Review: "Shame" by Rachel Van Dyken

"Shame always comes."

Shame is the third book and fourth release in the Ruin series by bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken. If you've read my reviews for the three previous books, you'll know how much of a fan I am of the series and that I've been anxiously waiting for the release of this fourth one ever since the release date was announced. I was so excited I finally had the book that I broke my no-starting-a-new-book-in-the-wee-hours-of-the-morning rule. Once I started, there was no putting my e-reader down. ♥

A bit of a preview of what female lead character Lisa faces in this installment is provided in the novella Fearless and while she's always been a part of the lives of the other characters in the series, finally learning her whole story and what led her to make the drastic changes that she did was both satisfying and heartbreaking. Satisfying because her story is actually one filled with such pain and torment yet shines with hope and redemption. Heartbreaking because this book marks the end of a series I love. *sniffle*

"You don't know my pain. You don't know my story."

Melanie Faye looked like she had it all but under that façade, she was a puppet being manipulated by someone she loved and trusted--her boyfriend, Taylor. After witnessing him committing suicide, Mel walks away from everything she knows and joins her best friend, Gabe Hyde, when she goes to college. She changes her name to Lisa but the past always has a way of catching up with you, especially when  you don't expect it to come in the form of the first person you've felt something for in a long time.

"The madness she created in me stirred parts of my soul that I hadn't even known existed until now."

Tristan Blake looked like he had it all but there was a lot about the new Psychology professor that his students didn't know. He's come to the University of Washington for one specific reason--Lisa. He's bent on revenge but the more he sees and spends time with her, the more he realizes that she's not the person he's been led to believe she is. His feelings for her grow but he refuses to tell her certain secrets about himself, thinking once she learns them, she'll hate him forever.

Shame had this wonderful mix of romance and suspense, what with the teacher-student love affair and the secrecy swirling between Lisa and Tristan plus the faceless stalker bent on destroying Lisa. There are a couple of twists in the story, one I figured out right away (ah, the benefits of having a naturally suspicious nature) and the other I wondered about on and off throughout the story but was satisfyingly thrown by how it was revealed. As a reader, I like being surprised in one form or another and I certainly got that here.

The cast of characters in the story, both the lead and new supporting players, were certainly far from perfect but either had redeeming qualities or something about their bad behavior that had you feeling something more than the expected animosity towards them. The actions of both the manipulator and the manipulated were such that self-control was stripped away from them, leading you to feel sorry for them and the lots they were cast.

"...if there weren't tears, if there wasn't fighting, then do you really deserve to feel satisfied and happy?"

I loved that Wes and Kiersten Michels and Gabe and Saylor Hyde were in the story and that Wes and Gabe played integral roles. Their own stories were special and the fact that these guys were still very much around, even after getting married and settling down (okay, I'm not really sure Gabe will ever "settle down"), they would always be there for Lisa (whose last name is still MIA but I did see that her initials were "LC"...or is her last name "Faye"?). Wes knowing Tristan threw me for a loop but then Wes just seems to know everyone. Hahaha. 

Like I mentioned earlier, this book is supposed to signal the end of the Ruin series and, as a fan and reader, I was happy and content with how everything ended. Will I miss these characters? Most definitely. Do I wish there were more? Yes, but I'm also the kind of person that can appreciate something ending on a high rather than being unnecessarily dragged out. Ruin told the stories that needed to be told and in a way that will make them unforgettable, so what more can someone like me ask for? ^.^

I sincerely hope that those of you out there who have yet to read the books will venture forth and buy yourselves copies of each one. ^.^ The books will be well worth your time and with me giving Shame 4.5 stars, this series doesn't just fall into my "All-Time Favorites" list but also my "All-Time Best". ♥

Date read: 08 October 2014

Check out my reviews for the other books in the Ruin series:

1 Ruin - 4.5 stars

2 Toxic - 5 stars

2.5 Fearless - 4.5 stars

Learn more about the gifted Rachel Van Dyken here.

You can buy Shame and Ms. Van Dyken's other books on Amazon | Barnes & Noble.