SHADOW OF DECEPTION (The Kazumi Chronicles #1)
by Sophia L. Johnson
YA Dystopian/Sci-fi
Published on April
19th, 2015
BLURB
2153, Toronto, United Nation of North America
(UNNA)
A horrific plane crash kills all five hundred and
forty-two passengers except one. Kazumi emerges from the wreckage physically
unscathed but has lost all her memories. Her miraculous survival has the whole
city buzzing but all she wants is to go home, wherever home is.
After waiting a month in the hospital with no one
to claim her, Kazumi is deemed homeless. She is about to be sent to a nearby
teenage shelter when the nurse she grew to trust ushers her down a mysterious
path, one that promises safety and maybe even the chance to recover her
memories. With no better options available, Kazumi takes her chance and finds
herself in the headquarters of the Sarcomeres, a secret society of genetically
advanced humans hidden deep inside the Rocky Mountains. The Sarc’s heightened
physical abilities and high-tech gadgets are not the only things that fascinate
Kazumi. Finnegan O’Riley, a fellow Sarc she meets along the way also gets her
heart racing. When Kazumi discovers that she possesses the genetic potential of
a Sarcomere, she jumps at the chance to train with them, not knowing the death
defying tests that are involved.
Meanwhile, a centuries-old nemesis of the
Sarcomeres begins to stir in the dark, setting their dark plans in motion. Just
when Kazumi thinks she can help protect her new found home, past memories
surface to threaten her new identity. She soon realizes that layers of
deception run deep and everyone has a secret agenda, including herself.
Who can she trust when she can’t even trust
herself? One wrong decision could bring forth consequences worse than death.
All royalties made
in the first year will go to a charity
EXCERPT
Despite my slower pace, we manage
to put a good distance between us and the pursuing soldiers. The ruin that was
once the train station is far behind us now.
Just when I think we are out of harm’s
way, four dark figures emerge from the trees fifty feet ahead, blocking our
path. Their faces are hooded by their purple robes.
Finn stops abruptly and I stumble
forward. He tightens his grip on me so I don’t trip and fall.
“What is it?” I gasp, feeling like
a very large person is sitting on my chest.
“Neuronics,” Finn says under his
breath. “Stay close to me, don’t look them in the eye, and don’t believe
anything you see. Use this when you have the chance.” He hands me a gun.
I don’t remember if I ever held a
gun before, but it’s heavier than I thought. The cool and smooth metal is
somewhat soothing against my hot and sweaty palm. There are red markings
infused into its gleaming surface, just like the blades I saw back in the
training hall. The lines and curves of the characters remind me of ancient
runes. And the red ink inside seems to be moving, like a mini river flowing
through a maze. This is his gun, not a stolen one from the soldiers like I
thought.
“Duck!” Finn pulls me to the
ground as a massive tree trunk flies over our heads. I look up and see the four
figures still standing at their original spot. Their hoods lowered, revealing
their stern faces. All of them male.
I want to ask Finn where did that
tree trunk come from but the blue soldiers have caught up to us from behind.
Finn springs onto his feet and collides with the crowd of blue in a flash.
I hold up my gun with trembling
hands, thinking I can help Finn clear out a few enemies. But the chaotic blur
makes it difficult for me to aim. I shift my attention to the purple figures
and they too have advanced closer.
Trying to steady my aim, I
heedlessly stare into the eyes of one of the Neuronics and find myself
immobilized by his intense gaze. No matter how hard I try to look away, my eyes
will not comply. I begin to feel something invisible reaching into my mind,
like tentacles creeping through my brain, scrutinizing my every brain cell.
NO!
Frantically, I drop the gun and
clutch my head with both hands. I need to get these tentacles out of my head.
But they are growing in number and are now in every orifice of my head.
AHH!. . . gross!
I can see their ends flailing from
my nostrils. I grab onto one with my fingers and I pinch as hard as I can. But
the damn thing won’t die. The feeling is horrible, like a sickening itch in my
brain that I can never scratch.
The sensation intensifies. I drop
to my knees with a piercing cry. “Get off me!” I scratch, squeeze, rake, and
peel at every bit of tentacle that I can get my hands on. They are too slimy and
quick. The terrible itch spreads down my neck, threatening to take over my
whole body. I yank one tentacle out of my neck just before it creeps down to my
chest, but three more take its place with a vengeance.
“AHHHH . . .”
My hands are furiously battling
with the creatures when my knee bumps into something solid. Through the
flailing limbs, I see the gun on the ground, the gun Finn told me to use when
the time is right.
I grab the gun and press the cold
barrel to my head. The agony is insufferable. I wrap a finger around the
trigger, ready for my sweet relief.
MY REVIEW
I received a free copy of the book
from the author for my honest opinion.
Shadow of Deception is about a young woman who is the sole survivor of a plane crash out of five hundred and forty two passengers. After she wakes up in the hospital she can't remember her name, where she is from, her parents or anything. Her memories start the moment she wakes up in the hospital. Not knowing what her name someone says she needs a name and starts calling her Gabi. She is ok with it and thinks Gabi is just as good a name as any. When she wakes up she over hears a couple of the nurses talking about her and they think she is a very special human being. They think that she may be a Sarcomere. Sarcomeres are human as well but they are just different than normal humans. They all have different talents, special powers or some are stronger and faster than regular humans.
The Sarcomeres take Gabi under their wings and try to help her in any way they can. They give her a home and food. They also try to teach her how to fight and defend herself. They are helping her because they are hoping that they can help her to get her memories back and they want to help her find out what her special talent is.
I loved the personalities of the characters that the author created in Shadow of Deception. Well take Gabi for instance she was a quick and faster learner. When her instructor Finn showed her how to do something it didn't usually take her too many tries to get it right. At first she was a little slow in picking it all up but when the time came and she needed it her body just took over and she let out the person she really was or did she?
The Sarcomeres was always training for a fight with the Neuronics. They were always fighting with the Neuronics because the Neuronics wanted to be the top dog. They wanted to be the best and be in control of the Sarcomeres, humans and whoever else was living nearby.
The Sarcomeres was always training for a fight with the Neuronics. They were always fighting with the Neuronics because the Neuronics wanted to be the top dog. They wanted to be the best and be in control of the Sarcomeres, humans and whoever else was living nearby.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With a degree in International
Business Management, Sophia has worked in a major marketing firm where she
realized the corporate world isn’t one she wants to be in. She then made the switch into the healthcare
industry as a Registered Massage Therapist by day and a writer by night. She is now a Massage Therapy instructor and a
published author living with her husband and daughter in Toronto. Her go-to genres are science fiction,
fantasy, and dystopian; or anything that sweeps her away into a foreign world
that promises adventure.
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