Shadow of Deception (The Kazumi Chronicles, #1)
By: Sophia L. Johnson
Publication Date: April 9, 2015
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
*I received a free ARC of Shadow of Deception from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange of an honest review.
Synopsis
2153, Toronto, United Nation of North America (UNNA)
A horrific plane crash kills all five hundred and forty-two passengers except one. Kazumi emerges from the wreckage physically unscathed but has lost all her memories. Her miraculous survival has the whole city buzzing but all she wants is to go home, wherever home is.
After waiting a month in the hospital with no one to claim her, Kazumi is deemed homeless. She is about to be sent to a nearby teenage shelter when the nurse she grew to trust ushers her down a mysterious path, one that promises safety and maybe even the chance to recover her memories. With no better options available, Kazumi takes her chance and finds herself in the headquarters of the Sarcomeres, a secret society of genetically advanced humans hidden deep inside the Rocky Mountains. The Sarc’s heightened physical abilities and high-tech gadgets are not the only things that fascinate Kazumi. Finnegan O’Riley, a fellow Sarc she meets along the way also gets her heart racing. When Kazumi discovers that she possesses the genetic potential of a Sarcomere, she jumps at the chance to train with them, not knowing the death defying tests that are involved.
Meanwhile, a centuries-old nemesis of the Sarcomeres begins to stir in the dark, setting their dark plans in motion. Just when Kazumi thinks she can help protect her new found home, past memories surface to threaten her new identity. She soon realizes that layers of deception run deep and everyone has a secret agenda, including herself.
Who can she trust when she can’t even trust herself? One wrong decision could bring forth consequences worse than death.
Shadow of Deception is the gold medal winner at the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award.
My Thoughts
I was really excited to start Shadow of Deception. It’s rare that I read something from the science fiction genre, though this is becoming more frequent. Can’t say that I’m complaining. I enjoyed the premise of this story and found the plot to be well-developed. There were many moments while reading this novel that I was on the edge of my seat, anticipating the next page. Johnson does a great job writing action scenes, that’s for sure!
Kazumi is an intense character. Her lack of memories after being the soul survivor of a massive plane crash has the reader guessing from the very beginning. While I called them, I loved the way the twist in this book was handled. All books like this should have excellent twists, and this was not a letdown. My favorite character in this book is Finn. I found him to have the most structured back story and wanted to get to know him better.
There was so much that I loved about this book, though there were some areas I felt could use a little focus. The first quarter of the book felt like slow in comparison to the rest and I couldn’t help but feel this book needs one more editing pass to tailor any filler portions and fix any grammatical errors.
Don’t let this stop you from reading this story, however! I thoroughly enjoyed it and would love to read the next in this series.
You can read other reviews for this book at Xpresso Book Tours!
The Final Countdown
Characterization – 3.5/5 Stars
Dialogue– 3.5/5 Stars
Plot – 4.5/5 Stars
Visual Imagery – 3/5 Stars
Structure/Pacing/Editing – 2.5/5
Ending – 3.5/5 Stars
Total: 3.4 Stars
Giveaway!!
$10 Amazon Gift Card
To enter this giveaway, enter the RAFFLECOPTER here!
AUTHOR BIO
I had my first adventure at the age of nine when I flew halfway across the globe all by myself, not knowing a word of English. I was lucky my parents didn’t decide to cheap out and ship me as a parcel instead. But all jokes aside, it was because of financial and physical limitations that I had to fly to Canada solo. It was a great adventure for a nine year-old girl to be honest; aside from the puking, the starvation due to inedible raw vegetables and smelly goo of which I later found out were called salad and cheese. But I made it. I reunited with my parents and soon welcomed my baby brother to the world.
Twenty-five years later, I have a beautiful daughter of my own and a loving husband. We all live in Toronto, enjoying the cultural diversity the city offers. The only adventures I get to have nowadays is by living vicariously through my characters.
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WHIMSICAL FANCY 
Thanks for hosting today! This sounds like a fun, fast paced read! 🙂
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