My Thoughts: The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. 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: 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.

First, let me say- the end of this book. Whaaaaaat?!?! If you know me, or have been following this blog for a bit, than you know I am not one to read fantasy novels. My tastes run more contemporary. That doesn't mean I don't stray every now and again. Like last year for instance- I moved away from my contemporary bubble and picked up The Kiss of Deception. the first novel in Mary E. Pearson's Remnant Chronicles. And I was blown away. I loved that book. The story grabbed hold and took off with me trailing behind- you can read all about what I thought here. I loved the characters, I loved the writing and I loved the overall plot. It was a really great read for me, and I was super excited about what was to come.

The Heart of Betrayal's release date came and went without me really knowing that it was coming. I have been in a non-bookish bubble for sometime, and I am just now breaking free. So, while I was eagerly awaiting this release, I have only just finished it (two months after it hit the shelves).

Initially I was worried that The Heart of Betrayal was going to be a victim of the second book syndrome. You know that one- where the second book in a trilogy really feels like a filler novel, it doesn't really move the story along. This is NOT the case with The Heart of Betrayal. Pearson really kept the story kept moving with this one, and she introduced new elements and idea that really added to the overall story. There is a more political aspect to this novel- as Lia and Rafe now find themselves prisoners of Venda and their feared ruler the Komizar (who is a real bastard if I can say so myself). Venda is an interesting place, it's an isolated kingdom with little to offer. The Komizar is a fierce leader who has these big ambitions- I am trying really hard not to spoil anything here, so I am being very vague- and he's not letting anyone or anything get in the way of those ambitions.

The characters also grew and matured in The Heart of Betrayal. I continue to be a big fan of Lia. She's a bit more vulnerable in this second installment, but she's also grown a ton. She's experienced a lot of terrible things- again being vague- she's also been able to experience a culture that is new to her. She's formed a bond with some of the Vendan children- something she wasn't expecting, and she's able to see the people as more than uncivilized barbarians.

Let me briefly mention- there is no love triangle in this novel- none. The Kiss of Deception alludes to one briefly, but not really. So if you are staying away from there books for that reason- I say don't worry about it, it's non existent.

Overall, I loved this book, I thought it was a brilliant addition to this trilogy. There was so much happening and I found that I couldn't read fast enough. I cannot wait for The Beauty of Darkness- which is out next year- this hurts my heart.

~Happy Reading Everyone!