Deception (PANDORA JONES, #2)

by Barry Jonsberg

[Kelly]

4½ Stars.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2014/10/pandora-jones-deception-by-barry.html
Pandora Jones: Deception completely surprised me, it was engaging, enthralling and took me on a thrill ride while exploring new friendships and alliances. It focuses on Pandora and Jen, two girls who formally held a strong dislike for one another and now a friendship is on the verge of blooming. Jennifer has quickly become my favourite character, she's incredibly tough, sassy and sarcastic. In Deception, we see her befriend Pandora for the sake of the adventure of exploring outside the compound, but she begins to allow Pandora to see her softer side, that is just as resilient. I really enjoyed reading the banter between both characters and their friendship blossoming.

Unlike Admission, Deception doesn't focus on romance but rather exploring new friendships and alliances. There is also the inclusion of a new character, who is bound to spark a few interests, quite literally. After the group returned from their deadly expedition, I assumed that the experience would have strengthened the group, but I was surprised that it seemed to divide the alliance and the girls keeping their reconnaissance mission a secret from the others certainly didn't help. I thoroughly enjoyed Admission, but was able to completely immerse myself in Deception and it kept me enthralled throughout.

I'm so excited seeing the direction Australian Young Adult is headed, no longer is it subjected to contemporaries but now we have incredible post apocalyptic and dystopians with Barry Jonsberg leading the charge. His style of writing is incredibly laid back, simplistic and allows reader to fully immerse themselves in the storyline without large blocks of mindless information or purple prose. I loved Deception, it was an intelligent read and once again Jonsberg leaves the reader on a tenterhooks with another cliffhanger, even more explosive that the last. Book three in the Pandora Jones series, Reckoning, is no doubt going to be epic.