Hai Beautiful!

This book is anything but…

It’s Lemon Fresh’s time in the spotlight.

Lemon Fresh has seen better days.

After the climactic battle in Babel, she finds herself separated from Ezekiel and Cricket in the wastelands. Lemon's abilities to manipulate electricity mark her as a deviate, and deadly corporate operatives are hunting her to use as a weapon in the war between BioMaas Incorporated and Daedelus Technologies. Instead, Lemon finds herself falling in with a group of fellow deviates-a band of teenagers with astonishing abilities, led by an enigmatic figure known as the Major, who may hold the secrets to Lemon's past.

Meanwhile, Cricket find himself in possession of the puritanical Brotherhood, a religious cult set for a head-on collision with the Major and his band. Searching for Lemon, Ezekiel finds a strange ally in an old enemy, and uncovers a plot that may see him reunited with his beloved Ana.

And inside Babel, a remade Eve hatches a plan to bring an end to the world.

This book took my heart and destroyed it. Jay Kristoff himself came through the novel and ripped my heart out of my chest, slapped it onto the floor and ground it into the ground with the heel of his boot.

REVIEW!

Usually, when a sequel changes perspectives from the original main character to focus on another, the story might feel a little disjointed and off but Jay Kristoff manages to perfectly align Deviate to flow nicely on from Lifelike. The switch in perspectives seamless.

I want to keep this review spoiler-free, so I’ll keep it short.

This book picks up immediately from where the last one took off with Lemon Fresh, Ezekial and Cricket leaving Babel and the radiation hell of a city. That should already be a hint as to what’s about to happen.

I love the events in this novel as it shifts to focus on what were once the ‘side-characters’ and we see also see our once-protagonist-hero, Eve from a different viewpoint and are confused the entire time whether she is good/ bad aligned.

Every obstacle from the first book that the team thought they had overcome, come back to either be helpful or a huge pain in the arse! Ezekial becomes completely resourceful, Cricket becomes a prisoner and remembers to never wish for anything – without adding fine print – again, even Lemon bids her time until she can doesn’t need to.

The most soul-crushing part of this novel is not all the death and destruction brought upon the many innocent citizens that our main characters come across. It’s not the fate of those we grow to love over the novel. It’s the fact that whenever Lemon Fresh finds happiness, that happiness has to be ruined one way or another and THAT FUCKIN SUCKS!

I remember being at the launch for Lifelike and hearing Amy Kaufman – who was hosting the event – tell us all that Lemon Fresh was her favourite character, a fact which I quickly latched on to and a character whom I quickly grew to love.

It’s true. I don’t care who you are, but if you don’t have an overwhelming urge to protect – and by protect, I mean kill for – Lemon Fresh after Deviate then you are heartless and I don’t know what we should do with you.

★ Rating ★

I rated this book ★★★★★ (5/5 stars) not only because another book by Jay Kristoff left me heartbroken and soul-shattered but because of the sheer number of unexpected and well-done plot twists.

I’m really excited for the last book in this series!

I actually haven’t read the third book in any (solo)Jay Kristoff series yet, but I will be getting to Darkdawn next month after Aurora Burning probably also rips out my heart, stomps on it then shoves it down my throat… I can’t wait!

Anyways, let me know your thoughts on Deviate down in the comments below! I’d also like to know if you’d like me to keep my reviews for sequels spoiler-free or to add spoilers??

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See you back here on Monday’s (book reviews), Wednesday’s (storytime/ writing updates) and Saturday’s (other bookish content).