Friday

Review : Deceived by Julie Anne Lindsey (YA)


Book Blurb

When Elle's father, a single parent and a big shot in corporate insurance, moves her to yet another boarding school for senior year, Elle is disgusted when nothing changes. Her night terrors don't go away, and, soon, despite her father's caring calls and visits, Elle starts to believe she's losing her mind. She knows she's being followed; a ribbon is tied around her doorknob, and there are those cigarette butts that keep turning up on the doormat, in violation of a strict smoking ban on campus. Then there's Bryan, an intriguing boy Elle meets at a flea market and later finds out is a student at her school. Yet on campus, he pretends he doesn't recognize her - until the day he divulges just how much danger she's in. In her search for an answer to all the madness, Elle unravels the truth about her dad's real identity, why someone has lied to her all her life, and the terrifying truth that she may be the only one who can save her from the one who's following her now.

Toot's Review by Stacy Sabala

Gabriella is attending a new school her senior year. It is a boarding school in Ohio. Her father is always traveling for work, so being in another new place is nothing new for her.

Her roommate Pixie is her opposite. She is outgoing and an artist. She gave Gabriella the nickname Elle and has taken her under her wing. On one outing with Pixie to a flea market in a neighboring town, Elle met Brian. He bought them coffee and spent the afternoon with them touring the flea market. Elle was smitten with just one afternoon. 

Once school starts, Elle is surprised to have Brian in almost all of her classes. He is also acting like they have never met. She is shocked at his behavior and angry. He talks to her when they are alone but acts like a jerk when they are not. She knows something is odd but reasons it away telling herself it is in her imagination.

Then, when she is out and about she starts noticing a man who smokes seems to be following her. There have been rumors of a serial killer in the area. Elle fears her nightmares are leaking into her days. She becomes more confused when she learns there is more to Brian than she thought.

Brian becomes the only one who can protect her from the man stalking her. They send Pixie to safety and Elle is taken to another safer location. Her past nightmares were coming true and as Brian tries to keep her safe, she learns she is much stronger than she thinks.

I absolutely loved this book. Elle was a bit weaker than I liked in a main female character but the story needed her to be confused and questioning herself. She was much stronger than she thought in the long run. I really adored the Brian/Nicholas character. He tried to do the right thing and keep protocol, but was unable to stay away and keep Elle at arms length. He was her protector and took care of her even when she didn’t know he was doing it.

The storyline was awesome. The serial killer chasing her all her life without her knowing was a page turner. The reader learned about everything as Elle did in the story. It made the story exciting and the reader was left guessing what would happen next. I could not put it down.

What she had to go through in the end was shocking and crazy. It showed the strength in her character and her determination. The author had me hooked from the beginning and the forbidden relationship between Elle and Nicholas made everything sweeter.

I give it a 5 out of 5

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