The Kiss of Deception

This book again proves why I should always (or most of the time) read a trilogy after it is completed. Because I have no idea clue how I would have waited for the sequel of this book if I didn't already have it on hand.

It starts off with Princess Lia, First Daughter of Morrighan running away on her wedding day because she wants to live on her own terms and not dictated by the cabinet. The Prince of Dalbreck, betrothed to Lia is initially angry and stunned but also intrigued about the Princess who snubbed two kingdoms and made her choice. The Komizar of the kingdom of Venda sends an assassin to kill her so that the two kingdoms will never unite. The story follows with the three of them meeting and its unexpected consequences.

The book is mostly told in Lia's POV but we also get to know a little through the eyes of the Prince and the Assassin. The two guys are introduced as Rafe and Kaden when they meet Lia in Terravin but we are not told who is who, so it was quite interesting to figure out the prince and the assassin among the two boys. There is a love triangle in that the two boys fall in love with her and though she does care for both of them, she ultimately makes her choice. Midway through, Lia is distraught by the betrayal from someone she trusted and after that she is devastated by more loss and heartbreak and uncertainty until the ending which is both terrifying and happy and made me all excited for the sequel.

The writing and plot pacing here is quite slow but I never ever felt bored. I quite enjoyed navigating Lia's daily life as a tavern maid, her hopes and dreams for a life of love and her interactions with everyone around her. I really loved both the guys but still wanted the same choice that she made and the betrayal hit me just as hard. Lia's character growth is tremendous in the second half, obviously due to the affect of the loss and she decides to abandon the life of her choice for the greater good. I will not talk about the guys, so as not to spoil the revelation but will say that they are both great in their own ways and I can't wait to see more of their interactions in the sequel.

This book also has a great many secondary characters and all of them are amazing. I can't remember the last time I read a book with so many great side characters. It will be an injustice to not mention them by name because I am totally in love with Pauline, Walther, Berdi, Gwyneth, Eben, Dilara, Reena, Natiya, Sven, Jeb, Orrin, Tavish. Most of them have such limited page time but they still leave an impact which speaks to the author's amazing writing skills. The words throughout the book are simple but lyrical and beautiful and so full of feeling. I also especially enjoyed the Song of Venda and the last words of Gaudrel and Morrighan because they gave such a magical feeling to this world. The world building is not very extensive but we are told enough about the kingdoms to understand the story. The magic system called the “gift” is also not very defined and is much more spiritual and philosophical. It was very interesting to see Lia understand and finally own her gift.

I felt very emotional while reading this book. The beautiful scenes made me so happy and the sad ones made me weep..... like a LOT!!!!! The writing is full of emotion and feeling that's why it evoked such strong reactions in me. And as I always say, any book that can make me cry will always be among my favorites. I recommend this to anyone who like fantasy books with strong female characters, swoon worthy heroes but don't mind the slow pacing.

Oh, this review will be a difficult one.

I was very sceptical about this book. My expectations were even lower than simply low. And for the most part, this book didn't disappoint me. Really, some of the characters actions were beyond the usual level of stupidity. And love triangle was plain embarrassing. If you want to know the depth of my misery than just read the chapter 31. I'm sure you understand what I'm talking about even without knowing what happened before this chapter.

The most irritating thing for me, however, was not even that. I hardly stopped myself from throwing my Kindle when almost after every stupid thing Lia (aka main character and our selfish princess) had done, the other two narrators (prince and assassin, what a pair rolling my eyes) were blabbering to themselves how clever she was.

And now for the strange things. Despite everything mentioned above (and there were a lot of other things, but I would not mention them), I couldn't put this book down. At first, I was just curious, what our “clever” heroine would do next and how embarrassing it would be. But then, probably after 85% of the book, Lia began to change. And I'm very intrigued by the person that she would become.

Also, the side characters hold a lot of secrets and this book only told us that they exist, but not what they are. And I want to know very badly what they are.

Therefore I will continue with the trilogy. Let's see if it gets any better (lucky me, that that the only possibility as I can't imagine how the second book could be worse)

I enjoyed it. Sure, I'd like to change a lot of things about the plot, one of them being the love triangle, but the story and the writing kept me interested enough throughout the book. I liked that the heroine wasn't a push over. She was pretty strong willed. I'm not happy about the instant attention she gave the prince and the assassin and about the fact that the romance was rushed, but I liked her enough to let it go. I'm looking forward to the second book.

Actual rating 3.5

Ok, huh, ok.

Where to start... oh, I know, the disclaimer: as usual this review will be filled with spoilers, proceed with caution.

Now, well... I had...uh, fun, but this book could've been way better. Too vague? Okey dokey.

The first half was awful.

I actually liked the main character, she was nice and not too swoony. I have to admit that I really liked that she picked up on the regular plebeian chores fast, I always find myself groaning internally at how some works paint nobility as clueless stupid people that can't do anything, as if their hands were broken by pampering, I mean, yeah, they've never done any work... like, ever, but really how hard can it be to sweep the floor, clean tables or put a kettle to boil (I'm looking at you, Downton Abbey). Of course I'm not saying that serving tables is easy but so it is for everyone, and also she was willing to learn. Short rant over.

The big problem is... nothing happened. From the moment they started running away I was hoping for one close encounter with a solider to spice thing up and... well, nothing. It's ok, I'm sure something will happen at the town... no? Alrighty, I guess when the prince and the assassin arrive something will happen... no? W-well I'm sure the assassin will try something, oh, he has fallen for her... but what about the princ- no, there he goes too. This is my cue for the rolling of eyes. Jesus, some of the writing was terrible... not disgustingly so but I definitely have various passages with notes saying only “eye roll” or “eye rolling intensifies” or even “hey! Is that my brain?”.

[insert here a screenshot of my notes while reading, but couldn't paste here because you can't put pictures from you camera roll and I was too lazy to create an account in imagur or something to upload pictures to the net]

I swear there was always something to roll my eyes at. And nothing happened. And then rolled my eyes a bit more, and some more nothing happened... For nearly 300 pages in a book 468 pages long. Nothing. I can't remember anything remotely important going on in this interlude and I know the romance was supposed to help but it was awfully boring, yes the author was building the character relationships and I would guess that the plan was that the romance would be enough to keep us occupied... because she needed to think how the rest of the book would go...? honestly, I have no idea why she made this part so long and slow and dragging. The only reason I was kept interested was the fact that Rafe was supposedly the assassin and that offered things going somewhere (pro-tip: when the promise of something, anything, happening is the only thing keeping the readers in, that's when you need re-examine some of your life choices)

Also, I hate to sound trite but I was so very annoyed at the love triangle I couldn't stop thinking how much better this would be without it. (I literally, and I mean literally, was in the shower thinking: she just should've left it out, this an obvious love triangle à la Twilight without the benefit of it being a pioneer). Yes, it indeed made the story intriguing later on but as I have said, the book's first half would have been loads better without it.

Now, I did have a ‘what if who we think this is is actually someone else' moment at the start of the novel but discarded the thought because the interesting conflicts Lia feeling greatly attracted to the assassin would bring were admittedly the only interesting conflicts anywhere near the horizon of this novel... so it's understandable that I wasn't surprised in the least when that reveal happened, and the rest of the book I wondered whether that was really the author's intent or it was just me reading carelessly. (I still do)

I like my romance sparkled throughout the story, and I specially like it when there's actually a story... and y'all know how important it is to me when done right... or wrong.
Luckily the novel picked up from here and got interesting. There were some touching moments and exciting reveals and character development.

Now, as per custom, some very specific sins:

* Oh, what's that? You're angry you don't love the guy before marrying? You're not angry you haven't even met the guy yet? But don't worry, he's not old nor decrepit or smelly, instead he's the handsomestest person you'll meet and you'll have an instant true love connection because of magic, no, seriously, ~magic~.
* “She's the most interestingest because she doesn't care about jewellery or clothes or getting dirty, she's so different from the rest, because girls that don't like girly things are the most interestingestest for some reason”
* Oh, these dudes have this shady vibes but yeah whatevs they sure are a fisherman and a farmer
* Yes, you love her, yes you've known her for three hours.
* No, she had no interest in these shady books she stole and that practically had her killed, not even a glimpse of curiosity, not even to know if these were the scholar's secret porn magazines stash. None, at all... that is, until it was convenient for the plot.
* No one is alarmed her friend is barely twenty and is already pregnant and a fugitive??
* Yes, I, too, am utterly tired of the misinterpreted relatives' affection scene as a lovers' encounter cliche. Quit it, find something new.

I really really really liked this book. When I first started reading it, I kept putting it down because it just wasn't grabbing me from the first page. However this time I started listening to it on audiobook and my days. It was great. There is meant to be a major twist in this but I suspected it from the beginning but I have heard many people day it was shocking. The other twists in it however, I loved and took me by surprise. What I would have liked to see is more empasis on the world really in many ways such as powers, language and culture. Apart from that, thumbs up. I don't know if I will continue on with this series because I am rubbish at that and this doesn't really entice me to continue but good all the same.

Dit boek heb ik al eventjes uit, maar ik weet nog altijd niet goed wat ik ervan moet denken.
De wereld uit dit boek en haar geschiedenis intrigeren me heel veel, maar die verdween keihard naar de achtergrond voor het spelletje “wie van die knapperds is een prins en wie een huurmoordenaar”. Dit spelletje vond ik vooral wat ontgoochelend omdat ik het van het begin al door had. Gelukkig kwam de onthulling lang voor het einde van het boek, waardoor we toch wat meer over de verschillende volkeren leerden. En nu de aap helemaal uit de mouw is hoop ik dat het vervolg wat meer diepgang en meer inzicht zal geven over het hoe en wat van de verschillende koninkrijken.

This is one of those “why am I still reading this bullshit” kind of book.

Why is this so popular? Why was it expanded into a whole series? Why do reviewers hype it up so much?

It's beyond me why I decided to stick through with this, no matter how painful and full of mistakes it was. The biggest issue I have with this book–apart from the fact that 1) there is no character development, 2) the main girl is a typical brainless, moody teenager, and 3) the love interests are as dumb-witted as the mud on their boots–is that it took me 45 chapters to discern which of the two dudes was the prince and which one was the assassin. I'm not going to lie, for 45 chapters I thought that Rafe was the assassin and Kaden the prince... apparently I was wrong because ch 45 finally puts a name to the descriptions. This book insulted my intelligence in every way possible. Never have I mistaken two characters for the better length of a novel. Clearly the author needs to work on better describing her protagonists or, even better yet, not swap their personalities midway and create unnecessary confusion. Now, some reviewers say that this trick is “clever” and that the author is a “genius.” No. There is nothing clever about the way this was executed; it's sloppy and lazy writing, period.

Also, allow me to address the elephant in the room: there is nothing about this book that makes it a fantasy book. I don't care that it takes place in a pseudo-medieval, vaguely “other world” setting; It. Is. Not. Fantasy. Fantasy is my preferred genre... I've read hundreds of books in this genre. This is not it.



Do yourself a favour a save your precious reading hours for another, much more worthy book.

I give this book two thumbs waaaay down. I wish I could rate it with negative stars.

*3.5

Estive quase a desistir de o ler, porque é muito romance. Só romance. O triângulo amoroso que se forma neste livro fez-me revirar tantas vezes os olhos, que achei a certa altura que eles me iam saltar fora! Nenhum dos interesses amorosos da protagonista me aquece nem arrefece... na maioria das vezes são puro clichê.

Para o fim a história desenvolve e fica mais interessante. Vou dar uma oportunidade ao segundo volume, mas sem grandes expectativas.

I’ve become an instant fan of Mary E. Pearson! The Kiss of Deception is a standout in YA fantasy, weaving a unique story with a twist that keeps you guessing. Pearson crafts a love triangle like no other, where you meet both an assassin and a prince, but you don’t know who’s who—and I guarantee you’ll get it wrong! Each chapter opens with excerpts from the world’s history books, which gradually unravel its lore and add depth. The pacing is impeccable, and the story is so captivating that you don’t even miss the absence of smut.

That said, I can see why it’s received mixed reactions. Unlike typical fantasy, the plot focuses on small-town life and how political intricacies trickle down to impact ordinary folk. It’s not filled with political assassinations, high-stakes trials, or epic battles. This book feels more like a setup for the rest of the trilogy, so if you’re not into slower-paced stories like Legends & Lattes or Bookshops & Bonedust, it might not be for you. Personally, I loved how the exploration of small-town life added substance and raised the stakes for the inevitable political twists. Pearson’s storytelling is unforgettable, and I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the series!

Initially, an advance copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.

The copy I'm reviewing now is a finished copy borrowed from the library.

I went into this read expecting to not like it based on some of the reviews and the fact that it's a love triangle. I don't like love triangles.

I'm going to be honest... this was good! It's written well! I found it easy to immerse myself in this world all the way until the end. Yes, there is a girl and two boys. Yet, it was clear to me at this point that Lia is clearly drawn to one. Either way, the romance aspect is really toned down, and I'm not mad at it. I loved being in this world. Lia is on a quest to figure out certain facts about herself. It's a mystery and I had hoped we would have gotten more of those details. It's alright. It's book one.

I'm just happy these characters weren't annoying.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

This book has solid world-building and interesting mythology, written so nicely that it's easy to fall into the world and get yourself immersed in it. The thing is I have way too many issues with it that I couldn't enjoy the story entirely.

First is the main character, Lia. She might be cool for some people due to her sass and spunk, but most of the time I just find her rude, immature, haughty, and ignorant. She really annoys me to the extent that I wanted to throw my phone away because of the way she acts. She runs away from her responsibility, fully knowing that she's screwing everyone over and not feeling any remorse until it eventually comes back to hit her in the face. However, she does show some growth and becomes somewhat more likeable towards the end.

Next is the pacing. While the plot itself is okay, the pacing is so awful that I was falling asleep trying to finish this book. For the first 60% of the story, Lia spends her time playing maid in a tavern. It's dragged out for so long that the plot isn't going anywhere, and I was so happy when the book finally showed some progress with the story... except that it stalls again for about 30% of the remaining 40%. It's like the book simply moves to a different point, but nothing much beyond that. It still drags out the plot, just at a different location.

Due to the pacing, I feel like the book lost its focus on the main issue it's trying to convey—like Lia's power and the “prophecy” she found. By the time it gets to that, I was so bored beyond my wits that I couldn't care less about the gradual reveal anymore—I just wanted the story to get somewhere. As if that's not enough, it ended at a dreadful cliffhanger. Just when the story was about to unravel. I couldn't help but feel like I wasted my time reading a dragged out build-up and nothing more.

I like how the author conceals the identity of the assassin and the prince, though. At the beginning, you can't tell which one is which and it was fun trying to pin down their identity. There are multiple parts in the book that were clearly written to throw you off, and it was done in a brilliant way.

Also, I picked up this book because I heard there's sex in it. It made me curious because there's only a few fantasy YA series that has sex scenes right from the first book, but... As I promised Owen, I'll just paste some of my tweets here:

“The banging was so vague it didn't make up for the snorefest.”

“But who doesn't appreciate good boning scenes in YA novels? 8)”

Dalam masyarakat yang menjunjung tinggi tradisi, jalan kehidupan Putri Lia sudah ditentukan sejak dia lahir. Sebagai Putri Pertama dia diharapkan mewarisi kemampuan melihat - walau ternyata tidak dimilikinya. Orang tuanya menjodohkan Lia dengan pangeran kerajaan tetangga yang tidak dikenalnya sekaligus untuk menjalin aliansi.
“The Kiss of Deception” adalah novel pertama dari seri “The Remnant Chronicles”. Ceritanya mengikuti perjalanan Putri Lia, yang melarikan diri dari pernikahan yang sudah diatur. Ia meninggalkan kerajaan Morrighan demi mencari kebebasan dan kehidupan yang ia inginkan. Dalam pelariannya, Lia bekerja sebagai pelayan di sebuah desa kecil bernama Terravin, namun keberadaannya segera menarik perhatian dua pria misterius: pangeran yang ditolaknya dan seorang pembunuh yang dikirim untuk membunuhnya. Selama ceritanya, Lia harus menghadapi petualangan, ancaman, dan teka-teki tentang identitas sesungguhnya dari pria-pria tersebut.
Novel ini menyajikan unsur romansa, kebebasan, dan penemuan diri dengan latar belakang dunia fantasi yang menarik. Cerita ini menghadirkan unsur kejutan dengan sudut pandang berbeda dari pria-pria ini, memberikan pembaca kesempatan untuk menebak siapa di antara mereka yang merupakan pangeran dan siapa pembunuh.
Tertarik membaca ini karena rekomendasi dan ulasan dari sesama bookstagram. Namun sepertinya seri ini bukan seleraku.