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The Souls of Blackwood Academy #2
Ruinous Ends
The Decennial is over, but for the students of Blackwood Academy, the fight for the afterlife has just begun.
The infamous school was hiding more secrets—and lies—than any of the Decennial’s participants could have imagined. And there’s still so much that remains buried beneath its ancient foundations. Now the future of the academy, and all the souls within it, rests in the hands of six former pupils:
The charmer and the golden boy . . .
The traitor and the girl desperate to save her . . .
The Chosen One and the one who would choose her over and over again . . .
Any of them could be the hero the afterlife needs . . . or the villain who will destroy it for good. Because the truth is, Blackwood’s biggest secret has yet to come to light—and when it does, it will shake the institution to its core.
The infamous school was hiding more secrets—and lies—than any of the Decennial’s participants could have imagined. And there’s still so much that remains buried beneath its ancient foundations. Now the future of the academy, and all the souls within it, rests in the hands of six former pupils:
The charmer and the golden boy . . .
The traitor and the girl desperate to save her . . .
The Chosen One and the one who would choose her over and over again . . .
Any of them could be the hero the afterlife needs . . . or the villain who will destroy it for good. Because the truth is, Blackwood’s biggest secret has yet to come to light—and when it does, it will shake the institution to its core.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2026
About the author
I.V. Marie
4 books1,511 followersI.V. Marie is the instant New York Times, USA Today and Indie Bestselling author of Immortal Consequences. She was born and raised in Miami to a Peruvian mother and Chilean father, where she acquired a penchant for afternoon cafecitos and developed an all-consuming obsession with books. Her writing ambitions began behind her grandparents’ computer, where she spent her childhood crafting spooky and fantastical short stories. When she is not writing, you can find her rock climbing or watching atmospheric Youtube videos with her dog, Mr. Darcy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,127 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 4.25 ⭐️ Going back to Blackwood Academy was a lot of fun. We have more secrets, lies, hidden truths and six students in the afterlife that are complicated, damaged, emotionally devastated. In Ruinous Ends the story shifts from school competition to many personal realizations and sacrifices where all six students are put in different locations and situations and must navigate through the hurdles, each on their own. Unlike Immortal Consequences, I found Ruinous Ends to be far more emotional, more developed and considerably heavy in the 'devastation' department. The weight of choice, worry and sacrifice will resonate greatly with the young readers and I think this is what makes the book truly stand out. Each students journey was like a quest with a million possibilities but all ended up paying an enormous price for their freedom. I thought the ending was perfectly executed, giving every character closure. It was more bittersweet than I expected, especially with the epilogue that takes places 18 years later.
Wrens and Augusts devotion to one another was the highlight of the story. Wren gets captured by the Demien Order and finds out that they want to use her as a weapon to destroy Blackwood Academy. They torture her and push her towards her shadow magic in hopes that she will become a vessel through which the Soulless One will carry out the revenge. The thing is, these shadows are starting to consume her: her desires, her thoughts, her control is starting to slip...Meanwhile August is desperate to get her back. In order to save her, August does something that is so selfless, so enormously sacrificial--their sacrificial/romance arc sort of becomes the emotional center of the story!
I was always a fan favorite of Irene, despite her morally grey actions and betrayals. She too had a very interesting arc: she started off as someone who was distrustful with questionable motives. I couldn't put a finger on what it was about her that made her appear too withdrawn but the more I read, the more I realized that she is as selfless as all the other characters, she just hid her true motivations really well from the rest of the crew, especially Masika. Her loyalty was a lot more personal.
Love can survive even when circumstances change, memories are erased or forgotten, and new lives are started elsewhere. Sacrifices are acts of love just like grief doesn't means that its the end. This was such a great story and conclusion and will make many sob!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's Books/Delacorte Press and the author, I.V Marie for the early copy.
Publication date: July 14, 2026
Wrens and Augusts devotion to one another was the highlight of the story. Wren gets captured by the Demien Order and finds out that they want to use her as a weapon to destroy Blackwood Academy. They torture her and push her towards her shadow magic in hopes that she will become a vessel through which the Soulless One will carry out the revenge. The thing is, these shadows are starting to consume her: her desires, her thoughts, her control is starting to slip...Meanwhile August is desperate to get her back. In order to save her, August does something that is so selfless, so enormously sacrificial--their sacrificial/romance arc sort of becomes the emotional center of the story!
I was always a fan favorite of Irene, despite her morally grey actions and betrayals. She too had a very interesting arc: she started off as someone who was distrustful with questionable motives. I couldn't put a finger on what it was about her that made her appear too withdrawn but the more I read, the more I realized that she is as selfless as all the other characters, she just hid her true motivations really well from the rest of the crew, especially Masika. Her loyalty was a lot more personal.
Love can survive even when circumstances change, memories are erased or forgotten, and new lives are started elsewhere. Sacrifices are acts of love just like grief doesn't means that its the end. This was such a great story and conclusion and will make many sob!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's Books/Delacorte Press and the author, I.V Marie for the early copy.
Publication date: July 14, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⊹“i will find you. wherever we go. wherever we end up. that is my promise to you, wren loughty. i will find you. i will find you.”
omfg that ending made me go through the five stages of grief. i’m so glad i decided to reread book one before starting this and i definitely recommend doing the same for the full experience (and emotional damage) 🥹
in all honesty, the first half of this book didn’t fully sell me. the constant switching between the six povs was confusing especially with so much of the world being expanded. fortunately, it picked up by the second half and i was able to invest myself in the story. i do wish our main six had spent more time together though! it didn’t really feel like a found family apart from masika, emilio, and olivier, whose dynamic i ended up loving a lot.
i also want to point out irene’s character arc because it was simply so, so stunning. i.v. marie did an exceptional job writing her. and my beloved augustwren :’) if i think too much about them i will start crying again. the way they love and care and protect each other both broke and healed me at the same time. i truly adored them beyond words.
each of their endings was unbearably bittersweet, and yet it somehow felt… inevitable. true to who they were and the choices they would make again and again. really, at the end of it all, love is not a feeling of happiness. it’s a willingness to sacrifice, to hope, and this story drove that home in the most moving way.
ⓘ thank you to netgalley and random house for the arc!
August 27, 2025
an anticlimactic conclusion but wrenaugust ate as usual 🙂↕️
~~~~~
don’t mind me, just waiting for wrenaugust to come home to me.
~~~~~
don’t mind me, just waiting for wrenaugust to come home to me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to netgalley and Harpercollins publishing for this ARC !
Good job I.V. Marie. You broke my heart again. Never have I cried so hard at the ending of a book. This was such a bittersweet, cute ending, and it felt like such a perfect wrapup to the series. I also loved that each pair/couple’s stories were so nicely wrapped up. WrenAugust my loves, they deserved so so much better, but their ending was honestly inevitable. I think if anyone enjoyed Our Infinite Fates by Lauren Steven, they’ll really love this.
⋆·˚ ༘ * August ⋆·˚ ༘ *
August my king of yearning. He’s my favourite tortured MMC, and his loyalty to Wren is genuinely the most heartwarming thing ever. I mean this man LITERALLY gave Wren a piece of his soul to save her in the first book. There were definitely plot twists I never would’ve seen coming, and my jaw was ON THE FLOOR more than once. I think it’s very obvious that August would follow Wren to the ENDS OF THE EARTH. Soulmates in every way.
𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚ Wren 𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚
JUSTICE FOR WREN. It was so sad to read and see the progression of the prophecy, and some of the things she remembered and went through. I really hope we get to see her life before Blackwood in the novella when she was HAPPY, not the heartbreaking snippets we got in this book 😭. I also love that unlike some books, she very clearly loves August just as much as he loves her. They will forever hold such a special place in my heart.
𐙚⋆.˚ Masika and Irene 𐙚⋆.˚
BEFORE anyone comes for me, I want to say I never hated Irene. What she did in the first book was wrong, but in the end, she was just a girl who’d never truly known love. Irene deserved so much better. Masika never truly gave up on her, and I love her devotion to both Irene and their friendship so much. Masika deserves all the goodness in the world, and I love that her relationship with Catherine slowly healed throughout the book and that she was abl to forgive her.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Olivier and Emilio ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
I CRIED THE HARDEST DURING THEIR ENDING. My babies deserve everything and so much more. They’re my favourite couple (after wren&August.). I cried so many times watching Olivier go through the forgetting, but hiding it from Emilio because he didn’t want him to worry. I love them so much, and I hope that they get their happy ending.
Preread: If anyone was woken up by screaming this morning i apologise that was me because i GOT AN ARC. AHRIFHIWJDNEHFIEUFHDNWIEUFHDNS I GOT AN ARC. YOU THINK YOU CAN HURT ME ? I GOT AN ARC OF RUINOUS ENDS EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Prerelease: WRENAUGUST MY BABIES COME HOMEEEEE COME HOMEEEEEE
Good job I.V. Marie. You broke my heart again. Never have I cried so hard at the ending of a book. This was such a bittersweet, cute ending, and it felt like such a perfect wrapup to the series. I also loved that each pair/couple’s stories were so nicely wrapped up. WrenAugust my loves, they deserved so so much better, but their ending was honestly inevitable. I think if anyone enjoyed Our Infinite Fates by Lauren Steven, they’ll really love this.
⋆·˚ ༘ * August ⋆·˚ ༘ *
August my king of yearning. He’s my favourite tortured MMC, and his loyalty to Wren is genuinely the most heartwarming thing ever. I mean this man LITERALLY gave Wren a piece of his soul to save her in the first book. There were definitely plot twists I never would’ve seen coming, and my jaw was ON THE FLOOR more than once. I think it’s very obvious that August would follow Wren to the ENDS OF THE EARTH. Soulmates in every way.
𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚ Wren 𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚
JUSTICE FOR WREN. It was so sad to read and see the progression of the prophecy, and some of the things she remembered and went through. I really hope we get to see her life before Blackwood in the novella when she was HAPPY, not the heartbreaking snippets we got in this book 😭. I also love that unlike some books, she very clearly loves August just as much as he loves her. They will forever hold such a special place in my heart.
𐙚⋆.˚ Masika and Irene 𐙚⋆.˚
BEFORE anyone comes for me, I want to say I never hated Irene. What she did in the first book was wrong, but in the end, she was just a girl who’d never truly known love. Irene deserved so much better. Masika never truly gave up on her, and I love her devotion to both Irene and their friendship so much. Masika deserves all the goodness in the world, and I love that her relationship with Catherine slowly healed throughout the book and that she was abl to forgive her.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Olivier and Emilio ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
I CRIED THE HARDEST DURING THEIR ENDING. My babies deserve everything and so much more. They’re my favourite couple (after wren&August.). I cried so many times watching Olivier go through the forgetting, but hiding it from Emilio because he didn’t want him to worry. I love them so much, and I hope that they get their happy ending.
Preread: If anyone was woken up by screaming this morning i apologise that was me because i GOT AN ARC. AHRIFHIWJDNEHFIEUFHDNWIEUFHDNS I GOT AN ARC. YOU THINK YOU CAN HURT ME ? I GOT AN ARC OF RUINOUS ENDS EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Prerelease: WRENAUGUST MY BABIES COME HOMEEEEE COME HOMEEEEEE
Want to Read
August 11, 2025I have never needed a sequel so fast.
I need to know what happens next.
I need to know what happens next.
July 17, 2026
5 stars ! ⊹ ࣪ ˖
clean ya fantasy ┆13+┆violence┆lgbt rep ┆coarse language
✧ — overall thoughts
wow. ALL THE STARS. this book was just so amazing, and the storyline had me hooked the whole entire time. i didn’t think this duology could possibly get any better but i stand corrected
i literally couldn’t think of a single thing i disliked ab this book when i finished. i racked my brain, and all i could think ab is how much i absolutely adore these characters
also, the ending was perfect. it couldn’t have gotten better then what she wrote, i’m 100% sure of it
i’m so grateful i got to meet i.v. marie and hear her talk about this book bc once i closed the book everything she talked about at her book tour i fit into place, like a puzzle, and suddenly everything made sense
✧ — the writing
the prose was already so gorgeous in immortal consequences, but i.v. marie improved SO much (which i didn’t think was possible) i have aphantasia, which basically means i can’t see ANYTHING in my mind (so no “movies” when i read a book) so when authors use such descriptive, immaculate language in a book i’m so grateful, bc reading is my way of imagining things, and i was so immersed i felt like i was in the afterlife
✧ — characters
⤿ wren. she’s so amazing. she’s such a resilient character and she’s just wants the best for everyone
⤿ august. somehow he yearned even more than in immortal consequences? didn’t know that was possible. his dedication to those he loved was truly incredible
⤿ irene. i have to admit, at the beginning i didn’t really like her (🙈) just bc of how i thought her character arc was going after the ending of the first book. however, what she did was in this book was so inspiring
⤿ masika. MY COMFORT CHARACTER !! love love love how her anxiety was portrayed so accurately. i think her and emilio are definitely the characters that remind you not to lose hope
⤿ emilio. STOP. his character was a shot of espresso and being bathed in sunlight (iykyk) i can definitely understand why this is the author’s fave character!!
⤿ olivier. yeah um so ik i said the ending was perfect, and it IS, but that doesn’t make things less bittersweet. i really admire what the author did with his character
✧ — relationships
not even just the romance, but the friendship also was so amazing. the found family trope will always be one of my faves and this group of characters dependence on each other was so inspiring
🪻 — goodbye!!
i definitely recommend this duology and twisted vows cannot come soon enough (but at the same time i also don’t want this to end) so excited about i.v. marie’s future works tho!!
info: i have not only posted a review of this book on my booksta with a mood board and tons of graphics, but also an immortal consequences review too!! my username is @ray_readsalot
⊹ “that was the point of life, anyway, wasn’t it? to dare to hope? to dare to love?”
i. immortal consequences ★ ★ ★ ★.5
ii. ruinous ends ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
iii. twisted vows (tbr)
clean ya fantasy ┆13+┆violence┆lgbt rep ┆coarse language
✧ — overall thoughts
wow. ALL THE STARS. this book was just so amazing, and the storyline had me hooked the whole entire time. i didn’t think this duology could possibly get any better but i stand corrected
i literally couldn’t think of a single thing i disliked ab this book when i finished. i racked my brain, and all i could think ab is how much i absolutely adore these characters
also, the ending was perfect. it couldn’t have gotten better then what she wrote, i’m 100% sure of it
i’m so grateful i got to meet i.v. marie and hear her talk about this book bc once i closed the book everything she talked about at her book tour i fit into place, like a puzzle, and suddenly everything made sense
✧ — the writing
the prose was already so gorgeous in immortal consequences, but i.v. marie improved SO much (which i didn’t think was possible) i have aphantasia, which basically means i can’t see ANYTHING in my mind (so no “movies” when i read a book) so when authors use such descriptive, immaculate language in a book i’m so grateful, bc reading is my way of imagining things, and i was so immersed i felt like i was in the afterlife
✧ — characters
⤿ wren. she’s so amazing. she’s such a resilient character and she’s just wants the best for everyone
⤿ august. somehow he yearned even more than in immortal consequences? didn’t know that was possible. his dedication to those he loved was truly incredible
⤿ irene. i have to admit, at the beginning i didn’t really like her (🙈) just bc of how i thought her character arc was going after the ending of the first book. however, what she did was in this book was so inspiring
⤿ masika. MY COMFORT CHARACTER !! love love love how her anxiety was portrayed so accurately. i think her and emilio are definitely the characters that remind you not to lose hope
⤿ emilio. STOP. his character was a shot of espresso and being bathed in sunlight (iykyk) i can definitely understand why this is the author’s fave character!!
⤿ olivier. yeah um so ik i said the ending was perfect, and it IS, but that doesn’t make things less bittersweet. i really admire what the author did with his character
✧ — relationships
not even just the romance, but the friendship also was so amazing. the found family trope will always be one of my faves and this group of characters dependence on each other was so inspiring
🪻 — goodbye!!
i definitely recommend this duology and twisted vows cannot come soon enough (but at the same time i also don’t want this to end) so excited about i.v. marie’s future works tho!!
info: i have not only posted a review of this book on my booksta with a mood board and tons of graphics, but also an immortal consequences review too!! my username is @ray_readsalot
⊹ “that was the point of life, anyway, wasn’t it? to dare to hope? to dare to love?”
i. immortal consequences ★ ★ ★ ★.5
ii. ruinous ends ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
iii. twisted vows (tbr)
July 13, 2026
— 3.25 ☆ .ᐟ ⌗ ⌛ spoiler free + mini review
⤷ and now it's over ahhh! so bittersweet
i will find you. wherever we go. wherever we end up. that is my promise to you, wren loughty. i will find you. i will find you.
⌗ ꒰ my thoughts ꒱✨
⤷ it was so fun being back in this world. after having a good time with immortal consequences, picking this up was a must! and iv's writing? AMAZING. i love how immersive and detailed it feels. although i wish i connected more. that's why my rating isn't so high! if i found a deeper connection to the characters/was more attached this would've easily become sm higher rated for me. that's not to say that others shouldn't read it because i DO see the hype. im very much looking forward to what IV marie does next 🥹💌 and to all the characters we got to see grow in this one, i wish them the best!!
also hope to find more books with a unique concept just like this one.
⌗ ꒰ tropes ꒱
⋆ academic
⋆ romantasy sequel
⋆ found family
⋆ multiple pov
⌗ ꒰ info ꒱
⤷ find my book review on goodreads @elliexreads
⤷ this is recommended for young adult readers (14+)
⤷ YA romantasy novel
publish date: july 14, 2026
₊‧ all ratings and opinions are my own ₊‧
⤷ thank you to netgalley for this arc c in exchange for an honest review!
-----------
𐔌 ♯┆7.13.26
⤷ ahh this comes out tmr so no better time to start it than now!! thank you so much to netgalley for providing this e-arc. i hope this conclusion to this duology is satisfying 🙂↕️✨
⤷ and now it's over ahhh! so bittersweet
୨ arc @netgalley
⋆˚࿔ 77th review of the year
i will find you. wherever we go. wherever we end up. that is my promise to you, wren loughty. i will find you. i will find you.
⌗ ꒰ my thoughts ꒱✨
⤷ it was so fun being back in this world. after having a good time with immortal consequences, picking this up was a must! and iv's writing? AMAZING. i love how immersive and detailed it feels. although i wish i connected more. that's why my rating isn't so high! if i found a deeper connection to the characters/was more attached this would've easily become sm higher rated for me. that's not to say that others shouldn't read it because i DO see the hype. im very much looking forward to what IV marie does next 🥹💌 and to all the characters we got to see grow in this one, i wish them the best!!
also hope to find more books with a unique concept just like this one.
⌗ ꒰ tropes ꒱
⋆ academic
⋆ romantasy sequel
⋆ found family
⋆ multiple pov
⌗ ꒰ info ꒱
⤷ find my book review on goodreads @elliexreads
⤷ this is recommended for young adult readers (14+)
⤷ YA romantasy novel
publish date: july 14, 2026
₊‧ all ratings and opinions are my own ₊‧
⤷ thank you to netgalley for this arc c in exchange for an honest review!
-----------
⌛ — pre-read .ᐟ ⌗
𐔌 ♯┆7.13.26
⤷ ahh this comes out tmr so no better time to start it than now!! thank you so much to netgalley for providing this e-arc. i hope this conclusion to this duology is satisfying 🙂↕️✨
Read
September 12, 2026such an amazing journey and the ending was so bittersweet but i enjoyed it all!!! rtc rtc rtc!!😽😽
ʚɞ ⁺˖ ⸝⸝💫 ꒰pre-read!꒱.˚ 𓂃₊ ⊹
hii i’m so sorry for my ia, school is kicking my butt so bad rn🤧🤧 but i thought i might finish this duo bc ive been DYING to know what happens next and i need more of august and wren👀💐fantasy is legit my fav genre ever and i have such high hopes omg!!! so excited ^^
⤿ dedicating this to my bsf jae!!! thank u for telling me all abt this series and convincing me to read it, ilysm💐😚
ʚɞ ⁺˖ ⸝⸝💫 ꒰pre-read!꒱.˚ 𓂃₊ ⊹
hii i’m so sorry for my ia, school is kicking my butt so bad rn🤧🤧 but i thought i might finish this duo bc ive been DYING to know what happens next and i need more of august and wren👀💐fantasy is legit my fav genre ever and i have such high hopes omg!!! so excited ^^
⤿ dedicating this to my bsf jae!!! thank u for telling me all abt this series and convincing me to read it, ilysm💐😚
July 14, 2026
The ending was tragic, but beautiful at the same time. I should've known that the author was going to take my heart and rip it straight out of my chest. I think it says a lot about an author's skill when she can make you like a character that you have hated for 500 pages. Irene, I am thinking about you. I'm hoping there's another one set in this world. I loved how everything ended the way that it started. That was a great way to bring the story full circle.
Another thing I loved about this duology was that I could picture everything so vividly, and I usually struggle with books that take me into the underworld because I assume everything is black and dark. But this author painted the picture so well, and I could see all the images she was painting for us whenever we went to a new location.
Another thing I loved about this duology was that I could picture everything so vividly, and I usually struggle with books that take me into the underworld because I assume everything is black and dark. But this author painted the picture so well, and I could see all the images she was painting for us whenever we went to a new location.
Want to Read
November 11, 2025🧍♀️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
rtc. basically one of my favorite 2nd book. actually this was sososo good and im so grateful to have recieved the second arc!
⌗ ρrє-rєα∂ ⭑.ᐟ
⤷ ᯓ GUESS WHO GOT THE ARC!! IM SO EXCITEDD!! ive been in need of such a good romantasy that im like so desperate for this omg.. eternally grateful to have received this one!
𓏲⋆ ִֶָ ๋𓂃 ⋆ if you know you know, i loved the first one so much that im genuinely sososo happy 😭 no one talk to me until im done btw.. rooting for august and wren 🤞🏻🥲
⌗ ρrє-rєα∂ ⭑.ᐟ
⤷ ᯓ GUESS WHO GOT THE ARC!! IM SO EXCITEDD!! ive been in need of such a good romantasy that im like so desperate for this omg.. eternally grateful to have received this one!
𓏲⋆ ִֶָ ๋𓂃 ⋆ if you know you know, i loved the first one so much that im genuinely sososo happy 😭 no one talk to me until im done btw.. rooting for august and wren 🤞🏻🥲
Want to Read
August 12, 2025I don’t know what this book is called, I don’t know what the cover looks like, I don’t even know what the plot is. But I’m seated in an Ayo Edebiri way.
Want to Read
January 14, 2026|🪻| pre~release |🤍|
OMG THAT COVER IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!! I CANT WAIT
OMG THAT COVER IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!! I CANT WAIT
August 15, 2026
Very nice but lots happened very quickly and I didn’t feel emotionally connected to the characters (6 pov). I really like the end though it was a little rushed
Want to Read
July 11, 2026oh yeah i need this rn.
Want to Read
March 27, 2026✨🖤 Ruinous Ends 🖤✨
📖 Bookish Thoughts
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.
💫What to Expect
• Dark academy
• Afterlife stakes
• Multiple POVs
• Secrets and betrayal
• Morally gray characters
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: July 14, 2026
📝 Thank you to Random House Children's Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.
💫What to Expect
• Dark academy
• Afterlife stakes
• Multiple POVs
• Secrets and betrayal
• Morally gray characters
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: July 14, 2026
📝 Thank you to Random House Children's Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
August 18, 2025
I was SO excited for this one, but unfortunately it really fell short for me.
I loved the first book. like August has genuinely been living rent free in my head ever since I read it.
but compared to the first book, this just felt flat.
they were all scattered and there were new characters that were given a bit of depth, but also not?
the whole book just felt rushed. it felt like we were quickly jumping from one thing to another just so the story could be wrapped up.
I loved the first book. like August has genuinely been living rent free in my head ever since I read it.
but compared to the first book, this just felt flat.
they were all scattered and there were new characters that were given a bit of depth, but also not?
the whole book just felt rushed. it felt like we were quickly jumping from one thing to another just so the story could be wrapped up.
Read
August 30, 2025pls let wren live 🙏 also that guy who kept stalking irene— HEAR ME OUT
p.s. that is one sexy title
p.s. that is one sexy title
August 7, 2026
“And that was the point of life, anyway, wasn’t it? To dare to hope? To dare to love?” 🍂
I loved Immortal Consequences, so i was highly anticipating this finale. Unfortunately, i struggled to finish this. I did enjoyed it, dont get me wrong, but i definitely liked the first one better. Lemme explain, i think this one had a much slower pace and i feel like not much was happening for a good bit of it. I also think the 6 POVs didn’t particularly work great in this book because there were too many different storylines. It was fine in the other one because they were all in the same place but since there was 3 different settings in this one i feel like some of them felt underdeveloped and we didn’t learn much for a long time. It was also hard for me to be invested in any of the plot points in the book, the mystery of how to solve what was going wrong with Blackwood felt rushed, and the writing was sometimes very corny and cringe for my taste :/
That being said, i did like the ending tho! And where all the characters ended up, i think it made sense for their individual character arcs :)
Overall, this was a good YA fantasy duology and i recommend it! I dont understand the hate the first book gets tbh, i honestly thought it was pretty cool.
I loved Immortal Consequences, so i was highly anticipating this finale. Unfortunately, i struggled to finish this. I did enjoyed it, dont get me wrong, but i definitely liked the first one better. Lemme explain, i think this one had a much slower pace and i feel like not much was happening for a good bit of it. I also think the 6 POVs didn’t particularly work great in this book because there were too many different storylines. It was fine in the other one because they were all in the same place but since there was 3 different settings in this one i feel like some of them felt underdeveloped and we didn’t learn much for a long time. It was also hard for me to be invested in any of the plot points in the book, the mystery of how to solve what was going wrong with Blackwood felt rushed, and the writing was sometimes very corny and cringe for my taste :/
That being said, i did like the ending tho! And where all the characters ended up, i think it made sense for their individual character arcs :)
Overall, this was a good YA fantasy duology and i recommend it! I dont understand the hate the first book gets tbh, i honestly thought it was pretty cool.
September 10, 2026
This puts the dark in dark academia !! Always so much going on and so many “lives” to follow. Don’t blink or you will miss all the action !! I feel like the stakes were elevated In this continuation of the Blackwood academy series. So many twists, turns and gasps to be had. I flew through this read !!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⋮ ⌗ 🪻┆ postread ⸝⸝ jul. 10 🗝️ˎˊ˗
since immortal consequences is one of my favorite books, i was beyond ecstatic when i received the arc for ruinous ends. i loved this novel just as much as the first, and it somehow made me love the characters even more than i had before. also might i add how gorgeous the cover is?? full review to come after my vacation!
since immortal consequences is one of my favorite books, i was beyond ecstatic when i received the arc for ruinous ends. i loved this novel just as much as the first, and it somehow made me love the characters even more than i had before. also might i add how gorgeous the cover is?? full review to come after my vacation!
June 20, 2026
When I picked Immortal Consequences as an ARC read I was completely unaware what was waiting for me. From the first page I was so invested, so hooked, that it had lived in my brain rent free for over a year. The concept alone, dark academia in the afterlife was so different and so refreshing that I was absolutely taken. Add onto the fact that it was a debut novel??? Just incredible.
And now here we are at the sequel, Ruinous Ends. I thought I was prepared. The first book got me, but surely the second one wouldn’t catch me unawares. You can guess what happened from there.
I.V. Marie got me again. She got me good. By the last pages I was openly weeping. Did it end how I thought it would? No. And I’m glad it didn’t. Everything wasn’t perfect; it was RIGHT. It was how it needed to end (despite my clear favorites but we won’t talk about that).
I won’t go into plot due to spoilers. Just know if you loved the first book, the second will wreck you in the best possible way.
Huge thank you to Random House Kids, Netgalley, Delacorte Press and I.V. Marie for the opportunity to read this amazing sequel to Immortal Consequences. All opinions are my own. And now I have to go stare at the wall for a while (after I preorder this absolute masterpiece.)
And now here we are at the sequel, Ruinous Ends. I thought I was prepared. The first book got me, but surely the second one wouldn’t catch me unawares. You can guess what happened from there.
I.V. Marie got me again. She got me good. By the last pages I was openly weeping. Did it end how I thought it would? No. And I’m glad it didn’t. Everything wasn’t perfect; it was RIGHT. It was how it needed to end (despite my clear favorites but we won’t talk about that).
I won’t go into plot due to spoilers. Just know if you loved the first book, the second will wreck you in the best possible way.
Huge thank you to Random House Kids, Netgalley, Delacorte Press and I.V. Marie for the opportunity to read this amazing sequel to Immortal Consequences. All opinions are my own. And now I have to go stare at the wall for a while (after I preorder this absolute masterpiece.)
September 9, 2026
Yeah… this was not it. 🙃 Such a shame! It had so much potential. I was curious to see how everything would continue, but honestly, I just wasn’t enjoying it, sometimes I was so bored and didn’t really care about some characters.
I cared most about Wren and August. They needed WAY more scenes together!! More romance. More conversation between them! More everything. (I also liked Irene even less than I did in the first book, which I didn’t think was possible - I was skipping her a lot.)
The ending was actually pretty good, though. I was satisfied with how everything wrapped up, but like I said, Wren and August really needed so many more scenes and actual conversations together. I feel like the author just didn’t develop everything as well as she could have.
I cared most about Wren and August. They needed WAY more scenes together!! More romance. More conversation between them! More everything. (I also liked Irene even less than I did in the first book, which I didn’t think was possible - I was skipping her a lot.)
The ending was actually pretty good, though. I was satisfied with how everything wrapped up, but like I said, Wren and August really needed so many more scenes and actual conversations together. I feel like the author just didn’t develop everything as well as she could have.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
add this duology to the YA fantasy hall of fame 😭😭
4.5 ⭐️ Ruinous Ends put me through every emotion known to man, and every stage of grief BUT I LOVED IT. the stakes are so much higher that in Immortal Consequences, and although the group is split up throughout the afterlife, the momentum doesn’t stop from page one. multi pov can be so hard to read especially with characters all over the place, but I was locked in and each storyline was woven together masterfully!
each character has such a powerful arc of growth, but WOWOWOW IRENE??? YOU’RE A STARRR😭
my precious babies Olivier and Emilio i shan’t give spoilers but my heart is yours forever and ever and EVER
and ofc let’s address the elephant in the room- yearner mc yearnerson Augustine “i will find you” Hughes. HE DID HIS BIG ONE FOLKS. i stg august was a Herondale in his past life because the things that come out of his mouth had me on the floor. get you a man that shows with his actions how he feels about you 👏🏼
i loved that this story became so much more than teens in the afterlife competing for an elite spot at their academy. so much history of Blackwood Academy is woven in and the curtain is pulled back in such interesting (and juicy) ways.
Ruinous Ends is the perfect end to a duology and I highly recommend, especially for readers who miss the vibes of the 2010’s era YA fantasy books full of found family, banter, sacrifice, and romance.
4.5 ⭐️ Ruinous Ends put me through every emotion known to man, and every stage of grief BUT I LOVED IT. the stakes are so much higher that in Immortal Consequences, and although the group is split up throughout the afterlife, the momentum doesn’t stop from page one. multi pov can be so hard to read especially with characters all over the place, but I was locked in and each storyline was woven together masterfully!
each character has such a powerful arc of growth, but WOWOWOW IRENE??? YOU’RE A STARRR😭
my precious babies Olivier and Emilio i shan’t give spoilers but my heart is yours forever and ever and EVER
and ofc let’s address the elephant in the room- yearner mc yearnerson Augustine “i will find you” Hughes. HE DID HIS BIG ONE FOLKS. i stg august was a Herondale in his past life because the things that come out of his mouth had me on the floor. get you a man that shows with his actions how he feels about you 👏🏼
i loved that this story became so much more than teens in the afterlife competing for an elite spot at their academy. so much history of Blackwood Academy is woven in and the curtain is pulled back in such interesting (and juicy) ways.
Ruinous Ends is the perfect end to a duology and I highly recommend, especially for readers who miss the vibes of the 2010’s era YA fantasy books full of found family, banter, sacrifice, and romance.
July 15, 2026
this had SO much potential and it completely fell flat
August and Wren needed MUCH more screen time
August and Wren needed MUCH more screen time
September 7, 2026
a solid end to this duology that had me teary eyed in some moments!!
July 24, 2026
3.25 stars
Rtc
Rtc
![Profile Image for Saranya [uni- kinda ia].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1791100382i/187457635._UY200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
Want to Read
January 14, 2026₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊
𝑷𝒓𝒆-𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆~
₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊
OMGGG!!! THIS COVER IS DROP-DEAD GORGEOUS 😍 ✨️
August,
Come home to me 🥺
𝑷𝒓𝒆-𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆~
₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊
OMGGG!!! THIS COVER IS DROP-DEAD GORGEOUS 😍 ✨️
August,
Come home to me 🥺
July 18, 2026
Who wants to pay for my therapy bills?
“I will survive but I’ll never recover.I will get by but I’ll never get over.” -Franklin House by Brenn!
I can’t believe I.V Marie did us this dirty (IN A GOOD WAY). Olivier had me stressing the WHOLE TIME and I also can’t believe that Wren broke and just let the shadows happen to her. AND AUGUST TOO. AND IRENE SACRIFICING HERSELF. I’M DONE 😭
The “The End…?” chapter scared the crap out of me. 18 years later? AND WREN AND AUGUST HAD A “do i know you?” MOMENT. AND IT WAS KINDA SCARY HOW IRONIC IT IS THAT WREN WAS LIKE “maybe we’re having one of those ‘we knew each other in a different or past life’ MEET CUTE. They met for a second time after August dropped his AirPods. I’d like to know if they had different names in their second lives.
note to self: don’t ever listen to the entire Older and Wiser album by Lizzy McAlpine while reading an I.V Marie book. At the end of the album is Spring into Summer live and at the end of the book they meet in a different life. Lizzy literally sang “I’m always forever running back to you” as they met again.
Yeah so this broke me. And I’m ready for the prequel book. And I.V Marie should write another book even though it’s clear she ended it like this on purpose to wrap things up. Nope. Let’s not wrap it up. Can I get a book of Wren and August and like their kids when they get married in the future?
I love August Hughes and Masika Sallow. AND SCREW MATEO (ngl i knew he was either the True Headmaster or The Soulless One but plot twist). Honestly, Irene’s chapters were boring and I didn’t really grasp whose side she was on but at the end it was clear she just wanted to help Masika. They could have been a ship though.
“I will survive but I’ll never recover.I will get by but I’ll never get over.” -Franklin House by Brenn!
I can’t believe I.V Marie did us this dirty (IN A GOOD WAY). Olivier had me stressing the WHOLE TIME and I also can’t believe that Wren broke and just let the shadows happen to her. AND AUGUST TOO. AND IRENE SACRIFICING HERSELF. I’M DONE 😭
The “The End…?” chapter scared the crap out of me. 18 years later? AND WREN AND AUGUST HAD A “do i know you?” MOMENT. AND IT WAS KINDA SCARY HOW IRONIC IT IS THAT WREN WAS LIKE “maybe we’re having one of those ‘we knew each other in a different or past life’ MEET CUTE. They met for a second time after August dropped his AirPods. I’d like to know if they had different names in their second lives.
note to self: don’t ever listen to the entire Older and Wiser album by Lizzy McAlpine while reading an I.V Marie book. At the end of the album is Spring into Summer live and at the end of the book they meet in a different life. Lizzy literally sang “I’m always forever running back to you” as they met again.
Yeah so this broke me. And I’m ready for the prequel book. And I.V Marie should write another book even though it’s clear she ended it like this on purpose to wrap things up. Nope. Let’s not wrap it up. Can I get a book of Wren and August and like their kids when they get married in the future?
I love August Hughes and Masika Sallow. AND SCREW MATEO (ngl i knew he was either the True Headmaster or The Soulless One but plot twist). Honestly, Irene’s chapters were boring and I didn’t really grasp whose side she was on but at the end it was clear she just wanted to help Masika. They could have been a ship though.
August 29, 2026
4.75 stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(Spoiler~free)
OH MY.
This duology was PERFECTION.
It’s so fast paced and grasps your attention from the VERY first page.
Also did I just find a new auto-buy author???👀👀
The ending had me in shambles PLEASE I NEED MOREEE🧍🏻♀️🧍🏻♀️
🌟Rating: 4/5
🔥Spice: 0/5
📚Age Rating: 14+
(Spoiler~free)
OH MY.
This duology was PERFECTION.
It’s so fast paced and grasps your attention from the VERY first page.
Also did I just find a new auto-buy author???👀👀
The ending had me in shambles PLEASE I NEED MOREEE🧍🏻♀️🧍🏻♀️
🌟Rating: 4/5
🔥Spice: 0/5
📚Age Rating: 14+
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