Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this in advance!

This was a really fun read and I didn't even realize it was based on Norse myth until I was well into it. And when I did come to that realization, it just made the story even better!

Brynn is a poor kid from a pretty terrible home. Her mother's boyfriend is a petty gangster and is suspicious of her every move. Brynn keeps her head down, works hard and dreams of the day she'll get the hell out and never go back.

When she notices a boy following her, she's both terrified and intrigued enough to turn the tables on him and follow him. She finds herself drawn into a game which, with her particular skills, developed out of the necessity of surviving her home-life, she wins easily.

It becomes clear the game was actually a test, and she passes with flying colors. She's quickly whisked away from her horrible neighborhood and offered a place at the very exclusive Vale Hall. On the surface it's an elite boarding school open to only the best of the best. But it quickly becomes apparent that the students are not selected for their academic prowess, but for other skills they might possess.

Vale Hall is a school for con artists.

Brynn is initially thrilled to be there. Conning is something she's good at, and the little scams she's doing won't really hurt anyone. Her marks have enough money that the little bits she's conning out of them won't mean a thing. Plus, getting rid of the city's bad guys has to be a good thing for society, right?

But when she's assigned to bring down a senator's son and realizes the school's head master has his own reasons for wanting this to happen, things start to get dangerous. No longer sure who the good guys and bad guys are, Brynn knows she's in over her head.

This was a real page turner and I think I read the whole thing in a single day. Brynn is a feisty heroine with an unusual skill-set. I liked her a lot and that allowed me to forgive a lot of the rather shady things she does during the course of the book. I believe this is the first of a series to be set in this particular school (Vale Hall - Valhalla) and I look forward to reading the next to see where it might take us.

The Deceivers is the first installment in author Kirsten Simmons Vale Hall trilogy. 16-year old Brynn Hilder has always had to be quick on her feet, to keep her safe for her mother’s drug dealing loser boyfriend Pete. However, he isn’t completely useless, he did teach her all about conning, both the long and short one. Brynn has been performing short cons in the ritzy neighborhoods to earn enough money to move away from home and go to college.

Her dreams may be closer than she thinks, until she loses all of her money that she saved up. Even curiouser is the boy who seems to be following her everywhere. In a round about way, Brynn ends up following the boy to a secluded place where a competition is about to begin. The teens all go to a private school for con artists called Vale Hall. They organized a game to recruit a new student. Brynn is told that if she wins the game, she will be set for life and will get a full scholarship to any college.

Obviously I don't have to say more since this story is about Brynn and Vale Hall. Oh by the way, the author has done her own version of Odin, Brynhildr , and Valhalla. W hen the students are not studying to graduate, they work on different cons as per the wishes of their vigilante benefactor, Dr Odin. So long as she follows the rules and keeps the school’s true intentions secret, Brynn could be set for life. She will be able to live at this school and earn more than enough money to pay for college, all she has to do is con a senator’s son, easy right?

Can Brynn turn off her empathy to work the long con and save herself? At several points in the book, Brynn doubts the path she is on, measuring the harm she might be causing against the good that comes out of it, as well as her personal debt to Dr O. It is an uneasy relationship, knowing whether you can trust other con artists to have your best interests at heart, and Brynn's relationships with other characters reflect that struggle. It also intrudes on her budding romance with another such student, Caleb, whom she finds drawn to.

Fans of Ally Carter and Jennifer Lynn Barnes will definitely enjoy reading this story. This is a story that starts out slowly, and rushes to the finish with plenty of twists and surprises waiting in store for the reader. It seems that no one is trustworthy, which makes everything more intense. I will definitely read the sequel which is coming out in 2020.

The premise of this book is what grabbed my attention, students being trained to be con artists in an exclusive private school to carry out secret missions, how awesome! I wanted to see more of the life at Vale Hall, more of the friendships there develop, more insight into the con lessons and training they receive and life on this amazing campus. This would have brought more depth to the characters and the romance that felt a little odd at times. Since this is a series, i would have been okay with slowing things down a bit. The ending felt rushed and was hard to follow. There were too many mysteries being solved with not enough clues throughout the book, everything felt rushed to be wrapped up with a pretty bow. I was going to reread a few of the sections, but then I realized I wasn't invested enough to care that I didn't understand what was happening.

This is the first book by Kristen Simmons that I’ve ever read and it won’t be the last. I own books by her but I’m not sure why I haven’t read them. This book is going to make me bump those up my tbr list.

Ocean's Eleven meets Pretty Little Liars in this fun and mysterious school for Con Artists.

Brynn hasn't ever had it easy. Her Dad passed away suddenly when he was shot at work and her Mom decided to strike up a love interest in someone who disrespects them both and does some underhanded things to make money. To say that Brynn's life sucks would be quite the understatement. One day as she's pulling her con on some unsuspecting people, a boy with a raven crest on his shirt starts to follow Brynn. She thinks it's a coincidence at first but then becomes freaked as he starts showing up where she works.

She does the next best thing and starts to follow him. He lures her into a secluded spot where other teenagers are hanging out and then the games start to begin. The newbies are put through a test. They have to go to the Senator's mansion and get the son to agree to a date with them and then they'll get an invite to one of the most prestigious private schools. Brynn needed an out and this is her chance and she's not going to blow this.

Brynn blows the competition out of the water and she now has her foot in the door, but at what costs? Secrets start to pile up and Brynn starts to feel the pressure of overwhelming proportions. Pulling Cons on people she's starting to care about is harder than she thought. Can she figure out her home life and her life at school before they both come crashing down around her?

This book had a lot of shocking twists and none of them were suspected. It was a very clever read with characters that you wanted to pull cons with. I will say that there was more romance than I was expecting but I think it was a great addition to the story. Kristen knows what she's doing and she's a pro at it.

Even though I was sick while reading this, I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen. This book took more priority than me taking care of my illness. It was that damn good.

Vincit Omnia Veritas

DNF at 53%. I didn’t like any of the characters and found the storyline hard to follow (could have been because of the format of my eARC). By the half way point I didn’t like where the story was going and decided to stop reading.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.

I wasn't 100% sure how I would like this book, but the plot really intrigued me. I got the idea of an assassination/spy school, but without the murder aspect. This was a very good mystery novel with lots of drama!

Brynn is from the rough side of town. Loved by her mother, but stuck in a world that shows no love. She's living at home with an abusive, drug-dealer man; she's treated as an outcast as school and has to run con's to save up for college. I truly loved Brynn and her determination to make it out of her harsh reality. She works hard, she see's beyond the BS and she doesn't give up. I loved her spitfire attitude as well. She knew how to con a person well enough to walk away unharmed. Enjoyed seeing her grow.

Caleb seemed to be a major creep to me at first. I even saw him as Dr. Odin's "in man" but in actuality he was just a guy in love trying to protect his family and the one he liked. Caleb is a very caring guy. He had moments when he seemed like a creep and was very much rude, but as the story progresses and much is revealed about his "job" things begin to make sense. I doubted him at first, but I truly enjoyed him.

Grayson is the son of a highly connected senator with a dark past. He's also Brynn's mark. He is a rich, spoiled brat, but he's also a scared little kid. He has a dark past of his own and his father has made him terrified for his own life. I enjoyed Grayson because he sought a thrill consistently to escape his suffocating world. As the story progressed I definitely saw him as a guy with serious mental issues. Still not sure how I truly feel about him because that ending confused me a bit.

The romance was actually really good. I was expecting more between Grayson and Brynn, but I'm glad it went another direction for her and Caleb. The romance isn't super heavy, but it still plays a crucial role. Especially when you add in an ex-boyfriend to the mix. The love interests in this story all played a crucial role to the story line and to Brynn's life.

Dr. Odin seems like a well rounded man, but he's truly a crazy man. He runs Vale Hall -- a school of con artist with 20 students at a time. He's in the business of secrets and blackmail. I liked him in his role, but once things were shared toward the end, he creeped me out. I'm afraid of him and how far he goes to get what he wants. I'm interested in seeing if he's truly a good guy or just downright corrupted himself. He walks a very thin line between both.

Mr. Moore was awesome! I loved him, especially when he had that conversation with Brynn about taking the job at Vale Hall. Pete is a scum-bug of the worse kind. Marcus is a truly amazing guy. I would have liked more of a background story on him and his relationship with Brynn. Henry is the best "brother" ever! Charlotte is a doll! Geri was a conniving witch to me at first, but that ending SHOCKED me. She's good at what she does.

Overall, this was a really great YA mystery and drama filled story. Definitely fast paced and filled with humor.

I liked the concept of this book and the play on mythology; but, it wasn't one that made me eager to go to bed and read at night. I liked the characters and felt they were fairly well-developed; I especially liked Caleb. It is a fairly interesting teen read that I will recommend to some students and will purchase for my school library.

The Deceivers makes good use of its long-game-con premise, delivering twist upon twist as Brynn, a girl from a poor background and a small-time con artist, gets a chance to attend a private school that assures her better things in life. The only caveat - Vale Hall is actually a school for con artists, and when they are not getting an education, they are working on different cons as per the wishes of their vigilante benefactor, Dr Odin. This first book introduces us to Brynn, the school, as well as how Brynn's former life comes crashing into her second one, and how she manages to juggle both while also using her skills to stay above the water. Along the way, there are some things that are revealed to be fake, some things are revealed to be true - much like Brynn, we are left guessing which might be which and who can be trusted.

Brynn's grey morality makes her a perfect fit for the school, but her mission is one that hits a little close to home. Like her, her mark, Grayson (the senator's son) has been living in an abusive household, and while she initially sees him as a spoiled brat, she soon realizes there is a lot of fear hiding underneath that, making her reconsider what she is doing.

At several points in the book, she doubts the path she is on, measuring the harm she might be causing against the good that comes out of it, as well as her personal debt to Dr O. It is an uneasy relationship, knowing whether you can trust other con artists to have your best interests at heart, and Brynn's relationships with other characters reflect that struggle. It also intrudes on her budding romance with another such student, Caleb, whom she finds drawn to.

There are small allusions to Norse mythology characters (Vale Hall = Valhalla, Brynn Hilder = Brunhilde the Valkyrie, Huggin and Munin as Hugh and Min the security peeps, Geri as a student) but yeah, this is not an urban fantasy; it was fun, though to connect their roles to their characters. I am definitely interested in finding out how shady Dr O can be, and at what point Brynn will be like, 'you know what, too far'. All in all, a good start to what I think will be a thrilling series.

I received a complimentary copy of 'The Deceivers' from 'Tor Forge, Macmillan' in exchange for an honest review, and all opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone.

Brynn's life sucked, honestly. Except for her mom. With Pete constantly looming threats over her head and supplying masses of addictive drugs, her ex-boyfriend - but still her only friend - dealing them, and the name 'Bloody Brynn' swirls in her head constantly. After following a boy her age who seemed to be following her all across town, Brynn finds herself accepting the challenge of a group of preppy private school kids: get a date with Grayson Sterling, the non-committal and senators son. Brynn not only finds herself completing the dare with ease but also immediately swept into the halls of Vale Hall school. She now trades lies and secrets in order to get a future and a road out of the dump she used to be in. But how far will Dr. Omake her go before she snaps?

I think I've honestly hit the jackpot. I've read so many books in my time, and I mean a lot, but this one is now one of my favorites! The writing, plot, characters and everything are amazing and I can't wait for the next book in the series! The writing style is easy to fall into, and I found I have kept in suspense yet not too much that it became boring. I was immediately caught into the story.

I find myself recommending this book to so many people over and over already, and I honestly can't wait to read it again! I've heard people talk about books they want for this year, and they say 'The Deceivers' and I brag a little because I already read it! I am honestly in so much love! This book also has heavy Norse mythology behind it, with Dr. Odin representing Odin, but instead of souls, there are secrets. There are many other ties that you would have to look at for yourself!

Read it! That's all I can say because I am in honest fangirl mode and am so excited for the release of this book! Please, just do go read it!

*I received an ARC of this book for a blog tour, with the review coming soon*
This sounded interesting, but wasn't completely my cup of tea. I like the idea of the synopsis, playing on Norse characters but in a contemporary setting. I liked Brynn well enough and the mission she undertakes really got interesting in the last half. Her romance was also cute and one that I liked. The first half was rough and a bit underwhelming but like I said, the ending made it more entertaining. I will read the author's other works that are out. A solid, fine book.

I absolutely LOVED this book. Such a fun ride from beginning to end. - your adrenaline does not stop pumping! Amazing twists and turns - you'll love every single thing about it. I can't wait to get stuck into the next book in the Vale Hall series as soon as it comes out!

The Deceivers is the first novel in the Valhalla Academy series by Kristen Simmons. The book description calls it a blend between Pretty Little Liars and Ocean’s 11, and after having read the novel, I can strongly agree with that assessment.
The novel follows a teenage girl named Brynn Hilder. She hasn’t had the best luck in life, so when she gets the opportunity of a lifetime, she doesn’t waste any time thinking about it. She just goes for it. The only thing is the opportunity isn’t quite what it would seem like at first glance. It is, however, perfectly suited to Brynn’s skillset.
I’ll confess that the title was totally the thing that first caught my attention. It’s a perfectly accurate description of the novel…but it’s also surprisingly eye-catching and memorable. When I spotted it I was immediately intrigued, and the cover helped support my lingering curiosity, as of course did the actual description.
I may have been a bit impulsive, in immediately requesting a copy of the book, but I ended up loving every moment of it. As far as impulse reads go, I sure lucked out with this one.
The Deceivers is an exceptionally well-written novel. The intrigue, broken backstories, and convoluted schemes were all perfectly balanced with one another. The end result is a fast-paced novel that’s as unpredictable as it is interesting.
The best part, in my mind, was the fact that when I took the time to look back over the events in the novel, everything made sense. The new information revealed always fit in with what we had been shown previously. It all felt plausible.
Brynn was the perfect character for this story. She’s tough, talented, comes from a rough past, and while she tries pretty hard not to get close to anybody, it’s actually fairly difficult not to like her. I’m including myself in that statement, for the record. I was enchanted by her determination and sheer force of will. This was a girl not content to follow the path of her mother or mother’s boyfriend. This was a girl that wanted something better for herself. Who can’t respect that?
I was actually a little bit shocked by how many emotions this novel was able to pull out of me. I dealt with a slew of emotions while reading; happiness, concern and anxiety, justified anger, frustration…you name it. To me, that’s the sign of a well-written novel and perfectly designed characters.
The intrigue and constant assessing of who is conning who was really well done in this novel. There was this ever-present concern about who was lying and who was telling the truth. I can’t imagine living in a world like that. But it did a good job of showing us the reason why people that live those lives need clear lines and rules for themselves.
I’m looking forward to the next novel in the series. I know there’s no news yet, so I’m being just a bit impatient there, but can you blame me?

I feel that the summary of this book doesn’t do it justice. But I chose to read it, because I love Kristen Simmons’ books and figured she would not disappoint. Well, she did not!!!

It was not what I expected, it was sooo much better!!! With these teenagers running cons, like spies, and working jobs until they finally get their target goal. But at the same time, they are teenagers, with teenager problems.

Brynn is the main character, and she is invited to the school. The school is in a mansion. They are given all kinds of stuff. And if they are successful, they will be sent to the college of their choice. As we follow Brynn through the story we see her questioning things, but she gets her assignment and starts her long con. In the meantime she makes friends in the school and starts crushing on Caleb. Aw....Caleb....yummy! Anyway, without saying too much...there are lots of twists and turns....I just thought this book was so much fun! And of course it had the romance, which is VERY IMPORTANT!!! lol!

I definitely recommend this as a fun YA read with lots of suspense, adventure and romance!!

This was a real surprise for me, The start was pretty slow going in my opinion but once the story got going it was entertaining and compelling. I really liked the characters and the friendship between the kids at the school. Henry's adorable. I also liked the romance aspect. Brynn was a great main character.
I'm curious as to where this story may go.

This was such an entertaining read! This is the first time I've read a Kristen Simmons and I wasn't disappointed in the least.

The Deceivers is about Brynn Hilder who lives a hard life but her luck soon changes when a boy begins following after her. Soon, Brynn stumbles upon a private party which is actually a game organized by a couple of teenagers. These teenagers go to a private school for con artists in the Vale Hill Estate and they have organized this game to recruit a new student. Brynn is told that if she wins the game, she will be set for life and will get a full scholarship to any college.

Brynn has nothing to lose so she participates in the game not knowing if she has won the coveted position until the next day. Vale Hall must be a dream comes true for Brynn but she soon realizes that to make her dreams come too, she'll have to con a senator's son for it. Is she cut out for this lifestyle or will she be wiped out of existence as another girl before her?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.

I was super excited for this one. As soon as I got my hands on a review copy I had to read it. I love novels about con artists, thieves and criminals and this novel combined that with a boarding school setting. Immediately upon picking this up I was reminded of Ally Carter and Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I had such high expectations for this novel, and while it was really good, it fell short in places for me. The idea was great, but the execution could have been much better.

The pacing of this novel was a lot slower than I would have liked. I picked this up because I was starting to fall into a fantasy reading slump and I was hoping this would grab me and keep me on the edge of my seat. But instead I found it rather easy to set down. It started off really strong, so I expected it to maintain a fast and thrilling pace, in that aspect I was disappointed though.

However, the plot was pretty interesting. I love the idea of an elite private school for con artists. Some of the scenes were so much fun to read, like a field trip to practice cons. At the end of the novel there were a bunch of twists that I didn’t see coming. There could have been so much more to this story to make it better and while I did love the plot, I just expected a lot more out of this story.

I did like the characters, they are a little morally corrupt, but honestly, not as morally corrupt as I would expect a bunch of teenage con artists to be. I had some issues with the character development though. This was a case where the author told things rather than showed us them. The attempt at making these characters seem multi-layered came off as superficial. I really wanted to be more emotionally invested in these characters.

I really wanted to love this novel. It had a great idea, fun setting and even a decent plot, but it fell short of my expectations. The pacing was slow and The Deceivers took me a while to finally finish. I did like the characters, but I felt like they came across a bit superficial despite attempts by the author to give them layers. I did enjoy reading this one, but I had a lot of issues with it and thought it could have been a lot better.

Hello, I will post the review to my Instagram, blog, and Goodreads on January 23rd, 2019. Review will also be added to Amazon and Barnes and Nobles on the publication date. Links to reviews will be added when they are public, thank you.

Title: The Deceivers
Author: Kristen Simmons
Publication Date: February 5th, 2019
Rating: 4.5 Stars
eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley

The Deceivers is a new spin on the Valhalla myth. Vale Hall isn't just any private school, it is a school where con artists flourish. Brynn Hilder has a chance to get away from her not so great life with a fresh start at Vale Hall. It will take everything she knows to survive, one lie at a time.

Its a hard thing to find contemporaries I want to read and this book left me wanting more! I was swept away into this world of scandals, lies, and mean girls. If I was still in high school Vale Hall is where I would want to be. It's refreshing to have a new take on an old myth and give it a contemporary spin. The author really outdid herself with this plot as I have not read anything that even comes close to it.

The characters in this book are everything you would picture at a high school. They are fleshed out and all have unique backgrounds as to why they have found themselves at this school. I loved seeing Brynn deal with her own personal battles as well as the pressure she faces from and at school. Although the relationship between her and Caleb was quick, they were adorable together and I can't wait to see where their relationship goes.

This was such a great read! The plot was intriguing and the pace was just right. I finished it in one sitting, it was too good to put down. If you are a fan of contemporary retellings or scandals I would highly recommend this book!

On the surface, this does not appear to be my usual cup of tea, but Simmons incorporated several elements, that had me chomping at the bit to read this one.

1. Based on Norse mythology
2. Shades of Ocean's 11
3. An elite, top-secret boarding school

And let me tell you, these elements were combined in such a way, that I could NOT stop flipping the pages.

When I first met Brynn, she was living in a rundown part of town, Devon Park, with her mother's drug dealer boyfriend. All she wanted was a way out of this dead end life, and she thought she could run cons in order to accomplish the task. Little did she know, her skills as a con artist would earn her way into an elite school, Vale Hall, which promised a top-notch education and a colligate future. The catch? She would have to run cons and collect secrets, but this was a price Brynn was willing to pay to ensure her future.

There were so many things that kept me engrossed in this story.

• Brynn was a very complex character. She appears to have a take-no-prisoners attitude, when it came to getting what she wanted, but her actions more than contradicted that assumption. She surprised me quite a few times over the course of this story, and these were good surprises.

• All the Vale Hall operatives had very interesting backstories. The circumstances that brought them to Dr. Odin's attention, as well as their skillsets, were all worth exploring further, and made me more invested in each and every one of them.

• All the major players were so intertwined. It was amazing watching all the pieces fall into place, as bit by bit, we learned more and more about what happened to who and why.

• I went back and forth with Dr. O on many occasions. The whole concept of Vale Hall puts us in some serious morally grey areas, but his actions would often make me feel like he was one of the good guys. He would do so many incredible things for people, and turn around and do something completely questionable. He's one of the characters I hope to get to know better in future books.

• Caleb, sigh, I am all about Caleb. He was a little light in a story, that leaned towards the darker side of things. I am shipping him and Brynn, so let's make that a permanent thing.

• Just when I thought I knew exactly what was going on, the story would take a turn I didn't see coming. That's what happens when readers get smug.

• They may have been teen cons, but they formed a family at Vale Hall, and I really enjoyed sharing some of those lighter moments with them.

This story was gritty and twisty and the characters and story had me glued to the pages. I am looking forwarded to seeing what new cons the students of Vale Hall will be pulling in the near future.

When Brynn Hilder is recruited to attend private school Vale Hall, she sees it as her chance to finally get away from her neighborhood, her mother's drug-dealing boyfriend, and a life spent running cons in order to save up for college.

Except, Vale Hall is not all it appears to be. Brynn has been singled out specifically because of her talent with conning people. That's exactly the kind of "talent" that Dr. Odin looks for in his students. The number one rule is to never reveal your true identity.

When Brynn's first assignment is befriending the son of a Senator in hopes of uncovering some dirt, Brynn begins to question Dr. O's motivations. Unfortunately, with Brynn's future - as well as the future of every other student at Vale Hall - in the palms of Dr. O's hands, Brynn doesn't know who she can trust when the situation with the senator crisscrosses with Brynn's former life.

Just to clear the air, I went into The Deceivers thinking we were going to get a paranormal retelling of norse mythology. Well... I guess we do in a way, but without the paranormal aspect. I honestly kept waiting for someone's powers to manifest through like the first maybe five chapters, then I realized to take the whole Valhalla thing with a grain of salt. This is a strictly contemporary setting in a school where young adults are being taught to be con artists.

Once I got to that point, I really enjoyed The Deceivers. It's an extremely readable story where the pacing continually moves and rarely slows down, yet Kristen Simmons was wonderful at mixing in some background / setup information for all of our characters.

Of course with Brynn in the foreground. She's a driven character who understands her circumstances very well. She knows if she doesn't get out, she'll end up selling drugs like many of her former friends do, working for her mother's boyfriend, and this is not what she wants for herself. Getting admitted into Vale Hall seems like a godsend to her. Not only does she get out of her worsening homelife, but she gets a chance to stick it to corrupt officials in the city. Or so it seems.

I loved how Kristen Simmons sets up the areas of gray that Brynn walks through. I mean, yes, she's behind the scenes fighting those who are abusing their power, but she's not exactly doing it legally. Kristen Simmons does a wonderful job building up the predicament that Brynn finds herself in as her conscience tells her something is off about the whole Vale Hall setup. But this will be something that, I believe is dealt with throughout the remainder of the series.

I did feel like the whole con artist thing was a bit clunky. I mean, just because Brynn can talk rich kids out of their parents' money with fake concert tickets doesn't mean she's qualified to go undercover with the senator's son. But I felt like this clunkiness was intentionally showcasing this very point. The idea that Brynn has a lot to learn and the fact that things are so much more twisted than she thought possible as we see at the end. I was so focused on Brynn that I know I missed some of the clues, but I appreciated the fact that I didn't see all, or many, of them coming.

I really like what Kristen Simmons has started with this series. I'm wondering if the series will continue to follow Brynn or if a different character will step up. I'd kind of like to continue exploring Brynn's character. I think she's definitely the type to throw a wrench into whatever Dr. O's really got going on behind the scenes, but I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't want a secondary character to step up as they all have varied and interesting stories of their own. Either way, I'm here for the sequel.

What an entertaining read! I've always enjoyed Kristen Simmons books and she continues to write stories that are very easy to sink into.

I was drawn to The Deceivers primarily because of the premise of a mysterious elite school, but what kept me glued to the pages was the heroine, Brynn. Before being recruited to Vale Hall, she had had a challenging upbringing, especially with her mother's skeevy boyfriend. She got through life by essentially scamming people and saving up for college. She was a really strong and independent young woman. I love how she pretty much took life as it came and faced every obstacle courageously. Brynn was very thoughtful and level-headed and it was fun being inside her head. When she gets recruited into Vale Hall, she finally thinks she's on track to achieve a better life for herself.

But there's more to Vale Hall than meets the eye. I thought the concept was very cool. The assignments that these teens have to complete were wild and I got really invested in Brynn and her mark, a prominent senator's son. His character was interesting especially because there seemed to be so many secrets surrounding him. Speaking of secrets, I wasn't expecting some of the twists when it came to Vale Hall itself and I think there is even more to the school than we were led to believe. I'm hoping to learn more. There is also a romance in The Deceivers. It's not at the forefront of the book, but I liked the moments Brynn and Caleb shared. Caleb was a really soft boy and their slow budding romance provided a lightness to the darker tone of the book.

All in all, this was a good start to this series. I'm excited to be reunited with these characters again in the future!