Mary Pearson

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. Lia always believed the Vendans 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.

The Heart of Betrayal

alexys <3

I went back to my thoughts of Lia. How could I tell her that I knew in my gut from almost the beginning that we were to be together? That I had seen myself growing old with with her. That a gift l wasn't even sure she really possessed had told me her name long before I ever laid eves on her. 

"Kaden?" I whispered. He dropped his saddlebag and walked back to me, cupped my face in his hands, his eyes warm and hungry, and kissed me. his lips soft against mine, then harder, earnest, my mouth meeting his with tenderness. He slowly pulled away and looked into my eyes.

His eyes sparked with frustration. "I want to explain everything. I want to spend a lifetime with you making up for the lies I told, but right now we don't have time.”

 "But the fact is, I came for you, Lia, no matter who or what you are, and I don't care what mistakes I made or what mistakes you made. I'd make every single one again, if that was the only way to be with you."

The heart of betrayal

Mary E. Pearson

The thrilling, New York Times–bestselling 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 among 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. The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson drives up the stakes and the romance, and will leave readers desperate to read book three in the Remnant Chronicles, The Beauty of Darkness. “It’s rare that the second book in a series is as good—or perhaps better—than the first, but that’s the case here.” —Booklist, starred review, for The Heart of Betrayal “A heart-pounding sequel that fantasy fans will appreciate.” —School Library Journal for The Heart of Betrayal “Fantastical.” —USA Today for The Kiss of Deception “A sumptuous fantasy.” —Chicago Tribune for The Kiss of Deception “In The Kiss of Deception, a new realm is masterfully created, featuring court intrigue, feuding nations, breathtaking landscapes, and the gift of sight. Fans of the Game of Thrones series will enjoy the magic and fantasy in this timeless dystopian world.” —VOYA for The Kiss of Deception "Pearson (the Jenna Fox Chronicles) is off to an extraordinary start with her fantasy series, the Remnant Chronicles, creating an alluring world and romance that's ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore and Megan Whalen Turner." —Publishers Weekly for The Kiss of Deception

The Remnant Chronicles, Book Two

Elena M.

this was very fast paced and well written, and I was engaged the whole time. I’m glad ms pearson didn’t entertain the love triangle aspect for long and instead focused on more of the lore and politics, which I enjoyed! on to the third!

fris🐝

4.5 of 5 stars

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This book is even better than the first book and I don't know how is that even possible! I so loved everything about this. Lia's character development was the most pronounced out of everything that has happened. I admire the fact that she didn't need to be physically strong to face her enemies. All she needed was her wit and determination. It was good to see how she was slowly learning to control her gift and hoped that the final book would finally let her own it. 

The only reason why I had to dropped half a star from my rating was the fact that even in this book, Lia's scenes with Rafe were so limited! She was with Kaden or with the Komizar most of the time. I understand that to be able to go through the issues while being held prisoner in Venda, Kaden and the Komizar's presence were inevitable. But I was left wanting more of Rafe and Lia's time together. They only managed to have stolen glances and moments and that made me ached for them. However, that didn't change the fact that I still prefer Rafe over Kaden for Lia. I still liked Kaden because of how much he cared for her, but I really don't think he was the right one for her. And spending more time together can't compensate that.

I also liked the additional supporting characters in this book. I especially loved Aster (what happened to her at the ending, though omggg) and Jeb. I liked his personality and his little moment with Lia. It melted my heart. 

I loved that even though this wasn't exactly a fast-paced book, the author still made me feel the tension as she intricately ventured the world building. My heart was literally pounding with so much anxiety at the last part of the book, the part of their slim chance of escape. And that ending? Oh my goodness! It left me staring at that exact last page for a couple of minutes because I can't believe the author ended it that way!

I can't contain my excitement over the conclusion of this wonderful trilogy!

“It was worth it, Lia. Every mile, every day. I’d do it all again. I’d chase you across three continents if that’s what it took to be with you.”

I really enjoyed this book, I wasn't sure which way this series would go after the first book, whether I would like the second enough to keep going or give up on the series. I'm glad to say that this entertained me enough to continue. Although while I liked The Kiss of Deception, I felt it had issues with pacing and world-building and unfortunately I still think those are sticking points for the sequel, but I did enjoy this book a lot more than the first. I think the writing matured slightly from the first one, the overall plot and development of this book made a lot more sense rather than feeling like it jumped through tropes.

The world building still bugged me a bit, it still felt superficial. Like I said in my other review, the religion, the references to the Ancients and the Gods, the gift that Lia is said to possibly posses, the meaning of being a First Daughter, the deeper details of why there is a war between the kingdoms, the politics etc weren't really explained further like I hoped they would. However, the overall setting was described so well that in ways it made up for it. I really loved how Venda was described, it felt dark, violent, intricate and convoluted just like you would expect the city of the enemy to be, but it also had a really rich culture and a vibrant underbelly, with a story of sorrow and struggle, and beautiful, kind, welcoming people with interesting history. Aster was a really lovely addition to this story, although I kind of feel like she just took Eben's place from the first book and we didn't get enough of him in this story. But her little group of rouges were really sweet and Calantha was also a fascinating side character.

I enjoyed the tension created in this story with Rafe and Lia conspiring together but keeping it a secret, Lia and Kaden's forced proximity and the added dynamic of the Komizar who was a great mix of charming leader, loyal friend and evil villain. I did find his 'evilness' to feel a little bit amateur at times, his reasons for becoming such a hardened commander didn't really make much sense considering his background of being such a caring and helpful young man when he was the Assassin. I also think this story focused a little bit too much on the romance between the love triangle, Lia really was just flitting around the Sanctum kissing people and staring at them longingly, despite her words saying she was sure where her feelings lay. I did like that Lia had a bit of character arc where she found who she truly was a bit more, she also really put her foot down and demanded respect in this book which upped the stakes from the cosy fantasy vibes I got in the first book. I'm not sure the changing POVs worked as well in this book as they did in the first either. I think they created intrigue in TKOD that was missing in THOB - they kept speaking about betraying each other but it didn't create as much of a twist as I'd hoped it would, and I didn't feel betrayed along with the characters, which was a stand out feature of the deception of the reader in the first book.

Overall, The Heart of Betrayal is a very entertaining story, it had a lot of grittiness to it that I enjoyed but was still missing something which sometimes made the read a little bit tedious at times and also felt a bit superficial at points. But it was definitely gripping enough for me to want to keep reading and I flew through it in three days, which is good for me, and I didn't want to put it down when my responsibilities were calling me. I recommend this as a solid YA fantasy and I am really looking forward to picking up the third book straight after writing this review.

“Dreams and knowing are two different things.”

Genevieve 

“It was worth it, Lia. Every mile, every day. I’d do it all again. I’d chase you across three continents if that’s what it took to be with you.”

4.25 ⭐s

I really enjoyed this book, I wasn't sure which way this series would go after the first book, whether I would like the second enough to keep going or give up on the series. I'm glad to say that this entertained me enough to continue. Although while I liked The Kiss of Deception, I felt it had issues with pacing and world-building and unfortunately I still think those are sticking points for the sequel, but I did enjoy this book a lot more than the first. I think the writing matured slightly from the first one, the overall plot and development of this book made a lot more sense rather than feeling like it jumped through tropes.

The world building still bugged me a bit, it still felt superficial. Like I said in my other review, the religion, the references to the Ancients and the Gods, the gift that Lia is said to possibly posses, the meaning of being a First Daughter, the deeper details of why there is a war between the kingdoms, the politics etc weren't really explained further like I hoped they would. However, the overall setting was described so well that in ways it made up for it. I really loved how Venda was described, it felt dark, violent, intricate and convoluted just like you would expect the city of the enemy to be, but it also had a really rich culture and a vibrant underbelly, with a story of sorrow and struggle, and beautiful, kind, welcoming people with interesting history. Aster was a really lovely addition to this story, although I kind of feel like she just took Eben's place from the first book and we didn't get enough of him in this story. But her little group of rouges were really sweet and Calantha was also a fascinating side character.

I enjoyed the tension created in this story with Rafe and Lia conspiring together but keeping it a secret, Lia and Kaden's forced proximity and the added dynamic of the Komizar who was a great mix of charming leader, loyal friend and evil villain. I did find his 'evilness' to feel a little bit amateur at times, his reasons for becoming such a hardened commander didn't really make much sense considering his background of being such a caring and helpful young man when he was the Assassin. I also think this story focused a little bit too much on the romance between the love triangle, Lia really was just flitting around the Sanctum kissing people and staring at them longingly, despite her words saying she was sure where her feelings lay. I did like that Lia had a bit of character arc where she found who she truly was a bit more, she also really put her foot down and demanded respect in this book which upped the stakes from the cosy fantasy vibes I got in the first book. I'm not sure the changing POVs worked as well in this book as they did in the first either. I think they created intrigue in TKOD that was missing in THOB - they kept speaking about betraying each other but it didn't create as much of a twist as I'd hoped it would, and I didn't feel betrayed along with the characters, which was a stand out feature of the deception of the reader in the first book.

Overall, The Heart of Betrayal is a very entertaining story, it had a lot of grittiness to it that I enjoyed but was still missing something which sometimes made the read a little bit tedious at times and also felt a bit superficial at points. But it was definitely gripping enough for me to want to keep reading and I flew through it in three days, which is good for me, and I didn't want to put it down when my responsibilities were calling me. I recommend this as a solid YA fantasy and I am really looking forward to picking up the third book straight after writing this review.

“Dreams and knowing are two different things.”

Megan During

An amazing book! Just as good if not better than the original! I can not wait for the third!

Chassity

An absolute masterpiece. Every single character has so much depth and this book absolutely tore me to pieces. I can't wait to read the 3rd book oh my god.

"It was worth it Lia. Every mile, every day. I'd do it all again. I'd chase you across three continents if that's what it took to be with you."

"You're everything I want. Remember that. I love you, Lia. Not a title. And not because a piece of paper says that I should. Because I do."

Millie Roberts

Rachel Kanyid

Why are these books so flipping fabulous?!
The first book in this series "The Kiss of Deception" is one of my newer favorites for epic fantasy so I was awaiting this next book with much eagerness! It did not disappoint me in the slightest! LOVED IT.

2nd I’m giving 5 starts in over 2 years. I loved this book. It was intense and not at the same time, I was at the edge of my seat towards the end. Everything happened perfectly and how the author plays with your emotions. Oh my God! Wonderful (not what you will feel while reading though).

But kudos. It’s hard for a story to follow through like this did. 

Ilham Usman

2nd I’m giving 5 starts in over 2 years. I loved this book. It was intense and not at the same time, I was at the edge of my seat towards the end. Everything happened perfectly and how the author plays with your emotions. Oh my God! Wonderful (not what you will feel while reading though).

But kudos. It’s hard for a story to follow through like this did. 

Ivy X

Beginning was a little slow for my taste but it really picked up toward the end. I still find some parts cliche but I enjoyed it overall. 
The Komizar was such an interesting yet twisted character. I was fascinated with him but I was also scared of him. It was nice to see so much character development build up for Kaden because we really didn't see that much of him in the first book. Reading this book, I liked Kaden more than Rafe because the whole description about how easily he spoke lies and pulled deception over the eyes of the enemies made me worry about how easily it would be for him to lie to her as well. Kaden's kind eyes and all that he tries to do to keep her alive was very touching for me. It was also great to watch Lia to really start plotting things, to start realizing things, and also doing things. 
She had so much more character and so much more sass to her in this book and she often calculated her moves which made me like her a lot more than I did in the first book.

Vesselina

It was good, there were some boring filler chapters tho

Again, the love triangle isn't really a love triangle. There's no Team Kaden. She brotherzoned him multiple times. I thought there would be more Kaden and Lia scenes to help sway me to like Kaden more as a love interest but it was more of Kaden telling Lia he loves her instead of showing. Honestly, I'm still not convinced how Kaden's love for Lia came to be, a love that overpowers Kaden's loyalty to the Komizer guy. Kaden just seemed more like a side character instead of a second, main love interest. 
Also, isn't Kaden suppose to be this infamous assassin like I did not see much assassin stuff. 

I noticed that the author has a predictable storyline/story trajectory in her books. For example, the female protagonist has to fake her affections with the gross antagonist, then the reveal of the antagonist's big, a load of armory/ weaponry to "rule the world", and then the protagonist escapes in the end to later return to defeat the antagonist.

I thought Rafe and Lia were gonna get separated in the end but I'm glad they didn't. Lia is just gonna die in his arms. idk how she's gonna survive tbh in the middle of nowhere, injured but at least she has Rafe. AHH Rafe is literally gonna walk a thousand miles for her (edit: He didn't walk a thousand miles only three miles but the thoughts counts and three miles is still a lot too! honestly real-life guys would never)

jess

This was good, though the POV jumps and love triangle are still a tad irritating.

marilynn

** spoiler alert **
           I loved this so much more than the first book. The first book was already good, but this was such a step up.

I was team Rafe from the beginning, and I don't see that stopping any soon. Although, I have gained a bit more respect for Kaden and don't wish him death any longer, but boy had no chance whatsoever.

Lia:

She is still a badass character that doesn't take shit from anyone. She's just amazing, honestly. And I died a little when (view spoiler)[ Aster died, but I mean she followed it up by killing the Komizar, so chapeau bas  (hide spoiler)]

Rafe:

Still, and forever will be my baby. I don't even see how it's a love triangle anymore, when it's glaringly obvious who is the right one for her. Rafe. He's the only one who had enough balls to do something about Lia and help her instead of keeping her (*cough cough* I'm looking at you Kaden)

Kaden:

Kaden, honey, find yourself someone else (idk Pauline?) because Lia ain't the one boy. I may have gained a bit of respect for him, but he's still a douchebag. He has done  nothing  to help save Lia, and spent the whole book pining over her and wanting a "real kiss" *eye roll* GET OVER IT.
And it literally took him until Lia killed the Komizar for him to finally wake up and let her go.

Komizar:

I fell like in another life, the Komizar would have been a personal stylist. The way he chooses Lia's clothes, stays there for the wedding fittings, tells her to fix her hair; he hits all the criteria. I'm not going to sit here and talk about how bad he is, because what will be the point? Being bad is his whole ass personality.

Pauline and Gwyneth:

Is it bad to say that I actually did not care about them one bit? Well except for when Pauline realizes that whatever-his-name-is-fuckboy is not actually dead, which literally the last time we ever see them. But other than that they just seemed -bleh. Which is bad because I actually like Gwyneth (Pauline is okay but we don't know much about her). Though I do feel they will play a major part in the last book.

We shall see.

Livia

Daaaaaaamn that ending.
Okay Lia, thank you for doing us a favor by *uhm* killing THAT person

The middle, honest to god, slow. Yes, but i still adore Lia so freaking much. But the love triangle needs to stop because it's very clear who she will ends up with.

Lauren Tabor

Michal Stone

It’s not often that I rate a second book higher than the first!!!!!
I don’t think Mary Pearson is the best writer ever, but I have to admit that her plot is unique and interesting. And of course the love story is sweet.

Adriana D. 

Absolutely addicting. Can't wait to read the third book!

Isabela Ospina

A 3.85 or 3.9 was my actual rating in my head but 3.5 felt too low and unfair. 

I was expecting to enjoy this one way more than the first book in the trilogy.

And I was absolutely right, the world building reminded me of my first time watching GOT, so immersive, so delightful. I was in Venda with Lia, or I was her, just like I used to be back when I was a teenager and pictured me as Katniss or Tessa. I was Lia and felt for her, but I was also all the characters that had a POV throughout the book. 

I was happy to see more of Kaden, who I prefer over Rafe. While the books from that generation (2010s YA fantasy) can give you plain a plain female main character just for the sake of writing a strong woman, Lia feels clever, thoughtful, so deeply flawed, so deeply hurt. 

Looking forward to see how this ends. 

Leah Patton

4.5 only because I feel so sad about the book and the love story sometimes.

Hazel Morton

This book was a little too slow for me in parts. The story line of this series is very intriguing, but I wish it was more fast-paced. Other than that, the plot continues to build as the series continues, and it was for a very interesting read. 

Julie D.

Kathryn Recker

WHAT?! Amazing. Spectacular. So Good! I’m in love with Kaden and that ending was brutal!! I love this series!!

The Heart of Betrayal

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