3.25/5

Secrets Never Die is my first time reading Vincent Ralph, and judging from the reviews I've seen, I need to go back and read his last two books. This was a fast-paced and very engaging novel, and I love that it kept me guessing. I was suspecting almost everyone in this book EXCEPT the person the bad guy ended up being. The chapters are all very short and I liked that each one was titled to insinuate something about that chapter. The book is told almost entirely from Sam's point of view, which was fine, but I wish the author would have gone into a little more detail with the characters' lives. You don't really get to know much about Sam and Elisha as a couple and are basically just dropped into the story without a ton of background.

Christopher Gebauer is our MC for the audiobook, and I thought he was a very fitting voice for Sam as a character. He sounded younger which was perfect since this is a YA novel, and I enjoyed every moment of listening to him. There are plenty of twists and secrets revealed along the way, and also lots of action! At times I was thinking there might be a paranormal aspect as well, and in some ways, the different elements did feel a bit all over the place. The climax also felt oddly anticlimactic, and I was expecting more though again, I didn't guess who it was or what was actually going on until the reveal. All in all, I think tweens and teens alike will be into this one, and if you are an adult, you just might like it too!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Loved this book from start to finish! So many twists and turns I didn’t see coming. Easy to read and keeps you on the edge until the last page.

3.5⭐️

For a YA read, this one was a decent story! It was fast paced, had short chapters (MY FAVE) and it did pack a few good twists that I was not prepared for.

I do feel that if the "secrets" had been a bit more "life-threatening" maybe or larger in some way that it would have given this an extra punch.

It's a little harder to give a full review without spoiling anything, but I think some of the story was a bit unrealistic. Parents (especially today imo) would be way more overbearing and involved. It's hard to imagine something so big happening and them not really realizing or paying attention to the potential afterhshock and effects of that.

Overall it was a fun read, I just wish it would have been a bit bigger!

Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for the ARC copy! Out everywhere now!

This YA horror stumbles but creates a creepy mystery.
Every Halloween Sam Hall and his friends tell their secrets in an abandoned hut in the woods. This “Dark Place” is supposed to be where their secrets die. But when Sam and his friends are attacked in the hut, they begin to realize that their secrets are coming back to haunt them. Someone is holding them accountable for their past by terrorizing them. Who is it and why are they torturing them?
The book is not well written. Each chapter is short, which in itself isn’t a problem, but Vincent Ralph presents ideas and plot points brushing only the surface. There were chapters that I didn’t understand why were in the book; they were a waste of space. Also, the events don’t escalate in the proper order during the beginnings of the creepy events. This wouldn’t be so bad if the characters said things had escalated when they had backtracked.
The root of the story is pretty good, harkening back to classic horror stories. Ralph also creates creepy scenarios that fuel the story. The events the kids live through create an urgency to find out what happened and what Sam’s secret is. The story builds up to something life-changing, but Sam’s secret is almost nothing. While it explains his guilt, it doesn’t really change anything in the long run or truly affect the cause of the story.
I enjoyed the last quarter of the book where the heart of the mystery unfolds, but it was sluggish getting to that point.

This book was a bit of a challenge for me. While I loved the short chapters and family elements, I found the central secrets to be a bit low stakes for the amount they matter to the plot. Only one character had a secret I actually considered worth the fight, and I didn’t love the ending. I also would have loved more character development as it mostly felt like these characters all just existed to have the dark place set up. Overall this was a miss for me.

Thank you to Wednesday books and netgalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

There's nothing like a YA thriller to reset my love for reading. This book was twisty and enjoyable. Kept me guessing in all the right ways.

I received a Digital Reader Copy from St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a Young Adult book. The short chapters made this an easy read for me. The pacing kept me interested in finding out how the story ended.

I do think this novel is geared toward YA. Reading it as an adult, the characters could have been more developed, and the story was drawn out.

I was a big fan of R.L. Stine's Fear Street series back in the day, and Secrets Never Die gave me all the same vibes as those books. It seemingly starts out like a lot of YA thrillers I've read - something creepy happens in the woods, and then the group of friends starts receiving weird messages from someone unknown. However, I felt like Secrets Never Die had a really strong plot, especially as it came to light who the stalker was and what happened in the past. It's a true, secrets never stay hidden kind of story.

While I don't read a lot of YA, I did really enjoy this one and feel like all ages will enjoy it.

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

This book is about a group of friends who visit an abandoned hut that they call “The Dark Place” to bury their secrets each year. This year, secrets from their past are coming back to haunt them. In particular, their secrets from the night Sam’s career as a child star ended.

This story very much gave me the vibes of a YA version of Scream mixed with Pretty Little Liars.

Thank you to Netgalley, Vincent Ralph, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for the digital arc of this book.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book. If you like Pretty Little Liars, you’ll love this book. For me, this reminded me a little bit too much of PLL so it was just a meh for me. I didn’t see the twist coming, but it was kind of underwhelming for me. In the beginning of the book, I couldn’t tell who the main character was because it didn’t give a lot of information on if the main character was a boy or a girl, what he looked like, or what his name was. It was an ok book, not the worst, but not the best either.

4.5 round up

Vincent Ralph's "Secrets Never Die" offers a chilling and exhilarating thrill ride that kept me engrossed from start to finish. This suspenseful tale immerses readers in an atmosphere that's as mysterious as it is captivating, setting the stage for an unforgettable narrative.

One of the standout elements of this book is its unwavering pace. The plot hurtles forward with a relentless energy that ensures there's never a dull moment. I found myself eagerly listening along, driven by the need to uncover the secrets that loom over the characters.

Speaking of characters, the main protagonists are a dynamic ensemble, each harboring secrets that are as diverse as they are compelling. I appreciated how their individual mysteries ranged in depth, revealing layers of complexity within the group. This multifaceted exploration of secrecy added depth to the story, keeping me guessing about what lay beneath the surface.

The ending of the book was a well-executed. It managed to provide closure while leaving just enough room for speculation, a delicate balance that's often hard to achieve in thrillers. This touch of ambiguity added an extra layer of intrigue, ensuring that the story lingered in my thoughts long after I'd finished reading.

In summary, "Secrets Never Die" is a spine-tingling thriller that masterfully blends suspense and mystery. With its engaging atmosphere, a cast of intriguing characters, and a thought-provoking conclusion, it's a book that deserves every bit of its 4.5-star rating. For those who revel in stories that keep you on the edge of your seat, this one is a must-read. Vincent Ralph has delivered a tale that will haunt you long after the final page is turned.

Secrets Never Die is a thrilling novel of suspense for teens. Former childhood TV star, Sam Hall, and his friends "bury" their secrets in the dark place once a year. This year, someone was there, listening, and remembers everything they've shared. I liked the horror aspects of this story and a twist that kept me guessing. Some aspects were hard to imagine, like what exactly the dark place looked like. For some readers this might have added to the creep factor but for me I found it distracting. Readers who like Karen McManus and Kara Thomas will enjoy this book as well. A recommended purchase for school and public libraries serving teens.

A group of friends go to the Dark Place every Halloween, a physical space where they can spill their secrets and no one else can hear, where they can leave feeling lighter and less burdened. But someone knows their secrets now, and are using them against them.

This was by no means a bad book. There was a lot of suspense and some genuinely scary moments. But the story also felt a little convoluted, and like there was too much going on. The ending chapter packed a punch though. I liked this book, it just wasn’t my favorite of the genre.

I liked the pacing of this book with every chapter ending on a cliff. I went in expecting Pretty Little Liars type secrets so their secrets were a bit of a letdown. I like this author and will read more by him. I can see this book being turned into a mini-series.

I feel like this book could have been so much more and I was a little let down by the “big reveal”. I just felt like the backgrounds and motivations of some of the main people didn’t feel fully fleshed out. Like some of the things they did didn’t seem to make sense.

This book was really good! The plot was engaging and I connected with the characters which is something not a lot of authors can accomplish! Definitely recommending this book.

*Received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

My overall rating is 3 stars. Understand this is a YA book. Had i knew that, i would have adjusted my expectations. This was a fun and fast read. Just in time for spooky season. The chapters were short and I quickly flew through the book. This was the kind of story where you put your brain on autopilot and just go with the story. Halfway through I was going with a four star read. It was the second half that knocked it down a star. The main character started doing things that made no sense. The book could have removed a couple of chapters and it would still flow well. Some of the situations should have been introduced earlier. Then it wouldn't feel like it came out of nowhere. Wasn't crazy about the ending. It leaves it open for a 2nd book and I don't think there's enough to justify one. I did enjoy the book and do like the author's previous books.

#SECRETSNEVERDIE. #VINCENTRALPH. #NETGALLEY

I couldn’t wait ti read this book! The premise of the book was intriguing as I always love a good horror/thriller. The story centers around Sam and his friend group, who take a trip every year to an abandoned hut they call the “Dark Place”, to have a “funeral” for all of their secrets. This year, things go sideways, their secrets are threatened, and no one is sure who they can trust.

There were quite a few characters, which I felt led to them feeling very one dimensional and hard to connect with. I really liked the chapter length and the flow and pace of the story was good. There were some unexpected twists and good tension. The actual ending of the book fell a little flat for me, but overall it was still an entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley + Wednesday Books for the ARC.

Pretty Little Liars vibes with this YA thriller.
🪵
Every Halloween Sam and his friends go to a hut in the woods they call the Dark Place. It’s there that they bury the secrets they have, holding a funeral for them. But this year someone was watching and is now tormenting and blackmailing everyone in the group. Each holds a secret they’re ready to die for—will it come to that?
🤫
I liked this one better than 14 Ways to Die, but I still didn’t really like or love it. The cover and premise? Amazing. The execution, not so much. The ending—absolutely not.
What the hell?! These kids are being punished for something their parents did? Absolutely not. I thought the kids’ secrets were pretty bland; def not something dying over, but to hear the parents are responsible made me so angry. And they never took responsibility! Such a disappointing ending.

CW: stalking, blackmail, blood, car accident, violence, theft, harassment, fire, scars

A tradition, secrets, and a stalker will keep the pages turning and teens, young adults, and adults entertained. At least in the beginning.

If you’re ready for a Halloween party and a tradition that goes awry, grab a flashlight and curl up under a blanket. The story contains blood-filled eggs and dolls’ heads that will leave you searching for answers.

But for me, the excitement slowed far too quickly, and things began to bother me.

My Concerns
--The characters didn’t feel fully developed.

--I needed something more toward the middle to hold my interest.

--The secrets didn’t feel quite right for a “Halloween-type” book.

--Though the ending tied things up, it was disappointing.

My Final Thoughts
I think teens and young adults will have a 50% chance of enjoying this book. Unfortunately, it was a letdown for me. The title and description had me expecting so much more than the book offered.