I personally didn't like this book at all. It felt like a poorly written fanfiction to me, the writing style was definitely not for me and I didn't find the narrator appealing at all.

This book deals with a lot of different and difficult topics that are relevant to teens and even adults today. There is several significant trigger possibilities so reader beware. The group of cheerleaders in the book each carry a secret that they hope no one else knows about, from suicide to eating disorders to needing a place to belong and not feeling like you fit in. This book offers not only descriptions of various troubles but also shows the ways our students may be trying to cope with these issues even if those ways aren’t the best or healthiest options.

Seven Little Secrets takes you inside the minds of each of the “Janes,” a group of cheerleaders at your normal, run of the mill high school, and how they all see each other and themselves after one of their own commits suicide in the woods. Each girl turns inward to try and understand why they didn’t know Natalie was going to do this or didn’t speak out on what they did know to help her. What they learn about themselves are lessons that we all need to learn at some point in our lives- that it is okay to be who we are and who we are not.

I went into reading this book with almost an open mind. I was expecting a typical teenage-based novel with a typical happy ending. What I found was a novel that needs to be read by every teenage girl in high school, with friends, without friends, in need of friends- any group a teenage girl can fall under!

This book had me thinking- not so much about my friends in high school- but about how I view those friendships then and now. I am sure you know what I am talking about! We all had that friend who looked perfect, the one who was funny, the chatty one (this one was me, always), the sporty one, the artsy one, the sexually confused one, and the one that never quite feels like they belong. We all had those friends, but were they? Really friends, I mean. Did we ever truly take the time to get to know them or did we merely scratch the surface of who they were and what their life was like behind the closed doors?

But if you are looking for reality in fiction form, in rawness, then read this! It’s a hard look at how we perceive those around us that we keep close and at a distance at the same time. Seven Little Secrets is a look into what keeps us aligned with the people that we choose to call friends before we are old enough to understand the meaning of the word.

With all that said, this really isn’t a book about friendship, or at least not your typical book about friendship. It isn’t sappy or easy- there is no happy ending. If you are looking for that and you need that this isn’t going to be the book for you. But, if you are looking for truth in words, a new look at how we perceive people- especially from a teenage standpoint- take the time to read it. Take the time to own which girl you are. Revel in that!

Future reader, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the sheer fact that it made me think, for the fact that it wasn’t typical, and for the fact that I can see myself more than I expected to.

Dull dull dull. It was so hard to get into this book because I did not care about any of these characters. None of them were fleshed out, we only got bits and pieces. Very small bits and pieces. I understand this is a YA but it was written very juvenile as well.
This was a complete miss for me.
Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

TW: Suicide, cutting, bulimia

The Janes. are the popular cheerleaders at school After one of the girls commits suicide, the others tell the story about what they have done to possibly cause this to happen. And it seems like everyone had a reason to want Natalie dead. I know, that sounds like a lot of YA myteries, so I assume teens will like this. It has a very Pretty Little Liars feel to it.

Told from multiple points of view., each cheerleader gives us her version of the story and background about her relationship with Natalie. Included also are emails, facebook posts, and diary entries from Natalie herself to move the plot along.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

As many reviewers have already stated, this book is reminiscent of Pretty Little Liars and 13 reasons why. The Janes are a popular cheerleading group. They hang out together, but don’t really share personal stuff. Then, one morning, Natalie is found in the forest after she committed suicide and all the girls look back on their moments with Natalie and together they face their fears and their secrets.

I liked this book. There are many characters and sometimes it was a bit difficult to remember what had happened to the girl whose POV I was reading. I also didn’t really get why there were some girls in the Janes inner circle that were not described more, like Lilly for instance.
All in all, this was a fun way to spend my weekend and I think it would be interesting to find out who everyone’s favourite character was. Mine was Brynn :)

This was like Mean Girls 2.0 where the girls were meaner and didn't have any redeeming qualities. Gigi seemed to be the most decent one out of the cheerleaders but only by a margin. There was a lot of drama with the cheerleaders as a group and then individually while showing events before and after Natalie's suicide, and I liked the inclusion of texts, emails, and social media posts sprinkled in between chapters. I didn't think I would like this as much as I did but the story kept me engrossed from start to finish.

I really enjoyed this book. A lot of people are liking it to 13 Reasons Why and Pretty Little Liars. Maybe it’s a good thing, I know nothing of these stories.

This book revolves around The Janes...cheerleaders. The Janes because the football players are “dicks”, pretty clever. 7 girls that are pretty unlikeable, but I’m sure each one of us can relate to one of them.

Natalie- co-captain, well known B, she’s just nasty almost all the time

Tina - Captain and Natalies best friend. Their friendship has been strained for awhile. Here you will find some sexual confusion for these girls and their friendship.

Gigi - New to town, quiet, knows Natalie’s biggest secret but so worried about getting kicked off the squad.

Sasha- bulemic, blames herself for the car accident that took her fathers legs

Brynn - probably the nicest of them all but has her own demons she is struggling with. She feels like she identifies with Natalie.

There is also Meghan and Dani, one will contract an STD....

I felt this book touched upon some very serious issues that girls could relate to today. From cyber bullying to STD to suicide. It was a tough read, because we know these things happen every day. I though the book was well written, it kept me wanting to know these characters better. It was a story of friendship and how hard adolescence is.

Did not finish.

Perhaps I jumped the gun but something about this book simply didn’t sit right with me. From the typical ‘only black girl’ in the squad who just so happens to fall into the lazy stereotype of deadbeat father and sassy/no nonsense mother to the stilted language which seems forced on teens, the book simply didn’t live up to it for me.

The storyline itself felt a little too influenced by shows such as 13 Reasons Why and Pretty Little Liars.

This book is tough. It’s well done and the story is amazing however it’s deep. I really enjoyed it and the way the girls were portrayed.

This was published in 2017 so it is more of an ~older book~ if you know what I mean. Despite this, I actually quite enjoyed this book. Usually, mysteries/thrillers like this are told from the perspective of a "viewer" like a less popular person or somebody who doesn't like the popular girls. However, this one is told from the perspective of the popular girls which I found cool. This was a super cool book and I haven't ever heard of it before, surprisingly.
I literally don't know what else to say, but yes, I recommend this book!