Deceived

The Door of Exterrah #2

by J.M. Archer

War looms on their doorstep.
Hope lies with an ancient enemy.


The elven kingdom of Bysra has survived one battle, but another lurks on the horizon. Every shifter in Exterrah is gathering outside the capital city under the direction of a mysterious traitor. Still reeling from the first onslaught, the elves will never survive. Not alone.

With the kingdom’s future teetering on the edge of a blade and death lingering in the shadows, Prince Aven is tasked with reforming an ancient alliance with the elves’ sworn dwarves. The journey is treacherous, and even more is at stake when humans join the quest.

The Door to Earth is blocked by the enemy. Maddie and her friends are trapped in Exterrah, and tagging along on the journey. Through a longing for adventure and a heart that carries the elves’ plight as though it were her own, Maddie is determined to help however she can. But she is a distraction Aven cannot afford.

Danger lies around every turn as evil rises. If they cannot convince the dwarves to join their war, Bysra will fall. Time is running out.

414 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 19, 2025

About the author

J M Archer lives in an enchanted forest filled with prehistoric trees, strange creatures, and the occasional stray cow—aka South Carolina. She writes high fantasy interwoven with the truth of God’s love and forgiveness, and the comfort found in the one true Lord, Jesus Christ. When not writing, she’s likely covered in paint, discussing random medieval facts, or arguing with a fat cat.

Reviews

[Reese Songbird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goshhhhh
I don’t even have words right now, I’m still just emotionally destroyed from that ending. LIKE WHAT. NO NO NO. That cannot be the ending. I have to WAIT for the next book 😭😭😭 AGONY I tell you.
This was a great read, and I loved it even more than book one! I fell deeper in love with the characters, especially Aven. But most of them I came to appreciate and love more as well. I liked the romance too, though I wish there had been a bit more, I was very happy with the ways things went!
The plot was fast paced and full of action and suspense, and was very exciting. I really loved her fighting scenes and how wonderfully accurate and real they were and fully letting you experience the battles while also not getting too gory.
I just absolutely loved it, and cannot wait for book three 🤗

[Anna (Crochetsavetheday) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christian fantasy lovers- buckle up. This story combines action with forgiveness and Biblical themes. The slow burn was *chefs kiss* and I cannot believe the book ended like that 😭

[Iza's Book Tower · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌶️ Clean romance, kisses only
💬 Few cases of characters cursing in a made-up language
❗Death, violence, abuse, severe injuries
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My thoughts:
I LOVE Josie's writing and her fantasy series! 😍 Oh, how happy I was to come back to this magical world! To meet these characters again, watch them grow and deal with new challenges, travel to new places and make new friends! 🥹🥳❤️ I loved Maddie and Aven's deep convos and how they helped each other out every chance they got. Also, was I the only one hoping for a dancing scene at the festival? 🤭 One or two times throughout this book I predicted what was going to happen but that didn't take away the pure joy of reading! And, honestly, now I can't even remember what these things were, so 🤷‍♀️🤣 I devoured this book in two days, reading almost exactly half of it in one sitting! The ending was wild and after reading two 2nd volumes recently, I'm starting to develop trust issues with all 2nd volumes in the world lol It seems like every one of them is going to end on a biggest cliffhanger ever 😭 They are so GOOD, and make so much sense, but WHYYYYYYYYY do I have to wait so long to know what happens next! 😫 ANYWAY- I seriously recommend this whole series, it's amazing, has such a lovable cast of characters, very creative ideas and a beautiful message ❤️✝️ Pls read it and fangirl over it with me! 🙏😆
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May you start this week with strength and joy! 💚

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I missed the release date for this because July was crazy for me. But this book is absolutely amazing. I adore this series and had the privilege of Beta reading for this book. It was so amazing, I also preordered it. If you love fantasy and elves with a Christian Worldview, this is the series for you. An amazing portal fantasy, this is the second book in the series. There is adventure, fantastical creatures, fighting for truth and protecting from evil. The insights and personal growth the characters experience through their adventures is heart warming and thought provoking at the same time.
This story can stand alone, but if you haven't read the first book in the series I recommend you start there as it, too, is an amazing book and book two gives a few spoilers for book one. J M Archer is my favorite Christian Fantasy author. You won't go wrong with any of her books!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Christian fantasy novel continues the saga of Prince Aven and the elven kingdom of Bysra, which faces imminent war. With shifters gathering outside the capital under the command of a mysterious traitor, Aven must forge an alliance with the elves’ sworn enemies—the dwarves—to stand a chance at survival. Meanwhile, Maddie and her friends remain trapped in Exterrah, unable to return to Earth. As they join Aven’s perilous journey, Maddie wrestles with her own role in the unfolding conflict. If they fail to convince the dwarves to fight alongside them, Bysra will fall. This series blends high fantasy, faith-based themes, and epic adventure.

[Adia Somi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I don't quite know what say except that book 2 in The Door of Exterrah series did not disappoint. The perilous fight Maddie entered in Betrayed continues in Deceived. The stakes are even higher here. We have more of the characters I loved from book 1. Some new characters to meet. More of Exterrah's history to learn about. Some deep rooted lies to uncover. A couple of moments that were just so perfect that I had to put the book down for a minute before I could read on. And a climax that left me wanting more. Perfect for fans of Christian fantasy.

[Ami Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This clean epic fantasy reminds me of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Ring series, but with a religious tone. I loved the way the main characters grew and became the people they were meant to be as the story progressed! The romance was clean and not the main point, but just a side note. The world building was wonderful and intricate, and the relationships were complex and real! The only thing that might not be good was the ending was a definite cliffhanger. I don’t mind that, but some people do.

[Lyss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one more than the first! There was a lot of action and character growth. I enjoy the faith themes woven throughout as well. That ending though...hoping for book 3 very soon!

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down!!! I read Betrayed and immediately dove into this sequel. I love the characters, the adventure, and the entire world JM Archer built!
After finishing Deceived I wasn't ready to say goodbye to the characters or the world so I read the prequel, Entwined. That didn't disappoint either! If you love fantasy, especially fantasy with faith themes woven throughout I highly recommend the Door of Exterrah series!
I can't wait to read Book 3 when it comes out!