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ENTRY TYPE: new
WORK TITLE: The Traitor’s Ruin
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BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.erinbeaty.com/
CITY:
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NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: n 2017020704
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/n2017020704
HEADING: Beaty, Erin
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370 __ |a Indianapolis (Ind.) |2 naf
372 __ |a Young adult fiction |2 lcsh
373 __ |a United States Naval Academy |2 naf
373 __ |a United States. Navy |2 naf
374 __ |a Authors |2 lcsh
375 __ |a Females |2 lcdgt
377 __ |a eng
670 __ |a The traitor’s kiss, 2017: |b ECIP title page (Erin Beaty)
670 __ |a amazon.com, February 6, 2018 |b (The Traitor’s Kiss (Traitor’s Trilogy) by Erin Beaty; Erin Beaty was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana; she graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in rocket science and served in the fleet as a weapons officer and a leadership instructor; she and her husband have five children, two cats, and a vegetable garden and live wherever the Navy tells them to go; The Traitor’s Kiss is her debut novel)
PERSONAL
Born Indianapolis, IN; married; children: five.
EDUCATION:U.S. Naval Academy, B.S.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and young adult author. Taught classes at the Muse Writers Center, Norfolk, VA.
MIILITARY:U.S. Navy, served as a weapons officer on a combat destroyer, then at the Center for Naval Leadership as an instructor.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Erin Beaty grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in aerospace engineering. “I was probably about ten before I learned it was unconventional for a girl to like math and science,” Beaty wrote in an article for the BookTrib website, adding: “It didn’t make sense to me, though, because my mother was a microbiologist and computer programmer. And I was never afraid to be smart, either.” She eventually resigned her commission in the Navy to focus on family life. In addition, she began writing.
Beaty is the author of the “Traitor’s Trilogy,” which begins with The Traitor’s Kiss. Drawing from her career in the Navy, which included serving as a weapons officer and a leadership instructor, Beaty begins the story of sixteen-year-old Sage Fowler, a matchmaker’s apprentice who is considered unmatchable herself after her uncle deems her so. Apprenticed to Darnessa Rodelle, Sage is initially unhappy about her apprenticeship but comes to see it as an opportunity to win her freedom. Sage ends up joining Darnessa on a trip with a group of brides who must go on a long journey to the capital city of Teennegol to be matched with husbands. Also along are Captain Alexander (Alex) Quinn and his soldiers, who serve as escorts. When Alex uncovers a plot to overthrow the king, he decides to enlist Sage’s help to spy on the conspirators. In the process, Sage and Alex begins to develop feelings for one another. The Traitor’s Kiss “is an action-packed, expertly plotted story, drenched in double crosses and intrigue, with an irresistible heroine and a sweet and sexy romance,” wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor. A Kirkus Reviews contributor called the novel “one series opener that really merits a sequel.”
The next book in the series, The Traitor’s Ruin, finds Sage, now 18 years old, becoming a royal tutor who has formed a strong bond with the queen. Captain Alex Quinn returns as well. When he receives a commission for a secret mission to establish a new covert military branch, Sage, who still serves as a spy, and the young 14-year-old Prince Nicholas are attached to the mission. The goal is to forman elite unit to protect the kingdom from its enemies. Meanwhile, Alexander and Sage are engaged to be married. Alexander, however, is concerned about his relationship with Sage, fearful because of past death of his brother and the knowledge that people around him often face danger. Meanwhile, Sage is upset over the discrimination against darker skinned people, which includes Alexander. “Plentiful action scenes, unflinching but never gratuitous violence, and a smoldering yet still-chaste romance should keep readers’ appetites whetted,” wrote a Kirkus Reviews contributor. Erin Wyatt, writing in Voice of Youth Advocates, remarked: “Characters are complex and clever, with Sage, her best friend Clare, and the queen playing important roles in solving the [looming] crisis.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews April 1, 2017, review of The Traitor’s Kiss; June 1, 2018, review of The Traitor’s Ruin.
Publishers Weekly, March 13, 2017, review of The Traitor’s Kiss, p. 87.
Voice of Youth Advocates, June, 2017, Jewel Davis, review of The Traitor’s Kiss, p. 75; August, 2018, Erin Wyatt, review of The Traitor’s Ruin, p. 68.
ONLINE
BookTrib, https://booktrib.com/ (May 10, 2017), Erin Beaty, “Author Erin Beaty’s Experience in the Navy Inspires Debut Novel.”
Erin Beaty website, http://www.erinbeaty.com (January 10, 2018).
Happily Ever After, https://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/ (July 10, 2018), Jessie Potts, “Must-Read YA Fantasy: The Traitor’s Ruin by Erin Beaty (plus, Erin onFfantasy: Read It While It’s Hot).
Highlit, https://highliterature.com/ (May 4, 2017), Joshua Gabriel, “Q & A with Erin Beaty.”
About Me
I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, which means I can't drive a tractor, but I won't eat veggies that come from a can.
After high school, I tossed off to the U.S. Naval Academy where I earned my BS in Aerospace Engineering (Astronautics) and German (Ja!) then headed to the fleet as a weapons officer on a combat destroyer. After that I did a tour at the Center for Naval Leadership as an instructor, then resigned my commission to pursue my side hobby of populating the Church of Rome.
For the next few years, I followed my navy husband around the country, our growing family in tow, until one day I sat down at the computer and let one of the stories in my head out. Telling my friends and family I was trying to be a serious writer was a bit like coming out of the closet. At first it was terrifying, but many of them just nodded and said they had always known I was a writer, they were just waiting for the day I could acknowledge it.
When I lived in Virginia, I taught classes at The Muse Writers Center in Norfolk, and I was also on the advisory board of Hampton Roads Writers.
In early 2016 I sold my first novel to Imprint, Macmillan for publication in May 2017, and I've been mentally screaming in joy and terror since.
I am represented by the lovely and very patient Valerie Noble of Donaghy Literary Group. Please send all read requests and other professional inquiries to her via email.
Erin Beaty was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, which means she can't drive a tractor, but she won't eat veggies that come from a can. She graduated from the US Naval Academy with a degree in rocket science and somehow always ended up writing her study group's lab reports. After serving in the fleet as a weapons officer and a leadership instructor, it still amazes her when other people want to hear the stories that come out of her head.She and her husband have five children, two cats, and a vegetable garden and live wherever the navy tells them to go.The Traitor's Kiss is her debut novel.
Must-read YA fantasy: 'The Traitor's Ruin' by Erin Beaty (plus, Erin on fantasy: Read it while it's hot)
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By: Jessie Potts | July 10, 2018 12:00 am
Erin Beaty, whose YA fantasy The Traitor’s Ruin (Traitor’s Trilogy #2) is new today, joins Jessie Potts and HEA to share why reading fantasy is perfect when the weather is hot.
First, about The Traitor’s Ruin:
After proving her worth in book one as a deft spy and strategic matchmaker, Sage Fowler is now comfortably positioned in high society as the royal tutor. When she’s called upon to teach his majesty’s soldiers how to read and write, she jumps at the chance to serve her kingdom of Demora—and to be reunited with her fiancé, Captain Alex Quinn.
During a skirmish, Sage and Alex are separated. She watches him die before he can deliver important military intel—or so she thinks. She escapes from the enemy and makes an unlikely alliance with a mysterious soldier from a third nation. As Sage tries to rally their support against a common foe, the important political alliance is plagued by secrets and betrayal.
Can Sage complete Alex’s mission and save her kingdom once more?
Why you should read it, according to Jessie: Three reasons: Alex and Sage are the best, historical fantasies are always fun and the audio narrator (Kathleen McInerney) is fabulous!
And now Erin gives props to hot fantasy reading …
Erin: Summer is here! Vacation means sitting on a beach or in an airport for hours (or both) and fortunately, books are the perfect companion for both. I’m here to tell you why fantasy is the genre of choice for those hot weather days.
Fantastic locations. Let’s face it, not everyone can afford to travel to distant lands and explore new cultures. Sometimes, the best you can manage is a glass of lemonade and a beach chair in the backyard, but fantasy’s got your back. New worlds are just a page away.
Summer days be draggin’? No. Summer days be DRAGON.
You’re flushed and fanning yourself, and everyone around you will assume it’s because you’re hot, but what’s really scorching is the guy with the sword. Swoon.
No politics. And anything resembling politics can be resolved with a fight to the death.
Winter is coming, but nobody wants to read about it while they’re actually freezing their buns off.
When the pool/lake/ocean becomes your substitute for regular bathing, you are less judgmental about those medieval world characters.
Tyrannical rulers with earthshaking magical powers put your annoying boss in perspective.
Unlike your bathing suit, fantasy stories are one-size-fits-all.
Summer days are longer, fantasy books are longer. Coincidence? I think not.
Fantasy leads the way in badass heroines. Damsels in distress are so 20th century.
Find out more at www.erinbeaty.com.
Jessie Potts adores books in all forms. She loves steamy romances, reverse harems, cyborgs Happy Ever Afters, leggings and mermaid hair. You can follow her on Twitter (@BookTaster) or Instagram (@jessiespointe).
MORE ON HEA: See more of Jessie’s posts
Erin Beaty the traitor's kiss
Author Erin Beaty’s Experience in the Navy Inspires Debut Novel
Published on May 10, 2017 in Fiction by Bookish
BookTrib is partnering with Bookish to bring you more great content, including this article by Erin Beaty, discussing her debut release, The Traitor’s Kiss.
Erin Beaty’s debut young adult novel drew inspiration from a personal place: Beaty’s career in the Navy. Beaty served as a weapons officer and later as an instructor at the Center for Naval Leadership. Here, she shares how her experiences helped to shape The Traitor’s Kiss—a book about a girl who becomes a spy in order to win her freedom after being deemed unmarriageable by her family.
a traitor's kiss erin beatyI was probably about ten before I learned it was unconventional for a girl to like math and science. It didn’t make sense to me, though, because my mother was a microbiologist and computer programmer. And I was never afraid to be smart, either. My dad always said what attracted him to my mom most was her intelligence. “Never dumb yourself down for anyone,” he told my sister and me. “A man who can’t deal with a woman with a brain isn’t a man—he’s a boy.”
Little did I know how many man-children I would meet in my life.
The military is a male-dominated profession, but being female had no bearing on academics at the Naval Academy. Engineering equations hammered everyone equally, and their answers were right or they were wrong, which was probably why I liked them so much. Outside the classroom was a different story. The majority of guys didn’t try to keep women down, but just one is too many.
Things frequently became worse when we succeeded. Often it was assumed a woman was ranked highly to fill some quota, or—worse—as a result of currying favor. How that favor was rumored to have been achieved usually said more about the haters than the woman. I’m ashamed to say women weren’t immune from treating each other poorly, either.
It was better in the fleet (at least for me), where professional competence was easier to quantify. I was my chief’s first and only female gun officer, but once I proved I could shoot straight and work hard, I was okay in his book. My superiors judged me by how little extra work I created for them, and I preferred both measures of performance. I was a naval officer, and I could do my job well; that I sat down to pee should have been irrelevant.
To many of my peers, however, it was easier to believe my gender was the only reason I was ranked number one, rather than accept they’d been beaten by a woman. I hate to admit it, but even years later I wonder if there was an element of truth in their accusations. That’s what sexism does: It not only prevents women from advancing, it strips their achievements of legitimacy.
I want to be accepted and judged on my abilities, not my body parts. While the world is fantasy, if you strip my novel, The Traitor’s Kiss, down to its core, the message is that we should value ourselves and each other for what we are inside. It’s a sad reflection on our society when that idea is considered “feminist.”
In creating characters who would emulate this notion, I started with a young woman who shared my desire in how she wanted to be treated. I gave Sage parents who treasured each other on deep levels and set a high standard for her in matters of love. Then I trapped her in a situation where she could have none of those things but opened a crack she could exploit. It was up to her to do the work, though, as it’s up to young women today to take control of their own happiness.
The playing field may be tilted, but that doesn’t mean you can’t win.
When it came to love, Sage needed someone who was attracted first and foremost to her sharp mind, so I created a soldier who was used to judging people on merit. While he might have had some insecurities about whether he deserved his own success and whether he could meet the challenges he faced (don’t we all), her abilities never threatened him. In fact, her wit, compassion, and courage brought him to life in ways he didn’t expect.
If young adults finish my book feeling it’s cool to be smart and that’s the kind of romance they want for themselves, then that’s something I can be proud of.
Erin Beaty was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, which means she can’t drive a tractor, but she won’t eat veggies that come from a can. She graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in rocket science and served in the fleet as a weapons officer and a leadership instructor. She and her husband have five children, two cats, and a vegetable garden and live wherever the Navy tells them to go.
Q & A WITH ERIN BEATY
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS by JOSHUA GABRIELMAY 4, 2017
I recently managed to partner with Macmillan International, and they sent me an ARC of The Traitor’s Kiss by Erin Beaty. To be honest, I requested this book because of the controversy surrounding it. Still, I delved into the book with an open mind so that I could form an objective opinion. Thankfully, my optimism paid off; I enjoyed the book a lot, so much so that I wished to have a written interview with the author. If you want to know more about my thoughts on TTK, you can check out my review. Overall, I honestly believe that TTK is a great start to a riveting trilogy. I hope that you will enjoy getting to know the author as much as I did. ^^
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What was your inspiration for the not-so-fantastical world in TTK? I actually enjoyed it because it reminded me of The Winner’s Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski.
“I get compared to that trilogy a lot, which is a huge compliment, but I honestly didn’t read it until I was in the final stages of editing TTK with my publisher. It was a bit of bummer to see all the similarities because it meant I hadn’t done something as unique as I’d thought. My inspiration was drawn heavily from my background in personality typing, which always made me curious about dating websites that used those kinds of tests in matching people. Coupled with phase of reading a lot of Tudor-era books, both fiction and non-fiction, with all the marriages and divorces for political advantage, it set the wheels in motion for wondering if a matching system would have worked or been handy in those times. I could see it being necessary to hold a weak nation together and also see the women running the system as a way to protect each other. It could easily become more powerful than most people (particularly men) realized. But if one group can game the system to their advantage, so can another. Who would even notice it but the matchmakers? Plot!”
What made you decide to feature colored characters in your novel? What is your take on the importance of diversity in YA literature?
“I mostly created a world with a history of several different cultures and environments, some that were related to each other in development and some that weren’t. When it came to nailing down what people from regions generally looked like, I mostly relied on the geography and climate I’d created. In a couple of cases I made people look specifically unlike the real-world people they were kind of based on or the people they were working with or against. You have to be able to both tell people apart and tell where someone’s from by their looks. When it all came together, it seemed fairly diverse, but there wasn’t really a super conscious effort to make it so. Diversity is important, though, because the real world is diverse. If one particular ethnicity or skin color or gender or sexuality is always the good guy or the bad guy or the sidekick or absent altogether, it’s harmful. Good and bad exist across the spectrum, just like people.”
How did your educational background (your degree in rocket science) affect your writing of TTK?
“Engineering at its heart is about the interaction of forces and the creation of complex systems, and I love that stuff. If that background helped, it was in always looking for the way events interact. Real world societies are a product of engineering – internal and external events coming together and functioning as a team of sorts. It also can make me obsess over getting some details right. My friends are teasing me about how I’m frustrated that the physics of an event in Book 2 aren’t working and need major revisions, but dang it, that’s important to me!”
Sage is undeniably an empowered female protagonist, and her male peers gradually learn to appreciate her true worth. With that in mind, what gender roles/stereotypes did you aim to explore/debunk in TTK?
“You say that like I meant to do it. I love the butt-kicking female protagonists I grew up reading, but I found few friends interested in those stories because they felt intimidated by or unconnected to a girl who likes to hit things. A friend once told me women doctors and fighter pilots and dragon slayers are inspiring, but she hated feeling like she was inadequate or wrong because she didn’t want to do any of those things herself. I totally understand that – nurses and teachers and mothers are just as worthy of admiration. As for me, a 5 foot 6, medium build woman, I only look threatening to my kids, so what made me formidable or a legitimate authority in a male-dominated Navy? Rank will only get you so far. You have to be willing to learn, ready to act, and one step ahead of the crowd. Sage is all of those things, and she does it mostly within the confines of a traditional gender role. In fact, that’s her advantage. There are things only she can accomplish because she’s a woman, and a smallish one at that. Additionally, I think her finding romance with a military man is appropriate because competency is what matters most to them in succeeding. I guess if there’s a message to young women, it’s work with what you got where you are. There are many, many ways to make a difference or save the day – find the one that fits your strengths.”
What inspired you to explore or emphasize the political aspect of marriage in TTK? If you were in Sage’s shoes, would you be willing to marry for power or connections?
“Political marriages were historically important across all cultures, and still are in many places of the world, so everyone is familiar with it. That’s not to say it’s right, just realistic. But I love the idea of “powerless” women turning that system to their advantage. As for being in Sage’s shoes, in her case there’s no real advantage to marrying her, which is incredibly freeing. Anyone who married her would have to really want to. If there were some advantage or peace between nations to be gained, then I might be willing to accept marrying under those circumstances. Might. Possibly sacrificing my own happiness to save lives is a worthy cause to consider. Very logical, in fact: the needs of one versus the needs of many. But I would go into it with open eyes, and I would make sure my husband did, too.”
As a debut author, how do you respond to both praise and criticism?
“I try to avoid seeing much of either, and I respond sparingly, even to the nice stuff. If it’s praise, it can give a false sense of security and pride, which makes you lazy, not to mention high-and-mighty. Or it can make you insecure because you feel you don’t deserve it. Criticism (and praise) often has as much to do with the critic as the work, so it’s important to take it all with a grain of salt. Things that come from outside my target audience matter less, but criticism always hurts. Always. And that can be just as damaging to the creative process, not to mention mental health. But I do need to know what I’m doing right and what I’m doing wrong and how I can improve, so I can’t ignore what people are saying either. I see what others point out to me, mostly. It gets filtered by people with less of a personal stake in the work. Veteran authors have said that’s the best strategy. It helps that I have a busy life outside writing, so I just don’t have much time to deal with it anyway.”
What can you tell us about the sequel to TTK? Does it already have a title?
“I’m hacking my way through the jungle of revisions right now, so I both don’t know what I’m allowed to say and what I can say because plot points are still in flux. I can say that even people who love each other very much still have a lot to work out, and we all carry our own demons. As for bad guys, sometimes they aren’t really bad people, they’re just caught in a bad situation, fighting for their survival. It does have a title (as does #3!), but I think there’s going to be a reveal down the road, so I have to keep it to myself for now, sorry!”
Fin
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About the author:
ERIN BEATY WAS BORN AND RAISED IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, WHICH MEANS SHE CAN’T DRIVE A TRACTOR, BUT SHE WON’T EAT VEGGIES THAT COME FROM A CAN. SHE GRADUATED FROM THE US NAVAL ACADEMY WITH A DEGREE IN ROCKET SCIENCE AND SOMEHOW ALWAYS ENDED UP WRITING HER STUDY GROUP’S LAB REPORTS. AFTER SERVING IN THE FLEET AS A WEAPONS OFFICER AND A LEADERSHIP INSTRUCTOR, SHE RESIGNED TO PURSUE HER SIDE HOBBY OF POPULATING THE CHURCH OF ROME. IT STILL AMAZES HER WHEN OTHER PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR THE STORIES THAT COME OUT OF HER HEAD.
SHE AND HER HUSBAND HAVE FIVE CHILDREN, TWO CATS, AND A VEGETABLE GARDEN AND LIVE WHEREVER THE NAVY TELLS THEM TO GO.
Print Marked Items
Beaty, Erin. The Traitor's Ruin: Traitor's
Trilogy, Book 2
Erin Wyatt
Voice of Youth Advocates.
41.3 (Aug. 2018): p68.
COPYRIGHT 2018 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
Beaty, Erin. The Traitor's Ruin: Traitor's Trilogy, Book 2. Imprint/Macmillan, July 2018. 384p. $18.99. 978-
1-250-14225-2.
3Q * 4P * J * S
The Traitor's Ruin is an adventure with a heaping portion of romance set in a world of kingdoms at the brink
of conflict. Sage is a royal tutor who has developed a trusting relationship with the queen. When political
and military machinations leave the queen in the dark, a plot is hatched for Sage and a young prince to
attach to a secret mission led by Alex Quinn, a soldier who has recently gotten a commission to restart a
covert military group to protect the kingdom. Alex is haunted by past losses and is worried his feelings for
Sage, his fiance, will put all of his people at risk. Sage is headstrong, brave, and frequently puts herself at
risk of peril and at odds with loved ones to do what she believes is best for the kingdom. Her grasp of
languages, research about old treaties, and knowledge of history brings her country into a new alliance and
may just stave off war.
This second volume of the series does fairly well as a standalone. While there is much romance and pining,
there is also much action and an inside peek into cross-cultural diplomacy in a world not-quite our own.
Characters are complex and clever, with Sage, her best friend Clare, and the queen playing important roles
in solving the crisis coming to the kingdom, despite the men in their lives trying to sideline them.--Erin
Wyatt.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Wyatt, Erin. "Beaty, Erin. The Traitor's Ruin: Traitor's Trilogy, Book 2." Voice of Youth Advocates, Aug.
2018, p. 68. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A551167862/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=83450c94. Accessed 10 Dec. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A551167862
Beaty , Erin: THE TRAITOR'S RUIN
Kirkus Reviews.
(June 1, 2018):
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Beaty , Erin THE TRAITOR'S RUIN Imprint (Young Adult Fiction) $18.99 7, 10 ISBN: 978-1-250-14225-
2
Politics and peril unfurl slowly in this old-fashioned sequel.
Eighteen-year-old former matchmaker's assistant Sage Fowler now serves as a royal tutor and unauthorized
spy, eager to protect Demora against its neighbors: hostile Kimisara and enigmatic Casmun. Tasked with
training an elite unit and uncovering rogue Kimisar soldiers, 20-something Capt. Alexander Quinn takes the
army to the borderlands, Sage and 14-year-old Prince Nicholas in tow. Haunted by his brother's death, Alex
keeps Sage at a distance, fearing that his love for her endangers everyone around him. When an attack
forces the Demorans into an uneasy alliance with the isolated desert-dwelling Casmuni, Sage and Alex find
their diplomatic skills, military experience, and even romance tested. While white Sage is dismayed by
discrimination against darker-complexioned Alex, who had an Aristelan mother, her adventures rely heavily
on stereotypical fantasy racial divisions pitting the pale Northerners (who read as European) against the
darker Southerners (described as living in formerly nomadic, desert-based, slightly exoticized societies).
Lacking lavish fantasy elements and heavily focused on politics and war, Beaty's (Traitor's Kiss, 2017) tale
resembles a more YA-friendly Game of Thrones and recalls classic novels such as Tamora Pierce's Alanna
series and Robin McKinley's Blue Sword.
Plentiful action scenes, unflinching but never gratuitous violence, and a smoldering yet still-chaste romance
should keep readers' appetites whetted for the third installment. (Fantasy. 14-18)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Beaty , Erin: THE TRAITOR'S RUIN." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2018. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A540723294/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=97d81e15.
Accessed 10 Dec. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A540723294
Beaty, Erin. The Traitor's Kiss: Traitor's
Trilogy, Book 1
Jewel Davis
Voice of Youth Advocates.
40.2 (June 2017): p75+.
COPYRIGHT 2017 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
2Q * 4P * J * S
Beaty, Erin. The Traitor's Kiss: Traitor's Trilogy, Book 1. Imprint/Macmillan, 2017. 352p. $18.99. 978-1-
2501-1794-6.
Sixteen-year-old Sage Fowler becomes a matchmaker's apprentice after she is deemed unmatchable and
found unwilling to conform to the marriage-matching tradition. Serving as the matchmaker's spy to help
girls to be paired to suitable men, Sage accompanies the future brides, along with an escorting guard of
soldiers, to the quinquennial summer Concordium, a debutante ball. On the way, the captain of the guard
uncovers an enemy plot to revolt against the throne and recruits Sage to spy on the conspirators. As Sage
delves deeper into the conspiracy, she finds herself falling for a guardsman, and the deception and betrayal
Sage encounters in matters of the heart threaten to foil the investigation.
With a vaguely built world, slow pacing, and a predictable identity twist, The Traitor's Kiss fails to sustain
interest or increase the suspense and tension. Sage falls into the judgmental tomboy trope and finds fault in
every attractive girl she encounters, belittling her (including a character with a physical disability) and
conferring upon herself a much higher regard because she rebuffs tradition. While Sage's love interest is
described as dark skinned, Beaty's treatment of the secondary antagonists, the darker, foreign Kimisar
people, borders on exotic "othering." Beaty toes the line by consistently describing and characterizing the
one-dimensional, dark-as-shadows Kimisars as uncivilized, tattooed people with thick, hardened accents.
Readers looking for pacing quick pace and a less problematic world with thrilling adventure, unpredictable
deceit, and secret identities will be more satisfied with Mary Pearson's fantasy-romance series The Remnant
Chronicles.--Jewel Davis.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Davis, Jewel. "Beaty, Erin. The Traitor's Kiss: Traitor's Trilogy, Book 1." Voice of Youth Advocates, June
2017, p. 75+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A497860371/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=55fa0045. Accessed 10 Dec. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A497860371
Beaty , Erin: THE TRAITOR'S KISS
Kirkus Reviews.
(Apr. 1, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Beaty , Erin THE TRAITOR'S KISS Imprint (Children's Fiction) $18.99 5, 9 ISBN: 978-1-250-11794-6
Marital and martial matters collide when brides and spies become ensnared in a treasonous plot. A
matchmaker's apprentice, 16-year-old Sage Fowler accompanies a bevy of noble brides on their way to the
quinquennial Concordium. Not a bastard--despite her botanical name--but an orphaned poor relation, the
unmarriageable, white Sage cannily observes servants and ladies until her spycraft catches the attention of
the military and the mysterious, "dusky"-complexioned Ash Carter. The brides' escort of royal soldiers (and
incognito royalty) provides protection...and also seeks to stop an impending revolt by disgruntled nobles and
a raid by desperate--if one-dimensionally barbaric--Kimisar bandits. Soon, Sage and the soldiers must save
the brides, the prince, and the kingdom. As indicated by cuisine and clothing, Demora is a pre-industrial,
vaguely European nation bound by marriage and divided by class. Sage is a clever, contrary female
protagonist who remains realistic and likable, while her fellow protagonist Ash is enigmatic enough to
require a second read. Debut author Beaty overcomes a pedestrian fantasy premise and built world through
her complex characterization, deftly layered adventure story, and balanced blend of political maneuvering,
romantic interludes, and action scenes. This is one series opener that really merits a sequel. Both epic and
intimate, a semi-old-fashioned alternative to the wave of inexplicably lethal superheroines and their
smoldering love triangles. (Adventure. 14-adult)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Beaty , Erin: THE TRAITOR'S KISS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2017. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A487668628/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=68ea9adf.
Accessed 10 Dec. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A487668628
The Traitor's Kiss
Publishers Weekly.
264.11 (Mar. 13, 2017): p87.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
* The Traitor's Kiss
Erin Beaty. Imprint, $18.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1250-11794-6
Beaty's engrossing debut introduces 16-year-old Sage Fowler, who is sent to apprentice with a matchmaker,
Darnessa Rodelle, after her Uncle William declares her unmatchable. Sage is initially livid about this turn of
events, but she realizes that the apprenticeship might be her ticket to freedom. Soon, Mistress Rodelle, Sage,
and a bevy of brides-to-be set off on a monthlong journey to the capital city of Tennegol, where the girls
hope to be matched, with Capt. Alexander Quinn and his soldiers as escorts. When a plot to overthrow the
king is discovered, Quinn seeks to use Sage as a spy. The frippery of matchmaking provides an enticing
counter to the treachery; Sage is outspoken, smart, and determined to make her own way, though all bets are
off after she meets the intriguing Ash Carter. This is an action-packed, expertly plotted story, drenched in
double crosses and intrigue, with an irresistible heroine and a sweet and sexy romance. A late-breaking twist
gives way to a final act that will leave readers eager for subsequent books in this planned trilogy. Ages 14--
up. Agent: Valerie Noble, Donaghy Literary. (May)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The Traitor's Kiss." Publishers Weekly, 13 Mar. 2017, p. 87. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A485971740/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=9ebe9768.
Accessed 10 Dec. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A485971740