Deception

Seventeen-year-old Emma Vaile has always lived in the shadow of her family. Her parents are successful antique dealers who have a shop filled with rare and valuable artifacts that oftentimes overflow into their house above it. Emma is used to living with these relics, but even she gets creeped out by a few of them, like the funeral urns outside their office. Her older brother has a bit more interest in the family business than she does; maybe that's why her parents always seemed to love him more. But now he's away at college, and once again they hit the road for business. Emma's parents are supposed to be gone for three weeks, so their employee who works in the shop will be keeping an eye on Emma during this time. But even with someone looking in on her, she's planning to have some fun and maybe even get a tattoo. Things, though, don't always go as planned. The employee quits, leaving Emma to run the store after school and not leaving much downtime. And then her parents and older brother disappear, and Emma can't get in touch with them. It doesn't take long for the cops to find out she's living on her own. Just before she's sent to a foster home, a surprise benefactor shows up claiming he's her legal guardian. Bennett is her older brother's friend from college and just three years older than she is. But he has the papers to prove he's responsible for her. He takes her back east with him and enrolls her in a fancy school complete with uniforms and fencing lessons. Despite the worry for her missing family, Emma is thrilled to see Bennett again; she's had a crush on him since the first time they met. Bennett, however, is frustratingly vague with answers. Emma can tell he knows something, but he's not sharing, except that he, too, doesn't know where her parents are. Then, as if all this upheaval isn't enough, Emma starts seeing strange, sometimes scary visions. Is she going crazy, or is she really seeing ghosts? Is it linked to the "Incident" that happened when she was seven? Could it somehow be related to her family's disappearance? Emma demands answers. And then some of the ghosts start getting mean... Lee Nichols is the author of five adult novels, and now thankfully has ventured into the young adult world of literature. Her intriguing new Haunting Emma series begins with DECEPTION, which introduces Emma and her unique gifts with the spirit world. She is a likable character who is friendly, energetic, funny, and a bit shy, longing to be with the popular crowd. The story gets off to a great start, dropping clues and hints of what's to come, snagging the reader's curiosity and not letting go. It has lots of heartfelt dramatic moments, with Emma worried for her family and dealing with friendships new and old. The romantic tension makes hearts pound, with Emma falling in love with Bennett yet also enjoying the attentions of the football quarterback at her new school. Nichols has done an amazing job with her new novel, weaving together suspense,

Lee Nichols gives us a new ghost story in DECEPTION, the first Haunting Emily novel. Emily is just an average girl who's just a bit mixed up, that could have something to do with spending time in a mental institution (which she calls the POOF) as a child or the fact that her gallavanting parents have now disappeared. Now she's been taken away from her home and placed under the care of gorgeous Bennett's care at Echo Point. Here, she discovers that her family's been lying to her about herself. She's actually a ghostkeeper, someone who can see and communicate with ghosts. As she tries to adjust to a new school and learn about her powers, she discovers that not all ghosts are nice and that there's something out there dilling people. Emily has to find out who or what is out there before it finds her. What's not to like? Ghosts, mysteries and cute boys. Nichols has created a unique supernatural mystery with plenty of twists and turns that will keep you guessing all the way till the end. The only thing I found a bit upsetting was the ending. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely a terrific ending, but it left the story on a cliffhanger with more unanswered questions than resolutions. The story was left up in the air, which does the job of enticing the reader to pick up the second book, but now I have to wait until the next one is available. I'm definitely going to have to wait for the second one, bucause overall it is a great read.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars Ghosts, romance, mystery, a Gothic feel, a mysterious private school, secrets-this book has everything a reader wants in a paranormal mystery. When I received my copy for review there was a note that said set time aside to read this one in one sitting-and it was right. Once I started reading Deception, I didn't want to stop! Emma is a strong character and I loved her voice. She just felt so normal-even when she discovers her supernatural powers, she never stops being a normal teen. She has a crush on Bennett, but she never gets overly whiny or obnoxious about it. She might not be the most popular girl, but her worries about school and her friends don't consume the book. She has no clue about her powers or why she's seeing ghosts, so the reader discovers things along with Emma, which I liked. I also liked how there's romance, but that's not the main focus of the book. Deception is a ghost story with a Gothic feel to it. The pacing is perfect and the mystery unravels slowly, but there's still enough to hold the reader's interest and keep them intrigued. It is a start to a series, and while some things are wrapped up, I still have lots of questions. And the ending has such a surprise that I want the next book now! The mystery genre in young adult sometimes feel lacking, so I'm glad to have a new ghostly mystery to give my mystery readers at the library. There's a little bit of everything in this book, so it's sure to please fans of paranormal, romance and mystery. An engaging start to a new series, I can't wait to return to Emma's story!

I have to admit that there's going to be nothing but love for this one in my review, because quite honestly this novel was nearly a prefect combination of mystery, suspense, and romance, along with some very awesome ghost keeper skills. Emma is a someone I'm sure that nearly anyone can see a bit of themselves in. Since she's still dealing with the backlash of an ended friendship (Who hasn't been there?), she's crushing on someone who she shouldn't (or there?), and sometimes she feels that she truly doesn't know whom she wants to be when it comes to nearly everything (or there as well?). Oh, and yeah, she's see thinks she just might be going crazy. Plus she's sweet, funny, and down to earth, which left her to be one main character that I had no trouble relating to or reading their story. Also her relationships with Bennett (*swoon*) and Colby to her frenemy status with Natalie always hit a true point of reality with me. The beginning of this, I have to say, was a bit slow, but soon after that Deception become one novel that become nothing short of addicting and tension ridden. The constant twists to the plot always left my mind filled with questions ranging from 'What happened to Emma's parents and brother?' to 'Would Emma and Bennet ever be together?' to 'Was Emma really crazy or did she have something extraordinary going for her?' among others; leaving this to be one novel I raced to finish in one sitting. Plus Nichols' writing was readable and always made me, as the reader, feel like I was right there with Emma and Bennett the whole time. In all there's not much else to say besides that Deception is one book that is must-read for this upcoming summer and the Haunting Emma series, as well as Lee Nichols, are ones to watch. Grade: A-

Review: Once Emma Vaile's parents leave for a rushed trip, all of Emma's original plans go downhill. Her guardian leaves, her parent's won't call back, she's stuck running the store alone, and realizing just how friendless she's gotten since her older best friend Abby stopped talking to her. Then Emma meets some new people at school. One thing leads to another, Emma hosts a crazy party in her mausoleum-like house, the cops show up, and then Emma's stuck with only three choices: Foster care, live with Bennett, or becoming a ward of the state. Naturally, she chooses Bennett, her older brother's friend and Emma's longtime crush. The story really gets going once Emma moves to New England, and she starts to realize that she just might be seeing ghosts and also seeing glimpses of the past (well, either that or she's losing her mind). Humor is laced through almost every chapter, and Emma's sassy and witty humor can keep a reader easily engaged. Her inner voice had me cracking up at times, and while at the beginning of the story Emma seems a bit immature, she does grow quite a bit by the end. She has to deal with these unusual abilities by herself for awhile, as well as the knowledge that her family just may not be the people she thought they were. There is so much more to the story, but I'll keep quiet about the rest (I'd hate to spoil the entire novel, because it's definitely worth a read). There's a bit of romance, friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, and oh yeah, ghosts (especially a very murderous one). The characters each have their own personalities, and quirks. Deception is intriguing and entertaining with each turn of the page, and it's left me very anxious and excited for the next installment. Highlights: Emma's voice. She's a humorous main character, and easy to relate with. The ending was quite a surprise, and Nichols tosses a few twists and turns into Deception (and I love to be surprised when reading). Lowlights: The beginning was a bit slow for awhile, but once you get a few chapters in, you can't stop. This novel has an addictive quality to it's writing, and I can definitely see Kate Brian fans loving this. Rating: 4.5 out of 5