I think I was most disappointed in this book because I read a lot of thrillers and I figured out very early on who was behind everything. I was hoping that making it so obvious was part of the twist in it being someone else, but sadly that wasn’t the case. I did appreciate how the author handled some very tough subjects and I thought she did it very respectfully. Sadly I also didn’t love the narration of the audiobook. It reminded me of if Kristien Stewart would have been reading it…very monotone, unemotional, and bland.

<b>ARC provided by NetGalley for an Honest Review</b>
This was a fun and exciting read but I do find these types of revelation endings becoming less shocking the more I read them. There are only so many characters who can be the villain and yet I think the author here did a swell job with misdirection and building up suspicion on all of them. Personally the only kind of issue I had with the book was how odd it all was given the characters ages and the drama they were having just after graduating highschool. There are also some touchy subjects included like domestic violence and abuse.
On her eighteenth birthday the heroine receives an ominous note/gift that threatens more than just her entire life and future. She has X amount of hours to play some sickos games and figure out these ‘puzzles’ in time. She only has so long before the truth is revealed and she can’t let that happen. Joined by her friends and brother, the group must piece together the events of that horrible day last year when one of them didn’t make it back from the lake alive. Like many other fiction tales the group has a shared secret and now their past is coming back to haunt them. I enjoyed the story overall and the adventure. <Spoiler>Can’t really say I think there was a crime committed though because Declan (her bf at the time) literally tried to kill her, she was only acting in self defense. Not to mention she did the world a favor 🤫 Also the end could have been better or more final, I’m not clear on if everyone is safe from this coming back on them.?!? </spoiler> Good read if you’re looking for a whodunit mystery with some drama thrown in. I read via audio and it was extremely well done, easy to follow and engaging right from the start,

This is definitely a page-turner. I flew through it pretty quickly. For careful readers, it may be a little bit predictable; I thought I knew the twist pretty early on, and I was correct, but it still made for an enjoyable read and I don't regret spending the time reading it.

The audiobook narrator does a really good job on this one. I will have to look for other books she has worked on.

A big thank-you to the author, the publisher, and to netgalley for a copy of the arc.

Seven Dirty Secrets by Natalie D. Richards - 4.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the free copy of this audiobook. I am leaving this unbiased review independently.

What do you do when things you'd rather forget don't stay put in the past? If you're Cleo, you go on a dangerous scavenger hunt through Columbus, Ohio to ensure it stays buried.

This book is a thrilling mystery focusing on Cleo and the ominous box that appeared in her bathroom on her birthday that leads her on a tense, sometimes dangerous, scavenger hunt through Columbus landmarks that are also landmarks for her relationship with her boyfriend who tragically died on a rafting trip she took with her friends to West Virginia.

7 friends went on the rafting trip, but only 6 returned.

One caused the fall. One did nothing. One saw it all.
One didn't care. One used their head. One played the hero.
One was left for dead.

Now it's up to Cleo and some of her close friends to solve a scavenger hunt being planned by someone who knows a bit too much about what happened for any of them to be comfortable with before time runs out and the true story is revealed to all.

As someone who lives on Columbus, OH, I didn't actually know this book was set there until I started listening too it and heard various different landmarks being mentioned. You can tell the author has spent some time in the city, as the descriptions of the Scioto Mile, COSI, and The Book Loft are flawless. As someone who has been to the landmarks, listening to the narrator describe characters' adventures through them, I was able to mentally walk right alongside them. Down to the very specific layout of the very real labyrinthine German Village book store with 32 rooms of books.

Beyond the brilliantly described setting of the book, it left a little to be desired. The mystery was paced a bit strangely, and there were elements that were too convoluted to follow. For me, the joy of reading a mystery is being able to puzzle it out alongside the characters. In this, it felt like any and all attempt to puzzle things out was thwarted by a last-minute reveal with too many layers for anyone to have been able to parse through. This made the setup that had been done throughout the novel to intrigue the reader and build tension fall flat at the very end. The tone of the book is reminiscent of the Truly Devious novels by Maureen Johnson, but lacks just a bit of her mastery in the genre.

All in all, I did enjoy this book and I would recommend it to mystery lovers, especially those familiar with Columbus, OH.

-Audiobook Notes-
In regards to the audio format of this book specifically, Natasha Soudek did a wonderful job. Her voice did a wonderful job conveying the conflicted emotions, as well as adding tension to vital scenes. I've previously listened to her work on some of my favorite novels, the Dreadnought series by April Daniels, and was happy to hear it again here.

Seven Dirty Secrets by Natalie D. Richards is a thrilling and engaging YA book. There are many secrets between friends, and someone wants those secrets exposed. The characters are well developed and, just like teenagers, they do reckless and crazy things, at times. The plot is based on a scavenger hunt which kept me on the edge of my seat. There are some heavy themes – domestic abuse and living with guilt are the main ones. The audiobook is narrated by Natasha Soudek. Very pleasant voice which made it easy to listen to, she became Cleo. Highly recommend.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

"One Caused The Fall.
One Did Nothing.
One Saw It All.
One Didn't Care.
One Used Their Head.
One Played The Hero
One Was Left Dead."

A year ago seven friends went on a rafting trip but only six came back. An accident or something more sinister? Listening to Seven Dirty Secrets by Natalie D. Richards was like eating popcorn while watching a fun compelling Netflix mystery.

Cleo finds a mysterious gift box in her home and assumes it is from one of her friends for her 18th birthday. But inside is the first of many clues that lead her and her best friend Hope on a devious scavenger hunt to reveal not only who is behind all this but what really happened on that rafting trip.

Listening to narrator Natasha Soudek reveal each one's secret was just like hearing the juiciest gossip. She just revelled in the AHA moments.

What surprised me was the inclusion of domestic violence among teens and their fear and shame of removing themselves from the situation. It gave truth to the real problem with the "sweet girl trying to change the bad boy" trope. Sometimes there are just no more excuses especially when there is no excuse to ever physically harm someone.

Though there were some very obvious clues to what was going on and some actions that made me think no one would put themselves in that kind of jeopardy, I really enjoyed the pace and creative storytelling of the author. I already have my casting choices for that Netflix movie.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media via #Netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

**3.5 stars rounded up**

Thank you Dreamscape Media for the audio copy given to me for my honest review.

**trigger warning for domestic violence**

It was very uncomfortable for my to live in the MCs head which is probably why it took me so long to finish this one. As a mental health counselor, this book must have been incredibly well researched, or the author has had a personal experience with domestic violence. The MC has all of the thought patterns that are completely normal for a survivor of DV and thus made it incredibly difficult to live in her mind. Our MC, Cleo, blames herself and defends her ex many times throughout the book, and I had to keep putting it down because it made me so frustrated on a global scale that this is how many (not all) survivors tend to think once they have escaped a DV situation. It made me so upset to listen to Cleo's internal dialogue about her self-esteem, victim mindset, and self blame. I wanted her to see herself as strong for having survived someone who claimed to love her but hurt and abused her at every chance.

I also had so many issues with her brother! Cleo's brother, who she claims has always been there for her, abandons her to her emotions and fall out after the incident at the river on her birthday the year before. For most of the book, he acts like he would do anything for Cleo but leaves her reeling or is short and standoffish every chance he gets! he finally comes around near the last quarter of the book and starts putting his money where his mouth is, but in my opinion it was too little, too late. (Take this with a grain of salt.. this hit close to home as my own brother is the worlds biggest hypocrite and has also abandoned me for reasons entirely not my fault.)

All that being said.. if you love YA and thrillers, this is a read you won't want to mis. This book was very fast paced! I loved the scavenger hunt aspect and the count down! it was super creepy and a huge roller coaster all the way to the end!

Happy reading :)

It's been a year since Cleo's abusive ex-boyfriend drowned, but someone won't let her heal and move on. A twisted scavenger hunt forces Cleo to re-live intimate moments between her and and Declan - moments that only he could know about.. Is it possible that Declan didn't die? They never did find his body... Either way, he's back to haunt her, or else the truth will be revealed.

Natalie D. Richards delivers another stellar YA thriller with Seven Dirty Secrets. I will be sure to recommend this title to fans of her previous works! The scavenger hunt aspect of the mystery is sure to appeal to fans of puzzles and escape rooms. The narration was a little uneven at times for this audiobook, but I didn't feel that it took away from the overall impact of the story.

This was an enjoyable YA thriller that begins when Cleo receives a mysterious gift on her 18th birthday. The gift leads Cleo and her best friend Hope on a scavenger hunt that centers around a group of friends and a tragic rafting trip the previous year. Not only are the two friends trying to solve the clues in the scavenger hunt but they are also uncovering secrets among themselves and their group of friends. Who is behind this scavenger hunt and how do they know so many intimate details about Cleo?

This had a good plot and twist. I felt like some of the friends were a little unbelievable and unrealistic but it was a fun read and kept me engaged the entire time. I listened to the story and felt the narrator did a good job but came across a little flat and unemotional at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the audio version of the story in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story about scavenging for secrets.

I liked aspects of this- the scavenger hunt & escape room like settings were really fun! I also appreciated the thoughtful examination of trauma recovery as a nonlinear process. Unfortunately, I think I did myself a disservice by doing the audio of this one- the narrator was great, but had a mature/adult voice & that kept taking me out of the concept.

Thank you so much Netgalley & Dreamscape Media for the alc!

Rating 3.5

If you don't want to read about abusive relationships, don't read this. I don't understand why everyone in this book was so upset with the main character. The mystery was interesting and fast-paced enough to keep me reading, but it was repetitive and the ending was a little ridiculous.

*I received this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

An intriguing read!

It starts with an excellent hook. This book is fast-paced and makes you want to see it through to the end. The novel leans heavily on the plot and we have hardly any information on the characters. We mostly just get their roles in each other's lives.

An abusive relationship is shown. You can see how the victim still gets caught up in it even when the perpetrator is gone. Declan still manages a hold on Cleo while she fights to move on. It shows the mindset that even when the victim knows something is wrong, they still stick up for the abuser.

I was not impressed with the lack of plot twists. I felt the ending could have been done so much better. The narrator was alright. Her tone portrayed the main character in a numb way. The novel is an average mystery with okay writing. All-together, this was not mind-blowing but a decent way to pass the time.

A creepy scavenger hunt that slowly unravels a dark and deadly secret. Say no more. Sign me up.

I received the audiobook of Seven Dirty Secrets by Natalie D. Richards and narrated by Natasha Soudek. Overall it was an interesting YA thriller with some dark twists. I enjoyed the narration as well.

Oh her 18th birthday, Cleo, finds a mysterious gift which ends up being an invitation to a scavenger hunt. The hunt will take Cleo down a road of recounting a horrible rafting trip, on which her then boyfriend downed, exactly one year ago. Who ever is behind the hunt is threating to destroy her and the people around her.

TW: Domestic abuse

This was an interesting young adult thriller. I thought the writing was a little flat and I found the narrator flat (some voices more than others). I did really like the premise of a scavenger hunt leading the protagonist down memory lane. On Cleo’s 18th birthday she finds a creepy present in the bathroom that was placed while she was in the shower. It leads her on a scavenger hunt and as she goes through it she realizes it is about the rafting trip she and friends took the year before. But on that rafting trip her boyfriend fell into the river and has been presumed dead. The book covers some pretty heavy topics most particularly and graphically domestic violence. I thought that the big reveal at the end was pretty predictable and it was definitely a book where I was cursing at the characters asking how they hadn’t figured it out yet. I did love Cleo’s best friend Hope. Everyone deserves a best friend like Hope. Overall I give it 3.5 stars which have been rounded up because they refuse to provide half star options.

I'm not one for audiobooks, in general. While I still would have read some things differently in my head, the narrator did a great job using her inflections and volume to really put the reader/listener in the character's head and what she was feeling experiencing.
As for the book, it's another solid offering from Richards. Would certainly recommend. She also handles the topic and experience of abuse well, not making it feel trite, and helping see why someone who would have more option to leave (a teenager) would stay. And how five minutes can change your life.

A dark and sinister scavenger hunt? Yes, sign me up! I loved the premise of this book and found it wildly entertaining throughout.

I really liked the main character. She’s far from perfect, but I felt that I personally connected to her struggle. She’s just a girl with weird passions trying like hell to get out of her current situation, and I can really appreciate that. Her relationships with her brother and friends felt very real and added the perfect amount of tension to the story. I also appreciated how the author presented the complex feelings of guilt, sadness, trauma, and regret associated with being a domestic violence survivor.

I don’t think any avid thriller or mystery reader will be that surprised by the big plot twist… and the big reveal was a bit overdramatic… but I did enjoy all of the smaller twists and reveals throughout.

Comments on the audiobook - This is the perfect story to listen on audio. It was easy enough to follow along with and be entertained without feeling like you’ll get lost in the story if you miss a line or two. The narrator‘s female voices were great; however, the male voices were truly awful (almost funny), which was a distraction from the building suspense in the story.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to review this audiobook!

On her eighteenth birthday, someone surprised Cleo with a scavenger hunt. Each clue leads to a nicely wrapped box. The boxes get harder to find, the clues more menacing. Cleo starts to realize that maybe the hunt isn't really just about her birthday. Maybe its about her dead boyfriend, Cyrus.

The narrator for this story captured the voice of a distressed teen amazingly well. She managed to make the story that much more suspenseful with slight changes of her voice to match the emotions and vibe of the story. I'm not sure there would have been a more perfect voice for Chleo.
The story itself is a great slow burn, suspenful YA book. Nothing overly graphic happens, no excessive swearing, no explicit sex scenes. For a book geared to older teens, it is spot on. I enjoyed the scavenger hunt, and watching the clues come together for the big reveal. Very early into the book I figured out who the villian was, and was happy with how it played out for the end.
This is a great book to introduce your teen readers to thrillers.

"One caused the fall. One did nothing. One saw it all.
One didn’t care. One used their head. One played the hero.
One was left for dead."

Seven Dirty Secrets is a scavenger hunt turned sinister, as Cleo solves clue after clue to save herself and her brother from losing everything. This was a fun ride from start to finish, and it's a great introduction to the genre.

What I Liked:
- The game aspect of this book was super fun to read. I loved how the clues all had significance, and they allowed us a closer look into our characters' lives before the fatal accident that caused this hunt to begin.
- The mystery itself was a good one. The big reveal was solid, and the intentions of our characters made sense.
- The chapters were short and each started with a different scavenger hunt clue, which made this a super quick read and one that I was excited to get back into whenever I put it down.

What I Didn't:
- Our narrator was SO annoying. I didn't like the way she voiced any of our male characters, and her intonations were completely different than how I would have read the book. Normally, intonations wouldn't matter to me, but her way of reading this story actually changed its tone, making the entire reading experience different. I actually switched to the ebook whenever possible just to give my ears a break, and I recommend ya'll do the same if you can.
- The family dynamic, while sweet, gave this book what I called "Fast and Furious, mobster vibes." One of the main themes of the story is that you'll do whatever you have to to keep your family safe, which is true and nice, but the way it was presented here was a little over the top.

Overall, this was a good story. The pacing was good, our big reveal would be shocking to someone new to the thriller genre, and it was just intense and creepy enough to make me happy. It didn't do anything new for me, but I'd still recommend it and I still had a good time with these characters.

7 Deadly Secrets
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

"I know seven secrets:
One caused the fall. One did nothing. One saw it all.
One didn’t care. One used their head. One played the hero.
One was left for dead.

On her eighteenth birthday, Cleo receives a mysterious invitation to a scavenger hunt. She’s sure her best friend Hope or her brother Connor is behind it, but no one confesses. And as Cleo and Hope embark on the hunt, the seemingly random locations and clues begin to feel familiar."

Thank you to Dreamscape Media + NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I’ve not read many YA thrillers, so I don’t have much to compare it to. I think it was an interesting and quick listen, but ultimately, not my favorite. 3.5 stars rounded up!

👍🏼

• I thought the premise was great. I’m a big fan of escape rooms/finding clues so the scavenger hunt was a fun angle to follow
• I enjoyed that the characters shared some “secrets” with each other throughout. I personally find it so frustrating when things get so much worse because characters don’t share little details/information
• The “twist” at the end was pretty easy to figure out early on, but I was still intrigued to see how they got there.
• The overarching theme of how far you’ll go to protect your family is one that I love seeing being explored!

👎🏼

• I’m sorry, but these kids are monsters lol. None of them were very likable for me, including the main character.
• This is marketed as YA, but some of the themes seemed a little advanced for that in my opinion

‼️

Domestic violence, assault, homophobia