Deception: A Haunting Emma Novel by Lee Nichols

Summary/ Image from Author's Website:

When Emma Vaile's parents leave on mysterious business trip, it gives her the perfect excuse to be a rebellious teen. Throw some parties, get a tattoo (or maybe just a piercing), and enjoy the first few weeks of her junior year. Then her best friend stops talking to her, the cops crash her party, and Emma finds herself in the hands of a new guardian—her college-age "knight in J.Crew armor," Bennett Stern—and on a plane to his museum-like mansion in New England.

After enrolling at Thatcher Academy, Emma settles in by making friends with the popular legacy crowd. But she can't shake the strange visions that are haunting her. She has memories of Thatcher she can't explain, as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Emma doesn't trust anyone anymore—except maybe Bennett. But he's about to reveal a ghostly secret to Emma. One that will explain the visions . . . and make Emma fear for her life.

Review:

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-

Deception: A Haunting Emma Novel will be released June 8, 2010!

Source: Around The World Tour