Rook of Ruin

by Ell Youngish

All my life, I’ve dreamed of exploring outside the kingdom of Acros. I trained hard as a Rook, one of the queen’s spies, to graduate early. I rightly earned my brace, even if the Spider—my monstrous rival—thinks otherwise. I didn’t know what to expect for my assignment, but instead of adventure, I’m sent to serve in the dungeons, keeping me within these walls…again.

That was certainly not part of the plan. Neither were the accusations of treason from that fateful night. Something went wrong then, but strangely, I have little memory of what happened.

Only left with a voice in my head and a dangerous new power, the future remains uncertain. But to prove my loyalty, I’ll sacrifice anything—even myself—to keep these lands safe. But what is safety when I’m forced to unite with my untrustworthy nemesis and a foreign warrior intent on claiming me? In this world, nothing is like I expected. Full of treachery and secrets that threaten to unravel my very nature, everything is on the line to learn the truth.

My position. My heart. And my life.

***Rook of Ruin is part of a why choose series. Book One does not address all of her mates, but you will meet them.

Genres: Romantasy, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Magic, Fae, Why Choose

599 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 20, 2025

Reviews

[sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

6☆

this book has ruined me in the BEST way❤️‍🔥 it is one of my top favorites for 2025! i’m in love with book art for each chapter!

I loved the badass FMC and her powers. don’t even get me started on the world building, i was hooked from page 1. it is different and unique from what i’ve read in other romantasy books.

the MMC is that MAN <3
the touch her & d!e aspect was so hot, & the tattoo😮‍💨

i need book 2 and a physical copy in my hands asap‼️

special thank you to @ellyoungish & @inkspireservices for the early book release!

pub date: oct 20th

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review to come: I don’t think I have ever highlighted a book so much while reading. So many poignant moments in this book. Sooo many emotions were felt while reading. At one point I had to put the book down and wanted to throw it (best compliment). I was pulled in right from the start and had so many feelings towards soo many characters that changed sooo much as the book went on. Nothing was straightforward !!! The world building was complex, dark and evolving the more was revealed. Definitely needing the next book !!!

[Leanna Streeter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rook of Ruin by Ell Youngish pulled me in right from the start. The story blends danger, secrets, and political intrigue with just the right amount of magic and emotion to keep you turning the pages.

Orlaith is a strong, capable heroine who isn’t afraid to fight for what she believes in, even when the odds are stacked against her. I loved her mix of strength and vulnerability especially as her lost memories and shifting alliances add layers of tension and mystery throughout the book.

This is a why-choose series, and I really liked how it’s set up here. In Rook of ruin the foundation for the future relationships is clearly being laid. The love triangle elements are deliciously complicated, full of chemistry, conflict, and that perfect dose of “touch her and die” energy.

The pacing was a little uneven in spots, but the last half absolutely delivered. Between the twists, betrayals, and emotional punches, I was hooked straight through to the end and now I’m impatiently waiting for book two.

If you enjoy fantasy with spies, forbidden alliances, memory twists, and a fierce heroine who refuses to break, Rook of Ruin deserves a spot on your TBR. Thanks to Inkspire for the gifted ARC.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book? THIS book??! 😫

This book is still in my bloodstream, still echoing in my chest like a scream I never got out. I feel haunted. Wrung Out. Alive.

Orlaith is truly force of nature. Her strength, her resilience, the way she endures with fire in her eyes and grief carved into her bones? I would follow her anywhere. She didn’t ask for the destruction that came for her, but you better believe she’s going to answer it. and when she finally does? Her wrath will remake the world.

But Ossian. Ossian broke me.

This man is the embodiment of heartbreak. He is the “I would raze kingdoms for you, even if you’ll never be mine” archetype, but deeper, darker, more tragic. 🥺 He doesn’t just love Orlaith, he bleeds for her. He makes himself hate her to survive loving her. The sheer pain in that? to love someone so much that it breaks you, so you armor yourself in hate just to keep breathing.. only to finally have the one impossible, fleeting moment where you let yourself feel it, and then even that is stolen from you?! 😭😫

I wanted to scream. sob. throw my kindle across the room and crawl after it.

Ell, you are unreal. The fact that this is your debut? I am SHOOK. The talent, the voice, the vision?! thank you living through my live reactions and sending back the funniest gifs 🤣

Sharon, thank you for putting this book in my hands and screaming in my voice notes with me while I emotionally combusted. ( and shoutout to the amazing inkspire services, I love being a part of such an amazing team! )

now if you’ll excuse me, i’ll be staring into the void, theory crafting until book two arrives to ruin me again.

PLEASE. READ THIS.
and let it destroy you too.

[Kristian Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap, this book! Oh my gosh, I cannot say enough, how much I enjoyed reading this. I could not put it down, it just completely captivated me. At the risk of sounding cheesy, did I finish this book or did it finish me? I don’t know, but I will say, this was just so captivating. There’s no other word for it. I was drawn in immediately, and it just kept going from there.

Orlaith was such an amazing FMC. She was so strong, passionate, but at the same time, incredibly realistic with making certain decisions and having her “moments.” I loved being in her head and experiencing everything as she experiences it, and Ell Youngish did an incredible job with having you experience it, yet keeping you in the dark and having that air of mystery, that is so difficult, because you just want to know everything! I liked that Orlaith had her flaws, she was not always “perfect” and I didn’t always agree with her actions/words, but they made her more real, if that makes sense.

The world building was amazing. The magic system was pretty unique, yet easy enough to catch on to, so you’re not forgetting those vital details.

There were so many characters, and I loved how well I was able to truly remember them and enjoy them, and come to love or hate them!

That ending left me wanting more. I immediately wanted to start the book over! I am so happy that I got to experience this amazing, fantasy book. The romance was so great, enough to melt your heart, and definitely some amazing spicy moments. There’s badass fighting. Our Orlaith is no damsel in distress, and I loved how kick ass she was! I cannot wait to see how this story is going to unfold.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIVE glorious stars. Ell Youngish did a phenomenal job with pulling me right into this world from the start. I instantly felt intrigued. Although it started out a tad confusing, a lot of fantasy books do when you have so much to learn about the magic system and world.. But when I had to put my kindle down, I thought about the characters, world & plot and couldn't wait to get back into it. This book very quickly became a favorite read of the year for me.

The plot twists were TWISTING!!! I literally thought "WHAT?" and "WTF?!" so many times, and at times I was thinking it right with the FMC, so that was quite the fun experience. :P

The characters were so dynamic, and well put together. The FMC Orlaith was fierce, strategic, smart, caring, strong, brave and everything I could've ever wanted in a strong FMC. She truly showed her strength in ever sentence of this book, whether it be emotional or physical strength - she truly had it. She isn't one of those FMC's that are "small and dainty" yet somehow accomplish absurd things that shouldn't be possible. She trained and she fought and she's so amazing! It's been a long time since I've found an FMC in a fantasy book that I love as much as Orlaith.

All of the side characters were so unique in their own ways, and it was so easy to love *or hate* each of them.. I finished this book yesterday and I haven't stopped thinking about them, or what will happen in the follow up book. I need my hands on book 2 ASAP.

This book being a why choose, but not necessarily knowing who the FMC will be with has me on the edge of my seat. I neeeed to know!

Thank you to INKspired & Ell Youngish for the ARC of this book. I had a fantastic time and will definitely be looking out for book 2!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be honest... I started this thinking I wasn’t going to like it. However... Not only did I love this book... I fell for the characters.

This book builds a world that branches off into multiple “classes”... The main 2 are the Royals and the Rooks. While they’re different “classes” having the MFC in both was a great storyline.

This books made me love, laugh and cry. I cannot wait to see where the storyline will go.

[Girlzgottaread · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝕂ℕ𝕆𝕎 𝕐𝕆𝕌ℝ 𝕎𝕆ℝ𝕋ℍ ℝ𝕆𝕆𝕂, 𝔹𝔼ℂ𝔸𝕌𝕊𝔼 𝕆ℕ𝔼 𝔻𝔸𝕐 𝕐𝕆𝕌 𝕎𝕀𝕃𝕃 𝔹ℝ𝕀ℕ𝔾 𝕄𝔼 𝕋𝕆 𝕄𝕐 𝕂ℕ𝔼𝔼𝕊"

I finished this book and just sat there for a minute. Staring. Processing. Trying to remember how to breathe cause I'm pretty sure I forgot at the end of this BOOK!!!

Orlaith is a spy called a Rook, trained to serve the crown, but the moment she earns her place, it’s ripped away. One secret changes everything, and suddenly she’s the hunted one caught in a web of lies, loyalty, and memory itself.

And then there’s Ossian. Lawrd hammercy!... Ossian. He’s unsettling. He feels like the quiet before a storm. There’s something heavy about the way he looks at Orlaith, something that feels a whole lot like devotion and danger all tangled up together. Every scene between them had my stomach tense, anticipating, hoping, doubting, yearning.

The chemistry is unreal. Agonizing. My emotions were all over the place. I felt her fear, her anger, her hunger for the truth. As things started unraveling between her and Ossian… I swear I forgot how to blink. I will never be over how these two fight for each other 😭😭😭

Ell Youngish just came out here and dropped the mic on this debut! She built a world made of secrets, betrayals, pain! Nothing is what it seems! Even your memories cannot be trusted!!! You might think you know what's happening but you truly have no idea! Absolutely phenomenal debut!

I’m starving for the next part of this story! Thanks for the emotional support @thispaperdream during this very impromptu buddy-ish read 😂

𝕊𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕖! ℝ𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕠𝕗 ℝ𝕦𝕚𝕟 𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖𝕤 𝕆𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕓𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟘,𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟝!

@ellyoungish THANK YOU SO MUCH for letting me read your story! 💛

Huge thanks to @inkspireservices for this AMAZING arc!

[Lo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am I over this one? Not one bit. Fully crashed out, days staring at a wall, trying to immerse myself in other stories and falling short because I keep coming back to this.

Ell Youngish - you've truly blown me away. With every chapter I was more immersed, more in love, and more emotionally unmoored. I cannot wait to see what you conjure up for book two, and I know now to keep the wine and tissues stocked 😫✌🏻

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

THE MANUSCRIPT - the plot

Between the heavens of hope and embers of ruin, you find this epic masterpiece laying with the remnants of the broken hearts of its readers. Truly. Did any of us survive this one?

ROOK OF RUIN is one of the stories that has a tangible and immersive quality that pulls you into its depths. It submerges you into the subterfuge and politics and allies you to characters. It has you wondering every second when the big bad will reveal itself and ponder if the heroine will rise victorious. But that was not the case - the characters in ROOK OF RUIN barely knew what peace was. They were gifted crumbs of hope to savor before all hell broke loose. They were given lifelines that cruelly got snipped the second they teetered on the edge of bliss.

When we see the Rooks, they are the soldiers of the Queen - all gifted with varying levels of magic, but highly trained to rip truths from the tongues of those found treasonous. And the Rook FMC, Orlaith, finds in every scene of this story that all is not what she has been told it is, and that is one of my FAVE tropes of all time. Hidden information the readers have to suss out along the way and see if they can find the clues. Did I find some? Yes. Was I still blown away by so many others? HELL YES. I’m a sucker for a story that reminds me why authors like Ell are so talented - they’ve buried their secrets so deep within their stories, we’re stuck in this cat and mouse game following along until we get our answers.

I’m only going to say this once, but TRUST that nothing is as it seems. Keep your wits about you, dissect every conversation, and fall head over heels for these characters because it really will make the story that much better in the long run.

Painful, but worth it!

THE ALCHEMY - the characters

There are so many characters outside of the core cast that I’m still reeling and dissecting their arcs throughout, wondering what their stories will look like in book 2.

That being said, let’s start with our FMC - Orlaith. The Rook. The Ruin. One of the most brutally destroyed FMCs I’ve read in so long. How she stands with love in her heart and pure rage on her tongue, is beyond me. I would have been a heap on the floor by the middle of the story, truly. She is brilliant, strong, brave, unabashedly willing to be wrong if she feels she can learn something, and she is fiercely protective of those she loves. And her inner voice - the one telling her when things are wrong - it’s truly one of the best parts of her character. That just because as truths are divulged and she’s questioning her entire life, it doesn’t mean she doesn’t have the wit to wonder why or what is wrong. She’s spectacular, and I’m going to need someone to give her a hug asap, because she freaking deserves it after what she’s been put through.

Next character in need of a hug or a therapy retreat? My man - The Spider. Ossian. Damn, the torment he has gone through. Oooooof, it hurt. It almost felt as deep as Orlaith’s because their lives are so inexplicably drawn together, that when they are separate it is utterly devastating. He’s the type of MMC that carries the ‘I’d burn the world for her’ energy and he carries it well, but even more than that, he’s unflinchingly sacrificial. He’d give his life for her just as swiftly as he’d cut the head off anyone that dare harm a hair on her head. His story broke me, piece by piece, and I’m going to need a Roomba to follow me around to collect the pieces.

And finally, for the main cast, we have Simon. The surprise, but one I really loved to learn about. Kind, protective, funny. He almost gives golden retriever energy, the light to the dark that is Ossian. I don’t want to give too much away about his character, but just remember that every character carries their own secrets, and his, well they blew me away.

DOWN BAD - the feelings

When you write a why choose, you have to get the reader invested in every character that’s about to be involved in the love triangle. And Ell Youngish did that... and then she broke my heart. I’ll leave that for the readers to discover, but as it’s been written ... “Rook of Ruin is part of a why choose series. Book One does not address all of her mates, but you will meet them.” So ya know... brace yourselves for rough waters ahead, my loves!

But seriously, this book was everything I wanted it to be, and nothing I expected. It had delectable spice, characters that weave into your soul, a plot that just won’t quit (and never should), and questions begging to be answered as the stories continue. It’s been days and I’m still trying to connect the dots in between my other reads wondering what I missed or what steps will happen next in Orlaith’s story.

The talent Ell Youngish showed with this debut novel is STUNNING and MASTERFUL with every bit of deserved praise. It’s truly a vision of true original content creation that is exactly what fantasy readers love. We love a fresh story, with unique characters, and moments that take us from sobbing to wanting to burn our kindles.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

'I just need this. I just need us. I just need him.'

Rook of Ruin is one of those books where I had no idea what was going on, infusing me with an intense desire to keep reading, with a feeling in my chest the entire time of impending doom. In some ways this was a complete vibes read for me, but its emotional weight really crept up on me.

I was transfixed by the unfolding story, and the breadcrumbs Ell was dropping? I gobbled them up like a starved raven.

There is something so incredibly haunting about stories of memory loss. Rook of Ruin holds fleeting moments of happiness that are stolen or muddied or confused, jumbled amongst the much darker themes of betrayal, manipulation, and secrets.

Orlaith, a Rook who is a spy for the Queen, is an unstoppable storm while also possessing an almost childlike joy. She's resilient and fierce and haunted by fragmented memories that I felt to my bones. She is tangled up with two men - one feels easy, like sunlight warming your skin but there's an element of something darker around him, something you can't quite put your finger on. The other is initially disdainful and cold. He feels dark and brimming with tension but has a surprising gentleness, and flashes of humour.

Both have secrets.

There is a lot to unpack in this book, and the empathy I felt for the characters was strong - how it would feel to have memories stolen, to give up the life you knew to start a new one, to have someone who is your world taken away from you, to force yourself to hate someone you love, to have someone you trust betray you unknowingly... my heart was clenched throughout.

This is a fast paced story, brimming with yearning and heartache and betrayal. For me, it felt as though some of the unfolding plot and twists were left up to the reader to interpret. I feel as though I need to immediately reread part one, now that I've read part two. The ending wasn't what I was expecting at all and with things left the way they are and the many hints of what's to come, I definitely need the next book.

The emotional impact of this book seems to deepen the more I sit with it - Ell Youngish really came out swinging, what a debut!

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book in a league of its own yall! I was not prepared for how hard I’d fall into this story or how deeply I’d adore this world!

Oralith trained her whole life to become a Rook, a spy for the Queen but dreaming of adventure beyond Acros. When she finally earns her brace, everything shatters, imprisoned, accused of treason, and haunted by a past she can’t remember. As a dangerous new power awakens, O is forced to navigate a world of lies, betrayals & uneasy alliances.

O is EVERYTHING. Fierce, so badass & sharp as a blade. She doesn’t take shit from anyone and I LOVE THAT! Beneath her composed exterior simmers this quiet fury, a fight to prove herself even when everyone tries to control or underestimate her. She’s loyal to a fault, determined, and refuses to break no matter how much is thrown her way. She’s cares the most about doing the right thing & helping her people!

Ossian… My sweet spider. He is the perfect storm of danger and obsession. “I’ve always hated you - just enough each day so I could live without you. What else could I do?” YALL MY HEART🥹 He literally makes himself hate O even as he’s drawn to her in ways he can’t control. Their rivalry is explosive. Their relationship throught this was AGONIZING in the best way! He’s magnetic, complicated, and flawed in all the right ways & watching O navigate his schemes, secrets & hidden vulnerabilities was incredible!

Simon also adds depth to the story! He’s calm, enigmatic & quietly magnetic. He brings a different kind of challenge to O’s life. The little love triangle here? Done so well.

I devoured this and went though all the emotions! The world of Acros is rich, mysterious & beautifully written. Full of secrets, power plays & magic that feels just out of reach. It lays the perfect foundation for what’s to come, with just enough political intrigue, twists & betrayals to keep you on your toes. I have my theories and those theories have theories about who O’s other mates are 👀

[Stacey Sharpe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rook of Ruin by Ell Youngish - ARC Review
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Thank you to Ell Youngish for providing me with an advanced reader copy (ARC) of Rook of Ruin in exchange for an honest review.
Rook of Ruin is a thrilling and intense romantasy that delivers a great balance of dark fantasy, high political intrigue, and undeniable chemistry.
The Best Parts: Characters and Chemistry
The characters are the undisputed strength of this book. Orlaith, a.k.a. Ruin (The Rook), is a phenomenal heroine. She is a fierce warrior—disciplined, powerful, and absolutely captivating as she navigates both the battlefield and the treacherous court.
Her dynamic with the hero, the Spider, is electric. He embodies the morally gray hero trope perfectly: calculating, dangerous, and brilliantly manipulative. Their passionate interactions and the complex power dynamic between them were utterly engrossing and kept me turning the pages.
Why 3.5 Stars: A Few Caveats
While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, there were a couple of elements that held it back from a perfect 5-star rating for me.
Firstly, I felt the romance jumped from zero to sixty very quickly; I personally would have preferred a bit more slow burn to draw out the tension between Orlaith and the Spider.
Secondly, around the halfway mark, the numerous plot threads felt a bit scattered, making the narrative feel slightly overwhelming for a time and i was kind of lost and was hoping to find answers to all of the questions i had and never felt i got those answers.
Final Verdict
This is a fantastic addition to the romantasy genre. Ell Youngish has crafted a compelling world with two unforgettable, complex leads. If you love high-stakes fantasy featuring a fierce heroine and a truly morally gray hero, you should absolutely pick this up. I look forward to the next installment!
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Political fantasy, action-heavy stories, and high-intensity character dynamics.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

So dang good, this story is everything. The fierceness, the political intrigue, the romance, the loyalty and betrayal...so good.
Hang on when you start reading, this book is rivals to lovers to enemies, but the series is promised to end in a why choose 👀
Be careful about picking favorite characters, they just might get killed before the end of the book! There's a lot of loss and violence, they are in a war after all.
The little thing I took issue with was that some of the action scenes are hard to follow. I'm not sure if they were just moving too fast, but I had a hard time keeping track of the movement during some of the battle scenes. Also, some of the world building is a bit vague, though I'm not sure if that was purposeful.
Thank you to the author and Inkspire Services for the ARC copy, I'm desperately hoping that the wait for book 2 isn't too long!

[ciin_leest · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Simply said, this book is one of my favorites in 2025! It was so easy to fall in love with this book. The storyline, the characters, the worldbuilding and the plottwists had me hooked from start to finish! It's a big book so take your time reading, but it will be worth it for sure! 

Youngish really has an amazing way of building this fantasy world. The way the characters are put on page and all had their own mysteries made it very easy to fall in love with all of them. And my oh my the twists kept on coming and going, keeping me on the edge of my seat most of the book and I just wanted to keep reading! 

Once you start reading you're gonna have a hard time stopping, there is so much going on on this amazing adventure you'll find it difficult to put the book down! 

I can't wait for the second book in this series.

Ell Youngish thank you so much for this ARC to read and review. 

[Jennifer Miner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review

Wow! Way to make me rage over here! All the betrayals and secrets! Making me fall for characters only to have me hating them to the extreme! Truly went through it with this book. An exciting world is built before your eyes with magic that is beyond different and sometimes difficult to understand fully! That probably has a lot to do with all the damn secrets!! I now loathe secrets! I have anger on behalf of Orlaith and Alec that is pretty strong! They have been wronged by people that supposedly care and I want to freaking know why! I need answers so freaking bad right now it makes me itchy! I am very much looking forward to book 2! Highly highly recommend this book!

[Makayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

holy what the fck. like actually, what the fck.

I don't even know if I have the words to review this. I have SO. MANY. QUESTIONS.

I never guessed a single thing that was going to happen, and do you know how hard that is for me?! VERY. I see things coming from a mile off. I know nothing. I fell quick and hard for some of the characters, and man my heart is hurting big time and I will be in utter agony until I have book two. it's seriously going to haunt my mind until then. Ell is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. 👏

READ IT. READ IT NOW. 🫵

p.s. if you find yourself like me, confused and thought you missed something in the first bit there, shh it's fine. Just keep reading.

[Shawn Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG I loved this arc. I literally read it in one day. I couldn’t put it down and am so ready for book 2. I love a book that has me go through so many different emotions throughout the book. I adored the fact that this is a why choose storyline. Thank you for allowing me to read your debut book.

Tropes:

Rivals to Lovers
Chosen One
Love Triangle
i Touch her and d!e
Found Family
* Lovers to Enemies

[Shyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars, this book was amazing 🤩 I could not put it down , the tension, the plot twists, it was everything I wanted. I need the second book sooo bad. O is such a bad ass I love her , and I need more of the spider , immediately 🫠🥵

[Ary&#x1f497; · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this as an ARC!

I couldn't love this book anymore. It's brilliant written with so much suspense. I couldn't put it down. It gave me all the range of emotions. Cannot wait for book 2.

[Jamie Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly prob 4.5 stars. This was hard to take breaks from reading. Normally I hate a memory loss trope but this didn’t piss me off. Obvi I still have questions - specifically more about who the F she is promised to. Great side characters. Strong FMC. Lots of secrets to be uncovered.

[Amara F · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never hated and loved a book more haha. I was not prepared for all these emotions. I normally don’t get this much torment in a Romantasy. My heart was ripped out so many times haha. I’m still confused about the ending, I’m still confused about a lot of the story but did that stop me? Heck no. This was wow. I need to not read for a couple days to get over this book. I’m a huge why choose fan, was hoping for more of that, this was more like she has multiple love interests because she keeps losing her freaking memory haha. God, Alec. I don’t think I loved a book boyfriend more. I wanted to like Simon more, but us readers love a morally grey character over a cinnamon roll book boyfriend like Simon. Too much winking though on Simon’s part haha.

The first half of the book was perfect, chefs kiss, 5 out of 5 stars. Then the second half, it felt like a completely different book which was fine but threw me off. Very Game of thrones, like no one can be trusted, who you thought was good is actually bad, everyone is dying, spies, poison, etc. Like what the heck!!!! I give the second half of the book a 3, so overall a 4. I’m going to bed now, my head is all messed up and my emotions are all over the place haha. This book messed me up in a good and bad way.

[Destinee · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Know your worth, Rook, because one day, you will bring me to my knees.”

I’m still trying to wrap my mind around everything that happened. It has been a while since I have read something that had me using my kindle search function trying to solve the mystery that is Orlaith’s memories and past. Full blown detective mode.

This will require you to use all the brain power because of the storyline. But it is 100% worth the full on crash out that will inevitably happen.

Orlaith is a stabby FMC who is just trying to find her place and her power in the world. She doesn’t understand some of the things happened because she has been heavily shielded and some of her memories have been lost.

It has a love triangle, enemies to lovers to enemies, chosen one, fated mates, and found family. It will break your heart 🥲

And now I will patiently wait for Ell to finish book two 😫

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when you finish reading a book and you’re still thinking about the characters days later? Rook of Ruin has done this to me!

I can’t believe this is Ell’s first book — 4.5 ⭐️

This is story about a fierce FMC, Orlaith "O" who is a rare light healer and one of the Queen’s Rooks. Rooks are spies and secret keepers of the Queen.

Conquisitors Veritatis! Seekers of Truth!
Praesidia Secretorum! Protectors of Secrets!
Propugnatores Mortis! Champions of Death!
Custodes Vitae! Guardians of Life!

Although O is a Rook she is also Lady Verlan and when she’s called upon to marry to secure further alliances for her kingdom the trajectory of her life changes completely. O becomes Ruin and this is where the adventure really begins…

Political intrigue, plot twists galore, a beautiful found family, rivals to lovers, and a love triangle that is so damn good with a touch her and die MMC who’s going to have you swooning and a warrior Prince with secrets and dimples that’ll make your heart skip a beat too!

Ossian, Spider! This man. He loves O "The Ruby of Acros" so much that he literally makes himself hate her in order to stay away from her. His love for her is so deep that he’ll give up everything for her even if it means his own happiness. He’s tortured, and yearns for her so hard it hurts!

"Orlaith haunts me. Every waking moment, I hear her whisper in my mind. I despise her and love her with each breath I take. I want to destroy her and at the same time I want to consume her."

Everyone go read this book! I need book two ASAP!

I part you with a few of my favourite lines and as the Rooks say "Have a great adventure"!

"Fuck it. I need you, and don’t know how I can handle anything less from you because it would break me." -Ossian

"If I am death to you, then what a glorious death you shall have." -O

"I am yours, and you are mine till the end of time." -O

"Orlaith, my dear, beautiful creature." Vetter

"I’ve never wanted to give someone everything, all of me, until I met you. You are my beautiful life." -Ossian

"Damn woman has no idea how much I make myself hate her. It’s the only way to hold myself together around her. She is the fucking air I breathe, and she will never know me." -Ossian

"That he touched you? Yes. Fuck, I’m even jealous of the clothes you wear." -Ossian

"…I’m the one who is going to win your heart. I’m the one who protects you at all costs, and one day, our children too. To me, it doesn’t matter what happened before us. What matters is now." -Simon

"My very own Ruinous woman." -Simon

"I love you, my beautiful ruin. I love you. I swear to you with all I hold dear that I am proud of what you did." -Simon

"I am only what I am, nothing more or less." -O

"You have my hand and my heart." -O

[Nikki Artigas · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say I devoured this book would be an understatement—I could not put it down! I was immediately sucked into Orlaith's world, and honestly, the story still hasn't let me go. If you need a book with explosive chemistry, high-stakes action, steamy spicy bits, and political secrets, stop scrolling and grab this one when it releases on Oct. 20th.
​
Spies, Secrets, and Soulmates (Maybe?)
Orlaith is a Rook—one of the Queen's spies, fierce, strong, and so sassy. Her Rook brace grants her the power to heal. Her nemesis? Ossian, the Spider, a fellow Rook whose power is to invade minds.
​The "I hate you but I love you" tension between these two is incendiary. When Orlaith gets tangled up in events she can’t remember, it’s Ossian who shows up, giving off serious "touch her and die" vibes. I'm already all-in with #TeamOssian... for now!

​Ossian isn't the only one vying for her attention! She quickly makes a connection with Simon, a handsome and charming guy, with his own secrets. And then there’s the deepest mystery: the man she can't remember, haunted only by the heartbreaking words, "I'm sorry." I need to know who he is STAT! Above all the action, love burns and it hurts in this book.

World of Intrigue and Found Family
​This story doesn't hold back. Get ready for battles against beasts and demons, lost and stolen memories, and life debts. Adding to the complexity is major political intrigue—the royals are keeping huge secrets that Orlaith needs to uncover, some of which are spilled in the last few pages (thanks for the epic cliffhanger!). Amidst the chaos, the found family is the emotional core of this story. You'll instantly root for Orlaith's friends (Paul, Zane, and Tess), the loyal Bethal Warriors she takes under her wing (including Isle, Dove, Red, Viper, and Stallion), and other key players like Vetter, Nora, and Finn. They are the bright spots that make the heartbreak worth it.

​Final Verdict
​This book crushed my soul in the most addictive way. The chemistry is fire, the mystery is gripping, and the emotional payoff is devastating. It's a twisty, unputdownable journey. You need to read this so you can feel this beautiful, agonizing pain with me. 😉

Have a great adventure....

[Maladaptive Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book from Inkspire Services in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to them and the author for the opportunity!

This review may contain light spoilers.

3.5 Stars

This was a hard one for me to rate. My feelings about the first half are wildly different from how I feel about the second half. Rating-wise, the first 50% would be a 4-4.5 stars, while the second half is more of a 2-star read for me.

I'm going to start with the FMC, Orlaith. At first, I found her to be a strong, witty, and likable character. At some point, she loses her memory, and following this incident, she became a bit off-putting to me.

While one could assume memory loss would alter a person, it's evident this is more of a short-term memory loss, not a complete "I have no idea who I am" type of amnesia. It felt like she lost her core personality and just became all about saving this kingdom and its people, but in a way that felt forced and cringey.

I had similar feelings about the supporting characters. Orlaith's companions in the first half were fun and felt like developed people with actual lives. In contrast, the companions she has in the last half seem to exist to kiss her butt and to tell her that she's "fucking fierce." Like, a lot.

The story has me excited to see where it goes, and there's clearly potential for a few exciting reveals. However, I feel like we opened up a lot of questions without really revisiting any of them. I would have liked to have dug a bit deeper into at least one of the plot points.

A quick note for romance readers: The description of this book describes it as part of a "why-choose" series. While that may end up being the case as more books come out, this book is not why-choose. Which is fine, but I'm just throwing that out there for the people who are specifically looking for that!

[Susan (Purplegalaxyreads94) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huge thank you to Ell Youngish and Inkspireservices for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book was absolutely incredible and I am rating this book a 4.5 stars!

The prologue was the driving force that hooked me in from the start. It was captivating and made me so curious about the world that Ell Youngish created and I couldn’t wait to dive in. This book follows the life of Orlaith, a girl that trains hard as a Rook (a spy for the queen). She is strong and resilient and never backs down from a challenge, even if that challenger is known as the Spider (Ossian).

This book has such amazing world building as we learn the ropes of what Orlaith has to go through as a Rook and the interesting powers that she has. Not knowing who she can trust, she is trapped in a world of uncertainty as she struggles to learn the truth that threatens to undo her very core. This book is part of a why choose series and I love when a why choose series lays out the fate for our FMC. As I was reading, I could see how her fate would go and who would be considered her mates even if we did not get much information on them in this first installment. It truly made me want to keep reading this series so I can see how it all plays out for Orlaith.

Ell Youngish did an amazing job at creating such beautiful chemistry between our Rook and our Spider which also ended to the anticipation of how her other mates will come into play. There are so many interesting characters in this first book, but Ell did a great job at making them all memorable and didn’t make things feel overwhelming. I’m super curious to see how book 2 goes and will keep my eye out for it!

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

Ell honestly, you wrote an amazing story
You had me with every sentence you wrote
Every word contributed to this beautiful gripping story.
Thank you for allowing me to read this ARC

The world building is so well done it is immersive and truly draws you in. It was easy to follow yet so incredibly detailed. I loved every character even though I dislike some of them, I know what you are thinking thats a contradiction to say but every character had a part to play in our fierce FMC Orliaths story, every one of them contributed to her growth, they each had a hand in creating the direction her journey would go and they each have affected what the future will bring.

This story is full of amazing friendships, battles that will have you on the edge of your seat, sadness that brings tears to your eyes, joy that has you kicking your feet and grinning from ear to ear, love that others would envy, twists that will have you so shocked but wanting more and by the end you will be needing more of this world just as I do.

I usually have a slight idea or guess to what might happen, and honestly, I did not see that turn coming, I hit the barrier head first... I sat at the 49% mark in complete and utter shock, I even cried, I then contemplated not continuing and thank goodness I didn't stop because RoR is definitely one of my favorite reads this year and I cannot wait for book 2 next year. This girl, me I am the girl, needs things to happen and some answers would be great too, my mind is realing with ideas and assumptions of who is who and what and why... so yes, I shall be patiently waiting over here for book 2 coming our way in 2026

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK IS OFFICIALLY IN MY TOP 3 OF THIS YEAR! (Out of roughly 140 books) 6 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read!!!!
I will be telling everyone and their mother about this book!!!

First off whoaaaa miss Youngish what a ride! Absolutely incredible plot and so many good plot twists that I did not see coming! The whole book I was absolutely hooked and waiting for the next move and twist because the book is slap full of them! I ignored all responsibilities while I was reading bc it was… necessary 😂 and when I wasn’t reading it my brain was consumed with it!

The FMC is incredibly bada** not only physically as a Rook (the best of the best queen’s spies) but also mentally with the intricate moves she makes and the plans she puts in motion 👏🏼👏🏼 (*round of applause ladies and gents)
This is marketed as a why choose but WAITTT it gets better! 🤭 The first book doesn’t even confirm who all the FMC’s mates are! I have my suspicions butttt…. I AM FERAL TO GET MY HANDS ON BOOK 2!!! I NEED TO KNOWWW 😂
I loveeeee books with a lot of moving parts and hidden snidbits of information that may not seem important in the moment but then BOOM 💥 chapters later your like “waitttttt a second….wait. wait. wait.” and your scrambling to use the search tool to find the piece of information that your brain is trying to grasp and piece together! Ughhh I love it!!!

Mark my words this book will end up Trad published! It’s honestly a next level book in my opinion! Especially for this being Ell Youngish debut novel! 🙌🏼 BRAVO and thank you so much for excepting me to ARC read this!

[Erin | the.gremlin.reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

ROOK OF RUIN by debut indie author Ell Youngish has me in a complete tailspin.

I inhaled this book. I couldn’t put it down. I lost hours of time completely consumed by Orlaith’s story, which is told in two distinctive parts.

We meet Orlaith as a powerful but leashed Rook. She resents the sheltered life she’s lived at the Queen’s behest. She had hoped years of proving her worth and earning her brace would open doors to adventure. Instead, Orlaith is assigned to serve in the dungeons despite emerging with a rare and revered power. Orlaith was loyal and resigned to her fate until a cryptic revelation upends her world and demands an act of treason that will change her life forever.

Rook of Ruin is unlike any Why Choose I’ve ever read. Youngish confirms that we meet all of O’s mates in this book but not all are revealed to us or addressed. It’s a beautiful form of torture trying to put these pieces together. This is not your light and playful RH. This is plot driven and emotionally harrowing with star-crossed lovers that will make you question your sanity and every character’s motivations.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It’s perfect for fans of strong FMCs, found family, star-crossed lovers, political intrigue, curses/dark magic and open door spice.

Rook of Ruin releases October 20th, 2025 and I’m already desperate for book two!

A big thank you to Inkspire for putting this series on my radar and gifting me this incredible e-arc!

[Licia M · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is a Rook (a soldier) with a power she wants to utilize. Raised by a queen in a kingdom after her parents die O is just trying to serve and then live a regular life. There are still unanswered questions regarding her parent’s death, nonetheless O is grateful to serve her kingdom. She is selfless and truly has a genuine heart, but she is naive and reckless and it causes her to get into situations that are not favorable causing disruption in the kingdom. She is to face council and see if she is eligible to marry for a political alliance after a night on her watch goes sideways.

Unfortunately, her heart has different plans and so does a fellow rook. With a pull so strong they both have trouble keeping distance. With her fellow Rook being assigned to her detail as well as another kingdom’s prince, O is thrown into a plot bigger than she can comprehend. With many people wanting political gain her mind is violated and she is met with challenges that she will need to navigate while being vulnerable. Something feels off to O but she cannot pin point what it is.

She is thrown into another court and soon finds out that there are more enemies that are hiding in the dark. Will she figure out the schemes or will she be a victim?

The romance is complicated, the betrayal cuts deep and the secrets are far and wide, this read will keep you on your toes and eager to find out if O will get answers.