Deception (Defiance #2)

If you're still reeling from the catastrophic ending of Defiance, fear not. Deception picks up very shortly after Defiance ends, with Logan and Rachel trying to figure out what to do with the hundred-plus survivors of Baalboden. It hits the ground running, and the first couple chapters introduce a lot of new characters. At first, I was a little concerned about all the names being flung at me. Defiance was mostly Rachel and Logan alone in the wilderness, so I didn't have to worry about oodles of secondary characters. But never fear; C.J. Redwine handles her new, expanded cast deftly. Within a few chapters, the glut of new names were fleshed out into fully realized characters. I had no trouble remembering who was who, and I loved so many of the new players. Quinn and Willow, in particular, rocketed up to the top of my Favorites list. Their story was so layered and intriguing. If C.J. ever wants to do a spin-off series about the two of them, I'd read it.

There are two main conflicts in Deception: the problem of what to do with all the survivors, who are still being pursued by the nefarious Commander, and the alarming realization that there is a traitor in their midst. The resulting balance between action-driven tension as they flee the Commander's army, and internal tension as Rachel and Logan try to suss out who has betrayed them, was masterfully handled, and kept me turning pages long after I should have turned out the lights and gone to bed.

Personally, my favorite part of the book was the murder mystery. C.J. gives the reader enough clues that it is possible to guess the murderer (I did), but you're never 100% sure you're right. I think that's the mark of a well-handled mystery. I don't like it when the answer comes out of nowhere, nor do I appreciate it being so obvious that it kills the tension. There's a fine balance, and Deception does it well. The fact that it performs this feat while the characters are fleeing through the wilderness and fighting armies and blowing stuff up and cowering from dragons just makes it that much more amazing. And when you do find out who the murderer is, it comes with a few twists of its own that perhaps a more savvy reader could have guessed, but took me totally by surprise. In a good way.

I also really appreciated that Deception did not fall prey to the common practice to break up the two main characters who spent a good chunk of the first book coming together. A lot of times, it seems storytellers get bored with functional romantic relationships, so they throw in DRAMA and pull the characters (that they spent so much time convincing us were MFEO) apart. Not so in Deception. Rachel and Logan mature both as characters and as a couple, and like most couples who have weathered a few storms, are allowed to get upset with each other and disagree, without it having to mean they CAN NO LONGER BE TOGETHER EVER, OH THE ANGST.

Speaking of angst, Deception does not shy away from high stakes and raw emotion. Much like a certain wagon scene in Defiance, one chapter needs to have a warning label to have a box of tissues handy, or at least change your shirt into one that can double as a tissue. A lot of times in books, and perhaps in YA in particular, it seems that the Strong Female Characters can't show their emotions. They can't grieve their losses or feel broken from pain. In these books, I appreciate that Rachel is strong, but also feels so much. Emotions don't make a character weak. Neither do tears. And I think it speaks so much to the character of Rachel that she can hurt and weep and break, but then she gets up and keeps going. She carries her losses with her, and they make her stronger. But because the reader is in Rachel's head when horrible things happen to the people she loves, we get to feel all that strong emotion right along with her.

So. As I said. Box of tissues. Change of shirt. You have been warned.

I could go on for ages about how much I love this series, these characters, this world, but I think you've got the gist of it. Adventure. Murder. Dragons. Villainy. Romance. Swordfights. Treachery. Anguish. Triumph. All stirred up together in a fantastic, masterfully executed whirlwind of action and tension and twists and emotion. I couldn't put it down.

What I loved: Deception was the type of book that I wanted to put in the freezer on several occasions (get my cheesy Friends reference). This story was INTENSE. Deception has everything you could want in a sequel--gut-wrenching emotion included. Rachel and Logan's story continues as they try to outsmart and outrun the Commander while having to face their own deep fears and insecurities. Nothing is easy in the Wasteland, and when they realize there is a traitor among their group every moment they cannot figure out who it is a dangerous one.

I don't know what to tell you about the ending other than you will immediately want the next book because this story is not even close to being finished. There is so much story left to be told and I'm a little afraid of what's going to happen next; I'm sure C.J. has many more tricks up her sleeve that will leave me hiding the next book in the freezer as well.

Final Verdict: Defiance fans will love it. If you haven't started this series, I suggest you do. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you C.J. Redwine for the near heart attack. Seriously, it was awesome.

Three things you should know before reading DECEPTION:

1) People die.

2) It's an excellent sequel!

3) More people die.

Best Case Scenario: You will love this! DECEPTION is the intense follow up to DEFIANCE, offering near non-stop action, suspense and romance as it delivers one swift blow to the feels after the other. Cinematic world-building sucks you right back into the story told from both Rachel and Logan's POV as they fight to survive another trek through the Wasteland. This time they aren't alone and not only are they fighting an invisible enemy who strikes under the shadow of darkness, Rachel and Logan are also fighting internal battles, ones with the potential to do more damage than the Cursed One and the Commander combined.

If Logan is Captain Scenario, Rachel is Queen of Denial because girlfriend does a fantastic job of pretending certain things do not bother her. But I get that, I do. Grief is a major buzzkill and really, where is the fun in dealing with stuff that makes you hurt worse than a switch to the face or threatens to leave you a hollowed out shell? (Been there. Done that. Don't care to go for a visit.) But while Rachel's busy not feeling all her feelings, Logan's trying to take care of her and lead a group of misfit refugees more concerned about who grew up on the wrong side of the trees instead of you know, SURVIVING. (I think Moses had an easier time leading the Israelites out of Egypt.)

Like most bad guys, the things we try so.very.hard to push away eventually catch up to us and when they do, we're faced with a choice. We can either allow them to destroy us or restore us making us stronger than we used to be. The same holds true for Rachel and Logan as their circumstances demand that they face their fears. Does that mean everything is all rainbows and unicorns? Of course not. In fact, if you're C.J. Redwine, it's a great opportunity to make more people pay, with.their.lives. O.O

I can't wait to see what happens next!

Worst Case Scenario: You won't like this. OR the ending will gut you like a fish Willow catches with her bare hands, the tree lover that you are will balk at the insufficient amount of Quinn-time. This is just an educated guess though, based on the primary factors of...okay, I think you get my point.

Final Verdict: Action-packed and emotionally charged, DECEPTION is excellent sequel. DEFIANCE fans will not be disappointed!

Favorite Quote(s): "Maybe that's what love is. Giving others the power to hurt you and trusting that they'll use it to heal you instead."