Deceived

Gr 8 Up—Gabriella Smith has spent most of her life moving around and has finally landed in an Ohio boarding school to finish her senior year while her dad travels for business. She lives on caffeine pills and exercise to avoid the dreaded night terrors that come with sleep. She spends most of her days in a paranoid state as unexplained events occur: cigarette butts outside her door, a ribbon from her murdered mother's past in her locker, and rumors of a serial killer on campus. Whenever she feels panicky, Brian Austin, who proves to be the most intriguing character in this mystery, shows up to help her. As the story unfolds to an unpredictable and compelling ending, there are many changes in Elle's world. While the premise of the book is interesting, the plot is confusing as it jumps around, and it is often hard to tell who is speaking. The first half of the book sets readers up for the ending, but there's too much to wade through, and many teens might not hang in to find out why Elle's life is not what is seems.—Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MI