Reacting to The Kiss Of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

SPOILER WARNING. 

This is a post, showing you my reaction when reading these books, all in GIF's. So, pull up a chair and enjoy. 

Firstly, when I saw that title, and I was like...whet. What kind of a title is THAT? 

But I digress...flip to the opening scene with Lia, laying face down on a table, half naked getting a wedding kavah done on her back.

Yeah- almost didn't survive that scene...half out of embarrassment for the character, half out of sheer confusion because I honestly couldn't figure out what they were doing. It's a henna tattoo people. In case you're wondering. 

Then Lia commits political AND familial suicide, in running away. Like so-

But she feels pretty fabulous about it. #bossmode

Escaping trackers...scattering her stuff along the trail & in the river...she thinks she's GOT IT GUURL. 

But then the dudes show up, and the FEELZ begin at their first meeting

The Assassin be like...#IveGotDis

 And the Prince...seething internally. #HowCouldSheBetrayMe

And as a reader, I couldn't figure out who was who...was Kaden the Prince? Rafe the Assassin? I couldn't figure it out...

But try as the Assassin might- to act all charming and harmless,

 to get Lia to like him...she ends up going with the Prince...despite his surliness. 

So, despite an underlying weirdness...they end up being friends- er...something. And despite the Prince vowing to hate the woman who jilted him at the alter, he discovers she's not anything like he imagined she'd be. And the Assassin? Well, he's trying to hate Lia, trying real hard, bro- but the more time each dude spends with the princess...they come away saying..."I danced with the enemy- I didn't want to, but when I was with Lia, everything was different and..."

Meanwhile, since no one knew the real identity of the dudes, everyone was probably thinking (like I was) that Kaden was the Prince, and Rafe the Assassin. So, I was losing my marbles, because Lia was falling in love with the Assassin, and I was convinced her lover was going to slit her throat, at any minute.

And with good reason- because when Lia decides to go back to Morrighan, we discover WHO is WHO. THE GLOVES COMETH OFF.

Starting with when the Assassin (whom we think is the Prince) starts shouting in a foreign language.

What's that? Oh, that language is Vendan...Duuude...He's Vendan...which could only mean one thing...

HE'S THE ASSASSIN. And Lia is done for. 

And we are shock. Utterly shock. 

But first, it starts with a little of this...

But then the shock wears off, leaves you like

Betrayal has run it's course through our hearts. Ripped us open and run amok. But still, we can't quite get over how terrible it is. How wonderful we thought Kaden was. 

He's NOT WHO WE THOUGHT HE WAS.

I suppose not...

And yet, there's this terrible thing going on...WE STILL LIKE KADEN. Despite his misgivings. 

Nope. It's not. 

But it comes in waves...we still can't believe Kaden is the traitor. The baddie. Oh man, betrayal floweth deep. 

Meanwhile...Rafe is feeling the burn. 

The betrayal. The OH-MY-GOODNESS-WHY-DIDN'T-I-SEE-THIS-COMING business, yeah. He's pretty messed up about it. And despite his Princely ability to chill in the midst of a non-chillax environment, he's losing it. Slowly but surely. 

And so...mission to find and take back Lia...has begun. 

Meanwhile, Lia traverses across Cam Lanteux with the Vendan Barbarians, drowning in Kaden's betrayal.

And she must find a way to escape them...besides, she's got moves. And the gift. 

 And becomes more confident in her abilities, during their stay with the gypsies.

 Much to Kaden's utter horror..

 Because while he likes to think he believes her gift is a facade...she's seriously starting to creep him out. And, just to be on the safe side, he vehemently tells Lia she shouldn't trust him, and that his people will ALWAYS COME FIRST.

As in, at every stop, you'll be the last and lowest priority concern on my list. #liarliarpantsonfire
And with that, the gypsies send them off- wishing Lia the best of luck- and smuggling her some assistsance- in the form of a weapon. #sneaky 

Things got real with Walther's company of men...and left the readers like...

We see Venda on the horizon...

And all we wanna do is 

But bailing is not a choice...and we wonder just what will we find within the pages of The Heart Of Betrayal? 

Well...stay tuned- crazy & awesome and horrible stuff happens.

Read the content-breakdown review for The Kiss Of Deception

& book 2 The Heart Of Betrayal

And the Book Banter Video !!

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