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Don't Tell a Soul
by
Stay up all night with this modern day Rebecca! Perfect for fans of Truly Devious—a haunting story about a new girl in an old town filled with dark secrets . . . that might just kill her.
People say the house is cursed.
It preys on the weakest, and young women are its favorite victims.
In Louth, they're called the Dead Girls.
All Bram wanted was to disappear—from her old life, ...more
People say the house is cursed.
It preys on the weakest, and young women are its favorite victims.
In Louth, they're called the Dead Girls.
All Bram wanted was to disappear—from her old life, ...more
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Kindle Edition, 384 pages
Expected publication:
January 26th 2021
by Delacorte Press
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Dec 21, 2020
Chelsea Humphrey
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
from-publisher,
netgalley
"In the dark, it made no difference if my eyes were open or shut."
Do you enjoy YA novels that lean more toward the mature side of writing, ones that are dark and eerie yet beautifully written with a powerful message? Then Don't Tell a Soul is the gothic novel for you! There are subtle similarities between this book and Rebecca, but more so via appreciative retelling rather than anything malicious like outright plagiarism. The plot feels two-fold; there's a focus on the mystery behind her family' ...more
Do you enjoy YA novels that lean more toward the mature side of writing, ones that are dark and eerie yet beautifully written with a powerful message? Then Don't Tell a Soul is the gothic novel for you! There are subtle similarities between this book and Rebecca, but more so via appreciative retelling rather than anything malicious like outright plagiarism. The plot feels two-fold; there's a focus on the mystery behind her family' ...more

Ghosts lurking around the gothic mansion where three women from different eras had died because the place haunts the weakest young women by taking their souls.
And another troubled young girl named Bram, outcast, forced to leave NY because of accusations against her, estranged with her own mother who denies to believe her moves to uncle James’ eerie mansion located in Louth: a tiny town on the Hudson River to live with him temporarily!
But the permanent spiritual night time visitors of the house ...more
And another troubled young girl named Bram, outcast, forced to leave NY because of accusations against her, estranged with her own mother who denies to believe her moves to uncle James’ eerie mansion located in Louth: a tiny town on the Hudson River to live with him temporarily!
But the permanent spiritual night time visitors of the house ...more

Bram moves to a creepy manor that is supposedly cursed. Not a new concept but still one of my favorites to read. This reminded me of a lot of Riley Sager’s Home Before Dark which I absolutely loved but I thought there were a little bit too many similarities. Comparing those similarities would be spoilers so I won’t go into those but if you’ve read both books you will know what I’m talking about.
I really liked that even though this is targeted as a young adult book, there are themes of female emp ...more
I really liked that even though this is targeted as a young adult book, there are themes of female emp ...more

Don't Tell a Soul by Kirsten Miller is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary. As I read this book I truly forgot I was reading and not actually experiencing this story! The author presented the world so complete that I felt, heard, and experienced everything that the main character was going through. Terrific job!
Wonderful, well developed characters and plenty of tension, plus unpredictable situations and possible outcomes kept me entranced!
Our gal is sent to live with h ...more
Wonderful, well developed characters and plenty of tension, plus unpredictable situations and possible outcomes kept me entranced!
Our gal is sent to live with h ...more

Dec 17, 2020
Caitlyn DeRouin
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ya-mystery-thriller
Trigger Warnings: Mentions of parental death, mentioned death of grandparents, death (by suicide, fire), mentions of suicide (drowning), mentions of mental illness (nondescript, a character was committed, another character went to rehab), house fire, underage drinking and drug use, mentions of alcoholism, drug addiction, overdose, attempted rape, neglectful parenting, mentions of physical abuse, mentions of pedophilia, murder
This book was absolutely wild. It starts off as a ghost story, but it's ...more
This book was absolutely wild. It starts off as a ghost story, but it's ...more

3.5 stars, almost 4
Note: I was provided with a free ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
The creepy atmosphere Miller creates in this book harkens back to the gothic classics of du Marier and the Brontë sisters. Though the prose, voice, and style may feel a little old-fashioned, this story is wholly contemporary. Women aren't rivals. Instead, they are support networks, and they work tirelessly in a world where women's stories are d ...more
Note: I was provided with a free ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
The creepy atmosphere Miller creates in this book harkens back to the gothic classics of du Marier and the Brontë sisters. Though the prose, voice, and style may feel a little old-fashioned, this story is wholly contemporary. Women aren't rivals. Instead, they are support networks, and they work tirelessly in a world where women's stories are d ...more

A gothic mansion. A cold winter town. Mysterious deaths. A mystifying mural. And one girl on a mission to find the dark truth that could possibly kill her.
This book was so addicting, enthralling, heart-pounding and suspenseful. I found myself staying awake to finish- I could feel the tension through the pages and it was honestly brilliant.
This book follows our protagonist Bram- a “troubled” teenager who has been sent to live with her uncle after some unfortunate circumstances in her hometown
Onc ...more
This book was so addicting, enthralling, heart-pounding and suspenseful. I found myself staying awake to finish- I could feel the tension through the pages and it was honestly brilliant.
This book follows our protagonist Bram- a “troubled” teenager who has been sent to live with her uncle after some unfortunate circumstances in her hometown
Onc ...more

*I was provided with an eARC by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!*
CW: parental death, sexual assault/rape, drug/substance abuse, mentions of suicide, mentions of non-descript mental illnesses, gaslighting, parental neglect
I’ve been slowly but surely drifting into a territory of picking up one book after another revolving around what sounded like haunted houses, but with a much more complex stories underneath. I am not quite sure what draws me to these kind of books, b ...more
CW: parental death, sexual assault/rape, drug/substance abuse, mentions of suicide, mentions of non-descript mental illnesses, gaslighting, parental neglect
I’ve been slowly but surely drifting into a territory of picking up one book after another revolving around what sounded like haunted houses, but with a much more complex stories underneath. I am not quite sure what draws me to these kind of books, b ...more

As a Kirsten Miller fan, I was really excited to be approved by Netgalley for this eARC.
The story starts with Bram arriving in Louth, New York after a very long journey from Manhattan. She's come to stay with her uncle at a large manor house he's remodeling. There's a blizzard outside and she doesn't she feels like she's been forgotten. Eventually, she's picked up by a man her uncle hired to pick her up, which puts her on edge even though she's armed herself with a newly bought box cutter and be ...more
The story starts with Bram arriving in Louth, New York after a very long journey from Manhattan. She's come to stay with her uncle at a large manor house he's remodeling. There's a blizzard outside and she doesn't she feels like she's been forgotten. Eventually, she's picked up by a man her uncle hired to pick her up, which puts her on edge even though she's armed herself with a newly bought box cutter and be ...more

*Trigger Warning: Attempted Sexual Assault, Drug Abuse, Lacing someone’s drink*
“Don’t trust what anyone tells you. A girl should always go with her gut.”
Nothing says a great read like a gothic story filled with mysterious, a haunted house, dead girls, and a troubled protagonists. Told as a modern day Rebecca retelling, it absolutely hits the mark for me! The story revolves around Bram, banished from Manhattan after an incident that “tarnished” her reputation, and has been moved to live with her ...more
“Don’t trust what anyone tells you. A girl should always go with her gut.”
Nothing says a great read like a gothic story filled with mysterious, a haunted house, dead girls, and a troubled protagonists. Told as a modern day Rebecca retelling, it absolutely hits the mark for me! The story revolves around Bram, banished from Manhattan after an incident that “tarnished” her reputation, and has been moved to live with her ...more

I’d recently watched the remake of Rebecca on Netflix when I read this book description. Ghosts, an old manor, a string of dead girls – what about this description doesn’t grab you?
I loved the setting of this story – a small town full of layers upon layers of secrets, an old mansion with disturbing rumors surrounding it, locals who don’t trust the newcomers and vice versa. It takes place during winter in the northeast, so the snowstorms and occasional loss of power just add to the atmosphere. Th ...more
I loved the setting of this story – a small town full of layers upon layers of secrets, an old mansion with disturbing rumors surrounding it, locals who don’t trust the newcomers and vice versa. It takes place during winter in the northeast, so the snowstorms and occasional loss of power just add to the atmosphere. Th ...more

3.75⭐️
Bram tries to escape her old life in Manhattan, and the only one left for her to turn to is her Uncle James. James is not the same man she remembers from her childhood. After losing his second wife in a mysterious fire he’s now an unrecognizable wisp of a man. Moving into his creepy old manor might have been a bad idea. Especially since the locals aren’t very welcoming to Bram. “People say the house is cursed. It preys on the weakest, and young women are its favorite victims.”
I thought thi ...more
Bram tries to escape her old life in Manhattan, and the only one left for her to turn to is her Uncle James. James is not the same man she remembers from her childhood. After losing his second wife in a mysterious fire he’s now an unrecognizable wisp of a man. Moving into his creepy old manor might have been a bad idea. Especially since the locals aren’t very welcoming to Bram. “People say the house is cursed. It preys on the weakest, and young women are its favorite victims.”
I thought thi ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

4.5/5 stars.
TW: drug abuse, attempted sexual assault, gaslighting.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was a brilliant and eerie book, and I really enjoyed reading it! It was great YA gothic novel, full of spine-chilling parts and a nail-biting ending that had me on the edge of my seat.
The story followed Bram as she tries to uncover the mystery behind the manor she is staying at, though she may be in over her head. While the storyline is a c ...more
TW: drug abuse, attempted sexual assault, gaslighting.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was a brilliant and eerie book, and I really enjoyed reading it! It was great YA gothic novel, full of spine-chilling parts and a nail-biting ending that had me on the edge of my seat.
The story followed Bram as she tries to uncover the mystery behind the manor she is staying at, though she may be in over her head. While the storyline is a c ...more

I had been looking forward to this “modern retelling of Rebecca” ever since I read its description and saw its cover. I’m a fan of “Rebecca,” the story more than the writing, and I thought that I would see the obvious parallels right away: a second wife living in the shadow of the first.
I would say that if you are looking for “Rebecca,” this isn’t it, but it doesn’t disappoint. What this is though, is a gothic story set in modern times, with a cold, wintery town and a creepy house. The story is ...more
I would say that if you are looking for “Rebecca,” this isn’t it, but it doesn’t disappoint. What this is though, is a gothic story set in modern times, with a cold, wintery town and a creepy house. The story is ...more

I don`t usually like stories involving ghosts or apparitions. They just end up being too scary or
not scary at all. But this one sends a shiver to my spine not because I was scared but rather
ecstatic to have read this book.
It started when Bram moves to the town of Louth as she helps her uncle renovate his manor.
Louth is just a little town on the Hudson River. People here know each other and they don’t like
outsiders. It is either they don’t want you to be hurt or they don’t want you to know about ...more
not scary at all. But this one sends a shiver to my spine not because I was scared but rather
ecstatic to have read this book.
It started when Bram moves to the town of Louth as she helps her uncle renovate his manor.
Louth is just a little town on the Hudson River. People here know each other and they don’t like
outsiders. It is either they don’t want you to be hurt or they don’t want you to know about ...more

I really wish I was able to enjoy this but unfortunately I just couldn’t.
“Don’t Tell a Soul” brings us to Louthe where Bram is escaping the missteps of her past while also looking for answers surrounding her fathers death and when she’s reunited with her uncle she quickly learns that small towns carry nothing but secrets and ghost stories.
I really wanted to like this book it has everything on the surface that I enjoy but I think it suffered in the overall execution.
Bram is an unlikely lead ha ...more
“Don’t Tell a Soul” brings us to Louthe where Bram is escaping the missteps of her past while also looking for answers surrounding her fathers death and when she’s reunited with her uncle she quickly learns that small towns carry nothing but secrets and ghost stories.
I really wanted to like this book it has everything on the surface that I enjoy but I think it suffered in the overall execution.
Bram is an unlikely lead ha ...more

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. At the start of the book it is unclear who can be trusted and what secrets they are keeping. The setting of the small town and potentially cursed mansion works really well for the creepy secretive atmosphere of the story. It also served the theme of powerful wealthy men using their influence and money to get anything they want. The story takes place in the present day but the characters are also dealing with the influence of the home’s history and tr
...more

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC!
Trigger Warnings: attempted rape and drug abuse
Bram moves from Manhattan, NY to escape her troubling past. She goes to live with her beloved Uncle in a small town in New York so she can get away from everything happening in Manhattan. Her uncle had bought and tried restoring an old house that was intended to be turned into an Inn at some point, but a fire broke out and killed her uncle's wife. Bram uncovers some unsettling things while living in ...more
Trigger Warnings: attempted rape and drug abuse
Bram moves from Manhattan, NY to escape her troubling past. She goes to live with her beloved Uncle in a small town in New York so she can get away from everything happening in Manhattan. Her uncle had bought and tried restoring an old house that was intended to be turned into an Inn at some point, but a fire broke out and killed her uncle's wife. Bram uncovers some unsettling things while living in ...more

*Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.*
Bram is absolutely ready to disappear from life in Manhattan, where she lives with her Mom (who never wanted kids anyhow) and where she's trying to get past an unfortunate scandal (that totally wasn't her fault). When her Uncle James invites her to stay at his house in upstate New York, she jumps at the chance - except, it's more of a mansion than a house, which was supposed to be turned into an inn, and it's also ...more
Bram is absolutely ready to disappear from life in Manhattan, where she lives with her Mom (who never wanted kids anyhow) and where she's trying to get past an unfortunate scandal (that totally wasn't her fault). When her Uncle James invites her to stay at his house in upstate New York, she jumps at the chance - except, it's more of a mansion than a house, which was supposed to be turned into an inn, and it's also ...more

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this novel!
While there were a lot of aspects of this book that I thought I was going to like, overall DON'T TELL A SOUL had a number of unexplored paths and muddled outcomes. There were some really well done moments of horror and dread, with descriptions of unease and late night paranoia that I did like. I also liked that there was some examination of how so many ghost stories have women who are victimized, even through violence and death, ...more
While there were a lot of aspects of this book that I thought I was going to like, overall DON'T TELL A SOUL had a number of unexplored paths and muddled outcomes. There were some really well done moments of horror and dread, with descriptions of unease and late night paranoia that I did like. I also liked that there was some examination of how so many ghost stories have women who are victimized, even through violence and death, ...more

I’ll be honest, I was tempted to DNF this book because it was sort of slow moving and it wasn’t really compelling until 40% in the book and then BAM did the novel really shift its gears and started to become unputdownable! I love the book Rebecca and this book was advertised as a retelling of sorts loaded with snowy creepiness and mystery. I must say that I started to like the protagonist Bram way better once we got a chance to really know her better. I really couldn’t tell where the story was g
...more

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
TW: Assault, drug addiction, villainization of drug addiction and mental illness
The reason this was not an entirely five star read for me was that at the exact moment I would have classed this as genuinely scary- the story took a turn. And this turn made me angrier than anything else. We want to change the "crazy girl" horror trope, and this story attempted ...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
TW: Assault, drug addiction, villainization of drug addiction and mental illness
The reason this was not an entirely five star read for me was that at the exact moment I would have classed this as genuinely scary- the story took a turn. And this turn made me angrier than anything else. We want to change the "crazy girl" horror trope, and this story attempted ...more

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Deliciously gothic and haunting, Don't Tell a Soul is a work of suspense and intrigue. It's always a great read when you don't know who to trust, maybe not even the narrator herself.
I loved the setting of this story. Creepy, wintery small towns give me weird vibes in real life, but this really was the perfect setting for Bram's story. The typical trope of a creepy old house is often overused in this genre ...more
Deliciously gothic and haunting, Don't Tell a Soul is a work of suspense and intrigue. It's always a great read when you don't know who to trust, maybe not even the narrator herself.
I loved the setting of this story. Creepy, wintery small towns give me weird vibes in real life, but this really was the perfect setting for Bram's story. The typical trope of a creepy old house is often overused in this genre ...more

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Children's for an e-ARC of this book. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.
A short description with no spoilers: Don't Tell A Soul follows Bram as she goes to stay with her Uncle in his mansion in a small town called Louth. However, there is something strange about Louth and there is definitely something strange about the mansion. Bram also keeps hearing stories about the Dead Girls and the rumors and mysteries surrounding them. What sma ...more
A short description with no spoilers: Don't Tell A Soul follows Bram as she goes to stay with her Uncle in his mansion in a small town called Louth. However, there is something strange about Louth and there is definitely something strange about the mansion. Bram also keeps hearing stories about the Dead Girls and the rumors and mysteries surrounding them. What sma ...more

When all is lost, Bram seeks refuge with the kind uncle who recently has lost just as much, but when Bram arrives at the mansion only to learn of the haunting deaths that linger. Desperate to prove the Dead Girls' story wrong and find their true killer, Bram dives headfirst into the frozen tales of deadly curses while trying to keep herself out of the ghostly grasps of the local lore.
I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this novel completely...it wasn't that I didn't like it, but I definitely ...more
I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this novel completely...it wasn't that I didn't like it, but I definitely ...more

This was a fantastically thrilling book with Gothic elements and a hint of Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" at its core. I loved the ghostly elements, the mystery/thriller aspects, and the strength and comradery of the female characters. I also loved that the author took "Rebecca" and effectively flipped it about and delivered us something contemporary with a strong message and a darkly Gothic feel. I was so pulled into this book that I stayed up all night to finish it, and felt no disappointment w
...more

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