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The Secrets We Keep
Liliana Jackson, a 16-year-old, rape victim struggles to conceal a dark secret that has tainted her since childhood. She finds it difficult to confide in friends and family because her manipulative abuser is a man everyone trusts.
Liliana is scared into silence when Child Protective Services threatens to take away the only safe-haven she has ever known. With her fears ignited, she becomes more determined than ever to protect herself and the people she loves. When Liliana makes the decision to confront her abuser, a drastic decision is made that will change her life forever.
This book will appeal to fans of “Go Ask Alice” and “Thirteen Reasons Why”.
Liliana is scared into silence when Child Protective Services threatens to take away the only safe-haven she has ever known. With her fears ignited, she becomes more determined than ever to protect herself and the people she loves. When Liliana makes the decision to confront her abuser, a drastic decision is made that will change her life forever.
This book will appeal to fans of “Go Ask Alice” and “Thirteen Reasons Why”.
Paperback
Published August 28, 2020
4 people want to read
About the author
Sakeya Barnes
1 book4 followersSakeya Barnes is a Kansas native who moved to Missouri when she 10 years old. Which is where her writing career began. In high school, Barnes entered her school's PTA annual creative contest. She entered with a short story called A Caveman, A lion, and A Monkey. It was a retelling of one her favorite childhood books The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe C. S. Lewis. The Short story took 1st place at the local and went on to the state level where it did not win. However, it didn't stop Barnes from entering the contest every year until she graduated. Nor did it stop her from writing. Barnes is a resident of Florida where she lives with her fiancé. The Secrets We Keep is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 11, 2021
CW: sexual assault, rape, domestic abuse, cutting, suicide ideation, suicide attempt
I'm a foster parent always looking for more depictions of foster homes in books, so when the author offered me a review copy of this one, I was happy to accept!
To begin, the writing style felt stilted. There was a lot of showing instead of telling, lack of contractions, and repeated phrases without pronouns (i.e. "My mother looked at me. My mother looked angry.") that made it seem like it was intended for a much younger crowd, if not about such adult topics. There were also continuity issues. There's an interrogation scene set up as a framing device, but the scene in the prologue is so markedly different from the one at the end. Different characters, different tone, different questions, until it feels like the first one was more fake out than framing. Or at one point her grandmother's illness will be said to be one thing, but at one point was said to be something else.
As for the dark topics, that in itself isn't a bad thing. A lot of books can tackle these kinds of topics well and offer catharsis at the end. The issue is that there's more page time dedicated to the trauma than the recovery. There are four different sexual assault scenes (including molestation of a minor and rape) that are described in depth, moment by moment, a couple over the course of several pages. Yet the description of the mental hospital is given half a page. The overview of the MC's growing love for the foster family given is given only a couple pages. You're shown how horrible everything is, but then only told it gets better.
The best part of the book for me was definitely the depiction of the foster family. With how dark the rest of the book was, I was afraid it would be all about an abusive foster home. Thankfully, it was a healthy and loving home. I appreciated the juxtaposition of Lily both enjoying being in the Logans home, but still missing her own home with her grandmother and juggling trauma. The book also has a healthy few on therapy that I really appreciated. If there had been a more time in the book dedicated to exploring these ideas, my rating would have been much higher, easily.
While there were some definite struggles with pacing and general writing craft, the ideas shown in the book have promise and I applaud the author for being bold enough to discuss them.
I'm a foster parent always looking for more depictions of foster homes in books, so when the author offered me a review copy of this one, I was happy to accept!
To begin, the writing style felt stilted. There was a lot of showing instead of telling, lack of contractions, and repeated phrases without pronouns (i.e. "My mother looked at me. My mother looked angry.") that made it seem like it was intended for a much younger crowd, if not about such adult topics. There were also continuity issues. There's an interrogation scene set up as a framing device, but the scene in the prologue is so markedly different from the one at the end. Different characters, different tone, different questions, until it feels like the first one was more fake out than framing. Or at one point her grandmother's illness will be said to be one thing, but at one point was said to be something else.
As for the dark topics, that in itself isn't a bad thing. A lot of books can tackle these kinds of topics well and offer catharsis at the end. The issue is that there's more page time dedicated to the trauma than the recovery. There are four different sexual assault scenes (including molestation of a minor and rape) that are described in depth, moment by moment, a couple over the course of several pages. Yet the description of the mental hospital is given half a page. The overview of the MC's growing love for the foster family given is given only a couple pages. You're shown how horrible everything is, but then only told it gets better.
The best part of the book for me was definitely the depiction of the foster family. With how dark the rest of the book was, I was afraid it would be all about an abusive foster home. Thankfully, it was a healthy and loving home. I appreciated the juxtaposition of Lily both enjoying being in the Logans home, but still missing her own home with her grandmother and juggling trauma. The book also has a healthy few on therapy that I really appreciated. If there had been a more time in the book dedicated to exploring these ideas, my rating would have been much higher, easily.
While there were some definite struggles with pacing and general writing craft, the ideas shown in the book have promise and I applaud the author for being bold enough to discuss them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2020
Thanks to the author for providing an eARC of The Secrets We Keep in exchange for an honest review.
In it’s blurb, the Secrets We Keep is compared to Go Ask Alice and I can certainly tell why.
This is a truly harrowing story. Our protagonist and perspective character, Lily, has a truly terrible life. The adults in her life are either abusive, or allow abuse to happen even when she tries to alert them to what’s going on. This book does not shy away from showing the ugliness to child abuse.
I think the important distinction between the two comes down to purpose. Go Ask Alice is specific and intense because it’s a ‘scared straight’ book targeted at teenagers. It shows the ugliness of drug use to try and keep other young people from falling prey to it. What is The Secrets We Keep trying to say with it’s equally specific, graphic depictions of sexual assault and child rape? Nothing in Lily’s situation is something a teenager is a similar situation would be able to control. Lily is not choosing to be an abuse victim. I suppose you could say that it’s anti-rape, but what isn’t? Both rapists in this book say they enjoy seeing Lily’s distress and discomfort so showing it here isn’t exactly going to stop men like them.
The writing was excellent. The Secrets We Keep has one of the strongest openings I’ve ever read but I was waiting the whole time for a ‘point’ to Lily’s extensive suffering that just never felt satisfying or important enough when balanced with the amount of trauma showcased in this book.
I’d be excited to read any other works Barnes might publish because I truly enjoyed her writing, but I just wasn’t a fan of the plot here.
In it’s blurb, the Secrets We Keep is compared to Go Ask Alice and I can certainly tell why.
This is a truly harrowing story. Our protagonist and perspective character, Lily, has a truly terrible life. The adults in her life are either abusive, or allow abuse to happen even when she tries to alert them to what’s going on. This book does not shy away from showing the ugliness to child abuse.
I think the important distinction between the two comes down to purpose. Go Ask Alice is specific and intense because it’s a ‘scared straight’ book targeted at teenagers. It shows the ugliness of drug use to try and keep other young people from falling prey to it. What is The Secrets We Keep trying to say with it’s equally specific, graphic depictions of sexual assault and child rape? Nothing in Lily’s situation is something a teenager is a similar situation would be able to control. Lily is not choosing to be an abuse victim. I suppose you could say that it’s anti-rape, but what isn’t? Both rapists in this book say they enjoy seeing Lily’s distress and discomfort so showing it here isn’t exactly going to stop men like them.
The writing was excellent. The Secrets We Keep has one of the strongest openings I’ve ever read but I was waiting the whole time for a ‘point’ to Lily’s extensive suffering that just never felt satisfying or important enough when balanced with the amount of trauma showcased in this book.
I’d be excited to read any other works Barnes might publish because I truly enjoyed her writing, but I just wasn’t a fan of the plot here.
August 29, 2020
“I am finally free.”
Sakeya Barnes gives us a deep take on a world we wished didn’t exist. Sixteen-year-old Liliana Jackson childhood was anything but fun and games as her abuser is closer to her than you would believe. Lily’s life is thrown through a loop when she finds out her abuser who ruined her life was found dead. You would think she would be celebrating but when she is taken in for questioning, her abuser continues to haunt her.
x
Barnes does an amazing job at showing Lily’s coming of age story throughout the novel as you can feel the raw and genuine emotions through every hardship she faces. This story shows true heart and growth as Lily’s story isn’t the only one tainted by her abuser but nonetheless, her story is one you will never forget.
x
This is Barnes first published book and I hope to read more of her work in the future. You can feel how she put herself into Lily's character and how much this story means to her. It’s hard to write a story about rape but it’s even harder to write a good story that isn’t just about the abuse but it’s about how the abuse changes their life. I personally believe that Barnes did an amazing job justifying the topic and nailing it on the head.
I would rate this book 5/5 stars as not only did this book keep my attention the entire time but it had little spelling errors if any, the story flowed entirely throughout the book in a way that made the story enjoyable and I felt as though I was engaged in Lily’s life while watching a movie.
Way to go Sakeya!
Sakeya Barnes gives us a deep take on a world we wished didn’t exist. Sixteen-year-old Liliana Jackson childhood was anything but fun and games as her abuser is closer to her than you would believe. Lily’s life is thrown through a loop when she finds out her abuser who ruined her life was found dead. You would think she would be celebrating but when she is taken in for questioning, her abuser continues to haunt her.
x
Barnes does an amazing job at showing Lily’s coming of age story throughout the novel as you can feel the raw and genuine emotions through every hardship she faces. This story shows true heart and growth as Lily’s story isn’t the only one tainted by her abuser but nonetheless, her story is one you will never forget.
x
This is Barnes first published book and I hope to read more of her work in the future. You can feel how she put herself into Lily's character and how much this story means to her. It’s hard to write a story about rape but it’s even harder to write a good story that isn’t just about the abuse but it’s about how the abuse changes their life. I personally believe that Barnes did an amazing job justifying the topic and nailing it on the head.
I would rate this book 5/5 stars as not only did this book keep my attention the entire time but it had little spelling errors if any, the story flowed entirely throughout the book in a way that made the story enjoyable and I felt as though I was engaged in Lily’s life while watching a movie.
Way to go Sakeya!
September 5, 2020
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Lily's raw and unapologetic story is an intense whirlwind of emotions that I absolutely had to see through to the end. Through the horrors of this story are glistening moments of hope, compassion, and love. An important read.
I don't think any trigger warning can truly prepare you for Lily's journey against her Uncle who sexually abuses her. This story is about healing from the absolute worst of the worst and showcases how trying to bear the burden entirely on her own can affect how Lily treats the people around her. She very much needs help but she is unable to ask for it which is something anyone who has ever struggled with mental health can relate to. This book is such an important read because the heavy subject matter is fragments of conversations we as a society NEED to have but don't.
I don't think any trigger warning can truly prepare you for Lily's journey against her Uncle who sexually abuses her. This story is about healing from the absolute worst of the worst and showcases how trying to bear the burden entirely on her own can affect how Lily treats the people around her. She very much needs help but she is unable to ask for it which is something anyone who has ever struggled with mental health can relate to. This book is such an important read because the heavy subject matter is fragments of conversations we as a society NEED to have but don't.
April 19, 2022
Stilted writing, an opening scene that didn't seem to fit in anywhere with the rest of that plot line, and desperately in need of an editor who can keep track of character names and diseases. Lots of tell instead of show which never made me feel any connection to the MC (who had suffered so much and yet I didn't feel any of the gut wrenching grief for her that I should have).
August 29, 2024
Good Read
This was a very emotional read for me. My heart truly went out to Lily. She suffered so much in a short period of time. Grandma Marjorie is the people's champ lol.
This was a very emotional read for me. My heart truly went out to Lily. She suffered so much in a short period of time. Grandma Marjorie is the people's champ lol.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews