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Secrets Never Die
We call it the Dark Place. I don’t know who built it or when but, for us, it’s special.
Every year Sam Hall and his friends hold funerals for their secrets in an abandoned hut in the woods that they call the Dark Place. But this year, their secrets are coming back from the dead...to terrorize them.
Sam is a former child star whose career went up in flames – literally. And no one, not even his best friend knows why. His friends each hold a secret pertaining to the night. A secret they would all like buried.
Now someone from the past is blackmailing them with their dangerous secrets. Sam isn’t sure who he can trust, who’s watching him – or how far he’s willing to go to bury the past once and for all.
When you’re alone in the dark, some things won’t stay hidden.
Every year Sam Hall and his friends hold funerals for their secrets in an abandoned hut in the woods that they call the Dark Place. But this year, their secrets are coming back from the dead...to terrorize them.
Sam is a former child star whose career went up in flames – literally. And no one, not even his best friend knows why. His friends each hold a secret pertaining to the night. A secret they would all like buried.
Now someone from the past is blackmailing them with their dangerous secrets. Sam isn’t sure who he can trust, who’s watching him – or how far he’s willing to go to bury the past once and for all.
When you’re alone in the dark, some things won’t stay hidden.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2023
327 people are currently reading
23275 people want to read
About the author
Vincent Ralph
11 books699 followersVincent Ralph is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of YA thrillers 14 Ways to Die, Lock the Doors, Secrets Never Die, and One House Left. He is an Edgar Award nominee, winner of the Southern Schools
Book Award, and the author of picture book A Boy Called Book.
The first two novels in the Bleak Haven series - Dead Fake and Night Terror - will be published in January 2026.
Book Award, and the author of picture book A Boy Called Book.
The first two novels in the Bleak Haven series - Dead Fake and Night Terror - will be published in January 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 904 reviews
May 9, 2023
Well, I had hoped to enjoy this book as much as "14 Ways to Die" or "Lock the Doors," but unfortunately, I did not
Don’t get me wrong; the action-packed pacing, short chapters, quick start, increasing tension, and minor and major twists are still strengths of this book. I finished it in one sitting. The last quarter, in particular, was extremely exciting. However, I found the entire cast of characters to be one-dimensional, and the secrets they carried were not earth-shattering enough to serve as blackmail material.
The backstory of Samuel, the child star, was a great choice, but the execution of the story didn’t provide enough emotional depth to his character. We read about the situations, but we don’t sense how those incidents shaped the character’s personality. The author also kept us in the dark about the other characters. Dom is a privileged, bullying, pretentious one, but we don’t know much about what made him act that way. There was also not enough material for us to understand the romance between Elisha and Sam. Until the second half, we don’t know much about Elisha or her family issues. Harran was also portrayed as a queer poor boy and Sam's best friend, but we didn’t get much information about the character’s attributes.
I only liked the prodigy kid, Molly, but even she was a little exaggeratedly portrayed: she read minds and had artistic photographic skills at the age of five!
The plotline is interesting. Sam, Harran, Elisha, Laureen (Dom’s college student sister, queer, and that’s all we may learn about her character) and Dom gather around the woods every Halloween to make confessions at their sacred place, which they call "Dark Place." But when they conduct their ritual, they realize somebody threw eggshells filled with blood to their place, and the very next day, they start getting text messages from a person called Sasha Craven, who already knows their secrets and starts blackmailing them. They should find her identity before she ruins each of their lives.
Overall, as I mentioned before, the pacing, twists, and eerie ending of the book were the best things I enjoyed, but I couldn’t connect with the characters, and I wish the secrets they kept were more life-changing (especially Sam’s secret) to serve the entire mystery better.
I loved the author's previous works a little more. I am still looking forward to reading his next work and keeping my fingers crossed that I will enjoy it more.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Don’t get me wrong; the action-packed pacing, short chapters, quick start, increasing tension, and minor and major twists are still strengths of this book. I finished it in one sitting. The last quarter, in particular, was extremely exciting. However, I found the entire cast of characters to be one-dimensional, and the secrets they carried were not earth-shattering enough to serve as blackmail material.
The backstory of Samuel, the child star, was a great choice, but the execution of the story didn’t provide enough emotional depth to his character. We read about the situations, but we don’t sense how those incidents shaped the character’s personality. The author also kept us in the dark about the other characters. Dom is a privileged, bullying, pretentious one, but we don’t know much about what made him act that way. There was also not enough material for us to understand the romance between Elisha and Sam. Until the second half, we don’t know much about Elisha or her family issues. Harran was also portrayed as a queer poor boy and Sam's best friend, but we didn’t get much information about the character’s attributes.
I only liked the prodigy kid, Molly, but even she was a little exaggeratedly portrayed: she read minds and had artistic photographic skills at the age of five!
The plotline is interesting. Sam, Harran, Elisha, Laureen (Dom’s college student sister, queer, and that’s all we may learn about her character) and Dom gather around the woods every Halloween to make confessions at their sacred place, which they call "Dark Place." But when they conduct their ritual, they realize somebody threw eggshells filled with blood to their place, and the very next day, they start getting text messages from a person called Sasha Craven, who already knows their secrets and starts blackmailing them. They should find her identity before she ruins each of their lives.
Overall, as I mentioned before, the pacing, twists, and eerie ending of the book were the best things I enjoyed, but I couldn’t connect with the characters, and I wish the secrets they kept were more life-changing (especially Sam’s secret) to serve the entire mystery better.
I loved the author's previous works a little more. I am still looking forward to reading his next work and keeping my fingers crossed that I will enjoy it more.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Don’t get me wrong; the action-packed pacing, short chapters, quick start, increasing tension, and minor and major twists are still strengths of this book. I finished it in one sitting. The last quarter, in particular, was extremely exciting. However, I found the entire cast of characters to be one-dimensional, and the secrets they carried were not earth-shattering enough to serve as blackmail material.
The backstory of Samuel, the child star, was a great choice, but the execution of the story didn’t provide enough emotional depth to his character. We read about the situations, but we don’t sense how those incidents shaped the character’s personality. The author also kept us in the dark about the other characters. Dom is a privileged, bullying, pretentious one, but we don’t know much about what made him act that way. There was also not enough material for us to understand the romance between Elisha and Sam. Until the second half, we don’t know much about Elisha or her family issues. Harran was also portrayed as a queer poor boy and Sam's best friend, but we didn’t get much information about the character’s attributes.
I only liked the prodigy kid, Molly, but even she was a little exaggeratedly portrayed: she read minds and had artistic photographic skills at the age of five!
The plotline is interesting. Sam, Harran, Elisha, Laureen (Dom’s college student sister, queer, and that’s all we may learn about her character) and Dom gather around the woods every Halloween to make confessions at their sacred place, which they call "Dark Place." But when they conduct their ritual, they realize somebody threw eggshells filled with blood to their place, and the very next day, they start getting text messages from a person called Sasha Craven, who already knows their secrets and starts blackmailing them. They should find her identity before she ruins each of their lives.
Overall, as I mentioned before, the pacing, twists, and eerie ending of the book were the best things I enjoyed, but I couldn’t connect with the characters, and I wish the secrets they kept were more life-changing (especially Sam’s secret) to serve the entire mystery better.
I loved the author's previous works a little more. I am still looking forward to reading his next work and keeping my fingers crossed that I will enjoy it more.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Don’t get me wrong; the action-packed pacing, short chapters, quick start, increasing tension, and minor and major twists are still strengths of this book. I finished it in one sitting. The last quarter, in particular, was extremely exciting. However, I found the entire cast of characters to be one-dimensional, and the secrets they carried were not earth-shattering enough to serve as blackmail material.
The backstory of Samuel, the child star, was a great choice, but the execution of the story didn’t provide enough emotional depth to his character. We read about the situations, but we don’t sense how those incidents shaped the character’s personality. The author also kept us in the dark about the other characters. Dom is a privileged, bullying, pretentious one, but we don’t know much about what made him act that way. There was also not enough material for us to understand the romance between Elisha and Sam. Until the second half, we don’t know much about Elisha or her family issues. Harran was also portrayed as a queer poor boy and Sam's best friend, but we didn’t get much information about the character’s attributes.
I only liked the prodigy kid, Molly, but even she was a little exaggeratedly portrayed: she read minds and had artistic photographic skills at the age of five!
The plotline is interesting. Sam, Harran, Elisha, Laureen (Dom’s college student sister, queer, and that’s all we may learn about her character) and Dom gather around the woods every Halloween to make confessions at their sacred place, which they call "Dark Place." But when they conduct their ritual, they realize somebody threw eggshells filled with blood to their place, and the very next day, they start getting text messages from a person called Sasha Craven, who already knows their secrets and starts blackmailing them. They should find her identity before she ruins each of their lives.
Overall, as I mentioned before, the pacing, twists, and eerie ending of the book were the best things I enjoyed, but I couldn’t connect with the characters, and I wish the secrets they kept were more life-changing (especially Sam’s secret) to serve the entire mystery better.
I loved the author's previous works a little more. I am still looking forward to reading his next work and keeping my fingers crossed that I will enjoy it more.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
November 18, 2025
Secrets Never Die is a YA-Horror/Thriller release from Vincent Ralph. With a cover that screams 90s-Horror to me, I was super excited to pick this one up.
I listened to the audiobook on a solo road trip and it was a pleasant way to pass the time. The audio narration is good, it sounds young-feeling and fits the story well.
Admittedly, my attention wavered, but I'm not sure if that was necessarily the story, or my mind being on vacation.
This story follows teenaged, Sam and his close-knit friend group. They have an annual tradition of holding private funerals for their secrets at an abandoned hut in the woods, which they call the Dark Place.
Suddenly, those secrets are coming back to haunt them in eerie and unexpected ways.
Sam, once a promising child star, had his career tank after a terrifying fire at his home. This event is heavily tied to the current events, but how?
There's blackmail, dangerous secrets and lots of head-scratching twists and turns. Sam isn't sure who he can trust.
Even his friends are starting to feel like potential threats. How far will Sam be willing to go to bury the past and free himself from his own deeply held secrets?
This was a good time. As far as YA Horror-Thrillers go, it does read a little on the younger side, in my opinion. Maybe more in the Tween category.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, I am just pointing it out so that you can decide whether or not that would suit your tastes. For me, personally, I enjoy Horror-Thrillers from Childrens, all the way up through Adult, so it doesn't bother me at all.
Content-wise, this is a decent, fast-paced story. It would probably go direct to video if it were a movie, but again, there's nothing wrong with that.
I think for me, I just found the narrative a little hard to track. Sam's personal story was compelling, but his friends lacked memorability to me and I had a difficult time distinguishing between them.
These difficulties could perhaps be due to the audio format, but I'm not sure about that. I consume A LOT of stories via audio and that's not a common problem for me.
I think, personally, I would have just liked to see a bit more character development to go along with the action.
Also, some of the darker elements felt a bit all over the place; like perhaps too much was going on at one time. That could 100% be personal taste though.
Overall, I think this is a solid story. A fun way to pass a weekend and I know a lot of Readers, particularly the Teens this is intended for, will really enjoy this.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copies to read and review. I would definitely be interested in picking up more from this author!
I listened to the audiobook on a solo road trip and it was a pleasant way to pass the time. The audio narration is good, it sounds young-feeling and fits the story well.
Admittedly, my attention wavered, but I'm not sure if that was necessarily the story, or my mind being on vacation.
This story follows teenaged, Sam and his close-knit friend group. They have an annual tradition of holding private funerals for their secrets at an abandoned hut in the woods, which they call the Dark Place.
Suddenly, those secrets are coming back to haunt them in eerie and unexpected ways.
Sam, once a promising child star, had his career tank after a terrifying fire at his home. This event is heavily tied to the current events, but how?
There's blackmail, dangerous secrets and lots of head-scratching twists and turns. Sam isn't sure who he can trust.
Even his friends are starting to feel like potential threats. How far will Sam be willing to go to bury the past and free himself from his own deeply held secrets?
This was a good time. As far as YA Horror-Thrillers go, it does read a little on the younger side, in my opinion. Maybe more in the Tween category.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, I am just pointing it out so that you can decide whether or not that would suit your tastes. For me, personally, I enjoy Horror-Thrillers from Childrens, all the way up through Adult, so it doesn't bother me at all.
Content-wise, this is a decent, fast-paced story. It would probably go direct to video if it were a movie, but again, there's nothing wrong with that.
I think for me, I just found the narrative a little hard to track. Sam's personal story was compelling, but his friends lacked memorability to me and I had a difficult time distinguishing between them.
These difficulties could perhaps be due to the audio format, but I'm not sure about that. I consume A LOT of stories via audio and that's not a common problem for me.
I think, personally, I would have just liked to see a bit more character development to go along with the action.
Also, some of the darker elements felt a bit all over the place; like perhaps too much was going on at one time. That could 100% be personal taste though.
Overall, I think this is a solid story. A fun way to pass a weekend and I know a lot of Readers, particularly the Teens this is intended for, will really enjoy this.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copies to read and review. I would definitely be interested in picking up more from this author!
December 6, 2024
This is a nice chill YA thriller. It’s not a gory weird horror and shouldn’t give anyone nightmares
With that said, I want the weird gory nightmare horror! The plot is a group of teens that get together annually to go inside a private are and share their secrets. This way they don’t carry the secrets with them and no one knows about them. Until someone find out all their secrets. Then the teens must work together to find out who knows their secrets and how they found them out.
If this book were a song it would be Secret Lyrics by The Pierces
With that said, I want the weird gory nightmare horror! The plot is a group of teens that get together annually to go inside a private are and share their secrets. This way they don’t carry the secrets with them and no one knows about them. Until someone find out all their secrets. Then the teens must work together to find out who knows their secrets and how they found them out.
If this book were a song it would be Secret Lyrics by The Pierces
February 27, 2025
3.75/5
Przez dużą część książki bałam się, że niczym mnie nie zaskoczy, a tu proszę!
Przez dużą część książki bałam się, że niczym mnie nie zaskoczy, a tu proszę!
July 10, 2023
Sam Hall and his friends used to visit the Dark Place where they told all their biggest secrets and fears. Now their secrets have come back to haunt them and they are being stalked. This was a very creepy story full of unexpected twists and turns. Thanks NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC that will be released August 29, 2023!
May 17, 2025
𝐃𝐍𝐅 @ 𝟏𝟕% 🩵‼️
📍You know? I really gave this little book a try. I really did. I saw it was free with my kindle membership and I thought “oh you know it can’t be that bad”
Sadly I was wrong.
I usually write really cute and aesthetic reviews but I find that this book is NOT even worth it because of how messy and chaotic it was. Not to mention the fact the plot was EVERYWHERE. oh and I mean EVERYWHERE.
From a 5 year old having a photography career and talking to her older (brother?) about girls, to full on PARAGRAPHS about things that aren’t even important, to the actual POV not being mentioned what kind of gender they are. (And I mean this literally by the way all we got was their name Sam which is genderfluid so I couldn’t even know what to use when reading) The list goes on and on. 😬😬😬
Oh and can we talk about the sheer amount of info dumping on chapter one and two?? Hello?? I was so freaking confused 😭💀 Also the random info dumping saying he was a celebrity just confused me further.
It just kept bouncing from one thing to another 😭😭😬.
Don’t read this save your time bro.
🩵⋆｡˚ 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭: I'm SO excited to read this!! I've been in the mystery mood lately and need to catch up on my reading goals!! Hopefully this book is good bc it was free with my kindle subscription hehe
📍You know? I really gave this little book a try. I really did. I saw it was free with my kindle membership and I thought “oh you know it can’t be that bad”
Sadly I was wrong.
I usually write really cute and aesthetic reviews but I find that this book is NOT even worth it because of how messy and chaotic it was. Not to mention the fact the plot was EVERYWHERE. oh and I mean EVERYWHERE.
From a 5 year old having a photography career and talking to her older (brother?) about girls, to full on PARAGRAPHS about things that aren’t even important, to the actual POV not being mentioned what kind of gender they are. (And I mean this literally by the way all we got was their name Sam which is genderfluid so I couldn’t even know what to use when reading) The list goes on and on. 😬😬😬
Oh and can we talk about the sheer amount of info dumping on chapter one and two?? Hello?? I was so freaking confused 😭💀 Also the random info dumping saying he was a celebrity just confused me further.
It just kept bouncing from one thing to another 😭😭😬.
Don’t read this save your time bro.
🩵⋆｡˚ 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭: I'm SO excited to read this!! I've been in the mystery mood lately and need to catch up on my reading goals!! Hopefully this book is good bc it was free with my kindle subscription hehe
August 30, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's/Wednesday Books for gifting me an early copy. Below you'll find my honest review.
This one was an absolute roller coaster. I love when a book has short chapters coupled with great chapter ends, because it really feeds my "one more chapter" behavior and I can tear through them.
Secrets Never Die really built the tension well, starting off a bit slowly on the weird happenings, and then speeding up fast. Have you ever ridden Rock 'N' Roller Coaster at Walt Disney World? If you haven't you load into the vehicle, then pull around a corner and wait about 25 seconds. You get a 3 second countdown, and then you rocket from 0 to 60 in mere seconds. That's kind of how this book went. We had a brief set up, and then BAM - you need to know what's going on, what's happening, what everyone's secrets are so you just keep doing one more loop (reading one more chapter) until it's 5am and you have to be up in two hours.
I did have to give this one four instead of five stars. I wasn't entirely satisfied with the explanation/ending, and felt like it needed a little bit more. Maybe more hints dropped throughout the book so there was a tiny chance of figuring it out?
All in all, highly recommended fun YA mystery/thriller/suspense read. I'll definitely be adding the author's other books to my TBR.
This one was an absolute roller coaster. I love when a book has short chapters coupled with great chapter ends, because it really feeds my "one more chapter" behavior and I can tear through them.
Secrets Never Die really built the tension well, starting off a bit slowly on the weird happenings, and then speeding up fast. Have you ever ridden Rock 'N' Roller Coaster at Walt Disney World? If you haven't you load into the vehicle, then pull around a corner and wait about 25 seconds. You get a 3 second countdown, and then you rocket from 0 to 60 in mere seconds. That's kind of how this book went. We had a brief set up, and then BAM - you need to know what's going on, what's happening, what everyone's secrets are so you just keep doing one more loop (reading one more chapter) until it's 5am and you have to be up in two hours.
I did have to give this one four instead of five stars. I wasn't entirely satisfied with the explanation/ending, and felt like it needed a little bit more. Maybe more hints dropped throughout the book so there was a tiny chance of figuring it out?
All in all, highly recommended fun YA mystery/thriller/suspense read. I'll definitely be adding the author's other books to my TBR.
June 10, 2023
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Sept. 26, 2023
Everyone has secrets. But for former child actor Sam Hall and his friends, their secrets come back in a big way- jeopardizing friendships, futures and even lives. Every Halloween, Sam and his friends meet in the backyard of his friend Dom’s house, where a ramshackle shack they’ve named “The Dark Place” sits. Every year, the teenagers whisper their darkest secrets to the shadows that live in the dark place, ridding them of their guilt and angst. However, this year, the secrets that they’ve told only to these four walls are being revealed, in dangerous ways. Sam and his friends try and discover the truth, before turning on each other.
“Secrets Never Die” is the newest YA horror novel by author Vincent Ralph. “Lifelong” friendships (a whole sixteen years’ worth), life-changing secrets (to a teenaged mind anyway) and consequences broadcast on social media, and “Die” has all of the components of a millennial-focused horror story. But even for someone like me (far enough past the teenage angst years), Ralph’s novel was intriguing, immersive and even slightly scary.
The chapters are short, each chapter given a title instead of a number, and the novel is entirely narrated by Sam. Although Sam’s former life as a child star is different from that of most of Ralph’s readers, he was still honest and relatable, building a quick and easy rapport with readers. In fact, most of the characters in “Die” were likable, and provided enough development and depth to make their individual outcomes matter, and they kept me turning the pages.
Ralph ensures there are enough characters that the actual culprit hides in the shadows, and yet somehow manages to make an entirely plausible ending that completely checks all the boxes (there is even a touching message or two within the pages). “Die” is a quick read, but it is also modern, relevant and entertaining.
I haven’t read Ralph’s other novels, but this one seemed right up my alley and I was not disappointed. Even the adult reader will find something to enjoy with “Secrets Never Die”, and that takes a special talent that Ralph seems to have in spades.
Expected publication date: Sept. 26, 2023
Everyone has secrets. But for former child actor Sam Hall and his friends, their secrets come back in a big way- jeopardizing friendships, futures and even lives. Every Halloween, Sam and his friends meet in the backyard of his friend Dom’s house, where a ramshackle shack they’ve named “The Dark Place” sits. Every year, the teenagers whisper their darkest secrets to the shadows that live in the dark place, ridding them of their guilt and angst. However, this year, the secrets that they’ve told only to these four walls are being revealed, in dangerous ways. Sam and his friends try and discover the truth, before turning on each other.
“Secrets Never Die” is the newest YA horror novel by author Vincent Ralph. “Lifelong” friendships (a whole sixteen years’ worth), life-changing secrets (to a teenaged mind anyway) and consequences broadcast on social media, and “Die” has all of the components of a millennial-focused horror story. But even for someone like me (far enough past the teenage angst years), Ralph’s novel was intriguing, immersive and even slightly scary.
The chapters are short, each chapter given a title instead of a number, and the novel is entirely narrated by Sam. Although Sam’s former life as a child star is different from that of most of Ralph’s readers, he was still honest and relatable, building a quick and easy rapport with readers. In fact, most of the characters in “Die” were likable, and provided enough development and depth to make their individual outcomes matter, and they kept me turning the pages.
Ralph ensures there are enough characters that the actual culprit hides in the shadows, and yet somehow manages to make an entirely plausible ending that completely checks all the boxes (there is even a touching message or two within the pages). “Die” is a quick read, but it is also modern, relevant and entertaining.
I haven’t read Ralph’s other novels, but this one seemed right up my alley and I was not disappointed. Even the adult reader will find something to enjoy with “Secrets Never Die”, and that takes a special talent that Ralph seems to have in spades.
August 2, 2023
The description of the book pretty much sums up the gist of the story. I won't write anything more that would spoil the mystery or suspense.
The book is touted as a novel for fans of Diana Urban and Courtney Summers. Since I have enjoyed Diana Urban's novels, I jumped at the chance to read this book. Well, it didn't quite live up to all of the hype. And I probaby expected a lot more than normal.
As far as the characters go, they were typical teenagers that ran the gamut of school bully, the intellectual, and the underprivileged. I didn't particularly care for any of the main characters. And I didn't quite appreciate the insertion of a non-binary character as well. The only character that I did like was Molly, the youngest sister of Sam. A child prodigy in the making...
There are a number of plot twists that slowly reveal the blackmailer and the motive. I thought that the secrets that Sam and his friends had were pretty thin to warrant blackmail threats, however. But it is what it is. In any event, there was enough suspense in the narrative to keep me interested and moving forward. But in the end, there wasn't anything surprising about the big reveal. Three stars.
I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
The book is touted as a novel for fans of Diana Urban and Courtney Summers. Since I have enjoyed Diana Urban's novels, I jumped at the chance to read this book. Well, it didn't quite live up to all of the hype. And I probaby expected a lot more than normal.
As far as the characters go, they were typical teenagers that ran the gamut of school bully, the intellectual, and the underprivileged. I didn't particularly care for any of the main characters. And I didn't quite appreciate the insertion of a non-binary character as well. The only character that I did like was Molly, the youngest sister of Sam. A child prodigy in the making...
There are a number of plot twists that slowly reveal the blackmailer and the motive. I thought that the secrets that Sam and his friends had were pretty thin to warrant blackmail threats, however. But it is what it is. In any event, there was enough suspense in the narrative to keep me interested and moving forward. But in the end, there wasn't anything surprising about the big reveal. Three stars.
I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
October 3, 2023
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.
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.
May 30, 2023
I'm not sure if I read the same book as everyone else because I'm just lost.. A story where secrets are never truly laid to rest sounds great. But the thing is that most of these secrets are completely innocuous... and it ultimately comes down to punishing the children for the sins of their parents. It just didn't feel well-foreshadowed at all and there was little to no tension throughout. Maybe it just wasn't for me.
*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
May 24, 2023
3.75⭐️
MY FIRST ARC…😱😱😱…I won this novel in a giveaway. The excitement from this win has yet to go away… 🤯🤯🤯…I just wish this had been a 5-star read for me…🥺🥺🥺…
Premise: Every year, on Halloween, Dominic and his sister, Lauren, throw a party. While all the guests are having fun and making memories, Sam, Elisha, Haran Dominic, and Lauren leave for a few hours to spend time in an old hut with a rusting metal roof , known as The Dark Place, to host a funeral for the secrets that they have decided to keep from each other throughout the year. I mean, how therapeutic does this sound??? Hanging out with your friends in the woods and one by one each of you is given an opportunity to release the things that are causing you anxiety, shame, anger, and guilt. SOUND INTERESTING, RIGHT??? So, what happens when your annual tradition is disrupted by someone you don’t know let alone cannot even see? What happens when this person decides to inform you that they know all about your secrets as well? What do you do when you and your friends start to become hunted by your secrets through the use of spooky pictures, threatening text messages, and spying videos? What is the best course of action? Banning together and solving things??? Calling the police??? Telling your parents??? These are all of the questions that Sam, Elisha, Haran, Dominic, and Lauren are forced to answer everyday until they finally figure out who is terrorizing them and survive.
Thoughts: After reading Vincent Ralph’s letter at the beginning of this book, I was really nervous about continuing. Horror fiction is not a must read genre for me. Truth be told, I am a huge wimp when it comes to scary movies. I am the person you skip when you want to go to the movies and see the latest scary movie. I am the person who, if you want to watch those movies with, has to watch them in the day time. Everything about this book featured a bunch of 90’s horror film concepts (i.e., Scream; I know what you did last summer; Halloween; Jason). What started out as a horror fiction novel quickly turned into a mystery. I went from being freaked out and nervous to overjoyed and eager to figure out what was happening to these young people and who the heck was so determined to ruin their lives.
This book is labeled as “Horror Fiction.” So, I am still trying to figure out why I feel heartbroken after reading this. Based off the title, I was expecting some really juicy and deadly secrets. Instead, everyone’s secret was just heartbreaking. Literally, each secret was worse than the next person’s. I wish I could unread them. At one point, I just wanted Sam to seek revenge on EVERYONE. I didn’t even care if the person was innocent…🫣🫣🫣…I did, however, come to enjoy the multiple reveals towards the end. Those reveals kind of make up for my heartache.
While I fell in love with the premise of this story, I did have a hard time liking these characters. Wait, let me take that back. I did enjoy Samuel Hall, who was the narrator. From the ages of 8-12, Sam was a child-superstar. Sadly, he did not enjoy any aspect of his fame status. All he wanted was a normal life but, because he wanted to make his family happy, he chose to stick it out. Sticking it is what led to some devastating consequences and a lot of the secrets that he told in The Dark Place. Reading this story from Sam’s perspective shed a lot of light on how fame can really get the best of someone. I could truly feel all of the trauma and pain Sam experienced during his time in the spotlight. It actually makes me glad and has motivated me to enjoy my quiet and simple life. My heart broke the most when Sam became one of only two people who truly cared about finding out who was tormenting him and his friends.
I also did come to enjoy reading about Lauren. Although Lauren was a year or two older than Sam, Elisha, Dominic, and Haran, she participated in this tradition and came to enjoy it as much as Sam did. She genuinely had Sam’s back during several scenes in this story. My favorite scene was when she and Sam had a one-on-one and she slightly opened up to him about some of her background and the things she was facing. Sam provided her with some advice and, though it took her a while to actually act on it, she received the happy ending that she definitely deserved.
Where Sam and Lauren were lovable, everyone else just made this story difficult to truly enjoy. Elisha was SO ANNOYING and VERY MANIPULATIVE. She constantly belittled Sam’s fear. She even tired to make Sam feel bad for his friendships with Haran, Dominic, and Lauren. In one scene she got mad at Sam for not having her back and disagreeing with her. She had the audacity to made Sam and Lauren feel bad for wanting to protect The Dark Place. She was basically a walking contradiction. She would say “ You guys. Who cares about your secrets? Who cares if someone finds out?” But then she would constantly check her phone and freak out whenever she was threatened or informed that she was being watched. She just became too much for me.
Dominic was just all over the place. He knew how to be a good friend, at least, when it was convenient for himself. He made his teachers believe he was dependable and trustworthy. He was the school’s gossip king. And when you didn’t do what he wanted, he would make your life a living hell. He claimed to have had Sam’s back but when Sam, Elisha, and Haran almost get hurt, he had the audacity to yell at Sam for not checking on him after an incident that put Sam’s life in danger. Like, REALLY??? Your friends almost died and you’re mad at him because he didn’t check on you. WHATEVER!!! Dominic was also sneaky. He did something that changed the course of everything and caused Sam, Haran, and Elisha to lose so much. I just couldn’t take him anymore after 58% of the book.
Haran, though sweet and kind, was just a straight up liar. While he didn’t treat Sam as bad as Dominic and Elisha did, he did abuse Sam’s trust. After the reveal of Haran’s actions, I wanted to scream: “Sam, just leave all of them alone and focus on your family. None of your friends really care about you the way you care about them.” This story was a reminder that: NOTHING SUCKS MORE THAN WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE WHO JUST DOES NOT LOVE YOU BACK!!!
Although Elisha, Dominic, and Haran turned out to be intolerable, I still feel like these characters and their backgrounds should have been more flushed out. I don’t know if it is because this is an ARC and an Uncorrected Version but the only two characters who I fully knew about was Sam and Lauren. I know his friends are considered “side-characters” but even side-characters are described in full detail. I mean, two of the characters don’t even have a last name. I know more about each of the characters’ parents than about Elisha, Haran, and Dominic. I hope the version that is released in September will provide more.
Another flaw in this story of was Sam and Elisha’s romance. BLAH!!! Their romance was so CRINGY. They seemed to be more like friends than boyfriend and girlfriend and that is putting it mildly. It was hard for me to root for them. I couldn’t even skip the parts that contained their relationship because it was so intertwine with the story. Their relationship truly felt unnecessary, unwanted, and I just wanted it to end!!! 🤭🤭🤭
HOWEVER…
If you enjoy:
✅Halloween.
✅Fast-paced books with short chapters.
✅ Big reveals
✅ YA Horror Fiction mixed with YA Mystery/Thriller Fiction.
✅ Any 90’s horror films.
✅ Getting your heart broken just a little bit.
Then you should MOST DEFINITELY read this book!!!
Thank you St.Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with a physical ARC of this novel !!!
MY FIRST ARC…😱😱😱…I won this novel in a giveaway. The excitement from this win has yet to go away… 🤯🤯🤯…I just wish this had been a 5-star read for me…🥺🥺🥺…
Premise: Every year, on Halloween, Dominic and his sister, Lauren, throw a party. While all the guests are having fun and making memories, Sam, Elisha, Haran Dominic, and Lauren leave for a few hours to spend time in an old hut with a rusting metal roof , known as The Dark Place, to host a funeral for the secrets that they have decided to keep from each other throughout the year. I mean, how therapeutic does this sound??? Hanging out with your friends in the woods and one by one each of you is given an opportunity to release the things that are causing you anxiety, shame, anger, and guilt. SOUND INTERESTING, RIGHT??? So, what happens when your annual tradition is disrupted by someone you don’t know let alone cannot even see? What happens when this person decides to inform you that they know all about your secrets as well? What do you do when you and your friends start to become hunted by your secrets through the use of spooky pictures, threatening text messages, and spying videos? What is the best course of action? Banning together and solving things??? Calling the police??? Telling your parents??? These are all of the questions that Sam, Elisha, Haran, Dominic, and Lauren are forced to answer everyday until they finally figure out who is terrorizing them and survive.
Thoughts: After reading Vincent Ralph’s letter at the beginning of this book, I was really nervous about continuing. Horror fiction is not a must read genre for me. Truth be told, I am a huge wimp when it comes to scary movies. I am the person you skip when you want to go to the movies and see the latest scary movie. I am the person who, if you want to watch those movies with, has to watch them in the day time. Everything about this book featured a bunch of 90’s horror film concepts (i.e., Scream; I know what you did last summer; Halloween; Jason). What started out as a horror fiction novel quickly turned into a mystery. I went from being freaked out and nervous to overjoyed and eager to figure out what was happening to these young people and who the heck was so determined to ruin their lives.
This book is labeled as “Horror Fiction.” So, I am still trying to figure out why I feel heartbroken after reading this. Based off the title, I was expecting some really juicy and deadly secrets. Instead, everyone’s secret was just heartbreaking. Literally, each secret was worse than the next person’s. I wish I could unread them. At one point, I just wanted Sam to seek revenge on EVERYONE. I didn’t even care if the person was innocent…🫣🫣🫣…I did, however, come to enjoy the multiple reveals towards the end. Those reveals kind of make up for my heartache.
While I fell in love with the premise of this story, I did have a hard time liking these characters. Wait, let me take that back. I did enjoy Samuel Hall, who was the narrator. From the ages of 8-12, Sam was a child-superstar. Sadly, he did not enjoy any aspect of his fame status. All he wanted was a normal life but, because he wanted to make his family happy, he chose to stick it out. Sticking it is what led to some devastating consequences and a lot of the secrets that he told in The Dark Place. Reading this story from Sam’s perspective shed a lot of light on how fame can really get the best of someone. I could truly feel all of the trauma and pain Sam experienced during his time in the spotlight. It actually makes me glad and has motivated me to enjoy my quiet and simple life. My heart broke the most when Sam became one of only two people who truly cared about finding out who was tormenting him and his friends.
I also did come to enjoy reading about Lauren. Although Lauren was a year or two older than Sam, Elisha, Dominic, and Haran, she participated in this tradition and came to enjoy it as much as Sam did. She genuinely had Sam’s back during several scenes in this story. My favorite scene was when she and Sam had a one-on-one and she slightly opened up to him about some of her background and the things she was facing. Sam provided her with some advice and, though it took her a while to actually act on it, she received the happy ending that she definitely deserved.
Where Sam and Lauren were lovable, everyone else just made this story difficult to truly enjoy. Elisha was SO ANNOYING and VERY MANIPULATIVE. She constantly belittled Sam’s fear. She even tired to make Sam feel bad for his friendships with Haran, Dominic, and Lauren. In one scene she got mad at Sam for not having her back and disagreeing with her. She had the audacity to made Sam and Lauren feel bad for wanting to protect The Dark Place. She was basically a walking contradiction. She would say “ You guys. Who cares about your secrets? Who cares if someone finds out?” But then she would constantly check her phone and freak out whenever she was threatened or informed that she was being watched. She just became too much for me.
Dominic was just all over the place. He knew how to be a good friend, at least, when it was convenient for himself. He made his teachers believe he was dependable and trustworthy. He was the school’s gossip king. And when you didn’t do what he wanted, he would make your life a living hell. He claimed to have had Sam’s back but when Sam, Elisha, and Haran almost get hurt, he had the audacity to yell at Sam for not checking on him after an incident that put Sam’s life in danger. Like, REALLY??? Your friends almost died and you’re mad at him because he didn’t check on you. WHATEVER!!! Dominic was also sneaky. He did something that changed the course of everything and caused Sam, Haran, and Elisha to lose so much. I just couldn’t take him anymore after 58% of the book.
Haran, though sweet and kind, was just a straight up liar. While he didn’t treat Sam as bad as Dominic and Elisha did, he did abuse Sam’s trust. After the reveal of Haran’s actions, I wanted to scream: “Sam, just leave all of them alone and focus on your family. None of your friends really care about you the way you care about them.” This story was a reminder that: NOTHING SUCKS MORE THAN WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE WHO JUST DOES NOT LOVE YOU BACK!!!
Although Elisha, Dominic, and Haran turned out to be intolerable, I still feel like these characters and their backgrounds should have been more flushed out. I don’t know if it is because this is an ARC and an Uncorrected Version but the only two characters who I fully knew about was Sam and Lauren. I know his friends are considered “side-characters” but even side-characters are described in full detail. I mean, two of the characters don’t even have a last name. I know more about each of the characters’ parents than about Elisha, Haran, and Dominic. I hope the version that is released in September will provide more.
Another flaw in this story of was Sam and Elisha’s romance. BLAH!!! Their romance was so CRINGY. They seemed to be more like friends than boyfriend and girlfriend and that is putting it mildly. It was hard for me to root for them. I couldn’t even skip the parts that contained their relationship because it was so intertwine with the story. Their relationship truly felt unnecessary, unwanted, and I just wanted it to end!!! 🤭🤭🤭
HOWEVER…
If you enjoy:
✅Halloween.
✅Fast-paced books with short chapters.
✅ Big reveals
✅ YA Horror Fiction mixed with YA Mystery/Thriller Fiction.
✅ Any 90’s horror films.
✅ Getting your heart broken just a little bit.
Then you should MOST DEFINITELY read this book!!!
Thank you St.Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with a physical ARC of this novel !!!
March 11, 2024
“You can’t always look away from scary things. Sometimes they’ll come for you regardless.���
I've been sitting on this book for quite some time because people kept steering me away from this one. They kept warning me about how I won't enjoy this and will see the twists coming from a mile away. I've finally decided that I'm going to ignore everyone's comments and see what this book had up it's sleeve.
Surprise surprise. I really enjoyed this book. I'm sure readers are going to be shocked at this. Usually, if I can guess the twist or at least some of it then I won't like the book but I liked this one. I did figure out some of the mystery but that didn't turn me off of this. I think it was that hair raising atmosphere that the author threw at us that kept me around. The stalking scenes were some of my favorites and I really couldn't get enough of those.
I'm really shocked that people keep shitting on this book. It was a decent read with a great little mystery.
I've been sitting on this book for quite some time because people kept steering me away from this one. They kept warning me about how I won't enjoy this and will see the twists coming from a mile away. I've finally decided that I'm going to ignore everyone's comments and see what this book had up it's sleeve.
Surprise surprise. I really enjoyed this book. I'm sure readers are going to be shocked at this. Usually, if I can guess the twist or at least some of it then I won't like the book but I liked this one. I did figure out some of the mystery but that didn't turn me off of this. I think it was that hair raising atmosphere that the author threw at us that kept me around. The stalking scenes were some of my favorites and I really couldn't get enough of those.
I'm really shocked that people keep shitting on this book. It was a decent read with a great little mystery.
January 5, 2024
My first arc was a DNF!?
Okay, I completely forgot to add this book because at first I was TERRIFIED to review this. I mean this is my first arc review and I got it before it came out in September. To give this a bad review felt so scary…
But I think I got over it now sooo here’s the book I started way back in June and took me until October to start again. 😓
As soon as I picked this up I immediately thought “This book is probably not for me,” and I don’t know what it was. It might have been the childish tone and writing or maybe the main character that I immediately hated. I don’t know why and I still can’t place it but I stopped reading and only picked it back up in October.
I started reading it again and I only got through maybe 18% of the book. I know that’s not a lot and I know the book is relatively short but I had to give up or I’d probably go into a reading slump. 😭 It’s not the book for me and I was too bored to keep reading. I’m so so sorry Vincent Ralph.
My first arc was a fail and I don’t think I’ll get over it for a while 😭💔🥴
Thank you Wednesday Books for this Advanced Readers Copy
Okay, I completely forgot to add this book because at first I was TERRIFIED to review this. I mean this is my first arc review and I got it before it came out in September. To give this a bad review felt so scary…
But I think I got over it now sooo here’s the book I started way back in June and took me until October to start again. 😓
As soon as I picked this up I immediately thought “This book is probably not for me,” and I don’t know what it was. It might have been the childish tone and writing or maybe the main character that I immediately hated. I don’t know why and I still can’t place it but I stopped reading and only picked it back up in October.
I started reading it again and I only got through maybe 18% of the book. I know that’s not a lot and I know the book is relatively short but I had to give up or I’d probably go into a reading slump. 😭 It’s not the book for me and I was too bored to keep reading. I’m so so sorry Vincent Ralph.
My first arc was a fail and I don’t think I’ll get over it for a while 😭💔🥴
Thank you Wednesday Books for this Advanced Readers Copy
Want to read
September 9, 2023Every Halloween, Sam and his friends sneak away from the big Halloween party at Dom's house and go to the Dark Place for their annual ritual -- going into the cabin in the woods, one by one, and confessing their secret(s). However, this year everything is different, because someone/something interrupts the evening. And then they start receiving strange messages from a Sasha Craven. Someone knows their secrets and is using that information to harass and scare them. Sam, Haran, Elisha, Dom and Lauren don't know each other's secrets, but Lauren's secret comes out first (in part), and eventually all the other secrets will be revealed, which will be both devastating and freeing. The secrets some of them are carrying have profoundly shaped their lives and the lives of those they care about. However, there are even greater and deeper secrets that will be unearthed.
The story has a lot of suspense and surprises. Each friend has a reason to keep their secret hidden, but as the harassment/stalking increases and other family members become involved, the friends diverge more on what to do about the situation, and things break apart further as the secrets are uncovered. The tormentor has been playing a long game, with motives much more intricate and sinister than the teenagers would ever guess and has managed to recruit a number of willing assistants. Some of the oddest or most innocuous seeming comments or events hold vital clues. Thank you Netgalley and the publishing team for giving me this free arc for my honest review.
The story has a lot of suspense and surprises. Each friend has a reason to keep their secret hidden, but as the harassment/stalking increases and other family members become involved, the friends diverge more on what to do about the situation, and things break apart further as the secrets are uncovered. The tormentor has been playing a long game, with motives much more intricate and sinister than the teenagers would ever guess and has managed to recruit a number of willing assistants. Some of the oddest or most innocuous seeming comments or events hold vital clues. Thank you Netgalley and the publishing team for giving me this free arc for my honest review.
July 23, 2023
If you're like me, you read YA because it's usually pretty quick, easy and makes for a fun read. Secrets Never Die is one that checks off all of those for me BUT you definitely need to go into this one with a younger mindset.
Fast pacing and short chapters are my faves and was the biggest highlight with this one. I did enjoy the storyline as well even though the big reveals really aren't that big. This is where reading with a younger mindset comes in. I had to keep reminding myself this isn't meant for readers my age...
With that in mind, I think it would be enjoyable for the target readers as well as readers who just enjoy an easy, fun read. This would also make a good one for Spooktober for those readers who love a Halloween setting and semi-spooky vibes, but don't necessarily want to be scared.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Fast pacing and short chapters are my faves and was the biggest highlight with this one. I did enjoy the storyline as well even though the big reveals really aren't that big. This is where reading with a younger mindset comes in. I had to keep reminding myself this isn't meant for readers my age...
With that in mind, I think it would be enjoyable for the target readers as well as readers who just enjoy an easy, fun read. This would also make a good one for Spooktober for those readers who love a Halloween setting and semi-spooky vibes, but don't necessarily want to be scared.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 19, 2023
So grateful to Wednesday books for an advance copy!
Unfortunately, this one did not work for me. I haven't read any books by this author, so I was excited to try his work! Also, this cover is fantastic.
I feel like this book went on WAY too long and by the halfway point I stopped caring. I did make it to the end, hoping it would be worth it. But it simply wasn't.
Unfortunately, this one did not work for me. I haven't read any books by this author, so I was excited to try his work! Also, this cover is fantastic.
I feel like this book went on WAY too long and by the halfway point I stopped caring. I did make it to the end, hoping it would be worth it. But it simply wasn't.
June 16, 2023
My heart is still pounding
What just happened ? I’m an adult, how did a YA book shake me to my core ? Well, when you are Vincent Ralph, you know how to skillfully craft a book that will consume and frighten even the coldest of folks.
I know I know. This is crazy . I can read Stephen King and not even bat an eye but I tell ya, this one is good, real good .
Something about teenagers have always scared me. Their brains haven’t fully formed and they make impulsive, awful and dangerous decisions without even batting an eye . Insert ::shiver:: . Just thinking about what I just read sends chills up my spine .
I think you should find out for yourself …
Teaser :
Secrets Never Die is a creepy thriller from New York Times bestselling author Vincent Ralph about four teens who all have secrets that are coming back to haunt...and terrorize.
We call it the Dark Place. I don’t know who built it or when but, for us, it’s special.
Every year Sam Hall and his friends hold funerals for their secrets in an abandoned hut in the woods that they call the Dark Place. But this year, their secrets are coming back from the dead...to terrorize them.
Sam is a former child star whose career went up in flames – literally. And no one, not even his best friend knows why. His friends each hold a secret pertaining to the night. A secret they would all like buried.
Now someone from the past is blackmailing them with their dangerous secrets. Sam isn’t sure who he can trust, who’s watching him – or how far he’s willing to go to bury the past once and for all.
When you’re alone in the dark, some things won’t stay hidden.
What just happened ? I’m an adult, how did a YA book shake me to my core ? Well, when you are Vincent Ralph, you know how to skillfully craft a book that will consume and frighten even the coldest of folks.
I know I know. This is crazy . I can read Stephen King and not even bat an eye but I tell ya, this one is good, real good .
Something about teenagers have always scared me. Their brains haven’t fully formed and they make impulsive, awful and dangerous decisions without even batting an eye . Insert ::shiver:: . Just thinking about what I just read sends chills up my spine .
I think you should find out for yourself …
Teaser :
Secrets Never Die is a creepy thriller from New York Times bestselling author Vincent Ralph about four teens who all have secrets that are coming back to haunt...and terrorize.
We call it the Dark Place. I don’t know who built it or when but, for us, it’s special.
Every year Sam Hall and his friends hold funerals for their secrets in an abandoned hut in the woods that they call the Dark Place. But this year, their secrets are coming back from the dead...to terrorize them.
Sam is a former child star whose career went up in flames – literally. And no one, not even his best friend knows why. His friends each hold a secret pertaining to the night. A secret they would all like buried.
Now someone from the past is blackmailing them with their dangerous secrets. Sam isn’t sure who he can trust, who’s watching him – or how far he’s willing to go to bury the past once and for all.
When you’re alone in the dark, some things won’t stay hidden.
September 2, 2023
What I Liked:
Fast Paced
Short Chapters
Kept Me Guessing
Halloween Night
The Dark Place
Dark Secrets
Eerie Vibes
What Was Just Okay:
The Characters (we didn't connect)
The Secrets Revealed (so much potential)
The Ending (underwhelming)
Overall this was an okay read. I struggled with not connecting with the characters, and that made it hard to fully enjoy the story. This one wasn't for me but there are lots of great reviews from others who enjoyed!
My thanks to Wednesday Books for this gifted copy!
Fast Paced
Short Chapters
Kept Me Guessing
Halloween Night
The Dark Place
Dark Secrets
Eerie Vibes
What Was Just Okay:
The Characters (we didn't connect)
The Secrets Revealed (so much potential)
The Ending (underwhelming)
Overall this was an okay read. I struggled with not connecting with the characters, and that made it hard to fully enjoy the story. This one wasn't for me but there are lots of great reviews from others who enjoyed!
My thanks to Wednesday Books for this gifted copy!
January 20, 2024
Oh, I got really into this one. It wasn't super scary or anything like that. But it was really intriguing and it did keep me guessing the whole time. Usually, I try to guess who it is and whats happening. But things twisted and turned so much that I eventually gave up and just enjoyed the ride.
May 1, 2023
Sam Hall and his friends speak their deepest secrets in an abandoned space in the woods called the Dark Place. This year, however, the secrets have gotten free and are coming out to play!
This YA book is super creepy and well written. Much less angst and much more plot and interest! If you like a scary YA, a male hero (for once), or just like a scary creepy story, Secrets Never Die is for you!
#StMartins #SecretsNeverDie #VincentRalph
This YA book is super creepy and well written. Much less angst and much more plot and interest! If you like a scary YA, a male hero (for once), or just like a scary creepy story, Secrets Never Die is for you!
#StMartins #SecretsNeverDie #VincentRalph
December 1, 2024
Review coming soon.
August 15, 2023
I had hoped to enjoy this book as much as I have enjoyed some of this authors other books, unfortunately that was not the case.
It did contain some action, short chapters, tension & twists. I just did not love the characters & couldn’t connect with any of them. I felt the romance between Sam and Elisha’s was just a bit boring and they felt more like friends than anything else. This audiobook was just mediocre for me and I think some of that had to do with the narration, it fell felt in my opinion and just did not give the book the excitement & dimension it needed. I honestly didn't love Christopher Gebauer and Jennifer Jill Araya as audiobook narrators.
I am still looking forward to reading his next work and keeping my fingers crossed that I will enjoy it more.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for sharing the audiobook with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
It did contain some action, short chapters, tension & twists. I just did not love the characters & couldn’t connect with any of them. I felt the romance between Sam and Elisha’s was just a bit boring and they felt more like friends than anything else. This audiobook was just mediocre for me and I think some of that had to do with the narration, it fell felt in my opinion and just did not give the book the excitement & dimension it needed. I honestly didn't love Christopher Gebauer and Jennifer Jill Araya as audiobook narrators.
I am still looking forward to reading his next work and keeping my fingers crossed that I will enjoy it more.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for sharing the audiobook with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
October 25, 2024
this was very intriguing and not at all what I was expecting! I did not see any of that coming. My fav part was how much Sam loved his little sister, Molly. Made my heart 🥹🩷
August 3, 2025
This was decent.
Fairly predictable, but a great enough pace that you don't really care.
The characters are kinda ridiculous in their actions, but it wouldn't have worked if they hadn't been.
Overall good psychological.
Fairly predictable, but a great enough pace that you don't really care.
The characters are kinda ridiculous in their actions, but it wouldn't have worked if they hadn't been.
Overall good psychological.
November 25, 2024
* this book was captivating from the very start and the setting was crucial as it played a huge part in the story, bringing in the ominous feelings and tension
* i enjoyed this book as the suspense and tension were high and kept me on tenterhooks
* the plot however was not really interesting as it was predictable and did not evoke any feelings
* i enjoyed this book as the suspense and tension were high and kept me on tenterhooks
* the plot however was not really interesting as it was predictable and did not evoke any feelings
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June 26, 2023Secrets Never Die is inspired, in part, by the horror-thrillers of the nineties and the tropes that never get old for me: the threat of the woods, the tormented teens fighting back, the unknown assailant who could be anywhere. I love these characters and this story, and I hope you will, too.
May 28, 2025
I’ve read a lot of books that have to do with the characters harboring secrets and the secrets in this one were not very crazy or blackmail worthy. In the end it was kind of bland and I couldn’t really figure out why any of what happened need to. Though the short quick chapters were nice.
October 23, 2023
This was a quick read & kept me guessing until the end! Perfect Halloween read!
August 1, 2024
eh was not for me the plot twists were predictable and the story could’ve been many many pages shorter to get the point
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