This was so spicy, kinky, and honestly addictive dark romantasy that was somewhat out of my comfort zone, but I enjoyed every moment of it! I really enjoyed one of May's young adult novels in the past, so I really wanted to give her adult debut a shot, and it didn't disappoint. While this is a very dark and complex story, it focuses on healing and character redemption, which I enjoyed.

I liked our main characters and loved the way we got to know about Sadaré's past and what events led them to being in the maze. I loved the chemistry between her and Daesra, even if they were at each others throats for most of the book. Pogli was hands down my favourite character of the whole book, and I adored how protective he was!

Also, the twists in this book had me audibly gasping, and I honestly did not see them coming. It really just added to the complexity of this story and the characters!

Overall, it was a great story, and I'm glad that this was my first real dive into dark romantasy. Like I said before, there are a lot of content warnings in this one, so be sure to check them out before you pick this one up!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A retelling of the Minotaur and labyrinth myth, this dark fantasy romance gave me The Maze Runner movie vibes. Waking up with no memories of who she is, Sadare, a witch, wakes up with no memories with Daesra, a demon, glaring at her from above. With history between them, Sadare and Daesra are stuck in a treacherous labyrinth and must rely on each other to get out.

Honestly, I felt like something was missing. Initially, I was hooked and felt compelled with the slight dark side of the story… but it sort of fell a little short for me. At some points, the dynamic between the main characters kept feeling repetitive. However, I was surprised with every obstacle the labyrinth threw at the couple and the literary device to introduce the “before” parts of the book.

Sadaré wakes up in a labyrinth not remembering anything. Her seemingly unwilling companion is Daesra, a daemon who has bound his divine soul. As they traverse the maze trying to find the center and get past the monster, she starts to recall her power as a sorceress and snippets of memories with Daesra. She is inexplicably drawn to him and realizes that unlocking the past may be their salvation. As that happens she begins to fear that he might actually be the monster, or maybe she is...

The book captured my attention from the very first lines where the protagonist wakes not knowing where or who she is. Upon the appearance of the arrogant, beautiful daemon with the chiding tone to his voice, who gives answers that pose more questions — begrudgingly her companion in the maze — you have a feeling that this is going to be good.

The 1st person POV does a great job of showing her confusion, her justifiable querying demeanor. I really enjoyed the shared sense of discovery with our main character. There is an inviting intimacy to her perspective as she searches within and around herself. The memory loss and the endless possibilities it brings for the revelation of her truth are simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating.

The main duo's butting of heads is an endless source of amusement as they continue to be smile-worthy smartasses. A constant battle of wits. Many a time there is a philosophical tint to the dialogue or the protagonist's musings. Also, informative insight into this world and its rules is given cleverly and organically. The narrative's reality or "Pain is power" is used creatively as it basks in the forefront. I took delight in the "Before" segments that intelligently and enticingly unspooled the protagonists' history.

Honorable mention to the surprisingly adorbs Pogli. And the unexpectedness of Deos.

I do admit that some of the explanations are wordy and confusing and sometimes I was baffled by a few of their exchanges like I missed something. But I truly loved this story. Deliciously dark and dangerous, sexy and spicy, our leads enjoy some pain in their pleasure, giving or receiving, so if that makes you uncomfortable then I do not believe this book is for you. Utterly unpredictable, you will never see that reveal coming.

Is putting everything on the line worth the reward? Do the ends ever justify the means? What is true freedom — true strength. The maze symbolizes the walls we build in and around us and beating it is us taking them down.

Inspired by the Minotaur myth, this reimaging is wildly entertaining, surprisingly heart-jolting and colored by betrayal and desire for power. You can read it as its own entity, even if it is part of a duology, without any crazy cliffhanger.

As a lover of Greek Mythology this retelling/fantasy offshoot peaked my interest.

Dangerous maze, weird moving statues (still creeps me out after that Dr Who episode!), watery havoc and a horned Daemon for an ally, Sadare is in way over her head. Forced amnesia is making their task harder but they need each other if there is any kind of redemption.

There are many kinks illustrated through the book, so you're sure to find something that floats your own boat. One of my highlights has to be Pogli - pig-dog-lion chimera who steals the show! Daesra is less morally grey and more morally pitch dark but he does manage to gain some redemption. The reworked mythology really did take some brainwork to get around but I did enjoy the premise.

There are a smorgasbord of content/trigger warnings at the beginning of the book and I highly recommend you read them over before starting the book. I don't have too many triggers but I did find this a tad dark for me.

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. I didn’t feel invested in it and I just couldn’t get into it. I kept finding myself zoning out of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley, Zaffre and Bonnier Books UK for allowing me to read 'Exquisite Ruin' early.

As a huge fan of Greek Mythology, I love a good re-imagining of a classic story and AdriAnne May does a fantastic job of put her own creative twist on the Labyrinth and Minotaur tale.
The start of the book is fantastic with the readers having as little information as our FMC Sadare regarding where we are and what on earth is going on! Personally I love the confusion and lack of information, it draws me in instantly and drives my reading forward to discover the missing information. With Sadare suffering from memory loss and having to recover what she's forgotten throughout the text, I personally really enjoyed learning at the same slow pace she did - it was an excellent way of creating continuous tension.
Speaking of continuous tension, the building tension between Sadare and Daesra (our hostile and dangerous MMC) was superb from beginning to end. The animosity between the pair from the opening chapter was intoxicating. A perfect enemies to lovers tale amplified by the forced proximity.
Both characters must not only survive the maze but also their pasts. Can they confront and forgive previous betrayals whilst also healing from old wounds? It's not the dangers of the maze that poses the biggest threat, it's the dangers of the heart.

DNF at 55%

I've been reading this book for 5 days now, and I'm only just half way through. Sadly, this where we'll part ways, as I cannot bear to continue any further.

This story simply isn't for me. The constant conversations in the maze with weird increments of info dumping just didn't hold my interest. I found myself zoning out, not caring about the characters or their fate, not interested in the moments of self inflicted pain for the sake of power either.

The choice to have the main character lose her memories and basically experience sex-related flashbacks was also a little baffling. There is not much substance outside of this, romance wise, and the characters are constantly sabotaging each other, so yet another let down.

Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy of the book.

I wanted to like this book but I feel like I was missold or didn't understand the blurb properly because I thought Daesra was going to be a demon (like humanoid) not the minotaur. Personally, I hate monster romances- they give me the ick and I just couldn't get this out of my head.

Greek mythology retelling, Minotaur retelling, checklist, sorry content warning list as long as my arm sold.

This book was a rollercoaster from start to finish. I loved the style of writing and that we were as confused and lost as Sadare is as she finds her way and her memories.

The passion and push and pull between the Sadare and Daesra was pure spice but also had depth and both were complicated characters. I could get enough of them. And that ending well what can I say …. Not much because you need to read for yourself.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc

"Then I swear. I swear to live."

Thankyou Netgalley, @zaffre and @bonnierbooksuk for the arc!

Exquisite Ruin by @adriannemaystrickland
Releases: 25 March 2025

Summary:
In this deadly maze, the most dangerous thing may be the passion between them.

Sadaré wakes in a labyrinth, remembering nothing except that she is a powerful sorceress. Her only companion is a hostile immortal named Daesra—beautiful, dangerous, and demonic—who bound his divine soul for power and revenge.

Despite their animosity, the two have no choice but to work together to reach the center and defeat the monster who prevents their escape. But the longer they wander, the more deadly and alive the maze becomes—and the more Sadaré finds herself drawn to Daesra in ways she can't explain.

As sorceress and demon develop a tenuous truce, the labyrinth gives Sadaré glimpses of their shared history of passion and pain that make her question everything she knows. Unlocking the secrets of her past may be the only way to survive and heal their entwined fates—but as she learns more about the betrayals that brought them to the labyrinth, Sadaré begins to fear that the monster at the center could be Daesra ... or even herself.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am speechless!
Exquisite Ruin was a fun ride, that's for sure, forward and always down.

I requested this book purely for the deadly maze and the amnesia but you can expect so so much more!

Enemies to lovers but they were lovers first
Forced proximity
Betrayal
Who hurt you
Minotaur retelling
Witches
Spiteful gods
Morally grey MCs

I loved every second of this!
The impending doom, the deadly maze, the yearning! Perfect

The characters of Sadaré and Daesra were interesting, the memory loss, the lies, the questions, gods the questions!

I felt as if I was Sadaré, learning of her past at the same painfully slow pace that she did, and I loved it all the more.

The sheer emotions throughout the whole of the story made me laugh, cry, and screech!

The side characters again take my heart - Pogli and Deos - LOVE!

I wouldn't have seen that twist coming and mile away if you gave me a crystal ball!
I was gagged - much like Sadaré - and left reeling, it's so creative! I promise you, you will not guess what happens!

I love the greek mythology vibes - the maze and it's minotaur. It takes fantasy back to its YA roots, and adds a bit of spice to its bones.

It's quite spicy, with explicit scenes and pain kinks: both giving and receiving.
It's not present all the way through, but when it's there, it's heavy.

First of all, many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book.

The premise of this book really showed excellent potential — a mysterious labyrinth, trials, with a daemon and human witch trapped inside. I loved the Minotaur myth retelling concept, but ultimately it lost me somewhere along the way.

The writing felt clunky and the plot was slow and repetitive. Admittedly it picked up at around the 60% mark but it was too much of “too little too late”, by which point the only character I really cared about was the animal companion, Pogli. The ending didn’t do much for me either.

The world-building and magic system was great, I loved the way the labyrinth shifted and changed along the way to confuse and challenge the main characters.

Unfortunately too much of this book was a slog for me.

Sadaré’s journey of self-discovery as she unlocks her past is compelling and heartbreaking. Daesra, the demonic immortal, is a perfect blend of dangerous and vulnerable. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic is top-notch, but it’s more than just that. It’s about healing old wounds, confronting betrayals, and surviving a maze that might just tear them apart. There’s a deep emotional undercurrent here that gets you in the gut. By the time the twists unfold, you’re fully invested in both their fates and trust me, it’s a rollercoaster of revelations that will keep you on edge. I can’t wait to see how their story continues.

An interesting twist on the mythology of the Labirynth and Minotaur.
The creative world building and imagery was captivating to read. There was a lot of attention to detail to being with, setting up the intrigue of the story. The mystery was compelling and more questions continued to emerge.
The pace quickened as the plot progressed and the spice was definitely satisfying and worth the wait. As the dangerous tension builds you become more and more invested in the high stakes nature of story.

Unfortunately this just wasn't for me,I couldn't really connect with the characters and at times felt a little confused with what was going on. I loved the premise of the storyline it's just such a shame that it didn't work out for me.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley