City of Ruin

Ruined Lands, Book 1

By: Lindsey Pogue

Narrated by: Neill Thorne, Rebecca Woods

The Collector is coming to claim what he’s owed.

Centuries ago, the skies turned black, and for 300 years, Londoners survived in the dank, underground tunnels of the city. Until one day, a stranger from a faraway land offered to save them. Though it wasn’t without cost...and he has come to collect.

When Selene is taken to Master Blackburn’s infamous estate, she fears she and the orphans she’s sworn to protect will meet a gruesome end, like so many others before them. But the beastly landowner is not all there is to fear, and Selene soon learns nothing in Briarwood is as it seems.

Travel beyond the City of Ruin, through the secret passageways and haunted woods, to a land shrouded in secrets in this atmospheric retelling of Jane Eyre and Beauty and the Beast.

This is the first book in the richly imagined Ruined Lands, a collection of historical fantasy and dystopian fairy tale retellings. It is a Forgotten Lands sister series.

©2022 Lindsey Pogue (P)2022 Podium Audio

Great book!

This was a really good book. Very interesting I don’t think I’ve read a book like this before.

The storyline and plot was good. The characters were good the apocalyptic dystopian type of place this is set in was different in a good way.

As for the narration, it was very good by both narrators.

I loved the narrators

I have read these books in order and have listened to them in reverse order. They can be read as stand alone books but the true humor and intrigue comes from reading them as a collection.

great story. loved every second of it.

I couldn't stop listening. great story line and great lovable characters. has enough romance and some action. left me wanting more.

Unique twist on two classic stories

Not quite steampunk, not fully dystopian, but somewhere in between.

Reader warnings: There is a lot of abuse alluded to - physical and sexual. There is violence and blood, though not wholly graphic.

The story is a dark mixture between 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Jane Eyre'. It was uniquely done, but still had enough of both of the classic stories and this new world to keep the reader invested. It is predictable, but not annoying in its predictability.

I look forward to the next book. This first book stands on its own. The next book is supposed to continue in the same world with new characters.

A heart wrenching yet enchanting romance!

This book was a gift from a friend on TikTok, and when I saw it was a Gothic Dystopian/Romance, as an atmospheric retelling of Jane Eyre and Beauty & the Beast I was THRILLED!!! Genres I love, and two of my favorite classics, what could be better?!

Well it was even better than I imagined! Rich and lush characters and world building, an engrossing plot and very hard to put down. My emotions went through the gamut, as I fell in love with these enchanting characters, with their hard lives and unhappy backgrounds. Seeing their character growth was emotional and endearing!

I’m so happy to have received this and it is definitely going on my shelf of favorites!!

Two AMAZING narrators brought this amazing story to life!!!