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Secrets #2
Small Bones
There’s nothing to stop a small person from dreaming big.
Dot, whose name reflects her stature, has always had big dreams—she wants to be a dress designer like Mary Quant—but her dreams have to be put on hold while she searches for the truth about her parents. She gets a job as a seamstress at a lakeside resort in rural Ontario and falls hard for Eddie, a charming local boy who is equal parts helpful and distracting as Dot investigates her past. Searching for answers to questions about her birth, Dot learns more than she ever wanted to about the terrible effects of war, the legacy of deceit—and the enduring nature of love.
Dot, whose name reflects her stature, has always had big dreams—she wants to be a dress designer like Mary Quant—but her dreams have to be put on hold while she searches for the truth about her parents. She gets a job as a seamstress at a lakeside resort in rural Ontario and falls hard for Eddie, a charming local boy who is equal parts helpful and distracting as Dot investigates her past. Searching for answers to questions about her birth, Dot learns more than she ever wanted to about the terrible effects of war, the legacy of deceit—and the enduring nature of love.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2015
7 people are currently reading
366 people want to read
About the author
Vicki Grant
30 books137 followersAfter a long and messy adolescence, Vicki Grant stumbled into writing. She worked her way up from 30-second ads to 30-minute television scripts to full-length novels. She's written sixteen young adult, middle-grade and high-low novels. Her most recent YA novel, 36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You, has been published worldwide in over twenty territories.. Vicki lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Juvenile (2006): Quid Pro Quo
Red Maple Award: Not Suitable For Family Viewing
CBC Young Canada Reads: The Puppet Wrangler.
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Juvenile (2006): Quid Pro Quo
Red Maple Award: Not Suitable For Family Viewing
CBC Young Canada Reads: The Puppet Wrangler.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
February 6, 2017
Out of the "Secrets" series, this book was the least one I liked. I didn't care for Dot, she was too meh in my opinion. I didn't even finish the book properly - halfway in, I just skipped to the end chapters just to see what happened to her.
March 10, 2022
Absolutely loved this! I didn't know this was a part of the Secrets series when I read it (2-3 years ago?) I want to check out the others, but maybe reread this one since it's been so long.
I really liked the mystery. (Dot finding her parents.) And the romance & bits of drama. Also really liked the other staff members.
Characters: 5 stars
Writing Style: I forgot (sorrrrryyyy)
Pace: 5 stars, Steady
Romance: 5 stars, very realistic
World-building: I remember that there was an orphanage mentioned. The one that burned down. Most of the story takes place in this small town. I'd assumed that it had been written years ago because of the setting.
Not an informational review, I know.
I really liked the mystery. (Dot finding her parents.) And the romance & bits of drama. Also really liked the other staff members.
Characters: 5 stars
Writing Style: I forgot (sorrrrryyyy)
Pace: 5 stars, Steady
Romance: 5 stars, very realistic
World-building: I remember that there was an orphanage mentioned. The one that burned down. Most of the story takes place in this small town. I'd assumed that it had been written years ago because of the setting.
Not an informational review, I know.
January 28, 2024
A fresh, energetic voice and a page-turner plot kept me engaged throughout.
November 13, 2018
It's the first book that I read in the series and I love it so much❤️❤️❤️ It's the first time I experienced the charm of reading. I think it's the best book I had ever read, the plot, the characters, the word choosing, and the writing ...all of them even... the cover😆 I finally get to know the feelings that readers always say when you read a good book😄
May 29, 2017
THIS WAS ACTUALLY
pretty good!
y'all should read this!
Needed more Eddie. (Even though Eddie was mentioned on literally every page)(I want a page with just the name Eddie. That would be good.)
pretty good!
y'all should read this!
Needed more Eddie. (Even though Eddie was mentioned on literally every page)(I want a page with just the name Eddie. That would be good.)
August 11, 2015
I loved this book so much.
The meet-cute between the boy (as he's called for the beginning of the book) and Dot is so incredibly adorable and hilarious at the same time. It's the kind of book that will make you understand why someone might hear the name of the boy they like every time the sewing machine they're working on moves ahead with stitching up a seam, fixing a hem, or any other mending task they're completing.
As one would expect, Dot is flawed. She has an over active imagination that she's indulged in all of her life up till now. Therefore, even when Mrs. Hazelton insists that she needs to keep her wits about her, her lack of practice in this department leads to several mistakes, mishaps, and disasters. It's also part of the humour at some key moments. That said, for a small young woman, she is determined and resourceful. Whereas some people might be unable to make a decision, she just has a good cry and then makes up her mind about what she needs to do next and doesn't let anything - uncomfortable shoes or a walk of several miles - get in her way.
The mystery had so many twists and turns, the kind where you're sure you know what's coming well in advance, but find out you were so wrong. The romance will make your heart "go ape," as Dot would say, and the ending is so very satisfying. I can't wait to see how her story plays out if there is, indeed, a sequel, like there was in the Seven series also published by Orca Books.
The meet-cute between the boy (as he's called for the beginning of the book) and Dot is so incredibly adorable and hilarious at the same time. It's the kind of book that will make you understand why someone might hear the name of the boy they like every time the sewing machine they're working on moves ahead with stitching up a seam, fixing a hem, or any other mending task they're completing.
As one would expect, Dot is flawed. She has an over active imagination that she's indulged in all of her life up till now. Therefore, even when Mrs. Hazelton insists that she needs to keep her wits about her, her lack of practice in this department leads to several mistakes, mishaps, and disasters. It's also part of the humour at some key moments. That said, for a small young woman, she is determined and resourceful. Whereas some people might be unable to make a decision, she just has a good cry and then makes up her mind about what she needs to do next and doesn't let anything - uncomfortable shoes or a walk of several miles - get in her way.
The mystery had so many twists and turns, the kind where you're sure you know what's coming well in advance, but find out you were so wrong. The romance will make your heart "go ape," as Dot would say, and the ending is so very satisfying. I can't wait to see how her story plays out if there is, indeed, a sequel, like there was in the Seven series also published by Orca Books.
February 11, 2019
The first half of this book, where Dot settles into her new town and strikes up the courtship with Eddie, is so slow-paced that I came to expect that the whole book would be disappointing. However, once Dot latches on to the mystery of her birth and the threads start coming together, the book transformed into a surprisingly compelling mystery. I was fully absorbed by the end and found the solution satisfying and unexpected. I'll likely check out some other books in the Seven Secrets series, but I hope they'll be slightly more consistent in quality than this one was.
(Also, not to be That Person who complains about inconsistencies in the cover copy, but Dot never mentions wanting to be a dress designer and the book contains zero references to Mary Quant? I don't think this element would have added much to the story, but it seems weird that it's plugged so prominently in the blurb.)
(Also, not to be That Person who complains about inconsistencies in the cover copy, but Dot never mentions wanting to be a dress designer and the book contains zero references to Mary Quant? I don't think this element would have added much to the story, but it seems weird that it's plugged so prominently in the blurb.)
February 18, 2017
This series is super interesting. Especially since each book could be read alone, but it's really interesting how everything that happens with each of the 7 characters has relevance to the other books (and the more you read of them, the more of the scene is painted).
March 18, 2016
Omigosh so cute. SO CUTE.
May 7, 2020
“… Try St. Ninian’s Anglican Church. All the rich people around here get hatched, matched and dispatched there. One of the ladies on the auxiliary is bound to recognize the crest.” (Ch. 6)
Following the fire that took out the Home, Dot finds herself the only one of the Seven that isn’t ready to leave Hope. Yet leave she does, trying to follow the clues that lead to who she is and where she comes from. Getting a job as a seamstress seems like the perfect way to get to know the locals, and to find out why she was given up.
This tale is full of twists and turns as Dot tries to uncover the truth surrounding her birth. Grant did a fantastic job at keeping me on my toes throughout this read, switching the clues around until I wasn’t sure what was a real clue, and what were clues that Dot was hoping for. This muddled mystery read made me laugh and want to pull my hair out – sometimes at the same time.
If you’re looking for a really fun mystery read, I recommend checking this one out. I’m not the biggest fan of historical fiction, but this read made me second guess that opinion. Grant did a phenomenal job at telling a compelling mystery in a world that isn’t solely hers. As each of the Seven has a different author telling their story, I look forward to seeing how the rest of the girls’ tales fall into this same world. So far I’ve only read Tess’ story, and I can already imagine the ways that the two girls interacted with with each other – as well as how they’d react to the truths that have been uncovered.
This is my first read by Grant, but I’m always looking for more authors to read more of. Since I enjoyed this tale so much, I certainly look forward to reading more of her works in the future.
Full spoiler review: https://phantomofthelibrary.com/2020/...
Following the fire that took out the Home, Dot finds herself the only one of the Seven that isn’t ready to leave Hope. Yet leave she does, trying to follow the clues that lead to who she is and where she comes from. Getting a job as a seamstress seems like the perfect way to get to know the locals, and to find out why she was given up.
This tale is full of twists and turns as Dot tries to uncover the truth surrounding her birth. Grant did a fantastic job at keeping me on my toes throughout this read, switching the clues around until I wasn’t sure what was a real clue, and what were clues that Dot was hoping for. This muddled mystery read made me laugh and want to pull my hair out – sometimes at the same time.
If you’re looking for a really fun mystery read, I recommend checking this one out. I’m not the biggest fan of historical fiction, but this read made me second guess that opinion. Grant did a phenomenal job at telling a compelling mystery in a world that isn’t solely hers. As each of the Seven has a different author telling their story, I look forward to seeing how the rest of the girls’ tales fall into this same world. So far I’ve only read Tess’ story, and I can already imagine the ways that the two girls interacted with with each other – as well as how they’d react to the truths that have been uncovered.
This is my first read by Grant, but I’m always looking for more authors to read more of. Since I enjoyed this tale so much, I certainly look forward to reading more of her works in the future.
Full spoiler review: https://phantomofthelibrary.com/2020/...
May 21, 2017
There’s nothing to stop a small person from dreaming big.
Dot, whose name reflects her stature, has always had big dreams—she wants to be a dress designer like Mary Quant—but her dreams have to be put on hold while she searches for the truth about her parents. She gets a job as a seamstress at a lakeside resort in rural Ontario and falls hard for Eddie, a charming local boy who is equal parts helpful and distracting as Dot investigates her past. Searching for answers to questions about her birth, Dot learns more than she ever wanted to about the terrible effects of war, the legacy of deceit—and the enduring nature of love.
Another great book from this series. Seven orphans who leave the orphanage with clues to their past. Each book is about a different girl and is written by a different author.
Dot, whose name reflects her stature, has always had big dreams—she wants to be a dress designer like Mary Quant—but her dreams have to be put on hold while she searches for the truth about her parents. She gets a job as a seamstress at a lakeside resort in rural Ontario and falls hard for Eddie, a charming local boy who is equal parts helpful and distracting as Dot investigates her past. Searching for answers to questions about her birth, Dot learns more than she ever wanted to about the terrible effects of war, the legacy of deceit—and the enduring nature of love.
Another great book from this series. Seven orphans who leave the orphanage with clues to their past. Each book is about a different girl and is written by a different author.
June 26, 2021
The combination of title and dressy shoes made me think that "Small Bones" is a reflection on the main character's physique. It is mostly not, though she is small.
This was a fun read, with a likeable main character and equally likeable love interest. A teenage orphan girl is sent out into the wide world after her orphanage burns down, meets a boy, gets a job, makes a community of sorts, and finds and solves a mystery. No problem.
The bonus material promises the adventure of another of the teenage orphan girls, who seems to meet a boy, get a job, find a mystery... turns out there are 7 books in this series, one for each girl, and by all different authors. Somehow I am just put off by this premise. So I will leave my experience of the Secrets series at this book - but it was a decent read.
This was a fun read, with a likeable main character and equally likeable love interest. A teenage orphan girl is sent out into the wide world after her orphanage burns down, meets a boy, gets a job, makes a community of sorts, and finds and solves a mystery. No problem.
The bonus material promises the adventure of another of the teenage orphan girls, who seems to meet a boy, get a job, find a mystery... turns out there are 7 books in this series, one for each girl, and by all different authors. Somehow I am just put off by this premise. So I will leave my experience of the Secrets series at this book - but it was a decent read.
May 25, 2017
I liked the character and the story, and enjoyed Vicki Grant's portrayal of Dot's development. Still, it's hard to suspend disbelief at all the coincidences in the story, and the denouement is pretty unspectacular; in fact, a few weeks later and it's a bit of work to remember how it all went. So not really super-remarkable.
November 19, 2017
In the 1950s, Dot boards a train to her new life, or perhaps to find the family who left her at the orphanage that she has called home for the past sixteen years. Landing in the resort town of Buckminster, Dot takes a job as a seamstress and begins to piece the mystery of her past. A solid mystery for reluctant readers.
January 16, 2022
I really really enjoyed this book, next to “The Unquiet Past” it was my favourite in this series. I really enjoyed the story line and the way that the story portrays the main character. Highly recommended!!
March 11, 2017
I am loving this series.
January 8, 2019
This book is much better than unquiet past but still not my type
August 19, 2019
For a young adult book it was ok. Good storyline, hard to keep track of the characters. Interesting journey Dot had. Part of a series with different authors.
November 8, 2019
It was nice to hear the story of a girl who was focused on fashion in the 1930s'. It was pretty interesting and the perfect plot for a story.
May 26, 2021
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it.
March 12, 2017
I felt like this book was extremely cliche at some points (i won't go into details because spoilers) but I still liked it and flew through it. Not my favorite, probably won't reread, but still enjoyable.
July 13, 2016
Plot:
The story opens in 1947, with an eerie drop-off of a baby at an orphanage several hours from a small town. The story quickly zooms ahead to 17 years later, where we meet a young girl named Dot, who has grown up at the orphanage (until it burns down), and is basically told that she has aged out of the system. However, she is given a clue to her past when she receives a piece of clothing she was bundled in when she arrived at the orphanage. She receives a man’s coat containing initials, and a small spoon (found in the coat pocket) with a barely legible inscription. She has to leave to find a job in order to start some type of future on her own, so she takes a train to a lake resort town in the hopes of getting work. She is insecure about anyone knowing that she is an orphan, so she keeps her background a secret, while slowly finding out possible clues about the now-defunct clothing store that sold the men’s coat she was wrapped in as a newborn. She also begins a sweet romance with a local boy named Eddie, and begins to build a life. Through a number of unexpected encounters and circumstances, Dot slowly begins to uncover more clues about her past, leading to a tense, exciting conclusion that finally reveals where she came from.
Characters:
The characters are one of the strongest parts of this book, as they instantly come to life due to the author’s strong descriptions and her attention to detail and language. Each character feels fully formed and unique, and they all have interesting motivations and backstories that are slowly revealed (or hidden) as the story goes on.
Overall Evaluation:
Small Bones is an incredibly charming, well-written mystery. The intriguing backstory creates a great hook that will keep readers intrigued from beginning to end, and the story contains enough skilled writing and wonderful attention to detail to give readers a strong sense of the time period and setting. The delicate romance and rich cast of characters make for a wonderfully compelling read.
My only complaint would be the fact that the ending seemed a bit rushed. After the intense argument/misunderstanding between Dot and Eddie, there is so much to be said and resolved, and not getting the satisfaction of this leads to frustration for the reader. The big reveal at the end was also a bit of a letdown, but slightly more understandable.
The story opens in 1947, with an eerie drop-off of a baby at an orphanage several hours from a small town. The story quickly zooms ahead to 17 years later, where we meet a young girl named Dot, who has grown up at the orphanage (until it burns down), and is basically told that she has aged out of the system. However, she is given a clue to her past when she receives a piece of clothing she was bundled in when she arrived at the orphanage. She receives a man’s coat containing initials, and a small spoon (found in the coat pocket) with a barely legible inscription. She has to leave to find a job in order to start some type of future on her own, so she takes a train to a lake resort town in the hopes of getting work. She is insecure about anyone knowing that she is an orphan, so she keeps her background a secret, while slowly finding out possible clues about the now-defunct clothing store that sold the men’s coat she was wrapped in as a newborn. She also begins a sweet romance with a local boy named Eddie, and begins to build a life. Through a number of unexpected encounters and circumstances, Dot slowly begins to uncover more clues about her past, leading to a tense, exciting conclusion that finally reveals where she came from.
Characters:
The characters are one of the strongest parts of this book, as they instantly come to life due to the author’s strong descriptions and her attention to detail and language. Each character feels fully formed and unique, and they all have interesting motivations and backstories that are slowly revealed (or hidden) as the story goes on.
Overall Evaluation:
Small Bones is an incredibly charming, well-written mystery. The intriguing backstory creates a great hook that will keep readers intrigued from beginning to end, and the story contains enough skilled writing and wonderful attention to detail to give readers a strong sense of the time period and setting. The delicate romance and rich cast of characters make for a wonderfully compelling read.
My only complaint would be the fact that the ending seemed a bit rushed. After the intense argument/misunderstanding between Dot and Eddie, there is so much to be said and resolved, and not getting the satisfaction of this leads to frustration for the reader. The big reveal at the end was also a bit of a letdown, but slightly more understandable.
April 28, 2016
The thing I enjoyed most was the mystery she was trying to solve. The author tries hard to set it in a particular time period in Canada. The 60's isn't something you see in YA fiction much and it is a good change from all the fantasy and futuristic novels out there. Young people need to know a bit about war veterans and PTSD whether it is WWI, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, or Iraq. You never see the trauma of war in all the fighting video games out there. You see it on the streets of every big city in the form of mentally ill homeless men. This author places the story in a small town where people do care about the men that have come home from the war. Dot has to learn about the past in order to solve her birth story.
The big problem I had was that there wasn't enough description of the resort or the people she interacted with everyday. We hear enough about the two people she works with and the young man she is falling in love with but I felt everyone else was a bird flying past the window. I kept thinking 'who is that again?' I just couldn't keep the characters apart. There were 3 war veterans, several waitresses, and a mix of other adults. Maybe it is just that I'm getting old but the names and faces didn't stick in my mind.
It was a good book for the tween set but not enough angst for the older crowd in my opinion. You didn't feel any of Dot's suffering. Her house burned down, she has to leave everyone she knows, she has to get a job she can live off of, and she has to make totally new friends. And teens often grapple with a deep sense of abandonment when they try to come to grips with the fact that their birth parents didn't want them. She just worried about Eddie paying attention to her. And she wasn't a very good sleuth. Which was good in a way because the reader caught on to the clues before she did. That kept the mystery interesting for me. I definitely wanted to know what was going to happen.
The big problem I had was that there wasn't enough description of the resort or the people she interacted with everyday. We hear enough about the two people she works with and the young man she is falling in love with but I felt everyone else was a bird flying past the window. I kept thinking 'who is that again?' I just couldn't keep the characters apart. There were 3 war veterans, several waitresses, and a mix of other adults. Maybe it is just that I'm getting old but the names and faces didn't stick in my mind.
It was a good book for the tween set but not enough angst for the older crowd in my opinion. You didn't feel any of Dot's suffering. Her house burned down, she has to leave everyone she knows, she has to get a job she can live off of, and she has to make totally new friends. And teens often grapple with a deep sense of abandonment when they try to come to grips with the fact that their birth parents didn't want them. She just worried about Eddie paying attention to her. And she wasn't a very good sleuth. Which was good in a way because the reader caught on to the clues before she did. That kept the mystery interesting for me. I definitely wanted to know what was going to happen.
July 20, 2015
I received an ARC of this book from LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.
This book is part of the Secrets series, which are seven books written by seven different authors about the aftermath of a fire that burns down the Benevolent Home for Necessitous Girls and the outcomes of the seven oldest girls there. I'm not sure about you, but that sounds like a pretty great idea for a book series.
In this book, we follow Dot as she tries to figure out who her birth parents are.
The book has a great mystery to follow and a decent amount of suspense. The plot was very good. Mostly, the thing that made this difficult for me to read was that I didn't really like the main character. For a lot of the novel, she comes off as a bit whiny. Now I understand that having the home you grew up in burn down and being forced to go off into the world on your own is a pretty valid thing to complain about. But she really doesn't complain about that very much. She just whines about the boy she likes and obsessively things about him all the time. She admits to being a daydreamer, but at times this becomes repetitive and does not advance the plot (fantasizing about telling her friends at the home about the boy she met). At times this even gets in the way of the plot as she's so busy thinking about this boy, that she completely overlooks important clues (like the bones at her door which are placed there multiple times and she hardly notices).
The book was a little slow to start out and it didn't really pick up until about halfway through. But I think figuring out the mystery of her birth parents was very interesting as she tries to piece everything together. It was well written with a good amount of detail. Many of the chapters are fairly short so it is a pretty quick read, especially once the plot gets going.
This book is part of the Secrets series, which are seven books written by seven different authors about the aftermath of a fire that burns down the Benevolent Home for Necessitous Girls and the outcomes of the seven oldest girls there. I'm not sure about you, but that sounds like a pretty great idea for a book series.
In this book, we follow Dot as she tries to figure out who her birth parents are.
The book has a great mystery to follow and a decent amount of suspense. The plot was very good. Mostly, the thing that made this difficult for me to read was that I didn't really like the main character. For a lot of the novel, she comes off as a bit whiny. Now I understand that having the home you grew up in burn down and being forced to go off into the world on your own is a pretty valid thing to complain about. But she really doesn't complain about that very much. She just whines about the boy she likes and obsessively things about him all the time. She admits to being a daydreamer, but at times this becomes repetitive and does not advance the plot (fantasizing about telling her friends at the home about the boy she met). At times this even gets in the way of the plot as she's so busy thinking about this boy, that she completely overlooks important clues (like the bones at her door which are placed there multiple times and she hardly notices).
The book was a little slow to start out and it didn't really pick up until about halfway through. But I think figuring out the mystery of her birth parents was very interesting as she tries to piece everything together. It was well written with a good amount of detail. Many of the chapters are fairly short so it is a pretty quick read, especially once the plot gets going.
August 20, 2015
This author reminds me of Harper Lee. "Small Bones" by Vicki Grant is such a great read for 12+ audiences! An artful mystery unfolds in Buckminster, a cottage community where wealthy teens go to work and learn the value of a dollar.
Written in first-person point of view we meet Dot a young seamstress whose life must change in order for her to have the dignity she deserves in life.
Like stitches being unsewn, stitch by stitch, the story of Dot, an orphaned child and now grown teenager is revealed. Dot loses the only home she's ever known in search of one she can claim. Similar to Red Riding Hood on her journey, Dot meets characters who bring her closer to her fate while also discovering her first love, Eddie.
First love is handled so innocently and tastefully and is embedded in Dot and Eddie’s sense of conflict, purpose and adventure unlike much fiction targeting 12+ audiences. It was refreshing to watch Dot grow and change in ways only deeper emotions can foster.
What doesn't earn the suspended half star is that the connections between characters is fuzzy and somewhat weakly drawn. At times, the story reads like Grant couldn't make a clear antagonist choice and it becomes hard for a 12+ reader to maintain who's who during the resolution of the story. During the story resolution, a letter is included which deepens the story structure and laces loose ends up nicely for a young adult who may get lost in the story.
I am looking forward to reading the other books in the “Secrets” series to see where they intersect and depart.
Written in first-person point of view we meet Dot a young seamstress whose life must change in order for her to have the dignity she deserves in life.
Like stitches being unsewn, stitch by stitch, the story of Dot, an orphaned child and now grown teenager is revealed. Dot loses the only home she's ever known in search of one she can claim. Similar to Red Riding Hood on her journey, Dot meets characters who bring her closer to her fate while also discovering her first love, Eddie.
First love is handled so innocently and tastefully and is embedded in Dot and Eddie’s sense of conflict, purpose and adventure unlike much fiction targeting 12+ audiences. It was refreshing to watch Dot grow and change in ways only deeper emotions can foster.
What doesn't earn the suspended half star is that the connections between characters is fuzzy and somewhat weakly drawn. At times, the story reads like Grant couldn't make a clear antagonist choice and it becomes hard for a 12+ reader to maintain who's who during the resolution of the story. During the story resolution, a letter is included which deepens the story structure and laces loose ends up nicely for a young adult who may get lost in the story.
I am looking forward to reading the other books in the “Secrets” series to see where they intersect and depart.
March 19, 2016
Another knockout for the Secrets series. This is my fifth out of a total of seven, and its among my favourites. Although I found it partially predictable, I was so quickly sucked into this mystery, I couldn't put the book down (and finished it within an afternoon).
A great cast of characters within the story added a variety of different dimensions to the mystery. I only wish I found Dot's silence of her own origin to be a little more believable. There were times when I did not understand why she kept so quiet about it.
All in all, I'm definitely motivated to check out the last two books in the series I haven't yet read.
A great cast of characters within the story added a variety of different dimensions to the mystery. I only wish I found Dot's silence of her own origin to be a little more believable. There were times when I did not understand why she kept so quiet about it.
All in all, I'm definitely motivated to check out the last two books in the series I haven't yet read.
August 2, 2016
I am really enjoying this type of series!!
The secret series that you can read in any order and is written by different authors yet they are connected by the orphanage that burned down. I really like this idea and really look forward to reading about the other girls and their journey into the world for the first time, figuring out who they are and what led them to the orphanage in the first place.
Easy quick read and a great mystery to solve. I think I like this series even more because you grow to really care about the girls. Plus this book has a character named "Cecily" in it, and as someone with that name it isn't often I get to see that so that was awesome!!
Decent Read!
The secret series that you can read in any order and is written by different authors yet they are connected by the orphanage that burned down. I really like this idea and really look forward to reading about the other girls and their journey into the world for the first time, figuring out who they are and what led them to the orphanage in the first place.
Easy quick read and a great mystery to solve. I think I like this series even more because you grow to really care about the girls. Plus this book has a character named "Cecily" in it, and as someone with that name it isn't often I get to see that so that was awesome!!
Decent Read!
September 4, 2016
Another in the Secrets series.
In this one, we follow the story of Dot. She is given, along with the envelope of money, the great coat she was wrapped in on arrival and a monogrammed spoon found in the pocket. The label in the coat details a famous clothier based in a small resort town n rural Ontario.
Dot heads for this town, gets a job as a seamstress. Like other books in the series, she meets a very nice young man, Eddie, who helps her to uncover the secrets of her birth and the story of why she eventually ended up at the orphanage in Hope.
I am enjoying this series. I have read three of the seven and will read them all.
In this one, we follow the story of Dot. She is given, along with the envelope of money, the great coat she was wrapped in on arrival and a monogrammed spoon found in the pocket. The label in the coat details a famous clothier based in a small resort town n rural Ontario.
Dot heads for this town, gets a job as a seamstress. Like other books in the series, she meets a very nice young man, Eddie, who helps her to uncover the secrets of her birth and the story of why she eventually ended up at the orphanage in Hope.
I am enjoying this series. I have read three of the seven and will read them all.
January 13, 2016
An orphanage burns down and as the residents scatter they seek to find out their origins.In this story the girl finds many secrets are being covered up by the townspeople about her birth.But as her and her new boyfriend investigate they eventually uncover the truth.This book was ok.It was difficult at times to keep track of all the characters and at times it seemed a bit juvenile. But it keeps you guessing until the big reveal. I am going to check out other entries in the series to see how the tackle the subject.
June 28, 2016
Dot, whose name reflects her stature, has always had big dreams—she wants to be a dress designer but her dreams have to be put on hold while she searches for the truth about her parents. She gets a job as a seamstress at a lakeside resort in rural Ontario and falls hard for Eddie, a charming local boy who is equal parts helpful and distracting as Dot investigates her past. Searching for answers to questions about her birth, Dot learns more than she ever wanted to about the terrible effects of war, the legacy of deceit—and the enduring nature of love
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