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Tara's Family Secrets
Tara has waited patiently to become a teenager and eagerly wants to be included in family matters. At her age, she believes she should be privy to the world of adults. When her parents are not forthcoming in including her in family matters, Tara embarks on a course of action with near-disastrous results. Not able to fully comprehend the magnitude or repercussions of a long-held family secret she overhears while eavesdropping on her parent's private conversation, it sets in motion one calamity after the other, causing Tara's world to spin out of control. What will happen to her plans to be an ace player on her school's netball team when Tara is busted? This beautifully written coming-of-age story, Tara's Family Secrets, hits all the right marks needed for an engaging, engrossing, and timeless tale. This YA novel's strength is in the cast of vividly drawn, relatable, and unforgettable characters.
292 pages, Paperback
Published January 11, 2022
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August 11, 2025
Quotes:
• '...someone coming out of nowhere bumped hard into her. She stumbled and fell heavily to the ground like a ripe
breadfruit.'
• It took some time for Jolene and Tara to squeeze into an already full minibus where they were packed closely
together like the many seeds in a ripe pomegranate.
• "Wait, since when do I have to open my letters and tell you what's in them?"
"Because I want to know who's sending my woman a Valentine card. That's why."
• So, like a pup which had lost its first fight and had its tail between its legs, quite meekly, she followed her
grandmother back over to their house.
"Tara's Family Secrets" by Cherrell Shelley-Robinson is a book jam-packed with exhilarating events starring Tara Cameron, a thirteen-year-old girl who, despite her young age, aspires to uncover all her family's secrets and
subsequently, solve all of their problems. This goal is quite difficult for Tara to attain, as the adults treat her like a child. While dealing with this reality at home, she is troubled by her classmate, Cristal at school. As the story progresses, the reader witnesses the extreme measures Tara takes to unveil what is being hidden from her as well as the detailed plots and schemes she creates to get back at Cristal. In the end, Tara experienced a positive development in personality and mindset, which was very satisfying to read.
Unlike many other stories, this one instantly grabbed my attention, as it began with a situation that had me eager to skip the page and read what happens next. This feeling of eagerness has sprung up several times throughout my
reading, and it never fails to surprise me. Another thing I appreciated was the use of nature-based similes that were used throughout to describe an emotion or overall mood, one of my favourites being "She stumbled and fell heavily to the ground like a ripe breadfruit." Although there were a few grammatical and formatting issues, the overall
language used in the story managed to overshadow all the negatives for me.
• '...someone coming out of nowhere bumped hard into her. She stumbled and fell heavily to the ground like a ripe
breadfruit.'
• It took some time for Jolene and Tara to squeeze into an already full minibus where they were packed closely
together like the many seeds in a ripe pomegranate.
• "Wait, since when do I have to open my letters and tell you what's in them?"
"Because I want to know who's sending my woman a Valentine card. That's why."
• So, like a pup which had lost its first fight and had its tail between its legs, quite meekly, she followed her
grandmother back over to their house.
"Tara's Family Secrets" by Cherrell Shelley-Robinson is a book jam-packed with exhilarating events starring Tara Cameron, a thirteen-year-old girl who, despite her young age, aspires to uncover all her family's secrets and
subsequently, solve all of their problems. This goal is quite difficult for Tara to attain, as the adults treat her like a child. While dealing with this reality at home, she is troubled by her classmate, Cristal at school. As the story progresses, the reader witnesses the extreme measures Tara takes to unveil what is being hidden from her as well as the detailed plots and schemes she creates to get back at Cristal. In the end, Tara experienced a positive development in personality and mindset, which was very satisfying to read.
Unlike many other stories, this one instantly grabbed my attention, as it began with a situation that had me eager to skip the page and read what happens next. This feeling of eagerness has sprung up several times throughout my
reading, and it never fails to surprise me. Another thing I appreciated was the use of nature-based similes that were used throughout to describe an emotion or overall mood, one of my favourites being "She stumbled and fell heavily to the ground like a ripe breadfruit." Although there were a few grammatical and formatting issues, the overall
language used in the story managed to overshadow all the negatives for me.
Displaying 1 of 1 review