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The Silent
When frightening emails are sent to the teachers at Mourning High, Nikki Altemann teams up with a local detective to find out who is behind the threats. Few resources and even fewer clues force Nikki to face the truth-- the Silent could be anyone. Between the trouble at school and conflict within her own family, Nikki wonders if she will survive the year. Only her faith can give her the courage she needs to face what's coming.
176 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 14, 2011
First thoughts:
Wow was that one of the quickest reads I have ever read. The action was set just perfect, the characters point of views brought up at the right time. I loved how we got to explore different personalities, to actually get a feel on what it's like to be in someone else's shoes. I would definately read more by this author, her writing is hypnotizing and very well thought out.
Summary:
Nikki is has a lot to learn when it comes to dealing with pain and knowing how to help someone when they're in dire need of saving. And when a mysterious email is sent out to select teachers and the principle about a possible attack to the school Nikki steps in to play detective.
She is asked to be the eyes and ears of her small towns high schools student body. And the more she listens in on people's life the more she slowly unravels herself. She begins to learn that people put on masks, they choose to what to show you and you never know who could be the one to finally SNAP! And as her own home life begins to shatter Nikki and torn in different directions, questioning her faith and why suddenly everything is falling apart.
But through out this journey there will be self-discovery, self-healing, and a secret unveiled as the true mask is pulled off and no one is more suprised than Nikki herself.
Last thoughts:
I really enjoyed this wonderful read, it was dark yet light, it had a great realism to it and I think it really has a lesson for each of to learn. And I think I'll leave that to you to discover, I don't want to tell you it because in the end you really wouldn't be learning anything. You need to discover the lesson itself. Kenney did a great job with this book and this definately encourages me to want to look into more books like this and to defiantely be on the look out for future books by her. I definately give this a 5 star rating!
Wow was that one of the quickest reads I have ever read. The action was set just perfect, the characters point of views brought up at the right time. I loved how we got to explore different personalities, to actually get a feel on what it's like to be in someone else's shoes. I would definately read more by this author, her writing is hypnotizing and very well thought out.
Summary:
Nikki is has a lot to learn when it comes to dealing with pain and knowing how to help someone when they're in dire need of saving. And when a mysterious email is sent out to select teachers and the principle about a possible attack to the school Nikki steps in to play detective.
She is asked to be the eyes and ears of her small towns high schools student body. And the more she listens in on people's life the more she slowly unravels herself. She begins to learn that people put on masks, they choose to what to show you and you never know who could be the one to finally SNAP! And as her own home life begins to shatter Nikki and torn in different directions, questioning her faith and why suddenly everything is falling apart.
But through out this journey there will be self-discovery, self-healing, and a secret unveiled as the true mask is pulled off and no one is more suprised than Nikki herself.
Last thoughts:
I really enjoyed this wonderful read, it was dark yet light, it had a great realism to it and I think it really has a lesson for each of to learn. And I think I'll leave that to you to discover, I don't want to tell you it because in the end you really wouldn't be learning anything. You need to discover the lesson itself. Kenney did a great job with this book and this definately encourages me to want to look into more books like this and to defiantely be on the look out for future books by her. I definately give this a 5 star rating!
November 30, 2011
It's hard to find a book written specifically for teens that I approve of enough to let my own girls read it, but this one has certainly made the list. The writing was relevant, the themes were real, the characters were inspiring.
In this story, a teen girl is asked to help out when violent threats are sent to her high school. She begins to pay attention to the people around her, doing a sort of undercover investigation to aid the police in finding who sent these threats.
Nikki has real issues to deal with that don't all get worked out in a perfect way. The themes of parental separation, friendships, apathy, depression, dating, and Christian witnessing are all handled well, not only showing how these things often surface in a high schooler's life, but also appropriate ways to handle them.
I was particularly impressed with the running theme of compassion. As Nikki gets more and more involved in the case, she has to consciously choose to engage in other people's lives. She realizes that it is easier to harden herself to others' pain, or just ignore it altogether, and she must decide if getting to know people is worth the pain she feels.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the netGalley.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
In this story, a teen girl is asked to help out when violent threats are sent to her high school. She begins to pay attention to the people around her, doing a sort of undercover investigation to aid the police in finding who sent these threats.
Nikki has real issues to deal with that don't all get worked out in a perfect way. The themes of parental separation, friendships, apathy, depression, dating, and Christian witnessing are all handled well, not only showing how these things often surface in a high schooler's life, but also appropriate ways to handle them.
I was particularly impressed with the running theme of compassion. As Nikki gets more and more involved in the case, she has to consciously choose to engage in other people's lives. She realizes that it is easier to harden herself to others' pain, or just ignore it altogether, and she must decide if getting to know people is worth the pain she feels.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the netGalley.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
May 21, 2021
This is an incredibly quick read that was impossible for me to put down. The style of narration (digital diary inputs, with the occasional third person interlude chapter), while originally off-putting, turned out to be a unique and fitting choice for the story.
The 'school spy' plot is woven around the 'high school senior drama' plot, but in a believable way. The theme is twisted through, tested, and found whole. I wish that the ending resolution could have been foreshadowed a little more, and that Nikki had had a little more active of a role in solving the mystery. But I guess that's life.
What stunned me the most was the ending.
I found this a satisfying thriller with a deep theme that left me thinking.
The 'school spy' plot is woven around the 'high school senior drama' plot, but in a believable way. The theme is twisted through, tested, and found whole. I wish that the ending resolution could have been foreshadowed a little more, and that Nikki had had a little more active of a role in solving the mystery. But I guess that's life.
What stunned me the most was the ending.
I found this a satisfying thriller with a deep theme that left me thinking.
May 11, 2017
Fantastic plot line, one that definitely kept me interested from start to finish. This book is aimed more at teens and up, since it deals with some more mature themes. Even with those themes though, it was handled very well. Real life, but not in a way that makes you feel dirty after you read it. Would definitely recommend. : )
October 14, 2011
“The Silent” è un altro di quei libri che mi ha colpito per la copertina e che ho deciso di leggere per quello senza una reale ragione, di solito il mio istinto ci prende, a volte fa davvero schifo. Comunque veniamo al libro.
La storia è quella di Nikki Altemann una ragazza di diciassette anni che abita a Mourning in Vermont. La ragazza rimane coinvolta in un’indagine investigativa alla ricerca del colpevole che ha mandato delle mail minatorie al corpo docente dell’ high school locale. Intanto deve affrontare la vita di tutti i giorni: la scelta del college, il fallimento del matrimonio dei suoi genitori, la crisi del fratello Tae, i suoi amici. E quando inizia davvero ad ascoltare e a parlare con gli altri ragazzi della sua scuola si rende conto che la vita è difficile per tutti e le maschere che indossiamo ogni giorno nascondono molto bene quanto sanguiniamo dentro.
The silent è la definizione del colpevole che da il detective che investiga sul caso. L’insospettabile, colui che si nasconde dietro una facciata incrollabile ma che vive nella rabbia e nel dolore di essere praticamente lasciato a se stesso. Di non essere considerato né dagli adulti, né dagli altri ragazzi. E sono rimasta senza parole nelle scene finali quando scopriamo il colpevole.
Nikki la protagonista è una ragazzina con la testa sulle spalle, responsabile, seria, giudiziosa, generosa che in qualche modo non riesce a rimanete in disparte. Non con la classica sindrome della crocerossina, ma perché davvero sente distintamente il peso del dolore degli altri. Quei piccoli frammenti che ci vengono regalati e che precipitano sulle nostre spalle se solo ci apriamo agli altri. E lei lo fa davvero catapultandosi nelle vite degli altri, seguendo degli indizi, sbagliando, ma credendoci sempre e alla fine risolve il caso anche se in maniera diversa da quella che immaginava.
Gli altri personaggi che compaiono alla fin fine sono solo delle comparse perché la unica protagonista è Nikki con le sue fragilità e insicurezze, ma anche con la sua forza.
Justin il ragazzo per cui ha una cotta si rivela più impaurito e insicuro di lei perché pieno di dubbi sulla sua fede, Haley la sua migliore amica forse è l’unica che merita di essere citata perché è uno dei personaggi che vive una sorta di crescita, e rimane piuttosto marginale rispetto alle potenzialità che aveva. I genitori vengono citati ma non hanno un ruolo rilevante per la storia e se ne poteva anche fare a meno. La detective Kaye è fondamentale non solo perché è una figura rassicurante per Nikki ma anche perché è l’unica che crede davvero nella pericolosità della situazione.
Il libro comunque riguarda la fede, è un libro cristiano e questa tematica riveste un grande ruolo. Se si passa sopra alle citazioni dei versetti (i genitori di Nikki fanno una scenata al supermercato con il padre che cita la Bibbia alla madre) si scorgono le reali intenzioni del libro. Quello che l’autrice vuol fare è infondere fiducia in un mondo che sempre più non ne ha a sufficienza. Non c’è solo vana retorica ma anche riflessioni veritiere ed efficaci e di cui si dovrebbe far tesoro soprattutto quando siamo continuamente a chiederci perché accadono le cose.
Rebecca Kenney poi sfrutta molto bene l’uso del diario, nella forma di un blog per dar voce ai pensieri di Nikki riuscendoci a farci entrare nella sua mente. E per di più l’inserimento di un capitolo con un altro punto di vista ci dà modo di capire quei momenti in cui Nikki è al buio e che per noi invece sono fondamentali per rimanere nella narrazione.
Ringrazio Netgalley e BJU Press per avermi dato modo di leggere questo ARC. Thanks!
La storia è quella di Nikki Altemann una ragazza di diciassette anni che abita a Mourning in Vermont. La ragazza rimane coinvolta in un’indagine investigativa alla ricerca del colpevole che ha mandato delle mail minatorie al corpo docente dell’ high school locale. Intanto deve affrontare la vita di tutti i giorni: la scelta del college, il fallimento del matrimonio dei suoi genitori, la crisi del fratello Tae, i suoi amici. E quando inizia davvero ad ascoltare e a parlare con gli altri ragazzi della sua scuola si rende conto che la vita è difficile per tutti e le maschere che indossiamo ogni giorno nascondono molto bene quanto sanguiniamo dentro.
The silent è la definizione del colpevole che da il detective che investiga sul caso. L’insospettabile, colui che si nasconde dietro una facciata incrollabile ma che vive nella rabbia e nel dolore di essere praticamente lasciato a se stesso. Di non essere considerato né dagli adulti, né dagli altri ragazzi. E sono rimasta senza parole nelle scene finali quando scopriamo il colpevole.
Nikki la protagonista è una ragazzina con la testa sulle spalle, responsabile, seria, giudiziosa, generosa che in qualche modo non riesce a rimanete in disparte. Non con la classica sindrome della crocerossina, ma perché davvero sente distintamente il peso del dolore degli altri. Quei piccoli frammenti che ci vengono regalati e che precipitano sulle nostre spalle se solo ci apriamo agli altri. E lei lo fa davvero catapultandosi nelle vite degli altri, seguendo degli indizi, sbagliando, ma credendoci sempre e alla fine risolve il caso anche se in maniera diversa da quella che immaginava.
Gli altri personaggi che compaiono alla fin fine sono solo delle comparse perché la unica protagonista è Nikki con le sue fragilità e insicurezze, ma anche con la sua forza.
Justin il ragazzo per cui ha una cotta si rivela più impaurito e insicuro di lei perché pieno di dubbi sulla sua fede, Haley la sua migliore amica forse è l’unica che merita di essere citata perché è uno dei personaggi che vive una sorta di crescita, e rimane piuttosto marginale rispetto alle potenzialità che aveva. I genitori vengono citati ma non hanno un ruolo rilevante per la storia e se ne poteva anche fare a meno. La detective Kaye è fondamentale non solo perché è una figura rassicurante per Nikki ma anche perché è l’unica che crede davvero nella pericolosità della situazione.
Il libro comunque riguarda la fede, è un libro cristiano e questa tematica riveste un grande ruolo. Se si passa sopra alle citazioni dei versetti (i genitori di Nikki fanno una scenata al supermercato con il padre che cita la Bibbia alla madre) si scorgono le reali intenzioni del libro. Quello che l’autrice vuol fare è infondere fiducia in un mondo che sempre più non ne ha a sufficienza. Non c’è solo vana retorica ma anche riflessioni veritiere ed efficaci e di cui si dovrebbe far tesoro soprattutto quando siamo continuamente a chiederci perché accadono le cose.
Rebecca Kenney poi sfrutta molto bene l’uso del diario, nella forma di un blog per dar voce ai pensieri di Nikki riuscendoci a farci entrare nella sua mente. E per di più l’inserimento di un capitolo con un altro punto di vista ci dà modo di capire quei momenti in cui Nikki è al buio e che per noi invece sono fondamentali per rimanere nella narrazione.
Ringrazio Netgalley e BJU Press per avermi dato modo di leggere questo ARC. Thanks!
January 25, 2012
“Someone has made threats against my school—against my teachers and my classmates. No one knows who it is, but we have to find out before it’s too late. Before the Silent comes out of hiding.”
The Silent is a short but compelling Young Adult read, centred around Mourning High School, in the small two of Mourning, Vermont, a ‘spiritual Dead Zone’. High school Senior Nikki Altemann is asked to keep her eyes and ears open for anything out of the ordinary after an email is sent to several teachers at her school, threatening to kill the sheeple – those people who act like sheep, with no will of their own. The police fear the threat is from a ‘Silent’, a person who escapes notice by acting normal, when inside they are far from it.
Most of the story is told in the first person, by Nikki, in the form of extracts from her diary. But there are also third person point of view, from characters like the school principal (Principal Rudie) and the detective in charge of the case (Kate Daulton). As the primary narrator, Nikki, has plenty of teenage humour and flashes of wisdom beyond her years: “In that moment, I think I got a better picture of what it was like for Christ to live on earth before His death. I have always pictured Him as being sad and solemn most of the time, and now I understand why. It’s because He saw and heard and carried more of other people’s pain than anybody else ever could.” There were also a few examples of how life has changed since I was at High School – students with individual email accounts, and a suggestion that if you don’t have a Bible, you can read it online.
While Mourning is a town with a small population of Christians, those that exist are pleasingly well-adjusted. They don't have all the answers, but do their best to give Godly advice (although one of the minor Christian characters specialises in those Christian platitudes that teenagers and non-Christians loathe with good reason).
Although few teens will ever have to go through all the situations Nikki faced in The Silent, many of them will face some of those events, and even though Nikki's own life is far from perfect, she provides teens with a solid example of life in the real world. While not all will care to read a story of this intensity, many teens will find it relevant and illuminating. I enjoy suspense, and this novel had plenty of it, tightly packed into a well-written short novel. I really enjoyed it, and would like to see more of Nikki (there were several plot points that were not wrapped up, and could well lead into a series).
Now, it may be that The Silent is actually not this good. But bear in mind that the last YA books I read were the Twilight series, and I found Bella to be a most unappealing and self-centred heroine. If you loved Twilight, then I suggest this is not the book for you. But if you loathed the whining Bella as much as I did, then I think you will like and admire Nikki, who grows as a person and as a Christian as she undertakes her clandestine assignment.
Thanks to JourneyForth Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. This review also appears on my blog, www.christianreads.blogspot.com.
The Silent is a short but compelling Young Adult read, centred around Mourning High School, in the small two of Mourning, Vermont, a ‘spiritual Dead Zone’. High school Senior Nikki Altemann is asked to keep her eyes and ears open for anything out of the ordinary after an email is sent to several teachers at her school, threatening to kill the sheeple – those people who act like sheep, with no will of their own. The police fear the threat is from a ‘Silent’, a person who escapes notice by acting normal, when inside they are far from it.
Most of the story is told in the first person, by Nikki, in the form of extracts from her diary. But there are also third person point of view, from characters like the school principal (Principal Rudie) and the detective in charge of the case (Kate Daulton). As the primary narrator, Nikki, has plenty of teenage humour and flashes of wisdom beyond her years: “In that moment, I think I got a better picture of what it was like for Christ to live on earth before His death. I have always pictured Him as being sad and solemn most of the time, and now I understand why. It’s because He saw and heard and carried more of other people’s pain than anybody else ever could.” There were also a few examples of how life has changed since I was at High School – students with individual email accounts, and a suggestion that if you don’t have a Bible, you can read it online.
While Mourning is a town with a small population of Christians, those that exist are pleasingly well-adjusted. They don't have all the answers, but do their best to give Godly advice (although one of the minor Christian characters specialises in those Christian platitudes that teenagers and non-Christians loathe with good reason).
Although few teens will ever have to go through all the situations Nikki faced in The Silent, many of them will face some of those events, and even though Nikki's own life is far from perfect, she provides teens with a solid example of life in the real world. While not all will care to read a story of this intensity, many teens will find it relevant and illuminating. I enjoy suspense, and this novel had plenty of it, tightly packed into a well-written short novel. I really enjoyed it, and would like to see more of Nikki (there were several plot points that were not wrapped up, and could well lead into a series).
Now, it may be that The Silent is actually not this good. But bear in mind that the last YA books I read were the Twilight series, and I found Bella to be a most unappealing and self-centred heroine. If you loved Twilight, then I suggest this is not the book for you. But if you loathed the whining Bella as much as I did, then I think you will like and admire Nikki, who grows as a person and as a Christian as she undertakes her clandestine assignment.
Thanks to JourneyForth Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. This review also appears on my blog, www.christianreads.blogspot.com.
January 14, 2026
I LOVE realistic, hard-hitting books, so when I read the note in the front saying that the book might be too intense for some teens, I knew I'd enjoy it. But I wasn't expecting it to immediately become one of the top ten best books I've read. Not only is the story powerful, Rebecca Kenney's writing style is top-notch! I've read this book twice now and look forward to revisiting it often.
Nikki's character is, of course, amazing. She has an incredibly tough home life, which she deals with with grace. And on top of divorcing parents, an irresponsible brother, and a domineering grandmother, Nikki takes on the hurting students in her school. I really think that the thing that attracts me most about this book, though, is not Nikki's strength, but her weakness. She doesn't just God-power through the loss, betrayal, and misunderstandings in her life. She has a moment when she curls up in her room and can think of only one word to say to God: "Why?" I think it's Nikki's real-life relatability that keeps her so close to my heart.
I want to mention the chapters that switch from Nikki's POV to the other characters in the story. It's so unique and revealing to step into their heads, and, personally, I don't think the book would be nearly as good without them. My favorites are the ones from Taylor's and The Silent's perspectives.
And finally, the ending! No spoilers, but, the first time I read it, I remember thinking, "This is phenomenal! A book that ends, not with everything perfect, but the true-life factors of unhealed pain broken relationships."
Read it. You'll be blessed and challenged.
Nikki's character is, of course, amazing. She has an incredibly tough home life, which she deals with with grace. And on top of divorcing parents, an irresponsible brother, and a domineering grandmother, Nikki takes on the hurting students in her school. I really think that the thing that attracts me most about this book, though, is not Nikki's strength, but her weakness. She doesn't just God-power through the loss, betrayal, and misunderstandings in her life. She has a moment when she curls up in her room and can think of only one word to say to God: "Why?" I think it's Nikki's real-life relatability that keeps her so close to my heart.
I want to mention the chapters that switch from Nikki's POV to the other characters in the story. It's so unique and revealing to step into their heads, and, personally, I don't think the book would be nearly as good without them. My favorites are the ones from Taylor's and The Silent's perspectives.
And finally, the ending! No spoilers, but, the first time I read it, I remember thinking, "This is phenomenal! A book that ends, not with everything perfect, but the true-life factors of unhealed pain broken relationships."
Read it. You'll be blessed and challenged.
February 13, 2024
My Review: 5 stars
Warning: This review contains some spoilers. Proceed at your risk.
I am so annoyed by how difficult it is to find Christian thrillers that are appropriate for teenagers and young adults and have good Christian content. Most thrillers these days have a lot of unnecessary content. However, Rebecca Kenney has managed to create a compelling thriller that's not only exciting but also has amazing Christian content.
Characters: I really liked Nikki, despite her unfortunate situation. Her friend Haley was also a favorite of mine. Justin was a mixed bag for me; sometimes he was admirable, and other times he was frustrating. As for Taylor, he was simply annoying. I didn't care much for Nikki's parents or grandmother either.
Plot: I found the plot of the story to be fascinating and original. The writing style was enjoyable and the occasional change of point of view made it even more interesting and refreshing. I also appreciated the use of headers to indicate who was speaking at the top of each page, which helped to keep the story easy to follow.
Romance: There isn't much in the story, aside from teenage crushes and Nikki's parents' marriage troubles.
Violence: This is a thriller, so keep in mind that there are elements such as email threats (the specifics are not mentioned), characters being close to death, and two characters being hit/slapped. A character gets drunk, but no physical violence happens.
Spiritual Elements: Characters discuss religion and a church-like gathering in Mourning, which is compared to a "spiritual dead-zone".
Language: None, other than "he cursed" or "he swore".
Overall: I enjoyed reading this wonderful Christian thriller and would highly recommend it to any teenager or young adult.
Warning: This review contains some spoilers. Proceed at your risk.
I am so annoyed by how difficult it is to find Christian thrillers that are appropriate for teenagers and young adults and have good Christian content. Most thrillers these days have a lot of unnecessary content. However, Rebecca Kenney has managed to create a compelling thriller that's not only exciting but also has amazing Christian content.
Characters: I really liked Nikki, despite her unfortunate situation. Her friend Haley was also a favorite of mine. Justin was a mixed bag for me; sometimes he was admirable, and other times he was frustrating. As for Taylor, he was simply annoying. I didn't care much for Nikki's parents or grandmother either.
Plot: I found the plot of the story to be fascinating and original. The writing style was enjoyable and the occasional change of point of view made it even more interesting and refreshing. I also appreciated the use of headers to indicate who was speaking at the top of each page, which helped to keep the story easy to follow.
Romance: There isn't much in the story, aside from teenage crushes and Nikki's parents' marriage troubles.
Violence: This is a thriller, so keep in mind that there are elements such as email threats (the specifics are not mentioned), characters being close to death, and two characters being hit/slapped. A character gets drunk, but no physical violence happens.
Spiritual Elements: Characters discuss religion and a church-like gathering in Mourning, which is compared to a "spiritual dead-zone".
Language: None, other than "he cursed" or "he swore".
Overall: I enjoyed reading this wonderful Christian thriller and would highly recommend it to any teenager or young adult.
February 6, 2012
Nikki is in high school but not a typical kid. She is one of only three students in the school who are openly Christian. The other students in school separate themselves from her and her friends. Local polic ask Nikki to be on the look-out for anything suspicious at her high-school. A series of threatening emails have been sent to teachers and some dead cats left on the school steps.
There are many tests in the book of Nikki's faith: her parents' constant arguing over religion, the abandonment of her mother, peer pressure, a crush that doesn't reciprocate, friendship troubles. This book clearly shows that just because you're a Christian doesn't mean your life is rosy and perfect. The only difference is the way a Christian reacts to situaitons--Nikki prays a lot, reads the Bible, seeks the counsel of others before acting and uses her role as police spy to help out some fellow teens going through a crisis.
It was never very clear to me why Nikki was chosen for this huge responsibility by the police or even if such a thing is legal. It seems to be so over the edge as to be unrealistic. I also could not draw any connections to the Christian theme. One of only 3? In a small suburuban town? Typically, everyone in small towns go to chuch--it is usually the blatantly faithless that others watch for.
Overall, not a very realistic look at a typical high school but the parts on school violence are well worth reading and noting.
There are many tests in the book of Nikki's faith: her parents' constant arguing over religion, the abandonment of her mother, peer pressure, a crush that doesn't reciprocate, friendship troubles. This book clearly shows that just because you're a Christian doesn't mean your life is rosy and perfect. The only difference is the way a Christian reacts to situaitons--Nikki prays a lot, reads the Bible, seeks the counsel of others before acting and uses her role as police spy to help out some fellow teens going through a crisis.
It was never very clear to me why Nikki was chosen for this huge responsibility by the police or even if such a thing is legal. It seems to be so over the edge as to be unrealistic. I also could not draw any connections to the Christian theme. One of only 3? In a small suburuban town? Typically, everyone in small towns go to chuch--it is usually the blatantly faithless that others watch for.
Overall, not a very realistic look at a typical high school but the parts on school violence are well worth reading and noting.
June 26, 2010
Review by Jill Williamson
Nikki Altemann goes to Mourning High School one day to find police at the school. The teachers have received several threatening emails that are being taken seriously. Who would do such a thing? A local detective asks Nikki the same thing. Nikki has no idea, but she agrees to keep her eyes and ears open for clues to who might be the person behind the threats.
But being a secret detective is taking its toll on Nikki. Her best friend knows she’s keeping a secret and doesn’t like being left out. And Nikki’s home life is falling apart. I Will she be able to hold it all together in time to save her school from attack?
This was a suspenseful and enjoyable story. I instantly connected with Nikki’s world. She’s a girl who tries to be a good friend and daughter and do well in school, but sometimes it’s too hard to make everyone happy. Nikki struggles to know where to draw the line on when getting involved in other people’s lives. I really liked how Nikki realized she’d never really seen so many people at her school before because she was so wrapped up in her own world. This is a fun mystery that inspired me to pay closer attention to people. Highly recommended.
Nikki Altemann goes to Mourning High School one day to find police at the school. The teachers have received several threatening emails that are being taken seriously. Who would do such a thing? A local detective asks Nikki the same thing. Nikki has no idea, but she agrees to keep her eyes and ears open for clues to who might be the person behind the threats.
But being a secret detective is taking its toll on Nikki. Her best friend knows she’s keeping a secret and doesn’t like being left out. And Nikki’s home life is falling apart. I Will she be able to hold it all together in time to save her school from attack?
This was a suspenseful and enjoyable story. I instantly connected with Nikki’s world. She’s a girl who tries to be a good friend and daughter and do well in school, but sometimes it’s too hard to make everyone happy. Nikki struggles to know where to draw the line on when getting involved in other people’s lives. I really liked how Nikki realized she’d never really seen so many people at her school before because she was so wrapped up in her own world. This is a fun mystery that inspired me to pay closer attention to people. Highly recommended.
April 5, 2012
4 stars/Fiction; Young Adult
Nikki Altemann is a student at Mourning High School who gets to play detective when several threatening emails are sent out to the school staff about a possible attack on the school. She thinks she is up for the job until she realizes that the suspect could be anyone.
Stepping up to the task, Nikki's world is turned upside-down when she starts listening in on those around her in an effort to gather clues. The more she listens, the more she starts to unravel herself. Added to the stress is a collapsing home life that leaves Nikki questioning everything she's known. When everything else is shaken, her faith seems to be the only thing standing on solid ground.
I loved this quick, suspense filled book. I enjoyed the lessons that Kenney teaches within the storyline. She does a great job developing her characters and a setting that is believable. I am going to encourage my teenage daughter to read this book as well.
Recommended.
Nikki Altemann is a student at Mourning High School who gets to play detective when several threatening emails are sent out to the school staff about a possible attack on the school. She thinks she is up for the job until she realizes that the suspect could be anyone.
Stepping up to the task, Nikki's world is turned upside-down when she starts listening in on those around her in an effort to gather clues. The more she listens, the more she starts to unravel herself. Added to the stress is a collapsing home life that leaves Nikki questioning everything she's known. When everything else is shaken, her faith seems to be the only thing standing on solid ground.
I loved this quick, suspense filled book. I enjoyed the lessons that Kenney teaches within the storyline. She does a great job developing her characters and a setting that is believable. I am going to encourage my teenage daughter to read this book as well.
Recommended.
June 20, 2012
The Silent by Rebecca Kenney was a breath of fresh, morally competent air for me in a swamp of angsty, spoiled, self-indulgent teens that so regularly romp through YA literature. Threats come against our heroine's school and she is asked by local authorities not to act, but to watch and listen. Much more likely to happen than her being secretly trained as an undercover spy, fitted out with a minicam and bullet-proof vest and storming the school with an assault rifle and high heels. She's a regular, Christian girl dealing with real-world issues, and she handles them with integrity. I recommend this story for anyone who needs a refreshing break from promiscuity, underage drinking, and kids with superpowers. Read it. You'll like it.
October 19, 2011
The only reason I read the entire book was to find out who the culprit was. While I have an utmost respect for religion, and those who stand by their faith, this book was a little too preachy for me.
November 13, 2011
My one and only foray into Christian Fiction. Overall the story was good but I felt the religious theme was too heavy-handed and the non-Christian characters were one-dimensional. Not my cup of tea.
February 2, 2013
Turns out I really liked this book, in spite of the minor issues I had with it.
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