Family Secrets

The Secret Societies Collection #1

by Kat Nichols

Sophia Morganthal’s senior year is full of surprises. A family she never knew existed, magical powers she never even dreamed of, and a legacy she’s not sure she wants.
Amidst all of the upheaval in her life, Sophia also finds one source of happiness – Connor. The last thing she needs is more complications, but Connor is the only person who makes her feel wanted for herself and not for what she stands for.
As Sophia learns more about herself, and what being initiated into Blackthorne coven really means, she discovers more questions than answers.
After a devastating revelation, Sophia knows she needs to make a choice—support her family or follow her heart. Either could have deadly consequences.
Will she play it safe or play to win?

Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal, Witches

310 pages, Paperback

First published January 8, 2015

About the author

Kat Nichols was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. The youngest of four children, she'd been known to play for hours with only a cardboard box for entertainment. Her imaginary friends had friends... and family... and even little cities to play in. As she grew older, she began to put some of these stories down on paper, rather than keeping them in her head.
Writing a novel had always been a dream for her, perhaps an item on her bucket list, but it wasn't until she joined a writing group with other aspiring writers that she finally got to work.When not writing, Kat is reading or driving her son to and from practices and wishing she was reading.It depends on the day.
Kat still lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her wonderful husband, their hilarious son and their sometimes adorable and sometimes annoying cat, Ozzie.

Reviews

[Ben Alderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just the perfect read for me.
magic.
witches.
betrayal
romance
and

MAGIC!

I made a video review for this amazing read here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRSYn...

I feel in love with the setting and premise of this story. I am a big fan of witches and this book sits up there with the heavy weights such as L.J.Smith and Cate Tiernan!

A spell binding read that swallowed me up and took me on a fantastical ride.

[Kathryn Hughey · Rating 5 out of 5]

* I received and ARC for an honest review*
Wow! I read this in about 2 hours, I just couldn't put it down! And after having a bout of crappy book choices, this was a GREAT surprise! Poor Sophie, she's lost everyone she loves, and is forced to leave her best friend to meet a grandmother she didn't even know existed.
If that weren't hard enough Alexa hates her, and she's stuck with the exact group of friends she never wanted, except for Sydney.
Sydney is a nice surprise. Oh and then there is Connor, another person who makes her feel comfortable but she isn't allowed to associate with.
What's a girl to do? Bored, stuck at home, and not learning the magic she's supposed to learn. So, she snoops and what she find is not good.
In fact it's very much the opposite of good. Grandmother is a frosty biotch but worse, Alexa hates her more than she thought, and Abby...well, there's a surprise there too.
Family Secrets is so well written, it made me cry, and it kept me interested with all its twists and turns. There is definitely a reason I have seen this book up for "Most Anticipated New Release"!

[Stormy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so impressed by this debut novel! The characters had depth, the plot moved quickly and I was drawn full-fledged into the plot. I can't wait to see what Kat cooks up for the second book in the Secret Societies collection!

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SO excited about this book and I cannot wait for the sequel to come out. Why must I keep getting into series that don’t have the next books written?! *fist shake* I could not put this one down. The book is a fantastic mixture of familiar and unique paranormal that keeps the reader on their toes as more is revealed. I particularly appreciated that there wasn’t a huge buildup of discovering-she’s-a-witch taking a quarter of the book. Sophie is told she is a witch, and after some resistance until there was proof, believes it.

With a book like this, there have to be some twists and turns to keep the plot from feeling rote. Nichols does a great job making you question which characters actually are what they seem until halfway through the book and then, at the end, question how exactly things are going to pull together. I enjoyed this universe so much and I’ll be certainly looking forward to the rest in the series!

Who should read it? I think all paranormal fans looking for something with a dash (just a dash!) of romance will love this one.

See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract

[Bryce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5
I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review

I haven't read a witch book in a very long time (I think the last one I read was Witch and Wizard by James Patterson like 5 years ago), so I didn't really know what to expect with this book. It started off very well, but I feel like what kept me from loving this book is the characters. I didn't connect with them at all, especially Sophia. I just felt like they were all wayyy more dramatic than they needed to be, and it made them seem kind of fake. It's really hard for me to get into a book when I can't connect with the characters, so I didn't enjoy reading this book as much as I hoped. On the bright side, I really did like the premise, and the plot. It is very well written, and the concept behind it is very interesting. This book just isn't for me.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kat is a refreshing new author who's debut novel is up for "Most Anticipated New Release".

This book was an easy and enjoyable read! It kept my interest and turned out to be a wonderful surprise. This book centers around a young lady named Sophie. She has simply been dealt a bum hand in life; losing those that she loved the most all before the age of 18. But, she has moxie and a quick whit that will come in handy with a grandmother she never knew comes calling. Because of her loss she finds herself living with said grandmother and a few distant family members that keep her at an arms length while expecting her to comply and learn the family talents. Sophie's only saving grace is a new friend she can trust and a "hopeful" new love interest. Read this wonderfully written debut novel and find out what happens. There is more than meets the eye with this book!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I agree with the other reviews, this story was a breath of fresh air after a couple poor book selections for me. Sophia is an ordinary girl who lost her parents too soon.She was forced into an un-ordinary world when she finds out that she has a Grandma across the country, and is forced to live with her. She slowly uncovers evidence that her Grandma is not exactly a good person, and has to figure out how to protect herself and her friends from her Grandmas evil. With the help of her new friends, Sophia does what she can to gain solid evidence against her Grandma, all while staying safe herself.

I recommend this book for a fast, fun read. I read it in a couple hours, and couldn't put it down.

[Peggy Twigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read….can’t wait for the next book in this series!
Sophia has been through a lot already, losing both parents. She lives with her best friend and her mother. What she doesn’t know is how much more she will go through once her grandmother beckons her. At age 17, she has to learn the magic of the Blackthorne coven. That is what her life has become. There are so many twists and turns in Sophia’s future. This book kept me wondering what was going to happen next and wanting to read more. It is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end, but I’m sure there’s more exciting things coming in the next book in this series. Can’t wait!!

[Ginny Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars --Really enjoyed Family Secrets by Kat Nichols. Exciting and full of great characters.
Full Review to post soon.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review at Southern Bred, Southern Read Book Blog .

[Nada Sobhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Family Secrets by Kat Nichols is the first instalment in The Secret Societies Collection. The novel is about Sophia, who has been living with her best friend Abby after both her parents died, but soon she is sent off to live with family she never knew existed.
Not only so, Sophia discovers that comes from a long line of witches. She has to learn everything within five months for her initiation on her eighteenth birthday. She is also to be named the next matriarch of the Blackthorne Coven. The family and coven are loaded with secrets, rivalry and lust for power.ophia is to be trained by her cousin Alexa, who is not an easy-to-deal-with character. At school, Sophia meets Connor, who has a secret of his own, and who is named by Alexa as the 'enemy'. But who is really the 'enemy' in Family Secrets?

Sophia has a long journey ahead of her and she has to decide who is friend, who is family, who is foe, and who falls under more than one of these categories.
Narrated in the first person, the novel is about Sophia, her magic and her journey of self-learning and self-discovery. Occasionally, it feels like a diary-entry, but it is nonetheless enjoyable and smooth.
As the novel begins, we see the Sophia is not a strong character.
"Sophie, I don't want you to go." Abby grabbed me in a hug, squeezing me tightly.
"I don't want to go either. But I have no choice."
"Yes, you do. Fight back, Sophie. Stand up for yourself for once." Her voice was sharp and she pulled out of the hug, looking directly at me. "Don't let people walk all over you."
A little later, Abby also tells her "Standing up for yourself doesn't make you a bad person, you know."
As the novel develops, we see Sophia struggle with these words at several points, sometimes winning and sometimes losing. Despite playing a small role in Family Secrets, Abby is both an important character and a major part in Sophia's development.
"She was always more outgoing and confident than me. She knew how to act in all sorts of situations, while I just floundered in social waters like a toddler learning to swim."
Bit by bit, Sophia learns to react differently to each character. There is Alexa, Connor, Lucas, Sydney, the maids and mostly importantly her grandmother Beverly.
"She stared at me like she was trying to see into my soul. Her blue eyes didn't remind me of my dad's now. Hers looked like ice chips – frozen and hard. My dad could never have those eyes."
As the novel progresses, we see that even the grandmother has intentions of her own, which are constantly revealed to be darker than what others think.
I truly enjoyed the magic system incorporated in the story. Nichols has certainly exerted efforts to lay down the rules for this well-crafted system, which is slightly complex for the practitioner but easy to understand for the reader. Each spell is bound by a sigil, a symbol, that the practitioner has to imagine in their mind before creating the spell through a hand gesture.
In addition to reading journals written by previous witches from the coven, Sophia is to be instructed by her cousin Alexa in order to be ready for her initiation. But what happens when your tutor is jealous and adamant on making you fail so they can take your place?
During training, Alexa is always pushing Sophia down rather than encouraging her. "We'll start with the easiest of the elements—air. You won't be able to do too much now, but give it time."
In the journals, Sophia learns about other types of magic; however, she soon realises that the journals she is given are of lesser witches. She finds much darker ones in her grandmother's study and begins to sneak those to read them. I particularly liked this part in Sophia, as it shows her the extents of and other secrets in magic. It also contributes to her development and better understanding of her coven.
In one of the journals, she learns about a spell called "Compelling", which is a bit similar to the Imperius Curse in the Harry Potter books.
The language used in Family Secrets is simple and helps the pace of the novel, which is fairly quick even from the beginning. I liked how Nichols used the maids, who add relief and warmth compared to the coldness Sophia encounters from her family.
"The way she said dear grated on my nerves. It turned an endearment into a dirty word."
Although I had an initial dislike for the novel's title because of the negative connotations often associated with those two words, when I finished the novel, I felt it was actually a suitable one.

I must say, I didn't want the novel to end. It was quick, fun and enjoyable, even the sad parts played major roles in the character and plot building. I can hardly wait for the second instalment in the series.

[Lenore Kosinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished my reread of the book since I actually beta read this a few months ago!

The book starts off a little slow, but really picks up when she finally goes to her new school. I LOVED how skeptical she was of the magic stuff...and how she maintained it even as she played along at first. Sometimes I find the characters in paranormal books believe things too easily, and this just felt so much more realistic. Thus, her reactions when she finds out it's all real just killed me! The thing that I found great and refreshing about Sophia as a character is that she wasn't set out to be "special" in her new world. I'm not saying I don't love books with that trope (b/c a lot of my faves are just that)...but it was nice to see something new in this genre you know? She was just a girl thrust into a strange new world trying to cope with all this new information. And even in the climax fight with her Grandmother, she was just a teenage girl struggling to survive and do the best she could with what she knew. Sometimes I wished for more...ummmm, not background about the paranormal world, but interactions *in* the paranormal world. Most of the book is just her training and learning about her magic. I have a feeling what I want is going to come in upcoming books now that she's been initiated.

Connor was absolutely adorable. And as such, I wanted more. ;) I really enjoyed the sweet first kisses they experienced. Would love to see their relationship develop more in the next books.

Sydney was a great new BFF. Loved seeing a side character develop a backbone against Alexa and the coven on her own. On the other hand, it was hard to feel too close to Abby since we get so little of her before Sophia moves. And in the end her death didn't have quite as much of an impact on me as a reader as I would have expected.

LOVED that with Ellen, Sophia had someone in the house to give her that normalcy and a link back to her Dad. Hope we get to see more of her in the next books too!

The Grandmother and Alexa were fabulous bad guys...you could really feel how "on the edge of madness" they both seemed to be. Will be interesting to see what becomes of them.

All in all, this was a solid debut book. There were parts that left me wanting, but I have a strong feeling that the next book is going to be even better!

[Helena Rizzuto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's start out with me saying... I've never really been a fan of NA/YA... That being said, Kat Nichols has changed my mind. I've always loved the stories of other worldly things but wasn't quite sure how this book would turn out being NA/YA.... It was a shocker and definitely a thought/mind changer. Sophia, isn't your typical teen/high school character. She's gone through way way more than any adult ever could. She's a strongly written character that oddly enough, I connected with and truly came to love. All of the circumstances she finds herself dealing with made my heart break for her but she truly came out the victor and my respect for the Author went way above the bar. Kat Nichols is a freaking genius! Written so well that I couldn't put my kindle down! I loved the action and the drama and the overall plot of this book. I can honestly say that id recommend my own child to read this book. I imagine she'd find it just as enchanting and intriguing as I did. I look forward to the next book because the story ended with a gasping drama!


Character development was extremely well written and I connected to each character.... Even the grandmother, despite my efforts not to. All situations were believable even with this being a paranormal type of it. It takes a literary master to achieve this and Kat Nichols is just that!!

5 stars all around!

This review courtesy of Just One More Page blog

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a big fan of giving books Five Star ratings unless I really REALLY like them. And this book is just that much better because it is a first novel.

I love that this book kept me turning pages until the very end. When I first posted my update that I was reading this on Goodreads it was the first day of reading and I got through 51% percent of the book, according to my Kindle. I could have read more but I had other things I had to do that day, like posting on Goodreads and reading my e-mail.

The next day I read one chapter, but I was so tired I just couldn't concentrate enough to read anything so I put it off until the following day when I breezed right through the last half of the book. I would have posted my review that day but we only have one computer in the house, and I couldn't get my wife off of it .

On my first day of reading when I finished I was thinking to myself that there was no way Kat Nichols was going to tie up all of these story lines and loose ends by the end of this book. I am glad to say I was wrong. She does a masterful job of resolving the story lines AND leaving herself room to follow the characters through a sequel or two.

I was very satisfied with the way Family Secrets ended, and I cannot wait to see what Kat Nichols follows it up with.

[Undeniably Addicted to Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 4 STARS


After the death of both of her parents, Sophia Morganthal is living with her best friend Abby and her mother while trying to cope with the fact that she is alone with absolutely no family left. That is until her friend's mom tells her she has been contacted by her long lost grandmother, her father's mother. After arriving at her grandmother's house though, Sophie quickly realises that thing aren't normal and that is confirmed when her grandmother tells her she is a witch. Sophie is quick to realise that something about her grandmother and cousin Alexa isn't right. Sophie struggles with trying to figure out exactly what is going on and who in this giant witchy mess she has been thrown into she can trust.


This was a really good, intriguing read that would be suitable for anyone in their teens and up. It had a good storyline, it kept me invested and truly interested in what Sophie was going to discover next. There is a little bit of romance thrown in as well but I was happy to see the story centers more on Sophie's journey of discovering who she is. This book does leave you with a bit of a cliff hanger that definitely leaves you wanting more.



Caitlin


(Copy provided in exchange for an honest review.)

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the debut book of up and coming author Kat Nichols, we read about Sophia who is a girl who has had a some hard, sad things happen in her life but has risen above them. She is tough and strong, all the makings of a perfect heroine!

Just when orphan Sophia thinks she is the only one left in her family, she discovers that she has a grandmother, a grandmother who wants her to come live with her. Sophia goes and quickly discovers that the family she wanted is not exactly the family she has.

The way that author Kat Nichols weaves the tale of Sophia and the family secrets discovered is intriguing and makes a real page tuner. The other characters in Sophia's life are full of various qualities that add to or make Sophia's life harder. Some are awful, others interesting and hopeful, and some that continually surprise you with their actions.

This book will leave you excited for more, and anxious to find out what will happen next. This book will not disappoint and the witches are so fresh and unique that you will enjoy the novelty of their powers and how they are performed.

Take this journey of discovery and hardship with Sophia, you will not regret it!

[Amanda Shelley-Masters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Amazing book! I couldn't put the book down for a second! Kat Nichols is an wonderful author full of imagination and intrigue! The book was full of magic, romance and chaos, just how I like them!...lol

I really liked the main character Sophia she was strong even through she didn't know it and she stood up even though she was afried. Kat did a amazing job on the bad guys in this one they were truly Witchy! you never quite knew who to trust and who not to.

The long time family war between the Carrickdoon and the Blackthorne didn't help when it came to knowing who was on whose side and evil witches can be down right scary..lol...but Kat Nichols did it with amazing flare and with incredible imagination.

The ending was incredible and I can't wait to see what happens next! as it ends in a bit of a cliff hanger, not with anything from the story itself but more as for things to come and I so can't wait to read it!

***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official.
For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***

[Haveyoureadbookblog · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I was gifted a copy for an honest review**

Can I just say WOW!

Sophie is an orphan who didn't think she had any family after losing her parents, that is until her grandmother came into the picture. Without a choice in the matter Sophie has to move in with her and finds out she's a witch! Her love interest is forbidden, and her friends are few...

Can she learn what usually takes years to become a witch and do what best for her coven?

Ok so at first she was your typical, shy teenager, but you can see throughout the book that she grows into herself.
Her grandmother was the perfect bad guy and Alexa the perfect accomplice. There's a few questions I'd like answered and I'm hoping they will be on the next book.

Over all I really enjoy the story and characters. The only thing I want more of is background from the characters. What can I say the more I know the better :) Also I love that I didn't see the end coming, and cannot wait for book two.

This is an Author from who I will definitely be reading more books...

-Maria(M&D's Have You Read Book Blog)

[Renée Swann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

**I received an ARC of Family Secrets from the author in exchange for an honest review**

Kat Nichols writes with heart and enthusiasm. She has a talent for crafting magical (pun intended) stories which keep you wondering what is going to happen next. Family Secrets flows smoothly from when Sophia leaves her best friend Abby behind to being sent to Illinois to when she discovers her family’s secret, uncovering hidden twists along the way. The characters are well developed, and the story shows promise, however I thought it was slow to take off. And when it did, the story felt quite bland to me and the witchcraft (the sigils) didn’t seem all that believable to me.

This isn’t a terrible story, by far, it’s just not the story for me. We didn’t click. I’d still recommend this book though, because I think a lot readers will enjoy it.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was smooth reading and definitely left me feeling invested in Kat's work. I didn't feel like I was reading work from a brand new author, and I suspect that the next books will continue to improve upon the last. I am grateful that the ending was not a terrible cliffhanger. I was left happy that there was more to come, but not annoyed that it ended abruptly. There is nothing worse than not having a plot come to a conclusion. It ended right wgere it needed to and gave me a sneak peak into what was to come. perfect.
The one complaint I have is that her relationship with Connor seemed very high school (yes, I understand that they WERE in high school) and then Connor is talking about some deep feelings. It just seemed to jump forward without building to that conclusion.

[Aret · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received and ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If I hadn't already known this was Kat Nichols debut novel..I never would have guessed it with how well she wrote this book. I enjoyed reading this book, once I started I had a really hard time putting it down.

Kat did a great job with character building and the storyline kept me engaged, wanting more. I LOVED getting to know Sophia, she is a girl who has been through a lot of heartache and loss and change, yet somehow she manages to keep her head above the water. And then there's Conner and Sydney, new friends we get to know and love.

Overall it was just a great, easy, enjoyable read. And I can't wait to see more from Kat in the future.

[Jolene Buchheit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really felt for this main character right from the start. It's clear how important her friends are to her since her family is gone. So when she is basically forced to go live with some family she has never met before, it broke my heart. Then when she begins to discover who she comes from and what they do, I wanted to offer to let her come live with me. The journey she is on is so appealing, yet dangerous. The people around her all seem two-faced and the losses she has to endure keep piling up. I want to give her a hug and cheer her on. I cannot wait for book two!!!

[CARLA · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong character driven story with great dialoge and a slowing simmering romance. The evil wench was honestly my favorite character. Loved how KN showed Sofia's helplessness and the fact that she didn't give up. Sofia was a great lead.

Is there really such a thing as using mayonnaise in cake mix to make it better? (serously, I really want to know)

The ending was glorious! It surprised me and I generally hate surprises but I didn't hate this at all. Quite the opposite actually. I am excited about the next book.

[Debbie Payne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that this YA series will be a bit hit with its targeted audience. Although it was well written and the characters were well developed, it just wasn't the book for me. Occasionally I will try a book outside of my comfort level just to see what other people are reading but on the whole, I am not a huge fan of series books. I made the mistake of getting involved with The Outlander and can't get into too many more series books until I finish all eight of them. It will take me YEARS! But I do think Kat is a very perceptive author and she has a good series going for her.

[Jerry Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will start out by saying this is not the type of book I normally read and I was surprised at how quickly I became invested in the story. Sophia is a believable and interesting character who shows strength and courage while maintaining the characteristics of a normal teenage girl.

Her romantic relationship plays out just as you expect it to but there are plot twists that took me by surprise and show that Nichols is aiming for (and achieving) something more solid than just a teenage fantasy. She is a writer to watch.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in one of the giveaways. I loved it. I couldn't put it down and lost sleep staying up to read it. I loved the view on a witch story and the characters were very believable. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I want to know how Sophia handles her new coven,and the trouble her grandmother will cause in the future.

[Draya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new young adult series. This is an entertaining, easy read with a good mix of magic, friendship and a little romance too. I loved it and cannot wait to see what happens next with Sophia, Conner, Alexa, Beverly and the covens.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story. Very unique. Can't wait for the next one!

[Vykki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting book. I really enjoyed all of the twists and turns. The characters were different. I won this book on good reads.

[Ayanami Faerudo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting unnecessary drama but there wasn't. It's a good thing. Tell a story, simple and straightforward. Deliver. Done.