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Secret Society #1
Secret Society
An eccentric new girl. A brooding socialite. The scion of one of New York's wealthiest families. A promising filmmaker. As students at the exclusive Chadwick School, Pheobe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch already live in a world most teenagers only dream about.
They didn't ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything. Even to the harrowing initiation ceremony, and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they're forced to get on the nape of their necks.
Once they're part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. Week after week, their ambitions are fulfilled. It's all perfect-until a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo.
Tom Dolby makes his teen fiction debut with this riveting novel about a dangerous society so secret that once you get in, you can never get out.
They didn't ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything. Even to the harrowing initiation ceremony, and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they're forced to get on the nape of their necks.
Once they're part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. Week after week, their ambitions are fulfilled. It's all perfect-until a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo.
Tom Dolby makes his teen fiction debut with this riveting novel about a dangerous society so secret that once you get in, you can never get out.
341 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
26 people are currently reading
1769 people want to read
About the author
Tom Dolby
13 books88 followersTom Dolby's new series from HarperCollins, Secret Society, debuted in October 2009, and includes the novels Secret Society and The Trust. Tom is the author of the bestselling novel The Trouble Boy and the boarding school novel The Sixth Form. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Village Voice, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Tom was born in London and raised in San Francisco, and is a graduate of The Hotchkiss School and Yale University. He currently lives in Manhattan’s West Village, where he is working on a new novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
August 4, 2009
I often wonder how some books become published. Secret Society would be torn apart (figuratively. Well, maybe literally, too.) in even an introduction to fiction class. The narration changes between four characters, often in the same scene, making the action difficult to follow.
Dolby skips crucial scenes that would let readers connect with characters. One subplot is about Lauren who meets Alejandro. A couple sentences tell us Alejandro gives Lauren an extravagant birthday present and a few chapters later Lauren describes him as someone who "makes everything worth it." A few chapters beyond that she describes him as a flake, but Dolby hasn't shown us any behavior flakier than Lauren's own.
Perhaps when Lauren said "worth it" she meant the $900 skirt she bought in her introductory chapter. It's so tough buying those, right?
"She turned over the skirt's price tag: nine hundred dollars. Would her mother notice if she put it on her platinum card? No, Lauren shopped at Giroux all the time, so what was the big deal? Even if her parents' divorce had frozen her mother's love life, it had done no such thing to her bank account."
Dolby tells us how great his characters are, but he never really shows us. Why is Phoebe good at art? Her mom being an artist isn't enough. Has she studied art all of her life? What credentials does Nick, the one who supposedly loves music, have to judge what is good and poor sounding? Music lessons, ever? And for the love of anything that makes sense, why does Patch, the poor kid, go to the rich prep school?
I had short expectations for this book. I was worried it would be about whiny rich kids. I will admit the characters aren't whiny. They're just shallow. I did have hope in the beginning when the kids vowed to obey the Society over church, school, and state. I thought Secret Society was going to be a story about standing up to corruption and oppression, and how materialism gets in the way of wisdom and righteousness.
What I got was story about kids who can't look at a person without noticing their L.L. Bean boots. Kids who say 'oh, how horrible this Society is. Let's investigate!' then give in to their oppressors after a reprimand. I read somewhere that this is going to be a series, and I was so sad I almost wept. Sometimes a story is much stronger as stand alone piece. If this story had actually been revised, which I can't imagine it was from the poor quality of the writing, it could be a wonderful tale about the dangers of being out of touch with reality that privilege brings. I suppose it needs to be series because someone doesn't own enough $900 skirts.
At one point, an expensive shop owner tells Lauren that you have to pay for quality sometimes. It does make sense to pay for quality. Which is why it makes sense that I got this book for free.
I didn't hate Secret Society because I think Dolby was trying to make a point about corruption. There was one character who spent the book trying to infiltrate the Society so he could expose them, and the kids do see some serious damage done by the Society. Dolby just really missed the mark in regards to making his characters come alive and creatng a story that means something.
Dolby skips crucial scenes that would let readers connect with characters. One subplot is about Lauren who meets Alejandro. A couple sentences tell us Alejandro gives Lauren an extravagant birthday present and a few chapters later Lauren describes him as someone who "makes everything worth it." A few chapters beyond that she describes him as a flake, but Dolby hasn't shown us any behavior flakier than Lauren's own.
Perhaps when Lauren said "worth it" she meant the $900 skirt she bought in her introductory chapter. It's so tough buying those, right?
"She turned over the skirt's price tag: nine hundred dollars. Would her mother notice if she put it on her platinum card? No, Lauren shopped at Giroux all the time, so what was the big deal? Even if her parents' divorce had frozen her mother's love life, it had done no such thing to her bank account."
Dolby tells us how great his characters are, but he never really shows us. Why is Phoebe good at art? Her mom being an artist isn't enough. Has she studied art all of her life? What credentials does Nick, the one who supposedly loves music, have to judge what is good and poor sounding? Music lessons, ever? And for the love of anything that makes sense, why does Patch, the poor kid, go to the rich prep school?
I had short expectations for this book. I was worried it would be about whiny rich kids. I will admit the characters aren't whiny. They're just shallow. I did have hope in the beginning when the kids vowed to obey the Society over church, school, and state. I thought Secret Society was going to be a story about standing up to corruption and oppression, and how materialism gets in the way of wisdom and righteousness.
What I got was story about kids who can't look at a person without noticing their L.L. Bean boots. Kids who say 'oh, how horrible this Society is. Let's investigate!' then give in to their oppressors after a reprimand. I read somewhere that this is going to be a series, and I was so sad I almost wept. Sometimes a story is much stronger as stand alone piece. If this story had actually been revised, which I can't imagine it was from the poor quality of the writing, it could be a wonderful tale about the dangers of being out of touch with reality that privilege brings. I suppose it needs to be series because someone doesn't own enough $900 skirts.
At one point, an expensive shop owner tells Lauren that you have to pay for quality sometimes. It does make sense to pay for quality. Which is why it makes sense that I got this book for free.
I didn't hate Secret Society because I think Dolby was trying to make a point about corruption. There was one character who spent the book trying to infiltrate the Society so he could expose them, and the kids do see some serious damage done by the Society. Dolby just really missed the mark in regards to making his characters come alive and creatng a story that means something.
September 12, 2009
In Secret Society we follow the lives of four students from Chadwick Prep, one of the most elite prep schools in New York City. Phoebe is the eccentric new girl in town, Nick is the up and coming member of one of the wealthiest families in New York, Lauren is the budding socialite, and Patch is an amateur filmmaker. There is something else about these students that make them special, three of these students have gained the interest of The Society.
The Society is a secret group of people that’s mission is to “preserve a way of life.” I for one, have always had a major interest in secret societies and so I was already excited about this book; and Tom Dolby has definitely done his research with this. The imagery is so vivid that I actually found myself waking up from dreams about this book and about these characters, which is a major thing for me since most books don’t get in my head like that. Some people are probably thinking “Oh no, not something else about a secret society,” but this is majorly different. Think Gossip Girl (the show) meets The Skulls (Paul Walker/Joshua Jackson movie from 2000).
After receiving text messages that tell them to go to a gritty downtown warehouse, the three students begin the initiation into The Society. This initiation concludes with each of them receiving an ankh shaped tattoo on the nape of their necks. Once they are entered into The Society, they start gaining everything they were promised: fame, fortune, friends in high places, parties, private town cars that deliver them to and from events. But what’s the price they must pay in order to have these rewards?
Things start changing when the body of a young male is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks, aside from the ankh tattoo on the nape of his neck. Then they start to wonder, is all of this worth the risk? But questioning The Society in that way can lead to be very dangerous to not only their careers, but also to their lives and the lives of the people they care about.
I loved this book! I mean totally loved it, some of the characters are a bit cliché but I think in order to really relate to these characters at all, they needed to be. I also love the whole secret society thing. I find it so interesting and I have read all kinds of stuff about them. Fiction and nonfiction alike; The Life and Death Brigade (I love love love! Gilmore Girls), The Skulls, Skull and Bones, the Illuminati, the Freemasons, Fight Club, etc. are all secret societies either in popular culture or in reality. There are so many legends and depictions of these societies and I can’t help but to be fascinated.
I so highly recommend this book, if you can’t tell already. I am so excited for the sequel, which according to Tom himself (via Twitter @TomDolby) “I am writing THE DENDUR CONSPIRACY right now, so...fall 2010. I know, too long to wait!” I think that is too long to wait and this is the issue I have with reading the first book in a series while it’s still an ARC, because that means I have longer to wait until the sequel comes out! But this is definitely a book I will read again. There are so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and I can’t wait to see how they pan out. Definitely a must read!
The Society is a secret group of people that’s mission is to “preserve a way of life.” I for one, have always had a major interest in secret societies and so I was already excited about this book; and Tom Dolby has definitely done his research with this. The imagery is so vivid that I actually found myself waking up from dreams about this book and about these characters, which is a major thing for me since most books don’t get in my head like that. Some people are probably thinking “Oh no, not something else about a secret society,” but this is majorly different. Think Gossip Girl (the show) meets The Skulls (Paul Walker/Joshua Jackson movie from 2000).
After receiving text messages that tell them to go to a gritty downtown warehouse, the three students begin the initiation into The Society. This initiation concludes with each of them receiving an ankh shaped tattoo on the nape of their necks. Once they are entered into The Society, they start gaining everything they were promised: fame, fortune, friends in high places, parties, private town cars that deliver them to and from events. But what’s the price they must pay in order to have these rewards?
Things start changing when the body of a young male is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks, aside from the ankh tattoo on the nape of his neck. Then they start to wonder, is all of this worth the risk? But questioning The Society in that way can lead to be very dangerous to not only their careers, but also to their lives and the lives of the people they care about.
I loved this book! I mean totally loved it, some of the characters are a bit cliché but I think in order to really relate to these characters at all, they needed to be. I also love the whole secret society thing. I find it so interesting and I have read all kinds of stuff about them. Fiction and nonfiction alike; The Life and Death Brigade (I love love love! Gilmore Girls), The Skulls, Skull and Bones, the Illuminati, the Freemasons, Fight Club, etc. are all secret societies either in popular culture or in reality. There are so many legends and depictions of these societies and I can’t help but to be fascinated.
I so highly recommend this book, if you can’t tell already. I am so excited for the sequel, which according to Tom himself (via Twitter @TomDolby) “I am writing THE DENDUR CONSPIRACY right now, so...fall 2010. I know, too long to wait!” I think that is too long to wait and this is the issue I have with reading the first book in a series while it’s still an ARC, because that means I have longer to wait until the sequel comes out! But this is definitely a book I will read again. There are so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and I can’t wait to see how they pan out. Definitely a must read!
March 5, 2014
(Source: I own a copy of this book.)
A group of teens in Manhattan join an exclusive, secret society, one which is about to change their lives forever. For the better or worse.
This book started out okay, but went downhill fairly quickly.
I didn’t really like any of the characters, they were all pretty stupid at points, and didn’t seem to really understand the ramifications of joining this secret society. They seemed to quite happily go along to some random address, get a tattoo, and then take the gifts and opportunities as they presented themselves, never really wondering what would happen if things turned sour.
The storyline in this sounded good, but the execution was just off. The pace was too slow, the conversations that the characters had were dull, full of info-dumps, and just generally pretty boring, and even thought I wanted to know what happened, reading this was like wading through quicksand.
There wasn’t much in the way of romance, and the other storylines were all very similar, and basically revolved around how stupid these kids were to believe that they were getting something for nothing.
The end took a bit of an odd little twist, but I was just glad it was over really.
Overall; dull,
4.5 out of 10.
A group of teens in Manhattan join an exclusive, secret society, one which is about to change their lives forever. For the better or worse.
This book started out okay, but went downhill fairly quickly.
I didn’t really like any of the characters, they were all pretty stupid at points, and didn’t seem to really understand the ramifications of joining this secret society. They seemed to quite happily go along to some random address, get a tattoo, and then take the gifts and opportunities as they presented themselves, never really wondering what would happen if things turned sour.
The storyline in this sounded good, but the execution was just off. The pace was too slow, the conversations that the characters had were dull, full of info-dumps, and just generally pretty boring, and even thought I wanted to know what happened, reading this was like wading through quicksand.
There wasn’t much in the way of romance, and the other storylines were all very similar, and basically revolved around how stupid these kids were to believe that they were getting something for nothing.
The end took a bit of an odd little twist, but I was just glad it was over really.
Overall; dull,
4.5 out of 10.
August 11, 2016
Secret Society was an okay read at first, but it started to drag after a few chapters.
There wasn't any characters that i liked. They were all quite stupid, naive, and annoying.
Phoebe was probably the worst one. She was new, but knew all about Lauren being the bitchiest person at the school... so why would she follow her to an address she doesn't know?
It could have all been a horrible prank!
The pacing was really slow, and by the time i got halfway, i just wanted the book to end.
It picked up a little bit in the last fourth, but it still wasn't anything amazing.
Overall, slow, boring, and had silly characters.
I won't be reading book two.
There wasn't any characters that i liked. They were all quite stupid, naive, and annoying.
Phoebe was probably the worst one. She was new, but knew all about Lauren being the bitchiest person at the school... so why would she follow her to an address she doesn't know?
It could have all been a horrible prank!
The pacing was really slow, and by the time i got halfway, i just wanted the book to end.
It picked up a little bit in the last fourth, but it still wasn't anything amazing.
Overall, slow, boring, and had silly characters.
I won't be reading book two.
January 14, 2012
Gee. Yet another book about rich prep school kids getting everything handed to them. How original.
It's Skull and Bones, peanut version but with some estrogen. The whole Egyptian involvement is completely contrived and never really explained. I understand we're hopping around behind the eyes of the noobs to the group but as far as I'm concerned, these guys thought the Egyptians were cool and decided to use their logos for their club. By the end of the book, they could have been pirates for all it mattered to the overall plot.
And noob tattoo dude mistake numero uno - the neck is one of the most conspicuous spots to put a tattoo. No matter how small it is, unless it's a little black dot, it's going to get noticed. No more bobs for those girls! For a secret society, they sure flaunt their marker, don't they?
As far as the writing goes, I didn't feel it was quite there yet. It was . . . mediocre. In the hands of someone with more experience or greater talent, I think it could have done better but instead we get a Swiss cheese plot that meanders in all the wrong places, is thoroughly short on suspense and elementarily written. The characters are one dimensional, narrow-minded and as woe-is-me as you'd expect them to be in their current situations.
What little information we are given of this half-assed society is awkwardly dumped in some of the most chunky and ridiculously-sounding sentences I've ever read. The fact that the invitation is only handed out to prep school kids in their junior year is laughable. Want to narrow it down anymore? People with only blue eyes? One leg slightly shorter than the other? Literally, I laughed when that information was dumped because, considering the context and the way it was said, it was just absurd.
Maybe this is something that's just showing my age but the casualness of underage drinking in this book really shocked me, not to mention the lack of consequences for these over-privileged kids. It's parentfail if I've ever seen it because if I had ever come home drunk and hours past curfew, my grounded ass would never see the light of day again. These kids are actually encouraged to act like shitheads. Again, parentfail. I'm all for lowering the drinking age to 18 because if you're old enough to die for your country, you're old enough to have a drink (because that beer is so more more to handle than those assault rifles and justifiable homicide) but the extreme casualness of it all, how out in the open it was, just really bothered me. We had to be super sneaky when we drank. These kids just did it out in the open with absolutely no consequences. How nice.
The whole secret society concept is unoriginal. The writing needs to be improved. To me, the characters were unrelatable. Because of the poor writing, it lacked the suspense required of these kids' situations. Maybe if it was there, maybe if I was able to feel their fear at what was going on, I might have been able to connect to them. But nope. Tell, tell, tell. I don't care. If I don't feel it, those characters could drink themselves to death and I wouldn't bat an eye . . . oh wait . . .
Maybe it's just my age that's preventing me from liking this one. Or the sheer number of writing flaws have thoroughly detracted me from anything that might be worthwhile in the text. Either way, I didn't like it. This one easily blends in to all the other prep school crap that's out there. Except now it's tainting ancient Egypt's good name and for, apparently, no good reason because the connection is never made.
Alas, by the looks of the end, this isn't the last we'll see of this OMG-we-must-keep-this-secret-but-lets-give-ourselves-secret-tattoos-in-one-of-the-most-unsecret-places-on-our-bodies secret society but rest assured, I won't be reading it. Inconsistencies and technical fallacies irk me. Especially when I'm sick. Irk meter is that much higher. And the ending wasn't even good either. You almost expect it for everything that's happened. But because the author can't write a suspenseful sentence, you don't actually feel it so it all falls flat.
Oh yeah, your neck is one of the most PAINFUL places to get a tattoo. Anywhere where you have a concentration of nerve endings. Where your brain stem meets your spine? I'd say that's a pain hot spot. Just another fallacy that had me not believing anything the author wrote. For a 16 year old, they'd be crying. Just remember, a tattoo needle is as thick as a dime that moves up and down really quickly that punctures your skin over and over and over again in order to wedge the ink in there. And all this being done mere millimeters from your brain stem. Hello???
And this is an ankh tattoo people--
While the circle didn't hurt at all, the butterfly body was some of the most god awful pain I've ever felt in my life. I'll be going back to get my fifth sometime in early spring. And this is on my left hip bleeding onto the top of my leg. The circled ankh is 8 years old and the body is 5. I heart tattoos.
It's Skull and Bones, peanut version but with some estrogen. The whole Egyptian involvement is completely contrived and never really explained. I understand we're hopping around behind the eyes of the noobs to the group but as far as I'm concerned, these guys thought the Egyptians were cool and decided to use their logos for their club. By the end of the book, they could have been pirates for all it mattered to the overall plot.
And noob tattoo dude mistake numero uno - the neck is one of the most conspicuous spots to put a tattoo. No matter how small it is, unless it's a little black dot, it's going to get noticed. No more bobs for those girls! For a secret society, they sure flaunt their marker, don't they?
As far as the writing goes, I didn't feel it was quite there yet. It was . . . mediocre. In the hands of someone with more experience or greater talent, I think it could have done better but instead we get a Swiss cheese plot that meanders in all the wrong places, is thoroughly short on suspense and elementarily written. The characters are one dimensional, narrow-minded and as woe-is-me as you'd expect them to be in their current situations.
What little information we are given of this half-assed society is awkwardly dumped in some of the most chunky and ridiculously-sounding sentences I've ever read. The fact that the invitation is only handed out to prep school kids in their junior year is laughable. Want to narrow it down anymore? People with only blue eyes? One leg slightly shorter than the other? Literally, I laughed when that information was dumped because, considering the context and the way it was said, it was just absurd.
Maybe this is something that's just showing my age but the casualness of underage drinking in this book really shocked me, not to mention the lack of consequences for these over-privileged kids. It's parentfail if I've ever seen it because if I had ever come home drunk and hours past curfew, my grounded ass would never see the light of day again. These kids are actually encouraged to act like shitheads. Again, parentfail. I'm all for lowering the drinking age to 18 because if you're old enough to die for your country, you're old enough to have a drink (because that beer is so more more to handle than those assault rifles and justifiable homicide) but the extreme casualness of it all, how out in the open it was, just really bothered me. We had to be super sneaky when we drank. These kids just did it out in the open with absolutely no consequences. How nice.
The whole secret society concept is unoriginal. The writing needs to be improved. To me, the characters were unrelatable. Because of the poor writing, it lacked the suspense required of these kids' situations. Maybe if it was there, maybe if I was able to feel their fear at what was going on, I might have been able to connect to them. But nope. Tell, tell, tell. I don't care. If I don't feel it, those characters could drink themselves to death and I wouldn't bat an eye . . . oh wait . . .
Maybe it's just my age that's preventing me from liking this one. Or the sheer number of writing flaws have thoroughly detracted me from anything that might be worthwhile in the text. Either way, I didn't like it. This one easily blends in to all the other prep school crap that's out there. Except now it's tainting ancient Egypt's good name and for, apparently, no good reason because the connection is never made.
Alas, by the looks of the end, this isn't the last we'll see of this OMG-we-must-keep-this-secret-but-lets-give-ourselves-secret-tattoos-in-one-of-the-most-unsecret-places-on-our-bodies secret society but rest assured, I won't be reading it. Inconsistencies and technical fallacies irk me. Especially when I'm sick. Irk meter is that much higher. And the ending wasn't even good either. You almost expect it for everything that's happened. But because the author can't write a suspenseful sentence, you don't actually feel it so it all falls flat.
Oh yeah, your neck is one of the most PAINFUL places to get a tattoo. Anywhere where you have a concentration of nerve endings. Where your brain stem meets your spine? I'd say that's a pain hot spot. Just another fallacy that had me not believing anything the author wrote. For a 16 year old, they'd be crying. Just remember, a tattoo needle is as thick as a dime that moves up and down really quickly that punctures your skin over and over and over again in order to wedge the ink in there. And all this being done mere millimeters from your brain stem. Hello???
And this is an ankh tattoo people--
While the circle didn't hurt at all, the butterfly body was some of the most god awful pain I've ever felt in my life. I'll be going back to get my fifth sometime in early spring. And this is on my left hip bleeding onto the top of my leg. The circled ankh is 8 years old and the body is 5. I heart tattoos.
November 9, 2012
Reviewed by Samantha Clanton aka "Harlequin Twilight" for TeensReadToo.com
In SECRET SOCIETY, we follow the lives of four students from Chadwick Prep, one of the most elite prep schools in New York City. Phoebe is the eccentric new girl in town, Nick is the up-and-coming member of one of the wealthiest families in New York, Lauren is the budding socialite, and Patch is an amateur filmmaker. There is something else about these students that make them special - three of them have gained the interest of The Society.
The Society is a secret group of people whose mission is to "preserve a way of life." I, for one, have always had a major interest in secret societies and so I was already excited about this book, and Tom Dolby has definitely done his research with this. The imagery is so vivid that I actually found myself waking up from dreams about this book and about these characters, which is a major thing for me since most books don't get in my head like that. Some people are probably thinking "Oh no, not something else about a secret society," but this is majorly different. Think Gossip Girl (the show) meets The Skulls (Paul Walker/Joshua Jackson movie from 2000).
After receiving text messages that tell them to go to a gritty downtown warehouse, the three students begin the initiation into The Society. This initiation concludes with each of them receiving an ankh shaped tattoo on the nape of their necks. Once they are entered into The Society, they start gaining everything they were promised: fame, fortune, friends in high places, parties, private town cars that deliver them to and from events. But what's the price they must pay in order to have these rewards?
Things start changing when the body of a young male is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks, aside from the ankh tattoo on this neck. Then they start to wonder - is all of this worth the risk? But questioning The Society in that way can be very dangerous to not only their careers, but also to their lives and the lives of the people they care about.
I loved this book! I mean totally loved it! Some of the characters are a bit clichéd, but I think in order to really relate to them at all, they needed to be. I also love the whole secret society thing. I find it so interesting and I have read all kinds of stuff about them, fiction and nonfiction alike. There are so many legends and depictions of these societies and I can't help but to be fascinated.
SECRET SOCIETY is a book I will read again. There are so many twists and turns that I didn't see coming and I can't wait to see how they pan out in the next book in the series. Definitely a must-read.
In SECRET SOCIETY, we follow the lives of four students from Chadwick Prep, one of the most elite prep schools in New York City. Phoebe is the eccentric new girl in town, Nick is the up-and-coming member of one of the wealthiest families in New York, Lauren is the budding socialite, and Patch is an amateur filmmaker. There is something else about these students that make them special - three of them have gained the interest of The Society.
The Society is a secret group of people whose mission is to "preserve a way of life." I, for one, have always had a major interest in secret societies and so I was already excited about this book, and Tom Dolby has definitely done his research with this. The imagery is so vivid that I actually found myself waking up from dreams about this book and about these characters, which is a major thing for me since most books don't get in my head like that. Some people are probably thinking "Oh no, not something else about a secret society," but this is majorly different. Think Gossip Girl (the show) meets The Skulls (Paul Walker/Joshua Jackson movie from 2000).
After receiving text messages that tell them to go to a gritty downtown warehouse, the three students begin the initiation into The Society. This initiation concludes with each of them receiving an ankh shaped tattoo on the nape of their necks. Once they are entered into The Society, they start gaining everything they were promised: fame, fortune, friends in high places, parties, private town cars that deliver them to and from events. But what's the price they must pay in order to have these rewards?
Things start changing when the body of a young male is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks, aside from the ankh tattoo on this neck. Then they start to wonder - is all of this worth the risk? But questioning The Society in that way can be very dangerous to not only their careers, but also to their lives and the lives of the people they care about.
I loved this book! I mean totally loved it! Some of the characters are a bit clichéd, but I think in order to really relate to them at all, they needed to be. I also love the whole secret society thing. I find it so interesting and I have read all kinds of stuff about them, fiction and nonfiction alike. There are so many legends and depictions of these societies and I can't help but to be fascinated.
SECRET SOCIETY is a book I will read again. There are so many twists and turns that I didn't see coming and I can't wait to see how they pan out in the next book in the series. Definitely a must-read.
April 30, 2009
This book follows 4 high school students affected by a secret society in New York. This society was thought to be a myth, but you learn throughout the book that it is a very powerful organization that has been in place for decades. Three of the main characters (Nick, Phoebe and Lauren) are tapped into this society, while the other, Patch, is doing what he can to get information on it. As soon as the members are tapped, great things start happening for them. They find success in whatever they are interested in and are constantly invited to parties with the society members. It seems like it’s all just a lot of fun, but Phoebe feels as if there’s something she’s missing. Meanwhile, Nick and Patch’s friendship is starting to fall apart, thanks to the rules of the society, and the fact that Patch slipped in to videotape the initiation.
Things start to get weird when a society member dies. Lauren, Nick and Phoebe think there may be more going on in the society than they know about. These characters really start to get suspicious when a member of their own class disappears during a society party and cannot be found. All four characters find their way to the holiday retreat (although Patch has to sneak in), in order to try and get more details about what’s going on. When Patch is found sneaking around, he gets knocked out and put in a sarcophagus. Nick and Phoebe are frantic trying to find him and figure out what’s happening and wind up learning the truth from Nick’s father, the head of the organization. They learn that the society Elders engineer some of these “accidents” as a way to tie the initiation classes together – called the power of fourteen. Now 2 members of the society are dead and these kids are bound together by this secret.
The idea behind this book seems interesting, but I did not enjoy this book. The first 100 pages follows the characters through a bunch of parties and social events with not a whole lot going on. The author tries to describe the fun of the society and its perks so much, that you fail to really learn enough about the characters to get attached to them and you don’t truly understand their motivations for what they do (including relationships). It just doesn’t feel like you’re connected enough to the characters or the story to really get interested.
Things start to get weird when a society member dies. Lauren, Nick and Phoebe think there may be more going on in the society than they know about. These characters really start to get suspicious when a member of their own class disappears during a society party and cannot be found. All four characters find their way to the holiday retreat (although Patch has to sneak in), in order to try and get more details about what’s going on. When Patch is found sneaking around, he gets knocked out and put in a sarcophagus. Nick and Phoebe are frantic trying to find him and figure out what’s happening and wind up learning the truth from Nick’s father, the head of the organization. They learn that the society Elders engineer some of these “accidents” as a way to tie the initiation classes together – called the power of fourteen. Now 2 members of the society are dead and these kids are bound together by this secret.
The idea behind this book seems interesting, but I did not enjoy this book. The first 100 pages follows the characters through a bunch of parties and social events with not a whole lot going on. The author tries to describe the fun of the society and its perks so much, that you fail to really learn enough about the characters to get attached to them and you don’t truly understand their motivations for what they do (including relationships). It just doesn’t feel like you’re connected enough to the characters or the story to really get interested.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2009
Everyone knows that society splits itself into two groups-- the "In Group" and everyone else. But what if the "In" group went deeper than just old money and good looks? Prepare to be initiated into a society in New York that's only been whispered about for hundreds of years...
What should have been yet another YA novel about the upper-crest teens in a big city turned out to be much, much more. Though Dolby only skimmed the surface in this book, he left us with enough tiny hints and interesting turns that suggest that beneath the Society's superficial surface lies something much more sinister and complex.
If I have one "complaint" about the writing, it was the fact that Dolby switched from one character's POV to another-- without a break in paragraphs, cue, or other kind of heads up for the reader. And the POV's could change as many as three or four times-- in only a few chapters!
Now, I don't mind reading a story from more than one person's POV, but I don't like getting lost in every chapter as the author switches without telling us so. By doing this, he also short changed the characters as well-- I didn't connect to any of them as much as I would have liked, and they weren't as deep or developed as they should be. Where was the main character for this book? I wanted to say it was Phoebe, but even her character wasn't as complicated as she should have been.
This could have been easily fixed, I think, if the author had only changed the layout of writing, sticking with one or two characters' POV, and set aside a certain chapter for each one. This would have allowed not only the character development, but kept the story from seeming choppy.
Despite this one flaw, I did thoroughly enjoy Secret Society--- the mystery of what exactly the Society is, what they're hiding, grabbed my attention and held it until the very end. I'd love to read more from this author, and I hope that he's got plans for a sequel or two, since this one left us on such a cliff hanger...
4 STARS! Overall, a great read for anyone! A refreshing take on an all-too-true cliche that money and status equals power-- and how some people will do anything to keep their secrets. Don't miss out on this one-- prepare to be initiated this September when Secret Society hits store shelves!
What should have been yet another YA novel about the upper-crest teens in a big city turned out to be much, much more. Though Dolby only skimmed the surface in this book, he left us with enough tiny hints and interesting turns that suggest that beneath the Society's superficial surface lies something much more sinister and complex.
If I have one "complaint" about the writing, it was the fact that Dolby switched from one character's POV to another-- without a break in paragraphs, cue, or other kind of heads up for the reader. And the POV's could change as many as three or four times-- in only a few chapters!
Now, I don't mind reading a story from more than one person's POV, but I don't like getting lost in every chapter as the author switches without telling us so. By doing this, he also short changed the characters as well-- I didn't connect to any of them as much as I would have liked, and they weren't as deep or developed as they should be. Where was the main character for this book? I wanted to say it was Phoebe, but even her character wasn't as complicated as she should have been.
This could have been easily fixed, I think, if the author had only changed the layout of writing, sticking with one or two characters' POV, and set aside a certain chapter for each one. This would have allowed not only the character development, but kept the story from seeming choppy.
Despite this one flaw, I did thoroughly enjoy Secret Society--- the mystery of what exactly the Society is, what they're hiding, grabbed my attention and held it until the very end. I'd love to read more from this author, and I hope that he's got plans for a sequel or two, since this one left us on such a cliff hanger...
4 STARS! Overall, a great read for anyone! A refreshing take on an all-too-true cliche that money and status equals power-- and how some people will do anything to keep their secrets. Don't miss out on this one-- prepare to be initiated this September when Secret Society hits store shelves!
March 31, 2013
From my blog, The Writer Diaries.
Tom Dolby makes his YA debut with this novel about a dangerous, elite society so secret that once you get in, you can never get out.
You’re in it. For life.
I recently became very antiquated with Books A Millions aisle of everything on sale, and picked this up for a meager three buckeroos.
Secret Society follows four students from the elite Chadwick Prep - Lauren, Phoebe, Nick, and Patch. Phoebe, Lauren, and Nick are all invited to join the Society, a secret society in New York City that picks the worthiest teens in the city for a chance of opening doors and guaranteeing their success in life. At first the Society seems like some prestigious honor, but as the three delve into the underground of the society, things become remarkably sinister.
If you are a member, any one of your dreams will come true. That is, as long as you live by their rules.
But the thing is, there’s not enough info to make me want to read on to the next in the series. The story begins with a body, then rewinds back to Nick’s party and the group each receiving a text to come alone to a disclosed location.
As I combed this light book in the span of a few hours, I kept being brought back to reminders of reading the Blue Bloods series years ago, in which the secret society opens doors to your hearts desire. However, while the appeal would generally have me diving in, Dolby doesn’t have the same je ne se qua as de la Cruz. Character development was minimal. Why is Patch so interested in something that could get him killed, even going on when his grandmother was threatened. Why is Phoebe this artist… just because her mom is? etc.
I suppose this work was trying to achieve the same fame of Gossip Girl and Blue Bloods with a sinister, New Yaaaawk twist, but fell off. Personally, I might’ve been more appealed to read the sequel if the two-good-to-be-true society was actually thus.
I’d recommend this if you’re into something light with some mild-suspense.
Tom Dolby makes his YA debut with this novel about a dangerous, elite society so secret that once you get in, you can never get out.
You’re in it. For life.
I recently became very antiquated with Books A Millions aisle of everything on sale, and picked this up for a meager three buckeroos.
Secret Society follows four students from the elite Chadwick Prep - Lauren, Phoebe, Nick, and Patch. Phoebe, Lauren, and Nick are all invited to join the Society, a secret society in New York City that picks the worthiest teens in the city for a chance of opening doors and guaranteeing their success in life. At first the Society seems like some prestigious honor, but as the three delve into the underground of the society, things become remarkably sinister.
If you are a member, any one of your dreams will come true. That is, as long as you live by their rules.
But the thing is, there’s not enough info to make me want to read on to the next in the series. The story begins with a body, then rewinds back to Nick’s party and the group each receiving a text to come alone to a disclosed location.
As I combed this light book in the span of a few hours, I kept being brought back to reminders of reading the Blue Bloods series years ago, in which the secret society opens doors to your hearts desire. However, while the appeal would generally have me diving in, Dolby doesn’t have the same je ne se qua as de la Cruz. Character development was minimal. Why is Patch so interested in something that could get him killed, even going on when his grandmother was threatened. Why is Phoebe this artist… just because her mom is? etc.
I suppose this work was trying to achieve the same fame of Gossip Girl and Blue Bloods with a sinister, New Yaaaawk twist, but fell off. Personally, I might’ve been more appealed to read the sequel if the two-good-to-be-true society was actually thus.
I’d recommend this if you’re into something light with some mild-suspense.
January 17, 2011
I'm not sure it is possible for a more contrived story to exist. Nothing about this book felt natural or real. A whole ton of things didn't make sense.
The premise of the story was actually quite good: A secret society that recruits fabulously wealthy High School Juniors and then makes all their dreams come true. The teens take their place in the society and they all work together to keep the rich of the world as rich as possible.
The narrative switches between four students all of which 'sound' exactly the same and are more caricatures than real people. Very little happens in the first 160 pages (I nearly stopped there, I wish I had in fact), but we are told all kind of interesting things about them even if they do nothing. When things pick up, I started rolling my eyes because it was so unrealistically silly (don't these kids ever study? How are they hacking it at their ultra-competitive private school? They never actually do homework!). I only finished (okay... I finished by skimming, but I did finish) because I wanted to understand the secrets of this society (such as why they were killing their members), but once again the answers didn't pass the common sense litmus test.
Also, the teens pass most of the book either drunk, working on getting drunk, or just holding a drink for appearances sake (often encouraged by parents too). Ugh.
The premise of the story was actually quite good: A secret society that recruits fabulously wealthy High School Juniors and then makes all their dreams come true. The teens take their place in the society and they all work together to keep the rich of the world as rich as possible.
The narrative switches between four students all of which 'sound' exactly the same and are more caricatures than real people. Very little happens in the first 160 pages (I nearly stopped there, I wish I had in fact), but we are told all kind of interesting things about them even if they do nothing. When things pick up, I started rolling my eyes because it was so unrealistically silly (don't these kids ever study? How are they hacking it at their ultra-competitive private school? They never actually do homework!). I only finished (okay... I finished by skimming, but I did finish) because I wanted to understand the secrets of this society (such as why they were killing their members), but once again the answers didn't pass the common sense litmus test.
Also, the teens pass most of the book either drunk, working on getting drunk, or just holding a drink for appearances sake (often encouraged by parents too). Ugh.
August 13, 2009
You'll be desperate for a sequel! The book was good, but the ending was awesome! What is it with these new books and incredible endings? I kept thinking in the middle of the book that it was kind of boring, but at some point it got me and I enjoyed the final parts where you finally understand what the book is about.
The writing was great, the story was told from four different points of view. But, it could be kind of confusing sometimes. The characters were not the best, hard to relate. The plot didn't have what I would call rhythm, it was tedious sometimes. But if you like to read about fashion and socialites this a good read for you.
The cover is really appealing, I like it and I like the tattoo. We all have an idea of Secret Societies and it was fun to read about it. If you are a Melissa de la Cruz fan, this book is for you.
The writing was great, the story was told from four different points of view. But, it could be kind of confusing sometimes. The characters were not the best, hard to relate. The plot didn't have what I would call rhythm, it was tedious sometimes. But if you like to read about fashion and socialites this a good read for you.
The cover is really appealing, I like it and I like the tattoo. We all have an idea of Secret Societies and it was fun to read about it. If you are a Melissa de la Cruz fan, this book is for you.
May 15, 2016
Secret Society was just an okay book for me, thus the 2 star rating(honestly I feel like this book deserves more of a 1.5 rating). I initially DNF-ed this book years ago because the story failed to capture my attention. Reading this book many years later, I realise why. The story is pretty flat, the characters were not memorable ones. The premise was pretty interesting though, and I would be lying if I said I did not enjoy some of the parts. Surprisingly, I preferred the first half of the book rather than the second half. The romance in this book was such a turn off for me and I did not enjoy where the story was headed. Secret Society would be more enjoyable as a 'guilty-pleasure' read and younger readers would probably find the story much more fun, but for me? Nah. Fun to read, but definitely not a story that I'm going to remember, nor will I purchase the sequel.
July 7, 2011
Secret Society is told from four different points of view: Nick, Pheobe, Lauren, and Patch. This book is about a secret society that helps its members get ahead in their careers, which would be great, if it weren't for the dangerous secrets and lies surrounding the society.
I recieved this book free through Goodreads First Reads. I like the idea of a book about a secret society, but I didn't like that it was told from four different points of view or that it didn't have a main protagonist. I also didn't like the end. It left some loose ends and now I'm wondering if there's going to be a sequel.
I recieved this book free through Goodreads First Reads. I like the idea of a book about a secret society, but I didn't like that it was told from four different points of view or that it didn't have a main protagonist. I also didn't like the end. It left some loose ends and now I'm wondering if there's going to be a sequel.
December 30, 2009
The plot revovles around a New York private school and of course a secret soctiety that promises to make you successful. I know I have read stories like this in the past and this one did a good job of suspense and building the story, but I just couldn't shake the feeling of deja vu.
I really liked most of the characters, even the ones that were borderline redeemed themselves, although the whole thing seemed a little flat towards the end. There is enough alcohol in the book to make a frat boy wince and a few drug references. Nothing more than a few kisses, so no worries in that department. Overall, a decent read that I am sure a teen would love to get their hands on.
I really liked most of the characters, even the ones that were borderline redeemed themselves, although the whole thing seemed a little flat towards the end. There is enough alcohol in the book to make a frat boy wince and a few drug references. Nothing more than a few kisses, so no worries in that department. Overall, a decent read that I am sure a teen would love to get their hands on.
January 3, 2015
If it's not the Masons, it must be the Catholic Church... or perhaps it's ZOG... or, well, there has to be some secret society running things, right? Making lives smoother for members, amassing incredible wealth, etc.. Unfortunately, this book reads like Gossip Girl meets Skull and Bones, with maybe a little Frankie Landau-Banks thrown in. The references are a little too hip (by which I mean already almost out-of-date) and one character has a "headband screwed on a little too tight" (Blair, anyone?).
Still, it's good trash for YA readers.
(Free ARC provided by publisher)
Still, it's good trash for YA readers.
(Free ARC provided by publisher)
July 30, 2009
good, not great, though the ending picked up and made me think this would be a good series.
am writing the publisher about a wrong psych diagnosis, that i hope will be fixed, or i am going to be quite upset. it gets enough bad press on its own without people interpreting it wrong.
more later, in a rush.
am writing the publisher about a wrong psych diagnosis, that i hope will be fixed, or i am going to be quite upset. it gets enough bad press on its own without people interpreting it wrong.
more later, in a rush.
June 25, 2009
Ugh...instead of this story, read Alexandra Robbins' "Secrets of the Tomb: Skull and Bones, the Ivy League, and the Hidden Paths of Power".
September 8, 2009
I posted my review @ http://13r3asonswhy.livejournal.com/2...
March 13, 2015
This was a TERRIBLE book. Don't ever read it.
June 21, 2021
O livro começa com uma premissa bem intrigante já: a existência de uma sociedade secreta. Mas, infelizmente não achei que o autor soube sustentar o mistério e até mesmo a sociedade em si. Parecia que ele mesmo estava perdido nas próprias ideias, foram jogadas de maneira aleatória e sem desenvolvimento. Até momentos que eram para ser chocantes não causam surpresa, isso porque tudo é muito previsível, ou se não é, pelo menos não surpreende, já que você não consegue se conectar com os personagens ou o enredo. Outro ponto que me decepcionou: os personagens. São basicamente três protagonistas: Phoebe, Nick e Lauren. Os três são adolescentes de mais ou menos 16 anos, e apenas Lauren é uma personagem um pouco mais interessante, mas que não ganha tanto destaque quanto Nick e Phoebe. Phoebe é a personagem central, e eu gostaria que ela não fosse (kk), já que é chata e não sustenta em nada na história. No mais, o final é extremamente abrupto e o autor deixa muitas pontas soltas. Sei que tem uma continuação, mas sinceramente não acredito que essa história toda pode ser amarrada em só mais um livro. Acho que o grande problema desse livro foi querer ser maior do que ele realmente é. Se Dolby tivesse feito algo mais próximo de jovens e adolescentes (levando em conta que os próprios protagonistas têm só 16 anos), até mesmo mais divertido, ao invés de querer fazer algo mais chocante, teria funcionado melhor.
September 7, 2024
2.5. This needed a lot more editing. At multiple points in the book it seemed like a previous scene was forgotten when a new scene with the same characters started, the motivations of all of the characters were almost completely unexplored, and the characters themselves were just completely flat. Also, nearly every time a character expressed strong emotion it seemed to come out of nowhere and was very jarring (for example, Pheobe finding out her paintings were basically stolen and that sending her into a depression spiral. Why? The whole exhibit thing was done on super short notice anyway, that income could not have been part of a grand life plan or anything? So why so upset?). Also, no teenager ever at any point would just turn their phone on silent and not bother to check their messages. I call bullshit.
February 24, 2020
The Secret Society was an okay book. I liked how everything turned out because Nick and Phoebe got together and Patch became a member. However, the plot line was a bit confusing and it felt like there were too many characters that added in their own thoughts. I would have liked it better if there had only been two or three characters that we heard from throughout the book. Anyways, it was ok and the ending left ya hanging.....so the second book is next!
July 7, 2021
Normally my rule is that one star is reserved for books that I start but am unable to muster motivation to finish; however, I finished this book and wish I hadn't. The writing itself is underdeveloped: the characters are flat, plot holes seem obvious, and more. The plot itself seems ridiculous; perhaps if the writing was better then the plot would have been more believable. The storyline was interesting but I will not take the time to read the sequel.
July 23, 2011
In the novel, Secret Society, written by Tom Dolby, we follow the lives of four privileged students who attend Chadwick Prep, one of Manhattan’s most elite schools. In the novel, we are introduced to Phoebe, the new girl in town who likes to create artwork; Lauren, the popular socialite who has a passion for fashion; Nick, the club promoter who belongs to one of New York’s wealthiest families; and Patch, the amateur filmmaker who isn’t as well-off as the rest. In one way or another, these four teens come into contact with “The Society”. The Society has been in New York for many years and works very hard remain secret and preserve “a way of life”. Every year, The Society recruits new members to join their organization and in return, they promise success, fame, and fortune. After receiving mysterious text messages, the recruits find themselves in a run down part of town getting initiated into The Society. At the end of their initiation, they become “marked” with an ankh tattoo on their necks. At first, the perks of The Society are really wonderful and too good to pass up. But when the body of a teenage boy shows up in Central Park, with no identifying marks, except for a little ankh tattoo on his neck, some of the kids start to question the motives of The Society. This novel is filled with many exciting and mysterious things, from amazing parties at clubs, to discovering secrets your family has been hiding for years. When things start to unravel, and questions are answered, there is one thing the kids are most fearful of: once you are in The Society, you can never get out.
Writing Style:
When it comes to the actual writing style of Tom Dolby, I really enjoy it. The actual structure, (diction, sentences, descriptions, etc.) of the writing is great. I do have pros and cons with the physical setup of the book. The thing I really like about this book is the chapters are very short. I prefer books with short chapters because I personally get bored if I do not see there is a chapter break. When I wanted to put this book down, I could read a few pages and I would be at a new chapter, and a place I could stop. I do not like books with incredibly long chapters because I will not put it down unless I am at the beginning of a new chapter. The thing I did not like about this book is how the point of view changes between characters so often within a chapter. If you are not allotting your full attention to this book, you will miss the point of view change and be very confused with what is going on and will easily mix of the story lines. This is the only downfall to the book in my opinion.
Plot:
The plot of this book is very engaging and fast-pace. A big portion of the story is set in Manhattan and I feel that the description of the nightlife, landmarks, and famous streets aids in the development of the plot and makes it a lot more interesting. As you get into the book, the plot thickens and becomes more suspenseful and keeps you at the edge of your seat wanting to read another chapter. Tom Dolby does a great job of making the plot addicting with the twists and turns that appear in the book.
Characters:
The characters in this book are very diversified but at the same time one-dimensional and a little cliché. There are some books where a big portion is character development and I feel like there wasn’t that much in this book. It focused on the plot more than the actual characters itself. In certain books — like this one — the lack of character development doesn’t bother me because the premise and plot is just so interesting. I do have to say, the little development the characters experience, I did enjoy and I liked all of the characters in this book. Sometimes the clichéd “rich guy/girl who has everything” can be annoying at times to read about and they definitely have their moments of superficiality — especially the girls — but there is something more deep within these characters that I find intriguing.
What I Liked:
The one thing I really enjoyed about this book is the premise of the whole “Secret Society”. It really caught my attention and was the reason I wanted to read this book in the first place. I also really liked that the characters were not completely superficial with all the wealth that they possess and that Tom Dolby was able to show the vulnerable side to these characters and touch on the relationships they were starting to form.
What I Didn’t Like:
The only thing I didn’t like about this book was how the chapters were set up like I stated before. To refresh, Tom Dolby changed the point-of-view between characters a lot during each chapter in the book and if you are not giving it your full attention, you will end up re-reading pages because you didn’t notice the point-of-view change and you get each character’s storyline mixed up with another.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a fast-pace, suspenseful novel with a really interesting premise and plot rather than character development.
Sequel:
This book was the first in the series, and it is followed by “The Trust” which I plan on reading and writing a review on at a later date.
--
Check out my blog where I review books: http://www.booksbyblake.wordpress.com
Writing Style:
When it comes to the actual writing style of Tom Dolby, I really enjoy it. The actual structure, (diction, sentences, descriptions, etc.) of the writing is great. I do have pros and cons with the physical setup of the book. The thing I really like about this book is the chapters are very short. I prefer books with short chapters because I personally get bored if I do not see there is a chapter break. When I wanted to put this book down, I could read a few pages and I would be at a new chapter, and a place I could stop. I do not like books with incredibly long chapters because I will not put it down unless I am at the beginning of a new chapter. The thing I did not like about this book is how the point of view changes between characters so often within a chapter. If you are not allotting your full attention to this book, you will miss the point of view change and be very confused with what is going on and will easily mix of the story lines. This is the only downfall to the book in my opinion.
Plot:
The plot of this book is very engaging and fast-pace. A big portion of the story is set in Manhattan and I feel that the description of the nightlife, landmarks, and famous streets aids in the development of the plot and makes it a lot more interesting. As you get into the book, the plot thickens and becomes more suspenseful and keeps you at the edge of your seat wanting to read another chapter. Tom Dolby does a great job of making the plot addicting with the twists and turns that appear in the book.
Characters:
The characters in this book are very diversified but at the same time one-dimensional and a little cliché. There are some books where a big portion is character development and I feel like there wasn’t that much in this book. It focused on the plot more than the actual characters itself. In certain books — like this one — the lack of character development doesn’t bother me because the premise and plot is just so interesting. I do have to say, the little development the characters experience, I did enjoy and I liked all of the characters in this book. Sometimes the clichéd “rich guy/girl who has everything” can be annoying at times to read about and they definitely have their moments of superficiality — especially the girls — but there is something more deep within these characters that I find intriguing.
What I Liked:
The one thing I really enjoyed about this book is the premise of the whole “Secret Society”. It really caught my attention and was the reason I wanted to read this book in the first place. I also really liked that the characters were not completely superficial with all the wealth that they possess and that Tom Dolby was able to show the vulnerable side to these characters and touch on the relationships they were starting to form.
What I Didn’t Like:
The only thing I didn’t like about this book was how the chapters were set up like I stated before. To refresh, Tom Dolby changed the point-of-view between characters a lot during each chapter in the book and if you are not giving it your full attention, you will end up re-reading pages because you didn’t notice the point-of-view change and you get each character’s storyline mixed up with another.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a fast-pace, suspenseful novel with a really interesting premise and plot rather than character development.
Sequel:
This book was the first in the series, and it is followed by “The Trust” which I plan on reading and writing a review on at a later date.
--
Check out my blog where I review books: http://www.booksbyblake.wordpress.com
August 5, 2017
I don't know what I just read and I don't really care. Made it to chapter 12 before I started skimming.
September 5, 2018
The characters and writing were simplistic but the fast paced plot meant that I couldn't put this down.
November 29, 2018
Elite prep school students society
February 8, 2022
I sure love a story of the elite & powerful, and the secret society aspect of it all was the cherry on top.
January 27, 2023
I thought it was slow paced and just was not fun to read.
July 21, 2024
Um livro pouco conhecido, porém com uma história muito intrigante. Em alguns momentos fiquei meio perdida pela quantidade de personagens. Mas em geral é uma leitura.
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