Us Destroyed

by Inge V. Wyk

TWO REGIONS, RIVALS.
TWO RIVALS, TETHERED.

Kaira Waller had been trained her whole life for the Mission.
She and her Guard would do something no Royals had done before—venture beyond the Wall. Her mother, the Monarch, gave her one duty that she dreaded: to make a deceitful and fatal treaty with the Outsiders.
The tribe they stumbled upon allowed them to stay in the meantime, under one condition—they would constantly be watched by Outsider Warriors.
Elias Reyes, the top Warrior of Narita, was now forced to make an oath to watch over his rival. No matter how much he loathed her and her people, he would now do anything to protect her. Even betray his world's most powerful secrets.
Being stuck together was not something these enemies ever hoped for, especially not when their trust wavered thin and their feelings started to cross deadly boundaries.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction

520 pages, Paperback

Published May 25, 2026

Reviews

[Sian · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute banger. This completely exceeded my expectations. I am soooo impressed. This should be picked up by a major publisher and is entirely underrated.

My recommendation is to go in knowing nothing (zero spoilers in this review). I did, and I was stunned every step of the way. This is such a unique dystopian x fantasy genre blend. I felt immersed. The author gives the reader everything, all five senses and then some. I literally forgot I was reading words on paper.

The romance is deliciously slow and vicious. Kaira and Elias are epic main characters. They are 10000% enemies to more. Whatever the best non-vulgar synonym for bada** is, that's what these characters are. They did not feel YA at all...I miss them already.

The ending was satisfying yet felt like a new day was dawning. I will be reading the next book. My reading experience was so good I hardly have words. This author is talented and I'm a new fan.

In this book:
-enemies to more
-forced proximity
-touch her and die
-love triangle
-found family
-forbidden love
-high stakes
-dystopian world
-dual-POV (first person)

Content Guide:
romance - clean
language - a** 7x, damn 19x, hell 6x, bastard 5x, pissed 2x, b*tch once
violence - frequent and graphic
fantasy - major spoiler area here but let me know if you want me to DM you the content for it on IG.

Potential Content Warnings:
-blood oaths
-self-hatred
-on-page torture
-on-page scourging
-child abuse
-squeamishness/severe wounds
-lethal fight scenes

[readwithmegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am definitely in my dystopian era!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 This book was SO good! I was immediately drawn into the story and connected and cared for the FMC. I absolutely loved that she was raised from a young age to learn how to fight physically as well as hold in her emotions. As much as I love a soft FMC, it was refreshing to see a strong young girl who know how to fight and take care of herself and didn’t react irrationally by her emotions all the time 😅

I absolutely loved the relationship between Elias and Kaira!! 🤭 they were TRUE enemies to lovers (and not the type where they still think each other is sooo attractive) no they truly hated each other for a lot of the book and I was loving every second of it!! 👏🏻👏🏻🤭🤭 Also by the quote on my second slide you can see there is a “who did this to you scene” and it was perfect!

I don’t want to give too much away because I was surprised by a few things in the book but everyone go read this book immediately!! Literally feels like I just watched the best movie in my head because the writing was done so well 🤌🏻

I was bawling by the end of the book which always means a great 5 star read!! I can’t wait for book 2!!
It’s available now on KU!!


If you love:
✨Dystopian
✨Enemies to Lovers
✨He Falls First
✨Touch her and ☠️
✨First Person Duel POV
✨No Spice Romance

[Lana Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Arc reader for Us Destroyed I must say that this book completely captured my heart😍❤️ from the very first pages and I honestly could not put it down. I absolutely LOVED this story ❤️✨ What started as an exciting fantasy quickly turned into something so emotional and beautiful, filled with loyalty, heartbreak, friendship, healing, political tension, and one of the BEST slow burns I’ve read in a long time 🥹📖💚

Kaira and Elias had me completely hooked 🔥🫶 Their relationship develops so naturally and never feels rushed, which made every little moment between them feel so much more meaningful. Watching two people from completely different worlds slowly learn to trust, challenge, and understand each other had me SO invested😭❤️ The tension, the restraint, the almost-moments… everything builds in such a satisfying way that you can’t help but keep reading. This is definitely one of those enemies-to-lovers journeys that turns sparks into flame🔥❤️ type of stories.

I also really loved how emotional and layered the story felt. Without giving too much away, Kaira’s journey really stayed with me. Seeing her experience life outside of what she was raised in, question everything she thought she knew, and slowly grow into her own added so much depth to her character 💔✨ It never feels easy for her, which makes her development even more powerful.

The world-building is also stunning 🌍✨ Moments like Lantern-Evening were absolutely magical ,the lanterns, music, food, and atmosphere made everything feel so alive and breathtaking. It was such a beautiful contrast to the heavier emotional and political tension running through the story, and it really helped balance everything perfectly.📗❤️

One of my favouritethings was actually the friendships throughout the book 🥹 I loved the loyalty between Kaira and her Guard, but especially her friendship with Aeryn ❤️ Even though she’s Elias’s sister, which makes it such an unlikely friendship, their bond felt so natural, warm, and grounding. It added such a comforting softness to an otherwise intense world, and I loved every moment they shared 🤍✨

The writing itself was absolutely beautiful and incredibly immersive 🌙✨ It has this almost lyrical quality at times, where even the simplest moments feel vivid and emotionally charged. The descriptions are so rich without ever feeling overwhelming, and the dialogue feels natural and full of subtext, which makes the emotional tension between characters hit even harder. I genuinely felt completely pulled into the world and couldn’t stop thinking about it.😍💚

I don’t want to give too much away because this is honestly the kind of book you need to experience for yourself to fully understand how beautiful it is😍🥹💕 If you love fantasy, enemies-to-lovers, slow burns that actually burn slowly❤️🔥, emotional depth, friendship, political tension, and characters you become way too attached to, then this is a MUST READ📚❤️

I already know this story is going to stay with me for a very long time🫶✨💚📗It just hit the shelves on 25 May so go and get you copy immediately so this sotry can stay with you too😍💚

[Anni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whaaaaaaaat was that? It was a 4.5✨✨✨✨✨ read !
Wow wow wow I loved it to pieces and read it in 24h ! Amazing ! Captivating! An Absolutely utterly powerful story of dictatorship and dystopia with a mix of magic and ancient - outlander vibes.
I loved the pacing, it was never too slow or too fast, we have a constant world building even when I would have liked to know more about the Great War and the destruction in its wake. There is so much mystery around it, but I think there will be a lot of revelation in the second book.
There book has a loooot of tropes BUT I loved how it fitted in the story, it was never cringy or misplaced just for the trope sake , you know ?

-one bed/ tent
- who did this to you?
-hidden powers
- political intrigue
-love triangle (but I must say- I HATE this trope and I think you could have left it out, but it was actually important for the selfworth and growth of our FMC to have one😅)
-touch her and die
-Bond/ oath magic
-enemies (?) - reluctant allies- to ..?
- nickname

And let’s Talk about the teeeeeension and Slow burn romance ?🥹🫑 it was SO slow, but the banter made it so perfectly innocent and enjoyable! The almost touching and lingering glances were everything! I just love when there is a deeper connection and no insta lust and the author managed it perfectly to describe the torn feelings towards themself and their feelings and their people.
— I loved Elias 🫶 he is a walking green flag, and THE ENDING ! Oh my ! I was so happy that it did not end with the first chapter of the book (ikyk), my heart was racing and I couldn’t put this book down ! It was a TRAGEDY 🫠

The tension was so intense, it was worth every single word!
Read it !

[Aspen P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Us Destroyed by Inge Wyk was a unique blend of dystopian and fantasy that completely drew me in. I loved the creative concept of radiation from war transforming the world into one filled with dragons, magic, and extraordinary powers. The worldbuilding was imaginative, and the gradual unfolding of its history kept me wanting to learn more.

The slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance was one of my favorite parts of the story. The tension between the characters felt natural, and watching their relationship evolve over time made the romance all the more satisfying. It complemented the action and mystery without overshadowing the larger story.

My only real complaint was the ending. After everything the characters endured, I was hoping for a little more closure, whether through an epilogue or a sequel. The story ended while there still felt like there was room to see the aftermath of all the chaos.

[Danielle Haupt · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

This was an incredible debut by a young South African author. I think Inge will find so much success because this was amazing.

The story follows Kaira who is the princess of the High Royals. She is being sent on a journey out of the city to allegedly make peace with the King of Vorian.
She has been raised for this mission but she is raised to be cruel and heartless.

"I will leave you in determination. I will return in pride, for Saint Amira's horizons will broaden at my coming. I leave you with regards. I leave you with hope. And for us, I will return with a New World."

However, once she leaves the city and discovers what the world has to offer… she wonders if she can follow through with her mother’s plans.

Kaira meets Elias who is instructed to “guard” her as she is considered a threat to the tribe.

I think that the slow burn was done so well and was so true to these two characters who were raised to despise each other. Of course we get the best fantasy type flirts 😌: “You look just as pretty even with blood all over your face." His voice was barely a whisper as he breathed.”

I was really so impressed by the authors ability to describe the scenes and create this unique world: “The colors of all the plants fought against each other for supremacy.”
The story is set in a fantasy world 100s of years after a nuclear event which altered any surviving life.

I also believe there is good character development in this story. Kaira especially has a lot to deal with after she leaves Saint Amira and discovers the truth about the world outside the city walls.

I’m am so excited for book 2 and to see what the characters will do to restore peace in Vorian again.

Some more favorite quotes:

“If solemn loneliness in a grand city was all they'd ever known, they wouldn't know how to dream of more”

"There is not a place, nor time in this world that I wouldn't come for you," Elias's voice, the voice I had grown to find comfort in, assured me softly.”

“You alone command me, Kaira." He spoke my name as if it were a blessing.
"You alone are my destruction." His breath tangled with mine in such a pleading manner. "And I am gladly crumbling."

Her eyes were narrowed onto me like I was holding a dagger to her throat, and she was daring me to slice. She was looking at me as though all she wanted in her life was to be my destruction. My smirk widened. "Don't look at me like that," I said, my voice just above a whisper. "Like what?" She squinted in anger. "Like you could devour me."

[Kyla-Ann Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being an ARC reader for Us Destroyed has been an absolute honor.

This book pulled me out of a year-long reading slump (which already says a lot) but it also reminded me why I love reading in the first place.

If you’re a fan of enemies-to-lovers with witty banter, tension, and characters that actually make you feel something, this is definitely a book to pick up. The chemistry between the characters is so well done that every interaction had me completely hooked.

Inge’s writing is incredibly immersive. The world-building is rich and vivid without ever feeling overwhelming, and the way she describes both the setting and the characters made it easy to get lost in the story. At times, it genuinely felt like I was right there in the world with them.

I fell in love with both the story and the characters so quickly. Everyone felt distinct and real, and I became so invested in what would happen next. There wasn’t a single moment where I wanted to stop reading, I ended up spending hours completely absorbed because I just couldn’t put it down.

This is one of those books that makes you wish you could read it again for the first time. I’m already counting down the days until the second book.

[Arisia Hattingh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Us Destroyed has all the tropes I LOVE in the books I read:Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers, High Stakes, Hidden Identity and so much more.

I'd recommend this book to fans of the the different civilizations from Divergent, fans of books with fantasy / dystopian aspects and those who enjoy a world filled with supernatural and unique creatures.

The way Inge describes everything Kaira Waller experiences for the first time in her life had me feeling like I was experiencing it right along with her. The enemies to lovers trope is delivered perfectly and never once felt rushed. Inge's world building is absolutely amazing, I could see Saint Amira, Narita and all the Outsider villages forming infront of me. I haven't read a book with character development as good as in Us Destroyed in a long time, I could feel myself growing more and more attached to the characters with every page.

Can we just take a few moments for chapter 46!?🥰🥹❤️

The last two chapters had me emotionally shaking and sitting centimeters from my laptop in the middle of the night (cause I kept telling myself just one more chapter) with tears streaming!!

I loved every second of reading Us Destroyed. Thanks so much to Inge V. Wyk for the ARC - I can't wait to see what happens in book two

[Book Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being an ARC reader for this book was an absolute honour and somehow, this story completely took hold of me from the very first page.

Fantasy isn’t typically my go-to genre, but Us destroyed made me forget that entirely. The world was so vividly crafted and immersive that I felt pulled into it without resistance, and the characters were written with such depth that I genuinely cared about what happened to them. I even found myself imagining what it would be like to really live in Narita. Every chapter left me wanting more, and I found myself thinking about Kaira and her gaurd (especially Owen) even when I wasn’t reading.

Nothing felt overwhelming or hard to follow, just incredibly compelling. There were moments that surprised me, moments that hit emotionally (making me weep like a baby), and moments that made it impossible to close the book.

I loved every page of this book. It’s rare to find a story that grips you this completely, and even rarer when it comes from a genre you don’t usually gravitate toward. Us destroyed was truly special, and I’m so grateful I got to experience it early!

[Sam Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off I want to say thank you to Inge V. Wyk for asking me to be an ARC reader for Us Destroyed, I found the concept of the book to be very intriguing. I love it when a story follows two people from different worlds meeting and learning to see past their differences. For a debut novel it was a fairly good book however I did think more editing would have taken it to the next level. Often I would come across contradicting dialogue/actions that didn’t make sense for the characters to do/say, in places paragraphs became repetitive, and intense scenes/fights were over very quickly, including the ending. Additionally it felt like the story was just happening to the FMC, and that she wasn’t taking very much action on her own accord. Now I do want to emphasize the settings and characters in this book were very descriptive, and I did feel like I could see the world and people in my head as I was reading. Additionally the pacing was fast and there weren’t any slow points while reading. Overall I think Inge has talent for writing and honing her skill will come with time and practice. 🗡️🌲💛

[Reader]

As a high school girl this book really takes you to another world,it has brought me comfort and has made me so excited to read it whenever I could .
Being in high school and just starting grade 10 this is like a pause moment ,for my mind to reset and relax
To me this book felt very dystopian and like a fairy tale. I felt like I could put myself in the fmc and understand in a deeper level.
Being able to read the arc for this book was amazing and I would highly recommend this book if you have read fantasy or want to read fantasies

[G Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so honored to be an ARC reader of this fantastic novel. The journey this story follows kept me turning the pages all night. A truly highstakes, and adventurous romantasy that I instantly fell in love with. And the enemies-to-lovers had me ON THE FLOOR. It is one of those books you wish you could read for the first time again, I absolutely cannot wait for the next in the series.
Would highly highly recommend for lovers of all kinds of fantasy. Add it to your TBR right now!!!
G.

[Elani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best fantasy books I’ve read in a long time. The world-building, emotional storyline, and unforgettable characters completely pulled me in. This fantasy book kept me hooked from start to finish and honestly inspired me to read more fantasy books. A must read for fans of immersive fantasy, emotional twists, and powerful storytelling. I am so excited for the second book.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inge has a great way of making you feel like you're living in the story. Her writing is so descriptive. Us Destroyed had me hooked from the first chapter. I can't wait for the rest of the books in this series!

[Inge V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote Us Destroyed, and I quite like it.

[Josua Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book was amazing.I don't like fantasy or romance much but this is an exception, amazingly written with much thought put in.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely LOVED this book!!! Can’t wait for the second one!