Sekrets: Le Visioni di Megan

Dark Secrets #1

by Elizabeth Chandler, Antonella Lattanzi (Traduttore)

Megan ha sedici anni quando viene invitata da sua nonna, che non ha mai conosciuto, presso la grande casa di famiglia nel Maryland. Quando arriva davanti a Scarborough House, Megan è sicura di aver già visto quell’edificio in sogno e una volta entrata sente subito che c’è qualcosa che non va: la nonna è rigida e maldisposta e il cugino Matt la detesta. Comincia a fare strani sogni, ed è ossessionata dalle visioni di un passato che non le appartiene, finché non inizia a sentire una voce… Crede di essere impazzita, ma presto si rende conto che ciò che quella misteriosa presenza le racconta è accaduto davvero: è il fantasma di Avril a parlarle, la sorella di sua nonna. Avril è morta quando aveva la stessa età di Megan, e le somigliava in modo impressionante… Un terribile segreto emerge lentamente dalle nebbie del passato, una minaccia che abbatte tutte le sue certezze e le strappa la sua stessa identità. E Megan può contare solo sul suo coraggio e sulla sua innocenza per trovare la salvezza.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Horror, Ghosts

182 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Elizabeth Chandler is a pseudonym for Mary-Claire Helldorfer. She currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

Reviews

[My_Strange_Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well that was pretty bad writing but nostalgia will prevent me from giving it a lower rating than ⭐️⭐️⭐️.

Summary: Small town, family secrets, insta love and reincarnation.

I was obsessed with these books when I was 15, y'all. Re-read this thing and all her books like 10 times each. Oh high school me. 🤣

[Sam Aspro · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Where am I?"
"With me."

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brillant book. Lots of twists and turns and mystery. This is the first Elizabeth Chandler book I have read and it won't be the last :)

[Alise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this, it wasn't at all predictable.

[Eden Silverfox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Megan was invited to her grandmother's house, a person she has never met and a person who has had wanted nothing to do with her until now.
She has had dreams of the house, her grandmother's house, although she has never seen it and when she comes to visit, Megan begins to have more dreams. Then, other strange things begin. Stuff is being misplaced and Megan wants to find out exactly what is going on.

I picked this up from the library and wow, I really liked it. Interesting story, lots of mystery and I was kept guessing until the end about a lot of things. I like Megan. She was a good character, not afraid to speak her mind and really wanted to find out the truth. Her grandmother was harder to like, but at the very end, she turned into a more likeable character. Matt was an interesting character, I wasn't sure whether to like him or not, at first. I also liked Sophie and Alex and actually wished they were in the story a bit more.
I really enjoyed the story and what it had to do with. I don't want to spoil it by saying anything more, but I thought it was really good and well done. I definitely want to read the rest of this series.

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the heroine! She's so fierce and straight-forward :D it's nice to meet such a head strong girl who doesn't need much help to figure things out. Please don't misunderstand, Megan is a nice and sweet girl, but she knows how to toughen herself when needed.

The true is that I'm getting tired of silly heroine who's scared to speak her mind and doesn't stand up for herself... Megan, she knows how to speak up to bullies, knows when to give her respect when the same is given, and especially, she doesn't make up stupid excuses for not doing the right thing! Love love her :3

[Autumn Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow ok like sometimes I enjoyed reading this but also no just no. I loved this author in high school but I think I’ve grown up since then. Not a fan of this info dumpy, borderline incesty, paranormal story. Not only was the writing just bad and paced terribly, but it was just strange. Cmon chandler if you’re gonna have a story about reincarnation why make the love interests come back as cousins??? No. This wasn’t it for me. I actually think I could enjoy a paranormal story, haven’t found one that isn’t trashy.

[Jessica Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story I really enjoyed. it has a twist so profound that made you believe that your true love will never be lost. I recommend you read this book and you will understand just what I mean. Loved it.

[Marine · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'ai vraiment bcp aimé ce livre, il se lit très facilement, les personnages sont attachants, l'histoire émouvante.

[Makenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legacy of Lies is scaresly a novel - it's lenght felt to me quite like a novella would. This is not nessecerily bad though, because the story was a great deal more than interesting this way and it was not tiring at all - I would happily re-read it. The characters had no exceptionary depth, but this is something easily forgiven as they still held my interest. There were small doses of romance, mystery and paranormal - focusing on the subject of reincarnation.



Plot:


16 year old Megan, daughter of "blue-blooded" Caroline and afro-american Kent, receives a letter from her british grandmother Helen which expresses the wish of meeting her. This is more than strange, as Helen once had disowned Carolin, accusing her for "marring" the family by marrying a black man. When Megan arrives to the Scarborough house, things follow a strange turn - she is confronted by Helen whose words ar sharp as a knifes, and by Matt, a cousin she had never heard of and is more attractive than he should be.

As if those worries are not enough, Megan experiences a series of dreams that feel too real for being just dreams, and she is scared to death. With no one to turn to, she is happy and enstranged when a girl from the village, Sophie, befriends her. Together, the try to uncover the secret that lies behind her grandmother's sharpness, Matt's hostility and the eerie visions.





The Characters:


As I previously said, the characters where a bit shallow - don't mistake me, I liked them a lot. Megan is a heroine whose point of view kept me on edge, as she is sharp-tongued, polite and quick to think when she has to. The same with Helen, although she mistreated Megan a lot, whereas if she had had helped her the outcome would be positive for her too. The sole reason that she acted as she did, was out of the prejudice that misled her all along. Matt acted like a jackass half the story, upsetting Megan without obvious reason and ignoring her most of the time. My issues with Matt are resolved though, as the book's ending held all the explanations needed.

The romance between the cousins was thrilling, as it was forbidden and always there. The ending was tailor-made for the rest of the story - although it was a happy-ending, the atmosphere of secrecy never dissolved. Legacy of Lies makes it easily to my list of favorite books.


If you want to read my almost spoiler-free reviews of favorite -and not- books click the image below to be redirected to my blogspot page.

[Sha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mystery: Megan arrives at Scarborough house with the eerie feeling that she has walked the halls before. She feels drawn to the grave of Avril Scarborough, her great-aunt that died under mysterious circumstances fifty years ago, and recalls details she couldn't possibly know as a newcomer to Scarborough. Soon, Megan is unable to twist her own thoughts from memories she associates to Avril's tragic last days, and she realizes that if she doesn't find answers soon, she may meet the same fate as her great-aunt. 

This mystery was eerie and brought in some supernatural forces towards the end. I was weirded out by the events going on in Scarborough House that, equally, terrified Megan into believing someone meant her ill. I didn't suspect the whodunit until everything was revealed.

Characters: Megan is a great main character, if a little unrealistic to the majority of sixteen-year-olds today. (Bear in mind this is written in 2000.) She is quick to befriend others and stands up for her mother and family back home against her grandmother, the narrow-minded Helen Scarborough. Helen is depicted as an antagonist from the start of the book (she sent away her daughter for marrying a man of another race and doesn't acknowledge her grandchildren because they are adopted). Her attitude is erratic in the novel (explained in part by the mystery) but she does show character growth at the end. 

Romance: It's hardly a spoiler when the summary itself indicates Megan's attraction for her cousin. Chandler avoids an insta-love romance narrowly, but Megan and Matt's connection does lack any true on-page chemistry for the reader. The pair are comfortable at best. 

VERDICT: Read this book if you want to be suitably creeped out and not distracted by a romance sneaking in every other page. 

Join me on my book journey!

[Kayla Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book i read of Elizabeth Chandler's and was what drew me to read her other books. I really liked this book it was not predictable and was different from most books today.I liked how the town was described, it really set the tone of the book. I couldn't help loving Megan,she is exactly how I like my book heroines,
She is independent. Check.
Daring. Check.
Has a sharp tongue and is witty. Check.
intelligent. Check.
She wants answers even when confused. Check.
Does't let anyone intimidate her. Check.
And doesn't need a man, she was able to stand on her own throughout the book. Check
The house is super creepy (and you can't help loving it among other things). I have to say the ending was a shock. I will say i was disappointed that these characters weren't in the next book, but i loved this book.

[Ghada · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first Elizabeth Chandler book I read.



The story is about Megan, Her Grandmother and Cousin.


I dont want to spoil this book for you guys.But It was one hell of a read.
I couldn't put the book down. Such a terrific book with all the elements to make it
a successful mystery book .. The book is also a YA book .. and anyone who loves YA genre .. will LOVE this book .. Give it a try .. you wont regret it.
It didn't have a slow plot ., it was a perfect page turner. With good amount of witty replies, spookiness and drama !



I am looking forward to Elizabeth's new books .. I'm keeping an eye on this talented writer.

I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did !

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I just finish reading Legacy of Lies. I must say I really enjoyed it. All the characters were really great. The book had a really great storyline. I like the main character Mergan. I really like the fact that she spoke her mind and didn't hold anything back. She was very funny and sarcastic. I love the little witty remark she would say throughout the book. The grandmother was really stuck up and I didn't like her all that much. Well I guess that's old people for you their stuck in their ways. Matt was ok character but there was nothing overly great about him. Overall the book was really great, I just wish it was a little longer and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 me gusto pero no se la historia va muy rápido tal vez o se me hace muy sacado de la nada todo

[Ayla Streiff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t care if he ended up not being her cousin, the fact you were attracted to him when you thought he was. 🤢

[Courtney Gruenholz · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up to 5

You can always find some good deals in the clearance section of a Half Price Books.

Now they aren't originals but the omnibus collections of all the books in Elizabeth Chandler's Dark Secrets series. Having enjoyed the Kissed By An Angel trilogy when I saw but honestly can't remember if it was the first or second volume on the shelf at HPB...I had to have it.

I soon ordered the other one off of Amazon because I just can't have a series incomplete unless it just isn't meant to be.

These books were originally written and published in the early 2000s from 2000 to 2003 but again...I seem to have missed a lot of good books back in the day when I was still in school.

The stories all seem to be connected to a small town in Maryland called Wisteria on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay but since I have only read this first one I do not know if there will be any recurring characters or even references to each book.

This one focuses on Megan Tilby.

Both of her parents are from Maryland but her mother Carolyn was sort of disowned by Megan's grandmother when she decided to marry an African American man that she met at college.

They moved to the other side of the country to reside in Tucson, Arizona and had to adopt children which is how Megan and her two little brothers Dave and Pete became part of the family.

For sixteen years, Megan didn't know anything about her maternal family until a letter arrived from her grandmother Helen asking Megan to come to the family home in Maryland. Despite being ignored, Megan's dad convinced her to go.

Megan arrives at the airport and is picked up by a woman named Ginny who was her mother's best friend instead of her grandmother. Ginny is a very nice lady who runs a thrift store in Wisteria and from what Megan gathers, her grandmother is not one of the most loved citizens.

Once in the town limits, a red Jeep almost runs into the car with Ginny and Megan. It is full of teenagers and Megan is shocked to learn from Ginny that the boy driving...is her cousin.

It is going to be brought up a lot so I guess I should say adopted cousin.

Matt's father Paul is the brother of Megan's mother Carolyn and he is staying with his grandmother after a messy divorce between his parents.

Ginny drops Megan off at Scarborough House where Matt and her grandmother live and it looks like pictures that Megan has seen but also just like the house...in her dreams. It belonged to Helen's family and was passed on to her and her husband Thomas Barnes as an inheritance.

Megan first meets Nancy, the woman who comes to cook and clean three days a week for her grandmother, and she is not the nicest of people. This is going to be quite a trend for awhile as Ginny is the only person who has made a good impression on Megan so far.

It's sad but true that sometimes strangers are easier to get along with than family...

Helen Barnes is a strict woman and very old-fashioned in hers ways. No pictures on the walls of family and the Ten Commandments hanging by the mirror in Megan's room...charming woman.

When Megan can hear Matt's Jeep pulling in, she heads downstairs and hears a conversation between her grandmother and cousin. Helen is quiet but Matt is clearly not happy that Megan is here and she finds his back to her when she enters the library, pretending not to notice Megan.

Megan plays the game too and pretends that she didn't see Matt and asks Helen about her cousin.

When it is clear that her grandmother is amused by their acrimony towards each other, Megan stops and crosses over to Matt and out right asks him if he is a snob.

I love Megan and wish I could have had that much spunk to talk to someone and speak exactly what was on my mind at sixteen...

When Matt turns around, however, Megan can't help but notice that he isn't just cute but handsome with deep eyes like a river.

I mean Megan is adopted so they aren't blood relations...so it isn't as if we have a Flowers In The Attic thing going on despite a grim grandmother.

Megan goes for a walk along the property and finds herself at the family cemetery where she finds the grave of her grandfather, Thomas Barnes. Beside it is a beautiful grave marker showing the name of Avril Scarborough and the dates indicate she died when she was only sixteen years old.

It gives Megan eerie chills and she leaves to back to the house for dinner at six sharp.

Matt continues to ignore Megan and she finds that the food prepared for dinner is just as dismal as the prayer before hand. Very salty ham, biscuits hard as rocks and cream of oyster soup that sounds as if they were served raw even though Matt assures her they aren't.

Megan only finds the green beans acceptable to eat and it has Helen presuming that her parents have raised her as a vegetarian in comments to Matt as if Megan were not there.

Dinner is awkward and Matt leaves to go to a movie with some friends and doesn't bother to invite Megan though she tries her best to get him to be a little bit nicer. After cleaning the dishes up, Megan goes to read in her room because joining her grandmother in the library would yield no conversation.

Not to mention that Megan brought a Gothic romance book with her that her grandmother might assume it is a smutty bodice ripper with the heroine on the cover...

Around midnight, Megan wakes up from a dream about the house and playing with a look-alike miniature dollhouse in every detail of Scarborough House and decides to explore just as Matt returns home. They avoid each other but Megan finds Matt in her grandmother's library going through drawers of her personal things.

Grandmother told her to respect her privacy so why is Matt breaking one of the rules Megan has to follow?

That next morning, Matt goes for a Saturday morning run and blows off Megan joining him. She also strikes out on going shopping in town with her grandmother as Helen states she only deals with the "riffraff" there if necessary.

Megan stops at Ginny's store and finds her short-handed so she offers to help out since she knows how to run a register and Ginny is grateful. One of the ladies in the store doesn't know Megan is related to Helen Barnes and thinking she is a newcomer mentions that Scarborough House is haunted by a ghost...the ghost of Avril Scarborough.

Murdered but the family claims it was an accident.

While working, Megan notices the three girls that were with Matt and another boy in his Jeep yesterday afternoon and learns that they were also the girls he went to the movie with last night.

Matt is flirty and charming with the girls and it is the first time that Megan has seen Matt smile or be charming to anyone.

Matt does all of this with the guy from yesterday and two other boys and not noticing that Megan is working at the shop where the girls are shopping.

It clearly annoys Megan but must also hurt like pouring salt on an open wound since she can't help but be attracted to him yet Megan has also tried her hardest to be as nice to Matt as possible.

So can't blame her...when Matt does notice Megan and they trade acidic barbs back and forth at each other in front of the group. One of the boys, Matt's friend named Alex Rodowsky, is clearly infatuated with Megan giving lip to Matt while he is clearly not amused at all.

Once they all leave, Megan makes friends with a girl that was looking at a necklace in the shop and tried it on at Megan's urging but can't afford it. Her name is Sophie Quinn and she seems to have a crush on Matt but is more amazed that Matt is Megan's cousin.

Not in a get close to the cute boy let's be friends kind of way either so I like Sophie too...

The man who runs the bakery next door where Megan grabs some lunch, a man named Jamie Riley, is also amazed that Megan is Carolyn's daughter as he grew up with her and Megan's father, Kent Tilby. His mother use to work for the Scarborough family and live in their house and wants to introduce her to Megan.

Mrs. Riley also happens to be a fortune teller but the minute she comes downstairs and sets eyes on Megan...she refuses to read her to both Megan and Jamie's confusion.

The next morning, Helen's antagonistic comments about the difference between Megan's grades in school being superior to Matt's are interrupted when her Bible in the kitchen goes missing. She goes into serious anger mode and accuses Megan of taking it while only subtly thinking Matt may have taken it as well.

Megan quips that it might have been the ghost of Avril Scarborough she has heard about in town and Helen goes even farther up the scale of anger at the name before heading to her bedroom and locking the door.

Matt doesn't appreciate Megan upsetting his grandmother because Avril was her sister and Megan can't help but be confused as to why Matt would defend her after all of her negative comments about him.

As if she were trying to form a wedge between them but why would Helen be trying so hard when it is clear that Matt absolutely loathes her...wishing she never came to Wisteria?

What follows is an amazing tale and to tell anymore would rob you of the privilege of finding out the truth in a Legacy of Lies for yourself...

[Brina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Versteinerte Seelen", der erste Band der "Dark Secrets"-Reihe von Elizabeth Chandler, stand schon viel zu lange ungelesen in meinem Bücherregal, sodass ich das Buch schon fast vergessen hätte. Da ich mich dann aber durch Zufall wieder an die Reihe erinnert habe, musste ich diese unbedingt lesen und hatte hohe Erwartungen, die zum Glück erfüllt wurden.

Obwohl "Versteinerte Seelen" zu einer Reihe gehört, kann die Reihe in unterschiedlicher Reihenfolge und unabhängig voneinander gelesen werden, da jedes Buch für sich steht und in sich abgeschlossen ist. Dennoch würde ich die Einhaltung der Reihenfolge hierbei empfehlen, da es sich einfach besser anfühlt.

Elizabeth Chandler verwendet in diesem Buch eine schöne und angenehme Sprache, die sich schnell, einfach und spannend lesen lässt. Ich muss zwar zugeben, dass ich für die ein oder andere Situation vielleicht schon zu alt war und von daher nicht mehr ganz so schockiert war, allerdings hat dies nichts daran geändert, dass ich die Geschichte einfach toll fand. Was mich besonders beeindruckt hat, ist die Beschreibung von Scarborough House, den Ländereien und den kleinen Dörfern drumherum. Elizabeth Chandler hat hierbei für mich die perfekte Umgebung geschaffen, sodass ich mir alles bildlich vorstellen konnte und die Orte am liebsten gern selbst besucht hätte.

Auch die Figuren konnten mich zum Großteil sehr begeistern. Besonders das Verhältnis zwischen Megan und ihrer Großmutter Helen fand ich sehr unterhaltsam. Die beiden Frauen haben nicht gerade das beste Verhältnis zueinander und besonders ihre Großmutter lässt Megan immer wieder spüren, dass sie lediglich adoptiert sei und deswegen nie ganz zur Familien gehören würde. Dennoch mochte ich ihre Gespräche sehr, denn sie schenkten sich nichts und gaben auch immer wieder kleinere Spitzen ab, sodass ich sie sehr unterhaltsam, aber auch sympathisch fand. Ihr Cousin Matt, der ebenfalls bei seiner Großmutter wohnt, ist zwar sympathisch, war für mich jedoch nicht immer zugänglich, da er sich sehr verschlossen gezeigt hat, obwohl Megan immer wieder versucht hat, seine Schale zu knacken.

Die Idee, dass Megal immer wieder Träume und Visionen über Scarborough House hatte, obwohl sie den Landsitz vorher nie gesehen hat, fand ich sehr interessant und auch die weiteren Figuren, die die Geschichte sehr vorangebracht haben, da sie nicht nur sympathisch waren, sondern auch allesamt Geheimnissen hatten. Auch das Thema Reinkarnation fand ich sehr interessant, wenn auch etwas gewöhnungsbedürftig, da ich zuvor noch nicht allzu viele Bücher mit der Thematik gelesen habe.

Der Tod und dessen Umstände von Helens Schwester Alice vor fast sechzig Jahren war ebenfalls sehr interessant, zumal der Fall nie aufgelöst werden konnte. Ich hatte hierbei gleich mehrere Menschen in Verdacht und muss gestehen, dass ich am Ende vollkommen daneben lag und somit von der Autorin mehr als überrascht werden konnte.

Das Cover ist jetzt ehrlich gesagt nicht der allergrößte Kracher und mochte auch gar nicht so wirklich zur Geschichte passen, allerdings kann man sagen, dass es ganz gut zum Namen der Reihe "Dark Secrets" passt. Die Kurzbeschreibung ist gelungen und hat mich direkt zum Kauf animiert.

Insgesamt ist "Versteinerte Seelen" eine gute und spannende Geschichte, die mit einigen Überraschungsmomenten und einer durchaus interessanten Thematik auch ältere Leser ansprechen dürfte. Ich bin begeistert und werde somit auch die anderen Bücher aus der "Dark Secrets"-Reihe lesen.

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I am a little bias positively towards this novel and series as I've met the author. She is my high school professor and mentor's wife! So I read the second novel in this series during a summer reading program and got to meet her. Plus being a born and bred true Marylander, it definitely holds a special place for me.

This novel is geared more toward teens - high schoolers. With COVID Quarantine, just reading what's available in my personal library before the actual libraries re-open. So my only note to folks of an older generation or young adult generation is that this is actually a quick read and hooks you in with the streamlined storyline. Day one of reading I was halfway through the novel.

5 out of 5 stars

[Francesca Ghiribelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non ho letto la prima famosa saga dell’autrice dal titolo ‘Baciata da un angelo’, mentre questo è soltanto il primo volume di un’altra famosa trilogia della scrittrice.
Devo dire non è la solita storia di fantasmi o di case possedute da anime in pena, ma ha in sè un’anima romantica e profonda.
La lettura è scorrevole e semplice, fatta delle vicende di due ragazzi, che intrigano subito la curiosità del lettore. Credo sia una lettura molto più adatta in una fase adolescenziale,ma ovviamente una trama aperta a grandi e ad adulti.
Megan, la protagonista sedicenne dell’Arizona, si ritrova dopo moltissimi anni ad essere invitata dalla nonna materna, Helen Scarborough.
Helen non vede di buon occhio la nipote, visto che da anni ce l’ha con sua figlia, la quale ha sposato un uomo di ceto sociale inferiore e per giunta di colore. Adesso, deve ritrovarsi anche dei nipoti adottivi alle calcagna! Megan, nonostante quell’evidente indifferenza affettiva, all’inizio non comprende il motivo per cui sia stata invitata a Wisteria, in quella casa davvero singolare e quasi agghiacciante.
Già, la stessa abitazione che aveva sognato prima di vedere con i suoi stessi occhi. La nonna è sempre più fredda, poi inizia la curiosa sparizione di oggetti all’interno dell’abitazione. Matt, suo cugino ‘adottivo’, la guarda in modo davvero strano e la tratta continuamente con distanza. E’ un ragazzo davvero affascinante, ma la ragazza si sente stupida a provare una certa attrazione per qualcuno, che in fondo è un suo ‘parente’. La mente di Megan inizia ad avere particolari visioni e tutto a volte le sembra così familiare. I sogni sono sempre più collegati alla figura di una ragazza che non ha mai visto, ma di cui scopre la lapide vicino a Scarborough House. E’ Avril, la sorella di Helen, morta alla stessa età di Megan in circostanze non del tutto chiare.
In quelle settimane di vacanza dalla nonna, la ragazzina scoprirà un’oscura verità, quasi incomprensibile alla realtà. Fatti soprannaturali le faranno credere di essere la reincarnazione di Avril. Appena vede una sua fotografia mostratale da Matt, si accorge di assomigliarle moltissimo. Così,il cugino sembra alternare gesti di indifferenza ad istanti di dolce comprensione nei suoi confronti, guardandola in maniera sognante.
Alla fine, come in tutte le storie misteriose, la verità verrà a galla, ma ci saranno curiosi risvolti che vedranno i protagonisti circondati da sorprendenti colpi di scena e da un incantato sapore di antico romanticismo.
Un romanzo da leggere tutto d’un fiato e che farà innamorare chi adora il genere romantico e paranormale.

Francesca Ghiribelli.

[Amanda Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Megan is just like any other girl; she goes to school, is boy crazy, and loves her family. The only difference is that she sees crazy things in her dreams, that she has ever seen before. She didn't quite know this until the day she arrived at her Grandmother's house, on a strange visit. Megan's Grandmother has pretty much disowned her since she was adopted and rarely, rarely sees her, let alone is invited to her house for a weeks stay. From the moment Megan stepped into her Grandmother's wide and old house, she new that she had sometime, somehow been there before, but she didn't know when. Eerie things started to happen to her every night, especially in her dreams, and once when she would awake, she would be somewhere but her bed and be in the place of her dreams. She didn't quite know why these things were happening to her, until she realized why she was invited in the first place to her Grandmother's house, and why her Grandmother, Helen, was already going insane.

I really loved this book because it reeled me in more and more every minute. I also enjoyed this book a lot because the whole mysterious story line as well as the eerie characters just made it. I felt at some parts it was a little confusing, the whole reincarnation kind of thing, but I did end up understanding it at the end of the book. Something I also did not like was the fact that the old lady that Megan trusted, went behind her back. I just truly loved all the dialogue and words used to describe all the little details.

I would reccommend this book to anyone who love thrillers and books that reel you in. It's definatly a teen book and would be a great, but also a simple book to read pretty quick. I'm not a big reader and I don't always love all the books I read, but I definatly loved this book!

[Ingrid Fasquelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"La nuit dernière, j'ai revu la maison. Je n'y suis pourtant jamais allée. Dans mon rêve, je pousse la porte et j'entre. Toujours. La nuit dernière, elle était fermée à clé. Quelqu'un voulait m'empêcher d'y accéder. Aujourd'hui, je descends lentement de la voiture, les yeux rivés sur la maison. C'est celle de mon rêve. Pour la seconde fois en vingt-quatre heure, je monte les marches. Cette fois, la porte s'ouvre en grand. Le cauchemar commence."

Deuxième série d'Elizabeth Chandler, Les Secrets de Wisteria comporte cinq tomes dont deux sont déjà publiés aux éditions Hachette Black Moon. Roman d'investigation envoûtant, le premier opus des Secrets de Wisteria offre une plongée dans un univers sombre et inquiétant, de quoi ravir les amateurs de frissons et de thrillers fantastiques.

Une histoire passionnante, sur fond de paranormal, qui pique la curiosité du lecteur et se lit d'une traite, jusqu'aux dernières pages d'un final surprenant ! Seul bémol, on peut regretter que l'auteure n'ait pas fait le choix de jouer davantage la carte du mystère. Elle dévoile un peu vite ses intentions et certaines de se révélations, trop prévisibles, arrivent comme un cheveu sur la soupe. C'est dommage ! Le premier tome des Secrets de Wisteria n'en reste pas moins un excellent divertissement, un roman plein de surprises, mené de main de maître par une Elizabeth Chandler très inspirée !

Une très bonne entrée en matière pour une série qui s'annonce prometteuse ! A suivre absolument !

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beginning was promising, ending - not quite satisfied with it.
The weird history between grandmother, her grandson, and ex-husband; the coincidence of being adopted in that exact family; main character's "special" looks, and "the trip" in which she met the "old friends" made me lose credibility.
Also, I'm not a fan of supernatural but I ignored that fact while reading.
Despite that, I liked it. This story has many good twists and turns which I enjoyed. It's unique. A quick reading. I wanted for it to be a little longer.

[Caryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this story, but I don't like the author's writing style. The main character, Megan, was sarcastic bordering on obnoxious. The ending felt rushed, and the characters were not fleshed out. I feel that this story could have been awesome, but it lacked something. I had this book as part of a two-book omnibus, but I won't be reading the second story.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

TL-klubben

[Alayna Payton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still love this story.

[Grace K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very good. It got a little confusing but it was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

⚠️ There are spoilers.

I bought this book a long, long, time ago. I was in my early 20s maybe. Or maybe younger. All I know is I bought this book in Illinois.

This is a mystery and fantasy book for teens so don't expect fancy writing or college level words. I'm a YA librarian so I'm trying to read more teen books to recommend at work.

That said, I was intrigued with this book. I read it in two days. When I read the back I figured it was a book about a teen who was reincarnated. I also expected a love story, or a love triangle or romance because again it's a teen book

I didn't expect the twists or endings. I liked that Sophia was Averil/Megan's reincarnated friend. The plot made sense. It was executed greatly until the end.

I could have done without the possible incest.

Megan is the main character. She's the adopted daughter of Carolyn Barnes and Kent Tilby. Her cousin Matt is the biological brother of her uncle, her adoptive Mother's brother. He looks exactly like his grandfather Thomas Barnes. At the end of the book they date each other because Avril and Thomas were soulmates. And Megan and Matt are their current incarnations.

This makes me feel uncomfortable because if Megan is really the incarnated version of her "adopted" great-aunt then Matt is still biologically her grand-nephew.

Also, what grandmother is going to be like yeah you're totally my older sister and you can date my grandson who is really my husband who died?! Absolutely not. Thomas was clearly not that smart. He dated Helen first, then decided his soulmate was the older sister. Then when Avril died he went back to his old girlfriend?! The chick I love is dead let me marry her sister instead.

Nevermind, that even if Megan is adopted she's still her grandchild and she's not going to be okay with her grandkids dating or marrying. I know I wouldn't.

How could an adopted girl look exactly like her adopted grandmother's sister?! I'm not buying that. Which leads me to my next logical throught that also gives me the ick. Partners or parents can adopt their spouses kid's from other marriages. Or if one of the people is sterile they can have a kid with someone else. This book is about secrets. I think it's possible that Mom was pregnant with Megan. Megan is biologically related to her Mom but not Dad. That still makes Megan related to Matt. Still gross.

I know Maryland is considered the South but really?! We're going with that stereotype?

It's been scientifically proven that children carry the memories of their relatives and ancestors. And it's also possible for kids to look like their aunts or uncles. Or to act like them.

I would have given this book 3 stars if it wasn't for the cousin love story.

[Maddie Vigil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Legacy of Lies by Elizabeth Chandler is an amazing book. The book has a mixture of genres. Young Adult, Fantasy, and Paranormal are the genres that make up this wonderful book. The main character is named Megan. Megan is a girl who is adopted. Her grandmother who practically disowned Megan’s mother and wanted nothing to do with her or her brothers, or so she thought, invites her to stay with her for a few weeks. When a letter arrives from her grandmother saying that she want Megan to visit her for two weeks out of the summer, her dad makes her go. There she has weird dreams and things are in a whole other place when they wake up. Megan is trying to figure out what is going down in this house she is living at for a few weeks. Her sorta-cousin doesn’t make her visit much better. When she visits an old woman for help with this situation, the woman tells her she might be her grandmother’s sister reincarnated. And so much more goes on in this book. If you want to know more I suggest you read the book.

I really like Megan because she is very adventurous and isn’t afraid to put herself in danger to solve a mystery. Another one of the characters I like is Matt. Matt is Megan’s sorta-cousin. He is very shady. At one point he is nice, sweet, and cares for Megan. Other times he is nasty and rude to Megan. Sometimes he even tells her to leave, and that she shouldn’t have come. The Scarborough house is my favorite setting. I like it because it is creepy and has a history that only certain people knew the whole truth. “Have you ever felt like that, Matt, like you’ve been in this house some time long before now?” This is a part where Megan keeps having deja vou. I feel this every time that I am in a new place. I see one room and it’s like “I’ve been here before!”

Overall this book was very well put together. I disliked that at the beginning you got confused at night between her dreams and her real life but the rest I liked. One of my favorite parts is at the end of the book where they are in the hospital and finally reveal everything. I enjoyed this book because I felt that Megan was a type of girl who was like the rest of us because in books/movies the characters tend to be mighty and not show their emotions. I think that by showing your emotions it shows you are stronger mentally.

[Lina Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Megan Tilby is invited by her grandmother to stay with her for the two weeks. When Megan arrives she finds out that her cousin, Matt is also staying with her grandmother. Megan meets Sophia and soon becomes bestfriends. Megan also meets one of Matt's friend Alex who soon asks Megan out.
As the week goes on Megan is still not getting along with her grandmother nor Matt who tries telling Megan to go back to her home. Megan wonders why her grandmother even invited her while trying not to have feelings for Matt, her cousin.
Ever since Megan arrived at her grandmother's she soons starts to have dreams before seeing the real thing and also waking up in parts of the house she's never been. Things in the house is being moved not knowing who did it. Megan soons start to wonder about her family's past, about Avril her grandmother's sister who died at the age of 16 and Thomas who was grandfather but has passed away already.

The theme of this novel is "Sometimes the truth is more dangerous then it seems" and here is my proof "...but something has set her off, and it seems connected to Avril." (112)

I rated this novel a 5 out of a 5 because I really enjoy romance and especially mystery books. I love how twisted the end was and how the whole story made sense at the end. This book is the type of book that will keep you wondering what is gonna happened next which I really enjoy because it made me wanna keep reading it and just finish it.

I would recommend this novel to people who likes romance book and mystery because it's alittle bit of both. I would also recommend this both to people who likes twisted ending.