What reading level is Deceptive?

Deceptive by Emily Lloyd-Jones is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 700L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Deceptive appropriate for?

Deceptive is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9ME (Moderate — Emotional).

What genre is Deceptive?

Deceptive is fiction — Young Adult Fiction.

Does Deceptive have any content warnings?

Deceptive has a HootRating of 9ME (Moderate — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Deceptive?

Deceptive by Emily Lloyd-Jones is 420 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Deceptive

Emily Lloyd-Jones

Deceptive

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

an Illusive novel

by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Reading Level 4-5 9ME Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

Here’s a secret: some kids have powers that no one else knows about—like reading minds or changing how they look! But when these superpowered kids start vanishing, everything changes. What’s really going on behind the scenes? That’s only the beginning.

Themes

AdventureOrganized CrimeScience & Nature Friendship Mystery

Quick Assessment

Deceptive is a middle-grade adventure novel featuring superpowered teens navigating a world where experimental vaccines have given some children extraordinary abilities. The story explores themes of trust, government secrecy, and organized crime, with moderate tension and mystery suited for ages 9-12. Parents should note the presence of suspense and elements of mild peril, but no graphic content.

Why we rated Deceptive 9ME

Deceptive is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 700L across 420 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Deceptive works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Deceptive as 9ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.

Thematically, Deceptive explores adventure, organized crime, science & nature, friendship, and mystery — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, organized crime, science & nature.