Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

This will make you cry a lot!) Plus there are no zombies in it-I couldn't read CJ's previous novel due to brain loving fiends. Brains are important for Ella, who on occasion annoyed me for not finding inner strength sooner, but she gets there eventually. As horrors are slowly unravelled from her past which made this such a tough read, all I wanted to do was hug her. Personally I didn't like Max from the start as he didn't seem listen to or truly respect Ella's wishes. He was most of her world, but I enjoyed the unexpected friendship rekindling which Ella does with older friends, even more so when another bombshell is dropped that had me needing tissues.

The structure of the story, with an unseen other person at the start of chapters while Ella tells them what happened is clever and had me come up with an incorrect assumption about the end. Due to the nature of rape and child molestion it is a dark read, so make sure you have fluffy things to do after to take the edge off to these sadly real life crimes. I wish every girl could have a Fallon and Corey in their lives, as both help Ella out as well as eah other. I will reread this at sometime in the distant future!

I absolutely adore CJ Skuse as an author. I've read everything she's written so far and enjoyed them all immensely. The fact that I couldn't get through this book has to be a problem with me or with timing and not at all to do with the author's writing. This book just wasn't for me for right now. But it might be in the future!

I've enjoyed several of C J Skuse's YA novels so was pleased to see she had a new book coming out. The Deviants feels a little different to her previous books in my opinion, however at it's roots is clearly CJ Skuse.

The Deviants looks at several big issues; teenage pregnancy, intimacy and several others [spoiler] including post traumatic stress and abuse [/spoiler] without getting preachy or didactic. There is, as you would expect with CJ, a creepy and yet realistic atmosphere to the novel with an increasingly sinister atmosphere

Overall, I enjoyed The Deviants and felt the darker atmosphere worked very well. While at the start it felt a little less pacy, it developed quickly and I read the book in a couple of sittings at the most. Ella definitely felt the strongest of the characters and her journey was very interesting as her fears with taking her relationship with Max further were something not really explored in YA and yet something very real.

Dark, twisting and tense, CJ Skuse fans and YA suspense lovers should find a lot to enjoy in The Deviants.