Review ~ Havoc (Deviants #2) by Jeff Sampson

Emily Webb thought life would return to normal after the death of the man who attacked her and her fellow “Deviants.” Or as normal as it could be, after discovering that she has nighttime superpowers . . . and she’s a werewolf. But when Emily awakes one night to find an otherworldy Shadowman watching her, she knows the danger has only just begun.

So Emily and her pack-mates set out to find the people who made them what they are, and why. But as they get closer to the truth, they realize they aren’t the only ones in town with special powers: The most popular girls in school might just have a secret of their own–and they might just have it out for Emily.

With shadowy beings stalking them, a mysterious company doing all it can to keep the truth hidden, and the secrecy of her new identity in jeopardy, life threatens to spiral out of control for Emily. Soon these dangers will come together in one terrifying confrontation that may force her to make the toughest choice of her life . . . so far. ~ From GoodReads

This is going to be a short review. Not because I'm lazy (though I am!) but because I honestly don't have a lot of thoughts about this book. I think I've been spoiled lately. I have had the great fortune to read a lot of "Wow" books, and therefore, it has become harder to knock my socks off. It's not that there is anything wrong with Havoc, I just wasn't blown away.

Havoc is book two in the Deviants series, by Jeff Sampson. The story picks up a few days after the end of book one, Vesper. The main character, Emily, is still reeling from the whirlwind that has become her life. Not only does she have an alternate "Nighttime" personality, but she's also a werewolf, and...she had to kill a man. So now Emily and Spencer, her new "mate", are out to find out exactly what they are and how they became that way. Add in fellow "pack member" Dalton, and a mysterious unknown member and you have quite the scenario. It's a lot to deal with for a sixteen year old, yes?

Havoc is certainly fast-paced. There is so much going on action and plot-wise. Emily is constantly in motion, trying to find answers. She is a likeable character who is easy to get behind. I also enjoyed reading Spencer. He is a great support and partner to Emily. Fellow werewolf Dalton was also fun, at first. He ended up going places that I didn't really see coming and acted in ways that made me cringe. It's actually understandable, though, if you take into consideration that he's, you know, a werewolf. I didn't like Emily's best friend, Megan. She seemed so one-dimensional for a lot of the book. She was sullen, abrasive and just not much fun to read.

My problem with Havoc was the lack of connection I felt to the characters and the story. I couldn't get myself immersed into the book and become emotionally invested in the characters and the outcome. Oh, and the sniffing. That's right, I said the sniffing. I get that these kids are werewolves, and they sniff, a lot. But, honestly, I got sort of tired of the amount of detailed passages about how much these kids like to smell each other.  For me, the story was fine. Nothing more, nothing less.

Fans of the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson would likely enjoy this one.

Favorite Quote:

"I wanted to sigh, but I stopped myself. 'Well, I'm not really sure what it is right now.' Except that we're both werewolves who are supposed to be mates, though whether that's in the British slang sense or the Wild Kingdom sense, I'm not entirely sure."  -pg 29, ARC
 (Emily trying to explain her new relationship to her best friend)

Vesper (Deviants #1) Book Trailer

Hardcover, 1st Edition, 352 pages

Expected publication: January 24th 2012 by Balzer + Bray

You can purchase Havoc at:

Amazon  |  Book Depository  |  Barnes & Noble

* I received an ARC of Havoc from Harper Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.*