchange for my opinion!
September 25, 2024
I had the amazing opportunity to read an ARC copy which I felt super lucky to have done so thank you so much to the author for a fantastic debut. With that said I love the theme of found family throughout the book, though the other themes mentioned on the tropes list felt lack luster and when they did present themselves it felt forced.
I felt like the story was rushed as we pivoted from one scene to the next with no pauses or descriptions. It was jarring at times, making it hard to connect with places and characters because as soon as I would start to get a grasp of what was going on there would be a harsh scene change where my immersion would be left hanging.
I sometimes found it hard to connect to the different characters in a believable way. I did love all of Cass' friends and they all seemed very thought-out but on occasion it gave the impression that their stories were only there for Cassidys sake, to move her story and character growth along. Almost like I was being told that I was supposed to care for them for one reason or another but never felt actually connected to them the way I felt I should. Especially since they all have very similar 3-5 letter names I got them mixed up often.
Though motivations were all over the place and the pacing was hard to get a grasp on, I did find her mystery enjoyable. I wanted to figure out what was wrong with her and at first the man in white added to the mystery but I realized quickly that he was just a hallucination and when the kidnapping scene happened it felt more ridiculous and jarring then frightening. Whether he was real or not the whole scene felt forced and made no sense to me. And as far as I know the cover is deceiving because the main character rides a horse zero times aside from the previously mentioned scene where she is being kidnapped.
As for the world, it felt empty to me. I completely understand and know the effort it takes to make any made up world believable but this just felt unfinished to me. I was hoping for a gritty and dense world of cowboys and dangerous landscapes. When imagining the people and the places mentioned all I can see are Barbies dressed as wannabe cowboys in a saloon facade.
I felt like the story was rushed as we pivoted from one scene to the next with no pauses or descriptions. It was jarring at times, making it hard to connect with places and characters because as soon as I would start to get a grasp of what was going on there would be a harsh scene change where my immersion would be left hanging.
I sometimes found it hard to connect to the different characters in a believable way. I did love all of Cass' friends and they all seemed very thought-out but on occasion it gave the impression that their stories were only there for Cassidys sake, to move her story and character growth along. Almost like I was being told that I was supposed to care for them for one reason or another but never felt actually connected to them the way I felt I should. Especially since they all have very similar 3-5 letter names I got them mixed up often.
Though motivations were all over the place and the pacing was hard to get a grasp on, I did find her mystery enjoyable. I wanted to figure out what was wrong with her and at first the man in white added to the mystery but I realized quickly that he was just a hallucination and when the kidnapping scene happened it felt more ridiculous and jarring then frightening. Whether he was real or not the whole scene felt forced and made no sense to me. And as far as I know the cover is deceiving because the main character rides a horse zero times aside from the previously mentioned scene where she is being kidnapped.
As for the world, it felt empty to me. I completely understand and know the effort it takes to make any made up world believable but this just felt unfinished to me. I was hoping for a gritty and dense world of cowboys and dangerous landscapes. When imagining the people and the places mentioned all I can see are Barbies dressed as wannabe cowboys in a saloon facade.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2024
This is an interesting read with a premise of an alternative world through a California very different from what we know, a wasteland through war making the area an unusual destination for a new life. With a futuristic view of the use of tech, AI and body cybernetic modifications as well as a corporate side of the world that not everyone wants to join. I would say that the world building is very impressive throughout.
The story focuses on Cassidy and her new life away from the corporate world and the adventure of life in California. The story does take some time to understand exactly what Cassidy is looking for but does expand in time with new joy / perspective via friends and purpose.
There’s definitely some areas left unexplored and I feel I didn’t get the answers I was expecting, for example how she got herself into serious debt, her mental health, what exactly is corporate and why the person she is looking for left? And for me some of the tale feels very slow and does take a while to allow us to understand what Cassidy is doing other than meeting with friends and working.
There’s some great friendships that have been built and there is a very slow burn relationship that does not progress fully on page and at times both characters seemingly self sabotage but does happen in the end. However the focus is secondary with a hint of poor communication between the two, that does in places have Cassidy with an almost ‘it is what it is’ attitude which frustrated me.
I did enjoy the story, I would advise giving it a read as it is very different and gives you an interesting approach to life and how we live it. Thank you Emma Kennedy for giving me an opportunity to read this as part of an ARC prior to general release.
The story focuses on Cassidy and her new life away from the corporate world and the adventure of life in California. The story does take some time to understand exactly what Cassidy is looking for but does expand in time with new joy / perspective via friends and purpose.
There’s definitely some areas left unexplored and I feel I didn’t get the answers I was expecting, for example how she got herself into serious debt, her mental health, what exactly is corporate and why the person she is looking for left? And for me some of the tale feels very slow and does take a while to allow us to understand what Cassidy is doing other than meeting with friends and working.
There’s some great friendships that have been built and there is a very slow burn relationship that does not progress fully on page and at times both characters seemingly self sabotage but does happen in the end. However the focus is secondary with a hint of poor communication between the two, that does in places have Cassidy with an almost ‘it is what it is’ attitude which frustrated me.
I did enjoy the story, I would advise giving it a read as it is very different and gives you an interesting approach to life and how we live it. Thank you Emma Kennedy for giving me an opportunity to read this as part of an ARC prior to general release.
June 26, 2025
The beginning of this book is so good and interesting, a really creative premise and plenty of mystery on offer. I liked the way the author peppered in bits of information about the world without going into crazy detail, though I was hoping that more of it would reveal itself by the end. The whole thing fell a bit flat for me towards the ending, things got a bit too hand-wavey with the central mystery (what's wrong with the main character) getting literally a couple word zero detail explanation. It just didn't really fit together nicely. I also feel like the main character was a little bit implausibly popular considering her actions and attitudes. So overall it's mixed for me, I think that this could have been and started to be a much better book than it ended up being, things just needed to be tied together in a more satisfying way.
August 21, 2024
I really like the premise of this story and the world building it has. It’s kinda creepy, kinda what we already have in today’s world.
There’s a slow burn and lots of friendships, there’s mystery. This is really well done and had me wanting more! I really liked the change we see throughout Cassidy and the technology in the world.
There’s a couple parts of the plot that I felt like got just forgotten like her massive debts with the Corporation bc how would they not be able to find her and the bandits just seemed to suddenly not be a problem anymore. It didn’t detract from the book but it definitely would’ve been fun to see!
This is an arc review, given in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Emma Kennedy!
There’s a slow burn and lots of friendships, there’s mystery. This is really well done and had me wanting more! I really liked the change we see throughout Cassidy and the technology in the world.
There’s a couple parts of the plot that I felt like got just forgotten like her massive debts with the Corporation bc how would they not be able to find her and the bandits just seemed to suddenly not be a problem anymore. It didn’t detract from the book but it definitely would’ve been fun to see!
This is an arc review, given in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Emma Kennedy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2024
Great western sci-fi! I enjoyed it as a cozy/casual read. My main negative is how fast most scenes/events happen. We get these really great and emotional scenes, but they end if less than a few pages, sometimes even only a few paragraphs. I wished everything was more fleshed out. I liked the characters, but didn't love them, I'd wanted to 'have more them' with them. The slower scenes we're amazing but all the action/more intense part of the book felt rushed, I wished it had been more engaging.
It the end, I still really enjoyed this book, and finished it in only 4 days (rare for me). The world building really made this book in my opinion!
It the end, I still really enjoyed this book, and finished it in only 4 days (rare for me). The world building really made this book in my opinion!
September 4, 2024
The overarching genre “sapphic sci-fi western” is the perfect fit for this unique read. The seemingly contradictory genres of science fiction and Western are incorporated smoothly, with a fun mix of androids and human and lifestyle tech enhancements with ranches, horses, and outlaws.
Kennedy also does well with seamlessly dropping world-building facts in the story.
As for the slow-burn sapphic romance, Cassidy and Willa are a perfect pair. I love that they’re in their thirties, and it was an interesting dynamic.. The push-and-pull of their relationship, their little arguments, and even their final admission of love are all imbued with realism.
There's only a few things about the novel that bothered me, and most of it had to do with the writing (repetition) and the world not feeling like all the questions were answered.
For my full, short review, check it out here: https://www.fandomspotlite.com/sapphi...
Thank you Emma Kennedy for providing this ARC ahead of the official release in exchange for an honest review.
Kennedy also does well with seamlessly dropping world-building facts in the story.
As for the slow-burn sapphic romance, Cassidy and Willa are a perfect pair. I love that they’re in their thirties, and it was an interesting dynamic.. The push-and-pull of their relationship, their little arguments, and even their final admission of love are all imbued with realism.
There's only a few things about the novel that bothered me, and most of it had to do with the writing (repetition) and the world not feeling like all the questions were answered.
For my full, short review, check it out here: https://www.fandomspotlite.com/sapphi...
Thank you Emma Kennedy for providing this ARC ahead of the official release in exchange for an honest review.
November 29, 2024
1.5*
(Review on Story/Graph)
(Review on Story/Graph)
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September 13, 2024I wanted to love this but i took me so long to get into this. I thought the characters fell a little flat. At some points i didnt even know what was happening
September 26, 2024
'Golden ruin' follows a sort of fallout inspired world with the cowboys aesthetics. Lined with technology to the brim and a danger of radiation on the backburner of this world. We follow Cassidy, a woman escaping her past in hopes to find luck with her health. It was an amazing and interestingly unique universe to immerse myself in. The relationships formed through the book is nothing short of beautiful. My only complaints are the lack of information given, we have a lot of doubts of the characters past that led her to the situation we see her in. Her debt, her sickness,etc. I would've also loved to see the corporation fleshed out and used more proactively in the plot of the book. All in all I'd say it was a great read and a win for the queer women loving women out there who eat up the cowgirl look and hot strong ladies. Thank you so much Emma Kennedy for allowing me the honor to be a part of the ARC read
September 4, 2024
3 stars. So much potential here. I thought the writing was really good,, especially for a debut. I liked the characters and the plot could’ve been something cool but the pacing in this threw everything off for me. It literally took about 50% into the book for me to get even a little be invested. The world building was cool but a bit murky and confusing at times but I see what the author was trying to do. I didn’t dislike this at all but by the time I finished it I didn’t feel anything about it one way or another and it’s always harder for me to review books that I feel nothing for. Not bad but it just didn’t do it for me unfortunately.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 24, 2024
Thank you Emma Kennedy for providing me with an ARC of Golden Ruin!
Not gonna lie, I knocked this book out in a day. I found the prose and dialogue to be pretty straightforward and not bogged down with particularly flowery writing--some may find this as a drawback, but I appreciate direct language more often than not. Golden Ruin has, in my opinion, a lot of potential. It has some really interesting worldbuilding pieces and character backstories that I wish had been expanded on a little bit more (ex. the Corporation and its role in the alternate history, Cassidy's backstory, the rise and role of synthetics and technology in the world) but helped me get immersed in the story.
I will say that I had a bit of difficulty connecting to the characters, especially those in more supporting roles; to me, the supporting characters feel like they didn't exist outside of the context of Cassidy and their role in her story, if that makes sense? I did enjoy some of the scenes between Cassidy and Willa, and I found their development throughout the story to be realistic and true to the slow-burn nature of the book.
The biggest issue I found was the pacing; there were stretches of time where I felt the only thing happening was Cassidy waiting for something to happen to her. I think through the middle of the book she took a more passive role in the narrative in comparison to the beginning, and she never quite regained the momentum she had coming in to Bell Valley. This isn't to say that I disliked Golden Ruin, I thought it had a lot of cool elements that could be expanded on and it was an introduction into westerns and sci-fi for someone like me who hasn't really engaged with the genres.
Not gonna lie, I knocked this book out in a day. I found the prose and dialogue to be pretty straightforward and not bogged down with particularly flowery writing--some may find this as a drawback, but I appreciate direct language more often than not. Golden Ruin has, in my opinion, a lot of potential. It has some really interesting worldbuilding pieces and character backstories that I wish had been expanded on a little bit more (ex. the Corporation and its role in the alternate history, Cassidy's backstory, the rise and role of synthetics and technology in the world) but helped me get immersed in the story.
I will say that I had a bit of difficulty connecting to the characters, especially those in more supporting roles; to me, the supporting characters feel like they didn't exist outside of the context of Cassidy and their role in her story, if that makes sense? I did enjoy some of the scenes between Cassidy and Willa, and I found their development throughout the story to be realistic and true to the slow-burn nature of the book.
The biggest issue I found was the pacing; there were stretches of time where I felt the only thing happening was Cassidy waiting for something to happen to her. I think through the middle of the book she took a more passive role in the narrative in comparison to the beginning, and she never quite regained the momentum she had coming in to Bell Valley. This isn't to say that I disliked Golden Ruin, I thought it had a lot of cool elements that could be expanded on and it was an introduction into westerns and sci-fi for someone like me who hasn't really engaged with the genres.
September 29, 2024
This had such a great premise--Dystopian Sci-Fi Lesbian Western. I mean, c'mon, sign me up! Having read the book though, I'm left feeling disappointed by the lack of execution on that genre. The set up is there there is a massive "Corporation" and a great war that isolated most of humanity to...I feel like the middle of America? That part isn't very clear, but there are now abandoned states and states outside of the control of the Corporation, thus making them lawless and the wild west. People in this future have chips implanted in their heads that...do something? Maybe act as IDs and they also choose to augment their body with robotic parts for reasons that are unknown. See where I'm going with this? These are things that need to be made clear when world-building in sci fi and fantasy, so the reader understands the "rules" of the world we're in. And for all of the times that it was stressed how dangerous and lawless California was, none of that ever really comes out on the page. The protagonist we're told is "sick" and looking for a cure in California. She also has a really piss poor attitude for most of the book, so it's really hard to believe her emotional journey she goes on, making friends that suddenly change her world. I really wish more would have been done to set up the world, flesh out every main character, actually SHOW character growth and development, and then tighten the plot so that it's less of a confusing and then rushed after thought. This world had potential and it would have been interesting to see the story told through multiple books, but as it stands in its published form, it's just "okay" and a massive lost opportunity.
ARC provided by BookSirens
ARC provided by BookSirens
October 3, 2024
*I received an ARC of this book, the review and all the thoughts are my own.
*This review does not contain any spoilers
*Please read the content warnings of this book and take them very seriously.
Pairing - FF
Genre- Dystopian Sci-fi Romance (Closed Door)
HEA/HFN - Yes
POV - Single Third Person
*Review*
Lunar chronicles meets Hunger Games
But make it Sapphic.
That is the best way I can describe this book in the least amount of words possible. We have a controlling body called the Corporation that has taken over everything after a war. Surgical modifications are common for people living under this Corporation. These surgical modifications are synthetic enhancements (or cybernetic) though. And most importantly, we have life at stakes situation where our protagonist, Cassidy, goes off-grid, to get the help she needs. Where does she end up? Obviously at the doorstep of the love interest, Willa. But this isn't just about them. Although the romance is important to the characters and the plot, Cassidy's journey also gives her some amazing friends who love her and are there for her. I loved the fact that Cassidy got to have a circle of friends she could trust before she got to something romantic with her boss. It gave her the support system she needed and did not make this romantic interest all she had left.
If you need emotional support before you read the last chapter. Consider me your support system.
P.S. I follow the Montessori method, so my reviews are based on completion without ratings. If I didn’t like a book, I probably wouldn’t finish it and hence won’t review it.
*This review does not contain any spoilers
*Please read the content warnings of this book and take them very seriously.
Pairing - FF
Genre- Dystopian Sci-fi Romance (Closed Door)
HEA/HFN - Yes
POV - Single Third Person
*Review*
Lunar chronicles meets Hunger Games
But make it Sapphic.
That is the best way I can describe this book in the least amount of words possible. We have a controlling body called the Corporation that has taken over everything after a war. Surgical modifications are common for people living under this Corporation. These surgical modifications are synthetic enhancements (or cybernetic) though. And most importantly, we have life at stakes situation where our protagonist, Cassidy, goes off-grid, to get the help she needs. Where does she end up? Obviously at the doorstep of the love interest, Willa. But this isn't just about them. Although the romance is important to the characters and the plot, Cassidy's journey also gives her some amazing friends who love her and are there for her. I loved the fact that Cassidy got to have a circle of friends she could trust before she got to something romantic with her boss. It gave her the support system she needed and did not make this romantic interest all she had left.
If you need emotional support before you read the last chapter. Consider me your support system.
P.S. I follow the Montessori method, so my reviews are based on completion without ratings. If I didn’t like a book, I probably wouldn’t finish it and hence won’t review it.
April 27, 2025
To be honest, this was kind of a disappointing read. I was excited by the concept, but it fell short of my expectations. The story itself was fine enough, I found it entertaining and read it quickly, but it definitely took time to pick up and had weird pacing. It felt like watching a movie at double speed for some parts and at half speed at others (particularly towards the end). A lot of details were brushed over very quickly or felt random to include, especially moments like the scene with the vulture which had no impact on the story, character, or greater context of the universe. I would have loved to hear more about the actual setting, especially given the introduction of the blurb, but there was actually very little detail given about the ambiguous war that happened, why it happened, how it impacted current life, and a lot of things related to the setting were just named with little context or explanation on what they were (e.g. the Corporation, chips, the Net). To be honest, it felt like a contemporary story with keywords changed to make it sound futuristic.
Like I said, I did overall enjoy the story, but I also found myself ranting to my girlfriend after every reading session about certain author choices not making sense or wanting more context for certain things. Maybe would recommend reading if you don't mind surface-level scifi.
Like I said, I did overall enjoy the story, but I also found myself ranting to my girlfriend after every reading session about certain author choices not making sense or wanting more context for certain things. Maybe would recommend reading if you don't mind surface-level scifi.
February 9, 2025
this setting is so freaking cool!! wild west vibes but with a futuristic dystopian twist?? so fun!!!
i loved seeing cassidy become sucked into the community and beauty of california. her friendship formed with sam and finn, and the relationship between her and willa was really nice to see. i do find it a little head scratchy that she put distance between her and mara for something so minuscule, and even after they made up they were never as close as she was with the others. but other than that, i just liked seeing her find real friends and love outside of the city
i think the budding romance between her and willa could’ve benefitted from more show and less tell. and i also think the end was a little too easy. cass had already welcomed death and had explicitly told her friends she didn’t want to see dr thorne again, and yet they went against her wishes and she was given a whole new life changing surgery against her will. i’m glad she didn’t die, but i find it a little unrealistic she would be so clam, even grateful, for this so soon.
other than that, this was a really unique and interesting setting and plot, and the relationships between characters was very sweet. also this cover is super pretty!!
3.75
i loved seeing cassidy become sucked into the community and beauty of california. her friendship formed with sam and finn, and the relationship between her and willa was really nice to see. i do find it a little head scratchy that she put distance between her and mara for something so minuscule, and even after they made up they were never as close as she was with the others. but other than that, i just liked seeing her find real friends and love outside of the city
i think the budding romance between her and willa could’ve benefitted from more show and less tell. and i also think the end was a little too easy. cass had already welcomed death and had explicitly told her friends she didn’t want to see dr thorne again, and yet they went against her wishes and she was given a whole new life changing surgery against her will. i’m glad she didn’t die, but i find it a little unrealistic she would be so clam, even grateful, for this so soon.
other than that, this was a really unique and interesting setting and plot, and the relationships between characters was very sweet. also this cover is super pretty!!
3.75
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2025
First things first, I’m a fan of Sci-Fi and Westerns, so the two together seemed like a dream. The author did a good attempt at intertwining the two, but at times it just seemed to fall flat. There was not much world building, from my perception, beyond telling us how Chicago and California were vastly different. Many important features in this story (The Corporation, The War, even Cassidy’s friends) seemed to be used as plot devices for the main character without giving the reader any back stories or insights. I felt that the man in all white’s “reveal” left things to be desired, and felt rushed. The story tetered between being a western sci fi and a romance, but the change between the two was clunky at times. The ending also left some things to be desired, and felt a bit rushed.
All that being said, I feel that the found family trope in this book is what really makes it for me. I think exploring Cassidy’s original motivations to befriending them and how that evolved was nice to see, or even her relationship with Willa.
All that being said, I feel that the found family trope in this book is what really makes it for me. I think exploring Cassidy’s original motivations to befriending them and how that evolved was nice to see, or even her relationship with Willa.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2025
DNF sadly. the book fell so flat and there was a lot of telling, but no showing which is always really frustrating. there were some parts that didn’t make a whole lot of sense like for example the sheriff saying they couldn’t get anybody over to the ranch to warn about bandits but looking at the map provided, the ranch is only like a few yards from the church…(?) and cassidy comparing the area to the movies?? does that mean that there are western movies in the book? i was just confused because prior to reading, i thought it would be more like Cowboys v. Aliens where it does take place in the wild west but with futuristic technology, but this felt more like it was taking place WAAAAY in the future except this one little area that acts like they are still in the wild west times. idk, maybe that was just me but i was really hoping for it to be more like Cowboys v. Aliens without obviously the aliens but with the technology and lesbians
September 26, 2024
*Read as an ARC digitally*
Golden Ruin follows Cassidy who moves to California in search of a doctor to cure her mysterious illness. It’s supposed to be a mixture of science fiction and western but, as an equestrian myself, I feel like it barely hit the mark. The most “western” thing about this book is that they live on a ranch in no man’s land. They do have cool tech, though.
In the beginning, we’re introduced to this ‘’man in white” who’s after Cassidy. At first I was intrigued by this character, but the tension built only to sizzle out.
I adore the main characters and the love story is sweet. But many of the supporting characters are two dimensional. They’re just…there.
I appreciate how the story explores the dangers of technology and the importance of human connection. Towards the end, I was definitely rooting for Cassidy.
Overall, if you’re looking for a sapphic romance set in a sci-fi California, I would recommend it.
Golden Ruin follows Cassidy who moves to California in search of a doctor to cure her mysterious illness. It’s supposed to be a mixture of science fiction and western but, as an equestrian myself, I feel like it barely hit the mark. The most “western” thing about this book is that they live on a ranch in no man’s land. They do have cool tech, though.
In the beginning, we’re introduced to this ‘’man in white” who’s after Cassidy. At first I was intrigued by this character, but the tension built only to sizzle out.
I adore the main characters and the love story is sweet. But many of the supporting characters are two dimensional. They’re just…there.
I appreciate how the story explores the dangers of technology and the importance of human connection. Towards the end, I was definitely rooting for Cassidy.
Overall, if you’re looking for a sapphic romance set in a sci-fi California, I would recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2024
So, here's the good and the bad, with as few spoilers as I can manage:
The good: the worldbuilding is skillfully done. The wrack and ruin of a shattered America after ecological and economic collapse? Plausible and well-explained, even if the author does so in minimalist brushstrokes. I happen to like that style, so it works for me.
The plot moves along fairly well. There are moments - chapters - where it drags a bit, and the reader is left wondering why? But the author does tie things together.
Here's the bad: I disliked the main character. They are self-centered and almost wholly unconcerned with the effects their quest will have on others for much of the book. Realization does come, but they're still whiny and someone I wouldn't swerve to miss.
I wanted to like this book more - after all, it was a free ARC and nobody twisted my arm to review it - but I just couldn't.
The good: the worldbuilding is skillfully done. The wrack and ruin of a shattered America after ecological and economic collapse? Plausible and well-explained, even if the author does so in minimalist brushstrokes. I happen to like that style, so it works for me.
The plot moves along fairly well. There are moments - chapters - where it drags a bit, and the reader is left wondering why? But the author does tie things together.
Here's the bad: I disliked the main character. They are self-centered and almost wholly unconcerned with the effects their quest will have on others for much of the book. Realization does come, but they're still whiny and someone I wouldn't swerve to miss.
I wanted to like this book more - after all, it was a free ARC and nobody twisted my arm to review it - but I just couldn't.
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