Cover Image: The Traitor's Kiss

The Traitor's Kiss

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Member Reviews

Published: April 20th,2017
https://bookishdiana.wordpress.com/

Published: May 9th

Genres: Young Adult

Reading from: ebook/hardcover

Publisher:Imprint

Pages:352 pages

Series or Standalone: Trilogy

Rating: ---

Summary from Goodreads: An obstinate girl who will not be married.
A soldier desperate to prove himself.
A kingdom on the brink of war.

With a sharp tongue and an unruly temper, Sage Fowler is not what they’d call a lady―which is perfectly fine with her. Deemed unfit for marriage, Sage is apprenticed to a matchmaker and tasked with wrangling other young ladies to be married off for political alliances. She spies on the girls―and on the soldiers escorting them.

As the girls' military escort senses a political uprising, Sage is recruited by a handsome soldier to infiltrate the enemy ranks. The more she discovers as a spy, the less certain she becomes about whom to trust―and Sage becomes caught in a dangerous balancing act that will determine the fate of her kingdom.



OKAY................ I don't feel exactly comfortable for supporting this book after reading about how this book was offensive. I actually really loved this book but I want to say i'm blinded by my enjoyment by not being able to pickup up on the issues of this book. So this is why i'm leaving my rating as blank, because i;m not even sure how I feel about it.

So the main character, Sage Farrow is an orphan living with her Uncle's family. And lets just say they don't have the best relationship out there.

We get to know she intelligent, calculating and just pretty much good at everything.

there's really no extremely strong friendship between Sage and any other girls in the beginning, not really good thing a book. However she does become friends with a girl in the book, and it seemed really sweet .
There also was a lack of description in everything in a way, I also had nothing really to imagine, the author just kept repeating darker, or dark, It was very difficult and could be interpreted in several different ways. And can be harmful and offensive.



The pacing was slow but i absolutely loved it, it was really written well in my opinion. And the romance was slow burning and not instalove(which is a major plus), They developed a nice friendship, and it was extremely well written.



This book also slightly reminded me of The Kiss of Deception, with the whole characters POVs.

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Sage Fowler has no interest in getting married; in fact, she hopes it never happens. When she is hired by the local matchmaker, Sage can't believe that this job will be anything more than mindless prattle and boring tasks. Boy was she wrong; pretty soon Sage is wrapped up being a spy to help the king figure out where loyalties lie and Sage herself my just start to re-think her thoughts on marriage.
A fun, fast paced debut novel that I read in one sitting and has me interested in the next in this series!

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Holy cannoli I LOVED THIS BOOK!

I just really enjoyed the characters and I love the breadcrumbs dropped along the way that made you question what was coming and i'm proud to say I guessed right.

This is definitely a book that you'll want in physical form because my god the amount of page flipping back and forth that I did to compare and contrast characters and scenes would have been so much better with a physical copy.

Sage Fowler is a well rounded character that I found to be utterly believable. She was a like-able main character without being an unbelievable heroine. She seemed very self aware and I think that was what I liked most about her and her relationships with others.

I don't even know how to write about the other characters without spoilers so I just won't do it! But I loved the boys. I loved their comaraderie and I loved the relationships they built with the brides in this book.

So well crafted and really just delightful. A fantastic read and what looks to be the start of an amazing trilogy! Pick it up asap!

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I picked up Traitor's Kiss last night and I could not put it down! I was given an ARC of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review - and I feel like I got the better end of that bargain. Sage Fowler is a strong, relatable character for young women. I adore that Erin Beaty spends more time describing Sage's intelligence, wit, and thirst for learning than her looks and beauty. Sage does not allow people to walk all over her and instead charts her own course. She has a dream, to become a teacher, and she doesn't let anything get in her way - not her uncle, her well-meaning aunt, or her eventual relationship. She is also compassionate, offering to help those around her learn more and even willing to risk her own safety for that of others. She is clever and quick witted.

The plot was fast-paced and interesting. There was a twist that I really liked. There were definitely clues planted before it's reveal, but it still was surprising and enjoyable. I look forward to reading more about these characters and this world, and was pleased when I realized that this was the first book in the trilogy. This author will definitely be one to watch.

From a purely aesthetic standpoint, the cover is GORGEOUS! I love juxtaposition of the flowers with the sword. I saw this book on several bookstagram accounts and book blogs, and I thought it was too pretty not to pre-order. That it was a fantasy novel (my favorite genre) was just a boon.

The only part that gave me pause is this: The age difference between the teen protagonist and her eventual love. Sage is seventeen years old, and Quinn is twenty-one. While four years isn't a problem in real life for adults, I feel somewhat conflicted about these relationships when I share books with my teenage students. Books can help shape their beliefs and expectations about relationships - and if a four year age difference is normalized to a fourteen year old, it could lead them into an unhealthy relationship. That being said, Beaty's country and culture is clearly not our world, and she even puts in part about girls getting into relationships too early as a negative thing. And I really like how she shaped Sage and Quinn's relationship - he is respectful of her sexual boundaries, admires her intelligence, is willing to let her take the lead in plans regardless of her gender, and supports her dreams and career aspirations. In the end, it isn't an engagement ring that he gives her, but a job interview! If my students normalize partner behavior like Quinn's, I would be thrilled! The age comment isn't just about this book, and their gap isn't even the biggest I've read in YA fantasy (i'm looking at you, Vampire Academy), it's just something I've been thinking about.

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I really loved this book and couldn't stop reading it after about 80 pages. I was up until 2 am just reading on a Monday night. This book was adorable and I really enjoy reading about a kingdom with arranged marriages. Not that I enjoy arranged marriages but I like reading about how different main characters will react to the proposal. At least in this world, you can be matched by someone who tries to put you with someone who is "good" for you.

This book was not only fast paced but it was held my attention the entire way through. Once I had sat down and actually had time to start reading the book, I just couldn't stop reading. This is one of those books that once you're hooked, you just can't stop.

Sometimes, okay no, all the time, I like to read about people falling in love. Not the shitty, insta love, but like actual genuine love. I'm not a mushy person just reading about people being happy makes me so happy and I'm all about that. But that's off topic, I only wanted to start off by saying that I love love but hate insta love so this story was just perfect. The main character, Sage, doesn't just fall in love with the first man she sees. If anything, she thinks that no one will ever love her and doesn't want to get married. She's a character that I could really relate too and I didn't find anything that I really disliked about her. Sage is a strong and independent woman and I really liked how she was willing to risk so much for the land and people that she loved.

My only complaint is that this is going to be a trilogy and I don't really think it needs to be. It finished like a contemporary would and I think it ended perfectly. I'm not particularly interested in the politics of the kingdom and because of that, I did give the book 4.5 stars instead of a full 5. I think that if I had something that interested me besides the love story then I would probably read the next 2 books. That being said, I might read them, I just don't know.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fiction books and doesn't mind romance in their books. This is definitely a book for those who love reading about strong female characters. This book comes out May 9th, and I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends if they are looking for a book with romance but also an interesting story.

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Boy oh Boy boy this book was so GOOD! I wasnt too sure what I was expecting when I first requested this title, but I am glad to find this little gem. Right off the bat, this book has you hooked, it kept me reading for hours on end. Erin Beaty weaves a story of love and misconceptions, spies and war with wit and poise. Fans of The winners Curse and Kiss of Deception will love this title. The story is compelling the the romance is swoon worthy. I highly recommend this read.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of “The Traitor's Kiss by Erin Beaty. This is such a fun debut. The characters are colorful and full of personality. I love the matchmaking aspect. The romance in this story is swoon worthy. Perfect for fans of fantasy with some steamy romance. I will definitely be recommending it for the library where I work. Also, the cover is gorgeous!

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Don't let the Jane Austen comparison scare you away quickly; I enjoyed this book though I dislike that style. However, this book relied quite heavily on romance and there definitely could have been more to the plot.

My biggest issue with this was world building and characterization of general populations. I felt like this book benefitted from previous fantasy books I'd read; I could see it happening in the general realm that all fantasy books tend to take place in. There were a few races that really weren't given personalities other than being bad, and I wished that they had had more interest and humanity to them so that I could better understand their motivations.

The romance definitely drove this book. While Sage seems at surface level to be another exciting heroine, she's not really the most sociable character and I was kind of disappointed by how her relationship with her mentor didn't really progress. Sage is smart, but she looks down on basically everyone else, and I wanted to see some humanity in her--some jealousy or some desire or something. Instead, she falls for her own boy, and that drives the latter half of the book.

Nonetheless, this sucked me in and was an easy read. I felt like the romance between them, while it escalated far too quickly, was believable. I got pretty confused about all the characters and their switching, but I could see how each character's motivations affected them.

This is a pretty solid fantasy and I think that a lot of people would enjoy it. Though I was ultimately disappointed at how it fell for a lot of the gimmicks that prior fantasy novels have set up, I recommend it for those who enjoy the genre.

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This was a fantastic debut! The main character, Sage, was smart and resourceful, feisty and strong, and I really grew to like her! The development was amazing! Also, the budding romance, while a small part, was so well-done and swoony! I eagerly look forward to future books by Beaty!

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This book had ups and downs. The middle got a little slow for me, but then things started to pick up as secrets become unraveled. Pretty good for book 1!

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I don't know how to start this review properly. I have so many thoughts and I don't know how to organize them into a coherent format. I liked this book and I didn't like it. There were parts of it that were really great, but most of it just fell really flat to me. Then I have to ask myself, why did I keep reading if I didn't like it all that much? I usually DNF. I know some reviewers have no issue writing negative reviews and I used to too, but I don't like to push myself through something I'm not enjoying anymore just so I can write a critical review. It's just not how I want to blog. But in this case, I kept reading because of the characters. I loved them. And they were the only thing that kept me reading.

Another review pointed out the girl on girl hate in this book, and yeah, it's bad in the sense that Sage is a tomboy and there are occasions when she looks down on the brides that are to be matched at the Concordium. And there is a bride called Jacqueline that's particularly cruel to her but she doesn't even seem to really have a reason to be. The behavior doesn't lead to anything and it's just there for two girls to be feuding. It was weird. Writing tip #1: If a character's behavior doesn't affect events in the book, probavly don't include it? Just like I don't need to know everything that everyone is wearing in every scene, I don't need to have characters in the book that do nothing for the plot. Also, Sage has one female friend--Clare--who is also a bride, and once again she has no influence over any events in the book.

I really liked Sage though and the cattiness didn't bother me because it wasn't that bad and there were other things going on. Plus, it's realistic to me. I know we'd like to believe all women love and support each other, but that's just not the case. At least it hasn't been in my life. I've had a lot of great female friends, but I've also been around a lot of girls who are fucking cruel to each other. There's always a reason though, so if you're going to include it, at least make it realistic.

As for the story itself, I found most of this reallllllyyy boring. I don't care about military maneuvers and court politics. I wanted more action. And sadly to say, this one didn't have a whole lot of that. There is spying, yeah, but there isn't any great excitement that comes from that, and to me it read really dull. There was just so much talking, and talking of things that were eventually going to happen, but it took forever for us to get there.

Most of the dialogue was great, but there were a lot of clarity issues in the writing that I really hope are cleaned up before the book is published. I consider myself a pretty smart person, but I got confused a lot. Yeah, there was wonky formatting in my eARC as well, but I still should be able to fall what's going on, one would think, and when a certain twist happened, I was totally thrown for a loop and not a good one. There were things said earlier in the book that made this almost improbable to me, so for god's sake catch this stuff in the copy edit. I hope.

The only thing that made this book enjoyable for me were the characters. Without that I would have DNFed for sure. I'm not sure if I will continue the trilogy or not. There were just so many pages and hardly any plot. I don't know about this one, guys.

Swoony and shippy romance though, so there is that.

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If you love any girl who doesn't see the world like the rest, a girl who doesn't need a man to complete her, sage fowler is the heroine you're looking for. This book had so many twists, so many turns I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read the rest of this awesome trilogy. Seeing as the first one completely ruined (and slightly) put my heart back together again.

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Actual rating: 3.5

Sage Fowler is a wonderful character, at least for the first half of The Traitor's Kiss. She's smart, sarcastic, and unable to hide the disgust she often feels for the rituals of social niceties. In addition, because of her unusual upbringing, she's perhaps more comfortable in the woods in boy's clothing than she is dressed and behaving as a proper young lady.

When she comes into the employ of an powerful matchmaker, Sage's character expands further, and her ability to read people becomes a crucial skill in her new work. Things get even better when, through a series of only vaguely plausible (but, seriously -- who cares?) events she begins to use her skills to spy in earnest rather than just watching the eligible brides around her. At this point, the book is wonderful -- funny, well-paced, and a ton of fun. During the second half of the story, however, additional characters are introduced and the focus shifts away from Sage, something which immediately cause the book's light to dim. In addition, once the central romance begins, Sage loses many of her dimensions and is too often little more than a stereotypical smitten girl.

I'd eagerly read a trilogy of books about Sage doing cool stuff in her matchmaking career, but the romance and politics are much less compelling. Frustratingly, those things were very much the focus of the story's end, so it seems likely they'll be at the center of book two as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC!

[the above review will go up at the link below a month before publication]

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Sage completely refuses to be married, and because of this, she is apprenticed to a matchmaker, to pair others together in relationships. But the matchmaker Sage works with encourages her to hone her powers of observation, and those powers of observation turn out to be useful when Sage is recruited to be a spy. But when everyone around her has their own motives, Sage will have to be very careful. Trusting the wrong person could be fatal. Sage is a headstrong, compelling character, and readers will enjoy getting to know her and the world she lives in.

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Thank you, Netgalley, for a copy of this book. My opinions are entirely my own.

Oh man, this book was SO GOOD!

When I first jumped into The Traitor's Kiss, I wasn't expecting this beauty. Such a welcome surprise, and it left me reading for hours on end. I honestly couldn't put it down.If you are a fan of Kiss of Deception, you are sure to love this book. Twisty, smart, engaging and thankfully bereft of Purple Prose, debut Erin Beaty weaves a story of love and misconceptions, spies and war with wit and poise.

Our heroine, Sage Fowler glows and blossoms, and Beaty gives her just the right amount of character development to leave us enamored. Sage isn't perfect, and just the right amount of admirable and witty for her character to be engaging and adored. Beaty's supporting cast is each given their time to shine and grow as well.

The twists will keep you reading, the romance will keep you dreaming. If you love Kiss of Deception or The Winner's Curse, you must read this book!

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This is the best book I've read so far in 2017! The plot was amazing and there were a lot of characters but they were all very unique and unforgettable. The romance was so swoon-worthy, the chemistry between Captaij Quinn and Sage was off-the-charts! I couldn't put the book down! This is easily one of my all time favorite books. I highly recommend it!

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