Early Review: The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson (ARC)

Title: The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2)
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company (Macmillan)
Release Date: July 7, 2015
Acquired Via: Around the World ARC Tours
Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny.

My Review

You can read my review of The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1) HERE and Kayla's review HERE.

I was worried I wouldn't like The Heart of Betrayal because one of the reasons I loved the first book, The Kiss of Deception, was that I never knew who the prince and assassin really were. I loved the guessing game and the intrigue, but I did wish for a little bit more of fantasy. This is a completely different book, but I think I may have liked it even more. There's much more world-building, and there's a lot more magic involved.

Top Ten Tuesday: New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2014

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2014


1. Meljean Brook
Author of the Iron Seas series
Meljean Brook is now in my top favorite authors. Her Iron Seas series is one of the best steampunk series I have ever read. I am kicking myself for waiting until this year to try out her writing.



2. Jenn Bennett
Author of the Arcadia Bell series
Jenn Bennett is another author I am kicking myself for not reading before this year. Let's just go ahead and assume that if an author had a book out before this year, I should have read it way before this year. Bennett's Arcadia Bell series is one of my favorite urban fantasy/paranormal romance series. You can read my review of Binding the Shadows (Arcadia Bell #3) HERE.

Waiting on Wednesday (81): The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

THERE ARE SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE KISS OF DECEPTION!



Title: The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2)
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (Macmillan)
Release Date: July 7, 2015
Intrigue abounds in this hotly anticipated sequel to The Kiss of Deception!

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny.


Look at that gorgeous cover! It is soooo much better than The Kiss of Deception. Kayla and I both loved The Kiss of Deception, so we're both excited about the sequel and its awesome cover. You can read Kayla's review here and mine here.

What are you waiting on this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I've Only Read One Book From But Need to Read More

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Authors I've Only Read One Book From But Need to Read More


1. Sarah Beth Durst
I read and loved The Lost earlier this year. It was such a great novel of magical realism. You can read my review HERE. I have a few of her other books on my TBR and I'm scheduled to review her upcoming Chasing Power next month. You can read Kayla's review of Conjured HERE.



2. Sarah Ockler
I listened to and enjoyed The Book of Broken Hearts earlier this year. It was an awesome YA book, especially since it had an Argentinian protagonist and Puerto Rican love interest. I have both Twenty Boy Summer and Bittersweet on my TBR.

Review: The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

Title: The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1)
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co. (Macmillan)
Acquired Via: Publisher
Release Date: July 8, 2014
In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

The Kiss of Deception is the first book in Mary E. Pearson's Remnant Chronicles.

My Review

You can read Kayla's review of the book HERE.

When I first saw the cover to The Kiss of Deception with the girl in the dress and the title of the series being The Remnant Chronicles, I thought YA paranormal romance with zombies - WRONG. Maybe I should have read the synopsis before deciding not to read it. Thank goodness Kayla sent me her ARC without knowing my silly judging a book by its cover prejudices, because I loved it. I did like the ARC plainer cover better with the series name being the Morrighan Chornicles. By the way, there is romance, but it is part post-apocalyptic, part adventure fantasy, and has a little bit of magic thrown in.

Review: The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

Title: The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1)
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co. (Macmillan)
Acquired Via: Publisher
Release Date: July 8, 2014
In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

The Kiss of Deception is the first book in Mary E. Pearson's Remnant Chronicles.

My Review

You can read Amber's review of the book HERE.

The Kiss of Deception is a YA epic fantasy by Mary E. Pearson with a strong heroine and a great journey story. Princess Arabella Celestine Idris Jezelia, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan (and main character of the book) chooses her own life as just "Lia" than the one planned out for her.

The Kiss of Deception reminds me of Robin McKinley's The Blue Sword more than any other book that I have ever read. Lia is like Harry Crewe in that she does not allow her situation to overwhelm her and does what is necessary for herself and her people. I rooted for her throughout the novel, even though I did not agree with some of her choices.