This is a ‘read in a day’ series if I’ve ever seen one. So good and compelling with drama I loved reading about, and stakes that had me on edge.

Unfortunately this one is going to be a dnf for me. I've tried multiple times to get into this one and I'm just not into it. I've even tried picking up the audiobook to see if that would help get me through it but I think ultimately I've just kind of grown away from this series. I can't remember the details from the first book as much though I remember some. I really wanted to complete this one but just found that I honestly didn't care about the characters or the situation any more.

Scammed is the second book in the Vale Hall series. Vale Hall is a school for con artists who are supposedly helping Dr. O, the director, to root out evil in the world. Brynn, who we met in book one, has discovered that life at Vale Hall is not all rainbows and sunshine, and there are some profoundly dark rooted secrets that she is determined to unravel and bring out into the light. Grayson, who left Brynn on the side of the road in book one, is now living at Vale Hall under Dr. O's protection while his father is under investigation. Brynn is tasked yet again with finding out some dark secret from the senator's past that she thinks will help Dr. O get justice for his sister and hopefully keep Grayson from going to jail. By the end of the book, a dangerous plot is developing for what I believe will be a specular third book in this high stakes con artist game.

I received this free eARC novel from the author and NetGalley. This is my honest review.

I honestly thought that book one could have been a standalone, but I'm glad there was more to read about this story because there is so many layers to unravel.

I love how quick and smart Brynn is. She may not always catch things in time, but she sure can come up with a plan to fix things.

I'm also glad that this series isn't romance dominated. Sure, there is romance, but that's not the main focus of this series and I like that. There is way more important things to worry about for these con artist characters.

I'm glad I continued with this series. The first book was a bit harder to get through, but this second book felt like I flew through it! And now I can't wait to see what happens in the final, third book.

Scammed picks up months after the events of the first book, The Deceivers, where Brynn is doing her best to follow instructions and be useful in her scamming school so she can make something of her life. But when Grayson, the boy who was her first assigned mark that went horribly wrong, shows up at her school, Brynn's entire world is now spinning out of her control.

This book was complicated in the best of ways and full of heartbreak, angst and hard choices. This review will be brief since it was such an intense ride and I don't want to spoil anything. Make sure you read the first book and then you can jump right in to Scammed.

I was set up for an angsty love triangle, not sure who I wanted to root for with two very good yet broken choices- when next thing I knew, the carpet was ripped out from under Brynn's (and my) feet and nothing was what I first thought. Sure, the angst was still there, but romance is kind of a moot point when everything else is unraveling. Scammed was shocking, with so many completely hot mess twists I could never have seen coming and I am so amped for another book set in this world. Nothing about this story I could have predicted, everyone was lying or keeping secrets and shocks kept popping up. Talk about being kept on my toes.

Wow. I thought book one was a crazy ride but it definitely had nothing on this one!

Brynn is at a school for con artists and when she gets caught up in a murder mystery she has no idea who to trust or what will happen next. All Brynn knows is that the boy she let go has shown up on her doorstep and as each piece of the puzzle falls into place she's not sure if she made the right decision or not.

Brynn and Caleb have to keep their relationship a secret but when Brynn is assigned to Grayson things get a bit messy and now Caleb is acting strange. This world is filled with so many twists and turns. You won't know who to trust from one minute to the next and betrayal seems to be around the corner no matter which direction Brynn takes.

I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good YA Mystery! I can't wait to read book three because it's bound to be a wild ride!

❝ This man controls our fates, and I will not forget the power he wields over us. ❞

The Deceivers was one of my favorite reads of 2019, so naturally, I was ecstatic to have gotten an ARC of Scammed! I was really curious about where the story would go and if Kristen Simmons would be able to keep the same energy from the first book. I can happily say that she most definitely delivered the same intense energy and the twists in the story had me racing to the end!

In Scammed, Brynn and Caleb find themselves in a tough situation when the headmaster brings Grayson into Vale Hall as he continues to pursue justice for his sister. Their world is shaken up and their relationship is forced to be put on hold while Brynn works on yet another mission for Dr. O. Will their bond survive or will they fall apart?

Having been a fan of Brynn and Caleb early on in the Deceivers, I was naturally a little sad when they had to hide the relationship for Byrnn's new mission. All the secrecy and tension that built up between the most frustrating, but it made me appreciate all their little cute moments together even more.

Of course, we also get to see a lot of Grayson and Brynn. While some of it could be sweet and nice I really saw them more as friends. I did, however, love the tension put on by Brynn's mission with Grayson and how it affected her and Caleb. It was agonizing, but so well written. I was completely sucked into the story!

❝ "The Ginger Princess does not approve of your sarcasm[.]" ❞

I also loved that we got to learn a lot more about the lives of the other students at Vale Hall. They felt more well-developed in this book because they all had their own issues to deal with instead of us just reading about Brynn's.

Although I can't go into detail without giving spoilers, I didn't want to talk about the plot a little. Early on, my biggest question about Scammed was where would the plot go? Would it just be mission after mission until Brynn graduated? Not that there would be anything wrong with that (I'd totally be down for it), but I wondered if I would get something more. And oh man did I get more.

I can say that the plot twist in this book totally caught me off guard and upped the tension 100%. I love that we had old questions and characters returning and that we saw a darker side of Vale Hall. The way things played out with one of the characters in the end, and the ending itself had me so pumped for the next book! I can't wait to see how it all plays out!

Overall, Scammed was a thrilling sequel to the series and Kristen Simmons has totally won me over with her complex characters, gripping plots, and great writing. I highly recommend you check this one out!

Scammed picks up where The Deceivers with Grayson being on the run and Brynn regretting her decisions. A LOT has happened since the beginning of the first instalment in this series and it had some pretty big shoes to fill.

So, first off the story is a little slow but begins to pick up the pace after around 20-25%. Returning to its roots of intrigue and manipulation, Scammed doesn't disappoint with twists and turns around every corner. The introduction of a previously secondary character into the main ensemble gave the narrative a rather interesting twist and allows the audience to gain a better idea of just how said character's life has progressed up to this point.

I quite enjoyed the few curve balls that were thrown in for good measure, leaving me guessing where the story was going next. I will say however that parts did feel a little like reiteration of The Deceivers plotline.

Overall I found this to be a fun and fairly easy read that for the most part kept me enthralled. Although I didn't enjoy it quite as much as its predecessor, I will definitely be picking up The Measure of Risk when it becomes available.

Scammed is book two in the Vale Hall series by Kristen Simmons and if you haven’t picked this series up yet, you definitely need to change that. Simmons not only has a page turning story in this second book, but I was so invested in the characters that I couldn’t stop reading because I needed to know what was going to happen next. No spoilers here – it is a book two though so if you haven’t read The Deceivers yet, proceed with caution.

Brynn is our main character but at Vale Hall there are a number of other characters she is interacting with and each one has their own secrets. What she has to figure out is who she can trust and it’s not as easy as one would think.

In this book, Brynn is still working for Dr. Odin but she questions just about everything he tells her and when what he asks her to do begins to make her question Caleb, things start to get twisty. I can’t say too much about this because it is core to the story, and I don’t want to give anything away. Just know that there is so much that we don’t know right along with Brynn so I can’t hold any of her decisions against her. Well…maybe most of them.

Right along with all of that, Grayson is back in the picture which only complicates things more. This is where I wanted to elbow Brynn and tell her to think about what she is doing. So much happens with Grayson now that he is at the school and a big piece of the puzzle for Dr. Odin. I will tell you, I have always had strong feelings about Grayson and this book only solidifies my thoughts about him.

I have to also mention that I loved that we had more time with the secondary characters in this book. We got more exposure to Charlotte, Henry, Sam, and Geri and I thought it provided a bit more depth to them so I could better understand their relationships with Brynn. Of course, the bits with Caleb and Brynn together are some of my favorites.

I hate that I have to be super vague with this review but I really don’t want to ruin anything as there are plenty of twists and turns that will keep you guessing around what is really going on and right along with Brynn you will be trying to figure it all out. If you take anything away from this review, please know that I loved this book and can’t wait for the next book to see what happens next. Grab this book when you can…you won’t regret it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I read the Deceivers and loved it. I really liked the characters and the pace of the book. Receiving the sequel from Netgalley for my honest, unbiased opinion made me giddy! I really enjoyed this one also. I can't imagine how these young adults can live double lives the way they do. It would stress me out.

4.5 || Hiya bookish people!

Scammed was set up so well, and I am in awe of how the author managed to not only remind me of the entire last book through subtle dialogue and memories, but also has me dying for the next one.

I regret to say that this review, however glowing, will have to stay short in fear of spoilers, over ranting and just a generally long post of me going on and on and on about how much I enjoyed this book.

I have three points to make for this review. The cover, the suspense, and the characters.

The cover : what happened? The art for the first one was so beautiful and now the cover seems a bit dated and kind of implies that the whole book is a love triangle. It isn’t. I think sometimes non-avid readers ( and readers ) forget how influential a books cover is when picking up, receiving or buying a book. Also, am I the only one who thinks that the middle character looks like Oliver from How to Get Away with Murder? No? Alright then.

The suspense in this novel is amazing, and pairing it with the action based scenes are a recipe for Readers Bliss. I found that even as something was being revealed, my brain kept being far ahead of the book and trying to work out different plot places. Not only the suspense but I also found that the novel, even with aspects of romance, also had a plot which I loved. Sometimes these things get lost behind an Epic Love Story, but not this time.

The last thing is the well built characters. All of them, even characters who we only talked to for a moment or didn’t speak at all. Everyone was fully rounded with a backstory and feelings and actions. I would quite happily read a book about Vale Hall with short stories of people’s first missions and backgrounds before Brynn arrived.

So, overall? I would say that this is an awesome sequel. You need to read the Deceivers for sure. Cover art? Meh</strong, it does look a little dated, but don’t believe it. This book isn’t a full love triangle, contrary to what the models on the front would have you believe. The suspense in this novel is enough to give you a full-night-reading-binge. The characters are so well built that I want every student to have a short story for themselves. I think Simmons would do it well.

1) The Deceivers: 4 stars
2) Scammed: 5 stars

Scammed is a deliciously twisty follow-up to The Deceivers and I read the second half of the book in one sitting! Could NOT put it down. The pacing is fantastic and in Vale Hall, you can never be sure who to trust. Set at a school for con artists, we continue to follow Brynn on her journey. Having been plucked out of the slums in book 1, she now discovers that everything may not be as it seems and she is becoming increasingly dependent on the mysterious founder of the school. There is also a wonderfully juicy love triangle. Love is always complicated, but when you add cons and marks, it can be hard to discern truth from lies.

I don't want to say too much because of spoilers, but I think this is a fun, smart YA thriller that interrogates complex moral questions and the corruption that can come with power and privilege. It kept me hooked right up to the ending and I will for sure be reading book 3. I liked that this feels like a complete story arc with some degree of resolution, but still having some big open questions for the next book. Definitely recommend! Do check content warnings below if you need them, because there are some things that may bother certain readers. This includes a queer character having a relationship that does not end well. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

CW include references to murder, physical fighting, manipulation, deception in romantic relationships, being on a semi relationship break and kissing someone else, step-parents wanting a gay character to go to conversion therapy, a gay character being romantically manipulated, possible link between mental health and violence, teen pregnancy and consideration of an abortion.

Full disclosure: I didn't remember much from book one going into this HOWEVER I really loved this!
What I do remember about book 1 was that I wanted more action, higher stakes as it took a little while to fully get going but Scammed was totally different. Things were intense from the get go.
This book did a great job in the beginning of recapping and getting me back on track and slowly but surely I started remembering bits and bobs.
Probably my favourite part about this book was the characters. They felt well developed and I loved their relationships. I especially liked the Brynne, Caleb and Grayson dynamic in that it was a love triangle except not really. It made for lots of compelling drama.
The ending was wild. I don't know who to trust. I don't know who to believe.
I cannot wait for the third and what I'm guessing is the final book and I actually want to go back and re-read book one and then re-read this beforehand so I'm all caught up.

Scammed is book two in the Vale Hall series by Kristen Simmons and if you haven’t picked this series up yet, you definitely need to change that. Simmons not only has a page turning story in this second book, but I was so invested in the characters that I couldn’t stop reading because I needed to know what was going to happen next. No spoilers here – it is a book two though so if you haven’t read The Deceivers yet, proceed with caution.

Brynn is our main character but at Vale Hall there are a number of other characters she is interacting with and each one has their own secrets. What she has to figure out is who she can trust and it’s not as easy as one would think.

In this book, Brynn is still working for Dr. Odin but she questions just about everything he tells her and when what he asks her to do begins to make her question Caleb, things start to get twisty. I can’t say too much about this because it is core to the story, and I don’t want to give anything away. Just know that there is so much that we don’t know right along with Brynn so I can’t hold any of her decisions against her. Well…maybe most of them.

Right along with all of that, Grayson is back in the picture which only complicates things more. This is where I wanted to elbow Brynn and tell her to think about what she is doing. So much happens with Grayson now that he is at the school and a big piece of the puzzle for Dr. Odin. I will tell you, I have always had strong feelings about Grayson and this book only solidifies my thoughts about him.

I have to also mention that I loved that we had more time with the secondary characters in this book. We got more exposure to Charlotte, Henry, Sam, and Geri and I thought it provided a bit more depth to them so I could better understand their relationships with Brynn.

I hate that I have to be super vague with this review but I really don’t want to ruin anything as there are plenty of twists and turns that will keep you guessing around what is really going on and right along with Brynn you will be trying to figure it all out. If you take anything away from this review, please know that I loved this book and can’t wait for the next book to see what happens next. Grab this book when you can…you won’t regret it!

I have really been enjoying the Vale Hall series by Kristen Simmons. I read The Deceivers last year and was so intrigued by the setup and the characters, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the sequel. And when it finally became available, I jumped on it! The idea of students running con jobs for the director in exchange for a place to live and a chance at a new life is a really great set up. So much has happened over the first two books, I really cannot wait to see what’s going to happen in the last one! I really hope View Spoiler » gets what’s coming to him!

If you’re a fan of mysteries or thrillers and boarding school books, you’ll want to pick up this series. For me, it has a really similar feel to The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. The group of kids really seemed to shine in the second book, with friendships and relationships being more of a focus than the first one where we meet Brynn and follow her on her assignment. This one has intrigue and twists and assignments and cons and deceptions and drama as well. But I really enjoyed getting to know Henry and Charlotte and Sam and even Geri better in this one.

There were a few times where I thought I knew what was going to happen but mostly I was surprised by the turns this book took. I always enjoy books that do a good job making me wonder who I can trust and who I can’t. I also really liked how this one ended. It really set up the next one nicely without having a cliffhanger to make us all go crazy!

If you like books with great characters and lots of twists and turns, boarding schools, drama, high stakes, lots of action, and never really knowing who to trust, don’t miss these books!

Scammed by Kristen Simmons is the 2nd book in The Vale Hall series, and another great story. Brynn Hilder is a very smart teenage girl who is an expert at conning people, when she is recruited to attend the elite Vale Hall, a school for con artists, she jumps at the chance. At Vale everything is provided for, education, food, clothing, etc, as long as you do your assigned job. This book is a continuation of the first book, The Deceivers, I suggest you read them in order. Nothing is what it seems, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series, to hopefully get some answers. I loved this book! I love both books. It had me hooked from page one, it was so exciting. I strongly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

As I mentioned in my review for The Deceivers, Simmons’ writing style is outstanding. She sets tone and scenes in such a way that you feel like you’re right there in the book. It starts to feel like this isn’t even a book any more, it’s an experience.

I do wish it was more widely known that Vale Hall is inspired by Valhalla in Norse mythology. This is definitely something that should be pushed more. Simmons is so incredibly clever in how she’s telling the story of Brynn Hilder in Vale Hall. It’s some of the most unique storytelling I’ve seen.

The series reads a lot like a high school (or con artists school) contemporary novel with just enough mystery and twists that makes you go “wait, what?”

I love reading about the relationships between the few main students a lot. The dynamic between them all has a “found family” feel, which is one of my favourite tropes.

And now I’m entering the agonizing year-long wait for The Measure of Risk. I’m so excited to see how this trilogy will conclude.

** I was given a free e-book in exchange for an honest review from Netaglley. **

I cannot get enough of this series! So much happens in the series but thankfully Kristen is able to tell it beautifully.

This starts shortly after The Deceivers. Brynn was lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend Vale Hall, even if it cost her. She was determined to maintain her place there. When complications came from her previous assignment, she found herself unable to trust anyone. Now Brynn has a new assignment and she must jump through some hops to get what she needs for Dr O. You will find twist and turn in this book just like the first. You will meet new people and some that she never dreamed about meeting. I also feel like you learn more about the other characters, which is a breath of fresh air. I will say that I am dying to read the next book. It honestly can’t come fast enough.

Scammed is the second novel in Kristen Simmon’s Vale Hall series. This is a school that teaches – and expects – students to be the ideal con artists. All the principal asks in return, is that the students target the marks he picks.
Brynn Hilder is the newest student at Vale Hall, and her journey has already been a complex one. Her first mission was a major one – and one she mostly did right, with a few notable exceptions. Like letting the mark run away.
Now that moment is back to haunt her, as her old mark – and the job itself – come back into the forefront in the most surprising of ways. As it turns out, this investigation of Brynn’s is far from over. She’s going to have to choice sides and fight some hard battles in order to keep a spot for herself at Vale Hall.

“I glance to the stone tablet to my right, near the door. Etched in it are three words: Vincit Omnia Veritas. Truth conquers all.”

Warnings: Scammed touches upon some heavier moments, being that these are people digging into the worst parts of a person’s past. There are going to be mentions and references to sexual assault, beatings, murder, and attempted murder.

Scammed was an amazing follow up to The Deceivers. It was everything I could have hoped for, and more. So much more. This novel upped the ante in every way possible, from the physical danger to the emotional toll taken on the characters.
Brynn is one stubborn and sassy character, and I adore her. Even if she is exceptionally talented at getting herself into the worst kinds of trouble. That just makes her story all the more interesting, right?
I was so surprised by some of the twists taken in this novel. Especially considering all of the revelations towards the end. They were not smoothing I could have predicted – and yet, looking back at the whole book, you can very clearly see the groundwork that was laid down. It was a nice (and carefully thought out) touch.
One other noteworthy surprise; how much Simmons was able to make me feel while reading this. I’m not just talking about Brynn’s story and struggles (though there is that), but the secondary characters as well. They just felt so human here. I loved it.
I’m really looking forward to the next novel in this series. I feel like that’s going to be the one that breaks the mold, as the story progresses and matures. I’m making that assumption based on some of the changes made during Scammed, but I don’t think that’s unreasonable. I’ll be curious to see how far this goes – and how hard it will be on Brynn and everyone else.

4.25 stars. In this sequel to The Deceivers, believe it when the synopsis says "The stakes are higher. The cons are riskier. And nothing is what you think it is."

The story continues with Brynn at Vale Hall, an elite high school which is really a school for con artists. The gang is back and I was thrilled to get more of Brynn, Charlotte, Henry, Caleb, and Sam. But Grayson is also back (not so thrilled about him, and neither is Caleb!)

The twists and turns are crazy and, dang, I need book 3 right now!!

For much of the book, I wanted to throw something at Brynn for not seeing the truth. But... The book would have been much shorter and not as fun had that actually happened. All in all, very worth it.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Teen for the advance copy!*