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All Her Secrets
Nothing is as it seems in this psychological YA thriller set in a not-too-distant future.
A GIRL WITH SECRETS
Eighteen-year-old Victoria, the daughter of inventor and visionary-genius Bill Faraday, was almost murdered by a stranger four years ago. She's been trying to forget the incident ever since.
When Victoria discovers something that might explain why she was brutally attacked, she heads home from college to uncover the truth. Then, she’s kidnapped.
A GUY FROM THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS
Sam’s just a poor kid from Valley City, but he knows who Victoria is as soon as his cousin Craig drags her from the trees. He doesn’t want anything to do with what appears to be a revenge kidnapping, but Craig has a gun and needs someone to take the fall if things go wrong.
A DESPERATE PLAN TO SURVIVE
Craig and his buddies imprison Sam and Victoria in an abandoned mountain cabin to await ransom. Putting aside mistrust for tentative friendship, Victoria and Sam conspire to escape together, and the close quarters ignite a startling attraction between them. Then they discover strange tunnels beneath the cabin. And what they find inside the tunnels proves more bizarre.
With a plan in place to escape, freedom seems within reach. But Sam and Victoria are both keeping secrets about their past.
And secrets can be deadly.
A GIRL WITH SECRETS
Eighteen-year-old Victoria, the daughter of inventor and visionary-genius Bill Faraday, was almost murdered by a stranger four years ago. She's been trying to forget the incident ever since.
When Victoria discovers something that might explain why she was brutally attacked, she heads home from college to uncover the truth. Then, she’s kidnapped.
A GUY FROM THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS
Sam’s just a poor kid from Valley City, but he knows who Victoria is as soon as his cousin Craig drags her from the trees. He doesn’t want anything to do with what appears to be a revenge kidnapping, but Craig has a gun and needs someone to take the fall if things go wrong.
A DESPERATE PLAN TO SURVIVE
Craig and his buddies imprison Sam and Victoria in an abandoned mountain cabin to await ransom. Putting aside mistrust for tentative friendship, Victoria and Sam conspire to escape together, and the close quarters ignite a startling attraction between them. Then they discover strange tunnels beneath the cabin. And what they find inside the tunnels proves more bizarre.
With a plan in place to escape, freedom seems within reach. But Sam and Victoria are both keeping secrets about their past.
And secrets can be deadly.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 18, 2016
About the author
Kate Avery Ellison
55 books872 followersI've been making up stories since I was five years old, and now I'm thrilled to be able to do it as a full-time job. I have an obsession with dark fantasy, dystopian futures, and Pride and Prejudice-style love stories full of witty banter and sizzling, unspoken feelings. When I'm not writing, I'm creating digital art, reading funny blogs, or watching my favorite shows (which include TVD and BSG). I live with my geeky husband and our two bad cats in Atlanta, GA.
Click here to read the first chapter of THE CURSE GIRL!
Click here to read the first chapter of FROST!
Attention Book Bloggers ~ If you are interested in interviewing me or reviewing one of my books, send me a message. I'd love to hear from you! (Please note: I am currently not able to fulfill most requests for print copies at this time, but you can always ask. However, I am ALWAYS able and happy to provide e-copies or PDFs of my books in exchange for an honest review.)
If you're wondering why I categorize books as "breathless," "cake," or "amnesia," check out this blog post!
Click here to read the first chapter of THE CURSE GIRL!
Click here to read the first chapter of FROST!
Attention Book Bloggers ~ If you are interested in interviewing me or reviewing one of my books, send me a message. I'd love to hear from you! (Please note: I am currently not able to fulfill most requests for print copies at this time, but you can always ask. However, I am ALWAYS able and happy to provide e-copies or PDFs of my books in exchange for an honest review.)
If you're wondering why I categorize books as "breathless," "cake," or "amnesia," check out this blog post!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
October 11, 2016
(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to Barclay Publicity and NetGalley.)
This was a YA story about a kidnapping, set in a dystopian world with robots.
The characters in this were alright, but I didn’t really love them. Sure both had sob stories, but I didn’t feel like I really connected with them or cared about them all that much.
The storyline in this was about Victoria being kidnapped and held for ransom because she was the daughter of the man who invented the robots. We also had Sam who was dragged into the kidnapping by his cousin, and ended up being held captive as well. We got a bit of world building, with people complaining about how robots had taken human’s jobs, and a bit of a weird romance between Victoria and Sam towards the end, but this book was missing something for me, and it struggled to hold my interest.
The ending to this was okay, and we did get a surprising twist.
6 out of 10
“This is the dread I feel now looking at this girl Craig has kidnapped.”
This was a YA story about a kidnapping, set in a dystopian world with robots.
The characters in this were alright, but I didn’t really love them. Sure both had sob stories, but I didn’t feel like I really connected with them or cared about them all that much.
The storyline in this was about Victoria being kidnapped and held for ransom because she was the daughter of the man who invented the robots. We also had Sam who was dragged into the kidnapping by his cousin, and ended up being held captive as well. We got a bit of world building, with people complaining about how robots had taken human’s jobs, and a bit of a weird romance between Victoria and Sam towards the end, but this book was missing something for me, and it struggled to hold my interest.
The ending to this was okay, and we did get a surprising twist.
6 out of 10
January 13, 2017
This was a very, very strange mix of mystery, sci-fi and YA romance that, I'm afraid, didn't really work for me.
For the most part, I was bored by the story, feeling indifferent toward the main characters and/or annoyed with the perpetually changing POVs, and while I didn't hate this book, I certainly can't say I enjoyed it, either.
So two stars it is, plus half a star for the, admittedly, unexpected final twist.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 11, 2016
Victoria's father is the famous inventor Bill Faraday who is considered a genius for all of his robotic technology that has slowly been replacing human workers. With that fame though comes danger from those opposed to her father's inventions. Just a few years before Victoria had been stabbed and almost died in an attack geared towards her father. Now Victoria's worse fears have come to pass yet again, alone Victoria is attacked yet again and kidnapped.
Having come along on what Sam thought was going to be a simple break in with his cousin he immediately recognizes Victoria when his cousin takes her hostage. Sam is no better than a prisoner himself but vows to get them both out of the clutches of his cousin and his girlfriend. While being held Victoria and Sam work together and grow closer as the pair try to find a way out.
All Her Secrets was a rather fast paced young adult thriller which for me lacked a bit of world building along the way to make this one a truly great read. There were details while reading that are left out that made parts of the story just not really make much sense until the very end. If some things had been given more depth earlier on without giving away the ending I probably would have enjoyed it a bit more.
Now the ending truly saved this one and made it an interesting read after finishing. The ideas behind the story of this not so distant future were certainly entertaining in the fact that you can see how the world might progress to this type of future with how technology is today.
Overall, 3.5 stars. I would have liked a bit more depth earlier on in the story to make the action a bit more intense instead of leading to questions for me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Having come along on what Sam thought was going to be a simple break in with his cousin he immediately recognizes Victoria when his cousin takes her hostage. Sam is no better than a prisoner himself but vows to get them both out of the clutches of his cousin and his girlfriend. While being held Victoria and Sam work together and grow closer as the pair try to find a way out.
All Her Secrets was a rather fast paced young adult thriller which for me lacked a bit of world building along the way to make this one a truly great read. There were details while reading that are left out that made parts of the story just not really make much sense until the very end. If some things had been given more depth earlier on without giving away the ending I probably would have enjoyed it a bit more.
Now the ending truly saved this one and made it an interesting read after finishing. The ideas behind the story of this not so distant future were certainly entertaining in the fact that you can see how the world might progress to this type of future with how technology is today.
Overall, 3.5 stars. I would have liked a bit more depth earlier on in the story to make the action a bit more intense instead of leading to questions for me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
September 29, 2016
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this for review. All Her Secrets is a YA psychological thriller set for release in late October.
The premise of this book appealed to me as I love thrillers, especially ones surrounding abductions. I thought that aspect of the story was done fairly well, especially with the alternate point of views. This book also had dystopian themes throughout which I thought was unusual. I enjoyed the ethics and reasoning behind this.
Whilst I enjoyed this, the psychological thriller and dystopian aspects seemed disjointed and needed to be fleshed out and explored more. Also, the ending left me unsatisfied as I felt it just ended without explanation.
I'd recommend this for people who do not like heavy dystopian and/or thrillers and like reading about important societal issues.
The premise of this book appealed to me as I love thrillers, especially ones surrounding abductions. I thought that aspect of the story was done fairly well, especially with the alternate point of views. This book also had dystopian themes throughout which I thought was unusual. I enjoyed the ethics and reasoning behind this.
Whilst I enjoyed this, the psychological thriller and dystopian aspects seemed disjointed and needed to be fleshed out and explored more. Also, the ending left me unsatisfied as I felt it just ended without explanation.
I'd recommend this for people who do not like heavy dystopian and/or thrillers and like reading about important societal issues.
October 12, 2016
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
The characters in this weren't bad, but they weren't ones I loved.
This was an okay read, but it wasn't as good as I was expecting it to be. There were a few parts that felt a bit slow, but it managed to keep my interest okay. It just didn't grip me like I had hoped it would, unfortunately.
Overall, An okay read.
The characters in this weren't bad, but they weren't ones I loved.
This was an okay read, but it wasn't as good as I was expecting it to be. There were a few parts that felt a bit slow, but it managed to keep my interest okay. It just didn't grip me like I had hoped it would, unfortunately.
Overall, An okay read.
October 19, 2016
So, when I first began reading All Her Secrets, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I don't read very many YA psychological thrillers (to be honest, I wasn't aware people really wrote those in the YA genre) and I don't recall ever reading any type of psychological thriller that is also a dystopian book. Being a huge fan of both dystopian literature and psychological thrillers, I could not wait to jump into this one.
The prologue grabbed my attention right away, though after that, it did have a bit of a slow start. Once all the background and world building was set up, I was definitely invested in this story and found it hard to put down. Victoria, the daughter of a famous genius inventor was attacked four years ago and very nearly died. Though she puts on a brave face and acts like it is in the past, she hasn't actually moved past the trauma. When she uncovers a secret about her father that may shed some light on why she was attacked, she heads home to try and uncover the truth.
Sam is in way over his head when he realizes who is cousin has kidnapped. He instantly recognizes Victoria and wants nothing to do with it, but Craig needs a fall guy. Soon, he finds himself locked up alongside Victoria in an abandoned cabin in the mountains as his cousin awaits a ransom payout. As Sam and Victoria begin to get to know each other through necessity, they begin to hatch a plan to escape. Just when things seem to be going to plan, secrets both are keeping may jeopardize their only chance at freedom.
This story fascinated me. It had a unique and interesting premise and the dystopian world Ellison built would make a great background for future books! I loved Sam and also really liked Victoria. There were just the right amount of twists thrown into the plot to keep things interesting without overly complicating the storyline. This was my first book by Avery Ellison, but I'll be sure to keep an eye out for future books by her.
The prologue grabbed my attention right away, though after that, it did have a bit of a slow start. Once all the background and world building was set up, I was definitely invested in this story and found it hard to put down. Victoria, the daughter of a famous genius inventor was attacked four years ago and very nearly died. Though she puts on a brave face and acts like it is in the past, she hasn't actually moved past the trauma. When she uncovers a secret about her father that may shed some light on why she was attacked, she heads home to try and uncover the truth.
Sam is in way over his head when he realizes who is cousin has kidnapped. He instantly recognizes Victoria and wants nothing to do with it, but Craig needs a fall guy. Soon, he finds himself locked up alongside Victoria in an abandoned cabin in the mountains as his cousin awaits a ransom payout. As Sam and Victoria begin to get to know each other through necessity, they begin to hatch a plan to escape. Just when things seem to be going to plan, secrets both are keeping may jeopardize their only chance at freedom.
This story fascinated me. It had a unique and interesting premise and the dystopian world Ellison built would make a great background for future books! I loved Sam and also really liked Victoria. There were just the right amount of twists thrown into the plot to keep things interesting without overly complicating the storyline. This was my first book by Avery Ellison, but I'll be sure to keep an eye out for future books by her.
October 30, 2016
“My family has secrets, Sam. I have secrets.”
“We all do,” he says quietly.
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” he says.
This book has quite a few surprises in store. I had initially thought that it was a contemporary romance (maybe with some drama or suspense), so the sci-fi elements were a pleasant surprise to me. Plus, that ending was one huge plot twist. It’s like “so you think you know everything by now? WELL YOU’RE WRONG.” I’m honestly giving one star to the ending alone.
3.5 stars
The future is here, and it’s highly realistic fake cats and too many humans without jobs.
Speaking of sci-fi elements, who doesn’t love a morbid vision of the future? All Her Secrets features a city called Toivo, which was supposed to be a symbol of hope for the working population, but has now been completely ruined by a corrupt leader and the introduction of robots. It was created to test a utopian idea for community and growth where residents would have everything they needed to live a simple healthy, happy life. But there was a new leader, who slashed the city’s budget and now it’s residents live on barely enough money to survive. This is hauntingly reflective of the world we live. How many times have you heard about projects that started with good intentions but went downhill due to corrupt leaders? However, this book focused more on the robots. I guess it’s easier to hate on something that isn’t human. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Future, Inc. is also responsible for dozens of other inventions that have shaped the country, like the virtual realities that don’t require you to wear goggles, or the space elevator that lets people vacation weightless above the curve of the planet, but around here, they’re known mostly for the robots, because that’s what destroyed the city.
Victoria and Sam were, well, okay characters. They aren’t annoying or dislikeable but I didn’t really care much for them either. The moment one reads the summary, it’s pretty obvious they would fall in love with each other, but their relationship was smooth sailing. Sam, despite living in Toivo and experiencing the effects of the robots’ introduction daily, does not hold any anonymity towards Victoria’s father and all who hold his last name. Basically, he doesn’t hate Victoria at all, and so he was willing to help Victoria escape when they were both trapped in the cabin. While it is important that they depend on each other during their time in the cabin, I would rather that there be some conflict between them at the start but they manage to work it out with time. Instead, we got bland scenes where they simply exchanged stories with each other.
I can’t sort out how long we’ve known each other anymore. It has been days? Weeks? Months? It feels like a lifetime in that darkness.
I never knew that the length of chapters in a book could ruin my enjoyment of it. Well, now I do.
SAM
When I get off work, I discover my bike has been vandalized. Tires slashed, handles hacked, spokes bent. I can’t ride it, so I walk the three miles home.
I have a pretty good idea who did this.
This, guys, is a legit chapter from the book. A full chapter. While reading this, I just felt really disjointed. It’s like “I really want to stick to this alternating POV thing but there’s nothing interesting going on with this character right now so here’s a short peek of what he/she’s currently doing.” I wouldn’t mind this as much if both POVs were two distinct voices, but I could barely tell the difference between Victoria’s POV and Sam’s POV.
Everybody has secrets, and I don’t know all of hers,
but do I know the ones I need to know?
Overall, this was a decent quick read that had enough mystery to keep my interest but could do better with longer chapters, more insight into the issues mentioned in it (i.e. corrupt leaders), and more conflict between Victoria and Sam.
Other stuff that didn’t make the cut due to my poor mastery of the English language… or me simply being lazy:
• As I was looking through the highlights made on my Kindle, the fragility of life was something that was mentioned quite a few times by Victoria
• Stockholm Syndrome was briefly brought up but quickly brushed away
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September 24, 2016
While this isn’t my usual genre, I feel like this book has some very genuine merits. I was intrigued by the slight-futuristic setting coupled with the mystery of the kidnapping scenario. My expectations were low, I’ve been burned by YA/NA (this isn’t graphic enough for NA but the main characters are college age so too young for YA…) that wanted to just frame a romance in a darker setting, but this was a surprisingly good book with a few twists I didn’t see coming.
One big thing that drew me in with this book is the social commentary. This book has some things to say about technology and society and ethics and politics and even the environment and the human condition, which I found surprising, since the blurb lead me to believe this would be more of flat out romance in a darker setting. I always like a book that wants to use a fictional world to provide opinions about things relevant to us (though I wanted this book to get even more into this; it just scratches the surface). This one definitely has a more thought-provoking vibe to it while still being simplistic enough that the target age range wouldn’t be overwhelmed with huge questions or debates.
I was also a fan of Victoria and Sam. Victoria is easy to relate to and her plights were realistic. She is very level headed and has a pretty clear grasp on things. She was a good character. Sam was easy to sympathize with, though in the end it seems like his POV wasn’t super necessary. I did appreciate the little dash of romance, though Victoria squeaks out “I love you!” very suddenly and kind of makes the growing relationship seem a little less authentic and well-constructed. The book feels like it takes place in a very short time frame, though I think perhaps the author intended for it to take place over a few weeks, which would make Victoria’s feelings more genuine, but since the novel felt so quick it doesn’t register quite right in readers. Roxanne was a surprising character. I don’t wish to spoil any of the twists, so I won’t elaborate further, though I will say that the format of the book plays a major role in how the story unfolds itself and its twists.
One shortcoming of the book was that this book didn’t get super deep; it created a nice framework, but just touched on the twists, the social commentary, the politics, the juicier stuff. It could have been a very elaborate tale, but went with something more lower-mid tier, which works fine for the genre it’s in, I just wanted more because I felt it was a very good literary universe and the author had something really interesting going on with the overall robotics debate regarding ethics and what not. The “big secrets” aren’t that impressive in my eyes, but I’m also a very devout reader at the age of 21 who very much feels a “been there, done that” regarding a multitude of storylines, and there’s not many that strike me anymore. For the intended audience, however, these would be pretty titillating.
One other perk I noticed is the language; the author definitely gave the characters quality language (unlike some authors that want to believe that college-age kids have a strange, foreign dialect of pure slang and behave weirdly) and at times the characters words are poetic, even haunting. I found the tone and words appropriate to the setting and it made reading the book a pleasure.
To wrap this up: yes, I think this was a pretty nice little book. It didn’t quite match up to the level I wanted it to when I’d finished (but any time I see a good idea, I tend to always want it to have become something super elaborate and deep that spans eight books, so this isn’t anything new), but it did surprise me with a few twists and show that the author has some very solid storytelling and writing skills. I enjoyed it. The read was quick and easy, and provided a moderately thought-provoking atmosphere and created a feeling of anticipation. Since this is a standalone, the whole thing was introduced and wrapped up in one go, so readers can easily pick this up and get their conclusion and feel that satisfaction from knowing the beginning to the end in one swoop.
*I received a free ARC from Net Galley, but in no way does this affect my review for better or worse.
One big thing that drew me in with this book is the social commentary. This book has some things to say about technology and society and ethics and politics and even the environment and the human condition, which I found surprising, since the blurb lead me to believe this would be more of flat out romance in a darker setting. I always like a book that wants to use a fictional world to provide opinions about things relevant to us (though I wanted this book to get even more into this; it just scratches the surface). This one definitely has a more thought-provoking vibe to it while still being simplistic enough that the target age range wouldn’t be overwhelmed with huge questions or debates.
I was also a fan of Victoria and Sam. Victoria is easy to relate to and her plights were realistic. She is very level headed and has a pretty clear grasp on things. She was a good character. Sam was easy to sympathize with, though in the end it seems like his POV wasn’t super necessary. I did appreciate the little dash of romance, though Victoria squeaks out “I love you!” very suddenly and kind of makes the growing relationship seem a little less authentic and well-constructed. The book feels like it takes place in a very short time frame, though I think perhaps the author intended for it to take place over a few weeks, which would make Victoria’s feelings more genuine, but since the novel felt so quick it doesn’t register quite right in readers. Roxanne was a surprising character. I don’t wish to spoil any of the twists, so I won’t elaborate further, though I will say that the format of the book plays a major role in how the story unfolds itself and its twists.
One shortcoming of the book was that this book didn’t get super deep; it created a nice framework, but just touched on the twists, the social commentary, the politics, the juicier stuff. It could have been a very elaborate tale, but went with something more lower-mid tier, which works fine for the genre it’s in, I just wanted more because I felt it was a very good literary universe and the author had something really interesting going on with the overall robotics debate regarding ethics and what not. The “big secrets” aren’t that impressive in my eyes, but I’m also a very devout reader at the age of 21 who very much feels a “been there, done that” regarding a multitude of storylines, and there’s not many that strike me anymore. For the intended audience, however, these would be pretty titillating.
One other perk I noticed is the language; the author definitely gave the characters quality language (unlike some authors that want to believe that college-age kids have a strange, foreign dialect of pure slang and behave weirdly) and at times the characters words are poetic, even haunting. I found the tone and words appropriate to the setting and it made reading the book a pleasure.
To wrap this up: yes, I think this was a pretty nice little book. It didn’t quite match up to the level I wanted it to when I’d finished (but any time I see a good idea, I tend to always want it to have become something super elaborate and deep that spans eight books, so this isn’t anything new), but it did surprise me with a few twists and show that the author has some very solid storytelling and writing skills. I enjoyed it. The read was quick and easy, and provided a moderately thought-provoking atmosphere and created a feeling of anticipation. Since this is a standalone, the whole thing was introduced and wrapped up in one go, so readers can easily pick this up and get their conclusion and feel that satisfaction from knowing the beginning to the end in one swoop.
*I received a free ARC from Net Galley, but in no way does this affect my review for better or worse.
November 15, 2016
I received an eArc from Netgalley and the publisher. That has in no way affected my thoughts and opinions in this review. This is also a spoiler free review.
This was not an easy book to get into. I will be honest with you guys. I was stupid and forgot that Sam was supposed to be a guy and I spent like forty pages thinking so and then I freaked out and had to reread the synopsis and the first forty pages because I thought he was a GIRL. My brain is weird, okay. I thought that I might rate this one four crowns but to me, it didn’t deserve four crowns. There were some things I liked and some things I was not okay with.
COVER
The cover is a little too lovey-dovey for me. This was not a book centered around romance. It was a book centered around escaping from a horrible situation which actually horrified me. And yes, i read this around Halloween but still.
WORLD-BUILDING
There isn’t too much of a world to build. It isn’t set in this time period though. I believe it is either set in an alternate universe or it is set in the future because there are robots that are so realistic. That part just freaked me out.
Then there are the characters.
VICTORIA
She wasn’t a wimpy character by any means, but that doesn’t mean that I liked her all that much as a character. In fact, she was a little annoying. Sure, she was privileged and I guess that gave her certain thoughts. But to be honest, for bragging about her being smart and all, she should have been a little smarter in her situation. Yes, she wasn’t entirely clueless but she did act a little pathetic. Overall, she didn’t strike much emotion in me at all.
SAM
I actually liked Sam. I pitied his situation and knew where he was coming from on some thoughts. He didn’t annoy me by any means and I actually found myself wanting to give him a hug. Near the end, however, he was a little un-useful to the plot but I still enjoyed his character.
FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY
Family was a main focus. Though, it wasn’t like the “oh perfect family setting #goals” NO! This was more of, I envy your family, I hate your family or I want to kill you because of who your family is. Yeah, scary huh. There also weren’t many friendships that struck me in this book. Sure, there is Sam and Victoria but that is more of a romantic relationship.
PLOT
The plot was interesting. It was a thriller so it did touch all of those types of aspects. There could have been a little more depth to this one, however. It could have been more elaborate as it had all the makings to be a more complex story and yet, she didn’t expand on the storyline. The “secrets” weren’t too hard to guess and weren’t as complex as I had hoped/expected them to be. There were a few surprises which were nice and I enjoyed.
ROMANCE
This is almost insta love but not quite there yet. The romance wasn’t toxic so that was nice. I was fairly happy with the romance despite what I might have said before. One thing, I didn’t quite like was the fact that Victoria suddenly mentioned she loved him and it hadn’t quite developed at that point. That could have been worked on but otherwise it was good.
WRITING
The writing was good. It wasn’t childish and the characters talked better than I had thought they would. Overall, the writing was what impressed me the most.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you like thrillers, go for this one. It isn’t perfect but it works. It is a standalone so it has to all be wrapped up pretty fast and it did a good job of that.
This was not an easy book to get into. I will be honest with you guys. I was stupid and forgot that Sam was supposed to be a guy and I spent like forty pages thinking so and then I freaked out and had to reread the synopsis and the first forty pages because I thought he was a GIRL. My brain is weird, okay. I thought that I might rate this one four crowns but to me, it didn’t deserve four crowns. There were some things I liked and some things I was not okay with.
COVER
The cover is a little too lovey-dovey for me. This was not a book centered around romance. It was a book centered around escaping from a horrible situation which actually horrified me. And yes, i read this around Halloween but still.
WORLD-BUILDING
There isn’t too much of a world to build. It isn’t set in this time period though. I believe it is either set in an alternate universe or it is set in the future because there are robots that are so realistic. That part just freaked me out.
Then there are the characters.
VICTORIA
She wasn’t a wimpy character by any means, but that doesn’t mean that I liked her all that much as a character. In fact, she was a little annoying. Sure, she was privileged and I guess that gave her certain thoughts. But to be honest, for bragging about her being smart and all, she should have been a little smarter in her situation. Yes, she wasn’t entirely clueless but she did act a little pathetic. Overall, she didn’t strike much emotion in me at all.
SAM
I actually liked Sam. I pitied his situation and knew where he was coming from on some thoughts. He didn’t annoy me by any means and I actually found myself wanting to give him a hug. Near the end, however, he was a little un-useful to the plot but I still enjoyed his character.
FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY
Family was a main focus. Though, it wasn’t like the “oh perfect family setting #goals” NO! This was more of, I envy your family, I hate your family or I want to kill you because of who your family is. Yeah, scary huh. There also weren’t many friendships that struck me in this book. Sure, there is Sam and Victoria but that is more of a romantic relationship.
PLOT
The plot was interesting. It was a thriller so it did touch all of those types of aspects. There could have been a little more depth to this one, however. It could have been more elaborate as it had all the makings to be a more complex story and yet, she didn’t expand on the storyline. The “secrets” weren’t too hard to guess and weren’t as complex as I had hoped/expected them to be. There were a few surprises which were nice and I enjoyed.
ROMANCE
This is almost insta love but not quite there yet. The romance wasn’t toxic so that was nice. I was fairly happy with the romance despite what I might have said before. One thing, I didn’t quite like was the fact that Victoria suddenly mentioned she loved him and it hadn’t quite developed at that point. That could have been worked on but otherwise it was good.
WRITING
The writing was good. It wasn’t childish and the characters talked better than I had thought they would. Overall, the writing was what impressed me the most.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you like thrillers, go for this one. It isn’t perfect but it works. It is a standalone so it has to all be wrapped up pretty fast and it did a good job of that.
October 7, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved the first 80% of this book. I love the futuristic aspects and the mystery and I loved that I really couldn't get a handle on what the bad guys were doing and why. What I really didn't like was the "love story" part of it, which came more towards the end of the book. It was extremely sudden but also basically nonexistent. It was weird. However, I did really like the twist at the end, I totally did not see that coming! I wish this book were a bit longer and that some of the themes were explored a bit more, it has a lot of potential. If you can get past the super weird romance part of the story and you like a bit of a mystery, I think this book is worth reading.
I really loved the first 80% of this book. I love the futuristic aspects and the mystery and I loved that I really couldn't get a handle on what the bad guys were doing and why. What I really didn't like was the "love story" part of it, which came more towards the end of the book. It was extremely sudden but also basically nonexistent. It was weird. However, I did really like the twist at the end, I totally did not see that coming! I wish this book were a bit longer and that some of the themes were explored a bit more, it has a lot of potential. If you can get past the super weird romance part of the story and you like a bit of a mystery, I think this book is worth reading.
October 24, 2016
My Rating: 4 ½ Stars
*I received a digital ARC of this book free in exchange for an honest review.*
All Her Secrets was a very intense and suspenseful read with an ending that I never would have predicted.
I absolutely loved just about everything about this thrilling book. All Her Secrets is set in the near future in a time where robots have taken over the jobs and duties that humans once performed. These robots, including pets, are able to learn, imagine, and quite possibly feel thanks to the work of Victoria Faraday’s father in the field of Artificial Intelligence. But not everyone is thrilled with the creation of the robots and advances made in technology as it has put many people out of work and led to poverty and other issues. These people include Sam, a poor kid just trying to make ends meet and live his life who soon becomes caught up in his cousin’s illegal schemes.
Victoria and Sam’s worlds collide when he unwittingly becomes an accomplice in her kidnapping. As the two are locked in a cabin for days awaiting a ransom from her wealthy father, they begin to bond. With each moment, I couldn’t wait to see what would happen between both these characters and Sam’s cohorts. I felt the uncertainty and fear right up until the shocking conclusion.
If you are worried you are going to get bogged with discussions of technology, don’t…All Her Secrets is more of a psychological thriller than a sci-fi novel. What at first seems like a futuristic novel with a message about the dangers of technology, becomes so much more as you read further. To me, it is about human emotions and connections. This book made me think about the relationships between humans and the thoughts and feelings associated with being human. Connections and interactions are so important to the characters in this book and help keep them sane and that is so true in real life today for so many of us.
And I really enjoyed the use of alternate POVs the author chose to use. It was really important for this story in order for the reader to get inside the characters’ heads and understand their thoughts and motivations. It helped me to connect and understand them better. But like that title suggests, there were definitely some secrets that are not immediately shared that made me keep turning the page to see what was going to happen as I made a few of my own predictions (I was wrong on a couple of them, by the way). And there were so many unexpected moments. It seems like every few pages we learned something new.
Highly enjoyable, All Her Secrets is perfect for those looking for a page-turning thriller with some sci-fi elements.
July 16, 2020
Rhee is a college freshman trying to move on with her life after a traumatic experience in which she almost died four years prior. On top of pretending to be okay, she just discovered a secret about her prestigious father that leaves her unsettled. Sam is the opposite of Rhee. His grandmother raised him and his sister and now he barely makes enough money to pay the bills, take care of his grandmother, and spare some change for his sister. In desperate need of money, he decides to assist his shady cousin and his friends with a job, not knowing that this would be the most extreme one yet—to kidnap Rhee and hold her for ransom.
I read this in one sitting. The beginning was slow to start off, but once Rhee started the journey home to confront her father, things picked up paced and remained that way until the very end. This is a dystopian novel set in a town in Tennessee where robots are mainly used in place of humans to complete jobs and tasks. I don’t like dystopian stories, but the main focus wasn’t wrapped around the society; it was about Rhee and Sam’s survival once Rhee is kidnapped.
Rhee and Sam were likeable characters, especially Rhee since she was a fighter. I enjoyed the shifting viewpoints between chapters since I got to understand both characters in depth. The only thing I didn’t condone was the instant attraction and love between Rhee and Sam. I’ve studied up on Stockholm Syndrome over the years and knew that these two characters were going to be in a position where it resulted. Sam brings it up to Rhee towards the end of the novel, but she brushes it aside and claims to have real feelings for him. I’m not a fan of instant love so that was the only downside to the novel.
A few grammatical errors and differences in the spelling of names were scattered amongst the pages, but not to the point where I was confused on what was happening. I wasn’t satisfied with the ending since it kind of just ended before the characters made it out of the woods—literally. Many of the questions were answered, but I wanted to see what would happen afterwards once the revelations were revealed.
I was provided an ARC of All Her Secrets by NetGalley in exchange for a review.
I read this in one sitting. The beginning was slow to start off, but once Rhee started the journey home to confront her father, things picked up paced and remained that way until the very end. This is a dystopian novel set in a town in Tennessee where robots are mainly used in place of humans to complete jobs and tasks. I don’t like dystopian stories, but the main focus wasn’t wrapped around the society; it was about Rhee and Sam’s survival once Rhee is kidnapped.
Rhee and Sam were likeable characters, especially Rhee since she was a fighter. I enjoyed the shifting viewpoints between chapters since I got to understand both characters in depth. The only thing I didn’t condone was the instant attraction and love between Rhee and Sam. I’ve studied up on Stockholm Syndrome over the years and knew that these two characters were going to be in a position where it resulted. Sam brings it up to Rhee towards the end of the novel, but she brushes it aside and claims to have real feelings for him. I’m not a fan of instant love so that was the only downside to the novel.
A few grammatical errors and differences in the spelling of names were scattered amongst the pages, but not to the point where I was confused on what was happening. I wasn’t satisfied with the ending since it kind of just ended before the characters made it out of the woods—literally. Many of the questions were answered, but I wanted to see what would happen afterwards once the revelations were revealed.
I was provided an ARC of All Her Secrets by NetGalley in exchange for a review.
October 30, 2016
I received a ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (Thanks!)
Please imagine a YA book about a kidnapping involving teenagers. Did you wince like I did? Because it's just as bad as it sounds. I've read a book about a teenager being captured and it was freaking amazing (Stolen: A Letter to My Captor). This book sucks in comparison. (Well, you can't actually compare them, but you get what I'm saying)
This book features 2 main characters: Victoria is a college student, who is the daughter of one of the wealthiest men on the planet. She is still struggling with the abduction she had when she was young. When she goes home to see her family, she is kidnapped by a bunch of kids who have been screwed over by her dad. One of these kids is Sam, a poor guy who is trying to keep his family together after his father left. His cousin got him involved in this kidnapping and made Sam the scapegoat. Victoria and Sam have to work together to get out of this situation alive.
The only thing this book has going for it is the world and its implications. This book is set in the future, where Victoria's father has made it so that robots have taken most of the jobs. It was interesting to see this world because it is definitely a dystopia that could come true. I liked that the author tied the plot to ethical questions. As much as I liked this element of the book, the fact that it ended up being a cliched thriller about kidnapping and romance kinda ruined the experience for me.
I requested this book from NetGalley because I got excited about the MC being in college (I want to read more about people in college because I want to relate! I'm struggling to find good books with that!). Unfortunately, this book got really Stockholm-y really fast. I think the characters even realized this at some point! I found the ending really surprising because I didn't realize that the italicized chapters were from someone else's point of view.
Please imagine a YA book about a kidnapping involving teenagers. Did you wince like I did? Because it's just as bad as it sounds. I've read a book about a teenager being captured and it was freaking amazing (Stolen: A Letter to My Captor). This book sucks in comparison. (Well, you can't actually compare them, but you get what I'm saying)
This book features 2 main characters: Victoria is a college student, who is the daughter of one of the wealthiest men on the planet. She is still struggling with the abduction she had when she was young. When she goes home to see her family, she is kidnapped by a bunch of kids who have been screwed over by her dad. One of these kids is Sam, a poor guy who is trying to keep his family together after his father left. His cousin got him involved in this kidnapping and made Sam the scapegoat. Victoria and Sam have to work together to get out of this situation alive.
The only thing this book has going for it is the world and its implications. This book is set in the future, where Victoria's father has made it so that robots have taken most of the jobs. It was interesting to see this world because it is definitely a dystopia that could come true. I liked that the author tied the plot to ethical questions. As much as I liked this element of the book, the fact that it ended up being a cliched thriller about kidnapping and romance kinda ruined the experience for me.
I requested this book from NetGalley because I got excited about the MC being in college (I want to read more about people in college because I want to relate! I'm struggling to find good books with that!). Unfortunately, this book got really Stockholm-y really fast. I think the characters even realized this at some point! I found the ending really surprising because I didn't realize that the italicized chapters were from someone else's point of view.
October 11, 2016
**ARC provided by publisher for an honest review**
'All her Secrets' begins with an attempted murder. Victoria the main character describes it in chilling detail. She talks of her survival, and from here the stage is set with the question of why was she wanted dead , and who was it that tried to killed her. This Macabre thriller takes place in more than one point of view, the question is how do these POV's stories connect? As I have grown to expect from this author, the world building is exceptional. This is a futuristic dystopian sci-fi thriller for young adults it is sufficiently creepy and suspenseful. I found great satisfaction in the subtle comparisons to the world we live in now, reenacting the racial/social/economic profiling and a police 'stop and frisk' society. This is a smart way to make the story relevant, timely. A contemporary issue in dystopian world. I struggled a bit with Victoria's relationship with Sam. I feel like his role was written strong and decisive in the beginning. Later this interesting character seemed to be glossed over fairly quickly, making me feel like I expected more of his story. The romance was also a little awkward. The suspense stayed intact right to the end. Did I mention there are robots? 3.5 stars
'All her Secrets' begins with an attempted murder. Victoria the main character describes it in chilling detail. She talks of her survival, and from here the stage is set with the question of why was she wanted dead , and who was it that tried to killed her. This Macabre thriller takes place in more than one point of view, the question is how do these POV's stories connect? As I have grown to expect from this author, the world building is exceptional. This is a futuristic dystopian sci-fi thriller for young adults it is sufficiently creepy and suspenseful. I found great satisfaction in the subtle comparisons to the world we live in now, reenacting the racial/social/economic profiling and a police 'stop and frisk' society. This is a smart way to make the story relevant, timely. A contemporary issue in dystopian world. I struggled a bit with Victoria's relationship with Sam. I feel like his role was written strong and decisive in the beginning. Later this interesting character seemed to be glossed over fairly quickly, making me feel like I expected more of his story. The romance was also a little awkward. The suspense stayed intact right to the end. Did I mention there are robots? 3.5 stars
December 5, 2016
*This book was received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
*Actual rating 3.5/5*
I enjoyed the start of this book and the surprising ending. Parts of the book were a bit confusing due o the need for more world building or more detailed explanation. While I think the author withheld some details to make the ending more surprising and unexpected, some parts of the book weer really confusing and this made the book less enjoyable. I liked both of the main characters Victoria and Sam but didn't like Craig's girlfriend as her personality seemed to be all over the place especially towards the end of the book. Her character also didn't seem to be distinct from Victoria's and didn't resonate with me. Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a great plot twist however it did lack some world and character building or depth.
*Actual rating 3.5/5*
I enjoyed the start of this book and the surprising ending. Parts of the book were a bit confusing due o the need for more world building or more detailed explanation. While I think the author withheld some details to make the ending more surprising and unexpected, some parts of the book weer really confusing and this made the book less enjoyable. I liked both of the main characters Victoria and Sam but didn't like Craig's girlfriend as her personality seemed to be all over the place especially towards the end of the book. Her character also didn't seem to be distinct from Victoria's and didn't resonate with me. Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a great plot twist however it did lack some world and character building or depth.
October 19, 2016
First of all I'd like to thank Barclay Publicity, NetGalley and Kate Avery Ellison for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. I really liked the idea of a dystopian world revolving around the idea of robots taking over humans jobs. I Aldo led the twist near the end but otherwise I didn’t enjoy it. The writing was fine and the world building was good but it was slow going.
October 13, 2016
Read/reviewed for Romance Readers Retreat Book Blog
October 25, 2016
In a future society, technology has made advancements, allowing robots to become the primary workforce. People have lost jobs due to the robots and unrest and poverty are on the rise. Victoria is the daughter of the man who created the robot technology, and for that she was made a target for a violent attack. Now years later she thinks she found answers about the attack, just to be kidnapped. Sam is a poor boy trying to do his best to keep his grandmother in her assisted living home and his younger sister at college. When he finds himself in a dire financial situation, he takes up his shady cousin's offer for a job. Victoria and Sam's worlds collide in a violent way, and if the pair can work together, they might get out of it alive.
I had stumbled across this book and it sounded intriguing, but I really did not spend much time pondering what it would be. I had no idea how complicated, twisty and dark the story was going to be either. To say the least, I was pleasantly surprised by what I read. I would classify this as a romantic suspense, but don't expect any physical romance, only the slow developed mental kind where no physical contact occurs (because it literally can't, but whatever).
The world building was really well done and surprisingly subtle. I enjoyed the small changes here and there, where it seemed like my current world but then something would pop up or be referenced to that really brought home the differences. I would say the story had an almost Dystopian feel to it, but not quite except for the central location of the story. Robots were a crucial part of society as domestic workers and a cheap labor force, as well as the perfect sanitary pet, but not everyone loved them, as seem by the protests. But also factor in the strange group of people who live in the woods and are referenced as an ominous threat. The society was so layered and complex, the only way to understand would be to read the book.
The pacing in the story was incredibly spot on for building the tension and suspense in the novel. The chapters would alternate (for the most part) between Sam and Victoria's narration. Sometimes they would be a few pages, other times just a sentence or two (especially in the parts where I was holding my breath to see what happens), but it was absolutely perfect for increasing my interest and my anxiety for what would happen next. When I first started the book, I thought this would be a slow read, but I found myself not able to put the book down, planning just one more chapter and the chapters were so short I wanted one more and the cycle continued. I love this style of writing, the short bursts that lure me in until the next thing I know, I am finished with the book.
The ending was a good mix of surprise and intrigue. I enjoy that this was a standalone story, but I would not mind another trip back to this world, maybe with a side character as the protagonist (like Sam's sister). I can't help but to think of the quote from the movie Speed, about relationships formed during intense situations don't last, but I may just be a pessimist. I enjoyed this read and look forward to more from this author.
I received this title from the publisher in return for my honest review.
For more reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
March 2, 2020
Good Dystopian mystery Thriller!!
If you love dystopian, futuristic sci-fi novels, you are going to love this book from Kate Avery Wilson. I added one additional star for the socio-economic disparity, wonderfully discussed through out the novel and few lines which really attracted me like
( “I don’t know what to do or say— only to paint— because I’ve never been good at breaking things, not even when I’m splintering with pain”____ pg. 29-30). I connected so much with this line.
The story revolves around Victoria/Rhee Faraday daughter of Bill Faraday who invented the humanoid Roberts and other robots, which took the job of millions in a fictional city of Toivo. “Toivo once a paradise is now a purgatory” as suggested by the book is now a war zone between “Earthers” and “Roberts”. Amongst these, Victoria gets kidnapped by impulsive, headstrong Craig backed by his girlfriend Roxanne. Sam, who is Craig’s cousin has been dragged in the kidnap as a scapegoat to put the blame. But the plot twists after Sam and Victoria are kept together captive in a deserted cabin, with Sam to babysit Victoria. A kind of emotional spark develops between them and Victoria discovers a hidden tunnel. Both Victoria and Sam have their own secrets to hold on but with these they tightly embrace each other, facing every extremity and odds to discover a horrific truth. Victoria was only half aware what was coming her way, but she only knew one thing... she has to run and has to hold on. Can she trust Sam or there are some cynical twists waiting for her?
I liked the story except the far-fetched ending. The climax is almost unpredictable though understandable. This story somewhat reminds me of the story of China Mièville’s City and the City, in the context of fictional cities.
If you love dystopian, futuristic sci-fi novels, you are going to love this book from Kate Avery Wilson. I added one additional star for the socio-economic disparity, wonderfully discussed through out the novel and few lines which really attracted me like
( “I don’t know what to do or say— only to paint— because I’ve never been good at breaking things, not even when I’m splintering with pain”____ pg. 29-30). I connected so much with this line.
The story revolves around Victoria/Rhee Faraday daughter of Bill Faraday who invented the humanoid Roberts and other robots, which took the job of millions in a fictional city of Toivo. “Toivo once a paradise is now a purgatory” as suggested by the book is now a war zone between “Earthers” and “Roberts”. Amongst these, Victoria gets kidnapped by impulsive, headstrong Craig backed by his girlfriend Roxanne. Sam, who is Craig’s cousin has been dragged in the kidnap as a scapegoat to put the blame. But the plot twists after Sam and Victoria are kept together captive in a deserted cabin, with Sam to babysit Victoria. A kind of emotional spark develops between them and Victoria discovers a hidden tunnel. Both Victoria and Sam have their own secrets to hold on but with these they tightly embrace each other, facing every extremity and odds to discover a horrific truth. Victoria was only half aware what was coming her way, but she only knew one thing... she has to run and has to hold on. Can she trust Sam or there are some cynical twists waiting for her?
I liked the story except the far-fetched ending. The climax is almost unpredictable though understandable. This story somewhat reminds me of the story of China Mièville’s City and the City, in the context of fictional cities.
January 16, 2018
Toivo TN (city). Victoria Faraday (Bill’s daughter) father Bill Faraday (inventor/genius) was quite famous for inventing the 1st. mass produced-used personal robot.
Agnes is the Faraday’s household robot.
Mom had left the family & moved to Texas with her BF. He was in jail.
Amelie (college roommate) & Victoria are going to see Dev Patel’s (Amelie’s BF, artist/painter) exhibit.
Faraday Institute for Toivo Elders. Grandma Lucy (Bill’s mom) lives in the Teresa Rose Hill building.
She was thrilled to see Victoria (18).
The Preservationists of the Natural Earth (PONE) are having a rally.
Victoria get a call if Grandma Lucy’s bill is not paid she will be evicted.
What are Craig (cousin), Teague (cousin), & Roxanne (Craig’s ex-GF) up to?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, & great font/writing style. A fairly well written YA thriller book. It wasn’t always very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish, but never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another YA thriller great movie. It started out with a bang but then fizzled out. That said I will still rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Making Connections; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn)
Agnes is the Faraday’s household robot.
Mom had left the family & moved to Texas with her BF. He was in jail.
Amelie (college roommate) & Victoria are going to see Dev Patel’s (Amelie’s BF, artist/painter) exhibit.
Faraday Institute for Toivo Elders. Grandma Lucy (Bill’s mom) lives in the Teresa Rose Hill building.
She was thrilled to see Victoria (18).
The Preservationists of the Natural Earth (PONE) are having a rally.
Victoria get a call if Grandma Lucy’s bill is not paid she will be evicted.
What are Craig (cousin), Teague (cousin), & Roxanne (Craig’s ex-GF) up to?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, & great font/writing style. A fairly well written YA thriller book. It wasn’t always very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish, but never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another YA thriller great movie. It started out with a bang but then fizzled out. That said I will still rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Making Connections; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn)
October 18, 2016
All Her Secrets is a YA psychological thriller set for release in late October. While Thrillers and Dystopian are not usually my thing, the beautiful cover art and the blurb drew me in and made me want to read it. I anticipated some suspense, some danger and a little romance on the side. What I got was a whole different kettle of fish! This was a seriously thought provoking book mainly having to do with the ethics and reasoning related to various social topics for their time. And as it was the ‘not-so-distant’ future, it was like a suit that you could step into but you never get to fit just right. There was always that smidgen of discomfort… and maybe that is a good thing. I don’t know.
I do know that Ms. Ellison did fill All Her Secrets with plenty of twists so I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time. She wrote characters who were polar – you either loved them or you hated them without much in between. Victoria and Sam were the loveable kind. Sam could see where he’d gone wrong early on and worked toward helping Victoria. Victoria was pretty much an open book and easy to love. Sadly I cannot say as much for Craig. I was a little frustrated that it seemed Ms. Ellison wrote the characters behavior as if a lot of time passed but as though the characters themselves did not. Victoria and Sam apparently fell in love but we really do not know that much about Victoria and even less about Sam himself.
All in all, this was a good book that made me think. It was a quick and easy read and as a stand-alone novel, there are no worries about trying to connect the missing links. I think if you like reading about issues in society, as well as reading books that are in the shallow end of the dystopian pond, you will enjoy reading Kate Avery Ellison’s All Her Secrets.
****4 Stars****
Thank you to NetGalley, Barclay Publicity, and Kate Avery Ellison for the free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I do know that Ms. Ellison did fill All Her Secrets with plenty of twists so I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time. She wrote characters who were polar – you either loved them or you hated them without much in between. Victoria and Sam were the loveable kind. Sam could see where he’d gone wrong early on and worked toward helping Victoria. Victoria was pretty much an open book and easy to love. Sadly I cannot say as much for Craig. I was a little frustrated that it seemed Ms. Ellison wrote the characters behavior as if a lot of time passed but as though the characters themselves did not. Victoria and Sam apparently fell in love but we really do not know that much about Victoria and even less about Sam himself.
All in all, this was a good book that made me think. It was a quick and easy read and as a stand-alone novel, there are no worries about trying to connect the missing links. I think if you like reading about issues in society, as well as reading books that are in the shallow end of the dystopian pond, you will enjoy reading Kate Avery Ellison’s All Her Secrets.
****4 Stars****
Thank you to NetGalley, Barclay Publicity, and Kate Avery Ellison for the free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
December 13, 2017
I was given an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
There was a lot to love in All Her Secrets. The world in the not so distant future is believable. The inventions, AI and automation all are things we are on the verge of seeing come to fruition in our lifetime. The H/h (Victoria/Rhee and Sam) are likeable and imperfect. The mystery was enjoyable with just enough clues to keep you guessing but never actually spoiling the surprise or making it easy to guess the ending.
There was also a lot I did not like. The romance felt like a throwaway, no heat, and no build-up, just nothing. Craig, one of the primary antagonists was a one-dimensional. There was no background on why he was angry and physically abusive. He just seemed like a dumb jerk. Roxanne we also learn little about through the story and we needed more. Forget Teagan, our third antagonist, or the secondary characters like Rhee’s roommate and BFF, the boyfriend, Sam’s grandmother, Sam’s sister or both Rhee’s and Sam’s parents. We are given just enough of a peek to know there are there other characters but nothing else.
All Her Secrets had the making of something really good but just did not quite get there. I gave it 4 Stars because unlike many other books the surprise in this one was not easy to guess and was worth the pay off to get there in the end.
There was a lot to love in All Her Secrets. The world in the not so distant future is believable. The inventions, AI and automation all are things we are on the verge of seeing come to fruition in our lifetime. The H/h (Victoria/Rhee and Sam) are likeable and imperfect. The mystery was enjoyable with just enough clues to keep you guessing but never actually spoiling the surprise or making it easy to guess the ending.
There was also a lot I did not like. The romance felt like a throwaway, no heat, and no build-up, just nothing. Craig, one of the primary antagonists was a one-dimensional. There was no background on why he was angry and physically abusive. He just seemed like a dumb jerk. Roxanne we also learn little about through the story and we needed more. Forget Teagan, our third antagonist, or the secondary characters like Rhee’s roommate and BFF, the boyfriend, Sam’s grandmother, Sam’s sister or both Rhee’s and Sam’s parents. We are given just enough of a peek to know there are there other characters but nothing else.
All Her Secrets had the making of something really good but just did not quite get there. I gave it 4 Stars because unlike many other books the surprise in this one was not easy to guess and was worth the pay off to get there in the end.
October 26, 2016
Thank you to NetGalley, Barclay Publicity, and Kate Avery Ellison for the free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I feel a bit conflicted about this book. On the one hand, I enjoyed the concept of this book and fell it had a great outlying plot. I liked the world building, I liked the characters, and I liked the mystery. On the other, the book is so short that the story ends right when it gets going. Throw in a forced love story that's just there for the sake of being a love story and you've got a good, but not great, book.
The world building and plot were great. Dystopian future with robots everywhere? Awesome. A main character whose father is the Steve Jobs of robots? Great! A kidnapping scheme? Cool, makes sense! A boy from the wrong side of the tracks getting sucked into the mix? Yeah, I dig it.
Then things get kind of...sloppy.
I liked the first 60% of the book (although the alternating points of view almost lost me at the beginning--the viewpoints were switching too frequently; what was 10 chapters could easily have been 5 if condensed properly; something that continued throughout the book, but not so egregiously as in the first 25%). The suspense and mystery were there and on point. Then things started to drag; the kidnappers didn't seem to know where they were going with their scheme, the main characters were stuck with no way out...until suddenly and miraculously they found a way out.
And then the love story happened. I found it very contrived and cliched, although shoutout to the Sam, the main male character, for suggesting that Victoria, the main female character, had Stockholm Syndrome--that explanation would've made perfect sense!
I wish that this book had been longer. Just when things were getting nice and meaty, it just kind of...ended. I would've loved to have seen more of the "after," as the short epilogue we got wasn't enough for me.
This wasn't a bad book by any means, but it isn't wasn't one that I'll be aching to re-read or likely recommend to friends. Kate Ellison should be proud of the world she built, because it was wicked cool--if a sequel comes out expanding upon the world, I'd definitely consider picking it up, but other than that, I doubt this book will garner anything other than a passing thought of "oh yeah, I read that," from me in the future.
I feel a bit conflicted about this book. On the one hand, I enjoyed the concept of this book and fell it had a great outlying plot. I liked the world building, I liked the characters, and I liked the mystery. On the other, the book is so short that the story ends right when it gets going. Throw in a forced love story that's just there for the sake of being a love story and you've got a good, but not great, book.
The world building and plot were great. Dystopian future with robots everywhere? Awesome. A main character whose father is the Steve Jobs of robots? Great! A kidnapping scheme? Cool, makes sense! A boy from the wrong side of the tracks getting sucked into the mix? Yeah, I dig it.
Then things get kind of...sloppy.
I liked the first 60% of the book (although the alternating points of view almost lost me at the beginning--the viewpoints were switching too frequently; what was 10 chapters could easily have been 5 if condensed properly; something that continued throughout the book, but not so egregiously as in the first 25%). The suspense and mystery were there and on point. Then things started to drag; the kidnappers didn't seem to know where they were going with their scheme, the main characters were stuck with no way out...until suddenly and miraculously they found a way out.
And then the love story happened. I found it very contrived and cliched, although shoutout to the Sam, the main male character, for suggesting that Victoria, the main female character, had Stockholm Syndrome--that explanation would've made perfect sense!
I wish that this book had been longer. Just when things were getting nice and meaty, it just kind of...ended. I would've loved to have seen more of the "after," as the short epilogue we got wasn't enough for me.
This wasn't a bad book by any means, but it isn't wasn't one that I'll be aching to re-read or likely recommend to friends. Kate Ellison should be proud of the world she built, because it was wicked cool--if a sequel comes out expanding upon the world, I'd definitely consider picking it up, but other than that, I doubt this book will garner anything other than a passing thought of "oh yeah, I read that," from me in the future.
August 24, 2017
All Her Secrets is another great story by Kate Avery Ellison. I don't read a lot of dystopian fiction, just because so much of it tends to be dark and hopeless. Though this story is darker than what I normally read, it was not hopeless.
The story takes place in the mountains of the US in the future and is told alternatively by Victoria (Rhee) and Sam with flashbacks added in as well. I have to confess that as the story unfolded, I smugly thought I knew where it was going and what the dark secret was, but I was very wrong. Which makes me like the story more.
There were some pretty cool inventions that had been created by Rhee's father. I love the idea of the butterflies (I'll let you read the book to see what I'm talking about!)
There is certainly violence in the story, which should be evident by the description, but nothing over the top. And there are psychological elements as well. I wouldn't recommend it for young teens, unless they have stronger constitutions for suspense than I do (oh wait, that doesn't take much), but high schoolers and above would probably enjoy it.
This review was originally posted on Among the Reads
The story takes place in the mountains of the US in the future and is told alternatively by Victoria (Rhee) and Sam with flashbacks added in as well. I have to confess that as the story unfolded, I smugly thought I knew where it was going and what the dark secret was, but I was very wrong. Which makes me like the story more.
There were some pretty cool inventions that had been created by Rhee's father. I love the idea of the butterflies (I'll let you read the book to see what I'm talking about!)
There is certainly violence in the story, which should be evident by the description, but nothing over the top. And there are psychological elements as well. I wouldn't recommend it for young teens, unless they have stronger constitutions for suspense than I do (oh wait, that doesn't take much), but high schoolers and above would probably enjoy it.
This review was originally posted on Among the Reads
January 31, 2018
DNF
Well, something about this just didn’t work. Apart from the fact that I cared almost nothing about Victoria or Sam but I found dreadfully boring.
Even when Victoria was getting kidnapped. And well, she didn’t seem to be thinking too hard as to how to get out at all. Although I get that she panicked, but why don’t you use your brains a little to sort it out. It doesn’t make any sense at all. Even more when her father is creating something that can change humanity.
As for Sam, I don’t understand why he is an important part when he has zero motivations. An unlucky chap to be roped in, yes but that doesn’t make him interesting. It just makes me wonder where his brain cells went to agree to kidnapping a girl. Just to get back at her father or something like that. The girl here is blameless.
And well, after all the chapters which were sort and did nothing to advance the plot. Other than Victoria telling her life, getting kidnapped and Sam telling his life and how it was like being her kidnapper.
And well, if it doesn’t try to make itself seem meaningful I’m out. It reads like stream of consciousness with zero focus on the actual plot, or even anything for that matter. I just didn’t feel the need to finish a book when it is like this.
Well, something about this just didn’t work. Apart from the fact that I cared almost nothing about Victoria or Sam but I found dreadfully boring.
Even when Victoria was getting kidnapped. And well, she didn’t seem to be thinking too hard as to how to get out at all. Although I get that she panicked, but why don’t you use your brains a little to sort it out. It doesn’t make any sense at all. Even more when her father is creating something that can change humanity.
As for Sam, I don’t understand why he is an important part when he has zero motivations. An unlucky chap to be roped in, yes but that doesn’t make him interesting. It just makes me wonder where his brain cells went to agree to kidnapping a girl. Just to get back at her father or something like that. The girl here is blameless.
And well, after all the chapters which were sort and did nothing to advance the plot. Other than Victoria telling her life, getting kidnapped and Sam telling his life and how it was like being her kidnapper.
And well, if it doesn’t try to make itself seem meaningful I’m out. It reads like stream of consciousness with zero focus on the actual plot, or even anything for that matter. I just didn’t feel the need to finish a book when it is like this.
February 5, 2018
Typical I love all of Kate Avery Ellison’s books. This wasn’t one that loved or hated. I guess in the end it was just the characters I wasn’t attached too.
The book had a great plot twist something you knew was coming but didn’t know how she would spin it.
The characters just didn’t hold on to me. They had nothing that made me feel for them one way or the other. It may have been the quick jumping back and forth between POV’s or maybe just didn’t build the characters long enough for me to feel emotionally attached.
I also would have liked a better wrap up in the end. I wanted to know more about Victoria’s dad and the use of Robots moving forward. What changed, if anything.
The book had a great plot twist something you knew was coming but didn’t know how she would spin it.
The characters just didn’t hold on to me. They had nothing that made me feel for them one way or the other. It may have been the quick jumping back and forth between POV’s or maybe just didn’t build the characters long enough for me to feel emotionally attached.
I also would have liked a better wrap up in the end. I wanted to know more about Victoria’s dad and the use of Robots moving forward. What changed, if anything.
December 10, 2017
All Her Secrets (ARC) by Kate Avery Ellison: ***** Suspenseful
This story was full of twist and turns, and the suspense was masterful. It kept me on edge thru the entire story, until the shocking ending that pulled it all together. Disclosure: I am reviewing an advance copy of this story.
This story was full of twist and turns, and the suspense was masterful. It kept me on edge thru the entire story, until the shocking ending that pulled it all together. Disclosure: I am reviewing an advance copy of this story.
December 11, 2017
I read an ARC copy of this book voluntarily. I really enjoyed this book, lots of suspense and adventure. The story was great and the characters were well written.
June 1, 2018
Great book!
June 23, 2018
I don’t usually read YA books but this was definitely worth the read!
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