BLURB:
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.
AUTHOR: Erin Beaty
GENRE: Children & YA Fantasy
RATING: 3 Stars
BOOK 1 OF THE TRAITOR’S CIRCLE
DESCRIBING THE READ IN 6 WORDS: Interesting characters, Spies, Military strategies, Political Intrigue, Mentor-Apprentice & Twists
SUMMARY:
In The Traitor’s Kiss by Erin Beaty, we follow through kingdoms with Sage Fowler. When Sage was sent to the Matchmaker, Mistress Rodelle in the village to take part in Concordium, she fails miserably. She wasn’t suitable to be the bride for the noble-born but somehow ends up being the apprentice to the matchmaker. Sage helps the matchmaker maintain notes, copies related to all the small-small details about the bride and groom to be. Due to her vigilance and observation skills, she manages to do good work and accompanies the brides they selected to the capital of the kingdom for Concordium.
On the way, they join a group of soldiers, led by Captain Alexander Quinn who will be escorting them safely to the capital. The protection of the brides to be is one of the tasks, hidden behind which is something more that they have to uncover. One of the soldiers has a conversation with Sage and impressed by her, the military recruits her to act as a spy.
Event after event, there are more clues about the distress in the kingdom and Sage undercover more about the military, unavailing secrets and finds herself close to someone. In midst, she realises how she missed some obvious signs and failed to observe what was in front of her eyes.
MY THOUGHTS
(Read in 2023. Posting now.!)
I started reading The Traitor’s Kiss just because I found the cover super pretty. I came across this cover on Instagram on Jane’s bookstagram book_and-jane and started reading it within the next couple of days.
The Traitor’s Kiss by Erin Beaty is different yet similar; The storyline and twists were just so damn interesting. I loved the punch of the plot twist, honestly. I kind of saw it coming and yet I didn’t. And that is the highlight for me for this book or probably for the whole series.
While the plot of the story was gripping, the world-building wasn’t. I realised that I love books with good world-building. I really found so many gaps in the information. I think if it was more detailed or more edited, it would have made a difference. I also like how the romance was the part of the story but there wasn’t any unnecessary drama?
As I said there was a lack of world-building for me, I also think descriptions were kind of vague. I had no image in my mind, the characters were described as pale for our lead Sage, tanned for the other lead and dark-skinned for the enemy. Did you notice the pattern here? I don’t know what was the intention set here but I know I am not the only one who has sensed a problem here.
The beginning or the pacing of the book was also extremely slow for my liking. I mean I was waiting for something to happen, something to make me gasp and nothing. It took me a while to even start connecting. While I was invested after a while but that spark was missing.
I also think somehow solutions keep on landing in Sage’s hands. And if that continues in the next books, she will definitely be a Mary Sue. I think her character is inclined to be too clinched. A not so typical feminine girl who is good in her studies, has knowledge about different languages, doesn’t care about marriage, somehow impresses people and has a position in ‘noble’ (here military) and somehow solves problems that even Captains after years of practice could not solve.
This book is definitely clinched. I think if not for that twist, I would not have liked this book much.
You can buy the book here.
You can read the review for Caraval here.
If you like my content, you can buy me a Ko-fi here.
SPOILER ZONE:
The real identity of Quinn was the best scene for me. And well, how the truth came out along. Definitely a plus point for me.
