Defector: Book 2 (Variants)

by Susanne Winnacker

Tessa has made peace with her life as a Variant. She and longtime love Alec are officially a couple, and for the first time, she has everything she wants.

But the air is tense at FEA headquarters. An agent has disappeared and rogue Variant organization Abel's Army is likely the culprit.

When Tessa is summoned for her second mission, she is unexpectedly launched into a massive conspiracy. Her best friend Holly is kidnapped, and Tessa knows it was meant to be her. But who is after her? And more importantly, why?

When the FEA's efforts to rescue Holly don't yield results, Tessa takes matters into her own hands. Desperate to save her friend and uncover the mystery behind Abel's Army, Tessa launches her own investigation - but nothing could prepare her for what she finds.

Finding the truth will take her out on the road and out of her comfort zone, with danger lurking at every turn. Summoning all of her courage and strength, Tessa must decide who can be trusted and what is worth fighting for. Her final decision will leave readers breathless.

'Fun and suspenseful.' Marissa Meyer, New York Times bestselling author of CINDER

'An unpredictable page-turner ... reminiscent of a Stephen King novel.' VOYA

• ISBN10: 1444916181
• ISBN13: 9781444916188
• Publish Date: 7 August 2014 (first published 26 June 2014)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 19 May 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
• Imprint: Hodder Children's Books
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[Kelly]

4½ Stars.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2014/08/defector-by-susanne-winnacker.html
I thoroughly enjoyed Impostor, but Defector was explosive. It follows the story of Tessa, abandoned by her mother to the FEA, she's called the compound home for the past two years and has been in love with Alec almost as long. When Tessa seems to finally find her happy ever after, her world is blow apart after a mission gone terribly wrong. If her best friend being abducted by the supposed enemy isn't enough, it seems her life within the FEA has been based on secrets and lies. In Defector we see Tessa break away from the only stable home she's ever known and she's now on the run. She's feisty, fiery and readers will find themselves in for an incredible ride with the girl who's finally had enough. Tessa's character was brilliant, she wasn't the lovestruck and argumentative girl from Impostor, she's now a young woman who is making her own choices and she'll be damned if anyone tells her otherwise, even Alec. We see Devon return, the brother of her first assignment and I admit, that I prefer him as a love interest for Tessa. Alec reminds me of Aiden, from Jennifer L. Armentrout's Covenant series, but without the moody brooding. But given the choice between he and Devon, Devon wins, by a mile.

The storyline is really engaging and I found myself immersed within the first few chapters. Defector is a worthy thriller, that leaves behind the teen angst of Impostor. I absolutely loved it. It leaves readers with a cliffhanger that I certainly didn't see coming and are now eagerly awaiting book three in the series which I expect will blow me completely away.