What do you think?
Rate this book
Steele Secrets #1
Steele Secrets
Not yet published
Expected 7 Apr 26When Mary Steele mysteriously finds herself in an old cemetery down the road from her house in a tiny mountain town, she's not concerned. She's not even frightened when a ghost named Moses approaches her or when she has to stand-off against a bulldozer.
But when her inquiries into the history of the cemetery and the people buried there begin to draw out the worst in the members of her community, Mary begins to be afraid. Will she be able to recover history while keeping the people she loves safe?
But when her inquiries into the history of the cemetery and the people buried there begin to draw out the worst in the members of her community, Mary begins to be afraid. Will she be able to recover history while keeping the people she loves safe?
208 pages, Paperback
First published February 9, 2016
138 people are currently reading
523 people want to read
About the author
Andi Cumbo-Floyd
22 books191 followersI’m a writer, an editor, a cross-stitcher, and a reader.
I write books about writing, magical realism for middle grade and young adult readers, and cozy mysteries as ACF Bookens.
My husband, adorable toddler, three dogs and three cats have the gift of living in Virginia's beautiful Blue Ridge.
I write books about writing, magical realism for middle grade and young adult readers, and cozy mysteries as ACF Bookens.
My husband, adorable toddler, three dogs and three cats have the gift of living in Virginia's beautiful Blue Ridge.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
February 8, 2016
From the moment I met 17 year old Mary Steele, the heroine of Andi Cumbo-Floyd’s new novel Steele Secrets, I wanted to know more about her. This is a young woman of uncommon intelligence and integrity, of gentle courage and a strong heart filled with deeply sensitive emotions. Through a series of strange-but-true circumstances, Mary is moved to take a stand against racism and injustice in the small town she calls home. True to her name she demonstrates nerves of steel as she uses her intelligence and her determination to prevent the town from destroying an old and forgotten cemetery, one that holds the remains of slaves from a local plantation.
Cumbo-Floyd has woven so many lovely themes throughout this book, one that she is marketing for young adults, but one this definitely older adult could not put down. These themes are vitally important for people of all ages: appreciation of our heritage, tolerance for those who are different, honoring the past, learning from our mistakes, and combatting evil with good.
Steele Secrets was a completely un-put-downable story, and inspired more than a few tears along the way. I’m so glad I got to know Mary Steele, and I’d love to read more about her and where life might take her next. Somehow, I have a feeling wherever it is and whatever she does, she’ll make it matter.
Cumbo-Floyd has woven so many lovely themes throughout this book, one that she is marketing for young adults, but one this definitely older adult could not put down. These themes are vitally important for people of all ages: appreciation of our heritage, tolerance for those who are different, honoring the past, learning from our mistakes, and combatting evil with good.
Steele Secrets was a completely un-put-downable story, and inspired more than a few tears along the way. I’m so glad I got to know Mary Steele, and I’d love to read more about her and where life might take her next. Somehow, I have a feeling wherever it is and whatever she does, she’ll make it matter.
February 4, 2016
Told from the perspective of a young girl named Mary Steele comes the story of a town's secrets, and our nation's secrets. An old cemetery is about to be bull-dozed. Mary encounters a ghost there and what she learns inspires her to try to save the cemetery. Part ghost-story, part contemplation about the importance of preserving the past, part acknowledgment of our nation's need to confront the legacy of slavery as we never really have, I literally could not put this book down once I got half way into it. Late at night as I tried repeatedly to put it down, visions of Mary and Moses, the other characters, the headstones, and the town where they all converge, kept me turning the light next to my bed back on until I finished at 4:00 in the morning. Steele Secrets is technically a "Young Adult" novel, but I'm 61 and loved it. I highly recommend it.
Read
February 18, 2016I just finished reading, "Steele Secrets" by Andi Cumbo-Floyd, a volume I won in a FB drawing. When I received this book, I opened it intent on reading a few paragraphs and laying it down until I had more time. Wrong! I couldn't put this book down as Andi threw out the lure and hooked me in no time at all. Her work is powerful. After but a few moments, I found myself not reading words, but living the story. Andi presents a very common human problem, and weaves a tale that moved my heart in so many ways. The ending made me realize that genuine friendships, reconciliation and justice, and people truly engaging with one another best take place around the table - even a potluck supper table.
Growing up in the 50's and 60's in northeast PA, in a small city, I experienced very little, if any, events or news of racism... I never witnessed or heard of problems between the races. I was free to come and go when visiting minority students in the neighborhoods and homes...
Andi Cumbo-Floyd reveals how much racism is often hidden from view .. but with conversation - even difficult conversations - efforts at unity can be accomplished, even if simply in some small ways.
I look forward to reading more and more of her work.
Thank you, Andi...
Growing up in the 50's and 60's in northeast PA, in a small city, I experienced very little, if any, events or news of racism... I never witnessed or heard of problems between the races. I was free to come and go when visiting minority students in the neighborhoods and homes...
Andi Cumbo-Floyd reveals how much racism is often hidden from view .. but with conversation - even difficult conversations - efforts at unity can be accomplished, even if simply in some small ways.
I look forward to reading more and more of her work.
Thank you, Andi...
January 21, 2016
This book officially comes out on February 9, but I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Moderate spoilers ahead.
Fans of YA with a touch of magical realism and a nod to history, particularly concerning the treatment and remembrance of slaves - you're going to want to pre-order this one. The story is told from the perspective of a precocious teenage girl who gets zapped into an old cemetery and tries to save it from people who would have it destroyed. I like the juxtaposition of the typical teenage worries to the importance of the work she is doing. I also like that the ending was realistic. The story flowed smoothly and kept me interested. In fact, once I picked the book up, I couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened!
Moderate spoilers ahead.
Fans of YA with a touch of magical realism and a nod to history, particularly concerning the treatment and remembrance of slaves - you're going to want to pre-order this one. The story is told from the perspective of a precocious teenage girl who gets zapped into an old cemetery and tries to save it from people who would have it destroyed. I like the juxtaposition of the typical teenage worries to the importance of the work she is doing. I also like that the ending was realistic. The story flowed smoothly and kept me interested. In fact, once I picked the book up, I couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened!
January 27, 2016
The supernatural blends seamlessly with the natural; the past with the present. Well written and a good story, this is a book that will make you wonder if you really know your past -- especially if you are from the South.
March 10, 2016
I have appreciated Andi Cumbo-Floyd's previous books and was looking forward to this one, despite the change of style. I was not disappointed. Because while this is not the same kind of book that Andi has written before, it was still one that reflected her kind heart and her desire for racial reconciliation.
Andi created a cast of strong female characters, which was my favorite aspect of this book. Mary Steele is a relatable, kind teenage girl who can just happen to talk to a ghost. She discovers that a local slave cemetery is about to be bulldozed, and she, along with her mother, friends, and other people in her town, work to save it. I appreciated that while help came in many forms, the women in the book didn't need to be rescued, but were able to stand on their own feet to do the necessary work.
I loved the end of the book in particular. It didn't have the kind of resolution that one might expect, but I felt like it was honest and true, and that resonates more with me than anything else.
Andi doesn't back away from the harsh realities of what it meant to own people as property, and how this still has an impact on the way that many view race relations today. But she also included much hope in the narrative, and that hope allows us to accept things that are still not as we might want them to be.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
Andi created a cast of strong female characters, which was my favorite aspect of this book. Mary Steele is a relatable, kind teenage girl who can just happen to talk to a ghost. She discovers that a local slave cemetery is about to be bulldozed, and she, along with her mother, friends, and other people in her town, work to save it. I appreciated that while help came in many forms, the women in the book didn't need to be rescued, but were able to stand on their own feet to do the necessary work.
I loved the end of the book in particular. It didn't have the kind of resolution that one might expect, but I felt like it was honest and true, and that resonates more with me than anything else.
Andi doesn't back away from the harsh realities of what it meant to own people as property, and how this still has an impact on the way that many view race relations today. But she also included much hope in the narrative, and that hope allows us to accept things that are still not as we might want them to be.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
September 5, 2016
Mary Steele & Moses
Mary Steele a young girl who stumbled a cross a cemetery. There was a reason. The Ancestors wanted to be known and heard. Sometimes their Spirit comes through to us in many ways and we just have to have a open heart. The relationship between a modern day girl in our time and her relationship with the Ancestor Moses tells of a beautiful story of how we should remember and honor those that came before us. That one persons spirit tho they may be gone from this Life and young person can take action and make a change. With her Community and Circle of friends this Story shows how we can change the Narrative of our daily living with all of our differences and work towards making a change for the greater good for all. It just takes one Person. Moses family and his Descendants will be dear to me heart and I can't wait for him to come back another day. I felt like I was having some of the same conversations and moments as I sit with my own family history and genealogy and the Author wrapped this Family History, Community and all its Characters and made us think a while and appreciate all that we bring to the Table.
Mary Steele a young girl who stumbled a cross a cemetery. There was a reason. The Ancestors wanted to be known and heard. Sometimes their Spirit comes through to us in many ways and we just have to have a open heart. The relationship between a modern day girl in our time and her relationship with the Ancestor Moses tells of a beautiful story of how we should remember and honor those that came before us. That one persons spirit tho they may be gone from this Life and young person can take action and make a change. With her Community and Circle of friends this Story shows how we can change the Narrative of our daily living with all of our differences and work towards making a change for the greater good for all. It just takes one Person. Moses family and his Descendants will be dear to me heart and I can't wait for him to come back another day. I felt like I was having some of the same conversations and moments as I sit with my own family history and genealogy and the Author wrapped this Family History, Community and all its Characters and made us think a while and appreciate all that we bring to the Table.
February 26, 2016
Steele Secrets is a wonderful book, grounded in history and the joys of research and learning just where you come from. It's about racial reconciliation, while being a great read.
It opens with Mary Steele picking beans in her garden one moment and finds herself in a cemetery the next. She meets Moses who turns out to be a ghost. The next day she finds herself blocking a bulldozer about to mow down the cemetery to make way for school playing fields. The story continues as Mary and her friends research who was buried there along with who was related to whom. They need to figure this out in order to keep the cemetery from being destroyed.
This is not only a book about how important it is to preserve history, including that of the most marginalized among us, it is also about how exciting and life changing research into people’s past lives can be. This novel clearly shows how we must fight for racial justice, but goes about it gently, winning over a skeptical reader. I highly recommend it.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
It opens with Mary Steele picking beans in her garden one moment and finds herself in a cemetery the next. She meets Moses who turns out to be a ghost. The next day she finds herself blocking a bulldozer about to mow down the cemetery to make way for school playing fields. The story continues as Mary and her friends research who was buried there along with who was related to whom. They need to figure this out in order to keep the cemetery from being destroyed.
This is not only a book about how important it is to preserve history, including that of the most marginalized among us, it is also about how exciting and life changing research into people’s past lives can be. This novel clearly shows how we must fight for racial justice, but goes about it gently, winning over a skeptical reader. I highly recommend it.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 12, 2016
A young girl finds herself confronting racism and prejudice as she uncovers town secrets long buried ...and meant to stay buried. Steele Secrets provides excellent prompts for conversations on the legacy of slavery, racism, life after death, and even gender issues. The author weaves history and genealogical research techniques throughout the well researched book. The twists and turns of the plot kept me reading deep into the wee hours of the night. The characters (past and present!) are likeable and the dialogue is believable.
Many lessons are embedded in this new YA novel by Andi Cumbo-Floyd. I highly recommend Steele Secrets for the young adult audience as well as us not so young adults.
Many lessons are embedded in this new YA novel by Andi Cumbo-Floyd. I highly recommend Steele Secrets for the young adult audience as well as us not so young adults.
February 19, 2016
A wonderful read! Touching. So sad that much of history has been forgotten. The lines and walls of misunderstanding need to be abolished
January 27, 2016
Good book! YA officially but a good read for everyone.
November 15, 2020
This story is told from the perspective of Mary Steele, a 17 year old high school student. One day, she finds herself magically appearing in an old cemetery not far from her house. She does not seem scared, not even when she is approached by a ghost called Moses. After speaking to Moses for a while, she learns a lot about his history and the significance of the old cemetery. She learns about the history of Moses and his family while they were slaves. While she is at the cemetery, a bulldozer arrives and tries to destroy it. Mary finds herself standing in front of it to protect the graves.
Mary is now on a mission to discover the secrets which have been hidden regarding the cemetery. She has to find the help of many people to go against those who are keeping the secret. In the fight for injustice and racism, we see those who are the worst in the community.
This young adult book dealt with a topic which I have not read much about. Bringing to light slavery and the terrible things which came with it, is such an eye opener to what some people had to go through. The topic of slavery goes hand in hand with racism which can be seen in the book about those people who are buried in the graves. This book was such a page turner, I enjoyed finding out how Mary and Moses was going to join together to save the cemetery.
Mary is an intelligent and strong girl who has a lot to deal with when coming into Moses' story. Although I could not imagine it being anyone else, she deals with Moses' situation with empathy. After listening to Moses' story, she is determined to put things right, regardless of the background and ethnicity of Moses and the slaves in the cemetery. Protecting her community's heritage and honouring Moses' past is what she does. These themes are important to think about for everyone. I find Mary gains a lot of confidence in this novel, as she stands up to her 'enemies'.
While I was reading I highlighted a quote from the book which I will add below. It was heartbreaking to read this because Mary acknowledges that her and Moses have completely different views of the world because of their ethnicity.
"Racism was still alive and well and that I was oblivious to it for the most part. Racism as a system and a history kept my friend and me from sharing a perspective on the world, and that broke my heart."
At the end of the novel, I enjoyed the discussion points. I think it is a good idea, especially being a young adult book because it encourages them to learn about the past where they live. It has made me want to research the past of my town. There was a lot for me to think about after finishing this book. I have realised that I am like Mary, I do not know the history of where I live. Thank you to Andi for sending me this book, I really enjoyed reading it, 5/5 stars.
Mary is now on a mission to discover the secrets which have been hidden regarding the cemetery. She has to find the help of many people to go against those who are keeping the secret. In the fight for injustice and racism, we see those who are the worst in the community.
This young adult book dealt with a topic which I have not read much about. Bringing to light slavery and the terrible things which came with it, is such an eye opener to what some people had to go through. The topic of slavery goes hand in hand with racism which can be seen in the book about those people who are buried in the graves. This book was such a page turner, I enjoyed finding out how Mary and Moses was going to join together to save the cemetery.
Mary is an intelligent and strong girl who has a lot to deal with when coming into Moses' story. Although I could not imagine it being anyone else, she deals with Moses' situation with empathy. After listening to Moses' story, she is determined to put things right, regardless of the background and ethnicity of Moses and the slaves in the cemetery. Protecting her community's heritage and honouring Moses' past is what she does. These themes are important to think about for everyone. I find Mary gains a lot of confidence in this novel, as she stands up to her 'enemies'.
While I was reading I highlighted a quote from the book which I will add below. It was heartbreaking to read this because Mary acknowledges that her and Moses have completely different views of the world because of their ethnicity.
"Racism was still alive and well and that I was oblivious to it for the most part. Racism as a system and a history kept my friend and me from sharing a perspective on the world, and that broke my heart."
At the end of the novel, I enjoyed the discussion points. I think it is a good idea, especially being a young adult book because it encourages them to learn about the past where they live. It has made me want to research the past of my town. There was a lot for me to think about after finishing this book. I have realised that I am like Mary, I do not know the history of where I live. Thank you to Andi for sending me this book, I really enjoyed reading it, 5/5 stars.
July 19, 2019
Steele Secrets may have been written a few years back, but boy is it as much of an appropriate read now as much as it was then. It may be a specifically American tale, but it's one that resonates regardless.
Mary Steele was just an ordinary girl... Until the moment she found herself standing in a field outside her school, blank stone markers around her, and no idea of how she got there. Then there's Moses. He is a ghost. He was a slave. And for some reason there are people out there who want to erase his existence from history, with bulldozers and legal injunctions if necessary. Not one to take injustices lying down, Mary ropes in friends and family to discover the history of the stone markers. It turns out that it's not just the field; the whole town is full of secrets waiting to be unearthed.
Firstly, Mary is an amazing narrator. I have never empathised more with a YA lead. She's average, nice enough, reasonably good in school, not looks obsessed or boy crazed (she's got a crush of course, but she's not checking out his toned abs or whatever YA girls usually do), and with a good friend or two looking out for her. She's snarky but in a real way. The only way I could have loved her (and the modern day cast) more would be if her slice-of-life story alongside the main mystery could have been better developed. A few things like relationships between character just... happened. I wished it could have had more airtime to grown.
Secondly, this story has heart. It highlights the legacy of slavery in a touching, poignant way. It's YA appropriate, though it won't shy away from the darker side of things either. It pushed historical fact to the forefront, as well as showing a realistic representation of how both liberal and conservative views clash on the matter. It's not all rose-tinted glasses about either the historical or present day society values which is so refreshing. If anything, the sadness in the book reinforces the need to take action yourself. It's a YA primer in looking at white privilege.
The magical realism/fantasy element to it is both a blessing (because it gives us Moses' voice) and a curse (because some things are never really explained... like popping up in a field, or how people just shrug off the existence of ghosts). That initial part of the story does feel a tad rushed, details brushed over, but once it gets going the mystery takes the lead.
While it's not overly deep in terms of developing characters, it's the story within the story that pushes you to read on. Mary's tale of self discovery is a little under-represented, but for a social issues based YA it does a good job of shedding light on difficult attitudes. One for our times indeed.
-I received a free copy of this ebook in a giveaway-
Mary Steele was just an ordinary girl... Until the moment she found herself standing in a field outside her school, blank stone markers around her, and no idea of how she got there. Then there's Moses. He is a ghost. He was a slave. And for some reason there are people out there who want to erase his existence from history, with bulldozers and legal injunctions if necessary. Not one to take injustices lying down, Mary ropes in friends and family to discover the history of the stone markers. It turns out that it's not just the field; the whole town is full of secrets waiting to be unearthed.
Firstly, Mary is an amazing narrator. I have never empathised more with a YA lead. She's average, nice enough, reasonably good in school, not looks obsessed or boy crazed (she's got a crush of course, but she's not checking out his toned abs or whatever YA girls usually do), and with a good friend or two looking out for her. She's snarky but in a real way. The only way I could have loved her (and the modern day cast) more would be if her slice-of-life story alongside the main mystery could have been better developed. A few things like relationships between character just... happened. I wished it could have had more airtime to grown.
Secondly, this story has heart. It highlights the legacy of slavery in a touching, poignant way. It's YA appropriate, though it won't shy away from the darker side of things either. It pushed historical fact to the forefront, as well as showing a realistic representation of how both liberal and conservative views clash on the matter. It's not all rose-tinted glasses about either the historical or present day society values which is so refreshing. If anything, the sadness in the book reinforces the need to take action yourself. It's a YA primer in looking at white privilege.
The magical realism/fantasy element to it is both a blessing (because it gives us Moses' voice) and a curse (because some things are never really explained... like popping up in a field, or how people just shrug off the existence of ghosts). That initial part of the story does feel a tad rushed, details brushed over, but once it gets going the mystery takes the lead.
While it's not overly deep in terms of developing characters, it's the story within the story that pushes you to read on. Mary's tale of self discovery is a little under-represented, but for a social issues based YA it does a good job of shedding light on difficult attitudes. One for our times indeed.
-I received a free copy of this ebook in a giveaway-
April 30, 2021
Currently DNF may go back later.....So I like the idea behind this book. A young girl uses her gift of seeing ghosts to educate and help protect a cemetary that mainly holds slaves. Bring awarness to the history of the town, some people arent liking it and in turn trying to stop her. Great idea for a story but seriously I am not liking how the author plays Mary to be clueless regarding slavery. She is either way too sheltered, too naive or just plain ignorant during this time to not know. How can she not know that during slavery black people weren't seen as people but property or that black women were raped by their masters over and over again just because they felt they could(she had to be sat down to be told this fact) or that people still in this day hate others for race (she just didnt get why the one guy didnt want the black gentleman driving her home). The whole innocent "but how can that be, their people, we dont do that to people" is irritating and unbelieveable. This 17 year old can't be that blind to the history of slavery and racist no matter how small the town she lives in is. Even with the author stating how schools limit what is taught about slavery (which is true), its not conviencing and very irritating. In real life, if we knew this girl, we would probably be asking her "Seriously are you being for real right now?" I know we are not all historians but we all know the realities of what happen even at a young age. I am gonna try to finish the book but we will see..
March 3, 2024
OMG WOW
I picked this book because I love paranormal stories. At first, before I started reading, I wasn’t too sure it was right for me out of the thousands (literally) of unread stories on my kindle that I have to choose from. But then I started reading. From the outset the paranormal element is secondary to the real story here. A story of history, of hate, of tragedy, all so true. And yet I read, and read. I almost completed this in one sitting, although by 1:30am and 15% left to go I knew if I truly wanted to embrace the ending I’d need to be fully awake to appreciate it. I completed this story immediately after waking up, and this story will stay with me for a long while.
I don’t do spoilers but I will say that the characters were solid, well described and the text flowed with pace and a solid imagination of everyone in the book.
As a writer myself, I have a tiny bit of envy as I would have loved to have written this myself if I had known the tale. I know that I would have absolutely loved all the research required to bring this story to life. But, all that said, I don’t think I could have done it the justice that Andi Cumbo-Floyd has brought to these pages. Very deserving of five stars. Thank you.
I picked this book because I love paranormal stories. At first, before I started reading, I wasn’t too sure it was right for me out of the thousands (literally) of unread stories on my kindle that I have to choose from. But then I started reading. From the outset the paranormal element is secondary to the real story here. A story of history, of hate, of tragedy, all so true. And yet I read, and read. I almost completed this in one sitting, although by 1:30am and 15% left to go I knew if I truly wanted to embrace the ending I’d need to be fully awake to appreciate it. I completed this story immediately after waking up, and this story will stay with me for a long while.
I don’t do spoilers but I will say that the characters were solid, well described and the text flowed with pace and a solid imagination of everyone in the book.
As a writer myself, I have a tiny bit of envy as I would have loved to have written this myself if I had known the tale. I know that I would have absolutely loved all the research required to bring this story to life. But, all that said, I don’t think I could have done it the justice that Andi Cumbo-Floyd has brought to these pages. Very deserving of five stars. Thank you.
June 1, 2022
I enjoyed the audiobook of Steele Secrets. I did like how quick it was to read and enjoy, as time is not an overflowing commodity these days, but with a quick book you do get the feeling you're only skimming the surface on some of the characters personalities and motivations. Mary Steele is a high schooler who meets a ghost at the cemetery, a former slave. When she learns a local townsperson wants to demolish the cemetery, she begins to uncover the secrets some wish to be buried, along with her own heritage not yet known. I enjoyed the audiobook narration very much - the different voices, the accents. Very well done. I also enjoyed cheering on our leading young lady as she went head to head with adult bullies and racism. Her efforts are important and empowering as the book shares the realities of what owning slaves looked like then and the racism we still see today. I liked the ending, it felt satisfying and I'm curious what comes next for our characters.
July 13, 2022
What a fantastic book! It compelled me and I listened to it in one sitting. Mary Steele is a likeable character she will stand up for what she believes in and is very smart. In fact, most of the characters in this book are great characters, however, I did feel anger towards one particular character.
The story is actually quite sad when Mary comes across an old graveyard which she learns is soon to be bulldozed to make way for development. She meets a ghost named Moses, who tells her his story of what it was like in his day as a slave and she makes it her mission to save the graveyard.
Aven Shore did a wonderful job narrating this, putting enough feeling and expression in it that I felt that she was Mary!
After listening to this I certainly want to continue with the series.
I received this audiobook at no-cost from Audiobook Empire. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
The story is actually quite sad when Mary comes across an old graveyard which she learns is soon to be bulldozed to make way for development. She meets a ghost named Moses, who tells her his story of what it was like in his day as a slave and she makes it her mission to save the graveyard.
Aven Shore did a wonderful job narrating this, putting enough feeling and expression in it that I felt that she was Mary!
After listening to this I certainly want to continue with the series.
I received this audiobook at no-cost from Audiobook Empire. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
October 31, 2016
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that started out so seemingly simple and ended up so profound. Steele Secrets is the story of a teenage girl who meets a ghost in an unmarked cemetery. I could tell from the beginning that this “young adult novel” would be a good read, even for a 60-year-old boomer. But the ending was more than good. The ending moved me powerfully. I teared up several times during the last few chapters and sobbed at the end, but in a good way. Having gotten to know the characters and caring about them, especially 17-year-old Mary Steele, I cheered them on. I even cheered out loud once. Steel Secrets is a story about integrity, wisdom, and compassion. It’s a story with the potential to change hearts and minds, to help people understand as Mary did, that “You don’t have to fight with harm. You can fight with good, too.”
Steele Secrets is a book I’m proud to have read.
Steele Secrets is a book I’m proud to have read.
August 5, 2017
I started reading this book because of the mad respect I have for the author and her work. I didn't know if I would enjoy it, but I'm happy to say that I LOVED it.
Let me be clear from the beginning: this book has a ghost (not scary, though) and deals with racism and slavery. And while the author has some important things to say about the latter two, her views are woven into the story so well that readers are challenged in subtle ways. She doesn't flat-out preach her views, and there isn't what I would call a wrapped-up-with-a-bow kind of ending. (I was afraid we were headed there and it didn't feel right, so I'm glad she did what she did. That's all I'll say.)
The teenage narrator Mary Steele is likable and moves the story along at a good pace. I look forward to more books in this series from this author.
Let me be clear from the beginning: this book has a ghost (not scary, though) and deals with racism and slavery. And while the author has some important things to say about the latter two, her views are woven into the story so well that readers are challenged in subtle ways. She doesn't flat-out preach her views, and there isn't what I would call a wrapped-up-with-a-bow kind of ending. (I was afraid we were headed there and it didn't feel right, so I'm glad she did what she did. That's all I'll say.)
The teenage narrator Mary Steele is likable and moves the story along at a good pace. I look forward to more books in this series from this author.
November 17, 2020
3.5 stars. I have mixed feelings about this book, it reads like a middle school book, not in writting, in the story itself. I think it would be a great read for that age group. My mixed feelings is in the topic. I know that there is still racism in the world today, everyone does. We keep separating ourselves, even now, black and white. Maybe its how I was raised or where I grew up, I'm not sure but, I don't think of my black friends and neighbors as black friends or black neighbors. I simply think of them as friends or neighbors. I don't look at the color of their skin. This book gives you more of a look at some of the uglier sides of being a slave. Things left out of school books. It gives you a glimpse of today's racism as well. All in all this is a good read. Just more for middle grade kids or even younger high school readers.
Read
May 7, 2022So here I am, the author, reviewing my own book. Weird, huh?
But I just wanted to tell you a bit about why I wrote Steele Secrets and thank you for reading it.
The books comes out of my desire to call attention to potential loss of African American cemeteries, particularly enslaved people's cemeteries, and my wish to think through my own family's history as people of various ethnicities, including black people. As a white woman, I'm still sitting with my black ancestors' stories and thinking about how they inform my identity and how their perseverance in struggle allowed me to exist.
I hope you'll enjoy the book. You can get it as an ebook (FREE, everywhere) and also in paperback and now audiobook through the link below.
Thanks so much for reading.
Https://books2read.com/steelesecrets
But I just wanted to tell you a bit about why I wrote Steele Secrets and thank you for reading it.
The books comes out of my desire to call attention to potential loss of African American cemeteries, particularly enslaved people's cemeteries, and my wish to think through my own family's history as people of various ethnicities, including black people. As a white woman, I'm still sitting with my black ancestors' stories and thinking about how they inform my identity and how their perseverance in struggle allowed me to exist.
I hope you'll enjoy the book. You can get it as an ebook (FREE, everywhere) and also in paperback and now audiobook through the link below.
Thanks so much for reading.
Https://books2read.com/steelesecrets
July 28, 2024
not your usual ghost story
Steele Secrets by Andi Cumbo-Floyd: A teen who can see the dead. A ghost in a deserted slave cemetery. A construction company determined to destroy and cover the graves up. This is NOT your typical ghost story. Cumbo reveals the bitter truth of slavery, its impact on descendants with their lost histories, and the lengths people still go through to keep the truth hidden and people down. Can enough awareness and empathy be raised before the cemetery is destroyed? An excellent read, weaving a story of harsh truths, strong friendships and even stronger community. Clean, fast paced, a bit raw at times, and even a hint of romance.
Steele Secrets by Andi Cumbo-Floyd: A teen who can see the dead. A ghost in a deserted slave cemetery. A construction company determined to destroy and cover the graves up. This is NOT your typical ghost story. Cumbo reveals the bitter truth of slavery, its impact on descendants with their lost histories, and the lengths people still go through to keep the truth hidden and people down. Can enough awareness and empathy be raised before the cemetery is destroyed? An excellent read, weaving a story of harsh truths, strong friendships and even stronger community. Clean, fast paced, a bit raw at times, and even a hint of romance.
April 19, 2022
one of my friends said that books for younger folk can reveal more honest truths than our grown up books. Well that is quite true of this book. A young woman discovers she can see ghosts and talk with them. She and her friends reveal several evils of racism and seek reconcilliation. Her view of the honest acceptance of slavery and racism by the oppressed balances with her view of the pain and shame and fear behind much of racism.
this is also a book about a reluctant hero- well done!
maybe by the 3rd story i was a little tired of her perfect mom, but not tired of the stories at all.
this is also a book about a reluctant hero- well done!
maybe by the 3rd story i was a little tired of her perfect mom, but not tired of the stories at all.
June 16, 2022
This was a powerful message.
Sometimes you read a story and you automatically get pulled in. That’s how this felt to me. It was a twist on the average ghost story and a twist on the average story about the history of slaves. It combined the two so that it was both intriguing and thought provoking. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The narration was absolutely brilliant. Aven Shore has a beautiful story telling voice and knows how to perform. Well done!
This is book 1 with an HEA and can be read as a standalone. I highly recommend this book.
Sisters Spotlight 💜
Sometimes you read a story and you automatically get pulled in. That’s how this felt to me. It was a twist on the average ghost story and a twist on the average story about the history of slaves. It combined the two so that it was both intriguing and thought provoking. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The narration was absolutely brilliant. Aven Shore has a beautiful story telling voice and knows how to perform. Well done!
This is book 1 with an HEA and can be read as a standalone. I highly recommend this book.
Sisters Spotlight 💜
August 3, 2019
A short paranormal mystery read opened into a modern day mom and daughter relationship. Somewhat suspending belief of a psychologist opening up practice in a very small town. I also didn’t care for the HIPPA violations and the budding relationship between the mom and the person she violated. I just can’t wrap my head around someone who would want to be with someone after a broken trust.
The mom’s actions seemed really far fetched - from her pacing back and forth in a dominating manner after this discovery to her openly supporting her daughter to seek the assistance of the press to save the small cemetery.
I also know that current laws (at least in my state) don’t allow moms to put a father’s name on the birth certificate without his approval - unless it’s her husband’s name. In the book, the married woman listed her master’s name as the father. Yet we learn from the ghost he either didn’t learn until later or didn’t suspect until later that he didn’t father several of his children.
The family tree was slowly unravelled and I could swear the names didn’t match up. It also didn’t answer why our MC’s last name was spelled differently from her dad’s.
Details aside, I liked it okay. It satisfied my itch for a book with some historical fiction. I liked it okay, but wouldn’t pick up another book from the writer.
Several other reviewers raved about the book, so I could be just really hard to please!
The mom’s actions seemed really far fetched - from her pacing back and forth in a dominating manner after this discovery to her openly supporting her daughter to seek the assistance of the press to save the small cemetery.
I also know that current laws (at least in my state) don’t allow moms to put a father’s name on the birth certificate without his approval - unless it’s her husband’s name. In the book, the married woman listed her master’s name as the father. Yet we learn from the ghost he either didn’t learn until later or didn’t suspect until later that he didn’t father several of his children.
The family tree was slowly unravelled and I could swear the names didn’t match up. It also didn’t answer why our MC’s last name was spelled differently from her dad’s.
Details aside, I liked it okay. It satisfied my itch for a book with some historical fiction. I liked it okay, but wouldn’t pick up another book from the writer.
Several other reviewers raved about the book, so I could be just really hard to please!
October 30, 2020
It took me a couple of chapters to really get into this book but when I did... I really enjoyed it.
The story of a teenage girl driven to stand up for the right thing, the threats surrounding her, her determination that she needs to be heard on this issue. Finally deciding to embrace her opposition and fight evil with good.
Charming story, charming characters. I am not likely to forget this book in a hurry.
The story of a teenage girl driven to stand up for the right thing, the threats surrounding her, her determination that she needs to be heard on this issue. Finally deciding to embrace her opposition and fight evil with good.
Charming story, charming characters. I am not likely to forget this book in a hurry.
March 27, 2022
This is a really good story, and that is coming from someone from the white privilege part of humans. Yes, it is very hard for me to admit to that, but there it is. I knew a lot about what went on in the days of slavery, more than most white folks, I imagine, but this book reminded me of more of it. The main characters are very interesting, the plot is easily followed, and the story is well written and easy to read. I definitely recommend this book to others.
April 17, 2024
This is an amazing ghost story that weaves history into the mystery and shows you the horrors of the past. The writing is smooth, the voice is genuine, and the characters are compelling. The ties between the past and the present wove together brilliantly and truly tugged at my heart.
A beautiful story about found family and finding family.
Favorite line: "Sometimes hope sparks in tiny corners."
A beautiful story about found family and finding family.
Favorite line: "Sometimes hope sparks in tiny corners."
July 11, 2019
This was a great story. It was a good reminder to me of how it’s easy to forget some things in the past, or gloss over them; a reminder that I have white privilege even though I haven’t asked for it. There were parts that were profoundly sad but it also gave me hope for the future. Discussion questions at the end if you want to use this as a youth book club book.
September 8, 2022
I'm about 20% in and this is a terrible book. Very white savior complex. Within one night all the white people came out to save the slave cemetery but none of the black people. Seems very condescending and reads white people saving black history because black people can't be bothered. I'll finish it but yikes this is bad.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews