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Dark Secrets #2
Don't Tell
What really happened to Mother?
Lauren has come home seven years after her famous mother's mysterious drowning.
They said it was an accident, but the tabloids screamed murder. Her father, a senator, hadn't protected her. Aunt Jule was her only refuge, the beloved godmother she's returning to see.
Lauren stops at Wisteria's annual street festival and meets Nick, a tease, a flirt, and a childhood playmate. The day is almost perfect -- until she realizes she's being watched.
Arriving at Aunt Jule's, Lauren is shocked at the decay of the riverfront home. Aunt Jule seems angry and defensive, even as she fusses over Lauren at her daughter Holly's expense. Nora, Jule's other daughter, is silent and spooky, and stares at Lauren with frightening intensity. Meanwhile, Nick has acted as if he wants to be more than Lauren's friend. So why is he suddenly glued to Holly and almost hostile to Lauren? How can she trust him -- especially now that a series of nasty "accidents" makes Lauren realize that somebody wants her dead? This time, there's no place to run.
Lauren has come home seven years after her famous mother's mysterious drowning.
They said it was an accident, but the tabloids screamed murder. Her father, a senator, hadn't protected her. Aunt Jule was her only refuge, the beloved godmother she's returning to see.
Lauren stops at Wisteria's annual street festival and meets Nick, a tease, a flirt, and a childhood playmate. The day is almost perfect -- until she realizes she's being watched.
Arriving at Aunt Jule's, Lauren is shocked at the decay of the riverfront home. Aunt Jule seems angry and defensive, even as she fusses over Lauren at her daughter Holly's expense. Nora, Jule's other daughter, is silent and spooky, and stares at Lauren with frightening intensity. Meanwhile, Nick has acted as if he wants to be more than Lauren's friend. So why is he suddenly glued to Holly and almost hostile to Lauren? How can she trust him -- especially now that a series of nasty "accidents" makes Lauren realize that somebody wants her dead? This time, there's no place to run.
212 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2001
38 people are currently reading
1381 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Chandler
71 books2,323 followersElizabeth Chandler is a pseudonym for Mary-Claire Helldorfer. She currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
July 2, 2022
second read in 2022
In contrast to my first review, this book is not as scary as I remembered it. Partly because I'm older now, but mostly due to realizing that Don't Tell is not as good as I once thought.
I kind of love that about reading though. Rereading something you used to love and seeing it with more critical eyes or just a more mature lens shows how much you and your reading tastes have changed.
With this one, it's as put together and detail-oriented as Legacy of Lies . Genuinely, Chandler does not seem the "pantser" type of writer. However, some of it just didn't make any sense, or was so confusing with the names, the sisters, the mothers, etc. The first chapter, I had to flip back and forth between the pages to remember who exactly Nora is and where Holly just came from and who came out of the water. There was so much movement going on, the MC was witnessing so much at once that it was confusing and not executed in the best way.
I also didn't like how inconsistent SOME of the characters were. One day the mom was in love with MC and then the next she was quick to blame her for stupid things or literally gaslight her into oblivion. Scratch out "day," and put "minute."
Also Nick, the love interest. I'm not going to blame Chandler for the insta-love because she's not to blame for the differences in kid me loving the very trope I detest today. However, insta-love aside, what I did hate was the total INFO DUMP in the last chapter. This is similarly done in LOL (Legacy of Lies, not the other lol, lol), however in Don't Tell it was an info-dump between 3-4 characters, so ... very messy and very long. Nick's info dump is one of the longest, but also the one that made the least amount of sense to me. It was so undeserved and after everything, when MC was like "we're all good, let's kiss now!" I wanted to barf a little.
Also MC was occasionally inconsistent. She seemed cool-headed and rational, but then you really start to see her stagnation when it came to Nora and Nora being the problem, Nora this, Nora that. The whole time she would veer towards other possibilities, but it would always go back to Nora-fixation-time and then when the truth came out, she's like putting all these pieces together "oh that made sense," and as a reader, you're just sitting there confused. Like watching someone say 1 + 1 =2 for years and then someone out of the blue says something different and they're like, "I knew it all along."
YOU DIDN'T! You didn't know it all along, LAUREN. Acting like it all made sense in the last chapter's info dump felt lazy to me.
So even though I love Elizabeth Chandler and I will always love Legacy of Lies , I'm disappointed to know now that with a reread and a different perspective, this short book wasn't as entertaining or "thrilling" as it was for me the first time.
(also reading past reviews will ALWAYS be cringe. I said "Nick is so fine," and now I'm thinking.... "for why tho?" Nick literally had no personality other than being one of thousands of white male, blonde-haired, green-eyed love interests in a YA fiction novel. And I'm supposed to believe he's a high school senior, dating and kissing every girl, and he draws comic strips? Okay, lol.)
.........
(first read in 2013)
Don't read this at night.
I'm so serious, like this isn't one of those cases where people are just like "don't read this at night" as in like, this books super haunting- no. Jeez, don't flipping read this book at night because when I say it, I mean it as in "if you read this at night you're toes will go cold as a signal that you have two minutes to write your goodbye note before your bed becomes a black hole that sucks you up and you'll never see day light ever again"
o__o
This book gave me the chills and it traumatized my heart and my brain and my feelings and it just messed me all up because it's so great but it's so scary although Lauren is super flippin cool but erbody in that house that she's got to live in is cray cray but Nick is so fine but I also wanted to throw a brick through his car window (if you read the book, you'll get the comedy in that) and just ... gosh let me breathe for a second. u__u inhale. exhale. inhale. exhale.
This book is just really crazy with so many twists and curves in its plot and so many moments where you have to THINK to remember to breathe and just like I recommend it to everyone who has a sturdy bladder and isn't afraid of black holes.
In contrast to my first review, this book is not as scary as I remembered it. Partly because I'm older now, but mostly due to realizing that Don't Tell is not as good as I once thought.
I kind of love that about reading though. Rereading something you used to love and seeing it with more critical eyes or just a more mature lens shows how much you and your reading tastes have changed.
With this one, it's as put together and detail-oriented as Legacy of Lies . Genuinely, Chandler does not seem the "pantser" type of writer. However, some of it just didn't make any sense, or was so confusing with the names, the sisters, the mothers, etc. The first chapter, I had to flip back and forth between the pages to remember who exactly Nora is and where Holly just came from and who came out of the water. There was so much movement going on, the MC was witnessing so much at once that it was confusing and not executed in the best way.
I also didn't like how inconsistent SOME of the characters were. One day the mom was in love with MC and then the next she was quick to blame her for stupid things or literally gaslight her into oblivion. Scratch out "day," and put "minute."
Also Nick, the love interest. I'm not going to blame Chandler for the insta-love because she's not to blame for the differences in kid me loving the very trope I detest today. However, insta-love aside, what I did hate was the total INFO DUMP in the last chapter. This is similarly done in LOL (Legacy of Lies, not the other lol, lol), however in Don't Tell it was an info-dump between 3-4 characters, so ... very messy and very long. Nick's info dump is one of the longest, but also the one that made the least amount of sense to me. It was so undeserved and after everything, when MC was like "we're all good, let's kiss now!" I wanted to barf a little.
Also MC was occasionally inconsistent. She seemed cool-headed and rational, but then you really start to see her stagnation when it came to Nora and Nora being the problem, Nora this, Nora that. The whole time she would veer towards other possibilities, but it would always go back to Nora-fixation-time and then when the truth came out, she's like putting all these pieces together "oh that made sense," and as a reader, you're just sitting there confused. Like watching someone say 1 + 1 =2 for years and then someone out of the blue says something different and they're like, "I knew it all along."
YOU DIDN'T! You didn't know it all along, LAUREN. Acting like it all made sense in the last chapter's info dump felt lazy to me.
So even though I love Elizabeth Chandler and I will always love Legacy of Lies , I'm disappointed to know now that with a reread and a different perspective, this short book wasn't as entertaining or "thrilling" as it was for me the first time.
(also reading past reviews will ALWAYS be cringe. I said "Nick is so fine," and now I'm thinking.... "for why tho?" Nick literally had no personality other than being one of thousands of white male, blonde-haired, green-eyed love interests in a YA fiction novel. And I'm supposed to believe he's a high school senior, dating and kissing every girl, and he draws comic strips? Okay, lol.)
.........
(first read in 2013)
Don't read this at night.
I'm so serious, like this isn't one of those cases where people are just like "don't read this at night" as in like, this books super haunting- no. Jeez, don't flipping read this book at night because when I say it, I mean it as in "if you read this at night you're toes will go cold as a signal that you have two minutes to write your goodbye note before your bed becomes a black hole that sucks you up and you'll never see day light ever again"
o__o
This book gave me the chills and it traumatized my heart and my brain and my feelings and it just messed me all up because it's so great but it's so scary although Lauren is super flippin cool but erbody in that house that she's got to live in is cray cray but Nick is so fine but I also wanted to throw a brick through his car window (if you read the book, you'll get the comedy in that) and just ... gosh let me breathe for a second. u__u inhale. exhale. inhale. exhale.
This book is just really crazy with so many twists and curves in its plot and so many moments where you have to THINK to remember to breathe and just like I recommend it to everyone who has a sturdy bladder and isn't afraid of black holes.
January 21, 2021
Maljka - per RFS
.
Innocenti bugie è un super cult, nel senso che è stato pubblicato più di dieci anni fa, ma a volte il destino ci mette lo zampino, e accade di trovare reperti storici nascosti in fondo al Kobo.
Questo romanzo autoconclusivo è un soft thriller dalle tinte paranormali che mi è piaciuto tantissimo; breve ma intenso.
È una storia sorprendente, ricca di suspense, colpi di scena e di vecchi intrighi familiari, che ti invogliano ad arrivare sino alla fine, per comprendere la trama stessa e ciò che si cela al suo interno.
Ci troviamo a Wisteria nel Mariland, un piccolo paese in cui, in una notte nebbiosa, è morta misteriosamente annegata nel fiume Soundra, la mamma di Lauren.
Sono trascorsi ormai sette anni da quel terribile incidente, e Lauren decide di tornare dalla zia Julie ma qualcosa è cambiato, qualcuno è cambiato. Parlo di Nora per la precisione, qualcosa si è risvegliato.
Nora è la svitata della famiglia e, insieme a sua sorella e all’adorato Nick, farà passare Lauren per la pazza del villaggio.
Ma un segreto di cela alle sue spalle, una verità che qualcuno non vorrebbe mai far tornare a galla, per evitare spiacevoli conseguenze.
Cosa c’entrano quei nodi che tanto tormentano Lauren e Nora e che sembrano formarsi da soli? Perché la zia non le vuole dar retta sui suoi sospetti? Ma, soprattutto, perché la la sorella di Nora vuole compromettere la magica storia d’amore che sta nascendo tra Lauren e Nick mettendogli tutti contro? E ancora, perché qualcuno la vuole morta a tutti i costi? Più i giorni passano, più la protagonista viene coinvolta in strani incidenti e sembra che presenze indefinibili si aggirino tra le mura.
A volte l’invidia è peggio dell’avidità data dai soldi… soprattutto quando il suo nome è scritto di fianco a quello della sua defunta madre, peccato che Lauren sia ancora viva!
Un libro intenso, ricco di colpi di scena, a tratti angosciante e che ti tiene incollato alle pagine fino ad arrivare a una fine sorprendente!
È un romanzo breve ma che consiglio vivamente, sia per i continui colpi di scena, che per la caratterizzazione dei personaggi e le ambientazioni le quali, seppur semplici, sono in grado di far rivivere appieno al lettore la storia, rendendolo partecipe al 100%.
Un’autrice che non conoscevo ma che mi ha piacevolmente colpito. Ho scoperto che ha scritto altre saghe famose, tra cui Baciata da un angelo che acquisterò sicuramente!
.
Innocenti bugie è un super cult, nel senso che è stato pubblicato più di dieci anni fa, ma a volte il destino ci mette lo zampino, e accade di trovare reperti storici nascosti in fondo al Kobo.
Questo romanzo autoconclusivo è un soft thriller dalle tinte paranormali che mi è piaciuto tantissimo; breve ma intenso.
È una storia sorprendente, ricca di suspense, colpi di scena e di vecchi intrighi familiari, che ti invogliano ad arrivare sino alla fine, per comprendere la trama stessa e ciò che si cela al suo interno.
Ci troviamo a Wisteria nel Mariland, un piccolo paese in cui, in una notte nebbiosa, è morta misteriosamente annegata nel fiume Soundra, la mamma di Lauren.
Sono trascorsi ormai sette anni da quel terribile incidente, e Lauren decide di tornare dalla zia Julie ma qualcosa è cambiato, qualcuno è cambiato. Parlo di Nora per la precisione, qualcosa si è risvegliato.
Nora è la svitata della famiglia e, insieme a sua sorella e all’adorato Nick, farà passare Lauren per la pazza del villaggio.
Ma un segreto di cela alle sue spalle, una verità che qualcuno non vorrebbe mai far tornare a galla, per evitare spiacevoli conseguenze.
Cosa c’entrano quei nodi che tanto tormentano Lauren e Nora e che sembrano formarsi da soli? Perché la zia non le vuole dar retta sui suoi sospetti? Ma, soprattutto, perché la la sorella di Nora vuole compromettere la magica storia d’amore che sta nascendo tra Lauren e Nick mettendogli tutti contro? E ancora, perché qualcuno la vuole morta a tutti i costi? Più i giorni passano, più la protagonista viene coinvolta in strani incidenti e sembra che presenze indefinibili si aggirino tra le mura.
A volte l’invidia è peggio dell’avidità data dai soldi… soprattutto quando il suo nome è scritto di fianco a quello della sua defunta madre, peccato che Lauren sia ancora viva!
Un libro intenso, ricco di colpi di scena, a tratti angosciante e che ti tiene incollato alle pagine fino ad arrivare a una fine sorprendente!
È un romanzo breve ma che consiglio vivamente, sia per i continui colpi di scena, che per la caratterizzazione dei personaggi e le ambientazioni le quali, seppur semplici, sono in grado di far rivivere appieno al lettore la storia, rendendolo partecipe al 100%.
Un’autrice che non conoscevo ma che mi ha piacevolmente colpito. Ho scoperto che ha scritto altre saghe famose, tra cui Baciata da un angelo che acquisterò sicuramente!
October 4, 2018
Mystery: Lauren is not convinced her mother's death was an accident, which kept her away from her godmother's house for seven years. When she finally returns, she finds a lukewarm welcome and a recurrence of the troubling events leading up to her mother's death. I made the questionable decision to read this book at night, and during several scenes, I got so spooked, I swore I felt something on the back of my neck. The eerie mood evoked in Chandler's writing, coupled with Lauren's terror as she finds objects knotted in locked room, creeped me to no end. Events get more and more unexplainable, terrifying, and dramatic as the pages turn, until the conclusion wraps.
Characters: Lauren is a bit spoiled, though she is conscious of it. At times in the book she resorts quickly to money to solve problems, which removes her ability to actually reflect on how the issue can be 1) an actual problem for someone who isn't affluent and 2) resolved using her own problem-solving skills. Holly and Nick were fun characters to read, and Aunt Jules brought such complexity to the plot. I have issues with how Nora was portrayed, because she was shown as having a mental illness that is grossly untreated. But I can't quite put my finger on how she could have better been depicted. I'm too unsure about that aspect of her character as a whole to comment. I would just say to take Nora's characterization with a grain of salt.
Romance: I liked Nick but I think I liked his dog better.
VERDICT: If you're looking for some chills, pick up this book, turn off the lights in the house, and settle in for ~spooky times~.
Join me on my book journey!
Characters: Lauren is a bit spoiled, though she is conscious of it. At times in the book she resorts quickly to money to solve problems, which removes her ability to actually reflect on how the issue can be 1) an actual problem for someone who isn't affluent and 2) resolved using her own problem-solving skills. Holly and Nick were fun characters to read, and Aunt Jules brought such complexity to the plot. I have issues with how Nora was portrayed, because she was shown as having a mental illness that is grossly untreated. But I can't quite put my finger on how she could have better been depicted. I'm too unsure about that aspect of her character as a whole to comment. I would just say to take Nora's characterization with a grain of salt.
Romance: I liked Nick but I think I liked his dog better.
VERDICT: If you're looking for some chills, pick up this book, turn off the lights in the house, and settle in for ~spooky times~.
Join me on my book journey!
March 22, 2015
Si legge tutto d'un fiato, e questa è una cosa positiva, anche perché in certi capitoli non riuscivo a smettere di leggere e dovevo assolutamente sapere come sarebbe andata avanti la trama. La protagonista ( Lauren ) non è nè fastidiosa, nè esagerata anche se in alcuni punti è un pò troppo ingenua e buona ( io non avrei mai fatto così da "serva" ad Holly, nè sarei cascata così tra le braccia di Nick dopo che le aveva detto 10.000 volte che andava con tutte le donne che trovava ) ma tutto sommato non dà fastidio. Non mi è piaciuta per niente la storia d'amore. Frettolosa, scontata e "forzata". Lui è un donnaiolo, precisa fin dall'inizio che praticamente per lui una donna vale zero ma si innamora di lei immediatamente, e ovviamente finiscono insieme ( banalità ). La storia non è stupenda, sarà che ho letto troppo libri thriller/gialli,ma io ho capito benissimo fin dall'inizio chi era il "colpevole", anche se devo ammettere che non ho mai sospettato di un coinvolgimento di Frank. Se avessi dovuto tirar fuori un complice avrei detto Nick, soprattutto dopo l'incidente della serra, e tutto il retroscena con Nick è stato probabilmente l'unico che mi ha stupida alla fine ( oltre al fatto che lei era figlia di Jule, in effetti ). Il libro comunque è carino, e mi piace lo stile di scrittura di Elizabeth Chandler perché non si perde in cose inutili e tutto quello che viene raccontato serve per svelare il colpevole.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2019
Ero venuta a Wisteria per raccogliere i miei ricordi e metterli definitivamente da parte, come se fossero una scatola di vecchie foto. Ma loro continuavano a sfuggirmi e i miei dubbi non facevano che moltiplicarsi.
Libro semplice e senza troppe pretese, che si legge davvero in un paio di ore ma che è comunque piacevole. La storia non è complessa, poteva secondo me essere risolta in maniera "migliore" se la scrittrice avesse evitato di ricorrere al soprannaturale cosa che avrebbe reso la storia molto più credibile. Era anche possibile giustificare quasi tutto senza bisogno di ricorrere al misticismo, fossi stata lei io lo avrei fatto ma alla fin fine è una parte talmente marginale che glielo si può perdonare.
Un punto negativo è che secondo me è troppo facile capire chi è il colpevole, fin dall'inizio del libro.
Per le prime pagine avevo quasi sospettato della zia, ma non avevo letto neanche venti pagine che ero già certa fosse stata Holly ad organizzare tutto. Certo, era difficile intuire tutti i retroscena di Nick e che Frank fosse coinvolto nella faccenda ma il resto era palese.
Non mi ha convinto neanche la storia d'amore, frettolosa (forse perché il libro è tanto corto) con lei che si innamora di colpo dell'amico di infanzia che non vede da dieci anni, sentendosi attratta da lui solo perché è bello e lui che passa da donnaiolo incallito ad innamorato pronto a tutto per salvare la sua bella.
Comunque un libro carino, giusto per passare un pò di tempo.
Libro semplice e senza troppe pretese, che si legge davvero in un paio di ore ma che è comunque piacevole. La storia non è complessa, poteva secondo me essere risolta in maniera "migliore" se la scrittrice avesse evitato di ricorrere al soprannaturale cosa che avrebbe reso la storia molto più credibile. Era anche possibile giustificare quasi tutto senza bisogno di ricorrere al misticismo, fossi stata lei io lo avrei fatto ma alla fin fine è una parte talmente marginale che glielo si può perdonare.
Un punto negativo è che secondo me è troppo facile capire chi è il colpevole, fin dall'inizio del libro.
Per le prime pagine avevo quasi sospettato della zia, ma non avevo letto neanche venti pagine che ero già certa fosse stata Holly ad organizzare tutto. Certo, era difficile intuire tutti i retroscena di Nick e che Frank fosse coinvolto nella faccenda ma il resto era palese.
Non mi ha convinto neanche la storia d'amore, frettolosa (forse perché il libro è tanto corto) con lei che si innamora di colpo dell'amico di infanzia che non vede da dieci anni, sentendosi attratta da lui solo perché è bello e lui che passa da donnaiolo incallito ad innamorato pronto a tutto per salvare la sua bella.
Comunque un libro carino, giusto per passare un pò di tempo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2014
3.5 stars (Goodreads really needs to start letting us use half-stars).
I liked this one slightly more than Legacy of Lies because there was more of a reason why the main character was around for all the crazy-sh$t that was happening to her. As I've said before, I hate when characters needlessly stick around through hauntings, threats, abuse, etc. I feel like yelling at the book, "JUST LEAVE!" But in this story, there was a decent reason for the MC, Lauren, to be there and by the time it got to the point where she should drop everything and run, it was too late. With that said, the mystery aspect was great. I couldn't figure out what the heck was happening or who was responsible. I think I suspected every character at least once by the time it was revealed. So good job of keeping me on my toes.
What I didn't like as much was how once the antagonist was revealed, it seemed cartoonish. This person immediately upon being caught, blurted out the whole story, and cackled wickedly. How convenient. I like that questions were answered, but it was just delivered a little too easily. Also, after the reveal, everything was wrapped up too neatly as well. It seems there should have been more trauma or FEELINGS of some sort. Confusion? Disbelief? Anger? All of the above? It was almost an instant HEA when I felt like there should have been more...something, I dunno. But overall, it was a good mystery that kept me guessing until the very end.
I liked this one slightly more than Legacy of Lies because there was more of a reason why the main character was around for all the crazy-sh$t that was happening to her. As I've said before, I hate when characters needlessly stick around through hauntings, threats, abuse, etc. I feel like yelling at the book, "JUST LEAVE!" But in this story, there was a decent reason for the MC, Lauren, to be there and by the time it got to the point where she should drop everything and run, it was too late. With that said, the mystery aspect was great. I couldn't figure out what the heck was happening or who was responsible. I think I suspected every character at least once by the time it was revealed. So good job of keeping me on my toes.
What I didn't like as much was how once the antagonist was revealed, it seemed cartoonish. This person immediately upon being caught, blurted out the whole story, and cackled wickedly. How convenient. I like that questions were answered, but it was just delivered a little too easily. Also, after the reveal, everything was wrapped up too neatly as well. It seems there should have been more trauma or FEELINGS of some sort. Confusion? Disbelief? Anger? All of the above? It was almost an instant HEA when I felt like there should have been more...something, I dunno. But overall, it was a good mystery that kept me guessing until the very end.
October 9, 2012
This book was fun and energetic!!! I loved it!!!!!
January 28, 2025
I feel as if this was the most interesting of these novellas. I was actually surprised on who did it. However, I just don’t like this series.
I highly recommend her Kissed by An Angel series though!!
I highly recommend her Kissed by An Angel series though!!
August 26, 2022
Complètement différente du tome 1, mais tout aussi bien. Les personnages sont différents, l'histoire aussi, la seule chose en commun est le lieux ou l'histoire se produit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2024
Legacy of Lies was a good way to start this Dark Secrets series but this second entry goes way beyond just being a paranormal romance.
Knowing me I have no problem with that and even though there is some romance in Don't Tell, the story is far more intriguing in well...dealing with trauma and family dynamics.
Again it is set in the town of Wisteria, Maryland so the series must get its Dark Secrets name from all of the mysteries in the town.
The lead character in this book is Lauren Brandt.
Seven years ago, when she was ten years old, everything changed in Lauren's life. Before then, she was use to coming to Wisteria to visit with her godmother, a woman she called Aunt Jules, but she was her mother's best friend.
Aunt Jules had two kids, twelve year old Nora and eleven year old Holly, so Lauren was use to playing with them and their friend Nick who lived next door with his uncle. This particular year, Lauren's mother Sondra decided she was going to come with her daughter.
Being the wife and daughter of an important senator, they were use to the press following the around to get pictures at the drop of any sort of scandal...personal or political. Yet Lauren watched her mother becoming paranoid and it seemed to only get worse when they left Washington D.C. to come to Wisteria.
Her mother would claim that things in her room were moving by themselves and knots would be tied in all of her scarves and jewelry. Lauren could hear her mother and Aunt Jules arguing at night sometimes and it would be louder if her mother decided to calm her nerves with a glass of wine.
It was also tense around the Ingram home because Nora was deathly afraid of the water. Twelve years old living in a town near the Chesapeake Bay and afraid to go anywhere near the water...poor thing scared enough to sleep with a stuffed bunny.
That night, Lauren didn't hear arguing but the clanging of a bell. The bell at the end of the dock that was only to be rung if there was trouble in the water...
Lauren hurried thinking that Nora may have slipped while going to look for her lost bunny but she was fine. The bell was sounded because the body of Lauren's mother had been floating in the water at the end of the dock.
She was dead.
The investigation wasn't long as it was determined that Sondra drowned by accident, slipping and hitting her head on the dock. Any other reasoning wasn't considered as Jules wanted them to keep in mind that a ten year old child was traumatized in losing her mother...watching her lifeless body being pulled from the water.
The memory of that night has haunted Lauren but after seven years away, Aunt Jules wants Lauren to come and visit her in Wisteria.
Lauren comes back during the last part of the spring before the summer when seniors will be graduating from the local high school. She arrives in town as Wisteria is celebrating its Colonial Days festival and a boy about her age finds her looking around like she is lost.
He flirts with Lauren and having been at an all girls school for most of her education, Lauren seems to make him laugh at her inexperience. She comes across him again at a dunking booth and proceeds to dunk him not once but twice for a dollar, the crowd cheering her on until Lauren sees someone with a press badge.
He catches up with her and flirts even though he is dripping wet and wearing one of those Colonial tri-corner hats but clearly impressed by her arm. Lauren can't help but ask him if he knows Holly and Nora Ingram as he replies by taking off the hat and turning around.
When he turns back to Lauren, his eyes are crossed and his fingers pulling back the sides of his mouth. It is Nick Hurley from next door and no longer a round faced little boy with his feet caked in mud from the creek.
Making it to Aunt Jules' home, Lauren is happy to be back...for the moment. Holly is about ready to graduate from high school and she is a tall and beautiful young woman but it is Nora who is the biggest shock to Lauren.
It is not in a good way.
Even though she is older than Holly, Nora wear her long black hair pulled back by a plastic headband. It is oily and looks as if it is days in between washings and her face seems to be in a permanent frown. She ignores Lauren's greetings and fiddles with the flowers in a vase, roses where she continually pricks her fingers on the thorns.
"I wish you hadn't come...don't go near the water."
Those are the words out of Nora's mouth to Lauren before she turns away and the three of them hear the sound of a lamp falling and breaking. They find it in pieces with Nora claiming she didn't do it but Jules acts like everything is fine and Holly acts more like the mother, chastising her sister.
Lauren notices that the lamp's cord was ripped out of the wall...and tied in a knot. Things moving by themselves and objects twisted up in similar knots happened days before...Lauren's mother drowned.
When Lauren is alone with Holly unpacking, she learns that Holly is mostly in charge of the household in paying all of the bills but her mother has so much debt. Nick's Uncle Frank keeps trying to but the property from Jules but she refuses his every offer for money.
Lauren knows she can help out with the money her father gives her and pretty soon, she'll be eighteen. Her mother's will states she will get every bit of money from her mother's wealthy background on that day so Lauren tells Holly.
At first she seems hesitant but then Holly gives in and Lauren can't help but turn to the bigger question...what is wrong with Nora?
Nora is now completely afraid of the water and lives like a recluse in this house. She dropped out of high school around the time she was sixteen...paranoid and almost suicidal. Holly keeps saying her sister needs psychiatric help but her mother wouldn't hear of it and now they can't afford to get her any kind of help.
Nora only trusts Holly, her mother and Nick Hurley.
Holly mentions that she and Nick are now dating, almost gloating about it, but her smile fades when Lauren mentions she saw Nick at the dunking booth. It returns when she says he will be over later that night and Lauren feels the way it use to between her and Holly as kids.
Jules would make such a fuss over Lauren and her own mother was a little snobby to both Nora and Holly that she would claim Lauren was spoiled and refuse to talk to her as if Lauren were invading her life...her territory.
That seems to apply to Nick these days. Aunt Jules is also not very happy that Lauren stayed away for so long and thinks that she should move on from Sondra's death with a dig that she wasn't exactly Mother of The Year.
All of this tension makes Lauren go for a walk to finally see the dock where her mother drowned but she doesn't stay long...still not ready because Lauren can't forget seeing the blood on the planks.
Lauren ends up finding Nora tending the flowers and plants in the greenhouse. She tries to be friendly and have conversation with Nora but the other girl is clearly terrified and withdrawn as she avoids most of Lauren's friendliness. Nora talks about how she cares for the plants and just casually states that the ghost of Lauren's mother haunts the boathouse...
It sends chills down Lauren's spine but she tries to ignore Nora's crazy statements and offers to get some wire from the boathouse. Since Nora is afraid of water, she only goes a short distance to follow Lauren but then ends up locking her in the boathouse and running off!
Lauren screams for help and almost uses an ax to chop down the door but she is freed by Nick and his uncle. Frank Hurley goes when his phone rings, he is a lawyer and a realtor who is always busy, and gives Nick a chance to flirt with Lauren some more. Thinking of Holly, Lauren soon turns her attention to focusing on Nick's dog.
His name is Rocky and he is a water retriever with a curly, dark brown coat and big amber eyes so who could blame her. Nick is jealous of Lauren giving his dog so much attention but he does it in such a joking way it is hard to tell if he is serious or not...that's actually kind of cute in a way.
Since the dog is not allowed in the house because Holly thinks he stinks (which he does...all dogs do but especially water dogs!) Nick reluctantly lets Lauren take Rocky on another walk with her while he goes in to do some yearbook stuff with Holly.
Lauren soon finds that being back in Wisteria is a little bittersweet as it holds not only happy memories but very horrifying and painful ones as well. There is also the fact that Nora clearly needs help and she is finding herself falling for an old childhood friend even though Holly clearly wants Nick.
Soon that bitterness...overtakes the sweetness as Lauren starts having nightmares about her mother calling out her name. The objects that can be knotted up in Lauren's room are twisted at every turn no matter how long she sits to undo them and things both appear and then go missing...
Then there are notes and a broken windshield...being locked in the greenhouse with deadly carbon monoxide...someone is trying to make sure that Lauren never leaves Wisteria...alive.
There are natural and unnatural reasons for the things that are happening and plenty of people who could be responsible in making Lauren go crazy just the same way as her mother or even Nora.
There are many reveals and twists to provide a good mystery once we get toward the climax but the ending afterward just kind of goes back around to closing out the romantic subplot of Lauren and Nick.
In that part of story, it is nothing really different from any other teen romance but since Lauren and Nick have a history...it does make it interesting instead of just instant attraction. Lauren is also a capable young woman who can take care of herself without needing to rely on a guy as some scenes in the book will show but still vulnerable enough to be hurt by one.
Still at times...the only characters I end up liking are Lauren, Nora and Rocky. Two traumatized teenagers and a dog!
I do however appreciate the lighter ending after such a suspenseful story so if you get a chance to find Don't Tell...it will be worth reading.
Knowing me I have no problem with that and even though there is some romance in Don't Tell, the story is far more intriguing in well...dealing with trauma and family dynamics.
Again it is set in the town of Wisteria, Maryland so the series must get its Dark Secrets name from all of the mysteries in the town.
The lead character in this book is Lauren Brandt.
Seven years ago, when she was ten years old, everything changed in Lauren's life. Before then, she was use to coming to Wisteria to visit with her godmother, a woman she called Aunt Jules, but she was her mother's best friend.
Aunt Jules had two kids, twelve year old Nora and eleven year old Holly, so Lauren was use to playing with them and their friend Nick who lived next door with his uncle. This particular year, Lauren's mother Sondra decided she was going to come with her daughter.
Being the wife and daughter of an important senator, they were use to the press following the around to get pictures at the drop of any sort of scandal...personal or political. Yet Lauren watched her mother becoming paranoid and it seemed to only get worse when they left Washington D.C. to come to Wisteria.
Her mother would claim that things in her room were moving by themselves and knots would be tied in all of her scarves and jewelry. Lauren could hear her mother and Aunt Jules arguing at night sometimes and it would be louder if her mother decided to calm her nerves with a glass of wine.
It was also tense around the Ingram home because Nora was deathly afraid of the water. Twelve years old living in a town near the Chesapeake Bay and afraid to go anywhere near the water...poor thing scared enough to sleep with a stuffed bunny.
That night, Lauren didn't hear arguing but the clanging of a bell. The bell at the end of the dock that was only to be rung if there was trouble in the water...
Lauren hurried thinking that Nora may have slipped while going to look for her lost bunny but she was fine. The bell was sounded because the body of Lauren's mother had been floating in the water at the end of the dock.
She was dead.
The investigation wasn't long as it was determined that Sondra drowned by accident, slipping and hitting her head on the dock. Any other reasoning wasn't considered as Jules wanted them to keep in mind that a ten year old child was traumatized in losing her mother...watching her lifeless body being pulled from the water.
The memory of that night has haunted Lauren but after seven years away, Aunt Jules wants Lauren to come and visit her in Wisteria.
Lauren comes back during the last part of the spring before the summer when seniors will be graduating from the local high school. She arrives in town as Wisteria is celebrating its Colonial Days festival and a boy about her age finds her looking around like she is lost.
He flirts with Lauren and having been at an all girls school for most of her education, Lauren seems to make him laugh at her inexperience. She comes across him again at a dunking booth and proceeds to dunk him not once but twice for a dollar, the crowd cheering her on until Lauren sees someone with a press badge.
He catches up with her and flirts even though he is dripping wet and wearing one of those Colonial tri-corner hats but clearly impressed by her arm. Lauren can't help but ask him if he knows Holly and Nora Ingram as he replies by taking off the hat and turning around.
When he turns back to Lauren, his eyes are crossed and his fingers pulling back the sides of his mouth. It is Nick Hurley from next door and no longer a round faced little boy with his feet caked in mud from the creek.
Making it to Aunt Jules' home, Lauren is happy to be back...for the moment. Holly is about ready to graduate from high school and she is a tall and beautiful young woman but it is Nora who is the biggest shock to Lauren.
It is not in a good way.
Even though she is older than Holly, Nora wear her long black hair pulled back by a plastic headband. It is oily and looks as if it is days in between washings and her face seems to be in a permanent frown. She ignores Lauren's greetings and fiddles with the flowers in a vase, roses where she continually pricks her fingers on the thorns.
"I wish you hadn't come...don't go near the water."
Those are the words out of Nora's mouth to Lauren before she turns away and the three of them hear the sound of a lamp falling and breaking. They find it in pieces with Nora claiming she didn't do it but Jules acts like everything is fine and Holly acts more like the mother, chastising her sister.
Lauren notices that the lamp's cord was ripped out of the wall...and tied in a knot. Things moving by themselves and objects twisted up in similar knots happened days before...Lauren's mother drowned.
When Lauren is alone with Holly unpacking, she learns that Holly is mostly in charge of the household in paying all of the bills but her mother has so much debt. Nick's Uncle Frank keeps trying to but the property from Jules but she refuses his every offer for money.
Lauren knows she can help out with the money her father gives her and pretty soon, she'll be eighteen. Her mother's will states she will get every bit of money from her mother's wealthy background on that day so Lauren tells Holly.
At first she seems hesitant but then Holly gives in and Lauren can't help but turn to the bigger question...what is wrong with Nora?
Nora is now completely afraid of the water and lives like a recluse in this house. She dropped out of high school around the time she was sixteen...paranoid and almost suicidal. Holly keeps saying her sister needs psychiatric help but her mother wouldn't hear of it and now they can't afford to get her any kind of help.
Nora only trusts Holly, her mother and Nick Hurley.
Holly mentions that she and Nick are now dating, almost gloating about it, but her smile fades when Lauren mentions she saw Nick at the dunking booth. It returns when she says he will be over later that night and Lauren feels the way it use to between her and Holly as kids.
Jules would make such a fuss over Lauren and her own mother was a little snobby to both Nora and Holly that she would claim Lauren was spoiled and refuse to talk to her as if Lauren were invading her life...her territory.
That seems to apply to Nick these days. Aunt Jules is also not very happy that Lauren stayed away for so long and thinks that she should move on from Sondra's death with a dig that she wasn't exactly Mother of The Year.
All of this tension makes Lauren go for a walk to finally see the dock where her mother drowned but she doesn't stay long...still not ready because Lauren can't forget seeing the blood on the planks.
Lauren ends up finding Nora tending the flowers and plants in the greenhouse. She tries to be friendly and have conversation with Nora but the other girl is clearly terrified and withdrawn as she avoids most of Lauren's friendliness. Nora talks about how she cares for the plants and just casually states that the ghost of Lauren's mother haunts the boathouse...
It sends chills down Lauren's spine but she tries to ignore Nora's crazy statements and offers to get some wire from the boathouse. Since Nora is afraid of water, she only goes a short distance to follow Lauren but then ends up locking her in the boathouse and running off!
Lauren screams for help and almost uses an ax to chop down the door but she is freed by Nick and his uncle. Frank Hurley goes when his phone rings, he is a lawyer and a realtor who is always busy, and gives Nick a chance to flirt with Lauren some more. Thinking of Holly, Lauren soon turns her attention to focusing on Nick's dog.
His name is Rocky and he is a water retriever with a curly, dark brown coat and big amber eyes so who could blame her. Nick is jealous of Lauren giving his dog so much attention but he does it in such a joking way it is hard to tell if he is serious or not...that's actually kind of cute in a way.
Since the dog is not allowed in the house because Holly thinks he stinks (which he does...all dogs do but especially water dogs!) Nick reluctantly lets Lauren take Rocky on another walk with her while he goes in to do some yearbook stuff with Holly.
Lauren soon finds that being back in Wisteria is a little bittersweet as it holds not only happy memories but very horrifying and painful ones as well. There is also the fact that Nora clearly needs help and she is finding herself falling for an old childhood friend even though Holly clearly wants Nick.
Soon that bitterness...overtakes the sweetness as Lauren starts having nightmares about her mother calling out her name. The objects that can be knotted up in Lauren's room are twisted at every turn no matter how long she sits to undo them and things both appear and then go missing...
Then there are notes and a broken windshield...being locked in the greenhouse with deadly carbon monoxide...someone is trying to make sure that Lauren never leaves Wisteria...alive.
There are natural and unnatural reasons for the things that are happening and plenty of people who could be responsible in making Lauren go crazy just the same way as her mother or even Nora.
There are many reveals and twists to provide a good mystery once we get toward the climax but the ending afterward just kind of goes back around to closing out the romantic subplot of Lauren and Nick.
In that part of story, it is nothing really different from any other teen romance but since Lauren and Nick have a history...it does make it interesting instead of just instant attraction. Lauren is also a capable young woman who can take care of herself without needing to rely on a guy as some scenes in the book will show but still vulnerable enough to be hurt by one.
Still at times...the only characters I end up liking are Lauren, Nora and Rocky. Two traumatized teenagers and a dog!
I do however appreciate the lighter ending after such a suspenseful story so if you get a chance to find Don't Tell...it will be worth reading.
May 4, 2024
I had this book for years and I hate myself for not reading it sooner.
September 11, 2012
I enjoyed the story but felt like some questions I had weren't answered that should have been...especially, concerning the knots. Perhaps we were to come to our own conclusions but the ending felt rushed to me.
August 25, 2017
Aún no me creo el romance en esta saga pero el misterio es bueno
August 6, 2017
I love a trashy teen horror, but why do the teenage girls in them always have to hate each other and fight over boys? No wonder I couldn't connect with these characters as a teenager.
January 11, 2021
This is more of a 4.5 stars... but GoodReads doesn’t let you out half stars :(
Wow, this novel is basically :
- a cup of splendid mystery
-a cup of thrilling horror and fear
-a cup spine-chilling events
-a cup of well-developed characters
-with a pinch of the supernatural (creeeepppyy)
-with a pinch of motives and enemies and death
-and add a sprinkle of spicy romance to mix it all together.
To put it simply, I tremendously enjoyed this novel! Idk if it’s listed as a horror novel, but it’s really good at it! Horror plays on one’s psychological fears and THIS DOES EXACTLY THAT.
I was absolutely CAPTIVATED by this novel. I stayed up lattteeee for this novel and grabbed it as soon as I got out of bed the morning after. The plot was action-packed, always moving, suspenseful, and... chilling.
The characters were AMAZING and well-developed. Lauren, our MC, is strong, rational, and smart. For such a bright individual to be in the horrifying situation that she found herself in and to be handling it the way that she did gave me chills. She is NOT the dull and insensible character is horror films who do exactly what every fiber in their body is telling them NOT to do. Lauren’s character is what makes this so stunning and daunting. It plays on the idea that even rational and intelligent individuals can end up in the same trapped position that she was in. All the other characters are well-developed as well. There are layers to them - the good layers and the flawed and dark layers.
There were plot twists at nearly EVERY corner that Lauren and the readers turned throughout this novel. So many things happen that put you on edge. It is important to note that all the events in this novel unravel quickly and keeps readers reading. Something is always unexpected - so hold onto your seat and find somewhere comfortable. You’re going to be there for a while.
Everyone is turned into a suspect by both Lauren and the reader as the paranoia for the chilling events start to embed itself into us. Even the beloved love interest becomes a main suspect. Despite not wanting to suspect him for the horrors occurring, his actions make him a clear center link. Things are ALWAYS HAPPENING!
And the ENDING! Oh my goodness - that ENDING. It took me COMPLETELY off-guard! What a ride!
Definitely glad I picked this up and started reading.
It was quite an adventure.
Spicy Romances are always a plus ;)
The only thing that really keeps me from giving it a 5-stars is that it is at sometimes overly and unnecessarily descriptive and there are questions that were kind of only half-answered. It made the ending feel a bit loose in a way.
Otherwise, it’s a great novel. Worth checking out!
Wow, this novel is basically :
- a cup of splendid mystery
-a cup of thrilling horror and fear
-a cup spine-chilling events
-a cup of well-developed characters
-with a pinch of the supernatural (creeeepppyy)
-with a pinch of motives and enemies and death
-and add a sprinkle of spicy romance to mix it all together.
To put it simply, I tremendously enjoyed this novel! Idk if it’s listed as a horror novel, but it’s really good at it! Horror plays on one’s psychological fears and THIS DOES EXACTLY THAT.
I was absolutely CAPTIVATED by this novel. I stayed up lattteeee for this novel and grabbed it as soon as I got out of bed the morning after. The plot was action-packed, always moving, suspenseful, and... chilling.
The characters were AMAZING and well-developed. Lauren, our MC, is strong, rational, and smart. For such a bright individual to be in the horrifying situation that she found herself in and to be handling it the way that she did gave me chills. She is NOT the dull and insensible character is horror films who do exactly what every fiber in their body is telling them NOT to do. Lauren’s character is what makes this so stunning and daunting. It plays on the idea that even rational and intelligent individuals can end up in the same trapped position that she was in. All the other characters are well-developed as well. There are layers to them - the good layers and the flawed and dark layers.
There were plot twists at nearly EVERY corner that Lauren and the readers turned throughout this novel. So many things happen that put you on edge. It is important to note that all the events in this novel unravel quickly and keeps readers reading. Something is always unexpected - so hold onto your seat and find somewhere comfortable. You’re going to be there for a while.
Everyone is turned into a suspect by both Lauren and the reader as the paranoia for the chilling events start to embed itself into us. Even the beloved love interest becomes a main suspect. Despite not wanting to suspect him for the horrors occurring, his actions make him a clear center link. Things are ALWAYS HAPPENING!
And the ENDING! Oh my goodness - that ENDING. It took me COMPLETELY off-guard! What a ride!
Definitely glad I picked this up and started reading.
It was quite an adventure.
Spicy Romances are always a plus ;)
The only thing that really keeps me from giving it a 5-stars is that it is at sometimes overly and unnecessarily descriptive and there are questions that were kind of only half-answered. It made the ending feel a bit loose in a way.
Otherwise, it’s a great novel. Worth checking out!
Read
September 16, 2022**SPOILERS**
Don't Tell had the same simple but interesting tone as the first book however there was a slight letdown in this one. Lauren, the main character, i like her and she's sweet but there were times that i needed her to step back and really look at things. Holly was doing malicious stuff right in front of her and she was still hoping Holly would be on her side and be her friend like stop worrying about her, she reeks of fake.
Some parts were written strange as well, characters would have very soft reactions to things happening like when they seen Nora twist up Holly's hair with her mind, when Lauren got in the car accident, or and this is the part i really didn't like, when Jule revealed she was Lauren's real mother. I mean the reaction was quick and it went straight to okay, now we have to talk about her feelings for Nick. No, fuck Nick. I haven't even processed this, let alone the characters. It was swept over so fast and the reasoning was strange. Jule said Sondra had just lost her baby and she couldn't afford another baby so she gave Lauren to her but Sondra was sending her money. They stressed the whole book how wealthy Lauren and her mom and dad were, why couldn't Sondra just give her a little extra money for Lauren and then could have visited any time she wanted to see all three girls as an aunt to make up for any sadness over the loss of her child and tried for another baby later if she wanted to. It went over my head, it was a cool twist but things didn't add up fully.
Also, I wanted Lauren to be angry, i know she's a sweet forgiving person but don't say bringing up the fact that Holly admitted she killed your mother will stir up more drama, SAY SOMETHING get justice. This little bitch killed a person because she wasn't getting attention, it doesn't matter if she was a minor at the time and may not get official jail time, bring it up anyway, call her out. On top of the fact that Holly told a bunch of boys to circle and bully her and push her head under the water....expose her, punch her in the face, i don't know, get some type of revenge.
I wasn't really here for Nick, either. Him and Lauren had nice banter and a cute moment after the prom but since he spent most of the book going against her and side eyeing her because of his little weird plan, there was a lack of chemistry to go straight to I'm falling in love with you , maybe something a little lighter is more believable. On top of the fact that he's a huge player that brags about it but i'm not gonna fault him too much as long as he's nice to Lauren.
I still thought it was a nice read and nice story.
Don't Tell had the same simple but interesting tone as the first book however there was a slight letdown in this one. Lauren, the main character, i like her and she's sweet but there were times that i needed her to step back and really look at things. Holly was doing malicious stuff right in front of her and she was still hoping Holly would be on her side and be her friend like stop worrying about her, she reeks of fake.
Some parts were written strange as well, characters would have very soft reactions to things happening like when they seen Nora twist up Holly's hair with her mind, when Lauren got in the car accident, or and this is the part i really didn't like, when Jule revealed she was Lauren's real mother. I mean the reaction was quick and it went straight to okay, now we have to talk about her feelings for Nick. No, fuck Nick. I haven't even processed this, let alone the characters. It was swept over so fast and the reasoning was strange. Jule said Sondra had just lost her baby and she couldn't afford another baby so she gave Lauren to her but Sondra was sending her money. They stressed the whole book how wealthy Lauren and her mom and dad were, why couldn't Sondra just give her a little extra money for Lauren and then could have visited any time she wanted to see all three girls as an aunt to make up for any sadness over the loss of her child and tried for another baby later if she wanted to. It went over my head, it was a cool twist but things didn't add up fully.
Also, I wanted Lauren to be angry, i know she's a sweet forgiving person but don't say bringing up the fact that Holly admitted she killed your mother will stir up more drama, SAY SOMETHING get justice. This little bitch killed a person because she wasn't getting attention, it doesn't matter if she was a minor at the time and may not get official jail time, bring it up anyway, call her out. On top of the fact that Holly told a bunch of boys to circle and bully her and push her head under the water....expose her, punch her in the face, i don't know, get some type of revenge.
I wasn't really here for Nick, either. Him and Lauren had nice banter and a cute moment after the prom but since he spent most of the book going against her and side eyeing her because of his little weird plan, there was a lack of chemistry to go straight to I'm falling in love with you , maybe something a little lighter is more believable. On top of the fact that he's a huge player that brags about it but i'm not gonna fault him too much as long as he's nice to Lauren.
I still thought it was a nice read and nice story.
January 18, 2022
This was a nostalgia read for me. I have vivid memories of being terrified of this book when I found it in my elementary library. Also, who put it in an elementary library?? Even a decade and some later this was lowkey scary.
I remembered a few of the twists--namely Holly being the culprit--but Frank being a part of the plot took me by surprise. And I remember the boat house. That truly freaked me out as a kid and continues to as an adult. But even when I sort of remembered the baddie, I was never sure that I was right. Thats got to be a testament to Chandler's plot work. I suspected every one of the characters at different points, Lauren included.
I do love that Nora just has psychic powers and everyone is lowkey chill with it? Like sure creepy things happen and she has a voice in her head that does things around her, but it felt a little glossed over.
My biggest complaint with the book was the end. Not the Holly being the baddie end, but the actually ending of the book (the last chapter or so?) when all of the explanation comes out in dialogue. It felt clunky and too easy of a wrap up. Also the thrown in romance. I am a sucker for a good cheesy romance subplot, but I genuinely don't think it added to the plot and to choose to end on the relationship (Lauren and Nick's) instead of an actually interesting dynamic (like Nora and Lauren's new bond or Lauren and Aunt Jule's surprise relation)
I remembered a few of the twists--namely Holly being the culprit--but Frank being a part of the plot took me by surprise. And I remember the boat house. That truly freaked me out as a kid and continues to as an adult. But even when I sort of remembered the baddie, I was never sure that I was right. Thats got to be a testament to Chandler's plot work. I suspected every one of the characters at different points, Lauren included.
I do love that Nora just has psychic powers and everyone is lowkey chill with it? Like sure creepy things happen and she has a voice in her head that does things around her, but it felt a little glossed over.
My biggest complaint with the book was the end. Not the Holly being the baddie end, but the actually ending of the book (the last chapter or so?) when all of the explanation comes out in dialogue. It felt clunky and too easy of a wrap up. Also the thrown in romance. I am a sucker for a good cheesy romance subplot, but I genuinely don't think it added to the plot and to choose to end on the relationship (Lauren and Nick's) instead of an actually interesting dynamic (like Nora and Lauren's new bond or Lauren and Aunt Jule's surprise relation)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2021
Lauren decides that it is time to go back to Wisteria. It is the place where her mother tragically died & where her Aunt Jule & cousins live. She hasn’t seen them since her mother’s death & she thought it would be good to go back & repair their relationships.
Aunt Jule & cousin Holly welcome Lauren back with open arms but she gets a frosty reception from her other cousin Nora. Lauren sees a big change in Nora’s personality & feels really uneasy around her. To add to that, Lauren also finds herself in some very dangerous situations & feels like someone is out for her. But the question is who? And why?
I was thrilled to find myself back in Wisteria. I really wasn’t expecting that! While I did enjoy reading Lauren’s story, I did find myself with a lot of questions at the end. It didn’t feel 100% wrapped up to me. But I’m still looking forward to reading book #3 in this series….
Aunt Jule & cousin Holly welcome Lauren back with open arms but she gets a frosty reception from her other cousin Nora. Lauren sees a big change in Nora’s personality & feels really uneasy around her. To add to that, Lauren also finds herself in some very dangerous situations & feels like someone is out for her. But the question is who? And why?
I was thrilled to find myself back in Wisteria. I really wasn’t expecting that! While I did enjoy reading Lauren’s story, I did find myself with a lot of questions at the end. It didn’t feel 100% wrapped up to me. But I’m still looking forward to reading book #3 in this series….
April 9, 2021
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it! It was suspenseful and there were a few times where I felt the spookiness of a scene crawl over me. Although it’s written as a 5 star book, I’m only giving 4 stars because I felt like the ending was rushed. It’s a 200 page novel and the entire plot wrapped up in the last 6 pages. The well developed characters and story deserved more closure.
June 17, 2020
I took this one slower than the first in the beginning. I’d read a chapter then wouldn’t revisit for a few days, read another chapter then wouldn’t revisit for a few days. Once I shook out of my state, I really read this in two days.
A few (I saw three) typos here and there, but still an enticing read making you wonder who was truly behind the events and why
4 out of 5 stars
A few (I saw three) typos here and there, but still an enticing read making you wonder who was truly behind the events and why
4 out of 5 stars
January 2, 2021
I truly enjoyed these! I was a little confused because I assumed they’d need to be read in series order, but these two could be stand-alones. (Probably not worded correctly).
I loved seeing the more minor characters repeated in the stories and the familiarity of the same location in both.
I just bought the rest of the series and am anxious to finish!!!
I loved seeing the more minor characters repeated in the stories and the familiarity of the same location in both.
I just bought the rest of the series and am anxious to finish!!!
September 23, 2023
This was very good!!! It kept me guessing the whole time I enjoyed this book very much I wish there was more to it. Overall 5 stars. I will say this is the first time in a long time I read a mystery like book. I don't read many of those just because they aren't my preference but this one was really good!!! Another thing I would defiently recommend this book for anyone 14 and older.
September 19, 2017
3 stars
review to come
review to come
February 27, 2019
An easy read and a favorite from my middle/high school years.
December 16, 2021
the plot twist when almost drowned at the party was a very good part. also when she stubbed his toe, that was a great plot twist. also when ll these tied up things scared her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2022
Has me absolutely hooked!
June 5, 2023
Another good read. A bit spooky, with some angst, as well as excitement.
January 9, 2012
http://wandering-world.skyrock.com/30...
Ce second tome des Secrets De Wisteria se révèle aussi prenant que son prédécesseur. Je dois bien avouer que je n'avais qu'un vague souvenir de mon ressenti sur le tome 1, mais je savais qu'il m'avait plu. J'ai retrouvé avec joie cette sensation, malgré pas mal de faux pas qui m'ont laissé sur ma faim.
Au départ, l'histoire nous apparaît comme hyper intrigante. J'étais littéralement ancré dans les premières pages du roman. Ambiance sombre, secrets mortels, univers noir et fascinant, le tout saupoudré de personnages profonds. Bref, j'avais vraiment du mal à lâcher le livre pour dormir ou aller au lycée.
On suit cette fois Lauren, une jeune femme de dix-sept qui retourne pour la première fois depuis sept années à Wisteria. Ces années d'absence s'explique par le fait que sa mère, Sondra, est morte là-bas, sept ans plus tôt. Depuis, elle n'a que très peu repris contact avec sa marraine, Jule, la meilleure amie de Sondra, et ses filles : Nora et Holly. Elle garde d'excellents souvenirs des étés qu'elle a passé à Wisteria, des jeux auxquels les trois petites filles et Nick, un ami de Holly, participaient et pendant lesquels elle se sentait libre comme l'air.
Sauf que tout a changé le jour de la mort de sa mère. Surtout que Sondra possédait un comportement des plus étranges l'été de son décès. Elle disait voir des personnes qui n'étaient pas là, que les objets changeaient de place tous seuls et que, plus mystérieux encore, on faisait des nœuds sur toutes les choses possibles ( fils de lampe, draps, vêtements, etc ).
Mais aujourd'hui, Lauren est bien décidée à surmonter son passé en se rendant à Wisteria pour retourner sur le lieu de décès de sa mère, et pour enfin passer à autre chose. Mais rien ne va se dérouler comme prévu. Tout d'abord, elle va vite retrouver Nick, son ami d'enfance. Sauf que celui-ci a énormément changé, et que Lauren va avoir beaucoup de mal à résister à son charme. De plus, Nora, sa cousine, n'est plus du tout la même. Elle est devenue complètement folle. Comme Sondra, cette dernière affirme voir des fantômes, et elle affirme que quelqu'un en veut à Lauren... Et que cette personne va tenter de la tuer.
Bien sûr, sa mère, Jule, et sa sœur, Holly, vont tout faire pour atténuer la folie de Nora en aidant Lauren à l'oublier. Celle-ci va y parvenir... Jusqu'à ce que des phénomènes paranormaux se mettent à s'en prendre à elle. Bon ok, je l'avoue, j'ai très souvent eu l'impression d'être épié en lisant ce roman. J'ai eu peur, j'ai eu une boule de stress dans le ventre... Et j'ai totalement adoré ça ! Quel bonheur de ressentir de telles sensations ! Ce livre nous entraîne dans un monde aussi saisissant qu'inquiétant, et il arrive à nous prendre aux tripes grâce à tout le suspense qu'il nous envoie.
Comme nous, Lauren panique. Au départ, elle ne s'inquiète pas. Mais au fur et à mesure que les phénomènes s'accélèrent, elle a peur. De Nora. De sa marraine. De Nick. De Holly. En plus, les circonstances de la mort de sa mère ne cessent de lui revenir en pleine figure, tout comme les affirmations que cette dernière répétaient avant son décès. Pour le coup, j'ai adoré me méfier des protagonistes. Qui ment ? Qui est sincère ? Qui veut du mal à Lauren et qui la protège ? On s'interroge vraiment, et c'est exaltant !
D'un autre côté, je suis vraiment déçu par le roman. Il y a énormément de choses qui prennent place et un certain nombre d'entre elles n'ont pas de réponses. Même un des plus gros secrets ne nous ait pas révélé. Je suis frustré, vraiment. Je reste même un peu sur ma faim. J'ai besoin d'en savoir plus ! Comment peut-on nous laisser comme ça ? Franchement, j'ai eu l'impression que la fin était un peu bâclée. Certaines informations capitales manquent, et c'est sincèrement dommage.
En conclusion, Les Secrets De Wisteria Tome 2 est un très bon roman, qui mêle suspense, tensions, romance, personnages prenants et attendrissants et secrets avec brio. Par contre, certaines zones d'ombres ne sont absolument pas explorées, ce qui nous laisse une impression assez mitigée de notre lecture à la fin du livre. On passe à l'inverse par une multitude de sentiments vraiment merveilleux. La peur, la joie, le rire, l'inquiétude. Bref, malgré quelques ( gros ) faux pas, notre lecture se révèle tout de même entraînante et intéressante, et je me réjouis d'avance de retourner à Wisteria, la ville de tous les secrets ( et surtout des plus noirs )...
Ce second tome des Secrets De Wisteria se révèle aussi prenant que son prédécesseur. Je dois bien avouer que je n'avais qu'un vague souvenir de mon ressenti sur le tome 1, mais je savais qu'il m'avait plu. J'ai retrouvé avec joie cette sensation, malgré pas mal de faux pas qui m'ont laissé sur ma faim.
Au départ, l'histoire nous apparaît comme hyper intrigante. J'étais littéralement ancré dans les premières pages du roman. Ambiance sombre, secrets mortels, univers noir et fascinant, le tout saupoudré de personnages profonds. Bref, j'avais vraiment du mal à lâcher le livre pour dormir ou aller au lycée.
On suit cette fois Lauren, une jeune femme de dix-sept qui retourne pour la première fois depuis sept années à Wisteria. Ces années d'absence s'explique par le fait que sa mère, Sondra, est morte là-bas, sept ans plus tôt. Depuis, elle n'a que très peu repris contact avec sa marraine, Jule, la meilleure amie de Sondra, et ses filles : Nora et Holly. Elle garde d'excellents souvenirs des étés qu'elle a passé à Wisteria, des jeux auxquels les trois petites filles et Nick, un ami de Holly, participaient et pendant lesquels elle se sentait libre comme l'air.
Sauf que tout a changé le jour de la mort de sa mère. Surtout que Sondra possédait un comportement des plus étranges l'été de son décès. Elle disait voir des personnes qui n'étaient pas là, que les objets changeaient de place tous seuls et que, plus mystérieux encore, on faisait des nœuds sur toutes les choses possibles ( fils de lampe, draps, vêtements, etc ).
Mais aujourd'hui, Lauren est bien décidée à surmonter son passé en se rendant à Wisteria pour retourner sur le lieu de décès de sa mère, et pour enfin passer à autre chose. Mais rien ne va se dérouler comme prévu. Tout d'abord, elle va vite retrouver Nick, son ami d'enfance. Sauf que celui-ci a énormément changé, et que Lauren va avoir beaucoup de mal à résister à son charme. De plus, Nora, sa cousine, n'est plus du tout la même. Elle est devenue complètement folle. Comme Sondra, cette dernière affirme voir des fantômes, et elle affirme que quelqu'un en veut à Lauren... Et que cette personne va tenter de la tuer.
Bien sûr, sa mère, Jule, et sa sœur, Holly, vont tout faire pour atténuer la folie de Nora en aidant Lauren à l'oublier. Celle-ci va y parvenir... Jusqu'à ce que des phénomènes paranormaux se mettent à s'en prendre à elle. Bon ok, je l'avoue, j'ai très souvent eu l'impression d'être épié en lisant ce roman. J'ai eu peur, j'ai eu une boule de stress dans le ventre... Et j'ai totalement adoré ça ! Quel bonheur de ressentir de telles sensations ! Ce livre nous entraîne dans un monde aussi saisissant qu'inquiétant, et il arrive à nous prendre aux tripes grâce à tout le suspense qu'il nous envoie.
Comme nous, Lauren panique. Au départ, elle ne s'inquiète pas. Mais au fur et à mesure que les phénomènes s'accélèrent, elle a peur. De Nora. De sa marraine. De Nick. De Holly. En plus, les circonstances de la mort de sa mère ne cessent de lui revenir en pleine figure, tout comme les affirmations que cette dernière répétaient avant son décès. Pour le coup, j'ai adoré me méfier des protagonistes. Qui ment ? Qui est sincère ? Qui veut du mal à Lauren et qui la protège ? On s'interroge vraiment, et c'est exaltant !
D'un autre côté, je suis vraiment déçu par le roman. Il y a énormément de choses qui prennent place et un certain nombre d'entre elles n'ont pas de réponses. Même un des plus gros secrets ne nous ait pas révélé. Je suis frustré, vraiment. Je reste même un peu sur ma faim. J'ai besoin d'en savoir plus ! Comment peut-on nous laisser comme ça ? Franchement, j'ai eu l'impression que la fin était un peu bâclée. Certaines informations capitales manquent, et c'est sincèrement dommage.
En conclusion, Les Secrets De Wisteria Tome 2 est un très bon roman, qui mêle suspense, tensions, romance, personnages prenants et attendrissants et secrets avec brio. Par contre, certaines zones d'ombres ne sont absolument pas explorées, ce qui nous laisse une impression assez mitigée de notre lecture à la fin du livre. On passe à l'inverse par une multitude de sentiments vraiment merveilleux. La peur, la joie, le rire, l'inquiétude. Bref, malgré quelques ( gros ) faux pas, notre lecture se révèle tout de même entraînante et intéressante, et je me réjouis d'avance de retourner à Wisteria, la ville de tous les secrets ( et surtout des plus noirs )...
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