Review: The Truth About Keeping Secrets by Savannah Brown

Title: The Truth About Keeping Secrets

Author: Savannah Brown

Publisher: Penguin Books LTD

Publishing Date: March 7th, 2019

Pages: 336
Audio Length: 9 Hours and 26 Minutes

Genre: YA contemporary
TW: Bullying, mental illness, death

Series: Standalone

Source: Audio

 

Sydney's dad is the only psychiatrist for miles around their small Ohio town.
He is also unexpectedly dead.
Is Sydney crazy, or is it kind of weird that her dad-a guy whose entire job revolved around other peoples' secrets-crashed alone, with no explanation?
And why is June Copeland, homecoming queen and the town's golden child, at his funeral?
As the two girls grow closer in the wake of the accident, it's clear that not everyone is happy about their new friendship.
But what is picture perfect June still hiding? And does Sydney even want to know?

THE TRUTH ABOUT KEEPING SECRETS is a page-turning, voice led, high school thriller.

What made me pick this book up: 

It had a very mysterious title. That combined with the cover made me think it's going to be a good thriller. 

What did I like about the cover: 

I think it's a little too minimalist for my taste. I like the keyhole and how it shows the homecoming queen in the keyhole. But the rest is just kind of blah to me.

What made me read this book: 

Like I said, it sounded like a good thriller. A good mystery thriller to be exact. I love anything that gets me thinking and on the edge of my seat and from the synopsis I thought this would be one like that. 

What did I like the most: 

Oh man, okay this is harder than I thought it would be. 

I like the sort of mystery element of this (More about why it's only sort of in the what didn't I like section). Did someone kill her dad? Was it an accident? Is she just paranoid?

I did like that I felt the need to find out if he was killed or not. 

I did like June. I felt like she was a very wholesome character. She was sweet and caring. 

I also feel like it was written well. Besides the points I bring up down below, it was still written well.  

I also liked the twist. I had an inkling of what was really happening, but not really. So it was still a really nice and well written surprise. 

What didn't I like: 

First the fact that this is supposed to be a thriller. There is zero thriller in this book. It didn't have me holding my breath. It didn't leave me scared or with a bad feeling in my chest. I wasn't jumpy or even on the edge of my seat.

The whole book seems to be more about her dealing with being gay (Which I did not get from the synopsis) than it does anything else. She thinks someone killed her dad because she's gay? Or because he's hiding someone's secret.

She begins getting death threats and being bullied anonymously, because she's gay. 

That's all this book is really about. Her trying to figure out if her dad was killed (Very minimal part of the book) figuring out what June has to do with him "being killed" and falling in love with June. 

And then there's this weird part about a girl who tried to kiss her when they were like 11 and now she gives her dirty looks and hates her and blah blah blah. 

This book all felt just thrown together and not very well. It just feels like it should have been a contemporary or coming of age, with no mystery or "thriller" to it. 

I was very disappointed by it, luckily it wasn't very long so I was able to finish it. 

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
I don't know, probably? I'd have to see what it's about. I don't think I would if it's under thriller because she obviously doesn't know what thriller is. 

Very disappointing and definitely not a thriller. Has potential to be a great coming of age book, but still kind of fell flat.

“Seeing the body was supposed to be cathartic, but the man in the lipstick wasn’t my dad.” 
― Savannah Brown, The Truth About Keeping Secrets

Savannah Brown is the 22-year-old author of The Truth About Keeping Secrets, a YA thriller coming March 2019 with Penguin Random House UK.

Savannah grew up in Wadsworth, Ohio, and currently lives in London, England. At age 19 she self-published a collection of poetry called Graffiti, which was a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards 2016. When she isn't writing, she can usually be found watching conspiracy theory documentaries, making faces at her cat, or worrying.
She also has a personal Goodreads.
website: savbrown.comtwitter: @savannahbrown
instagram: @savbrown