The Secret Diamond Sisters

The Secret Diamond Sisters #1

by Michelle Madow

Three long lost heiresses. One hot summer. Lots of ridiculously sexy (and ridiculously rich) guys. What could go wrong?

When Peyton, Courtney, and Savannah Diamond are sent to live with their long lost father, their lives go from glum to glamorous overnight. Because their father is THE Adrian Diamond. Billionaire owner of the most luxurious hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.

Savannah thinks Vegas is a fairy tale come true. But is bad boy Damien actually interested in her, or is she just another toy for him to play with?

Courtney wants to lay low and keep her nose where it belongs—in an SAT prep book. But will her unwelcome attraction for her future step-brother bring more attention to her than she can handle?

Peyton wants nothing to do with her father. But she wants everything to do with her sexy new bodyguard, Jackson. Except Jackson’s way older than she is. And he’s forbidden from dating her, since he works for her father.

The sisters are in WAY over their heads. And they’re forgetting one important rule:

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas... but that doesn't matter when you live there ;)

Grab The Secret Diamond Sisters—the first book in a glitzy, dramatic young adult romance trilogy by USA Today bestselling author Michelle Madow—and get addicted now! Perfect for fans of Gossip Girl, The Princess Diaries, and Pretty Little Liars.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction, Young Adult Contemporary, Mystery

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 25, 2014

About the author

Michelle Madow is a USA Today bestselling author of fast-paced, young adult fantasy novels that will leave you turning the pages wanting more! Her books are full of magic, adventure, romance, and twists you'll never see coming.

Visit her website, www.michellemadow.com, to get books of Michelle's for FREE!

Reviews

[Pearl Angeli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book review and Author Interview is also posted on my blog: https://bibliopearl.wordpress.com/201...

(A paperback copy was provided by the author Michelle Madow in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating and review)

My level of enjoyment with this book can be summed up into 5-diamond studded stars. Why? Because this book is highly entertaining. It goes beyond expectations.

The Secret Diamond Sisters is the first book of The Secret Diamond Sisters series. This book talks about three teenage siblings namely Peyton, Courtney, and Savannah who grew up with their single-mom who is an alcoholic. Financially average, the sisters' lives dramatically changed when they discovered that they are in fact, the daughters of the billionaire Adrian Diamond whom they haven't met since the day they were born. When their mom was admitted to an alcoholic rehab center for treatment and self-help, the three of them were forced to leave their small town in California and move to the lustrous sin-city Las Vegas. From there, they basically experienced luxury at its finest, but at the same time, met friends who were either real or fake, and lived with their dad who's a complete stranger, which made them wonder if being the daughters of a rich man really is a perk or a disaster.

Now here are the reasons why I admire this book to bits.

LAS VEGAS. I haven't been to the US, let alone Las Vegas. And this book made me feel as though I was there, enjoying some Piña colada with the hottest, rich guy in the city while doing some serious shopping and watching the Phantom of the Opera in a grand theater, getting my Blamex wasted like the sky's not even the limit. WHY NOT?



THE CHARACTERS. Basically, the main characters here in this book are not perfect. The three siblings are simply the kind of teenage girls you basically meet every day. A bit angsty, immature, and sometimes even frustrating. Their good side, however, is that they can be your best friends, too. Their sisterly love is utterly admirable, and those qualities, I guess, are one of the reasons why I adore this book. I learned to be patient with each of their flaws.

Each of them has different traits. One is a socially-obsessed girl who desperately wants to fit in the new society, while the other one is a modest type who settles to just stay in her room reading books, while the other is a rebel-type who does not bend to any other people's commands. The three of them are different and their characters are the one that makes the book more interesting.

WRITING STYLE OF THE AUTHOR. I've always been a sucker for books that are written in an easy, simple style. This book gave me the real pleasure because Michelle Madow's writing is light, it doesn't give me troubles.

MULTIPLE POVS. I kind of hate multiple POVS, but this one was well-done. There are four POVS in this book-- Savannah, Peyton, Courtney, and a secondary character (antagonist) Madison. Alright, before you react, I want to assure you that four POVS will never confuse you. The author did a great job in voicing those characters. I love how the tone made them really different with one another. That's quite impressive.

FAMILY DRAMA AND ROMANCE. I love the family drama here and how the sisters tried to reach out with their dad. The romance is also absolutely good and swoony. And did I tell you it's unpredictable, too? YES. I basically didn't have any idea who the siblings' love interests are, which makes the story intriguing.

As a whole, I did have fun with this book. It's my kind of book. It's girly, classy, and unique for my taste. It's a book you guys should definitely check! If you are a fan of Gossip Girl, then I have this feeling you're going to like it, too. :)

Rating: Diamond-studded 5 Stars

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The people who say New York never sleeps must have never visited Las Vegas.”
― Michelle Madow, The Secret Diamond Sisters

I know I sound like a broken record but......

The cover art, the cover art!

LOL...Part of the fun in reading are admiring the breath taking covers of certain books and this one certainly falls into that group.

Now...the book itself? Mixed feelings. (Why are all books that one has "mixed feelings about always somehow the ones that get a rating of 3?).

I kind of enjoyed it. I skimmed the first part because I found it dull but got into it during the second part. Still, it was a bit tough.

The thing is...this book is SO YA. It is not a mystery..it is about three sisters who inadvertently find out their dad is a famous and rich business executive from....where else? Vegas baby! And they have to go live with him since their other is in rehab for alcohol issues.

So imagine their surprise when they find their new home is....well.....a sprawling Vegas Hotel. And they have butlers. And credit cards with no cut off. And they can do anything and everything they want.

That is part of the issue. All they really want is to....well..drink...and flirt. Which is sort of what I wanted when I was younger. Except I'm not. Younger I mean. And it was kind of dull reading about ALL the girls' romantic problems.

I liked Savannah best. She had a sweetness about her that I really liked. But I could not keep all the guys straight. Even now...I cannot remember all their names and I just finished a little while ago.

There was Angelic Nick. And Brett. And Oliver whom I loathed. And the other one with the flashing eyes..what is it again? I think his name starts with A.

But the story is basically about all the love interests. And break ups, flirtations and new flirtations. I did like reading about all the pretty dresses the girls wear because I happen to dig fashion.

TO THE PEOPLE WONDERING...YEAH....underage drinking goes on ALOT...that was not that far out. And it is not just in Vegas.

I also did not know this was a series. Believe it or not..who knows? I may read part two.

The thing is...this is very light reading which was sort of nice after some of the books I have read lately. And I did love reading about the glitz of Vegas. So there is just no way I would ever rate this a one or two. In fact I'd probably have adored it when I was in high school.

It is a bit to YA for me and there was to much drinking, club hopping and boy swapping but it was not bad. I would hope the second one has a bit more depth and I have a feeling it probably will. Three stars is my rating. Five stars for the cover art.

[Nadhira Satria · Rating 4 out of 5]

don’t even ask
don't even judge
I’ve been obsessed with gossip girl-esque books since I was 13 ok?

Let me say it again just to be clear, I’ve been obsessed with gossip girl-esque books since I was 13

Ok so I LOVED this! Reading this felt like I was 14 again and it was so trashy and light and juvenile I loved it I'm guilty.
Honestly this reminds me soooo much of The Carlyles aka my fav series back when I was 14. Savannah reminded me of Avery, Peyton reminded me of Baby, Courtney reminded me of Owen and Madison as Jack. I loved it and this book actually cured my slump!!!
Idk man something about rich teenagers backstabbing and making out with each other is fun.

So there are 4 POVs, 3 of the sister and the other one is from their frenemy

✨1.Savannah✨
-The youngest of three, 15 year old, classic ESFP.
-She's naive, gullible, and easily impressed.
-falls in love with any guy that looks her way
-wants!! to!! fit!! in!!
-I!! want!! to!! be!! popular!!!
-shallow as hell but nice so it's ok

✨2.Courtney✨
-the responsible, smart, 16 year old middle child
-boring
- b o r i n g
-watching paint dry is more fun than reading about her
-goody two shoes introvert who likes books and sat classes and their future stepbrother
-I!! need!! to!! get!! to stanford!!

✨3.Peyton
-The oldest, rebellious, headstrong 17 year old.
-my twin basically
-a queen
-the best character to read about
-my fav
-punk af and gives 0 shit about fitting in with the other kids in vegas
-rebels!! all!! authority!!

✨4.Madison✨
-the envious, rich, attention-seeking, popular girl
-*yawns*
-classic mean girl trope
-dumps the sweetest guy ever for some boring ass dumb ass pasty ass artsy dude
-probably anorexic
-Notice!! me!!

✨Overall✨
Give me the next book and let me binge that trash like I did this one. thanks

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nose Graze — Book reviews & blogging tips

1.5 Stars

It breaks my heart to write this review. I feel like I'm about to rip the book to shreds, and that saddens me. I actually met the author (very, very briefly) at BEA last year. She was SO SWEET and so excited about her upcoming book, The Secret Diamond Sisters. When I saw what it was about, I was excited too! It sounded AMAZING! Now, months later, I've finally read the book and I didn't like it... and that really upsets me. :(

There are two big problems with The Secret Diamond Sisters : the characters and the plot.

The Characters

I hated two of the three characters. Courtney was actually pretty cool, but Savannah's naivety made her annoying, and Peyton's bitchy attitude made her unbearable.

Savannah

Compared to Peyton, Savannah wasn't so bad. Her main problem was that she was a 15 year old girl obsessed with being popular and looking amazing. I know a lot of 15 year old girls are like that, so the portrayal is pretty accurate. But the way she acted really made me roll my eyes sometimes.

[Now Savannah] could be more than Evie's second-best. She could buy the expensive bags and shoes the cool girls flaunted around school, so she wouldn't feel like an outsider. She would finally fit in—more so once she got her new wardrobe, highlights and hair extensions.

Of course, this Savannah Diamond needed the hottest, most desirable boyfriend by her side.

SO many teenage girls think this way. They feel they have to do everything they can to fit in, and appearances are everything. Even if this is an accurate portrayal, it didn't make it fun to read about. It's hard to like and admire a main character who doesn't have the self confidence to just be who she is, without needing expensive clothes or popular friends or the hottest look. And I don'to feel like she ever changed, even towards the end, so that made it all the worse.

Then the other annoying parts come in when Savannah gives into peer pressure. The girl is 15 and she tried alcohol once and didn't like it. She also avoids hard alcohol because her mother is an alcoholic. Then a hot guy invites her to do shots and she accepts, even though she doesn't want to, because she wants to fit in and be cool. Well that is not cool!!

But Savannah wasn't about to argue with Damien. She would stop at one and pretend she didn't mind the taste when it was setting her throat on fire.

So even though she doesn't want to do it, she drinks anyway. Not cool, Savannah.

This goes a step further when Damien advances on her sexually, Savannah pulls back, then sees that Damien is upset, and Savannah believes she was being stupid and "should have gone along with it". That's basically a roundabout way of saying, "I didn't want to have sex, but clearly he's upset so I should have sucked it up and gone with it." That's one step away from letting a guy rape you. Dear Savannah: it's okay if you don't want to let a guy feel you up! Especially if you only met the guy YESTERDAY! There's nothing wrong with not wanting it.

Then there are a few other scattered instances of Savannah getting overly "made up", like putting on makeup to go to the gym in case she sees Damien there. Do girls seriously put on makeup when going to the gym? Nothing is wrong with having an un-made-up face while you work up a sweat (or even just on a normal day out...)! All these things combined just made Savannah look so materialistic, all about appearances, and very naive.

Peyton

Peyton was the "rebel". She desperately wanted to go against the norm, and once she learned about her dad she decided she hated him and had to piss him off as much as possible. Fair enough, because the guy wasn't involved in most of her life so I get why she was pissed off, but Peyton took it a few steps too far for me to handle. Here are a few of the ways she tried to piss off her dad:

Peyton skimmed over the menu as Rebecca ordered her food, zeroing in on the most expensive dish on the menu. Maine lobster—seventy dollars. Perfect. That would do a good job of pissing Adrian off.

The dude is a BILLIONAIRE. A seventy dollar food item is not going to make him bat an eyelash. But the fact that she thought it would and went ahead and did this was my first real sign that she was a stupid brat. I don't like people who go out of their way to do stupid stuff like this.

[..] so Peyton turned to Brett with a brilliant idea—flirt with her future stepbrother. That would surely piss Adrian off.

This was about 4 pages later... just... seriously? Then about 10 pages later she started flirting with her bodyguard too. She's just toying with guys to piss off her dad. THAT'S NOT COOL!

Then, later, Adrian gave them the rules of the house. Which were more or less:

* You can use your unlimited credit cards for anything you want. But if you're going to buy a yacht or something, you need to talk to me first.
* Don't cause any bad press.
* You can drink alcohol despite being underage, just don't go overboard and like, black out.
* You can go clubbing and you don't have a curfew, just come home at night.

Peyton's reaction to these ridiculously lenient rules?

[Peyton] was sick of listening to this lecture. She ignored the rules at home, especially since her mom didn't follow through with punishments, and she would continue doing whatever she wanted here, no matter what boundaries Adrian tried to place on her.

Yeah, because these "boundaries" are sooo unreasonable... At this point she was just looking for ways to cause conflict. THERE'S NOTHING HERE TO ACTUALLY BE ANNOYED ABOUT!! The dude is giving you loads of freedom.

Adrian is engaged to a woman named Rebecca, and one day she came to the girls explaining that they were attending a dinner party and they should dress up and look nice. So naturally Petyon decided to be a bitch about it.

"I'm going to get ready, and I'll make sure to pick an outfit that definitely wouldn't have met Rebecca's approval."

Then she proceeded to put on a see-through outfit that was totally inappropriate for a nice, business dinner party.

Plus, I hated how Peyton acted around guys. Before the story starts, Peyton was cheated on, and it destroyed all her future relationships. She hated it, she was humiliated, she was devastated. Then, naturally, she cheats on her own boyfriend.

Peyton didn't like how she'd cheated on [her boyfriend], but it was nothing that hadn't been done to her before.

Just because it happened to you (with a different guy) doesn't mean it's okay for you to do it.. Don't you remember how upset and devastated you were?

After she was cheated on, she decided to never let a guy get close to her. She dated a new one every month (or less), had one night stands, etc. Once the guys got too close, she pushed them away. Then, in the book, she has sex with one guy and thinks now they're kind of dating.. but the guy basically told her that wasn't the case. Then Peyton was pissed because HE was the one to end things instead of HER and:

"she was the one who ended things with guys, not the other way around."

Yes, how awful that he got the draw on her and broke it off first.

Overall, Peyton was a massive bitch. She did things to her dad just to try to piss him off, and they were so stupid and unnecessary. Then she was a massive hypocrite when it came to guys. She was allowed to break their hearts, but they weren't allowed to break hers. Awesome logic.

The drinking—is this real?

The girls in this book are fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen, if I remember rightly. All the people who they hang out with are around that range as well. But EVERYONE drinks. ALL THE TIME. Enough that I'm pretty sure one of the seventeen year olds had a legitimate drinking problem (he constantly carried around a flask to drink from and got hammered like every day).

I mean, this is Vegas, so maybe this does really happen.. but I was floored by the sheer amount of underage drinking and lack of carding at the clubs. Maybe that's a real thing in Vegas. Maybe sixteen year olds really do go clubbing at 18/21+ clubs every night, never get carded, and always do tons of shots. I don't know. But geeze. It seemed unreal to me. At least Savannah had the sense to start ordering sodas after her little peer pressure shot escapade.

The Plot

The other problem with The Secret Diamond Sisters was the lack of plot progression. Nothing actually happens in this book. There's not really a big story arc. The entire book is just about the three girls running around Vegas and each experiencing it a little differently. Naturally they each have their romance dramas, but that's it. Nothing actually happens with their dad. There was no climax. Nothing gets revealed at the end. And apparently this book is a series, but I was given no indication of where the series was actually heading.

If you like the idea of a book that's about three different girls having different romance dramas, then maybe you'll like The Secret Diamond Sisters . I thought I was liking it for a while, but when I realized that none of the stories were actually heading anywhere, I got bored. I finally realized that there was no more to the story than what I was getting. It's just about one girl (Courtney) falling for the one guy she can't be with, another girl (Savannah) falling for the playboy who is less into her than he appears to be, and another girl (Peyton) falling for her one night stand. Then see where that all leads (nowhere, really).

[Michelle Madow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you love The Secret Diamond Sisters? Then join my Street Team Facebook Group to chat with me and other fans about the series!

Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Secre...

[Debbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 Stars

I don't know what to say. I'm speechless. More so because I had to take multiple naps while reading this (or trying to) before I finished it. The Secret Diamond Sisters could have been an amazing novel that's light-hearted and fun but instead what I got was mindless crap that either didn't make sense or was too boring for me to care about.

The characters are so very flat and annoying. The say the same things over again and they all seem to share one stupid brain. I couldn't stand any of them and what made everything worse are the romances which, for the life of me I could not give two fucks about. They're so boring, and the love interests are so one-sided and are only there to compliment the girls and they're just worse than a brick wall. I also really disliked the writing because it felt too simple to me and I couldn't connect to it or anything.

I'm giving this book .5 because I really liked the idea of it. I hated everything else which is sad because this could have been a fun novel. The Secret Diamond Sisters is a huge disappointment for me. I pretty much disliked everything about it yet this novel could have been really good. I don't recommend this one to anyone, it's boring, annoying, and predictable.

[Andie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

There were some issues with the writing and flow of the book. There were too many pov's going on and it sometime felt like too much. But overall it was a fun and addictive read and I'd be interested in reading the sequel :)

[Anatea Oroz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is also posted on my blog, Anatea's Bookshelf.

I have been looking for a book like this for ages now! Does this mean I liked it? It certainly does! I am a huge fan of Gossip Girl and have been super sad since the TV show ended, so discovering Michelle Madows's The Secret Diamond Sisters is like a gift from heaven to me. But I have to warn you, if you did not like Gossip Girl and all the drama, glamour, parties and everything else it features, there is a high chance you may not like this book. But, if you did like it, you will absolutely love this book. Just imagine, we maybe get a chance to relive the love story of Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf all over again! Of course, not them exactly but the characters in this book who are similar to them.

Now back to The Secret Diamond Sisters. After their mum ends up in the rehab, Savannah, Courtney and Peyton have to move to Las Vegas and live with their father whom they never met before. You can imagine how surprised they were when they found out that he is Adrian Diamond, one of the richest men and owner of the Diamond Hotel on the Strip in Las Vegas. You will have to read the book to see how the sisters react to it and how do they fit in.

The story is told from 4 POV's actually, the three sisters and Madison, a Las Vegas socialite and Queen B, which came as a surprise to me. I still don't quite understand why she got her own POV, but she did make the story much more interesting so I don't question it much. Savannah was a sweet, naive fifteen-year-old girl, and while sometimes I wondered why she did some things, then I remembered that she is only 15, and all she wanted was to fit in. Courtney was the responsible one, the one who always had everything under control and took care of everything, so I really liked when she ended up having fun in Vegas and doing things she would never do normally. Peyton, I didn't like very much. She was the rude one, the one who is against everything and doesn't accept what life gives her. Madison and the guys, Brett, Oliver, and Damian are also very important characters in the book, and I'm excited to see how it all continues.

The romance in this book is crazy. If you are thinking that you will get a great love story in this book, you are highly mistaken, because that is not the case. The romance is superficial, and it doesn't go into depth. It focuses more on the physical attraction, but I can see room for some more development in the next books. It is hard to say who is coupled with whom because even if it was just one book, I'd need a lot of time to explain it all to you and it may contain a lot of spoilers.

The biggest reason why I gave this book 4 stars is because of the ending. I felt like the book just abruptly ended and I was thinking that I am missing some pages in my eARC. It's like it ended half way through and you don't even get the feeling it ended. But nevertheless, The Secret Diamond Sisters was a real surprise to me. I loved reading this fast paced chic-lit and can't wait to see what Michelle Madow has in store for us in her next book!

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

[Josiah (bookishfanboy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read! (full review to come)

[Nasty Lady MJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

To see full review click on the below link:

My Blog

This book has no plot.

So if you actually care about those things then you’re not going to like this book.

The characters are horrible too.

Then you might be wondering why read this book at all.

The answer: Las Vegas

Madow does a fantastic job describing the city. You really did get a feeling of the city for this book. From its themed hotels, wild parties, and over the top atmosphere I really did feel like I got to know Vegas in this book. Grant it, I did have a little problem with how effortlessly these teenagers were able to sneak into bars and casinos with little to no explanation, but for the most part I’ll give this a pass just because the descriptions of these places were what kept me interested in what otherwise would’ve been a very boring book with as I said before pretty much god awful characters.

This book in a lot of ways reminds me of Melissa de la Cruz’s Blue Bloods series, which should be a good thing. Because I sort of loved that series (at least its earlier books). However, instead of spinning some of those rich kid cliches like de la Cruz did, Madow’s book is overwhelmed by them.

I guess there’s no other thing to do than to discuss the characters:

Savannah: I didn’t mind her that much. Actually, I was sort of relieved to read her point of view after Peyton and Madison’s. She was still pretty annoying though. Savannah is your typical idiotic I want to be popular YA protagonist. And I really wonder just how many of these do publishers want us to read about. I guess when your the targeted age group, this might be something you have to deal with. But I remember reading this stuff when I was in the targeted age group and found it annoying. I honestly don’t like reading about a poser who spend thirty grand on getting beautiful and a whole new wardrobe. But I have to admit, after reading both Peyton and Madison’s POV, I did find her refreshing. And that is sad to say. Especially since she sort of failed at being popular and as a character in general.

Courtney: Probably the best out of the bunch, but a bit of a cliche. Have you even notice how “good” YA characters are always modeled after Belle from Beauty and the Beast-meaning, they love to read, are beautiful and don’t really try/work at it, and of course are Ivy bound. Maybe Belle wasn’t Ivy bound, but you get the picture. Even though I get bored with this stereotype, I actually did prefer Courtney to any other character in this book. And yes, I get teens can be all about me, but let’s face it, we don’t want to read about an all about me protagonist.

Peyton: God, this was probably the worst character. I got annoyed with Savannah and Madison, but at least they had their moments. Peyton though… When Madow does the whole tough girl character she does it complete with pleather sports bras for tops. Yeah, that’s Peyton in a nutshell plus a major daddy complex. I really couldn’t feel sorry for her either. She makes stupid decisions that have very little thought in them. And yeah, I think Madow is trying to get her to reform at the end but it’s going to take a lot more for me to like her.

[Nathan Siegel · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I've never seen a diamond in the flesh
I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies
And I'm not proud of my address,
In a torn-up town, no postcode envy”


Savannah, Courtney and Peyton. Three teen sisters who grew up their entire lives with next to nothing, public schools, a bad home, and an alcholic mother. Until now.

“But every song's like gold teeth, grey goose, trippin' in the bathroom
Blood stains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room,
We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams.”

Three Californian girls who have never known their father come home one day to find out their alcoholic mother has been moved to a rehab center… and for the time being, they will live in Las Vegas, sin city, with their billionaire father Adrian Diamond, owner of the biggest hotel franchise in the country.
In a day, Savannah, Courtney and Peyton are the latest stars of the tabloids. Life at the Diamond is everything a girl could dream of. They’ll start at the most elite school in California in the fall and they have the summer to live it up in a Vegas penthouse, American Express cards in hand.
But not everyone is excited about the Diamond Sisters’ arrival at the Diamond hotel. In fact, someone in the hotel is ready to exposé the girls with the click of a mouse and send them out of the Diamond hotel, the hearts of the boys they’ve kissed, and the nightclubs they’ve danced in. And back into their old life.

Michelle Madow has followed in the platinum heel-steps of Cecily Von Zeisgar, Sara Shepard and Ally Carter in what seems like the first season of the Diamond girls’ romantic,shocking and lavish lives. The ending sets up perfectly for “season 2” and the luxury and sin of The Secret Diamond Sisters will make everyone wish that they were the heiresses of a billionaire… unless, of course, the curtain falls.

[Erica Alyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a little shallow, and juvenile but it was so much fun to read. It is exactly what I needed. A light fun read. Kind of like Gossip Girl. I started it last night and couldn't put it down.

This is the story of 3 sisters Peyton, Courtney, and Savannah. They have to move in with their dad that they don't know because their mom had to go to rehab. They find out their dad is rich and owns hotels in Vegas and they are moving in. Peyton is a little goth and moody and wants to make things hard for her dad. Savannah is the youngest and most naive however she adjust the quickest, and Courtney is smart and follows all the rules. She is the responsible one. That is until she arrives in Vegas.

Along with their points of views you get the mean girl Madison. She is so manipulative. But it wouldn't be a great book without a villain.

Looking forward to book 2!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was so much fun. It made me feel like I was living it up on the Las Vegas Strip right along side with Peyton, Savannah, and Courtney. The three Diamond sisters are each so unique. The book was split up into multiple different characters views. The chapters each alternated between the diamond sisters and the resident "it" girl at their soon to be high school, Madison. There were also little sections scattered throughout from a school online website, where people were posting rumors and things that were going on. It reminded me of part Twitter, part Gossip girl blog. I thought it was a perfect add in to the atmosphere that the Diamond sisters found themselves living in.

Peyton, Courtney, and Savannah are uprooted to live with their absentee father in Las vegas, and overnight their whole lives changes. I appreciated how well the girls each handled this huge change. Sure Peyton was a little grumpy, and sure Savannah was a little spend happy with all of her new money, but I thought overall, they handled themselves really well in this tough situation. I also thought that the celebrity lifestyle was portrayed to a t! Michelle Madow did such a fantastic job creating an atmosphere that seemed to realistic to how teenage/celebrity lifestyle seems to be. It is like the Las Vegas Gossip Girl. I ate it all up.

I really liked all of the Diamond Sisters because they were each so different and I feel like we got to know each of them really well, but if I had to rank them I like Courtney the most and Peyton the least. Courtney seemed like the most level headed of the three and i thought she made the best decisions overall. I liked Savannah, but I wish she was just one year older. She seemed so young at just 15, and everything she was doing just made her seem so much older. I think that is why I like the idea of her with Nick because he seemed to treat her the best. Peyton just seemed like such a sourpuss all the time and in some ways she acted the most immaturely. I understand where she was coming from, but attitude still bugged sometimes. At the end of the story, I started to get a glimpse of a much nicer Peyton, and that made me like her a lot more.

And then there is Madison. I have no idea what to think of her. I guess she was the "mean girl". And by I guess, I mean that she can be one heck of a B, but for some reason, I just want to believe her soft underbelly. I'm still deciding on who the real Madison is. I will have to get back to you on that one after I read the next book. And you better believe, I will be reading the next book. I am hooked on the world of the Secret Diamond Sisters and I can't wait to go back for more.

[Jen Ryland]

Sometimes I'm 100% in the mood for a book that doesn't take itself too seriously. The Secret Diamond Sisters was 100% sparkly, escapist fun.

Three teenaged sisters are plucked out of obscurity and taken to live with their casino mogul dad in Vegas. Yes, a lot of this is pure girly wish fulfillment: "Hey- I'm your long lost father. Here are three Black Amex cards; go have fun!" But I have to say, I did come to like all three sisters. There's rebellious Peyton, responsible Courtney, and naive Savannah, all of whom react to their new lives in different yet believable ways.

There are other characters, too, many reminiscent of those in Gossip Girl. There's a smoking jacket wearing high school playboy -- hello, Chuck Bass! There's a fashion-obsessed girl in love with a guy who seems oblivious to her infatuation - hello, Blair Waldorf! There's a public school transfer who thinks all these spoiled kids are beneath him -- hello, Dan Humphrey! There's also a blog (XOXO!!) that comments on all the goings-on at the beginning of each chapter. But it's a formula that works, if you like that kind of story. I'm not going to lie: sometimes I really do.

Yes, I felt there were some credibility issues -- there usually are in a story like this. Not in the amount that this group of teens drinks and hooks up, which I (sadly) think is probably accurate. But I found it very hard to believe that a major, upscale Las Vegas resort owned by a guy who claims to be VERY worried about bad publicity would let all these high school kids -- including his own daughters -- drink so freely on the premises. Their father is like: "Don't ever embarrass me in public, but that martini you're drinking? No prob. Cheers!"

The book leaves things very open-ended, and there are plenty of things to be explored in further books. There's love geometry that's so complicated, I'm not sure how to describe it -- a love pentagon (?) that includes step-siblings AND sisters. Maybe I'll attempt a diagram for my blog review. I definitely sense some drama brewing among the adults. And the first book takes place in summer, so the Diamond sisters haven't even started high school -- a place where drama abounds....

If, like me, you've been sort of missing the crazy shenanigans of the Gossip Girl gang, you should definitely give Secret Diamond Sisters a try.

Thanks to Harlequin Teen for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book!

[Nemo (The ☾Moonlight☾ Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t really talk about this novel without spoilers, but it’s okay, because there’s not really a plot, just a love dodecahedron.

The Secret Diamond Sisters is the story of what happened when three sisters from the poor side of town find out their long-lost dad is a billionaire hotel owner, and are uprooted to become Las Vegas’ hottest new princesses/heiresses, when their alcoholic mother goes to rehab.





The problem with The Secret Diamond Sisters is that there’s not really a plot, it’s really just the romantic mishaps of the three sisters as each gets embroiled in their own love triangle. There’s really no plot involved, no bigger storyline than their love lives, and because of that there’s no climax, which from the books I’ve been reading recently seems to be the ‘in’ thing nowadays, cutting out a proper climax in the hopes that Book 1 of a series will draw readers into Book 2.





I can’t really discuss plot, because there’s not one. But I can discuss character.



I’ll start with Peyton, whom we’re as a group supposed to hate, or at least dislike. Most obviously because she doesn’t like reading, which when you put into a book always means we’re not supposed to like the character because we the audience like to read. Peyton’s the eldest of the sisters and is a walking disaster. She’s vulnerable and rebellious and has a ‘fuck you’ attitude to hide her own insecurities.



She dithers between two different boys, Oliver and her new bodyguard. Neither wants her, and she cheats on her actual boyfriend back home in Bumfuck Nowheresville with one of them trying to make the other jealous. She’s a mess, but by the end of the book at least she straightens out a little bit, realises her mistakes, and vows to protect her sisters from making the same mistakes.



Courtney is the middle sister and the darling of the novel. She’s a hard worker, selfless, awkward around boys, and we’re supposed to love her because she’s a big reader (and actually spends time reading) and wants to travel. Courtney’s not interested in boys, she doesn’t have time for them because she wants to go to college and needs excellent grades for a scholarship. When Daddy hands over a credit card and tells her she can spend it on anything but a yacht, basically, she still struggles to spend any money she hasn’t earned herself, and even applies for a job in the hotel (which she is yelled at for, how rude!).





Courtney’s cornered by Oliver, who’s made a horrible bet that he can seduce and sleep with each of the sisters before school starts, but she secretly longs for her future step-brother, Brett. Eventually she takes a risk and of course we don’t know how it actually pays off because the novel just ends.



Savannah is the baby of the sisters, she’s fifteen and embodies all a vapid, self-obsessed, sheltered teen girl does. She’s boy crazy, an attention whore, and loves to be admired, but even though she’s musically gifted she gets terrible stage fright. Savannah loves being in Vegas and spending all the money she never has, and she’s convinced that if she gets the right look (makeover time!) and buys the right clothes she’ll finally be popular and wanted, like her best friend back home.



Savannah latches on to the first hot boy she sees in Vegas, Damien, whose intentions I never quite grasped. He seemed sweet enough, but when he started getting hot and heavy with Savannah on the second day they met, Savannah actually wonders if she should have just had sex with him, because he’s not going to be into her if she doesn’t.



Eventually a girl called Madison (we’ll get to her) ruins Damien’s chances with Savannah and she latches on to the first boy she bumps into, Nick, who’s Madison’s ex, and the two get along really well, like brother and sister. Also, this relationship also goes nowhere because the book finishes before anything becomes official, although you can pretty clearly guess what’s going on between Nick and Savannah.



Madison, mentioned above, is a surprise fourth point of view. With the book called The Secret Diamond Sisters I kept expecting some kind of plot revelation that Madison as the mysterious fourth long-lost half-sister, but that never happened. I’m pretty sure we only got Madison’s point of view because she’s a massive bitch who’s convinced the Diamond sisters are out to ruin her life because they keep drawing the attention of all the guys Madison is used to reigning over. Madison is crushing on Brett (Courtney’s), while her BFF Oliver sleeps with Peyton and dates Courtney, and her maybe-crush Damien is entranced by Savannah.



Madison’s character is quite well developed, maybe the best developed of the four point of view characters, but she’s a massive drama queen, an alcoholic, and obsessed with her looks, as well as declaring the Diamond sisters her nemesis for no real reason except that she seems to love the drama and attention, probably because her own parents are neglectful of her. Despite the confusion of Madison’s included POV, I actually really enjoyed reading her sections. It did reveal parts of the story we wouldn’t otherwise have known.



Overall I did enjoy reading The Secret Diamond Sisters. The descriptions of Las Vegas hotels were really beautiful, I really felt immersed in the book seeing as how my only exposure to Vegas is CSI: Las Vegas and that time in Friends Ross and Rachel got married. The lack of plot won’t bother those who simply want to read about three poor girls who suddenly have the world at their fingertips and all the boys they could possibly imagine.



My one criticism is the use of alcohol: Although Madow uses lots of fake ID, so many of the teens are heavy drinkers, and I know the drinking age is 21 in the US. I don’t doubt it actually does happen, but I personally would have thought the three sisters (especially Peyton) would have had more respect for the drug that destroyed their mother (whose own storyline also remained unfinished). I also would have loved to have seen more sisterly interactions, especially the sisters being protective of one another and not simply thinking it.





Thanks to HarlequinTeen Australia for providing this review copy for an honest review.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the longest time, I’ve had my eyes on this beautiful chick-lit series taken in one of the most wildest cities in the world—Vegas. Three secret heiress sisters arriving in the city for the first time? That’s a world that’s definite clung to partying and wild romance. Now that I’ve finally gotten a chance to read this, I must say that there’s no book in the world that’s like or even close to The Secret Diamond Sisters’s stunningly-built world.

This book isn’t for everyone. If you’ve read other reviews, you probably noticed that a lot of them are negative. I must say that I’m against the negativity. I understand and don’t understand why, all at the same time. This is a full-out gorgeous chick-lit with drama and perfection, just like a mix between The Bachelor’s drama and Titanic’s romance. It’s that strong. But people have noted that this book didn’t “have a point.” I really am all o_O when reading those thoughts—but it’s their opinion, right?



Hmmph. Anywho—I’d seriously recommend staying away from that negativity. DON’T LET IT SCARE YOU. This book is friendly, this book is feisty with love, but it’s amazing and one of my favourite books of all-time.

Like I noted, this is about three sisters, aka The Secret Diamond Sisters? Yes, the title seriously matches them—I love it! Savannah, Courtney and Peyton are three sisters living in northern California with their alcoholic mother who doesn’t know how to control her addiction. Everyday, they fear for their lives but keep moving on, taking care of each other. As their mother’s addiction rises and gets more out of hand, she is sent to rehab and the three sisters are sent to their long-lost father in Las Vegas. Little do they know he’s a billionaire.

You’re probably thinking:



and guess what? You’re absolutely right!—in a way. These girls didn’t even know that he basically existed. The story behind everything is so much darker than you can imagine. Dark in a girly-fun novel? YES.



From there, the plot begins to build up. They are brought to Vegas where they’ll be living in one of their father’s most-pricy hotels. They’re in a penthouse and have their own bodyguards. They have their own bedrooms. The change from their past lives to the present is anything but ordinary. Each sister takes their steps in a whole different direction, and gossip is spreading and everyone is watching their steps. And this is just the beginning of a hell-of-a-ride crazy summer with flings, secrets, and mysteries.

This book is



Without reading this, you won’t be able to understand what it did to me. I read this in one sitting in a matter of hours. Michelle Madow is a writer who writes lush, defined, and pure stories that’s chapters will suck you up into a time-machine and throw you into these girls’s lives in a huge city with partying, drinking and clubbing. All of the positive stereotypes about the Hilton’s lives are true, and by reading this you’ll be able to relive a life of not one, not two, but three different heiresses.

Favourite sis from greatest to least? Courtney, Savannah, Peyton. I’m not saying I hate them. I freaking love all of the characters in this book. But really, I found myself relating to Courtney the most.

“Courtney wished her long-term plans were as solid’s as Brett’s. All she knew was that she wanted to do something with her love of books. There were tons of jobs in the book industry, and while she didn’t know which one would be right for her, she was leaning toward editing.”

SCORE! As you can tell, SHE’S A BOOKWORM AND SMART AND INDEPENDENT. ;D She’s an automatic lover of mine, hehe. And the whole mess-up with Brett? Oh, no. Honey, you just have to go out and keep loving him, even though your separated for such a crazy reason. She deserves Brett.



Brett’s my favourite guy. Not much to rave about since all of him is in my heart, but you can probably tell that I’m in love with him. But, Courtney can have him. :)

This book was amazing. Period.

Michelle Madow captivated me from beginning to end and left me obsessed—literally. After reading, I was so thankful to have an ARC of the sequel so I can get straight into it. Her writing is like biting into a gooey-piece of your favourite food. (If it’s meant to be gooey and sweet and all.) There’s so many ways I can express what this book did to me, but all I can say for now is—magic and illusion. This book’s amazingness made it feel like I was reading an illusion. It’s so amazing that it’s so believable. No negativity in my world, and I sure hope that you all will see that as well!

[Tiffany (About to Read) · Rating 5 out of 5]

In true Gossip Girl fashion, Madow throws us into Las Vegas’ sparkling lights with a billion dollars and pretty much no rules. If you love stories about the high life, you won’t want to miss it. Madow goes above massive shopping sprees and crazy parties though and gives us more: three sisters from a broken family who find out that their long-lost father is a hotel tycoon. I am a huge fan of sister stories, and unlike several novels that just can’t seem to understand what sisterhood means, Madow nails it.


Savannah, Peyton, and Courtney have been through a lot. While I related to Courtney the most, Peyton’s stories about dealing with her mother’s crap and trying to shelter her sisters from everything that went on was something that I could definitely relate to. I am the oldest of 4 and there have been times when I’ve tried to shield my younger siblings from something. Peyton’s courage with being in such a horrible atmosphere is personally something that I thought was fantastic.


Then there is Courtney, who responsible as always, gets a job to help pay bills. And Savannah, who is very naive. She has had two older sisters out there to help protect her from her mother. She knows it was bad, but she really has no idea exactly how bad it was. She’s a dreamer, carefree, and kind of irresponsible. Definitely the hardest character for me to relate to, but she’s also very forgiving and I admire that. It can’t be easy to accept someone into your life who you felt abandoned you, but Savannah does that. It takes a really special person and definitely some maturity to recognize that there are two sides to every story, and maybe her Dad’s side doesn’t suck.

The things that the girls have gone through with their mother have caused them to form an unbreakable bond. No matter who tries to come between them it won’t work. And I love that. No sisters fighting over the same boy here (because seriously, nothing makes me want to throw a book across the room faster). The Secret Diamond Sisters actually made me cry. Some people will surely say I’m over sensitive, but those scenes about their alcoholic mother broke my heart. Every. Single. Time.

As much as I loved the glamour, the gritty back story, and the sisterly love, this series clearly has a lot more in store for us. I am expecting some heart stopping secrets to come out of the next novels. I mean, there is clearly more to Adrian’s story. I’m excited to see Savannah develop and mature. And Peyton. Oh Peyton. She is such a stubborn, trouble maker, but I am sure she will keep us entertained :)

Where over the top, high-life stories typically fail to deliver, Michelle Madow excels. Instead of spoiled princesses and people who let wealth go to their heads. We have three sisters who have struggled and dealt with a lot in their lives before being thrust into the limelight. Three sisters who are learning to heal after finally meeting their father. And three sisters who love each other more anything. Tip of the hat to Michelle. Now go pick it up and tell me what you think :)

[Justine (bookwormaniac) · Rating 2 out of 5]

(I received this book from the author herself for review, and this does not change my opinion or anything else.)

This book is just another 9O21O episode written through a book. I was absolutely disappointed throughout the book. It started and ended blandly. However it did quite entertain me as I read the book.

One thing that really helped this book: multiple POVs. I really don't like having third person point-of-view when it's in a multiple point-of-view. But I guess the author rocked it and it's the only thing that helped the author shine bright like a diamond. (heh)

It had been compared to be the next Gossip Girl/ Princess Diaries, but all I see is disappointment. It didn't live up with the hype. There are a lot of flaws and room for improvement that I just wish could've been rewritten.

Savannah is fifteen. Savannah is a flirt. Oh, God. There are many ways that could've go wrong, but she having an intimacy with an older guy who probably had an intercourse with somebody else is very, very wrong. How stupid can teenagers be, seriously?

Courtney is what? Sixteen? And is probably the most mature of them all sisters. I salute her for being the role model. She is probably the most likable character in this book.

And lastly, Peyton. The most immature character but everything changed in the end. As we all know, the three sisters have different characteristics. Savannah being the girly-girl. Courtney being the responsible woman. And Peyton being the boyish/goth woman.

Also, don't forget their dad who is a multi-millionaire who is also a failure. Talk about the worst family that you could ever imagine. Rich dad, poor soul. Drunk mom, sick body. Let's clap our hands to the parents of the year. Well at least the dad is rich; let's give him that.

There were some words I was hoping for to pop up on the pages. Like a good quote for the readers to reflect on, but it's all concentrated on the story and the characters. Every chapter is almost always talking about getting the boy or the girl, the clubs, the Diamond family, and the good-looking couple. What good can I even get from this story?

Let's talk about pacing. The pacing is smoothly good and I have nothing to complain about. But the choice of words used in this book I have problems with. There were no complexities and such. Everything felt dragging.

If you like chick-lits, give this one a go. Well, it had some great reviews too. And if you want something mind-blowing, I strongly do not suggest this one.

[Devan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, all I can say is... If you want to feel like you're living in a modern-day fairy tale, this is the book is for you.

I felt hooked from the very beginning (you're thrown right into the action alongside the Diamond girls) and it's exciting but you also feel the tension of what it would be like to be uprooted suddenly from everything you know. And then, as things progress, you really feel whisked away into another life where the whole world is suddenly open to you - and your only limit is how willing you are to let go of your past... And with a chance to start over in LAS VEGAS, how could you resist??

The descriptions of the Vegas Strip and all its colorful clubs and casinos really made me feel like I was there; even if you haven't been to Vegas before, you get a sense of how extravagant and theatrical it is. Everything is dazzling, and everything is a show. There's really no place like it in the world. And you find yourself wondering what you would do in the same situation...

I also really enjoyed how different each of the Diamond sisters were and how I can totally relate to parts of their individual personalities. Savannah is so sweet and hopeful, and Courtney is so driven and motivated, and Peyton is so strong in her convictions. And what also makes the girls very relatable is that they aren't perfect and they make mistakes, but they also learn and grow and make the best of what would be a very difficult situation.

The author also deals very delicately with the subjects of alcoholism, cancer, the absence of a parent, and what life is like for teenagers who have to largely support themselves (which is something that many people are familiar with). But even when I was empathizing with what the Diamond sisters had had to live with, it was wonderful to see how they support each other throughout the story - a family like that is really nice to read about. You can tell that the girls will be there, together, no matter what life throws at them.

Add to all of this a good dose of romance and intrigue (so much drama, it was so exciting!) involving new “friends” (maybe more like “frenemies”) and some (potentially) scandalous business dealings surrounding the girls' father, Adrian Diamond, and his mysterious past... And you have the makings of a really great series to follow a book that is just a lot of fun... I can't wait to see what happens to the Diamond sisters next!! <3

[Susan (The Book Bag) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! How cool would it be to find out your father was a Las Vegas billionaire? But knowing that you, your sisters, and your mother struggled all those years without him and his money? That would be hard. And there would be lots of issues to work through and a lot of questions that would need to be answered.

Savannah, Courtney, and Peyton go to Vegas to live with their father, a father they knew nothing about, after their mother passes away. They are dropped into a totally different lifestyle from what they had been used to. But they are pretty much like most typical teenagers; they just want to have friends, have fun, and to fit in.

I love this story told from the concurrent viewpoints of all three sisters. Typically in a trilogy such as this, each book would mainly focus on one of the characters. We would see the world through their eyes. This book takes a look at all of the sisters and we get to see how they all act and react to the happenings around them. We really get to know all of the sisters at the same time.

Each sister has their own personality and I connected with parts of each one of them. I really did feel like I came to know them all and I am super excited to see where the next story takes us.

One line that really struck a nerve with me is this one ~

'Peyton didn't understand the concept of reading for fun. If a book was good enough, it would become a movie, and she could see it that way.'

Ahhhh! How can you not want to read for fun?!

[AndRea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kde bolo, tam bolo žili si nespokojne tri nič netušiace popolušky, z ktorých sa lusknutím prsta stali princezné, a ktoré namiesto dvoch zlých, nevlastných sestier získali jedného sexy nevlastného brata, dobrú macochu + pár miliónov k tomu, čo môže veľa vecí skomplikovať... možno i preto nedostali "žili šťastne až do smrti"(no stále sú ešte dve knihy pred nami, takže nič nie je stratené).
A tak sa namiesto vytúženej rozprávky ocitli uprostred seriálu Gossip Girl... a ako to všetko dopadlo? Dozviete sa po prečítaní. ;)
Zhrniem to jedným slovo naivné, ale neskutočne NÁVYKOVÉ!

[Rachel Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly addictive! Hold on tight, because The Secret Diamond Sisters throws you head first into the Vegas fast lane. Three every day teens navigate the slippery slope of wealth, popularity, and too much freedom, along with family drama, cat fights, and more gorgeous guys than should be legal. A fun ride not to be missed. LOVED it :)

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow
Book One of The Secret Diamond Sisters series
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
Publication Date: February 25, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the author

Summary (from Goodreads):

Savannah. Courtney. Peyton.

The three sisters grew up not knowing their father and not quite catching a break. But it looks like their luck is about to change when they find out the secret identity of their long-lost dad—a billionaire Las Vegas hotel owner who wants them to come live in a gorgeous penthouse hotel suite. Suddenly the Strip's most exclusive clubs are all-access, and with an unlimited credit card each, it should be easier than ever to fit right in. But in a town full of secrets and illusion, fitting in is nothing compared to finding out the truth about their past.

What I Liked:

I didn't really know what to expect with this novel - I don't read too many contemporary novels, and when I do, they are usually contemporary romance novels. This novel was more of a contemporary novel (alone, rather than both contemporary and romance) - I'll explain more about that later.

There are three sisters - Peyton, Courtney, and Savannah (in that order). Fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen years of age. They lived with their mother for all their lives, never knowing who their father was. Until their mother is sent to rehab (she's an alcoholic), and their father swoops in to save them. Turns out their father is Adrian Diamond, a rich hotel owner in Las Vegas. Life in Las Vegas is very different. Savannah loves it, Courtney is homesick but assimilating, and Peyton... Peyton doesn't want anything to do with their father. Each girl has the good life in Vegas, but each girl discovers problems with boys, publicity, and good old Dad.

This book is split into FOUR perspectives, not just three. We have the three sisters, and then we have a girl about their age who lives in the Diamond Residence - Madison. Madison is stuck-up and rich, the queen bee of Goodman (the private school that the Diamond sisters will be attending). I didn't like her in the beginning of the book, and I did not like her in the end of the book.

The thing about the four girls is that I really did not like three of the four of them. Savannah is naive and silly, Peyton is b****y and slutty, and Madison is equally as b****y, but also cruel and spiteful. Courtney is the only one of them that I actually liked, because she is innocent and sweet, smart and thoughtful. She is also the peacekeeper in the family, so she kind of lets people walk over her, and makes decisions for the good of everyone. That's a good and bad thing. I really like her though.

But Madow does a REALLY good job of characterizing each of the girls. I may not like three of them, but each of them is very well-developed. Each one of them undergoes a progression of character development from beginning to end of the novel, which is excellent. Madow did this really well.

I also really like how well Madow sets the scene of this novel. I don't know how Madow deoes it, but the setting is so well-written. I know that Madow lived in Vegas, but she really knows what she is talking about! And everything is so well-described - the new lives of the Diamond sisters is so fascinating and it seems real. Fantastic job with that, Madow!

Each girl deals with romance issues. Peyton didn't break up with Mike, her boyfriend back at their hometown. But she hooked up with rich and charming Oliver, but she also likes her very young bodyguard, Jackson. Savannah is infatuated with Damian, but Damian is in love with Madison. Madison is not in love with Damian, and she went out with both Nick and Brett (not simultaneously). Savannah also likes Nick. Brett likes Courtney, Courtney likes Brett. Those two are the most uncomplicated.

So it seems like this book revolves around romance. HOWEVER, I think this book is more about discovering one's self. Like, by going through these silly crushes, infatuations, and lusty affections, each girl is growing into themselves. Also, this book features many different types of relationships. Yes, most are romantic relationships, but the book also features sister-sister relationships, father-daughter relationships, stepmother-stepdaughter relationships, and so on.

So, I consider this book more of a contemporary novel, than a contemporary romance novel. Also, this book is part of a series, but NOT a companion series. Like, each book is NOT a standalone. Each book builds on the previous one. This book does not end neatly and perfectly. Relationships are not clear-cut and defined. The ending is not wrapped up.

I was surprised by this, BUT, I'm excited to read the next books in the series! It's cool that a YA contemporary series is not a companion series, but it's an actual series. I'm interested in seeing where Madow goes with this series - there is so much she could do!

What I Did Not Like:

I actually don't think I have any complaints with this one! Or maybe I'm too lazy to think of any. Hmm.

Well, I know for sure that I would NOT act like that, as a teenage girl. I'm eighteen, and I'm not that promiscuous (Peyton), naive (Savannah), or cruel/b****y (Madison). I guess I'm most similar to Courtney, being innocent and quiet and the peaacemaker. But... I have a serious temper, and I wouldn't always be trying to keep the peace in the family.

But seriously, I am not anything like Peyton, Savannah, or Madison, and I honestly would not be friends with them in real life. They're not my type of people, and I don't like their character. HOWEVER, it gives the book depth, and each girl is well-characterized. So I'm not totally against their existence.

Would I Recommend It:

This book probably isn't for everyone, but I certainly enjoyed it. It's a contemporary novel, but I wouldn't tag it as predominantly romance-based. Each of the girls featured DO have some romantic issues to deal with, and it probably feels like the novel is all about romance, but I feel like it's more about growth and relationships.

Anyway, I liked it, and I would recommend it, especially to contemporary fans. Paranormal/fantasy/science fiction fans probably wouldn't be as interested in this book as contemporary fans, but it's worth the read, in my opinion!

Rating:

4 stars. Much to my delight, I really enjoyed this novel! I can't wait to read the next novels in the series. And it's an actual series, not a companion series! COOL!

[Grace (LovingDemBooks) Z. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Buy this book HERE for CHEAP with FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING



I received a free copy of this book from HarelequinTEEN in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thanks HarlequinTEEN!

2.5 of 5 stars. My prediction about this book before reading it was it would be something like the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” TV show… You know, 3 rich sisters that live in a rich environment that party, drink, and eat fancy dinners… But as I read more of the book, I realized that my prediction was kind of true (I didn’t think it was going to be). 3 sisters, who were thrown into Vegas-stardom because of their billionaire father. Sounds kind of like the Kardashians, right? My mom loves to watch “Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and she told me that the Kardashians weren’t always famous and rich, and that they we’re thrown into stardom later in life, partly because of one of the sisters, Kim. I compared the 3 sisters to the 3 Kardashian sisters and thought Savannah was like Kim, Kourtney somewhat like Peyton, and Courtney like Khloe. Just because I’m comparing the 3 sisters in this book (Savannah, Courtney, Peyton) to the Kardashian sisters doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy the book. I liked how there were perspectives from all 3 sisters (I honestly don’t know how the book would be written if it weren’t), but I found that Courtney’s perspective would often drag and become more boring than Savannah and Peyton’s perspectives. I also really like how this book was printed on recycled paper; except that’s irrelevant and not related to my opinion on the actual book. (Good job, HarelequinTEEN! SAVE THE EARTH!) Overall I thought the book was rather entertaining, and I enjoyed how I got to experience the extravagant city of Las Vegas without flying there myself.

My rating system: (I do use half stars.)
5 - I do not use the 5 star. Not because a book might not be worthy, but because a book is never perfect.
4 - I loved it! There weren't too many flaws, and I had no trouble getting through it. (A 4 star rating is the highest rating I've ever given a book.)
3 - I enjoyed the book, but there we're flaws that made me enjoy it less.
2 - I finished the book, but there were too many flaws for me to enjoy it.
1 - I could not finish the book, and I probably did not finish it....

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her debut novel Michelle Madow introduces us to the Diamond sisters, three girls who recently discovered that they are the heirs to a Las Vegas fortune. This book takes place in the midst of the glitz and glam of Las Vegas. The overall theme – rich teens living the party lifestyle – was vaguely reminiscent of the Gossip Girl series, but I found the characters in this book to be easier to relate to and generally I enjoyed the writing style of Secret Diamond Sisters a lot more than that of the Gossip Girl series.

The nice thing is that between the three sisters, every reader will relate to at least one of them. I personally enjoyed Courtney’s character them most, but I really did enjoy reading about all three of the sisters. They each have their flaws and their strengths, but at the end of the day they are a family and they love each other. That is what makes this story truly great; often when we see books about the ‘high life’ they involve characters that are too self-absorbed or selfish to be relatable – that is not the case in this book.

The story involves a lot of drama and, of course, there are plenty of secrets being held that may or may
not be revealed in this first installment. Overall, Secret Diamond Sisters is great if you want an enjoyable read that will keep you intrigued throughout the book – I would recommend trying to read it in on sitting, you won’t want to put this one down!

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 2 out of 5]

5 Words: Fun, flirty, fluffy, fame, rags-to-riches.

This wasn't a fantastic book.

It's not the type of book that will change your life.

But it's light and fluffy and fun, so if you're in that mood then pick it up.

I did somewhat enjoy this book. But there was something about it I couldn't stand. Peyton.

Peyton has to be the most self-absorbed, smug, selfish bitch I've read this year. Grow up you nasty brat, take some responsibility and stop being a ho.

Although I didn't fully get on with this book, I do still want to read the next one. Because that ending was so anti-climatic. It was like the book had been building up and up and... Nothing. Nada. Just Peyton hearing that she was a self-absorbed, smug, selfish bitch.

I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.

[Lyn *GLITTER VIKING*]

Review of the book:

I wonder what PC color of poop this book could be. Pink? Yellow? Ignorant?

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the main reasons that I chose to read this book was because it was published by my favorite publisher, HarlequinTEEN. I have never read a book on this particular publisher that I didn't absolutely love, and this book was no exception.

The second reason I bought this book was the cover. The cover absolutely caught my attention with the mysterious blond girl with the pretty blue eye and the snapshots of the Vegas Strip. I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but I got lucky because I really liked the book.

Three sisters, Peyton, Courtney, and Savannah share an apartment with the alcoholic mother who would rather hang out drinking at the bar than sit at home caring for her daughters. After 15 years of never knowing who their father is, the girls are whisked off to Las Vegas to meet and live with their dad, Adrian Diamond, who happens to be the richest man in Vegas. The girls go from having absolutely nothing to having everything their little hearts desire. Oh what trouble ensues when these girls hit Vegas, and there is a lot of trouble.

Peyton is the oldest sister at seventeen and she is definitely the wild child of the three. She has long dirty blond hair with thick blue streaks running through it; heavy kohl eyeliner to define those baby blue eyes; and a nasty rebellious attitude. Out of all the sisters, Peyton was my favorite, mainly because she doesn't let a little money go to her head. She isn't going to easily give into Adrian by adhering to his rules, he hasn't been a part of her life in so long that she feels like he doesn't deserve respect from her. She can be a little headstrong and very stubborn, but I think that was why I really liked her. She definitely has "daddy issues" which is why she has trouble sticking around with one guy--she got her heart broken in 9th grade, but I feel like because she didn't have a stable father figure around, Peyton has some attention issues. She jumps into bed with the first guy she finds at a club, who incidentally has a bet going with a friend that he can sleep with all three Diamond sisters.

One relationship I would love to see happen in the next book is with Peyton and a forbidden guy, whom she kisses in the elevator towards the end of the book (it reminds me of Rose Hathaway and Dimitri Belikov in so many ways. I hope to see more of that relationship in the next book, they just seem perfect to me.)

Courtney is the good girl. She never breaks rules. She sits at home and reads books or studies rather than go out and party. She's the perfect little angel who hasn't even really been with a guy (I know she's a virgin, but I can't remember if she's ever even kissed a boy.) She would prefer to work at the coffee shop rather than spend Adrian's money, but when he tells her that she is not allowed to have a job, she uses the black American Express card he gave to all three girls as responsibly as she can. Courtney meets a boy that she is absolutely head-over-heels for, Brett Carmel, but she can't seem to figure out if he likes her or not. Also, she has been explicitly forbidden from getting romantic with Brett by Adrian--you have to read the book to find out why.

And then there is Savannah. Honestly, I seriously hated this sister the absolute most. Most of the time, she sounded like she was 9 years old when she is actually 15 years old. She is overwhelmingly innocent and naïve to the point that it really annoys me. She believes everything everyone tells her. Then there is the fact that she has no problem with spending her dad's money, she has no problem with that. I know that if a long-lost parent came into my life and was a billionaire like Adrian is, I would have a lot of problems spending their money, since it really isn't mine. I just hated how selfish she really was. Oh, and then there was the simple fact that after only knowing a guy for maybe an hour, she lets him stick his hand down her bikini bottom and touch her intimately. Who does that? Seriously. Not the classiest thing to do, Savannah. When she tells him to stop, he gets mad and then she feels bad because she didn't let him touch her, and that maybe if she had, he would stay interested in her. She is so clueless.

My second favorite character was Madison Lockhart. I loved this girl to pieces. Yeah, she was the reigning Queen "B" but there was something about her that I liked. She was always honest with herself and what she wanted. She felt bad for dumping her boyfriend but didn't want to lead him on because she knew he wasn't "the one". She felt even worse for cheating on him, because she wasn't that kind of girl. Madison cannot stand the Diamond sisters, mainly because they have a lot more money than she ever will; they're beautiful like she is; and they're new, so everyone is talking about them. Usually bad characters are just that, bad. You're supposed to hate them. Madison does some tacky things, but she is still likeable for me as a reader, so I feel like her character isn't as bad as we're led to believe.

One of my biggest problems with this book was all the alcohol consumption. Courtney was literally the only one who didn't consume alcohol. I kept thinking to myself, "Where are all the adults at? Why is no one carding these teenagers?" I have actually been to Vegas and the places I went, you were ID'd (it didn't even matter if you were rich. You still got carded.) I am not an alcohol drinker, so that was the only thing I really had a problem with.

All in all, this was a great book and I cannot wait to read the next one, Diamonds in the Rough later this year.

[Rissi · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first learned about Michelle Madow, it was back when she self-published her first series – the Transcend Time saga. What interested me most was her journey to publication; it was neat to read about an up-and-coming author who didn’t start out expecting to publish. But after inspiration struck, she took the encouragement of family and musical motivation to pursue publishing a project that started out as a school paper. After reading the three novels comprised of said series, I was tickled pink to learn she’d inked her own publishing deal. This is the first novel that resulted in that series.

The three Diamond girls aren’t prone to popularity. Their mother has an alcohol problem and they were told their father wanted nothing to do with them. Everything is about to change when their mom is placed in a rehab facility and Adrian Diamond sends for his daughters – suddenly, the girls are thrust into the spotlight as the wealthy casino owner’s daughters, given their own penthouse condo and unlimited access to almost anything they want. Now, with secrets brimming on the surface will they learn to embrace the right choices… or make mistakes they can’t climb out from under?

From Michelle’s first novel (Remembrance) to this one, her technique has improved. She has a smoother narrative which in turns means easier, flowing prose. Each scene moves effortlessly into the next (the story only takes a matter of days to unfold), and the personalities of the girls is fabulous. With so many POV trade-offs, keeping everyone distinct can be a challenge, but no such misfortune plagues these characters.

Sadly, in terms of heroes to root for, I was left adrift. Nearly all of the guys (and whoa are there a lot) are one of the following.

a. a jerk
b. a dude unable to show female counterparts respect
(are those two things mutually exclusive…)
c. "off limits"

This is the one drawback of Madow’s stylistic writing – working with Harlequin TEEN seems to bring with it the stipulation that she write with a “worldview” and fans of Michelle’s prior novels should know this story isn’t the same level of innocent as before.

Lest anyone think otherwise, I absolutely loved what was at the heart of this story. At its heart, this is about the bond of sisters. Girls who's world shatters when they learn of their birthright, move and try to fit into a world opposite of everything they know. The characterizations are memorable as is the location shift, glamour and excitement, and during my reading of the book, I did have to step away to finish another obligation for a time and when finally I returned to this novel, I realized I did indeed miss it.

The glitz and glamour was an attractive part of the story as was the sweet naivety of Savannah or the studious nature of Courtney. If I had a wish for the sequel this fall (which, I am very anxious to read), it’d be that the girls become more confident in being who they are without buckling to what is “acceptable” or “expected.”

Peyton has an attitude that she needs to lose (which she may be close to shedding); Courtney has a good start on standing apart and being who she wants to be; and Savannah in many ways still needs sheltering yet she’s also a colorful individual caught between finally belonging (caving to pressure/desire to fit in) and falling in love for the first time (for all the wrong reasons).

The Secret Diamond Sisters is off to a strong start in its story and by the time the final page is turned, I was left wishing I could immediately find out what comes next. Teasers indicate more secrets, and seeing characters in such a way that could change our minds about them completely. That sounds like an all-exclusive, all-access pass not to be missed.

Content: Sex and alcohol are treated very casually in this novel. Peyton sleeps (implied) with someone while in another relationship, while Savannah has to ward off advances she decides she isn’t ready for (the boy doesn’t push her). There are thoughts of nights spend together (non-descriptive) and remarks about virginity made. There’s rarely a scene when characters don’t have a drink in hand – multiple drinks are even referenced in the span of one or two paragraphs, and teens often drink to the point of forgetting the night’s events. (The girl’s mother is an alcoholic.) Profanity and crudities is also part of the dialogue – including one use of the F-word, sh*t, da*m and the term, “WTF.”

Sincere thanks to the author, Michelle Madow for the opportunity to read and review this novel; and for providing a complimentary ARC copy of this book.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Harlequin TEEN and Netgalley.)
The three Diamond sisters – 17-year-old Peyton, 16-year-old Courtney, and 15-year-old Savannah are about to get a shock. Their mother is checking into a mental health hospital for help with her drinking problem, and they are going to live with their father, a man they haven’t seen in 15 years.

When the girls discover who their father is though, they’re in for another shock, because their father is Adrian Diamond, casino and hotel owner in Vegas, and the girls will be living in a penthouse apartment at their father’s hotel.
Why haven’t the Diamond sisters seen their father in 15 years? Are all the boys in Vegas good looking? And should they really irritate the Queen Bee Madison before they’ve even been properly introduced?


This started out good, but I was a little disappointed that it was pretty much all about the romance.

I think I liked Savannah the most out of the three sisters, Courtney and Peyton were both a lot more stubborn and opinionated than Savannah, and their reaction to their father and his money wasn’t all that accepting. Savannah on the other hand seized the moment, and the black Amex her father gave to her, and went shopping – a girl after my own heart. Imagine shopping with an unlimited credit card; just think how many books you could buy!

Anyway, I liked the storyline at the beginning in this, and I was also quite impressed by the reasons for why their father hadn’t seen them for 15 years. I liked the little twists and surprises, but the romance kind-of put me off a bit.

I know that 3 new girls in a penthouse suite are going to attract attention, and fair enough they might get some attention from the other teenage males in the building, but there just wasn’t enough sizzle for me. I thought that this book would maybe be a bit more ruthless, I expected there to be a bit of a bad vibe between the sisters and the queen bee, but while Madison wasn’t happy about the sisters, her little plans to annoy them were that – little, and not all that exciting unfortunately. I expected more pranks, more backstabbing, and more boyfriend stealing, and while a certain bet did make things a little more interesting, it still wasn’t really addictive reading.

There were also some oddities about the romance in this book, there was the aforementioned bet, there were two relationship with people who were off-bounds, and also a bit of a love triangle concerning one of the eligible males. I just didn’t really love any of the boys in this book though. They all seemed to have their own agenda’s, and Courtney and Peyton both seemed determined to fall in love with people that their father said they were not to even flirt with. I think if maybe the romance had been a bit more engaging that I wouldn’t have minded that this book lacked in other areas, but I just didn’t really feel anything for any of the love interests, apart from Oliver, and only because I thought he was a bit of an ass.

I was also surprised that this whole story took place in a short period of time, and at the start of the summer. I think the fact that they weren’t at school maybe decreased the number of opportunities for the popular girls to get at the Diamond sisters, as we only really had the one queen bee at the hotel for them to annoy.
The ending was okay, and it seemed that Madison might have been cooking up a new plan at the end so we were left with a bit of a cliff-hanger. It will be interesting to see where this goes, and if Madison’s new plan, and maybe even the girls going to school makes things a bit more interesting.
Overall; okay story, but I wish it wasn’t all about the romance.
7 out of 10.