The Heart Of Betrayal

The Remnant Chronicles #2

by Mary E. Pearson, Alison Jacquet-Robert (Translator)

Pour échapper à un mariage arrangé qui l'aurait privée de sa liberté, Lia s'était enfuie le matin de ses noces. La voici rattrapée par son destin de princesse et incarcérée à Venda, territoire de redoutables barbares.

Loin de chez elle et sans aucun espoir de s'échapper, Lia ne sait à qui faire confiance. Rafe, le garçon qu'elle aime, lui a menti, mais il a aussi sacrifié sa liberté pour elle. Quant à Kaden, elle a découvert qu'il était en réalité un assassin envoyé pour la tuer. Il lui a pourtant sauvé la vie en faisant croire au Komizar, le tyran qui règne sur Venda, qu'elle avait le don de seconde vue. Et ce mensonge a pris une ampleur qui la dépasse complètement, car aux yeux du peuple de Venda, elle pourrait incarner la sauveuse d'une très ancienne légende...

Tiraillée entre deux hommes, contrainte de jouer la comédie, Lia devra faire des choix qui détermineront son avenir, mais aussi le destin de tout le continent.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, High Fantasy

465 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 7, 2015

About the author

Mary E. Pearson is the International and NYT bestselling and award-winning author of multiple novels including her adult debut novel, The Courting of Bristol Keats, about a woman from a small town who is unexpectedly plunged into a world of gods, fae, and monsters.

Her other books include The Remnant Chronicles—The Kiss of Deception, The Heart of Betrayal, and The Beauty of Darkness—and its spin-off duology Dance of Thieves and Vow of Thieves. Mary's awards and honors include the Golden Kite for fiction, ALA Best Books, NYPL Best Books, IRA Choice Books, YALSA Teens Top Ten, Arkansas and South Carolina Young Adult Book Awards, and her science-fiction novel, The Adoration of Jenna Fox, was an Andre Norton Award Finalist. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages world-wide.

As a child she loved reading about and living in fantasy worlds. They were a portal to possibility that provided both escape and power. These days she loves writing about those worlds for the same reasons. She totally believes in magic, because, as one of her characters once whispered to her, “What is magic, but what we don’t yet understand?”

When she is not creating dangerous fantasy worlds, she enjoys the relatively safe pleasures of travel, gardening, friends, and family. Visit Mary on Instagram @maryepearson for book news and updates.

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book far surpassed the first one, and the first one was one of my favorites of 2014. I do not know what to do with myself while I wait for the last book. This series takes so many unexpected twists, and tips out my heart at every turn. I cannot wait for what I'm sure will be a breathtaking finale.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread 2023 - 4 Stars


***Old 5 Star Review***

Well, first off this love triangle thing needs to stop because it's getting on my nerves but I'm hoping it has fizzled out for the last book.



The next thing. That ending =( I mean there was one good part that probably will be one of those, we were kidding moments, but there was a really sad part and I don't like it.

Lia was so tough as nails in this book. I mean there as one part where she had a moment but it was to be expected. But ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I'm really hoping she got her revenge.

Lia and Rafe are prisoners in Venda. Kaden is trying to keep Lia safe from the Komizar < --- big jerk.

And we get to find out all kinds of little secrets about Lia. I'm really hoping the author is going somewhere cool with this!

And some new characters I fell in love with, mostly Aster, she was a precious little girl. I still love Eden because of things and just so many others.

I really hope things end up being okay with everyone in the last book. I just don't know. I'm going to tiptoe my way into the next book......

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

well well well. what a pleasant surprise. this is better than the first book and i couldnt be more grateful or relieved.

i will say this is still an 'in the moment' kind of story. i felt much more present and engaged whilst reading this (compared to ‘kiss of deception'), but i still dont think this story/series is going to have a long-lasting effect on me.

i like the character development that is present in this and how its evolved from a silly love triangle. the new characters are good additions, but rafe and kaden are still my boys. the writing itself seems improved, but the pacing is still kinda slow and the story a little uneventful. the concept of people with gifts is interesting, but is still unexplained/unexplored, which is a bummer.

so some good and some bad. decent entertainment for what it is and a lot more interesting than the first book!

↠ 3.5 stars

[April (Aprilius Maximus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*.) Morrighan ★★★
1.) The Kiss of Deception ★★★★★
2.) The Heart of Betrayal ★★★★
3.) The Beauty of Darkness ★★★★

--------------------------------------------------

the middle got a lil boring but those last hundred pages tho!!!!!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio Re-read 2021
Still an excellent story.
I really enjoyed watching Lia come into her own even more. It's all about standing on your own two feet, listening to your gut, and not letting people steamroll you into doing what they think is right for your life. I'm digging the themes in this more now than I even did 6 years ago.

2015

If you weren't a fan of the first book (and some of my friends were not), then I don't think anything about this book is going to change your mind. Sorry.



Buuuut...
If you've been chomping at the bit (because maybe you're a horse?) to find out what happened to Lia, Rafe, & Kaden once they got inside the walls of Venda? Then I think you'll be pretty happy with Pearson's book. Secrets, magic, prophesies, and (as the title suggests) betrayal! Good stuff.



Best part of the book for me?
The Heart of Betrayal is exactly what I hoped it would be, in that the non-love-triangle-triangle didn't morph into a real Triangle . Sure, Kaden is still in love with Lia, but she doesn't return anything but friendship. There's none of that wishy-washy Who-Do-I-Really-Love shit happening here.
It's Rafe. Boom! End of discussion.
Kaden can just keep on pining...



And why should she have feelings for Kaden? I mean, Rafe is putting his ass on the line to save her, and, meanwhile, Kaden has turned her over to his evil boss! Sure, he's hoping he can protect her, but I'm not sure why he thinks that would make him her go-to guy for romance.
Psssht. Men.
However! After finding out more of his backstory, I'm definitely hoping he gets a HEA. Poor guy. That sob story got me right in the feels, and I can see why the fella might have a few issues.



Alrighty, I do have one complaint...
Pearson didn't do the bestest job recapping what happened in the last book. Some authors are better than others when it comes to this, and I'm afraid that Pearson isn't one of the good ones.
Now, I know a lot of you out there probably reread the previous books before you crack open the brand new ones. But I read a shitload of books each year, and simply don't have the time to do that. And while I may remember the general theme of most books, after a year or so, I just can't remember the details. I tend to rely on the authors to give my mind a hard shove gentle nudge when I'm reading books that are part of a series. And, honestly, that wasn't very well done here. I was still trying to play catch-up right till the end.



I said that to say this: if you don't have a stellar memory for details, then you may want to go ahead and do a reread before picking this one up.
Oh, and watch out for that CLIFFHANGER at the end!
Dear God, Pearson! Are you trying to give me a heart attack, woman?!

[Maditales · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely more interesting than the first book but still, THE ROMANCE MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL!!

And I’m fully aware that this isn’t a love triangle but just why do we then keep focusing on the romance and making it seem like a love triangle from one perspective but from the other make it clear that it isn’t at all. Idk maybe I’m misinterpreting it but I’m confused on why this man can’t take a hint.

On the other hand, I really like the riddles in this book but also the portrayal of evil characters. This series definitely has good villains that are just purely evil. Yet then again, I guess this entire book is a lot darker and more evil than book one and maybe that’s why I liked it more because it just wasn’t boring.
In comparison to book one that is amazing.

I also really liked the development of the main character in this book but I feel like both love interests didn’t really change. Honestly they felt very stagnant in the story and I didn’t really care about their perspectives since all the interesting things were happening in Lia’s pov.

Also (le gasp) I ALMOST CRIED?? Yeah I know. I mean I cry easily but that just shows you that the book made me feel something.

Overall I enjoyed this even though some scenes felt a bit repetitive and my biggest problem is still that I don’t understand the world and the “secretive past” that no one knows about. I get the overall plot but the kingdom? Not so much.

My biggest issue is the why? Why do people have powers and what is the magic? Where did it come from?

I hope these questions get answered in book 3

[starryeyedjen · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, this is only my second book by Mary E. Pearson, but I must say, my experience both times left me like this:



And I have every intention of picking up the Jenna Fox Chronicles after such an awesome time with this series, but you know how it is...



Anyway, this book picks up right where we left off in The Kiss of Deception. There's some of this:



And some of this, as our girl puts two and two together:



Can't say I blame her really, after all she's been through. And how much trouble could have been avoided had everyone just been honest in the first place. But then we wouldn't have gotten to meet the Komizar...



Okay, so maybe that wasn't the best experience. He's a rather terrifying individual. Like a Damon Salvatore on steroids, only you just know that even love can't save him...or you.



In more ways than one.



Lia's still her fierce self, not particularly skilled at anything but cunning as all get out. She does, however, pull off an impressive feat with cards, thanks to her brothers.



There were moments when I wasn't sure if she was toying with someone, playing a game...or if she was really sincere. Reading to find out how her strategizing and manipulating fared left me on the edge of my seat for much of the book.



Just when things finally seemed to be going her way -- if that's ever really possible when you're a hostage in a foreign land -- someone gets a crazy idea in his head that just might seal her fate.

As I read on, I started getting inklings of another truth yet to be uncovered, especially from two particular points of view. (You remember how there were so many perspectives in the first book. Samesies in this one.) It all started to come together, the pieces fitting together just right, and I couldn't believe I hadn't guessed the truth of it before...or at least parts of it.

<

As far as the romance goes, I still maintain that it's not a love triangle, even though there are now three, yes three, men vying for Lia's affections...sort of. I can't say any more without worry of spoilers. But to me, it's clear with whom Lia's heart lies. It was the same for me in the first book, too, though.



There's loads more kissing than I expected, not that I'm complaining.



Some that made me do this:



And some that made me sad...



And some that just made me plain mad.



Then I started getting really angry as what was happening in Venda began to have repercussions outside of the kingdom walls.



But don't think that Lia is going to sit idly by and watch as things unfold. She's a woman of action, as we've already seen. And she may not have an entourage, but she has help.



The entire book was extremely intense, but that last quarter had me turning those pages so damn fast!



I didn't want it to be over yet. :( But that end...that end, yo!



I will do my best to write a full, coherent review closer to the book's release date, but that's the beauty of these posts. I can get those feelings out now, in hopes of doing just that.

The fact of the matter remains:  this book was an



And one hell of a thrill ride. I am already dying for the next book!

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Win a copy of The Heart of Betrayal!***

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson
Book Two of the Remnant Chronicles
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication Date: July 7, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Intrigue abounds in this hotly anticipated sequel to The Kiss of Deception!

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

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

What I Liked:

I'm half-tempted to just leave this review saying, "GO READ THIS SERIES NOW". Seriously, the struggle of writing a review for a book you really, really enjoyed. This book is super close to five stars - The Kiss of Deception was a five-star read for me - but it came just a wee bit short. Still, I LOVED this book. I cannot wait to read book three.

In this novel, Lia and Rafe are taken to Venda to live at the mercy of the Komizar. Lia has no allies in Venda, though she starts to build small alliances with unexpected citizens. There is something about Venda that is unlike anything Lia has experienced. Her gift changes and starts taken shape. Lia begins to see things in Venda that she has n seen before. All the while, Lia has drawn the Komizar's interest, and not a good interest. Rafe lies his way into staying alive, with everyone believing that he is the Royal Emissary of the Dalbreck crown prince. With each passing day, it is clear that there are no rules to survival, and both must do what they can to have a chance at escaping.

I had a bad feeling about this book, initially. We're on Kaden's home turf, which led me to believe that the love triangle would grow more strong, fueling Kaden's feelings for Lia, and possibly having Lia develop deep for Kaden. Sorry, Kaden fans. The romance isn't straight and clear-cut, but it's no longer a love triangle. Lia uses Kaden to survive, and while she feels guilty, she doesn't feel love. There are no rules to survival.

Continuing on the vein of the romance. It seems like EVERYONE is in love (or in lust) with Lia. The Komizar is around Lia, Kaden, and Rafe's age, and he becomes interested in her too. But his interest is more in power - the Vendan people begin to see Lia as a divine sign of some sort (because of her gift), and Lia works hard to build a good reputation and relationship with the people. So we have the Komizar, Kaden, and Rafe all vying for Lia's hand.

Of course, the Komizar has zero shot (he's the villain - or one of them). In my opinion, Kaden NEVER had a shot (not even in The Kiss of Deception), but that's just my opinion. In this book, it becomes very, very clear who Lia has feelings for, who Lia cares about, etc. It's stated in her thoughts, how she loves one and how she cares for one. Two totally different emotions going on, and Kaden is not on the receiving end of the emotion he wants. I believe Kaden truly loves her, but it seems like a blind love. Honestly, Kaden's feelings for Lia seem more like obsession or fascination. And Lia... she cares about him, but not like that.

Rafe. Oh, Rafe. I loved Rafe in The Kiss of Deception (I think I was one of the few that knew prince from assassin), and I love him even more in this book. Both he and Lia do terrible things to survive, to fight for each other, to keep each other alive - especially Lia. Rafe has a good heart, but he is also fierce and clever, calculating and, well, a bit impulsive. He and Lia both don't have patience. Rafe could chop up Kaden in a heartbeat, but he never does. He's smart like that.

I don't really feel much for Kaden, if you didn't notice. We get a lot of backstory in this book for Kaden (and the Komizar, too), but I don't really care all that much about Kaden (or the Komizar). I'd love to push Kaden towards Calantha, or Pauline.

So, in my opinion, the love triangle (or potential love triangle, however you saw it in The Kiss of Deception) is pretty much resolved in this book. The emotional romance is pretty clear-cut in this book. There are some things that made my heart ache for Lia, but once you read the book, you'll get it. I respect her for all of her decisions.

The romance between Rafe and Lia heats up in this book. Lia is still angry at Rafe for deceiving, and Rafe is angry for the same reason, and there is plenty of tension between them. But at the same time, they both care about each other, and fell in love with each other, and fall in love with each other all over again. Imprisoned, forced to play roles and deceive everyone and act like they hate each other - and yet, they still fall deeper for each other. It's sweet! And sizzling. Wink.

On to the story, sans romance! I feel like not much occurred in this book, in terms of the war and such. Venda has been massacring enemy camps and soldiers, killing many and taking supplies. It's awful, and in my opinion, hard to feel sorry for Venda. I do, but I don't. It's obvious that Pearson wants readers to fall in love with Venda - she spent so much page time describing Venda, having Lia convinced that it's not all bad, etc. I wasn't really buying it, but then, I don't really care for Venda or Kaden. I'm more curious about Dalbreck.

Venda is like a bubble, and Lia and Rafe don't really know what is happening outside of Venda. Short snippets of news might pass around, but the war and policies and declarations aren't made known often. So, in my opinion, the SERIES plot was slow. The book's plot mostly focused on Lia and her relationships with the Vendan people, the Komizar, Kaden, and Rafe. A lot with Rafe.

I like the mysterious "gift" part of the series plot though. A lot of it revolves around Venda, curiously. And yet, I feel more lost, in terms of Lia's gift, and its connection to Venda. Hopefully all will be explained in book three.

Book three! I need it! The ending of this one wasn't TOO cliffhanger-like, but it makes me anxious. Not for Lia and Rafe, but for the kingdoms. I actually like the ending (I think), though the fact that there are so many perspectives (since The Kiss of Deception though) makes me wonder if the author is going to pull a Veronica Roth...

What I Did Not Like:

I wish things Lia had to do didn't have to happen. It's not like in A Court of Thorns and Roses, between Rhysand and Feyre (sexual assault, rape, anyone? How in the world is anyone finding Rhysand sexy?!), so no worries about that. But I wish things were different! Of course, there are no rules to survival.

Would I Recommend It:

Anyway. YES. I would totally recommend this series in general. This sequel novel is great! I loved The Kiss of Deception, and I really enjoyed this book. Now, as long as the love triangle is officially dead and Rafe and Lia can ride off into the sunset from start to finish of book three (that might be an exaggeration)... I'll be happy. Maybe. Perhaps I want Venda to burn a little too. And maybe Morrighan too.

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars (for a reason I can't say without spoiling things!). Overall, I'm really pleased with this book, especially with the romance. I definitely want to see more from the series plot (and not just the romance - stop pushing the triangle, Pearson!), so hopefully there will be an epic showdown in book three! I have a feeling that Pearson will take us to Dalbreck - finally!

[SK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreak. Pain. Tears😭
Drama. Plot. Romance🤌🤌
Rafe- Lia- Kaden💗

I enjoyed this book a lot. I think it was better than the Kiss of Deception and had more depth to it. The pace was faster compared to KoD. World building is pretty good as well. The drama and romance in this one was top notch, I was INVESTED🤌

The characters have great chemistry. Lia's character growth in this one is so badass. Honestly both Rafe and Kaden are total sweethearts. It's so hard to just choose one. *cough* is reverse harem an option? *cough* 👀

The book ends on a heartbreaking cliffhanger. Can't wait to start with the next one😩

[Emily (Books with Emily Fox on Youtube) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well now I need book 3!

[Hailey (Hailey in Bookland) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid sequel!!

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

*When you scroll down the review list of this book, and everybody has this rated as a five star.....*

Alright, peoples.
Friends.
You may leave now if you loved this book.



FOR THOSE OF YOU STILL HERE:
Welcome to Jeff's ranting of horrible books.

This was nothing compared to the first one.
There was just no action at all. AT ALL.
I swear, the WHOLE FREAKING BOOK was spent on Lia debating which guy had nicer muscles.

Like, I don't mind that!
Muscles are important in my opinion.
Nice arms are top priority, I understand. ;)
But this book literally screams: SCREW PLOT, SCREW ACTION, SCREW EVERYTHING!

...just look at my amazing muscles...


SECOND OF ALL.
Did any of you like the guys?
I mean......FALL HEAD OVER FREAKING TOES TO LOVE THIS ONE AMAZING GUY WITH AMAZING MUSCLES?


SWEET BABY JESUS, I WAS ROOTING FOR KADEN ALL THE WAY.

Oh, but he just had to become this overprotecting pig. -_-
AND DEAR GOD, RAFE WAS JUST ALL LOVEY DOVEY WITH LIA... sorry, but I'd rather not be gagging through the whole story

This whole book just ruined the series for me.
I'm done.

There was no action.
Horrible romance.

Oh but wait! THERE WAS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT :D

As in: THEY ALL GOT EVEN MORE ANNOYING.

This whole book wasn't focused on anything besides...."oh, I love Rafe?"
"no no no....I LOVE KADEN..."
"Wait hold on......I don't know...I think it's Rafe.."

*TEARS OUT HAIR*

Let's get it together Pearson.

[Giselle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher for review.

This sequel ripped me apart and put me back together again. I was constantly wondering what other twist and turn was going to happen, which person should they trust. And what exactly was going on between the political parties between the kingdoms. I loved that this was set in Venda for we get to see another kingdom that doesn't rely on its resources but on its leader. Even if that leader happens to be the Komizar. Chapters are short so don't worry about this being an extended read. It looks like a massive read, but it's really not. I practically flew through the pages and savoured it until the end. I didn't want it to end. There isn't a whole lot of focus on romance and I was glad to see more of a political back-story than anything. Being part of the enemy camp can't be easy but Lia manages to stay and even accept the people.

As for the characters, Lia has definitely grown a bit more. Maybe seeing more of the world can do that to a princess. Being more open to another culture even if it's known to be a barbaric one. I liked that she saw more of the people and observed their daily lives. They live in a harsh climate and their resources are more limited than other kingdoms so to see her finally accept them shows so much growth for her character. There's a point in the book where I thought the Komizar could be something he wasn't.. But as I read on, I was sadly mistaken. What I did want to see was more of a certain Prince and he was there but I didn't really get to feel too much about what he was feeling. It was more of him being the hero and trying to save her every single time. *rolls eyes*

Then there's the ending which abruptly killed me and I haven't been able to recover since. I just know things aren't going down that path but for Mary E. Pearson to put us through that torture ahhhhh... Such a crazy ending that's for sure. I was waiting for it to be climatic!

A strong sequel, The Heart of Betrayal will have you wanting more of Lia's world as she navigates a savage country. Will she lose herself or will she find a way to escape? Just read it and you'll find out.

RATING 5/5

QUOTES

"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." (28)

"Sometimes winning is not only a matter of knowing the rules, but of making your opponent think he knows them better." (202)

"Stop telling me what to do or say! Um tired of everyone trying to control every word out of my mouth." (280)

"Betrayal by ones own kind is a wound that never heals." (323)

"I don't play games. I wage wars. Don't make me safe one on you." (357)

"We've had a terrible start—it doesn't mean we can't have a better ending." (439)

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ⋆ ★⋆ ˎˊ˗ 3.75 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 ˗ˏˋ⋆ ★⋆ ˎˊ˗

This installment picks up immediately after the events of The Kiss of Deception, with Lia in a pretty sticky situation. Trapped in enemy territory, one wrong move could mean her death. But Lia has become more cunning than her enemies suspect, and she’s not about to go down without a fight.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Mary E. Pearson does a much better job with world building this time around, fleshing out the “barbarian” country of Venda and giving a face to its people. Raised to believe that all Vendans are savage and uncultured, Lia must confront the convenient lies she’s been fed in order to fuel the centuries-long war between her kingdom Morrighan and Venda.

I loved reading about the various clans of Venda, and hearing their version of the Remnant stories (the dominant religion) gave a lot of insight into the Vendan people. The gift also plays a larger role in this installment, as Lia learns to embrace her visions and attempts to interpret their meaning – before it’s too late.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the love triangle, which continues to play a crucial role. Lia has such convoluted relationships with both Rafe and Kaden – they’ve both lied to her and betrayed her, but she can’t help feeling something for them.

While it appears that Lia has made her choice, I will be shocked and disappointed if she ends up with the guy she’s favoring now.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ This series continues to be a great “palette cleanser” option, something gripping and uncomplicated to read between heavier or more substantial books. While they’re certainly not an example of the best YA fantasy has to offer, the series is full of intrigue, kisses, and betrayal. And sometimes that’s all I want from a book. ♡⋆˙
➽──────────────❥

[Rebecca (life's chaotic catching up) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Rounding up bc I loved the ending.

We are back with the second book of the Remnant Chronicles and it picks up right where we left our characters in the first book. Anything I say will give away spoilers so I am just going to focus on how I felt about the book.

It took me a while to gather my thoughts about this book. I liked it, not quite loved it. I read the Dance of Thieves Duology last year and I was absolutely blown away with it, I loved it so much and it being in the same universe as these books my expectations were really high and that may explain my small disappointment. The writing lacks a bit of passion for me, and it can be a bit stagnant at times. Obviously, these books were written before Dance of Thieves and the writing has gotten much more polished and engaging since these were written.

I did enjoy the general direction the book takes and the internal conflicts and moral dilemmas that are presented to the reader. The magic system is still not clear and the prophecies and Lia's purpose are still very vague.
There really isn't a love triangle in my opinion, there is only one choice and so it just feels like a plot device bc at no time does it ever feel like it may be a real question. It's not the worst thing but it just didn't do anything one way or the other for me.
My favorite thing about this book was actually the villain. I kind of loved to hate him and he was interesting, and incited emotion from me as a reader when he was on the page.

The best part of this book was reading it with my brilliant bestie, Deema who wrote a way better review than I ever could, and you should go check out hers instead! I think half the reason I couldn't figure out if I loved this book or not is bc we have so much fun reading together that it's hard to separate the experiences!

[Vesselina. · Rating 5 out of 5]

08/09/2014

[Simona B · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Because with my last dying breath, I would make him regret the day he ever laid eyes on me.”

•I'm still unsure whether I should consider this series as guilty pleasure or not; I still haven't been able to peg it. It's as if it lives in this sort of limbo, where you have this astonishingly intelligent writing and world-building on one hand, and tons of ya tropes on the other, love triangle included. And the more I think about it, the more I realize I actually like the in-between sort of story that came out of it. It's precisely the kind of book I would look for if I simply wanted to relax and think of nothing for a few days, without ending up banging my head against a wall in an attempt to forget the horror I just read. In this sense, the Remnant Chronicles are the perfect series.

•I like Lia more and more with each page I read. She's fierce, steadfast; in my language, there's an idiom we use for stubborn and determined people who would do just anything to get want they want, who are said "not to look anybody in the face". So here, in my head Lia is the perfect example of someone who never looks anybody in the face. She knows where she needs to get and what she needs to do, and she complies without complaints or self-pity. I think her attitude in this book is worthy of admiration, and I was honestly happy with her as a character, in general. However, I still don't see why everyone should love her on the spot; I get that the people of Venda revere her because of the prophecy, but that makes the character look only like the umpteenth clean and tidy, all-too-good, perfect and shiny chosen one. That was really irritating, considering that the one actual thing that Lia does for this people is recite some poetry and prayers. If that's where the story's going, I would like to see her actually act in the next book.

•The love triangle is, surprisingly, not as heavy as one may think, even though it's undeniably there and at times it really is felt. For what it's worth, I think it's well handled. Besides, both Rafe and Kaden are way too likeable and hot not to fall for them. I think Rafe could be explored with more depth, while Kaden satisfied me more in this respect.

•The Komizar proved to be far more interesting that I'd have thought, ruthless, insidious, cunning and utterly cold-blooded; maybe I would have liked him to be a bit more unpredictable -two or three chapters with him are more than enough to figure his character out perfectly. I do hope he'll return in the final instalment and show more sides of himself.

•I was never bored, not for one second, but I should probably mention that the whole plot revolves around mind games and politics, therefore you'd better brace yourself if you're more of an adrenaline junkie. Moreover, even though I didn't perceive it as a flaw while I was reading it, objectively the book does suffer from a mild form of middle book syndrome -the major events are very few because the whole story takes place at the Vendan court.

➽ The Heart of Betrayal undoubtedly is a worthy sequel to The Kiss of Deception, and its strengths certainly exceed its weaknesses. With a few focused improvements, the next book will mathematically make for a great conclusion.

[Chantal · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

It should be noted that I wasn't the biggest fan of The Kiss of Deception but I found the ending so promising that I really wanted to give this series another chance.

If you loved The Kiss of Deception, don't let this review make you anxious, I'm pretty sure you will like this one more than the first. If you are like me however, and thought TKoD was very meh then this review is for you. To summarize: I was hoping THoB would remedy many things I disliked in TKoD but that didn't happen unfortunately.

Warning: This review contains spoilers for the first instalment in the Remnant Chronicles series, The Kiss of Deception.

When I picked up The Heart of Betrayal I had expectations (as you do with second instalments).

Expectation #1: Lia, who is now being forced to enter Venda, will mature and develop as she has to learn to adapt to her new surroundings. Whatever the outcome, she will come out of it wiser and more patient.

→ Wrong. In the first 10% of the book or so it actually seemed like this would happen. Lia kept her mouth shut and kept telling the reader how she was going to wait for the right moment before she acted. She kept saying how she was going to play the game better then everyone else. As you might guess, I was excited. I was thinking of what happened in The Winner’s Crime. Unfortunately, Lia doesn’t even come close to the calibre that is Kestrel. From that point onward, Lia actually seemed to regress, becoming her old, impulsive, reckless self. Now, I actually really liked Lia in the first book; there is nothing inherently wrong with a character being impulsive and a little reckless (as long as they aren’t stupid) BUT I need to see that a character learns from their mistakes and changes. Lia did neither.

Expectation #2: The first novel was focused on the love triangle. It was all about boy issues and kissing. Surely, the second one will take a very different route; the romance will fade into the background as more interesting and important matters come into play.

→ Wrong. This book still has entirely too much romance and entirely too little of everything else. How Lia still manages to expend so much brainpower on her men in this life and death situation is beyond me.

Expectation #3: In the first book, Kaden and Rafe blended together for me. I didn’t care about either one. However, there is more opportunity in this one to make me choose one over the other. One of them (if not both) will grow on me. Kaden will show his badass side and actually become a man worthy of the title assassin.

→ Wrong. The love triangle is worse than ever, I hated it even more than in the first book. I wanted to punch both Kaden and Rafe in the face. One says that in a good love triangle, the reader hops between love interests because they don’t know which one to choose. Well, this happened to me here. I truly couldn’t choose. Which one I disliked more.
I genuinely thought I would fall for Kaden because come on, he’s an assassin, I always seem to like the bad guys. He has to choose between the girl he loves and the loyalty to his kingdom. That’s romantic, right? Except that Kaden was so freaking gullible and weak-willed that he made me want to scream. He’s supposedly an incredibly skilled assassin. Apparently. I have yet to see proof of this. In this book, he is still just a boy who can’t do his job and is too busy making googly-eyes at Lia instead of seeing through her charade. Oh, and of course he has a tragic past that justifies all his actions. I sure didn't see that one coming. *rolls eyes*
Rafe was slightly better, at least he wasn’t as naive and pathetic as Kaden, but I still couldn’t get myself to like him. He kind of bored me, just like in the first book and he made some seriously stupid decisions all in the name of love.

Expectation #4: What made TKoD a little more tolerable than some other YA fantasies was the fact that Lia wasn’t really a special snowflake. Yes, she is a princess but she is also a normal girl. Has flaws and supposedly doesn’t possess the gift. This notion will be maintained in the second book.

→ Wrong. In this one, Lia becomes the most special of all special snowflakes. Both Kaden and Rafe love her with unwavering devotion and are willing to sacrifice everything for her even though they only met her a few months earlier. The people of Venda love Lia even though she is “enemy swine”. She is the one who has the gift and is prophesized to save the kingdoms. How original.

Expectation #5: The plot is going too be more fast-paced and action-packed since Lia is now in enemy territory.

→ Not really. The plot is slightly more exciting than in the first book (which really isn’t very difficult) but it still retains the meandering, slow-going quality. This isn’t always bad but in this case it felt like a let-down. The book should have been exciting and suspenseful but it wasn’t until the very end (much like TKoD).

Expectation #6: We’re going to get more world-building and insight into the political system of the kingdoms.

→ Not really. There are some well-written descriptions of Venda and how the kingdom works and we do get a tiny bit of politics. However, this is not enough for establishing an intricate political “chess game” or creating real suspense.

Expectation #7: In this one, things will actually make sense.

→ Wrong. I can’t say too much because of spoilers but some of the things that happen in this book are very unlikely and illogical. The way Lia gets through with everything she does. The way nobody ever questioned her motives. The fact that Rafe wasn’t found out. It just all seemed very convenient.

Despite my very negative review, The Heart of Betrayal isn’t a terrible book. The writing is still quite lovely (though Mary E. Pearson overuses similes in my opinion), the plot overall is somewhat entertaining and Lia is still a character I can root for. The ending surprised me. However, I cannot say that I really liked this book.

[Bentley ★ Bookbastion.net · Rating 4 out of 5]

See this review and more on: www.bookbastion.net
___________________

This one might win the award for toughest review of 2017.

You might remember my earlier review for the first book in the series: The Kiss of Deception, which I loved and showered praise on. While I was really excited to crack into this one, and still really enjoyed it, I felt a little let down.

One of the biggest disappointments to me in this book revolved around the situation Lia found herself in. "But Bentley," you say, "isn't that the point of conflict?" Well, yes, but in a way I feel like this book undoes a lot of what I really enjoyed most about the first. Take for example, that dreaded love triangle from book one that just won't quit.


Lia had essentially made her choice at the end of book 1, and although I knew she would be in close proximity to her potential second love interest, I had hoped she'd moved past him. However, because of the danger of her situation this time around, it actually turns out to be safer for her to pretend to still be interested in this guy, which of course leads to sort of feelings on both ends.

So, in a way Lia loses that powerful agency she had in the first book in favor of prolonging the inevitable. She's still extremely intelligent and driven as a character, which I love, but she's no longer making decisions for herself and for her own future. Instead, she feels trapped under the thumb of not one, not two, but three different men in this book, who all want to get into her pants.

During the earliest pages of this book, when I knew we were about to meet the Komizar I was literally sending up prayers that he would turn out to be either old or ugly, or a combination of both. Of course when he's introduced he's young, hungry and just as handsome as the other two men in Lia's life. You can pretty much guess where that storyline goes from page one. A lot of my friends who read this book seemed to love the Komizar. I mostly hated him. I felt like Lia was really hampered by her connection to him and cringed every time I realized he was going to be in a scene.


It just felt a little bit tired to me. I wanted more exploration of Venda and more politicking between the kingdoms, but instead this sort of sophomore slumped for me into a romantic story set in a fantasy world.

I will give Mary Pearson the same commendation I awarded her for the first book. Her writing skills are top notch. She has a masterful command of prose and dialogue. I feel like she's sort of unfairly categorized in Young Adult to be honest, when her prose seems a bit stronger than the typical books you'd find in the genre. I think she'd do quite well writing fantasy novels for adults at some point in her career.

I don't mean to sound like I hated this book - on the contrary, it was still quite engaging. I did enjoy learning more about Venda, and exploring all its hidden secrets alongside Lia. I also took a shine to a few of the ancillary characters that Lia bumped into from time to time. There is a lot here still to love, and I am sure that this book was building up to some major events that are going to take place during the final installment.

I just hope book 3 moves past all the love triangle drama and really engages in the story I'm most interested in: Lia continuing her journey of self discovery both of her gift, and of her strengths as a woman who doesn't need to chain herself to a man in order to survive.

★★★★✰ = 4 out 5 stars

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you f*cking kidding me? You can't end a book like that and expect me to wait a whole year!
I won't survive this.

[Lucie V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There are no rules when it comes to survival.”

✅ Captive / Captor
✅ Plot and unexpected twists
✅ Characters
✅ Action and Politics
✅ Conflicted feelings
✅ World-building

That is a solid sequel. There are about 100 pages in the middle that are a little boring, but the beginning is very interesting and the end is awesome. I was constantly wondering what other twist and turn were going to happen, and who Lia could trust. The political aspect of the series is also more important in this book.

Lia is held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda while Rafe is pretending to be the prince's envoy, there to discuss an alliance between Venda and Dalbreck. Kaden is also stuck between his loyalty to Venda and the Komizar and his feelings for Lia. The romance holds a bigger place in this book, but it is not the main focus, and I loved that Lia was able to take care of herself and to be independant, and that even though she loves Rafe, she thinks about the bigger picture too. I have to say that they are sweet though.

“It was worth it, Lia,” He said. “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.”

Lia is trying to figure out what is happening and who to make the best of it. Rafe lied to her (after she lied to him, but still), but is now stuck in Venda trying to save her. Kaden was supposed to kill her, but kept her alive instead and now seems to be trying to protect her and Lia soon realizes that the barbarians may not be as barbarian as she thought.

Lia needs to find a balance between her feelings, her love for her country, her newfound love for Venda, her gift, and she also needs to stay alive, which might prove hard with the Komizar.

“There was only one thing that someone with great power wanted. More of it”

I loved discovering Venda and seeing how the kingdom doesn't rely on its resources but on its leader (even if the leader happens to be quite intense and bloodthirsty). The romance (and kind of love triangle) is still there in this book, but it is not the main focus and the plot is more centered around politics.

I really enjoyed this book, and I strongly recommend this series!


1. The Kiss of Deception ⭐⭐⭐⭐



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[beautyliterate · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars

The Remnant Chronicles Spoiler Free Series Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMS-6...

A little slow in the beginning but then I was completely blown away with the different twist and turns!

[emma ⚘ · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★☆☆ - 3.5 stars

The Remnant Chronicles 2/3

this was better than the first book! i had a great time reading this. plus, it gave me lord of the rings vibes at some points, which is such a good movie series!
i definitely think this could’ve used some more action, but i’m hoping the last book will make up for it.

the setting is my favorite part of this book. it is so well-crafted and it’s also really fun to flip back to the map.

the plot was so stagnant. i was constantly waiting for something to happen, but the only action occurred in the last 10 pages.
i do, however, think the worldbuilding is understandable and i was very intrigued about some of the mysteries!

i’m not sure yet what to think of lia. in the first half, she was pretty whiny, but her development in the last half has me rethinking on my opinions about her. there were also moments she kinda slayed…she doesn’t let men tell her what to do!! she’s got a mind of her own and i think it’s very fun to read about a curious character like her. and when her villainous side took over at the end, i was like “finally!”

to set things straight, i am NOT team rafe. he has no faith in lia and i really just need him to get out of the way.

the komizar was honestly an interesting character to read about. i may find him a little hot…
but then at the end, i hated him.

i also love jeb, he is so cute!

but kaden is for sure my favorite character. he’s got priorities and sticks to them. but he’s also trying not to fall for lia…
i ship him and lia, and i have a feeling they’re endgame. (if they’re not, i will be mad!)

i like the writing a lot. it’s very descriptive and still easy to read. i am excited to read dance of thieves next! it’s one of my most anticipated series of this year!

overall, this book was a fun time and i can’t wait to see what happens in the last one!

[Whitney Atkinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book fell victim to a very specific problem I have now with YA fantasy books. I read book 1 before I read Six of Crows, and it was pretty good. I read this one after I read Six of Crows and suddenly, I've read better and everything in this was cliche and the characters weren't that great and the dialogue was cheesy and the magic system was unrealistic and underexplained.

So. Yeah.

Maybe if I'd read this closer to book one I would have enjoyed it, but reading this my eyes were roooolling because the characters and plot were so typical. And the characters were sorta abusive to each other??? Idk dude, not a fan. Book one should've been a standalone I guess.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

That ending though..

[Caitlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 75%

Buddy read with Jia!

I made it 75% through this book. I was SO CLOSE TO FINISHING! But I realised I'm so fucking done because I just don't give a single shit about the characters or the world and I've been skimming for the past 100 pages and I honestly can't stand looking at this book anymore.

Fuck this book. Fuck this series. There's no plot. The characters suck. The hype is all bullshit. Thank you and goodbye

[Hannah Azerang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the progression of the story in this book! It definitely read more like a fantasy compared to the first book.

It expanded so much on the world and the mythology which was definitely my favorite part. Again, Lia's character development was amazing and I feel like we finally got to see her outside of the love triangle, which I loved.

I still don't like Kaden and after this book I don't think there's any redeeming him for me. But Rafe, Rafe is good.

[Sara Bow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mega enttäuscht - weiß noch nicht ob ich überhaupt den dritten Band weiterlesen soll...

[Grace (irisroman & evajacks' version) ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great sequel!! 🤩🤩 I went in excited after enjoying the Kiss of Deception and I had a lot of fun with this. So entertaining! 💜💜

“The rules of reason build towers that reach past the treetops. The rules of trust build towers that reach past the stars.”

The Heart of Betrayal is the second book in the Remnant Chronicles- the sequel to the Kiss of Deception. I can't really explain what this is about without spoiling, but just know it continues Lia's fight for freedom as she tries to survive in a hostile land and is pulled between 2 boys she loves.

I didn't necessarily have the highest expectations going into this series, but it is proving to be a very fun & entertaining time so far!! I'm having a great time 💜💜

“There are no rules when it comes to survival.”

Starting with the characters! I didn't absolutely love the characters in the 1st book- they just felt a little bland- but I definitely started to like them more in this book! 🤩🤩 Lia has never grown on me- she is proving to be a great fierce female mc and I loved seeing her growth throughout this book! She went through so much but she's stronger bc of it and i love that 💗💗 We also had the introduction of a new villain in here and he was such an interesting character!! I love complex villains and he was definitely one. He kinda gave me Darkling vibes and I was a big fan of that 😏😏

As for our two love interests, my feelings on them are still a bit up and down, but they are quite well-developed so that's nice 🥰

"Let me make this perfectly clear to you. Though some might seek to make it appear otherwise, I am not a bride to be bartered away to another kingdom, not a prize of war, not a mouthpiece for your Komizar. I am not a chip in a card game to be mindlessly tossed into the center of the pot, nor one to be kept in the tight fist of a greedy opponent. I am a player seated at the table alongside everyone else, and from this day forward, I will play my own hand as I see fit. Do you understand me? Because the consequences could be ugly if someone thought otherwise.” ~ SLAY LIA

I really enjoyed Mary E. Pearson's writing- once again, it is super easy to read and entertaining! 🤩🤩 Something about it was so compelling and I just couldn't stop flipping the pages. It's honestly quite addicting 🤭

The plot- mixed feelings! On one hand, there was actually a bit of a lack of it 😅- the whole book was kinda no plot, just vibes. I can definitely see that irritating some people, but I didn't mind it so much bc i was very invested and I didn't mind just reading about the romance & vibes 🥰🥰 The ending was also great with some nice action which helped! But I do wish there might have been a bit more happening at times 😊

Now, the romance. Hmmmm 🤔 Our love triangle continues and usually I'm a big hater of love triangles but this one is definitely done well- I'm still honestly not sure who she's going to end up or who I WANT her to end up with!! One guy does have a bit of an edge, but there's definitely still something going on with her and the other guy.... The romance is super fun and a nice little subplot to add interest. I'm not obsessed with either of them but it's pretty good! 🥰🥰

“It was worth it, Lia,” He said. “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 must admit, this ship does have the superior quotes tho 🤭🤭

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this!! 🤩🤩 Would recommend if you want:

✔ Decent love triangle
✔ Entertaining sequel
✔ Great writing
✔ Fun YA fantasy

I'm excited to read the third book!! 💜💜

~ 3.75 stars

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I really enjoyed this!! 🤩🤩 A very entertaining read- this series is turning out to be super fun 💜💜

RTC!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a good read loved everything about it so so good🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰😍

This is book two of the remnant chronicles so you will need to read The Kiss of Deception before starting this one.

This was and amazing read Lia has finally arrived in Venda and things are intense to say the least.

With only her wit to guide her Lia is in danger most of this book, as she has to carefully navigate through her precarious situation she soon realises Kaden is not in charge, and can only help her so much as she continues to ruffles feathers and step on ego's.

This is the kind of story that is so well put together, and has such great characters it doesn't have any boring or slow chapters at all.

Happy Reading 📚📚📚📙📒📚📓📘📗📚📙📕📗📒📓📘📕📗📚📙📒📚📓📘📗📕📖📙📒📓📖