Atmospheric mystery set at a drama camp in Whispering Cove, this book had me hooked from its opening line. Avril returns to Whispering Cove to attend the famed drama camp, but is more interested in seeing again the place where her mother died after she herself was coughed up on the sea and able to be rescued. She has no memories of her life or mother before that moment and feels as if she is incomplete. She becomes fast friends with her bunkmate Val as well as Lex and Jude. She meets Cole, the famous playwright Willa’s son, and feels an instant connection. As they attempt to figure out just what happened on the island that night strange things keep happening. Avril is overcome by memories or ghosts and strange occurrences. I truly was hooked and wanted to know what happened. The relationship and friendships were such an integral part of the story but the unraveling of the mystery had me wanting to keep reading until I figured it out. Perfect for fans of paranormal-ish mysteries.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the arc!

This is a fairly solid YA thriller with supernatural tinges, with a truly great premise. The execution didn't always work for me, and for some reason I couldn't connect with these characters. It had a fairly solid plot, though.

This book took me a bit to get into. I was able to put it down and move on to other things, and then I finally picked it back up and decided I would have to finish it. I felt our main character was flat, and with everything going on with her, it seemed no adults truly cared. I mean, homegirl was passing out and waking up in different places, and no one found that weird? We had a lot of different characters come into play, but they all just seemed to be one-dimensional. I honestly can't remember anything about them or their names. The only person I remember is the creepy guy who leaves flowers. I did like the setting of being on the beach and having fog just shadowed everything. I love those kinds of places that the author did great at describing. I did like the ending, but everything truly in between was just not working for me. Sad to say, I have to give it three stars.

Kind of thriller that I love. This book was incredibly fast paced and interesting to read!!! I would absolutely highly recommend it it’s the perfect thriller!

Here comes a review that I just really don't want to write. Dark and Shallow Lies was one of my favorite books of 2021. It was phenomenal and I devoured that book so fast. I had very high hopes for this book, but sadly it just was not for me.

First off, it didn't have the same atmosphere as Dark and Shallow Lies. I felt like I was truly there when I was reading Dark and Shallow Lies, but Secrets So Deep just fell so flat for me. I couldn't picture the location and it didn't make me feel any emotions.

The main character fell very flat for me and so many things happened that were red flags, but no one seemed to care. She was having visions and passing out left and right, but everyone was just okay with that?

I feel like this could have been at least a 3 star read for me if it weren't for the slow pacing. This book either needed more action or less pages because it seemed to take forever to get through. I figured out what was going on very very early on and the twist wasn't a twist for me.

I love the idea of this book, but the book itself just didn't do it for me. Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is book is filled to the brim with surprises and plot twists. I don't know if I'm actually just really dumb or if they were actually really hidden and well-written. The main characters read a little child-ish at times and then combining with some of the darker parts of the book it felt like the characters jumped a bit between ages because of that. But overall, I did really enjoy this book and if you loved Ginny Myers Sain's previous book, I'm sure you'll like this one!

There is nothing I enjoy more than having a group of characters that are diverse and complex. It was interesting getting to know Avril and feeling like I was right there with her trying to piece together this mystery. The events that surrounded her and eerie things that happened added to the overall suspense and thrill of this book. It felt not only that it was playing tricks on Avril, but also the reader. It was fun trying to decipher the truths and realities and kept me on my toes.

There were so many twists which made this book one heck of a wild ride. Trying to guess the ending was tricky and impossible. The author did a fantastic job in writing a mystery that was both thrilling and captivating while having you on the edge of your seat. This book is worth checking out for those who love a great mystery with a crazy plot twist. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC

um well.. this was definitely strange, i'll give it that.

it was a struggle to get through, especially after the first 20%. i'm sorry, i just really didn't like this- so let's rant.

first, i'll give it to the author- she can create an eerie, chilling atmosphere very well. the soft whispers, the clacking fingers, the foggy night, the strange gifts- i was definitely creeped out at some points. the whole book will have you on the edge of your seat because it feels like you can't trust anyone.

but the confusing storyline and characters really just ruined the book for me. i hated them all.

the main character, avril, had the personality of a brick. i could not STAND her weird, creepy inner monologue, and how she sort of wandered around with no real purpose. she was just so weird, like i just didn't understand her. the strangest shit kept happening to her, but she never had a logical response.

the love interest, cole, is literally the exact same. i'm still so confused because i genuinely thought he was like a ghost or something for half the book, because this man cannot be real. there are SO MANY unexplained things about him- why doesn't he sleep, why is always creepily stalking the beach at night, why can't he remember anything- SO MANY QUESTIONS BUT NOT A SINGLE EXPLANATION.

the romance between them was so icky and literally just so dumb. they're both so overly dramatic and all the conversations they had where they tried to be "deep" and "poetic" had me rolling my eyes. not to mention the horrid instalove. the author tried to make them so mysterious and unique, but she really just made them shallow, vapid, and unlikable.

all the side characters were strange, forgettable, and made me so deeply uncomfortable. there were so many people that did creepy, horrible shit BUT NO ONE EVER SEEMED TO CARE??!??? it felt like one of those horror movies where everyone is smiling these huge, deranged fake smiles, hiding the fact that they're dead inside or like a crazed killer. i genuinely could not trust anyone, and i didn't believe a single thing anyone ever said... but not in the fun, compelling way. the author just did a shit job characterizing anyone, which made them all seem "fake".


i'm all out of words because i don't have the words to explain how this book made me feel. i'm thoroughly creeped out- not in the mysterious way, but in the uncomfortable way. the plot made zero sense, i never really understood what was happening, the characters made me cringe, the ending was anticlimatic- I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE AUTHOR WAS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

I have been waiting with bated breath for the next GMS novel and I'm so lucky and grateful I got an early copy! This was the perfect follow-up to Dark and Shallow Lies, and she is officially on my favorite author list. I'm obsessed with the way she writes, so descriptive and vivid you feel like you're alongside the characters tasting the air itself. She's so good at the paranormal aspect, and I really loved the spooky and mysterious vibe this gave off and the summer location on the Sound was the perfect setting for this ghost story. Another thing I loved that elevated the story was the fact that the chapters were done as script scenes- it's a small thing, but it amped up the tension knowing you were getting closer and closer to the end. As always, the characters are complex and a little broken, but that's what makes them so perfect. There was just the right amount of romance to offset the supernatural, and overall this is great for hot, stormy summer nights or just in time for Halloween.

Theater camp and trying to find out how your mom died 12 years ago? Another great murder mystery. One you won't be able to put down one you start. A quick and easy read that will keep you guessing and wanting more

It's official. I love Ginny Myers Sain's writing. Wow. She has a way of drawing the reader in with beautiful prose but also an eery sense of place that is definitely addictive. I knew after reading her debut I would read her next book and I'm glad I did.

This is probably one of my favorite types of ghost stories - there's mystery, creepy fog, and a location to die for. I really liked the sense of the location and enjoyed the theater aspect of it. As a 'pit musician' I loved gettin g look into the theatrical side of things.

I also really liked how things slowly unrivaled to draw us in to the full story - the unveiling, if you will-and how that all came about. I also find it interesting the 'love interest' in her books always seems to be a little bit more broken than I would expect and yet it works.

I'd recommend to older YA readers (or adults) and those who enjoy the touch of paranormal without it being full-on.

Some (small negatives): Not a fan of all the underaged drinking/smoking. Probably a personal thing but I just don't enjoy that in books for YA readers.

!Language & underaged drinking/smoking in this one. Drug use mentioned.

My rating: 4.3*

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This book had so many twists it surprised me all the way through. The mystery thriller with a hint of paranormal is perfectly titled because the secrets really do run deep at the camp it takes place in. The characters are all complex with interesting back stories, leading to a variety of relationships that show the importance of support and loyalty. While it ended a bit abruptly it’s still very worth the read.

Secrets So Deep follows Avril whose mother drowned at Whisper Cove Theater. It was ruled an accident but Avril is not convinced. Avril returns to Whisper Cove to find out what actually happened to her mother. But the truth might be worse than not knowing.

This was a really good YA mystery book. I really liked the summer camp setting of this book. The plot twist at the end was really well done. I will say that I did have a hard time keeping up with this book sometimes. I think it was because of the paranormal elements. It was kind of hard to determine what was real and what wasn't. This was a very different type of mystery book, which I did like. This is one that I liked but I do not think I will read again. But I did enjoy it while I read it. Thank you NetGalley, Razorbill publishing, and Ginny Myers Sain for a copy of this book.

This book has so many twists and turns that left me completely unable to try to guess how it would end!

This YA novel gave me paranormal mystery thriller vibes.

Another easy page turning. I just kept wanting to know what was going to happen next. This was such a quick and easy read.

Thank you Penguin Teen, Net Galley, and Ginny Myers Sain for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Secrets So Deep by Ginny Myers Sain

YA paranormal thriller - 400 pages

Expected release date September 27, 2022

I first ran across GMS on Instagram and fell in love with the cover of her first novel Dark and Shallow Lies. The moment she said she was releasing a new book I knew that I needed an ARC. THANK YOU so much for allowing me early access to this book. It is just as amazing as your first novel.

GMS has a real knack for setting a mood. Her ability to make the atmosphere come alive as much as the characters on the page blows my mind. The story builds layer upon layer and makes you continue to guess the outcome. I had so many different scenarios running through my head with each turn of the page.

The story is brilliant and truly hope GSM writes countless more novels.

Recommended ages 16+
Rating 5 of 5 Stars

Secrets So Deep is an emotionally gripping book seeping with mystery. I loved the Long Island Sound setting and the theatre aspect! Avril and Cole were powerful characters who I was rooting for throughout the entire book. I loved that there was local legend incorporated in the mystery of what happened to Avril's mom. Between this, the creepy fog and the eerie things happening to Avril, this book certainly makes you wonder if something supernatural is going on! I loved Avril discovering herself and her supportive friend group along the way. I also enjoyed the slow burn mystery with something new always being uncovered. The ending and the truth was certainly not quite the twist that I was expecting and the author did a marvelous job wrapping everything up. What an ending though!

A deliciously dark treat of a thriller, this book dishes up all the right ingredients: an isolated theater camp filled with ambitious students, a mysterious drowning, and a nightly fog haunted by whispers and shadowy figures.

Avril has returned to the theater camp where her mother drowned long ago. She's seeking the one thing she doesn't have: memories of her mother, even if they are second-hand from people who knew her. But as soon as she arrives, she hears the legend of the sea calling to those it claims. And she's one of the ones who can hear the whispers. Haunting, atmospheric and creepy, this book draws you into its dangerous fog.

The camp begins to trigger memories, and every night the fog sets in, bringing ghosts and confusion. But Avril finds an ally and a romantic interest in Cole, the son of the playwright, Willa, who also happens to have been her mother's best friend. Together, they fight off the darkness.

This book is a page turner, with twists and turns will keep readers guessing. In the end, Avril and Cole may find out that the most dangerous thing of all is lurking in the fog: the truth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow this book was a wild ride. The title fits perfectly secrets really did run deep!! I love Ginny's writing and absolutely adored Dark and Shallow Lies I will say I had really high hopes that this would be just as good if not better. I found that while I enjoyed it I didn't enjoy it as much as Dark and Shallow Lies.

I really enjoyed the characters. They were all so interesting and complex. I loved Avril's romantic relationship but I really enjoyed her friendships. Especially with Lex I feel like everyone needs a lex in their lives. I think the romance was good, I did think it was kind of insta lovey but progressed slow enough that it felt more natural. Also I loved the overall setting. The setting of a theater summer camp was so fun and added to that classic dangerous summer camp feel. I also appreciated how the book had great strong themes of finding oneself and processing grief.

I really enjoyed the overall mystery and the strange things that kept happening to Avril in Whispering Cove. The fog and strange sounds and visions and nightmares really helped make us the reader wonder what is real what is not real. I do think that the ending happened a bit abruptly and I think it was intentional but I would have loved a more conclusive epilogue. I just wanted to know more. I think this is where the disconnect happened for me I just wanted more it felt like such a big climax and reveal that I had to backtrack and reread the ending to see if I missed something.

Overall this was a good summer read and I do recommend checking it out. Fans of YA mysteries/ psychological thrillers should definitely check this out!

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group/ Razorbill and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.