Actual rating: 4.5 
 I've read two thirds of Mary E. Pearson's Jenna Fox trilogy, so I'm fully aware of how capable she is of writing some crazy adventures. The Kiss of Deception is overall a really fun book. It has great characters, amazing lore, creative storytelling, basically everything that adds up to a great time. 
 This book has a really strong cast of characters. Lia is a fantastic protagonist. She's stubborn, headstrong, caring and has dreams you can relate with. Rafe and Kaden are some swoony boys, both would be worthy matches for Lia. However, I have to say that while I liked them, I didn't love them. And I wouldn't really say there's a love triangle. Lia is clearly into one person more than the other, but I could see the unfortunate potential of one blooming in the next books. There are a lot of secondary characters but they're fleshed out and come with their own stories. 
 One of my favourite things about the book is how creative the storytelling is. A huge draw-in is the fact that there's both a prince and an assassin coming after Lia and she (and the reader) have no idea who is who. I kept thinking I had it figured out and was ready to bet on who I thought each one was, only to become unsure a chapter later. Pearson's careful about dropping any significant clues that would expose these characters. Another amazing thing about the storytelling is the vast history she gives to this world. There are creation stories, songs, magic, traditions, you name it, that has been created and sprinkled throughout. It makes the story that much more real and immersive. 
 I had an awesome time reading The Kiss of Deception and am really looking forward to its sequel because the book ended in a seriously crazy place!