Deception by Lee Nichols
Source: ARC from Bloomsbury
Grade: 3.8 stars out of 5
"When Emma Vaile's parents go missing while away on a mysterious business trip, her brother's very cute best friend, Bennett Stern—Emma's knight in J. Crew armor—arrives unexpectedly to whisk her away to New England. There, Emma settles into his family's museum-like mansion and enrolls at an old-fashioned private school. Emma has memories of Thatcher that she can't explain—it's as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Finally, Emma confides in Bennett and learns she is a ghostkeeper, a person who can communicate with ghosts. Bennett brought Emma to Thatcher to protect her, but now he needs her help tracking an otherworldly murderer."
--from author's website
Deception by Lee Nichols exceeded my expectations though I will admit my expectation was not as high as it should be. Deception is a giant ball of yarn that you just have to continue unraveling, untwisting, and discovering that perhaps something was accidently rolled into it as well.
The romantic tensions were palpable and the characters’ likability soared. There’s something about each character that defines that person uniquely while still maintaining a believable and go-to personality. While development may be a problem there is plenty of space to grow in this series.
Despite this I found the plot to be idealized to be coincidental as in unexplained and a tad “perfect”. My biggest issue with the book, however, was how lightly death affected the characters in the novel. While there may a sentence here and there reflected some of the guilt and grief of deaths, it goes almost wholly unmentioned again.
Cover B-/C+
Deception by Lee Nichols exceeded my expectations though I will admit my expectation was not as high as it should be. Deception is a giant ball of yarn that you just have to continue unraveling, untwisting, and discovering that perhaps something was accidently rolled into it as well.
The romantic tensions were palpable and the characters’ likability soared. There’s something about each character that defines that person uniquely while still maintaining a believable and go-to personality. While development may be a problem there is plenty of space to grow in this series.
Despite this I found the plot to be idealized to be coincidental as in unexplained and a tad “perfect”. My biggest issue with the book, however, was how lightly death affected the characters in the novel. While there may a sentence here and there reflected some of the guilt and grief of deaths, it goes almost wholly unmentioned again.
Cover B-/C+
P.S. You can find other stops to this book tour at Nichol's website (see above). But I'm pretty sure you're eager for this so leave me a comment about a forbidden love. It could be from a book, a movie, an actual event you've partake in. Contest is for US mailing address and will end on the 25th:
(note the last question is not required. you can leave it unanswered if you do not plan to leave a comment ;))
I've been interested in this book for a while, and I'm glad that it exceeded your expectations, because weren't very high either. They are a bit higher now :) Great review!
ReplyDeleteI have read many high reviews for this book. I will say when I first heard of it I thought it would just be another cheezy and generic novel. I can't wait to read it now though.
ReplyDeleteI have also read many reviews of this novel. It is definitely on my list. Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteLisa
I've been seeing this book everywhere, and now I want to read it. Great review
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your review for this book ~ I'm very intrigued.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your honest review. I've been seeing this book everywhere and the ghost story really interests me.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway!
I have been reading a lot of reviews for this one around. Sounds like an interesting read.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance!
bacchus76 at myself dot com
I'm still not sure if I want to read this.. I may give it a shot :D
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you did this review. I've been having doubts about reading this book. I almost bought it but decided not to because I didn't know if it will be worth it. Now, I'm looking forward to this book. Thanks for this contest!
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds interesting. I haven't read many books about ghosts
ReplyDeleteI've been seeing this a whole lot around the blogging community, and I now wanna check it out! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLove, Hannah
Def sounds good, I like tension between main characters. Two dead fish trying to get it on has little appeal.
ReplyDeleteI read this one for an ARC tour and I really enjoyed it. Although the cliffhanger ending about killed me! I am itching to get my own copy. And I love the ball of yarn comparison. It totally fits!
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I really want to read this one and I am so looking forward to when I can!
ReplyDeleteAwesome this book looks really cool !
ReplyDelete~Alison
On my wishlist for the summer. Can't wait to get my hands on it.
ReplyDeleteI'm really excited for this one. I have heard mixed reviews on this one so I can't wait to read it myself.
ReplyDeleteTHis has really mixed reviews but i still want to check it out for myself
ReplyDeletesports[dot]erikalynn[at]gmail[dot]com
sounds interestiinnggg
ReplyDeleteI haven’t read any of this author’s books, but your review sounds like a book that I would take pleasure in reading. Thanks you so much for hosting this giveaway.
ReplyDeletesteven(dot)capell(at)gmail(dot)com
Forbidden love is so much fun to read or watch! I think my favorite forbidden love story is Buffy and Spike. I still think she really did love him by the end.
ReplyDeleteI have this book on my wish list. I think I will enjoy this book. Thanks for your thoughtful review.
ReplyDeleteI would like to read this book. Romeo and Juliet is probably the most well-known stories of forbidden love.
ReplyDeletelkish77123 at gmail dot com
I like the forbidden love in the Evernight books between Lucas and Bianca.
ReplyDeleteI have had Deception on my wish list from the first review I read.
ReplyDeleteGreat review and thanks for the opportunity to enter this giveaway.
misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com
Hmm, a forbidden love. Well I think we can all agree that the epitome of the "forbidden love" story is Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare really gave it his all, though I have to admit that when I read it I laughed through the whole thing - not exactly a testament to my serious nature! The oxymorons and old english were just so amusing!
ReplyDeleteMy forbidden love was my own first love - who was married. My excuse? When I met him, I was 17 and didn't recognize the signs AT ALL. By the time I found out that he WAS married when we met and started dating, he was already separated because his wife had found out about me (although, again, I didn't know about her). True-to-form, once we were married years later, he was unfaithful to me AND I found out that he had been pretty much unfaithful all along. That first love blindness finally lifted, and I tossed him out on his can, throwing all of his clothes and belongings out of the townhouse window (which happened to overlook the sidewalk he was dragging his way down). I'm certain our neighbors were NOT pleased!
ReplyDeleteknittingandsundries(at)gmail(dot)com
Julie @ Knitting and Sundries
I have seen this book around the blogs and it looks interesting. Thanks for another great review and giveaway!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like despite the few problems you had with this book, it was still worthwhile. Sounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteThough you didn't like it as much as I would have hoped, it's still worth a shot :) Thank you for hosting a giveaway
ReplyDelete