Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Pea
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Square Fish (2015), Edition: Reprint, 489 pages
Description
Fantasy. Science Fiction & Fantasy. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML:In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Liaâ??s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sightâ??but she doesnâ??tâ??and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdomâ??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 arriveâ??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 secretsâ??even as she finds herself falling in love. The Kiss of Deception is the first audiobook in Mary E. Pearson'… (more)
Original publication date
2014-06-18
Similar in this library
User reviews
LibraryThing member beverlyjean
Sometimes being a princess isn’t as great as one would think, especially if you’re the First Daughter of the House of Morrighan. Just ask seventeen-year-old Arabella Celestine Idris Jezella, who prefers to be called plain old Lia, her opinion of being a princess. She may surprise you.
In Author
THE KISS OF DECEPTIION is a story of princes and princesses, friends and assassins, treachery and trust, romance and death. Told from alternating points of view, the reader sees inside not only Lia’s mind, but Kaden’s, Rafe’s, and others as well. I’ve read all of Mary E. Pearson’s books and was so excited to get to read this one. She has written another winner. And the good thing is this is book #1 in a trilogy. Yay. So pick up a copy and enter Lia’s world of tender moments, violence, love and loss.
Net Galley and Henry Holt provided me with an e book ARC of this novel for my honest review.
In Author
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Mary E. Pearson’s latest YA novel, THE KISS OF DECEPTION, Lia is not your typical princess. She’s about to be married to a prince she’s never met and instead of obeying her father like a good little princess she runs away. Why? It’s not a marriage of love like most young women dream of, but a marriage of convenience to secure an alliance between two kingdoms, and she wants no part of it. Her attendant and friend, Pauline, goes with her. Lia thinks she has troubles at home, but as she starts a new life she soon discovers her troubles are just beginning. Who are Kaden and Rafe, two handsome men she meets at her new job? Neither is who he claims to be. That’s all I’m saying because I don’t want to give anything away. Lia has a lot to learn, however.THE KISS OF DECEPTIION is a story of princes and princesses, friends and assassins, treachery and trust, romance and death. Told from alternating points of view, the reader sees inside not only Lia’s mind, but Kaden’s, Rafe’s, and others as well. I’ve read all of Mary E. Pearson’s books and was so excited to get to read this one. She has written another winner. And the good thing is this is book #1 in a trilogy. Yay. So pick up a copy and enter Lia’s world of tender moments, violence, love and loss.
Net Galley and Henry Holt provided me with an e book ARC of this novel for my honest review.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
I got a copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program. This was a wonderful high fantasy novel, full of adventure and intrigue.
Princess Lia is a First Daughter, her whole life it laid out for her. She is supposed to have the Sight, but doesn’t. However, her father has still
I really enjoyed this high fantasy young adult novel by Pearson. It starts out a bit slow, but things really pick up as the story continues. There is intrigue, romance, and plenty of adventure too. I was surprised by how completely drawn in I was by the story and I really enjoyed all of the characters as well.
This story starts out as a somewhat typical princess novel...basically a princess flees an arranged marriage only to meet the man she was destined to marry in different surroundings, but she doesn’t know it because he is in disguise.
The story switches between Lia, the assassin, and the prince. It rotates between the three for most of the book. Then towards the end of the book we hear from Lia more often.
All of the characters are very engaging. Lia is determined to live her own life, but at first she doesn’t realize what that will cost the people of her kingdom. She is headstrong and intelligent, but at bit naive about the bigger picture. I enjoyed watching her adjust to “peasant” life and enjoyed watching her finally step up and take responsibility for her actions. As the book progresses she finally starts to see that she can do a lot of what she wants to with her life as a First Daughter and even make a lot more difference.
The two male leads are also very well done. For a while it is a bit confusing which character is the prince and which is the assassin, they both use false names in front of Lia. It is written in such a way that who is who is supposed to be something of a surprise at the end.
The side characters are all decently done too, they have depth and were engaging all on their own.
I enjoyed the writing style and found the story very engaging. The book ends on a cliffhanger, but I didn’t mind so much in this case. It ended at a good spot where the reader is kind of leaving one part of the story and transitioning into another.
Overall this was a wonderful read. The story is full of adventure, intrigue and romance. The book is very well written and very engaging. The story started a little bit slow, but quickly turned into a story full of twists and turns, intrigue and deceit. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. Definitely recommended to fans of fantasy with adventure, intrigue and romance.
Princess Lia is a First Daughter, her whole life it laid out for her. She is supposed to have the Sight, but doesn’t. However, her father has still
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arranged a marriage to a neighboring Prince for her. The morning of her wedding Lia flees along with her best friend. She settles into life in her best friend’s home town working at an inn, when two intriguing strangers enter her life. She becomes friends with both and is especially drawn to one of them. Little does she know one of these strangers is the assassin sent to kill her and the other is the very prince that she was supposed to marry.I really enjoyed this high fantasy young adult novel by Pearson. It starts out a bit slow, but things really pick up as the story continues. There is intrigue, romance, and plenty of adventure too. I was surprised by how completely drawn in I was by the story and I really enjoyed all of the characters as well.
This story starts out as a somewhat typical princess novel...basically a princess flees an arranged marriage only to meet the man she was destined to marry in different surroundings, but she doesn’t know it because he is in disguise.
The story switches between Lia, the assassin, and the prince. It rotates between the three for most of the book. Then towards the end of the book we hear from Lia more often.
All of the characters are very engaging. Lia is determined to live her own life, but at first she doesn’t realize what that will cost the people of her kingdom. She is headstrong and intelligent, but at bit naive about the bigger picture. I enjoyed watching her adjust to “peasant” life and enjoyed watching her finally step up and take responsibility for her actions. As the book progresses she finally starts to see that she can do a lot of what she wants to with her life as a First Daughter and even make a lot more difference.
The two male leads are also very well done. For a while it is a bit confusing which character is the prince and which is the assassin, they both use false names in front of Lia. It is written in such a way that who is who is supposed to be something of a surprise at the end.
The side characters are all decently done too, they have depth and were engaging all on their own.
I enjoyed the writing style and found the story very engaging. The book ends on a cliffhanger, but I didn’t mind so much in this case. It ended at a good spot where the reader is kind of leaving one part of the story and transitioning into another.
Overall this was a wonderful read. The story is full of adventure, intrigue and romance. The book is very well written and very engaging. The story started a little bit slow, but quickly turned into a story full of twists and turns, intrigue and deceit. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. Definitely recommended to fans of fantasy with adventure, intrigue and romance.
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LibraryThing member azprettygrl
An advance copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson is a well written story filled with love, friendship, and adventure. Lia is one badass heroine that shows the potential to become even more fierce as the series continues. I love
In this first book, Pearson does a wonderful job of introducing a new world steeped in traditions, magic, and kingdoms at war. Her characters are engaging and relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed Lia’s progression and growth as she struggles with duty and love. I should warn this does contain a love triangle of sorts. Also it does start out a bit on the slow side, but I think that was due mostly to the world building that takes place at the beginning of the series.
Overall this high fantasy is a thrilling read with a feisty and strong female protagonist. I would have like to see less switching of the POVs, it was bit confusing until I figure out who was who. All in all a fairly easy read though, and a great way to spend a summer afternoon. I can’t wait for the next book to find out what will happen to Lia.
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson is a well written story filled with love, friendship, and adventure. Lia is one badass heroine that shows the potential to become even more fierce as the series continues. I love
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Game of Thrones and Daenerys Targaryen is one of my favorite characters from that series. I see remnants of her character in Lia. I can’t wait to see the woman she will become in the future installments The Remnant Chronicles series.In this first book, Pearson does a wonderful job of introducing a new world steeped in traditions, magic, and kingdoms at war. Her characters are engaging and relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed Lia’s progression and growth as she struggles with duty and love. I should warn this does contain a love triangle of sorts. Also it does start out a bit on the slow side, but I think that was due mostly to the world building that takes place at the beginning of the series.
Overall this high fantasy is a thrilling read with a feisty and strong female protagonist. I would have like to see less switching of the POVs, it was bit confusing until I figure out who was who. All in all a fairly easy read though, and a great way to spend a summer afternoon. I can’t wait for the next book to find out what will happen to Lia.
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LibraryThing member dpappas
"There's no turning back. The choice was made for me," I answered. "From this moment on, this is the destiny that I'll have to live with, for better or worse."
This book follows Princess Lia (her full name is long so I'll just use Lia, the name she likes to be called), whose parents have arranged a
The first few chapters that were from Lia's point-of-view were very slow and boring to me. At first Lia just wasn't an interesting character to me but the more I read from her perspective the more I grew to like her and become interested in reading about her.
I really loved reading the parts that were from the point-of-view of the prince and the assassin. They seemed to have more depth than Lia and I would have liked for their parts to have been longer than they were. There was a sort of reveal concerning them and their identities and I have to say that I spent a while thinking one thing about who was who and now I don't know if I was just stupid or if the reader is meant to think what I thought.
I really like where the story has progressed to and am interested in learning more about the books that Lia has. I really look forward to reading more of this series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the galley.
This book follows Princess Lia (her full name is long so I'll just use Lia, the name she likes to be called), whose parents have arranged a
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marriage between her and a prince from Dalbreck, to try and secure an alliance between the two kingdoms. Unfortunately for Lia she does not want to marry a prince that she has never met, so she runs away. While on the run she meets two men, the prince she was to marry and an assassin sent to kill her, but she has no clue as to their true identities.The first few chapters that were from Lia's point-of-view were very slow and boring to me. At first Lia just wasn't an interesting character to me but the more I read from her perspective the more I grew to like her and become interested in reading about her.
I really loved reading the parts that were from the point-of-view of the prince and the assassin. They seemed to have more depth than Lia and I would have liked for their parts to have been longer than they were. There was a sort of reveal concerning them and their identities and I have to say that I spent a while thinking one thing about who was who and now I don't know if I was just stupid or if the reader is meant to think what I thought.
I really like where the story has progressed to and am interested in learning more about the books that Lia has. I really look forward to reading more of this series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the galley.
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LibraryThing member Mommy.Reads.What
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Wow. This book was so much more than I expected! I hate that I have to wait so long until the next installment!
I liked Lia's character so much more than I expected. She is not your typical princess. I liked that
I LOVED the mystery aspect of the book. I went back and forth trying to figure out who was the prince and who was the assassin. I would think I had it figured out only to be left second guessing myself. Over and over again I did that! I haven't seen that done before, at least not the way this was done. It still through me for a loop when everything came out! I have to admit though I liked both the Prince and the Assassin... But maybe it is because for the first half of the book I didn't know who was who!
Looking forward to see what else is in store for Lia!
Wow. This book was so much more than I expected! I hate that I have to wait so long until the next installment!
I liked Lia's character so much more than I expected. She is not your typical princess. I liked that
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once she made up her mind she stuck with it. No matter how difficult the journey could be. She took charge of her life. I LOVED the mystery aspect of the book. I went back and forth trying to figure out who was the prince and who was the assassin. I would think I had it figured out only to be left second guessing myself. Over and over again I did that! I haven't seen that done before, at least not the way this was done. It still through me for a loop when everything came out! I have to admit though I liked both the Prince and the Assassin... But maybe it is because for the first half of the book I didn't know who was who!
Looking forward to see what else is in store for Lia!
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LibraryThing member LoriHopkins
I received an ARC of this novel from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
OMG! Where to start? It has been over a week since I finished this book, and I am still reeling from it. That doesn't happen to me very often, I admit, so that is saying something about how good it really was. I don't
Pre-order it, buy it, whatever, but make sure you get this book!
OMG! Where to start? It has been over a week since I finished this book, and I am still reeling from it. That doesn't happen to me very often, I admit, so that is saying something about how good it really was. I don't
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give descriptive reviews, in part because I don't want to give anything away. I, myself, may read someone else's review, but unless it has a bad rating, I usually go on my own instinct about a book. THIS IS A BOOK YOU COULD NOT GO WRONG WITH!!!Pre-order it, buy it, whatever, but make sure you get this book!
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LibraryThing member Aubreyisnthere
An advance copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Lia is a 17 y/o princess destined to marry a prince she does not know but the strong willed and defiant princess won’t be having any of that. Now she’s running away from everything she’s ever known with her best
While still meeting some interesting and loveable (and not so loveable) characters Lia stays low key because not only is her father looking for her but so is the prince she ran away from and a talented assassin with a mission to slit her throat.
This is a page turning YA fantasy novel with war, magical powers, spying, secrets and a love triangle.
There’s no diversity in this book and it took me a few chapters to get into but after that I was hooked. It’s fast paced and I couldn’t put it down.
Mary E. Pearson wrote descriptively without bogging down the story with description. Thoroughly entertaining, I enjoyed this book very much and would definitely recommend it to YA enthusiasts. Looking forward to the 2nd book in this series.
Lia is a 17 y/o princess destined to marry a prince she does not know but the strong willed and defiant princess won’t be having any of that. Now she’s running away from everything she’s ever known with her best
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friend to a place she hopes to call home and maybe for once enjoy a normal life. While still meeting some interesting and loveable (and not so loveable) characters Lia stays low key because not only is her father looking for her but so is the prince she ran away from and a talented assassin with a mission to slit her throat.
This is a page turning YA fantasy novel with war, magical powers, spying, secrets and a love triangle.
There’s no diversity in this book and it took me a few chapters to get into but after that I was hooked. It’s fast paced and I couldn’t put it down.
Mary E. Pearson wrote descriptively without bogging down the story with description. Thoroughly entertaining, I enjoyed this book very much and would definitely recommend it to YA enthusiasts. Looking forward to the 2nd book in this series.
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LibraryThing member Brainannex
I wanted to like this book more than I did because I love a lot of her earlier work but this wasn't one of my favorites. It had a lot of potential that just didn't get actualized.
LibraryThing member lrhubble
Historical, Fantasy, Young Adult
Princess Lia lives a life in a society steeped in tradition and one that follows a preordained course. She is a First Daughter and expected to have the revered gift of sight. Though she doesn’t have it and she knows her parents have perpetrated a sham especially
The morning of her wedding Lia flees to a distant village. She finds a new life and becomes hopeful when two handsome and mysterious strangers arrive. What she doesn’t know is that one is the jilted prince and the other is an assassin sent to kill her. Lia is on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets even as deception abounds and she finds herself falling in love.
This is story that draws readers in with the mystery that is woven through the romance. It will keep readers turning the pages to find out what will happen next. The story comes to life for the reader with the vivid picture that is painted with every word that is read. The reader will find themselves getting lost in Lia’s world and wondering how things will work out. This is the first book in a series so while some of the questions are answered it does leave a cliff hanger at the end and the overall plot is not resolved in this book. So while there are still many questions that need to be answered it is still a great story that will have readers eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
Princess Lia lives a life in a society steeped in tradition and one that follows a preordained course. She is a First Daughter and expected to have the revered gift of sight. Though she doesn’t have it and she knows her parents have perpetrated a sham especially
Show More
when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom. Also to a prince she has never met.The morning of her wedding Lia flees to a distant village. She finds a new life and becomes hopeful when two handsome and mysterious strangers arrive. What she doesn’t know is that one is the jilted prince and the other is an assassin sent to kill her. Lia is on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets even as deception abounds and she finds herself falling in love.
This is story that draws readers in with the mystery that is woven through the romance. It will keep readers turning the pages to find out what will happen next. The story comes to life for the reader with the vivid picture that is painted with every word that is read. The reader will find themselves getting lost in Lia’s world and wondering how things will work out. This is the first book in a series so while some of the questions are answered it does leave a cliff hanger at the end and the overall plot is not resolved in this book. So while there are still many questions that need to be answered it is still a great story that will have readers eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
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LibraryThing member TheLostEntwife
Right off the bat, let me say this: THE KISS OF DECEPTION almost got a 2-star rating from me. I thought, until about 3/4ths of the way through, that it was predictable, sappy, and eye-roll worthy. Then something happened that knocked it up a star rating. Still, for a book that's been raved about by
Read the rest of this book at The Lost Entwife on July 17, 2014.
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people I really trust, THE KISS OF DECEPTION had a lot of flaws and quite a few holes in it.Read the rest of this book at The Lost Entwife on July 17, 2014.
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LibraryThing member cay250
Predictable, still a good read.
LibraryThing member STACYatUFI
Lia wants nothing to do with her planned marriage. Instead of walking down the isle she flees in her wedding attire with her best friend for a distant village and a new life. Little does she know that her intended followed her to her new life, he's hiding in plain site, and just might have stolen
THE KISS OF DECEPTION was so much more than I was expecting. Although it is told in more than one POV at times, you mainly follow Princess Lia. Lia is determined to live her life the way she wants instead of being her fathers pawn. She does a really good job of taking care of herself and her friend as they journey to freedom from her old life. I found her to be down to earth and in no way stuffy like you would expect a princess to be.
There is a bit of a love triangle going on in THE KISS OF DECEPTION. We have the Prince who wants to meet the bride who didn't want him. He does not tell Lia who he is and although he wants to hate her, she is nothing like he expected and he finds himself being drawn to her instead. Then we have the Assassin who was sent to kill her. He also doesn't in any way reveal who he is, finds out she is nothing like he expected and then finds himself hesitating when he has the chance to kill her like he was supposed to. The triangle and romance is done well and I didn't find myself annoyed with it one bit.
THE KISS OF DECEPTION is 489 pages long and a LOT happens in between those pages and it's only the beginning of the story. I found the pace quick and the reading smooth. I was really able to connect with not only Lia but with the Prince, Assassin and best friend as well. I couldn't seem to put the book down and by the end I was completely and utterly exhausted (in a good way). Any fantasy fan should jump aboard The Remnant Chronicles express.
* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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her heart along the way. THE KISS OF DECEPTION was so much more than I was expecting. Although it is told in more than one POV at times, you mainly follow Princess Lia. Lia is determined to live her life the way she wants instead of being her fathers pawn. She does a really good job of taking care of herself and her friend as they journey to freedom from her old life. I found her to be down to earth and in no way stuffy like you would expect a princess to be.
There is a bit of a love triangle going on in THE KISS OF DECEPTION. We have the Prince who wants to meet the bride who didn't want him. He does not tell Lia who he is and although he wants to hate her, she is nothing like he expected and he finds himself being drawn to her instead. Then we have the Assassin who was sent to kill her. He also doesn't in any way reveal who he is, finds out she is nothing like he expected and then finds himself hesitating when he has the chance to kill her like he was supposed to. The triangle and romance is done well and I didn't find myself annoyed with it one bit.
THE KISS OF DECEPTION is 489 pages long and a LOT happens in between those pages and it's only the beginning of the story. I found the pace quick and the reading smooth. I was really able to connect with not only Lia but with the Prince, Assassin and best friend as well. I couldn't seem to put the book down and by the end I was completely and utterly exhausted (in a good way). Any fantasy fan should jump aboard The Remnant Chronicles express.
* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A breathtaking new series that will leave you speechless. This is hands down the best book I have read this year, and one of my all-time favorite high fantasy books ever.
Opening Sentence: Today was the day a thousand dreams would die and a single
The Review:
Princess Arabella Celestine Idris Jezelia, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan is about to marry a man she has never met. Her whole life she knew that she would never be able to marry for love, but now that the day has finally come for her to give up all of her dreams of a happily-ever-after, she decides that maybe she deserves more. So instead of marrying the prince from a neighboring kingdom she runs away. She flees to a distant village with only her maidservant and together they start a new life.
Not long after arriving in her new home, two mysterious strangers arrive that catch Lia’s interest. Finally, Lia has a chance at true happiness and there is a possibility she may find it with one of these strangers, but little does she know that neither of the men are there by chance. One is the Prince she promised to marry and left at the altar, and the other is an assassin from a neighboring kingdom sent to kill her!
Lia is a very passionate person that was extremely easy to love. Her smart mouth and snarky attitude made me instantly connect with her. She is basically starting her life over, so you get to experience so many firsts with her throughout the story which helped me grow to like her even more. Obviously she doesn’t like to be told what to do and there are times when she is stubborn beyond belief, but she is also a very caring and loyal person. She was a heroine I could admire, but at the same time she is not perfect. Her flaws make her easier to relate to, and her strengths make her easy to respect. I can’t wait to get back inside her head and see where her story goes!
There are obviously two amazing guys in the story, so yes, there is a love triangle, but it is done perfectly. Each boy has strengths and weaknesses that made it really hard not to cheer for both of them. The other great thing is that for a large portion of the story you don’t know for sure which one is the prince and which one is the assassin!
First off we have, Raff, a dark haired hottie with piercing blue eyes. He is a very confidant person and at times he was a little moody. But as the story progressed he became a very approachable and loveable character. He has an extremely hot and cold relationship with Lia. She is a surprise to him in so many ways and it made it hard for him to resist her. They have amazing chemistry and are very compatible. I loved Raff pretty much instantly and I think that as of right now I am cheering for him, but there is still a long way to go so it may change because I really love the other guy as well.
Kaden is the opposite of Raff, he has blond hair and brown eyes. Also, he is very reserved and at times comes across as shy. He has impeccable manners and can be very charming when he wants to be. I felt that his relationship with Lia developed much more slowly but it was still very intense. He always treats Lia with respect and does everything in his power to try and protect her which I found very endearing. So as you can see both of these guys are amazing and while at the moment one has captured my heart a little more than the other, it could very easily change!
The Kiss of Deception left me speechless! Everything about this book was beyond amazing. It is by far the best book I have read this year and quite possibility one of the best I have ever read! It was full of adventure, romance, emotion, and suspense. I’m not going to lie, when I saw the cover reveal for this book months ago, I fell madly in love with it and then I read the blurb. I pretty much pre-ordered the book right away and I am so glad I did because the story is just as beautiful as its cover! One of my favorite things about it was that there were some awesome plot twists that took me completely by surprise. I read a lot of books, so it is really rare for an author to surprise me but I always love it when they do. Another thing I loved about this book was the entire cast of secondary characters. While I adored all three of the main characters, I am just as interested in finding out more about all the other people in Lia’s life. I think they are going to play a much bigger role in the books to come which I am very excited about. The writing was phenomenal and while at times it was a little slower paced, it really worked with the story. I honestly couldn’t put this book down and ended up finishing it far too soon. I’m not going to lie, the ending was complete torture, but instead of leaving me frustrated like most cliffhangers do it just made me that much more excited to read the next book. Everything about this amazing story blew me away and it will forever be one of my favorites. I would highly recommend this to anyone that loves high fantasy or is just looking for an exceptional young adult read!
Notable Scene:
I turned and met his gaze, feeling the danger of it, the heat, but not willing to look away. I waited for him to speak. He took another step closer, the space between us closing to a mere few feet. He lifted his hand toward me, and I took a shaky step back but saw he was only holding my cap. “You dropped this.”
He held it out, steady, waiting for me to take it, bits of crushed leaves still clinging to its gauzy lace.
“Thank you,” I whispered, and reached out to take it from him, my fingertips rushing his, but he held it tight. His skin seared against the cool of mine. I looked into his eyes, questioning his grip, and for the first time I saw a chink in his armor, his usual steely expression softened by a crease between his brows, a moment of indecision washing over his face, and then an ever so slight rise in his chest—a deeper breath, as if I’d caught him off guard.
“I have it,” I said. “You can let go.”
He released his grip, bid me a hasty good night, then abruptly turned and disappeared down the path.
FTC Advisory: Henry Holt and Co./Macmillan provided me with a copy of The Kiss of Deception. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A breathtaking new series that will leave you speechless. This is hands down the best book I have read this year, and one of my all-time favorite high fantasy books ever.
Opening Sentence: Today was the day a thousand dreams would die and a single
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dream would be born.The Review:
Princess Arabella Celestine Idris Jezelia, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan is about to marry a man she has never met. Her whole life she knew that she would never be able to marry for love, but now that the day has finally come for her to give up all of her dreams of a happily-ever-after, she decides that maybe she deserves more. So instead of marrying the prince from a neighboring kingdom she runs away. She flees to a distant village with only her maidservant and together they start a new life.
Not long after arriving in her new home, two mysterious strangers arrive that catch Lia’s interest. Finally, Lia has a chance at true happiness and there is a possibility she may find it with one of these strangers, but little does she know that neither of the men are there by chance. One is the Prince she promised to marry and left at the altar, and the other is an assassin from a neighboring kingdom sent to kill her!
Lia is a very passionate person that was extremely easy to love. Her smart mouth and snarky attitude made me instantly connect with her. She is basically starting her life over, so you get to experience so many firsts with her throughout the story which helped me grow to like her even more. Obviously she doesn’t like to be told what to do and there are times when she is stubborn beyond belief, but she is also a very caring and loyal person. She was a heroine I could admire, but at the same time she is not perfect. Her flaws make her easier to relate to, and her strengths make her easy to respect. I can’t wait to get back inside her head and see where her story goes!
There are obviously two amazing guys in the story, so yes, there is a love triangle, but it is done perfectly. Each boy has strengths and weaknesses that made it really hard not to cheer for both of them. The other great thing is that for a large portion of the story you don’t know for sure which one is the prince and which one is the assassin!
First off we have, Raff, a dark haired hottie with piercing blue eyes. He is a very confidant person and at times he was a little moody. But as the story progressed he became a very approachable and loveable character. He has an extremely hot and cold relationship with Lia. She is a surprise to him in so many ways and it made it hard for him to resist her. They have amazing chemistry and are very compatible. I loved Raff pretty much instantly and I think that as of right now I am cheering for him, but there is still a long way to go so it may change because I really love the other guy as well.
Kaden is the opposite of Raff, he has blond hair and brown eyes. Also, he is very reserved and at times comes across as shy. He has impeccable manners and can be very charming when he wants to be. I felt that his relationship with Lia developed much more slowly but it was still very intense. He always treats Lia with respect and does everything in his power to try and protect her which I found very endearing. So as you can see both of these guys are amazing and while at the moment one has captured my heart a little more than the other, it could very easily change!
The Kiss of Deception left me speechless! Everything about this book was beyond amazing. It is by far the best book I have read this year and quite possibility one of the best I have ever read! It was full of adventure, romance, emotion, and suspense. I’m not going to lie, when I saw the cover reveal for this book months ago, I fell madly in love with it and then I read the blurb. I pretty much pre-ordered the book right away and I am so glad I did because the story is just as beautiful as its cover! One of my favorite things about it was that there were some awesome plot twists that took me completely by surprise. I read a lot of books, so it is really rare for an author to surprise me but I always love it when they do. Another thing I loved about this book was the entire cast of secondary characters. While I adored all three of the main characters, I am just as interested in finding out more about all the other people in Lia’s life. I think they are going to play a much bigger role in the books to come which I am very excited about. The writing was phenomenal and while at times it was a little slower paced, it really worked with the story. I honestly couldn’t put this book down and ended up finishing it far too soon. I’m not going to lie, the ending was complete torture, but instead of leaving me frustrated like most cliffhangers do it just made me that much more excited to read the next book. Everything about this amazing story blew me away and it will forever be one of my favorites. I would highly recommend this to anyone that loves high fantasy or is just looking for an exceptional young adult read!
Notable Scene:
I turned and met his gaze, feeling the danger of it, the heat, but not willing to look away. I waited for him to speak. He took another step closer, the space between us closing to a mere few feet. He lifted his hand toward me, and I took a shaky step back but saw he was only holding my cap. “You dropped this.”
He held it out, steady, waiting for me to take it, bits of crushed leaves still clinging to its gauzy lace.
“Thank you,” I whispered, and reached out to take it from him, my fingertips rushing his, but he held it tight. His skin seared against the cool of mine. I looked into his eyes, questioning his grip, and for the first time I saw a chink in his armor, his usual steely expression softened by a crease between his brows, a moment of indecision washing over his face, and then an ever so slight rise in his chest—a deeper breath, as if I’d caught him off guard.
“I have it,” I said. “You can let go.”
He released his grip, bid me a hasty good night, then abruptly turned and disappeared down the path.
FTC Advisory: Henry Holt and Co./Macmillan provided me with a copy of The Kiss of Deception. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member lyssa73
This book was nothing like I'd thought it'd be. From reading the synopsis, I thought, Okay. Standard, love story, girl of priviledge wanting to be free of that life, etc etc etc. Nothing new here, completely predictable, but I can accept that if the author can make me connect with at least one,
About a quarter of the way through, I was thinking, okay well things are progressing along as expecting. Yes it's predictable, but I wasn't thoroughly set on which one she'd choose. I mean, she seemed to have made her choice, but it didn't seem cemented. And what was better, it didn't seem like an easy no brainer for once! While the characters were all likeable enough, what I really connected with was the history of this world and their kingdoms. Typically, I'd get frustrated with a tiny morsel of backstory given here and there at the beginnings of random chapters, in the form of song or poem stanzas etc, like breadcrumbs leading hansel and gretel through the woods toward a big unveiling. I don't have much patience for that. But Ms. Pearson still managed to captivate me with the themes of hunger and magic and the eery nonsense from an unknown land. I happily read on.
About halfway though Ms. Pearson pulled the rug out from under me with a twist I never saw coming. I'm usually pretty good at suspecting these things, or maybe most other authors are just horrible at planting them. I don't know, but she got me. At first, I thought maybe these were typos. I did get an ARC, so maybe it was a mistake. But they just kept coming... how could this many be missed?! I had to accept the fact that I'd been fooled. I was so convinced that at some point, she said something that confirmed my beliefs and it had to be wrong. It had to be incomplete. How could I have been so thoroughly convinced of one thing and then HALFWAY THROUGH THE BOOK find out I had assumed wrong and everything I thought built on that?! I started reading backward, chapter by chapter until I was convinced that Ms. Pearson had Jedi-mind-tricked me, but that I had walked right into it. Oh, so well done. *roung of applause* I loved it. And the result suited my sensibilities better.
I read on and on and on and on. Despite the fact that I was sick, despite the fact that my head was pounding and I had class in the morning. I could not put. it. down.
There were a lot of profound statements in this book, mostly due to their simple truths, like: "It can take years to mold a dream. It takes only a fraction of second for it to be shattered."
I was really surprised that the love triangle seemed to grow and intensify as the book went on. It seemed that the choice should be obvious, why continue to develop an unrequited love? But Ms. Pearson did. And she continued to develop characters and make them make hard choices, she allowed them to grow and to change, naturally. All of the characters seem to have so many layers of depth, the lies and betrayal, I never get to the point where I can safely say I've got them figured out. I can't remember the last time I felt so invested in so many characters' story lines, and then, being a history lover like I am, I can't wait to unravel the mysteries and ancient stories of the people as a whole. It was such a kick to the gut to learn that the next book is not going to be released until 2015. oh, but I cannot wait!
Up until the first half I had intended to give this book 4 stars because it really held my attention and I enjoyed it. But the second half really sold me. This book gets 5 stars, a 10 out of 10 because it is one I will have to own for myself in physical format, so that I can read it again and again and again, each time, seeing things from a different point of view and learning more about their world and my own.
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preferably more, characters. Yes, my expectations were extremely low.About a quarter of the way through, I was thinking, okay well things are progressing along as expecting. Yes it's predictable, but I wasn't thoroughly set on which one she'd choose. I mean, she seemed to have made her choice, but it didn't seem cemented. And what was better, it didn't seem like an easy no brainer for once! While the characters were all likeable enough, what I really connected with was the history of this world and their kingdoms. Typically, I'd get frustrated with a tiny morsel of backstory given here and there at the beginnings of random chapters, in the form of song or poem stanzas etc, like breadcrumbs leading hansel and gretel through the woods toward a big unveiling. I don't have much patience for that. But Ms. Pearson still managed to captivate me with the themes of hunger and magic and the eery nonsense from an unknown land. I happily read on.
About halfway though Ms. Pearson pulled the rug out from under me with a twist I never saw coming. I'm usually pretty good at suspecting these things, or maybe most other authors are just horrible at planting them. I don't know, but she got me. At first, I thought maybe these were typos. I did get an ARC, so maybe it was a mistake. But they just kept coming... how could this many be missed?! I had to accept the fact that I'd been fooled. I was so convinced that at some point, she said something that confirmed my beliefs and it had to be wrong. It had to be incomplete. How could I have been so thoroughly convinced of one thing and then HALFWAY THROUGH THE BOOK find out I had assumed wrong and everything I thought built on that?! I started reading backward, chapter by chapter until I was convinced that Ms. Pearson had Jedi-mind-tricked me, but that I had walked right into it. Oh, so well done. *roung of applause* I loved it. And the result suited my sensibilities better.
I read on and on and on and on. Despite the fact that I was sick, despite the fact that my head was pounding and I had class in the morning. I could not put. it. down.
There were a lot of profound statements in this book, mostly due to their simple truths, like: "It can take years to mold a dream. It takes only a fraction of second for it to be shattered."
I was really surprised that the love triangle seemed to grow and intensify as the book went on. It seemed that the choice should be obvious, why continue to develop an unrequited love? But Ms. Pearson did. And she continued to develop characters and make them make hard choices, she allowed them to grow and to change, naturally. All of the characters seem to have so many layers of depth, the lies and betrayal, I never get to the point where I can safely say I've got them figured out. I can't remember the last time I felt so invested in so many characters' story lines, and then, being a history lover like I am, I can't wait to unravel the mysteries and ancient stories of the people as a whole. It was such a kick to the gut to learn that the next book is not going to be released until 2015. oh, but I cannot wait!
Up until the first half I had intended to give this book 4 stars because it really held my attention and I enjoyed it. But the second half really sold me. This book gets 5 stars, a 10 out of 10 because it is one I will have to own for myself in physical format, so that I can read it again and again and again, each time, seeing things from a different point of view and learning more about their world and my own.
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LibraryThing member Mirandalg14
Loved this! I really liked not knowing who was who for the romance interests and trying to match up the different identities and figure out who was who. For the first time ever I couldn't decide who I would rather have the MC end up with. They were both wonderful options. It was great not knowing
I've always enjoyed Mary Pearson, but this has got to her best one yet. I will be desperately waiting for book 2.
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which on was the prince because if I had known, it would have tipped the scale in his direction. The characters were well defined and relatable, and the setting was vivid without being overly descriptive.I've always enjoyed Mary Pearson, but this has got to her best one yet. I will be desperately waiting for book 2.
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LibraryThing member kayceel
Ah, love triangles. They are a stupid pain-in-the-ass.
here, a pretty-pretty princess runs away from her arranged marriage to live among the simple folk in a small village. There she meets two equally gorgeous but very different boys: one dark, one blond, one who is a prince, and one who is an
Both fall in love with her. Duh.
here, a pretty-pretty princess runs away from her arranged marriage to live among the simple folk in a small village. There she meets two equally gorgeous but very different boys: one dark, one blond, one who is a prince, and one who is an
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assassin.Both fall in love with her. Duh.
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LibraryThing member KittyKeith
loved this book! Princess Lia decides on her wedding day that she cannot marry a stranger. She runs away to a little town and starts a new life working in a tavern. She makes the change from Princess to tavern girl beautifully. Soon walks in both her jilted prince who simply wants to know a little
Chapters are from different points of view throughout the book so you are able to really get to know what each character is feeling and thinking. You will find yourself having to deal with a lot of feels because of this. But it helps so much with the story. I think it would have been a very boring book if we only heard from Lia. The only problem that I have with this book is that it ends on a cliffhanger and I need to know what happens next.
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more about the girl who had the courage to refuse to marry when he didn’t and an assassin out for her head. I will admit that I mixed the two of them up. I am not sure but at one point I realized that I somehow confused the two and even though I was lost for a bit in the end it all came together. I want to say the author did this on purpose to keep readers from making up their minds on who the wanted to like or hate (as in hating the assassin just because he is an assassin). Tricky Tricky! I was also not so sure how I was going to feel about the whole love triangle but it plays out nicely and it’s not really a love triangle anyway. She does find both to be good looking but she really only falls for one and nothing much comes from the other one. Chapters are from different points of view throughout the book so you are able to really get to know what each character is feeling and thinking. You will find yourself having to deal with a lot of feels because of this. But it helps so much with the story. I think it would have been a very boring book if we only heard from Lia. The only problem that I have with this book is that it ends on a cliffhanger and I need to know what happens next.
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LibraryThing member Leila.Khouane
1.5-2 STARS
halfway through this book and I was like: isn't this supposed to be a high fantasy novel? what is happening ? why is she still in that town?
It is very and painfully slow that could not finish it
I'm sorry but certainly can't read another page. it's too torturous for me... -_-'
halfway through this book and I was like: isn't this supposed to be a high fantasy novel? what is happening ? why is she still in that town?
It is very and painfully slow that could not finish it
I'm sorry but certainly can't read another page. it's too torturous for me... -_-'
LibraryThing member amandacb
A fair offering in the fantasy world of young adult literature, The Kiss of Deception is a 2015 Lone Star pick. While it is not as breathtaking as A Court of Thorns and Roses and its ilk, The Kiss of Deception does include some amazing and lush world-building. An overworked love triangle mars the
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LibraryThing member urph818
Princess Lia's to marry a prince from a neighboring country, to bond an Alliance between the two kingdoms. Kingdoms that are threatened to be overrun by the Barbarians. The night before their wedding, she flees with her handmaiden, Pauline, to a small town by the sea where she becomes a barmaid.
I certainly enjoyed this story about this strong, intelligent and tender-hearted girl, who comes to find her gift, grows and matures into a true Princess in a world where countries are at war, and assassins run amok. The pacing was pretty slow in the beginning but it picks up and I enjoyed how Lia's character develops,as she comes to have feelings for both these two strangers who have come into her life and is trying to find who she is and is there someone out there who can love her. I enjoyed the way the story is told in the first person by each of the main characters. I couldn't put the book down and look forward to reading the next book in the series
Jack Murphy
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All she thinks she wants is a simple life, but fate would have it otherwise.Two men are after her. One is her betrothed prince who she spurned and who she's never met and the other's an assassin. What she finds is a budding romance with a man whom she believes is a farm hand.I certainly enjoyed this story about this strong, intelligent and tender-hearted girl, who comes to find her gift, grows and matures into a true Princess in a world where countries are at war, and assassins run amok. The pacing was pretty slow in the beginning but it picks up and I enjoyed how Lia's character develops,as she comes to have feelings for both these two strangers who have come into her life and is trying to find who she is and is there someone out there who can love her. I enjoyed the way the story is told in the first person by each of the main characters. I couldn't put the book down and look forward to reading the next book in the series
Jack Murphy
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LibraryThing member hoorayforreading
The main character is not believable. The plot is unrealistic.
LibraryThing member lilibrarian
The first in a series about a princess who runs from an arranged marriage. Taking a job in a tavern, she meets two men, neither of whom really seem to belong in the small town she has fled to. She claims not to have the power of a first daughter, but secrets abound in her parents' house and among
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those she has met on her journey. Show Less
LibraryThing member acargile
Kiss of Deception by Mary E Pearson is fantasy novel about secrets and their consequences, strength of character, and loyalty.
Lia is the First Daughter and her father's kingdom, Morrighan. Her father has negotiated an important alliance with Lia marrying the Prince of Dahlbreck. Lia, raised with
The Prince of Dahlbreck desires to meet this princess who ran off. He considered it himself, but he didn't have the courage to do so. He decides he wants to meet her, so he tracks her. Meanwhile, an assassin from Venda, another country who doesn't want Dahlbreck and Morrighan to have an alliance, also tracks Lia. They both arrive in Terravin, Pauline's hometown, and find Lia as a tavern maid who is happy. She's not the spoiled princess they both expected. Taking on other identities, the two men "court" Lia, but Lia is drawn to Rafe, not Kaden. They discover Lia is smart and strong. The idyllic life they're all living has to come to an end. At some point Kaden has to kill Lia and Rafe will have to reveal who he is.
The novel is a page turner and it's easy to like each character. Often in YA literature, the female characters are stupid and things turn out because the author manipulates the plot. Lia is smart and believable; the plot unfolds at a nice pace, allowing the reader to get to know each character. These three people from three countries who are drawn to each other will have to work together to create peace.
Lia is the First Daughter and her father's kingdom, Morrighan. Her father has negotiated an important alliance with Lia marrying the Prince of Dahlbreck. Lia, raised with
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her brothers, prefers independence to a woman's role and doesn't want to be a pawn between countries. Furthermore, she is supposed to be gifted as all First Daughters are, but she has no magical gift. The thought of marrying some old prince who does as his father requests and doesn't come to meet her beforehand makes Lia realize that she can follow her own path. Her maid, Pauline, convinces a young stableboy to hold horses for them. When left briefly alone, they flee to Pauline's hometown. The Prince of Dahlbreck desires to meet this princess who ran off. He considered it himself, but he didn't have the courage to do so. He decides he wants to meet her, so he tracks her. Meanwhile, an assassin from Venda, another country who doesn't want Dahlbreck and Morrighan to have an alliance, also tracks Lia. They both arrive in Terravin, Pauline's hometown, and find Lia as a tavern maid who is happy. She's not the spoiled princess they both expected. Taking on other identities, the two men "court" Lia, but Lia is drawn to Rafe, not Kaden. They discover Lia is smart and strong. The idyllic life they're all living has to come to an end. At some point Kaden has to kill Lia and Rafe will have to reveal who he is.
The novel is a page turner and it's easy to like each character. Often in YA literature, the female characters are stupid and things turn out because the author manipulates the plot. Lia is smart and believable; the plot unfolds at a nice pace, allowing the reader to get to know each character. These three people from three countries who are drawn to each other will have to work together to create peace.
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LibraryThing member SimplyKelina
I'm torn on how I feel about this book. I loved parts and hated parts. It took me longer than normal to finish, but I still did. It was boring at times and others I was sucked in.
I liked being able to see the story within the Princess, the Prince, and the Assassins POV. During the first half of
I will say I have heard so many people talk about the plot twist, and I was expecting more than what it really was.
I also do not feel this was much of a love triangle. It is pretty clear the Princess had eyes for Rafe.
Overall, it was ok. The writing was beautiful but there was not much action. It dragged on a little too much but I want to know what happens. I will be teaching for book 2 soon.
I liked being able to see the story within the Princess, the Prince, and the Assassins POV. During the first half of
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the book you are not sure who is the Prince and who is the Assassin. I will say I have heard so many people talk about the plot twist, and I was expecting more than what it really was.
I also do not feel this was much of a love triangle. It is pretty clear the Princess had eyes for Rafe.
Overall, it was ok. The writing was beautiful but there was not much action. It dragged on a little too much but I want to know what happens. I will be teaching for book 2 soon.
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LibraryThing member Leah422
“Maybe there was no one way to define it. Maybe there were as many shades of love as the blues of the sky,”
Book Title: The Kiss of Deception
Author: Mary E Pearson
Narration: Emily Rankin, with Ryan Gesell, Kim Mai Guest, Kirby Heyborne & Anne Marie Lee
Series: The Remnant Chronicles #1
Genre: YA,
Publisher: Book: Henry Holt, Audio: Listening Library
Source: Audiobook (Library)
Why I picked that quote:
Lia's journey of self-discovery is the only element I really connected with in this book. In this quote she is trying to figure out her feelings for Rafe and Kaden. She does figure out who she likes in "that way" early on.
Overall rating: 3.5 Stars
Breakdown of rating:
Plot: 3.2/5 This book is so slow, it's not till the last quarter of the book, that I actually felt invested in where it was going. The action scenes, when they came, and they're only a few were hard for me to follow.
Characters: 3.8/5 They were all just OK. You know, they said how they felt and so I knew. When I read a book I want to feel how the characters felt not just to be told how they felt. That was missing for me in this. It's a foremost reason this didn't get a higher rating from me.
The Feels: 2/5
Theme: 4/5
Flow: 3.5/5 I don't believe this is badly written by any means, the pacing is just too slow and I found my thoughts drifting off a lot while listening.
Originality: 3.5/5
Book Cover: 4/5
Sex Factor: None
Narration: 4/5 Their were slew of narrators, Emily Rankin is the main one and two guys for the Assassin and the Prince. They were all really good, none of them wowed me, though. Her friend, Pauline has a chapter and then there is a women telling bits of stories (or something like that) at the beginning of each chapter.
Ending: 3.8/5 It was anti-climactic and not much of an ending. Cliffhanger: yeah…
Will I continue the series? It's questionable, but not out of the question. I believe there is a lot of mysteries yet to be solved, this could entice me to continue on with this series.
My Additional Thoughts:
This Author tries to keep you in the dark about which guy is which, they go by different names: The Assassin and The Prince, Rafe and Kaden, fisherman or trapper. Honestly, this is the only element that kept me interested in listening to this at first. Trying to solve this mystery. I think it's possible, though, you have an advantage in figuring this out sooner with the audio version.
The world in this book is an intriguing one. For me, it feels like a dystopian in a way that the world seems to have been destroyed at one time and then it became what it is in this book. It seems like it could be in the North America, but it could be Europe too, or it could be a totally made up place
Book Title: The Kiss of Deception
Author: Mary E Pearson
Narration: Emily Rankin, with Ryan Gesell, Kim Mai Guest, Kirby Heyborne & Anne Marie Lee
Series: The Remnant Chronicles #1
Genre: YA,
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FantasyPublisher: Book: Henry Holt, Audio: Listening Library
Source: Audiobook (Library)
Why I picked that quote:
Lia's journey of self-discovery is the only element I really connected with in this book. In this quote she is trying to figure out her feelings for Rafe and Kaden. She does figure out who she likes in "that way" early on.
Overall rating: 3.5 Stars
Breakdown of rating:
Plot: 3.2/5 This book is so slow, it's not till the last quarter of the book, that I actually felt invested in where it was going. The action scenes, when they came, and they're only a few were hard for me to follow.
Characters: 3.8/5 They were all just OK. You know, they said how they felt and so I knew. When I read a book I want to feel how the characters felt not just to be told how they felt. That was missing for me in this. It's a foremost reason this didn't get a higher rating from me.
The Feels: 2/5
Theme: 4/5
Flow: 3.5/5 I don't believe this is badly written by any means, the pacing is just too slow and I found my thoughts drifting off a lot while listening.
Originality: 3.5/5
Book Cover: 4/5
Sex Factor: None
Narration: 4/5 Their were slew of narrators, Emily Rankin is the main one and two guys for the Assassin and the Prince. They were all really good, none of them wowed me, though. Her friend, Pauline has a chapter and then there is a women telling bits of stories (or something like that) at the beginning of each chapter.
Ending: 3.8/5 It was anti-climactic and not much of an ending. Cliffhanger: yeah…
Will I continue the series? It's questionable, but not out of the question. I believe there is a lot of mysteries yet to be solved, this could entice me to continue on with this series.
My Additional Thoughts:
This Author tries to keep you in the dark about which guy is which, they go by different names: The Assassin and The Prince, Rafe and Kaden, fisherman or trapper. Honestly, this is the only element that kept me interested in listening to this at first. Trying to solve this mystery. I think it's possible, though, you have an advantage in figuring this out sooner with the audio version.
The world in this book is an intriguing one. For me, it feels like a dystopian in a way that the world seems to have been destroyed at one time and then it became what it is in this book. It seems like it could be in the North America, but it could be Europe too, or it could be a totally made up place
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Pages
489