I do not think that I have any more tears left to cry. 
I did not expect that!
I have no words to describe how I feel right now 
Touched on some harsh themes, which is why I won't be using it in the classroom. 
I expected a bit of a psych thriller - boy was I wrong.

I lost interest in this story unfortunately. Planning on picking it up someday, but right now it is not a priority. Thank you for a copy!

This was not was I was expecting when I picked up this book. They tackled really tough issues and I admire that. i enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters but the rest didn't really stand out to me.

As a teen mother myself, this book hit very close to home. I love that this book looks at the struggles of unwanted teen pregnancy. It seems like it is such a taboo topic but it happens often and needs to be talked about!

A great read that I enjoyed to the end. 

I enjoyed how the story was written, as journal entries. Parts were told from Mellie's point of the view, the main character. Parts were told from her friend Lise's point of view. Mellie was faced with a very difficult decision, one that she felt she had no one to rely on or turn to for help or advice. I enjoyed reading this novel as everything unfolded, and we got to read about Mellie's struggles with this decision, and what helped influence her to make the decision she eventually made and how she would deal with that decision.

A great novel that you must read.

A breathtakingly honest account of the most difficult decision a woman may ever make, this story doesn't gloss over the anguish or the relief of choice.

A powerful book with a story that I was not expecting. I read it in almost one sitting and I couldn't tear myself away. A truly poignant story about women's rights and being pro choice.

Wow this was so intense. Trigger warning as this book talks about rape and abortion. I read it and was sad and just wow. It was really good, but wow. It’s very intense and dives into tough topics. I liked the journal entry aspect of this novel, I think it made it much more powerful. It was interesting just seeing the two different girls and how different they were, but at the same time how close they were. Mellie is very conservative, and is also having to suffer between keeping a baby created out of rape, or having an abortion. I also thought their relationships with their families was interesting, and I liked that it was included as well. It added another layer to this story. This novel is important, and hard hitting, and it brought up abortion in a well constructed way. It really talks about the right to choose in a great way, but it is something to think about if you’re personal and religious beliefs conflict with that. Highly suggest really thinking that through before diving into this novel.

This book was a lot more deep and serious than I was expecting. It revolves around a coming-of-age story about a girl, Mellie, who is raped and as a result becomes pregnant. There are many hot topics discussed in this book and all the relevant trigger warning applies.

I did not end up finishing this. I was not a fan of the reading style. I did not like that the story was being told through journal entries rather than the reader experiencing things with the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. 

Wow.  Just wow, wow wow.  I was not prepared for the emotions that this book brought up. 
I will say that there are some trigger topics; rape, teen pregnancy, abortion etc. 

This story isn't told in a traditional manner.  Its more as a written letters/essays.  The two main characters form an unlikely beautiful friendship that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

This book was not what I was expecting. I read it in one sitting and think it was a nothing less than great. I really liked how they tackled the issue of abortion and think the author did it in a informed and respectable way. I really enjoyed the letter writing format as well and think if helped move the story along in a interesting way. This book wasn’t perfect, but if anyone wants a book about women’s rights, being pro choice, and female friendships than I would definitely recommend you pick it up.

I struggle with the portrayal of the family in this book. THe father is aggressive and subjugating. THe mother is absolutely spineless. And it's such a cliche of a religious family. The same ends could have been achieved without bringing religion into it. And then Maggi takes it to the next extreme, including death threats to the abortion clinic. GIven the strong emotions attached to these issues, it should be handled carefully and sensitively and Maggi's approach is very hardlined.

Heavy material and not for the faint-of-heart. I did enjoy it, but the seriousness of the subject matter definitely is not for those looking for a light read.

This one was a little unrealistic to me in places, but the pacing and sense of suspense were good.  I will be adding this one to my classroom library.

I was sent What They Don't Know by Nicole Maggi for review through NetGalley.

Summary:

What They Don't Know by Nicole Maggi follows Mellie and Lise: two girls who both have big secrets. Mellie comes from a very conservative, Christian background. While Lise is using her voice to help women stand up for their rights. Both girls are assigned to keep a journal for an English class, so they choose to reveal their deepest secrets in hope to find some solace from the things they carry. 
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I tried to keep the summary short and sweet without revealing too much. The book is short, so any small details that I give could give things away. 

Important to Note:

This book covers some heavy political topics. If you are not interested in a book that is going to really make you think, then this book is not for you. 

Review:

I gave this book 5/5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read 75% of the book in one night, and found it hard to put the book down. I HAD to know what happened. This book was much more thought provoking then I thought it would be. The book made me question my own beliefs, and see different sides to the topic it focuses on. (I'm trying not to name what the topic is, otherwise it would be a huge spoiler). 

The author did an amazing job of putting her opinion of the topic into the story. It did not come off as if the author was preaching at the reader. I believe that it was respectfully, and tastefully done. 

Mellie and Lise were very likable characters. I found myself invested in both of their stories. Mellie I found extremely relatable due to my own upbringing. I have read a few reviews on here that adresses that it shows only an extreme view on Christianity, but I personally grew up in a family with those types of views. It addresses misogyny in extreme Christian households, a toxicness between the family members (and between the parents), and slight narcissism within the males. It was very nice to actually feel represented in a book for once. A lot of the things Mellie's father said or did I could relate to my own father. 

Lise was a very enjoyable character to follow. She was a strong female character. It was refreshing to see a female character standing up for other females. Lise practiced what she preached. She wanted equality for females, and she did everything she could to make that happen. I loved reading about a female character who showed kindness to others, and did everything in her power to help. 

All in all I have only good things to say about this book. The writing is amazing, and the story-line is extremely relevant to the issues we deal with today. I hope more people pick this book up and give it a chance, and enjoy it like I did.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
This is one of the most emotionally raw books I've read recently. I wasn't expecting for a book geared toward teens to have the subject matter to be so deep and hold you until the end.

Mellie finds herself pregnant, a product of rape. Her family is extremely conservative. She's been taught and believes abortion is wrong. She knows she doesn't want the baby. Mellie carrying until adoption would have her reliving the rape constantly. She's not prepared to do that. Mellie feels alone and lost.

Lise and Mellie are in the same class. When Lise starts noticing Mellie pulling back and acting out of the ordinary, she feels like she has something to offer to help her. Lise has her own secret and while wanting to help Mellie, it may be exposed.

What They Don't Know is definitely a deep read while discussing rape, abortion, religion. All subjects that are up for debate, depending on your beliefs. The author goes into some detail readers may find hard to read, but has you asking what would you do in that situation? Overall, I did enjoy the read.

This book was not a book I would say I liked. This book is one I'm fully aware I was not supposed to like per se. But I still value it greatly, and I am especially grateful for the lovely ending. 

This book centres around Lise and Mellie, and is told in a journal style through both POVs. I liked this style choice, because you really got to see both girls live and think and work stuff out. This is a book about abortion, about rape, and about religion. It is not for everyone. The message it gives though, is for everyone. And the characters are too I think. Both Mellie and Lise are very interesting characters, but Mellie more so. Lise was a little more on the flat side, but that is only when compared to the very dynamic and interesting character that is Mellie. I won't spoil anything, but Mellie's whole world view is destroyed, and it was incredibly interesting to watch her live through that. 

I have seen some people argue that all the christians are made out to be evil and bad, and I strongly disagree. The christians are not made out to be evil; the discriminatory bigots are, and rightfully so. Mellie is christian, and an incredibly sympathetic and nice character. Hannah is also a christian, and she is shown in a very positive light. 

I am not American, so the idea that someone would have to go through all this trouble to actually work at an abortion clinic is very dystopian to me. I 100% know it happens, and it was really interesting to actually read about it because it isn't something as widely common in Canada. 

This book is brutal, but also beautiful. It is an ode to women, and you can tell that Maggi put her whole heart and soul into it.

Well written novel. The author embodies well the thoughts and experiences of the girls, the journal style writing is just not one that I personally can engage with. That being said, for someone that enjoys this style, the book is well worth the read.

A very powerful read. Mellie is pregnant after being raped, only sixteen and she feels all alone. Lise believes something is wrong with her childhood friend, Mellie and is determined to help her anyway she can. The story is told in journal entries as each girl is writing to her teacher for a school project. The story is gut=wrenching and an important read.