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I received this book for free from the authors as an ARC.
Recently, I read the young adult book, The Deception (Island of Blood #1). Let me start by saying that I am probably not the target audience for this book, at twenty-six. But if I would have read this book in high school, I know it would have been right down my alley!
This book was written by three young authors and it’s their first book. I love that these three got together and wrote this book. There’s a dedication at the end for their parents and teachers, which is so super sweet.
I loved the descriptions in this book. The world is sort of like the Hunger Games where teens are being pitted against each other. There are also similarities in their really over-the-top decorations and outfits. The descriptions of their clothes, their pets, and even the intense trials they are put through are so vivid and interesting. One of my favorites is how the authors describe the walking pineapple that The Scientist owns. This was a pleasant surprise for me because it was downright hilarious.
The world-building is really intense because you aren’t sure what is going on. They are stuck in this sort of dome arena and they are told that they are the only humans left on Earth. If they leave the dome, horrible creatures will rip them apart. There’s also this aspect of the spirit realm and a history of nuclear wars. As a reader, we have reason to believe that there is more to the world than is let on but we aren’t sure why we feel that way.
I did struggle a little to keep up with the plot because there were so many pieces to it. The reader is more or less in the dark and confused for a lot of the book. I do think this is intentional because the characters have had their memories wiped, so they are also struggling to keep up with the plot! They are confused, scared, and strangely excited about participating in these deadly challenges.
I love the ideas behind this book, although I didn’t feel like I connected personally with the characters. I think that might be mostly because I’m not a teenager anymore since a lot of it did feel a little immature to me. Of course, these characters are supposed to be pretty young and they act super inconsistently because they aren’t totally in control of their own actions. So, it made sense for them to be that way, it was just harder to like any of the characters.
I think upper middle grade/YA readers that can handle a few descriptions of blood will enjoy this page-turner. It’s only $0.99 right now, so I think it’s worth it to pick up and read if you’re into a Battle Royale setting!
I hope these authors continue writing in the series because I am super curious about where the story will go, so I would be willing to read more from them.
You can find The Deception (Island of Blood #1) on Goodreads & Amazon.
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