The Traitor’s Ruin: Book Review

 

Title: The Traitor’s Ruin (The Traitor’s Circle #2)
Author: Erin Beaty
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: July 10th, 2018

Synopsis: “A captain with a secret.
A spy with a mission.
A kingdom on the verge of ruin.

After proving her worth as a deft spy and strategic matchmaker, Sage Fowler is now comfortably positioned in high society as the royal tutor. When she learns of a secret mission, she jumps at the chance to serve her kingdom once more—and to be reunited with her fiancé, Captain Alex Quinn.

However, Sage’s headstrong insistence clashes with Alex’s gruff military exterior. And after a skirmish with a bordering kingdom, they’re separated when tragedy strikes. Now in enemy territory, Sage desperately scrambles to complete Alex’s reconnaissance mission. Can she save her kingdom once more?” (Goodreads)

My Review:

After loving the first book in this series, I knew I needed to not waste any time diving into the sequel. I am usually hesitant about continuing a series because I don’t want it to disappoint. I am so glad that I enjoyed the second just as much as the first with just one issue that didn’t take away from the overall enjoyment!

The one thing that I like about this series so far is that the characters are always developing. Sure, Alex and Sage may always be stubborn but they try to work through it and eventually work it out and grow from the experience. I also enjoyed seeing more from Alex and loved reading his PoV throughout the book. He is struggling with a lot and its no wonder he acted the way he did. Does it excuse his behavior? No, but I believe he realized the error of his ways. It also helped that minor characters kept telling him he was being dumb, haha. Sage is still her good ol’ stubborn self and that brings me joy! Probably because I’m also stubborn and it’s nice to be able to relate to the characters.

Speaking of characters, not only do we get Sage and Alex PoVs but we also get another from Huzar who is part of the Kimisar (I think that is how you spell it). Technically they are bad? I mean he is just following orders but I did feel for him in a lot of ways. I really hope there is more of him in the next book.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when it came to the plot for book two because in a way, book one wrapped up for the most part. I did like where book two took us with the introduction of another kingdom in the desert. There is also fighting, a great escape, and mistaken identity. I will say that most of the plot twists were pretty obvious but honestly, I didn’t care. I usually would but it didn’t take away from my love of the characters and so I was okay with it. Now the deaths in this book, just sad. I’m sad just writing about it. Why did it have to happen!?!?

Overall, this book had me giddy from the moment Alex made his grand entrance. I love watching their relationship grow and learning more about the minor characters who feel like so much more. If you haven’t picked up this series yet, you are definitely missing out. I will be talking about this series forever, trust me.

 

 

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The Traitor’s Kiss: Book Review

 

Title: The Traitor’s Kiss (The Traitor’s Circle #1)
Author: Erin Beaty
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: May 9th, 2017

Synopsis: “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.” (Goodreads)

My Review:

I didn’t know what to expect going into this book. A couple friends I follow on here and Instagram have gushed about them but I didn’t want to fall into the hype. Well guys, the hype is real! I’m glad I didn’t wait any longer to dive in!

Usually I talk about the characters but I am going to change it up. Let’s talk about the plot first. It’s different and one that I have never read before. The MC, Sage, works for a matchmaker and when she first met her it honestly reminded me of Mulan. Of course, this book doesn’t have her pretending to be a boy but she does do some spying and is pretty much a tomboy. There are tons of plot twists that involve mistaken identity and it was shocking and quite enjoyable to read about. If you are a fan of multiple point of views, this book has that too. I loved getting to know the characters through their views and we even get chapters from the villain’s perspective! What more can you ask for?

Sage is a girl who knows what she wants. She is smart, loves to learn, and is really good at reading people. I enjoyed getting to know her throughout the pages and seeing a romance between her and another blossom throughout. It was perfect, sweet, and I loved that they both never knew what they needed until they started to get to know each other. Aaahh, pure bliss!

The minor characters don’t feel minor at all in this one. They are always present and sometimes even stealing the show! This hardly happens for me and I am glad this book didn’t disappoint when it came to the characters.

I will say that this one took me a bit to fully understand and connect with the characters but the farther I got into it, the more I found myself not wanting to put it down. It is also rare for a book to give me all the feels. This one took my heart and smashed it a couple times at the end and did have me becoming quite teary-eyed.

Overall, I loved this book and its rare for me to continue a series back-to-back but this one must be continued right away! I am sure by the time I publish this one I will have already read through the second book and be in love but only time will tell! If you haven’t picked The Traitor’s Kiss up yet I would highly suggest doing so!

 

Friday Favorites: Favorite Unfinished Series

 

Hello, fellow bookworms!

Today’s post is a tag that was created by Something of the Book and she has a whole list of Friday Favorites to follow. They are awesome and it is a fun way to find new books with a twist and see how others have answered it!

The topic today really fits with the Top Ten Tuesday from this week. I have put off finishing a lot of series that I have enjoyed and there are also series that aren’t finished but I need more of! (Hurry up next book!) So, let’s just dive right in.

1.) Ember in the Ashes
2.) A Court of Thorns and Roses
3.) Truthwitch

These three all are uncompleted series that I need the next book for but who knows when that will be!

4.) Truly Devious
5.) Dark of the West
6.) Spectacle

Here are a few more that are unfinished series but will have another book coming out early next year. I will be in the same predicament as now if it isn’t the last book though…

7.) The Winner’s Trilogy
8.) The Traitor’s Circle
9.) Harry Potter

These are completed series that I am still working on. Yes, I know. I am late to the party. The other books on my tbr keep distracting me! I will hopefully finish them next year but I for sure know that they all won’t get completed this year, haha.

10-Infinity.) Every series I have started and not finished

If you are curious as to what other series I have not finished then you check out a post I wrote about it here.

Clearly, I am the worst. I really need to get it together but there are just so many books and I am only one person! Hopefully one day I will get caught up.

What’s a series you still need to finish or hope that it gets finished soon so you can get to the next book? Let me know in the comments!

Find me on Instagram / Goodreads

WWW Wednesday (8/21/19)

 

Hello, My Lovely Bookworms!

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and is now hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

It consists of answering these three questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading:

I haven’t started it yet but I am going to be reading The Traitor’s Kiss. I have been reading okay books lately so I am hoping this one will be for me!

 

 

Recently Finished:

I finished How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse. It was a case of its me, not you. It was an interesting read but the connection wasn’t there.

 

 

Reading Next:

I am going to be picking up another NetGalley and I am leaning towards We Met in December. It just looks really cute and I’ve been enjoying venturing into the Contemporary Romance genre!

 

 

What is your current read? Are you loving it? Have you read or want to read any that I have listed? Let me know in the comments!

Find me on Instagram / Goodreads