Me on Deceptive

Title: Deceptive
Author: Emily Lloyd-Jones
Release Date: July 14, 2015
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Hachette Book Group imprint)

You don't belong with us. These are the words that echo through the minds of all immune Americans—those suffering the so-called adverse effects of an experimental vaccine, including perfect recall, body manipulation, telepathy, precognition, levitation, mind-control, and the ability to change one's appearance at will. When immune individuals begin to disappear—in great numbers, but seemingly at random—fear and tension mount, and unrest begins to brew across the country. Through separate channels, super-powered teenagers Ciere, Daniel, and Devon find themselves on the case; super criminals and government agents working side-by-side. It's an effort that will ultimately define them all—for better or for worse.

Deceptive is an undercover mission of twists and turns, of different kinds of trust and truths, of finding out which side of the line you stand on and which side you realize you're supposed to be on.

After months of living with and being trained by members of a crime syndicate, Ciere's soon off on her own, trying to figure out if Alan actually killed one of the members. Ciere sounds older this time around, like the days and weeks spent with a crime syndicate has changed her, hardened her, worn on her, but she's still snappy. Her illusions are better now, she's no longer holding back, but with her recklessness and lack of foresight, she's wading into something that could kill her. Daniel is stuck surrounded by the agents who hunt down people like him. He's surrounded by people who hate him, who call him a freak, but he's stuck there. He can't escape, he needs to keep Ciere and Kit safe. Devon was pushed away by Ciere and can't stop acting out at another new school. What's the point of anything anymore? With Ciere gone, he's lost the only friend he ever cared about. So when a smal and secret agency group comes to him with a job opportunity, who's he to say no?

There's more government presence this time around, what with Daniel stuck and Devon trying to find a place that works. It's like the danger and mystery from the first book has expanded somewhat. Crime syndicates warring, advocates for immune individuals speaking out against the regulations that contain them, missing people. Large parts fo the government fear the immune, fear that their abilities cannot be controlled, and so they do what they must. Hunt down and tag them, like animals. Like they're less than people. So what do the immune do? A number of things. Fight back. Run. Hide. Hide in plain sight. Plot and plan until the time comes.

This is a mixture of the paranormal, intrigue, suspicion, mystery, and high-stakes action. Ciere, Daniel, and Devon are unknowingly on three sides of the same situation, and when they come together and uncover the truth about the disappearances, the truth if Alan really did kill someone, it changes things. Fans of the first will relish this new book while they hope for the possibility of a third. It cannot end here.

(I received an advance copy of this title to review from Hachette Book Group Canada.)