Book Club: The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson @NYNBC #BookReview @marypearson #4Star

Title: The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1)
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Dystopia
Release Date: July 8th 2014
Purchase: Amazon

A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

I didn't know what to expect from this book. When my book club picked out book 2 to read this month, I decided to pick up this book and read it so I wouldn't be lost. Needless to say, this one threw me for a loop towards the end, which made me go back and re-read some chapters so I had a better understanding.

When you first start to read this book, you are going through Princess Lia's POV. And while some people may think that she is a stuck up snobbish girl who is selfish and only does things for herself, you can't help but to blame her. I realize times were different back when you had kings and queens. You were married off to the highest bidder or forced to marry someone you didn't love, just to form an alliance between kingdoms. But Lia didn't care, she followed her heart and her best friend, and fled the confines of a convenient marriage for a chance at true happiness and true love. If I were in her shoes, I would have done the same thing. But that's because I have always had a bit of a stubborn streak, just like Lia.

Next you get thrown into two different POVs. We are introduced to the Assassin and the Prince. In each of these perspectives you get to glimpse into their feelings and worlds. They are both on a quest to find the runaway Princess, but for totally different reasons. When they both arrive at a tavern at the same time for a chance encounter of the Princess, things start to get pretty interesting.

However, words can be deceiving. As I found out towards the end of the book. Once these two men introduce themselves as Rafe and Kaden the chapters POV change from Prince and Assassin to Rafe and Kaden, leaving you to guess which one is which. When things are revealed towards the end of the book I was shocked and confused because I had gotten the two mixed up and had to go back and re-read a few key scenes to fix my confusion. 

This one does end on a bit of a cliff-hanger, but I have a feeling that it will be well worth it. We will soon find out, as I'm about to pick up the second book, The Heart of Betrayal, to read.

Mary E. Pearson is the author of bestselling, award-winning novels for teens. The Miles Between was named a Kirkus Best Book of the Year, and The Adoration of Jenna Fox was listed as a Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, an IRA Young Adult Choice, NYPL Stuff for the Teen Age, and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. She is also the author of A Room on Lorelei Street, David v. God, and Scribbler of Dreams. Pearson studied art at Long Beach State University, and worked as an artist before earning her teaching credential at San Diego State University. She writes full-time from her home in Carlsbad, California, where she lives with her husband and two dogs.

Find Mary: Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest