Review: The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2) by Mary E. Pearson

Title: The Heart of Betrayal

Series: The Remnant Chronicles #2
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication Date: July 07, 2015
Pages: 470
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Dystopian
Source: Ebook
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Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save Lia's life, her 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 savages. Now that she lives among 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.

MY REVIEW

This review MAY contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

This book was truly magnificent! I almost feel bad for having qualms about the first book. This book has solidified this series as a definite favorite on my bookshelf. 

What a turn this series has taken. Seriously. From characters that I could not connect with in the slightest to ones that I adore and are extremely passionate about. Pearson has really stepped up her game. No kidding. 

The first thing that pleasantly surprised me was the extreme character growth. We get a deeper glance into Lia, Kaden, and Rafe. Where they felt almost bland to me in the first book, they are now vibrant and compelling. They have their own agendas and histories. We find out so much more about them in this book. Lia really grew on me in this one. I felt her to by whiny and selfish in the first book, and now she is brave, determined, and courageous. I simply adored her in this book. We see more into Kaden and Rafe as well. Kaden's conflicting emotions between his loyalty to Venda and his feelings for Lia. Rafe's determination to save Lia no matter the cost. I also felt that the Komizar was a really great villain. He resonated with me so much. I liked the new side characters introduced in this one as well. 

The political intrigue gets even better in this one. We get to step inside the enemy kingdom and see their way of life. I like how Pearson differentiated between the Komizar and his reign to the simple countrymen of Venda. They had different priorities, and it showed how very different they were. It was easy to see why Lia fell in love with Venda's people and hated the Komizar. We find out that there are betrayals running rampant, with traitors in Morrighan. 

I loved the additional world building in this. I didn't fully understand "the gift" and the religious aspects of the different kingdoms, but they worked. They were fully worked through and brought so much to the story. I liked seeing the nation of Venda. The descriptions of its terrain and of the devastation left behind from the time of the ancients were intriguing. I am hoping that we find out that their world is just a far-off future from our own. The more that I read the more it sounds like a nuclear war wiped out most of the world, and the scavengers and remnants left behind are what their kingdoms spring from. 

I liked how some things really surprised me in this. I did not see the scholars from Morrighan and their betrayal coming. I loved how Pearson kept things hidden and exposed them at just the right time. So many shocking things come to light in this book, and it was such a great journey finding them all out. I love when a book keeps me guessing.

I think that what I liked most was Lia and Rafe's journey as being captives. They endure so much at the hands of their captors, and the drama that ensued during their time in Venda was highly entertaining. 

Overall, I was blown away by this book! Just wow! I implore you to read this series if you have not already. Following all the chatter about this series, most either love it or hate it. I had some issues with the first book and almost stopped reading the series, but decided to continue it. I am certainly grateful that I did, because this series is so intense and so, so good! I implore you to give this one a chance, but don't listen to me, and don't listen to the hype or the haters. Make your own decisions about this series. If I had listened to all the haters, I would have missed out on a new favorite series! Sometimes you just have to trust your gut. I so look forward to the next book in The Remnant Chronicles!

What is the last series that you have read? Would you recommend it? Have you read any books in The Remnant Chronicles series? If so, what are your thoughts?