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A Rose Should Be Red #1
Secrets
A bittersweet kiss, followed by a sorrowful confession, "Everything I did was meant to keep you safe…."
Almost overnight, Jenny Brown's everyday life is turned upside down. Her father dies suddenly. Her mother uproots them both and brings them to London to live in the hopes of getting her life back to normal. Yet, despite her present chaos, Jenny is still haunted by her dark past and weighed down by the suffering throughout her life. A broken girl, it's hard for her to let anyone new into her life or get close to anyone.
But then Jenny's tough persona is put to the test when she meets Tyler Williams. A kind and handsome gentleman with deep blue eyes that bring back emotions she thought were long gone. Her fearful and cautious nature around men is challenged as he helps Jenny and her mum settle into their new place.
Meanwhile, strange things keep happening. A mysterious boy she can't remember. A missing best friend. And worst of all, someone is watching her.
By the time Jenny realizes that she is caught in the middle of a dangerous game.
And now, it might be too late to escape it.
Scroll up to click buy now and discover the secret of A rose should be red.
Almost overnight, Jenny Brown's everyday life is turned upside down. Her father dies suddenly. Her mother uproots them both and brings them to London to live in the hopes of getting her life back to normal. Yet, despite her present chaos, Jenny is still haunted by her dark past and weighed down by the suffering throughout her life. A broken girl, it's hard for her to let anyone new into her life or get close to anyone.
But then Jenny's tough persona is put to the test when she meets Tyler Williams. A kind and handsome gentleman with deep blue eyes that bring back emotions she thought were long gone. Her fearful and cautious nature around men is challenged as he helps Jenny and her mum settle into their new place.
Meanwhile, strange things keep happening. A mysterious boy she can't remember. A missing best friend. And worst of all, someone is watching her.
By the time Jenny realizes that she is caught in the middle of a dangerous game.
And now, it might be too late to escape it.
Scroll up to click buy now and discover the secret of A rose should be red.
- GenresYoung Adult
ebook
First published May 23, 2020
46 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 24, 2022
This isn't a bad story it is just in need of an editor to clean up the grammar and make it more cohesive.
August 12, 2020
Akaku Red’s “A Rose Should Be Red: Part 1 — SECRETS” is the first instalment of the young adult murder mystery series which I thoroughly enjoyed because it reminds me so much of the great Ian Rankin’s style of writing! He’s a world renowned crime writer as well, and honestly, it’s super nice to read the same style of writing as one of the greats because it means that this author is also on the way of becoming just as successful someday soon with this genre! Anyways, I’ll be doing my best NOT to spill spoilers unnecessarily or as minimally possible.
I find that the main protagonist, JENNY BROWN, is a deeply relevant and relatable character because her dark past is shared by so many others worldwide and I’m glad that the author is shining a light on such an important matter when it comes to the safety and the security of children! Jenny Brown’s dark past can be likened to the documentary of Netflix’s Gabriel Fernandez! I believe that simply by the author including these types of events in the life of JENNY BROWN makes the author a hero! The fact that the author shone a light to a life-changing cause shows the author’s diligence, moral compass, and responsibility in spreading awareness to the traumas that are suffered by victims of physical, emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse! The author meticulously added so many details when it came to the physical and mental aspect of the protagonist to ensure that she’s doing the survivors justice by conveying the realities of a survivor’s long-term mental state and long-term inner struggles. Kudos to the author AKAKU RED for making the character JENNY BROWN be one really strong, resilient, powerful, and independent woman in her own right! Women empowerment at its finest!
Of course, it’s also thanks to the great people around JENNY BROWN who constantly and continuously do their best to uplift her, enlighten her, and empower her with their actions and words of encouragement to keep getting back up even when she falls because everyday’s a new day and another chance to start anew, where pain, suffering, and hardship are all temporary, and that there are always ups after all the downs and highs after all the lows. Afterall, JENNY BROWN is a SURVIVOR despite the aftershocks of trauma encountered and experienced by our protagonist! Of course, it’s only normal and natural that the main character goes through some really heavy emotional struggle and that’s what makes her human! I completely empathize and sympathize with her!
I do believe that one of the most beautiful elements in this work of art is that the male characters still continued to constantly make JENNY BROWN feel loved and cared for unconditionally, especially during the times when she even found it difficult to love herself. She survived her lowest point in life because she had a strong support network who were always readily available and easily accessible to her regardless of when and where — they were always ready to be there for her to guide her, protect her, and shield her from harm (whether it’s self-inflicted or it’s caused by others) because they didn’t see her as any less than they initially met her, even during those days when her negative self-talk is affecting her overall health and well-being! Especially when she believed herself to be ugly, dirty, unsightly, and undeserving but that’s not what everyone else saw. They’re always around to lift her spirits up to ensure that she can go back to being the badass, the confident, and the vibrant girl they’ve always known her to be!
So, if you like any of Ian Rankin’s work of literature, or you like Forensic Files TV show, or you like the Cold Case Files TV show, or Netflix’s Gabriel Fernandez type of documentaries, then, you’ll absolutely fall in love with Akaku Red’s “A Rose Should Be Red: Part 1 — SECRETS”. In addition, if you’re like me who is from the late 90’s or early 2000’s, then you’re most definitely familiar with epic movies such as “Cruel Intentions 1 & 2”, and the more recent “ELITE” from Netflix — if you love such movies and series, then, you’re definitely going to get hooked in this novel!
I mean, it’s got such a wide array of elements that makes great murder mysteries so it’s no wonder then that I felt compelled to keep turning the page because the cliffhangers and the suspense made it extremely difficult for me to put the book down! Besides, I’m such a sucker for the close, personal, and intimate scenes Jenny Brown had with the male casts because the author has done such a phenomenal job in making anyone fall in love with the male characters of the story! They are just so charismatic and everything anyone ever dreamt about! So, it was most definitely difficult to peel myself away from reading the story to find out what happens next! Oh and Tyler’s possessiveness, Dean’s protectiveness, and all the jealousy in between made it so hard to stop reading because scenes involving these three were just written so intricately beautiful and mesmerizing! It’s hard not to fall in love with the characters!
Honestly, the last time I read something when I couldn’t peel myself away from the book was when the Hunger Games Trilogy came out and I couldn’t even sleep for 3 days straight because my priority was to finish reading the book. It’s the exact same feeling I had for Akaku Red’s book! I could never put the book down.
In the end, true to character, JENNY BROWN proved to be a selfless, thoughtful, considerate human being who is a hero at heart. Her selflessness made her forgive people easily and quickly and her selflessness made her save people with her natural heroic persona! Of course, as this is Part 1 of a series, it ended as a cliffhanger BUT an epic cliffhanger scene both literally and figuratively. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a lover of a good crime story/murder mystery! Akaku Red wrote this so well! I applaud you, Akaku Red, because this was an easy read! I mean, the descriptions of every place, event, and character were well-balanced in comparison to the amount of dialogue!
So, I suggest everyone grab a cup of coffee and a blanket because you’re in for several sleepless nights and all nighters! Tuck yourselves in and make yourselves comfy because I believe you won’t be getting any shut-eye anytime soon!
I find that the main protagonist, JENNY BROWN, is a deeply relevant and relatable character because her dark past is shared by so many others worldwide and I’m glad that the author is shining a light on such an important matter when it comes to the safety and the security of children! Jenny Brown’s dark past can be likened to the documentary of Netflix’s Gabriel Fernandez! I believe that simply by the author including these types of events in the life of JENNY BROWN makes the author a hero! The fact that the author shone a light to a life-changing cause shows the author’s diligence, moral compass, and responsibility in spreading awareness to the traumas that are suffered by victims of physical, emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse! The author meticulously added so many details when it came to the physical and mental aspect of the protagonist to ensure that she’s doing the survivors justice by conveying the realities of a survivor’s long-term mental state and long-term inner struggles. Kudos to the author AKAKU RED for making the character JENNY BROWN be one really strong, resilient, powerful, and independent woman in her own right! Women empowerment at its finest!
Of course, it’s also thanks to the great people around JENNY BROWN who constantly and continuously do their best to uplift her, enlighten her, and empower her with their actions and words of encouragement to keep getting back up even when she falls because everyday’s a new day and another chance to start anew, where pain, suffering, and hardship are all temporary, and that there are always ups after all the downs and highs after all the lows. Afterall, JENNY BROWN is a SURVIVOR despite the aftershocks of trauma encountered and experienced by our protagonist! Of course, it’s only normal and natural that the main character goes through some really heavy emotional struggle and that’s what makes her human! I completely empathize and sympathize with her!
I do believe that one of the most beautiful elements in this work of art is that the male characters still continued to constantly make JENNY BROWN feel loved and cared for unconditionally, especially during the times when she even found it difficult to love herself. She survived her lowest point in life because she had a strong support network who were always readily available and easily accessible to her regardless of when and where — they were always ready to be there for her to guide her, protect her, and shield her from harm (whether it’s self-inflicted or it’s caused by others) because they didn’t see her as any less than they initially met her, even during those days when her negative self-talk is affecting her overall health and well-being! Especially when she believed herself to be ugly, dirty, unsightly, and undeserving but that’s not what everyone else saw. They’re always around to lift her spirits up to ensure that she can go back to being the badass, the confident, and the vibrant girl they’ve always known her to be!
So, if you like any of Ian Rankin’s work of literature, or you like Forensic Files TV show, or you like the Cold Case Files TV show, or Netflix’s Gabriel Fernandez type of documentaries, then, you’ll absolutely fall in love with Akaku Red’s “A Rose Should Be Red: Part 1 — SECRETS”. In addition, if you’re like me who is from the late 90’s or early 2000’s, then you’re most definitely familiar with epic movies such as “Cruel Intentions 1 & 2”, and the more recent “ELITE” from Netflix — if you love such movies and series, then, you’re definitely going to get hooked in this novel!
I mean, it’s got such a wide array of elements that makes great murder mysteries so it’s no wonder then that I felt compelled to keep turning the page because the cliffhangers and the suspense made it extremely difficult for me to put the book down! Besides, I’m such a sucker for the close, personal, and intimate scenes Jenny Brown had with the male casts because the author has done such a phenomenal job in making anyone fall in love with the male characters of the story! They are just so charismatic and everything anyone ever dreamt about! So, it was most definitely difficult to peel myself away from reading the story to find out what happens next! Oh and Tyler’s possessiveness, Dean’s protectiveness, and all the jealousy in between made it so hard to stop reading because scenes involving these three were just written so intricately beautiful and mesmerizing! It’s hard not to fall in love with the characters!
Honestly, the last time I read something when I couldn’t peel myself away from the book was when the Hunger Games Trilogy came out and I couldn’t even sleep for 3 days straight because my priority was to finish reading the book. It’s the exact same feeling I had for Akaku Red’s book! I could never put the book down.
In the end, true to character, JENNY BROWN proved to be a selfless, thoughtful, considerate human being who is a hero at heart. Her selflessness made her forgive people easily and quickly and her selflessness made her save people with her natural heroic persona! Of course, as this is Part 1 of a series, it ended as a cliffhanger BUT an epic cliffhanger scene both literally and figuratively. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a lover of a good crime story/murder mystery! Akaku Red wrote this so well! I applaud you, Akaku Red, because this was an easy read! I mean, the descriptions of every place, event, and character were well-balanced in comparison to the amount of dialogue!
So, I suggest everyone grab a cup of coffee and a blanket because you’re in for several sleepless nights and all nighters! Tuck yourselves in and make yourselves comfy because I believe you won’t be getting any shut-eye anytime soon!
April 21, 2022
Actual rating: 4.5⭐️
Content Warning: Rape, abuse, kidnapping, death, self-harm, suicide attempt, trauma
A Rose Should Be Red: Secrets by Akaku, is the first book in the A Rose Should Be Red series. It is a slow-burn romance veiled in mystery, secrets, and shades of red. When I read the synopsis, I knew that this would be an entertaining and thrilling read. The writing style is good. The mysterious, intense, and emotional plot kept me flipping through the pages that I did not know I had read way past my bedtime. Honestly, there was never a dull moment reading this one since the details are evenly laid out throughout the book.
Jenny Brown has experienced a lot of physical and emotional traumas from a very young age. When her father suddenly died, she and her mother hoped to start anew by moving to London. Despite everything that Jenny had been through, I love how her kindness and sincerity did not wither. The side characters of the story Elise, Alice, Tyler, Dean, Linette, etc. made the story more likable. The friendship and familial bond these characters formed with Jenny make my heart happy. I love how they are both physically and emotionally supportive and protective of Jenny without making her feel like they pity her. The mysteriousness of the stalker and how Tyler and Dean knew Jenny constantly runs into your mind. The twists in the story are impressive and will leave you with more questions than answers, making you want to continue the series.
Overall, this is one heck of a roller coaster journey. It will make you smile, cry, and constantly wonder what will happen next. I cannot wait to read the following books of the trilogy. I highly recommend this, especially if you are for some thriller romance read, but please check the trigger warnings before embarking on this book.
Content Warning: Rape, abuse, kidnapping, death, self-harm, suicide attempt, trauma
A Rose Should Be Red: Secrets by Akaku, is the first book in the A Rose Should Be Red series. It is a slow-burn romance veiled in mystery, secrets, and shades of red. When I read the synopsis, I knew that this would be an entertaining and thrilling read. The writing style is good. The mysterious, intense, and emotional plot kept me flipping through the pages that I did not know I had read way past my bedtime. Honestly, there was never a dull moment reading this one since the details are evenly laid out throughout the book.
Jenny Brown has experienced a lot of physical and emotional traumas from a very young age. When her father suddenly died, she and her mother hoped to start anew by moving to London. Despite everything that Jenny had been through, I love how her kindness and sincerity did not wither. The side characters of the story Elise, Alice, Tyler, Dean, Linette, etc. made the story more likable. The friendship and familial bond these characters formed with Jenny make my heart happy. I love how they are both physically and emotionally supportive and protective of Jenny without making her feel like they pity her. The mysteriousness of the stalker and how Tyler and Dean knew Jenny constantly runs into your mind. The twists in the story are impressive and will leave you with more questions than answers, making you want to continue the series.
Overall, this is one heck of a roller coaster journey. It will make you smile, cry, and constantly wonder what will happen next. I cannot wait to read the following books of the trilogy. I highly recommend this, especially if you are for some thriller romance read, but please check the trigger warnings before embarking on this book.
added-it
August 31, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (8/31/2020)! 🎁
August 18, 2020
This is part 1 of the series `A rose should be red`, and it means much to me since I wrote it for a friend of mine who suffered a lot in the past. I am currently working on part 2, and I am excited to share this soon ^^
April 2, 2021
This is a well-crafted YA murder mystery, with a dash of romance. Very intense, dark, and emotional. Follows the story of a young girl, seemingly ordinary and hoping for a new start, but the scars left by her abusive parents go deeper than the skin, and her violent past keeps on coming after her no matter where she goes. This is a story about love, friendship, and the fact that sometimes, it’s the blood relations that bring you the most hurt and it’s the strangers who become friends who are there to help you up. I really liked how beautifully the bond of friendship is told through this story, how you can still help others up while you are down yourself.
The prologue is like a scene from a thriller movie, and I was instantly hooked. Very gripping as the secrets from the protagonist’s past keep on revealing one after another, and the mystery slowly unfolds. It’s a beautiful yet heartbreaking read too, some parts were a bit hard to read, but the descriptions of emotional and physical damage that broken homes can bring to a child were spot-on and very authentic. What I really like is how much deeper meanings there are behind this story, that one can come from an abusive past but can still do so much with their lives, and how you can love, cheer, and help someone up who doesn’t even know that they need it. All that, and this is a well-crafted perfect YA murder mystery too, there’s violence, dangerous obsession, love, revenge, friendship and so much more.
The prologue is like a scene from a thriller movie, and I was instantly hooked. Very gripping as the secrets from the protagonist’s past keep on revealing one after another, and the mystery slowly unfolds. It’s a beautiful yet heartbreaking read too, some parts were a bit hard to read, but the descriptions of emotional and physical damage that broken homes can bring to a child were spot-on and very authentic. What I really like is how much deeper meanings there are behind this story, that one can come from an abusive past but can still do so much with their lives, and how you can love, cheer, and help someone up who doesn’t even know that they need it. All that, and this is a well-crafted perfect YA murder mystery too, there’s violence, dangerous obsession, love, revenge, friendship and so much more.
November 29, 2020
What would you do if one day someone told you that you had to move to London on that same day? What would you do if you had to leave everything you knew behind? Welcome to the world of Jenny Brown.
Jenny is a quiet 17-year-old teenager who leads a normal life, until the death of her adoptive father. On that day, her adoptive mother tells her that they are moving to London, leaving Jenny overwhelmed. Once in London, she meets Tyler Williams, a mysterious boy who helped her and her mum settle. But not everything is rosy. Dean Evans is an arrogant boy who wants to tease Jenny. What does he know? Is Jenny prepared to know the truth?
“A rose should be red: Part 1 – Secrets” was written by Akaku Red. The plot of this story is very good and there are certain twists and turns that make the tale even more interesting and difficult to put down. I really enjoyed this exciting and thrilling romance story.
Jenny is a quiet 17-year-old teenager who leads a normal life, until the death of her adoptive father. On that day, her adoptive mother tells her that they are moving to London, leaving Jenny overwhelmed. Once in London, she meets Tyler Williams, a mysterious boy who helped her and her mum settle. But not everything is rosy. Dean Evans is an arrogant boy who wants to tease Jenny. What does he know? Is Jenny prepared to know the truth?
“A rose should be red: Part 1 – Secrets” was written by Akaku Red. The plot of this story is very good and there are certain twists and turns that make the tale even more interesting and difficult to put down. I really enjoyed this exciting and thrilling romance story.
November 30, 2020
A rose should be red is the first installment of a series which, as its name suggests, revolves around the theme of love and how things in life are not always what we expect.
The story is narrated in the form of a dialogue and it is presented in a creative and original way, with a poem at the beginning that sets the atmosphere of what would be a promising story.
Penned with simple English language and easy-to-follow vocabulary, this narrative tells the story of Jenny, an adopted girl whose life changes after the death of her adoptive father and the fact that she has to move to another country. She wants to enjoy a normal life, but tables are turned and her dreams are hard to come true due to a mixture of desire, love, fear, and lies, just to mention some, all playing an important part in the protagonist’s daily life.
What a gem of a book! I could not help thinking about how great love is after reading this book.
The story is narrated in the form of a dialogue and it is presented in a creative and original way, with a poem at the beginning that sets the atmosphere of what would be a promising story.
Penned with simple English language and easy-to-follow vocabulary, this narrative tells the story of Jenny, an adopted girl whose life changes after the death of her adoptive father and the fact that she has to move to another country. She wants to enjoy a normal life, but tables are turned and her dreams are hard to come true due to a mixture of desire, love, fear, and lies, just to mention some, all playing an important part in the protagonist’s daily life.
What a gem of a book! I could not help thinking about how great love is after reading this book.
January 20, 2023
I just finished book 1... This was one of of the deepest, most heartfelt books I've read in a long time.
When I read that Alice is dead, I cried a lot. I had a hard time to put it down when I got really deep, I spent the whole night reading this book! I hate Daniel and her mother!!! The dark secrets the twists! It’s amazing and sad!
I cherish Tyler and I feel he is perfect for Jenny! He’s so beautiful and caring and I love the fact that they knew each other way back in the past.
The amnesia trope gave me the rest. Beautiful moments. Amazing Story ❤️
When I read that Alice is dead, I cried a lot. I had a hard time to put it down when I got really deep, I spent the whole night reading this book! I hate Daniel and her mother!!! The dark secrets the twists! It’s amazing and sad!
I cherish Tyler and I feel he is perfect for Jenny! He’s so beautiful and caring and I love the fact that they knew each other way back in the past.
The amnesia trope gave me the rest. Beautiful moments. Amazing Story ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2022
🌹 The book follows Jenny Brown who wants nothing but to lead a simple life away from the secrets of her past. When her adoptive father dies mysteriously she has to move from Florida to London along with her mother. London, where her long lost friend Alice lives in an orphanage. She manages to make new friends in school and meets Tyler and Dean who seems familiar but she can’t remember how. Everything changes as she tries looking for Alice. Her search for Alice brings her danger and face to face with her darkest past which she doesn’t want to remember
🌹 This is the first book of a YA murder mystery trilogy “A rose should be red.” For the first time the title of the book did 100% justice to the story as it was full of SECRETS. I got hooked from the beginning and it was such an easy and intriguing read. The suspense element in the book kept me longing for answers and I could not wait for all the secrets to get revealed.
🌹 Reading about Jenny’s dark and disturbing part was heartbreaking. The abuse and violence she had to bear was literally hard to read at some points. I loved the fact that how her loved ones keep on loving and caring for her during the times even when Jenny found it hard to love herself. I loved the bonds of love and friendship portrayed in this book so beautifully.
🌹 And as expected the part 1 had ended on a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to find out what’s gonna happen next. I am highly looking forward to book 2. ⚠️ Do look into the trigger warnings if you plan on reading this one as there were some evens which could be quite disturbing for some readers.
🌹 Thanks to the author for the gifted copy.
May 8, 2022
"If I resembled a rose, then my petals would be all fallen off… maybe I had five of them because they made me look alive. But my stem was definitely broken, and the five petals were the people around me who kept me going."
The story of this book was interesting and I didn't see some of the plot twists coming. It had some very gruesome details about abuse and torture so, you'd definitely need to check out the trigger warnings.
• The characters were well written and I could sympathize with Jenny because the poor girl had such a messed up childhood. I was happy that she had found some amazing friends. I also liked Tyler's character other than some consent issues. I didn't like Dean all that much but he made up for his dislikeable personality by the end of the book.
•The slowburn age gap romance was good but there were times when Tyler would touch her even when she told him to stop so, that was kinda problematic. I wanted them to be together but I wanted Tyler to respect her wishes and be patient.
•I honestly enjoyed the story but the book needs editing because the grammar and spelling mistakes made it a little less likeable for me.
These are my thoughts about this book. Overall, a good read and I'll see how the rest of the books are going to be. ♡
The story of this book was interesting and I didn't see some of the plot twists coming. It had some very gruesome details about abuse and torture so, you'd definitely need to check out the trigger warnings.
• The characters were well written and I could sympathize with Jenny because the poor girl had such a messed up childhood. I was happy that she had found some amazing friends. I also liked Tyler's character other than some consent issues. I didn't like Dean all that much but he made up for his dislikeable personality by the end of the book.
•The slowburn age gap romance was good but there were times when Tyler would touch her even when she told him to stop so, that was kinda problematic. I wanted them to be together but I wanted Tyler to respect her wishes and be patient.
•I honestly enjoyed the story but the book needs editing because the grammar and spelling mistakes made it a little less likeable for me.
These are my thoughts about this book. Overall, a good read and I'll see how the rest of the books are going to be. ♡
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2020
A mystery story for teenagers
A chain of unfortunate and devastating events happen to Jenny, a girl who is also going through the most turbulent adolescent period. With only seventeen years old, Jenny lost her adoptive father and is forced to move to the land of bad memories: her old home town, the city of the grey skies. Fortunately, the main character is able to adjust quickly to life in London, but when everything is running smoothly, tragedies exploit once again.
The book shows readers the extreme feelings and emotions teenagers survive and how vulnerable we are at that age. For this reason, this work is perfect for teenagers that are trying to survive troubled times.
The reader contains four hundred pages of a beautiful romantic and mystery tale. It is written with simple, everyday language, which makes it more appealing for youngsters.
The author of this book is Akaku Red, who uses short sentences and emphatic devices such as bold and capital letters to attract the most difficult readers.
I strongly believe this is a fantastic book to read while on holidays.
A chain of unfortunate and devastating events happen to Jenny, a girl who is also going through the most turbulent adolescent period. With only seventeen years old, Jenny lost her adoptive father and is forced to move to the land of bad memories: her old home town, the city of the grey skies. Fortunately, the main character is able to adjust quickly to life in London, but when everything is running smoothly, tragedies exploit once again.
The book shows readers the extreme feelings and emotions teenagers survive and how vulnerable we are at that age. For this reason, this work is perfect for teenagers that are trying to survive troubled times.
The reader contains four hundred pages of a beautiful romantic and mystery tale. It is written with simple, everyday language, which makes it more appealing for youngsters.
The author of this book is Akaku Red, who uses short sentences and emphatic devices such as bold and capital letters to attract the most difficult readers.
I strongly believe this is a fantastic book to read while on holidays.
November 25, 2020
“A rose should be red: Part 1 – Secrets”, by Akaku Red, welcomes us to the world of Jenny Brown. She is a teenager that just wants a quiet and normal life. But instead, her world is a troubled mix of desire and love, obsession and fear, secrets and lies.
After the mysterious death of her father Rick, Jenny´s mother took her to live back to London. And although there she meets the handsome gentleman Tyler Williams, there are some other people that disturb her, as the arrogant Dean Evans. He says he knows her from the past, but she can’t remember him. Moreover, when she tries to trace her old friend Alice, shocking secrets and horrible truths comes up. It is not even close to the quiet, normal life that she desires. Readers will really understand Jenny´s feelings, as the story is told in the first person, and also all characters are well developed and described.
This is a mysterious and thrilling story that will leave you at the edge of the seat with every turn of page!
After the mysterious death of her father Rick, Jenny´s mother took her to live back to London. And although there she meets the handsome gentleman Tyler Williams, there are some other people that disturb her, as the arrogant Dean Evans. He says he knows her from the past, but she can’t remember him. Moreover, when she tries to trace her old friend Alice, shocking secrets and horrible truths comes up. It is not even close to the quiet, normal life that she desires. Readers will really understand Jenny´s feelings, as the story is told in the first person, and also all characters are well developed and described.
This is a mysterious and thrilling story that will leave you at the edge of the seat with every turn of page!
November 30, 2020
In this teen and young adult romantic mystery, we have a very intriguing main character, although Jenny at first is presented as the typical girl going through her teen years, as we keep turning the pages, we start to know little by little more about her. When her father passed, Jenny and her mother moved back to London. There, she will struggle to connect again with people and places, and once she is there, one guy is going to make her life upside down bringing stuff from the past.
I think this is a very enchanting read; the author did a really good job with the pace of the story, keeping us speculating about what was going to happen next. I also enjoyed the characterization of Jenny; it made the story super exciting. This is a great novel for teens, it is not the typical romance novel, and that's what makes this read very likeable for any reader.
I think this is a very enchanting read; the author did a really good job with the pace of the story, keeping us speculating about what was going to happen next. I also enjoyed the characterization of Jenny; it made the story super exciting. This is a great novel for teens, it is not the typical romance novel, and that's what makes this read very likeable for any reader.
May 4, 2022
This is my first time reading anything written by author, Akaku. I did like this book. The intrigue of the mysterious past surrounding Jenny including who the man was that was looking for her was good. I was along for the ride to uncover this mystery. I did not see or know how the story would play out until the author wanted me to learn the "truth".
Although, the story did seem to move at a slow pace in the beginning. It did not really pick up until a little more than the halfway point of the story. Everyone had a role in the story, so that no one felt like they were playing second or third string characters, but I did find myself having some trouble emotionally investing in them. Where the romance is concerned involving Jenny and Tyler, I am undecided at this time about how I feel about Tyler. Hopefully, my feelings will change in book two.
Although, the story did seem to move at a slow pace in the beginning. It did not really pick up until a little more than the halfway point of the story. Everyone had a role in the story, so that no one felt like they were playing second or third string characters, but I did find myself having some trouble emotionally investing in them. Where the romance is concerned involving Jenny and Tyler, I am undecided at this time about how I feel about Tyler. Hopefully, my feelings will change in book two.
May 6, 2022
What a wild ride this story was!! This is an emotional and intense read but in the best sort of way.
Alaku just recently published the last book in her triology, A Rose Should Be Red, and I just finished the first book in the series and it was definitely one that’s going to sit with me for awhile.
From the prologue, you instantly get the feeling that there is so much in this story to uncover. Jenny has lived a tough life and her story can be triggering so please make sure to check the trigger warning. I really enjoyed how this story progressed and there are some unexpected twists and turns which are done really well.
I will say it took me a minute to get into the writing style and settle in to the story BUT as the story goes on and you learn more about the characters and the backstory it definitely works. I am completely invested to see where this story goes because I know it’s going to be one I have to see through till the end.
Alaku just recently published the last book in her triology, A Rose Should Be Red, and I just finished the first book in the series and it was definitely one that’s going to sit with me for awhile.
From the prologue, you instantly get the feeling that there is so much in this story to uncover. Jenny has lived a tough life and her story can be triggering so please make sure to check the trigger warning. I really enjoyed how this story progressed and there are some unexpected twists and turns which are done really well.
I will say it took me a minute to get into the writing style and settle in to the story BUT as the story goes on and you learn more about the characters and the backstory it definitely works. I am completely invested to see where this story goes because I know it’s going to be one I have to see through till the end.
January 10, 2024
Bizarre story
This story was about a seriously damaged person who was determined to move forward and have a somewhat normal life. I did find it a little hard to follow how the characters fit in.
This story was about a seriously damaged person who was determined to move forward and have a somewhat normal life. I did find it a little hard to follow how the characters fit in.
April 25, 2022
She suffered to much and now she fell in the water. Will she survive
May 12, 2022
Part 1 - secrets follows Jenny as she moved to London after her adoptive father's passing in the hopes of living a normal life. However Jenny is haunted by her past, she suffered abuse as a child and just as she settles into her new life, mysterious events start happening, trapping her in a dangerous game.
I really liked the mystery of this one, there were lots of twists that kept the story interesting. There is a romance that unfortunately made me a little uncomfortable due to the age gap and some consent issues but I know that doesn't bother everyone and it would have been a cute romance otherwise. I did really like Jenny's relationships with her new friends and her mum, they were all so supportive of her and I liked seeing how they helped her deal with her trauma and move on.
I really liked the mystery of this one, there were lots of twists that kept the story interesting. There is a romance that unfortunately made me a little uncomfortable due to the age gap and some consent issues but I know that doesn't bother everyone and it would have been a cute romance otherwise. I did really like Jenny's relationships with her new friends and her mum, they were all so supportive of her and I liked seeing how they helped her deal with her trauma and move on.
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