Lovin' los libros

 

I read these books early last year when they had originally released as a serial and I really loved them. After rereading, I was afraid I wouldn't feel the same as I did then, what with my ever-changing tastes. I am THRILLED to say I was just as enraptured now as I was then! I have become a very distracted reader as of late and it is too easy for me to put down a book at the slightest distraction. That is not the case with Deception So Deadly. I was engaged from start to finish and completely invested in Tessa's story.

 

I think what made this so awesome for me was the romance between Tessa and Tristan. I loved how he pursued her, even after being rejected by her multiple times. (There's a reason for it, I promise.) He is such a good guy and I really loved how sweet he was. Tessa is a sweetheart too and I felt for her. She does not form attachments with others because her family is always on the run and must be ready to flee at a moment's notice. While her brother and sister thrive in their new environments, Tessa doesn't. She is the only one in her family who does not have psychic gifts and really does feel like she's no one special. She pulls away from Tristan because she's afraid to fall for him and not be able to tell him the truth about who she really is. She is very sensitive in that respect, not wanting to create something that's built on lies.

 

However, Tessa's mother, brother, and sister won't be easily dissuaded. They want Tessa to have a friend, to have some semblance of a normal life, so they see Tristan as a good thing for her. I loved seeing Tessa and Tristan together. There is so much kissing I wanted to burst. It was just the sweetest of relationships and I loved that it felt natural and it was so fitting of a young adult romance.

 

I really liked the suspense element in the story too. We know Tessa and her family are on the run from a Dennis Connolly, because he hurt Tessa when she was younger. Because of his own psychic abilities, he can always find them. Tessa's father has the ability to see him when he's close, which I thought was a little convenient, but there IS a reason for it, as we find out later in the book when everything is completely thrown into chaos.

 

I loved the chaos. It was shocking and I had no idea it was coming! It was hard to read at the same time, because my heart just hurt for Tessa. She has already been through so much in her life and to add in all of these other factors? Killed me! I won't say much more, because obviously I don't want to spoil it, but I really loved reading this book again. I can't wait to dive into the next one!

 

 

I was excited to dive back into Tessa's world, especially now that her life has become a bit more settled, after all of the earth shattering revelations Tessa learned at the end of Deception So Deadly. However, her brother and sister are still out there and on the run and Tessa will not stop searching for them until they are found.

 

I admired Tessa's determination in this one to find her siblings. She is the only one who can convince them to stop running and she knows this. Some of her actions are a bit on the reckless side, but I get her desperation. For the most part, Tristan is there with her every step of the way and I was grateful that she had someone completely on her side. However, Tristan could be a bit suffocating in this one with his hero complex.

 

I didn't quite enjoy the romance in this one as much, because a lot of it is Tristan trying to keep Tessa safe. The reality is, he can't be with her every single second of the day and he can't beat himself up over not being there for her. He finally realizes that it isn't his life's mission to keep Tessa safe; that he has to let her make her decisions and let her stand on her own two feet. I never once doubted their love for one another though, and that was a high point for me. There were some obstacles thrown in their way that could've turned badly pretty quickly, but thankfully we get to see them endure these together and as a couple. I liked that a lot.

 

My heart once again ached for Tessa because she is not having the easiest time in the town of Lilybrook. Because of who she is and what her family has done, she has a hard time adjusting at school and I hated that for her. There are also people in power that are supposed to be about justice and equal treatment of all those with these psychic gifts. However, prejudice and history keep them from doing their job and things become very tense in the search for Tessa's siblings.

 

This was a bit slower paced than the previous one, but I was still engaged nonetheless. I was anxious for Tessa to find her siblings, as well as find out what these 'nightmare eyes' were about that keep following Tessa. Overall, Deception So Dark was a great conclusion to Tessa and Tristan's story. I really hope Kensie explores some of the other characters in more detail in the future though!