Challenge Corner discussion

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

The Kiss of Deception is the first audiobook in Mary E. Pearson's Remnant Chronicles

Chapters 1-4
(view spoiler)[Oh??? My????? God??????? I was NOT expecting this when I started it but Holy crap the writing is GORGEOUS. I’m floored and I love the MC already so I’m stoked to keep reading. (hide spoiler)]

25% (view spoiler)[
It is too early for me to form my opinion, but I am not won over so far. I find Lia to be a bit cliché with her boldness, heroisms, and braveness who is also kind and caring. That seems to be a popular character these days. A girl who is a bit of a tomboy and has just the right amount of flaws. Lia just isn't anything new. At least from what I have read. (hide spoiler)]

50% (view spoiler)[
I don't feel like Lia did a good job hiding. She may have escaped her wedding and changed her clothes so they are not as regal, but she didn't even both to change her name. People near her knew she liked to be called Lia. Also, she admitted that Walther was her brother when he visited her. What if someone knew who he was and made the connection? I just feel like this is unrealistic because she could've/should've been smarter. (hide spoiler)]

75% (view spoiler)[
I am totally on team Rafe+Lia. I don't really like Kaden's character all that much. He was alright in the earlier chapters, but I don't really like him now. I think the story is better if Lia ends up with the man (Rafe) who she was supposed to marry in the first place. (hide spoiler)]

100% (view spoiler)[
The second half of the book was much better than the first half. The characters settled down and their final personalities seem to come forward. I wasn't really sure who anyone was at the beginning because every was either lying or unsure. I didn't really care for Lia at the start, but I grew to like her as the book continued. I enjoyed this book enough to already have the next one, however I am not a fan of books that end on a cliffhanger. At least do it well like the Harry Potter series where there is an overarching story line, but also each book has its own problems that get resolved by the end. 3.5/5 (hide spoiler)]