A Ballad of Inferno & Ruin

by Adrielle Reina

Terror. Violence. Blood. Death.

War takes everything—even your humanity.

While a second Civil War rages on in the Former United States of America, other countries are embroiled in World War III.

Uncertainty and unrest result in an upheaval there’s no escape from. People have a choose a side, or die.

Determined to get vengeance and help salvage what’s left of the world—and herself—Emma Sandalwood joins up with the Motley Rebellion, an independent militant group that cares for displaced victims of both wars and fights to end the bloodshed. Between keeping herself alive and searching for what little remains of her family, the last thing she needs is to uncover a man-made virus that could turn the tides of war.

Betrayal comes in many forms, and the end of humanity is near.

Preorder now so you don't miss your chance to join Emma as she navigates a world tearing apart at the seams.

347 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 20, 2026

About the author

Adrielle Reina is a spooky, kooky autistic lady from Appalachia. She studied biological anthropology and data engineering, but cursing her enemies and writing are her true passions. She has a cool son who often reminds her how uncool she is, five dogs, a cat, and a husband who looks like Nicholas Hoult (he’s also funny too). Legends say that she can be summoned with coffee, Pokémon, more dogs, horror movies/books, and the blood of those who wish her ill.

Reviews

[W.M. Parslow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent debut. Whilst there are plenty of dystopian future horrors out there, A Ballad... creates its own identity really well. Our main character, Em, is well drawn and her trauma is written in a very effective and at times devastating way. Be warned: there are some genuinely brutal moments in this book, both in terms of the horror but also the emotion. I had tears in my eyes on one occasion.

But, it's not all about the horror (I mean, it mostly is). There are some genuinely touching moments throughout the narrative, the found family aspect of the story has some lovely touches to it. I've found myself drawn to the REM song 'Belong' whilst reading this book.

I think the highest praise I can give this A Ballad of Inferno and Ruin is that it reminded me of The Girl with all the Gifts, and stood up to the comparison. This is its own story, it's propulsive, compelling and the illustrations add to the impact.

I'll be waiting for more from Arielle Reina.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! It reminded me a bit of the Wanderers by Chuck Wendig which I also really loved. There are so many interesting plot points here, relatable characters and soul crushing situations. It really had me thinking what I would do if/when shit hits the fan.

The writing was excellent, and my only critique is that a couple words were inconsistent in their verb tenses when we first meet Dead Elk.

Wonderful debut regardless!!! I’m excited to see what this author writes in the future.

[P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

So it's time. I was pretty excited about this book back when it was marketed as a "you should read this to become aware of politics around you/all books are political" story. Or, something along those lines. As much as I was excited, this book fell a little bit short of my expectations. It made me feel a little bit bad because the lowest I've rated a book on here was 3 stars, but I think a much-explained review should be made for curious readers

Point #1: Though advertised as "a reflection of the current state of the world" type of story, the start of the dystopia/politics was executed weirdly. Some of the politics was not researched well, and there was one case where the author used the wrong political term. I am aware of how dystopia has a lot of possibilities (zombies arent real, duh), but a little research would elevate the story. My military and history geek buddies take a peep at some pages (to make sure Im not cuckoo)

For example, MC's Dad at the beginning says it's weird that the elections arent covered while the bombing news are. In real life, the bombings would be less prioritized. US election news will be covered greatly as American citizens have seen in real life, even if elections are polarized and both sides are scared. Social media news likewise runs on ragebait/fearmongering, making election news prime front news materials

Also apart of Point #1:

1) The book shows MC's dad relief of Oregon's votes coming in soon. However, Oregon is not relevant to US elections. It's not a swing state, and enough votes would be in by this point that the election should be called. MC's Dad should have expressed relief upon hearing Arizona or Nevada instead, but depending on how other swing states went the election might even be called before that point. However, this can slide because we can pretend MC's Dad isnt an elections nerd and he was probably expressing relief for the sake of relief

2) Part of the backstory brought up a concern about elections occurring in the middle of world wars. However, something readers should know is that, yes, this had been done before! MC was worried about this, but it shouldn't be (other than wanting a president who can "handle" the war well. For example, Canada having elections in the middle of our trade war

Point #2, I pointed out there were some instances of wrong political terms. At one point, the author uses the term "sitting duck" instead of "lame duck." It can be assumed that the author wanted to avoid ableist language. However, a "Lame duck" in politics is an entirely different term from "sitting duck" in politics (as verified by my disabled dad who retired from the gov). It's like when a Goodreads reviewer asked Celeste Ng (an ASIAN) on why she uses the term "oriental" because it's actually offensive. Wise as she is, Ng said it's because she's writing a story that takes place in a racist past

Point #3: At times, unnecessary purple prose/excess description. This isnt to bash the author of course! I appreciate her talent and wide range of vocabulary. That is something to be proud of. But in the case of a 1st person POV, it can make readers like me raise their eyebrow, especially when...

"Fairchild was mid-speech; he peered down, shocked and morbidly curious, as the sanguine sight of blood blossomed across his chest. It was a stark contrast to the white shirt he wore under a blue suit. (Miss MC, you just witnessed a character getting shot and killed! Is being poetic and the color of his shirt more important than, uh, screaming in fear? For anyone curious, we do have a morally gray MC; but the skewed and descriptive priorities here made this scene accidentally funny)

There was also this:

"I ran over to [character] and grasped onto him as if he were an anchor that could ground me back to reality… But instead, I wailed into what was left of his bloody chest. There were so many bullet holes in his stomach and torso that it could have been a gaping, macabre mouth—crimson and rancid. Every slight movement I made caused a gushing noise to meet my ears, squelching as blood oozed from his body (Unlike the first italicized quoted scene, this is a dead body in the flesh. I appreciate the MC's poetic observation, but the purple prose made it hard to feel sad/sorry here. I understand the author's intention to display heartbreak and tragedy but unfortunately -- and again -- I couldn't feel it. It was accidentally funny)

April 18, 2025 edit: Author reposted on Threads a post criticizing 1 and 2 star reviews that called out wooden/clunky/purple prose wording. I wanted to kindly point out that, I have neurodivergent and autistic friends who write more effectively. As an ally towards this community (and with them reading that post as well), I want to emphasize that people on the spectrum ARE capable of writing well. To excuse this upon seeing 1-2 star reviews is almost reviling and downplaying your peers at most. As a normal user originally hyped for this book, I state with utmost unbias the author’s online reactions are off-putting — especially with the mention of blocking users who criticize the author — but Im going off topic from the review. Keep your head up, it’s not the end of the world. The writing in this book isnt completely bad for anyone wondering, but I felt disturbed enough to leave a warning for anyone who critically speaks about the book

Point #4, on the lesser end: Some things were just unintentionally funny.

1) ""New Patriot Coalition, or NPC for short.” (I'm not the first person to unintentionally giggle here, and I had to silently beg for forgiveness after that. There's also the fact that Ive seen 'NPC' used as a politics-based insult, too, so that's more unfortunate)

2) "Former United States of America” (Would any country in real life formally call themselves this? Without losing their pride? We've seen countries change their names so many times, but none of them officially termed themselves that like an official did in this story)


Overall, there were so many things in this book I noticed. But for brevity, my review consists of details explained/reviewed within the first 100 pages (as you noticed from my other Goodreads reviews, I strive to keep my content SPOILER FREE to keep information accessible to bookshelf browsers). This is more of a review about the book's political nature -- it tries to portray itself as "a reflection of real life" but was not well-researched. As though written by someone who isnt very knowledgeable about politics, or she blindly educates herself

However, I shall let this (somewhat) slide because the author's introduction says "It is a work of fiction and does not reflect my own political views or views regarding other nations... It is a cautionary tale."

Is that good news or not?... The author's note did conflict a little with the marketing, so now it seems like the book is unclear about the message it's trying to share. So the author has a message, but her introduction says it isnt meant to reflect her political views? Is this virtue signaling or is the author scared of persecution? Kinda like how Ray Bradburry flip-flopped between telling people "technology is bad!!" and "technology is good!!" in regards to his hit dystopia book, Fahrenheit 451. Sometimes, the author is unclear

If you dont care about confusing messaging, then this story is for you. I liked Ballad as a read-for-fun thing, which is why I'm at 2 stars today. It's not completely bad

If you're looking for interesting messaging and accurate politics, it's not for you. If you are looking for authors who are not afraid of persecution/unashamed about their messaging/clear in their intent, seek 1) Suzanne Collins (THG -- dystopia/class wars), 2) Xiran Jay Zhao (Iron Widow -- female rage, class wars, capitalism), and 3) Celeste Ng (fiction works -- identity, politics)

(ARC reader. Review edited April 4, 2025 to make it easier to understand for Goodreads users)

[Stephanie Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read - so proud of you! ♥
Do mind your triggers when reading this one.

[Dark Lit Nik · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS AN ARC REVIEW



I was hooked into this from the dedication

Locked in. FREE PALESTINE. FREE SUDAN. FREE CONGO. FREE ALL PEOPLE LIVING UNDER OCCUPATION.

This book gave me anxiety. I experienced an emotional rollercoaster, with the main character as the switch operator. We watch her go from a pregnant teenager to a total badass, and it comes full circle. I cannot believe I was bamboozled by a plot twist. Nicely done, Adrielle. I look forward to getting to read more of your work. And congratulations on getting the rights to your intellectual property back.

I liked the ending plot twist.

[Arlo Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first finished this book, I had to get up, walk around, and think. In fact, that was my reaction at several points in the story. I needed to step away and process. Sometimes because I wanted to mentally walk myself through the events in the narrative, and sometimes because those events were so close to home.

And by close to home, I mean this book is a hard, no-holds-barred, critique of the world we’re living in. There were a few choices made by Reina where I closed the book, got up, located my partner in the yard, and proceeded to info-dump on him about how A Ballad of Inferno and Ruin tackled difficult and important conversations. We’re so divided, we’re in so much danger, and we’re all a part of that, to one extent or another…and this book knows it.

Reina’s choice to use speculative fiction to, well, speculate, was an excellent course of action. The narrative is exciting, shocking, horrifying, and imaginative, all while using the fictional elements to discuss real, contemporary issues. This book felt like watching the news, taking the reports, and asking: yes but what next? What next? What next? And let the horrors reveal themselves.

There were more than a few times I needed to take breaks from this book, which is a testament to the story. It legitimately scared me. The fungal zombies on the cover were the least of my worries. This book spoke directly to my unease in the world I see around me and people in power. There are parts that are emotionally difficult to read, and I mean that with the highest praise.

But along with the brutal, you’ll also meet a cast of found family, each character with their own voice, a panoramic setting, and intense action set pieces. I grew invested in the cast and this book has left a deep emotional brand on me. I recommend it eagerly.

My caveat is: there is an alternative ending. Choose to read at your own discretion, I preferred the story with its original ending.

[Steve DeMarino · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Ballad of Inferno & Ruin
This book...this book might break your heart. A Ballad of Inferno and Ruin is a devastating masterpiece of feminine rage and betrayal set in the dystopian, apocalyptic backdrop of a second American Civil War, combined with the rest of the world busy fighting WWIII. Emma, our main character, suffers betrayal on many levels, leaving her hollowed out with mistrust and rage against all who have hurt her. This trauma leads her to make many decisions that are on the outside, morally wrong, but from the internal monologues, justified by the savage world in which she finds herself. The only saving grace that keeps her from being completely consumed by her darker side, is the hope for love, the compassion of her found family, and the fear of losing what little humanity she has left. This book has a solid balance of romance, action, personal violence, international violence, and...well, mushroom zombies!
Note: This is the second edition of this book, from a new press. There are changes from the original, but every single one made this book, already great, even better.
This book is absolutely worth your time and energy, but be warned, its a contract with pain, and you may not come out of reading this book unscathed. (Not to spoil too much, but if Chapter 6 doesn't affect you, you might need to get your soul checked.)

[Lorraine Tramain · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC reader review

I have been dying to read this book since hearing about it and damn, does it suck you in from page one! A thrilling tale, ideal for fans of The Hunger Games, Resident Evil, and V for Vendetta.
Ballad is thought-provoking in many ways, with some twists getting thrown at you with such intense force, you’ll be knocked out of your seat. The action-packed scenes flow smoothly with the dialogues, never once losing pacing, while the characters are fleshed out, with a clear purpose. I love how both the good and dark of humanity is shown throughout the story. People can come together in the most desperate times to care for one another, while others won’t hesitate to rip families apart to further their own - often political - agendas.
Adrielle Reina has perfectly captured the atrocities of war, the grief and sorrow, the trauma, that primal instinct of survival vs the ‘what’s it all ever for, anyway?’ feeling, while also giving glimpses of hope and the possibility of a future.
Emma Sandalwood’s story is gut-wrenching and captivating, and a grim rendition of what may occur if we let current events go on as they do. War is often considered far from home… until it hits your doorstep. If we cannot learn from history - and we really only need examples from 20th century, so not that long ago - perhaps Ballad may inspire some to hit that pause button.

[Eva Vanrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Ballad of Inferno and Ruin is a prescient work of fiction. If you like your horror to mirror the place we find ourselves in history, look no further. It’s a timely and harrowing read. I returned to it every night with a kind of horrific awe. Adrielle Reina has given shape to our worst possible national nightmare, and I, for one, couldn’t stop reading it.

Told in first person POV, you live through Emma Sandalwood’s agonizing experience of the Second American Civil War and the breakdown of our society, all while World War III is in full swing and a lab engineered mycological weapon is released that threatens to kill mankind in its entirety.

The story is a caveat and a call to action. It gives shape to the monstrous thing we fear—to the horror of what would happen if our democracy should fall and to the shameful realization that had we acted in time, we could have prevented it. Our country and humanity could have been saved. The world could have been saved.

And if that wasn’t enough to convince you to read, there’s an alternative ending that will blow your mind. Make sure you read it because by the end of the story, you will not be the same person you were when your reading journey began.

[Katie Pritchett]

I am not generally a horror reader, but I would definitely recommend this book to horror and non-horror fans alike, as long as they're okay with horror related gore and violence. In addition to the zombie apocalypse plot , A Ballad of Inferno and Ruin touches on a lot of sociopolitical themes throughout the book, which I found strangely enjoyable given the political climate of the United States.

I was hooked on A Ballad of Inferno and Ruin from the first few pages. I thought it was very interesting to see the political crisis within the "Former United States" take fold, which formed a sort of parallel with the threat of the zombie apocalypse. The FMC of A Ballad of Inferno and Ruin, Emma Sandalwood, is also a very strong female lead, and while I didn't love what happened to her family (horror things), I did enjoy seeing her work to take vengeance on her enemies and fight against the increasing threats, from the civil war to the looming biological warfare.

If you like dystopian fiction with a touch of horror and political intrigue/corruption, I would strongly recommending this book.

[R. L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening for this book was INCREDIBLE. The pacing, the mood, the vibes - chef's kiss.
I love post-apocalyptic stories, and this one had a uniquely interesting premise: political upheaval in the US leads to civil war (and has pretty much everyone living in bunkers). AND THEN things get worse with the start of a zombie apocalypse.
The pacing of this story kept me engaged throughout, and there was an interesting cast of characters to follow. While romance is only a tiny subplot of this story, the most poignant character dynamic was between the protagonist and her love interest. We see them go through hell together (as well as apart), and through it all, their commitment to each other only grows.
The twist in the epilogue was WILD. Did not see that coming at all. I also enjoyed the non-linear timeline (which is rare for me bc I usually don't like flashbacks). If you're looking for something with strong emotional arcs and Last of Us meets Handmaids Tale vibes, this is it. (and it's more Last of Us than Handmaids Tale - I just mention the latter bc one of the major plot points in the book is a political/military machine takeover that has Gilead-esque rhetoric).

[Kassandra Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I am rage and venom…. This is war and we’re killers too, but that choice was made for us when our families were massacred.”
-

🩸The Last of Us meets The Walking Dead
⚔️Political Commentary and Fiction
🩸Dystopian Horror
⚔️Appalachian Horror
🩸Feminine Rage

-
Adrielle genuinely KNOCKED this one out of the park. I read this previously, before the re-release, but I cannot say enough about the new version. It is gut-wrenching, heart stopping, stress inducing. It is phenomenal. I am STILL picking my jaw up off the floor.

It is a relevant commentary - a work of fiction - that is insanely relevant to our political climate currently. I see myself, I see you.. I see all of us reflected in these pages. I see choices we’ve made or have yet to make.

It is the best of us. It is the worst of us. It is rage unbridled and truth that found a home between the stroke of a keyboard. It is dystopian, but not unrealistic.

The end had me in a grip. My face burning from the tears I was shedding, only to end up almost tossing my phone across the room.

Adri has such a brilliant mind. This is a masterpiece. I cannot recommend it enough.

[Dawn Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this. Especially after the recent things going to Hell in the US. I didn’t realize I picked this book up at the perfect time. A dystopian that doesn’t shy away from actual reality and doesn’t pretend that US haven’t always been a dystopian to some, only in this book it’s magnified so everyone is finally being dragged into the hell that marginalized people always experienced.

I have some problems with the pacing issue but I respect the reason why the author made that decision. For a while we actually don’t get to see the zombie apocalypse, because what fractured US in this story is solely humanity itself, and not some imagined outside force. But just…US. And once this book gets going it truly gets going. AND THAT ENDING??? Chef’s kiss.

This book is going to piss a lot of people off and I love it for that very reason. And I think it’s perfect to read if the shit show of the world makes it hard to concentrate on reading (like it did for me). This book actually in a way engaged me out of a huge reading slump.

[Chapter Chirp (Jessica)]

ARC Review-
“A Ballad of Inferno & Ruin” centers on 17 year old new mother Emma Sandalwood, as she navigates her new normal. As the Former United States of America descends into the Second Civil War, Emma, her son, and her parent flee to the hills of Appalachia to escape persecution from corrupt political rivals who threaten to destroy anyone that will not join their militias. While in hiding, things take a turn for the worst and the world including Emma’s own world descend into chaos and tragedy. I enjoyed reading this story so much! I liked that we get to see Emma grow and change throughout the expanse of the story. There were so many twists in the story that I didn’t expect between the ravages of war on multiple fronts to ever-changing life dynamics to the ENDING! The narrative had similar vibes at times to how the world feels currently and it gives you some food for thought. I thought this was incredible for a debut novel and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next! I would definitely recommend!

[Shawntel · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for your next dystopian horror book, go get yourself a copy of A Ballad of Inferno & Ruin!
This book exceeded my expectations, it had my jaw on the floor a few times, and had me feeling all the emotions!
Emma is a teen mom who flees with her family when a civil war breaks out in the US, while also world war three is going on overseas. For years they did what they could to survive and live as much of a life as they could. When their bunker is attacked, Emma uses that rage to get revenge and turns into a fighter who searches for answers and joins the rebellion.
Little does she know that the war is the least of her worries. What lurks in the shadows of her new found home, sends her on the run again as an impending apocalypse looms. If they can make it to Canada, they may just have a chance to survive and build a new life.
The ending had me questioning everything! I was absolutely stunned! I won't give away the ending but let me tell you, it was not at all as I expected.

[Elizabeth Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as i started reading this book I was hooked, it wasn't one of those slow starts that take forever to build up to the plot, the plot finds you from the beginning and walks you to the end only to go " AHAH GOT YO A**". It hooked me in and made this book a PAGE TURNER, it was about surviving. And not only physically. But mentally and emotionally too. It has your toes gripping the floor as your brain correlates it to real life and what's going on out here, in fear of this mess turning into that mess. And the romance is so sweet but tangled it'll have your eyes burning. There are a lot of themes you could see arguments from either side, or even begin to blame others for certain things. Id read with caution, but if none of this triggers you FULL STEAM AHEAD. it'll leave you waiting to discuss this piece of art.

I received a free copy of this book via Graveside Press and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lindsay French · Rating 5 out of 5]

"By destroying our enemies, we also destroy ourselves."

A Ballad of Inferno & Ruin is the read we need in this era. There is not so much the permission to rage as there is the understanding of its necessity and the acknowledgement of the reality it creates. It scratches the revolution itch without glamourizing and romanticizing it. I love books with fascinating politics, but Ballad gave me more than just that. It really reflected on our world in an honest and raw way. My heart was gripped throughout the book. So much happens and I felt it all so deeply. If you want to read a book with a gripping narrative, compelling characters, and endlessly deep themes, then this is the book for you. Prepare your heart before diving in, if it is even possible. I will be chewing on this story for a long time to come.

[Hannah Etherton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have received this as an ARC copy for second edition.

This is a fabulous debut novel. Characters are raw and gritty. Very much grounded in a dystopian future full of wars. However the main character here isn't some major hero solving the war, but very much someone who is trying to survive and save their family. There are hard moments, you are not going to feel like everything shall be magically better.
One point where the story jumps forward to an unknown point did get me wondering if I had missed something! I held out, trusting that this author would make things clear! Which they did!
Worth a read, characters are reminiscent of those in the Hunger Games, and the setting is dystopian, but the pacing and motivation changes things.

[Tom Blicq · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily among the best post-apocalyptic novels I've read so far this year. The shocks come hard and fast, while humanity's downfall is telegraphed in some rather clever and surprisingly evocative ways.

The writing is sharp, and the dialogue, snappy. An excellent sense of foreboding and urgency are maintained throughout. Reina has done her homework, and it shows. The tension, the politics, the emotional impact - it's all encapsulated with a degree of finesse rarely seen in debut efforts.

Readers into horror, science fiction, and dystopia with a survivalist or political slant won't be disappointed. 'A Ballad' delivers on all fronts. Highly recommended!

[Hooterbby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect story if you feel yourself lost in current times. I can't begin to put into words how much I loved this. I hated it also, because it made me feel emotions no other book has. I was shocked, mad, sad, shocked again, laughing and then crying again. I didn't want the story to end, but how it ended also *chefs kiss* along with the shocking alternative! This is hands down one of my favorite reads of all time, I'm not exaggerating.

I received a free copy of this book via Graveside Press and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Hillary Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put this book down! I love horror, and Adrielle's book is such a good read. I was gripping the book, and on the edge of my seat while reading through the tense scenes. You get to know each character intimately, which makes for an even stronger connection to the story. I let my husband borrow it, and he couldn't put it down either. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys horror.

[Kyrie Mulkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason this isn’t 5 stars is because I really struggled with the first 70-80 pages, but MAN! After one specific chapter, this book had me in a chokehold. I went into this blind, so I truly didn’t know what to expect. I LOVE this take on a dystopian zombie apocalypse. And that ENDING?! UGH! I love it! 4.5 stars

[Amy Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC read through the author and The Cloaked Press.
I thought it was amazing.
So well written, with angst and horror and shame, but also deep felt pain and beautifully written trauma.

I thought that the storyline was far too close to home. One misstep and we will be living this story out in real life.
For that reason, I could not really connect with the character because I felt that if I did, I would be in too much pain to finish the book.
If you are into Dystopian futures and civil war, then this is the book for you.

[B. Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book gave me the chills.
I’ll try to keep this spoiler free!

‼️ Beautiful Prose
‼️ Loved the romantic undercurrent
‼️ It scared me because the world is likely headed this way.

Overall a fantastic debut, I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ I couldn’t put this book down! It was so good! It was very well written and is something that could very well happen at some point in time in the future! The ending I did not see coming! I was just like 😱!

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lost a little steam at the end but overall very good writing. Enjoyed the fact that there was an alternate/extended ending, can't say I've seen that with a book before.

[Adrielle Reina · Rating 5 out of 5]

HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO ME (AGAIN)!

Thank you to everyone who reads or gives this book a chance!

Now I’m gonna get off of here so readers can have their space 🫶🏼

LOVE YOU THANK YOU BYEEEEE