The Secrets We Keep

High School Fiction

F/A  Leaver, Trisha. The Secrets We Keep.  Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2015.  304p.  978-0374300463. 17.99

When identical twins Maddy and Ella are involved in a deadly car accident, Ella was driving Maddy’s car. When she wakes up in the hospital, everyone thinks that she is Maddy and that Ella died in the crash. Ella is confused and doesn’t bother to correct anyone, instead she decides that she will just be Maddy from now on, thinking that everyone loved her more anyway. Little does she know that Maddy has some secrets that even Ella didn’t know about. But how long can Ella pretend to be someone that clearly she is not? The premise is frustrating because it’s so unlikely that she could keep up the façade (and why would she want to), but the writing is decent. Teens will love it, even if it’s not exactly plausible. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial Branch

The Truth About Alice

High School Fiction

G/M  Mathieu, Jennifer.  The Truth About Alice.  Roaring Brook, 2014.  199p.  978-1-59643-909-2. 16.99.

In a very small town in Texas, where everyone knows each other, there is a rumor going around that high school junior, Alice Franklin slept with 2 boys at a high school party. Normally, around here rumors disappear after a while, but this one seems to keep growing and getting more vicious as it does. This novel about bullying and friendship is told from multiple perspectives, all high school juniors connected to Alice in some way, including her former best friend, the popular girl, the odd genius boy and the football player’s best friend. Even though it is sometimes hard to read, because the bullying gets that bad, the story rings true and it’s not bogged down with too many extra “issues” beyond the bullying. It’s definitely more appropriate for older teens given the subject matter. Patrons who like realistic fiction with heavy drama a la Living Dead Girl will enjoy this novel. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial Branch Library

Dare You To

G/A  McGarry, Katie.  Dare You To.  Harlequin Teen, 2013.  480p.  978-0373210633.  17.99.

This companion novel to Pushing the Limits, follows Beth’s storyline. As you may recall, Beth was the edgy roommate of Noah (the protagonist of Pushing the Limits) and Isaiah (her best friend). Beth is forced to leave town and move in with her once beloved Uncle Scott after an incident involving her alcoholic mother and the police. She is not happy about it and is making plans to leave with her mom and Isaiah as soon as she can. Ryan is a baseball player at Beth’s new school. Even though he and Beth are very different, they are drawn to each other. This edgy and emotional love story will draw fans of Pushing the Limits (although you can read this one without having read that one) and Simone Elkeles. Fans can also be on the lookout for McGarry’s next novel, which follows Noah’s storyline. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve