How well do you really know your child? Your spouse? Your friends? Your neighbors? Yourself? Told from multiple points of view, this story is deeper than first glance..

This book touches on subjects that I’d rather not think about and I think that’s why I didn’t enjoy it as much as I could have. I do appreciate that it is well written and engrossing but in the end it simply was not for me.

At an end-of-summer party, a group of children gather in a barn, away from their parents' eyes, and one is shot with a handgun while the others refuse to say what happened.

This book works best as a domestic drama, with short chapters from alternating points of view gradually revealing what happened and what led up to it. The group of children are diverse, with a boy on the spectrum, a girl with an absentee father, two foster children from a deprived background, three motherless siblings being raised off the grid, a pair of Pakistani twins, and an English girl. The incident brings the kids closer together, while exposing problems in their parents' lives. The small New Hampshire town becomes a focus of national attention, as members of the press seek different angles on the story and a political candidate uses the shooting as a talking point.

As a social commentary, the book is less successful. The issue of gun control is addressed from both sides, but in a superficial way, with the aggrieved parties resolving their conflicts with heartfelt chats and few ramifications. A side issue, dealt with in a similar fashion, involves a rather cliched Muslim couple with a strict, religious husband and a freedom-seeking wife.

May appeal to readers who enjoy topical women's fiction where everything is tied up neatly in the end.

This book is heartbreaking in a lot of ways, the characters in this book are so real that even after finishing the book they stay with you. I really admire how the author wrote from the children's point of view and their dialog, it felt authentic. I also like how the detective and the police investigation was secondary. This was very much character driven, even though the reader really wants to find out what really happened.

I haven't read anything by Nina Monroe before and was so pleased that I requested this. Some painful themes are explored throughout this book and it is very well written. It was so intense at times and it drew me in right away and I found it absorbing. I definitely recommend reading it...brilliant story line, emotional on all levels...Excellent reading.

I couldn't put this one down. The length parents can go to protect their children is amazing. The perseverance of children keeping secret is also noteworthy. I won't spill the beans but definitely pick this one up.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read this.

This was a really gripping read.

10 children are in a barn. A gun goes off. What happened and whose fault is it?

The story is told from several points of view - some of the children and some of the parents. When reading it, I would think some of the parents were bring unfair. Then I would read their side of the story, and see their point.

I thought I knew ahead of time what happened in that barn and I was wrong.

The voices of the children, the parents - everyone rang true.

I really liked how the issue of gun control came up and how the book took a stance, but was not preachy in any way. I liked how this event might have broken relationships, but it healed them too. Overall, I thought this was a very good book.

I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review (trust me - you should see some of my reviews).

I would like to say that I personally really enjoyed this book. Yes it was a touchy subject. It was about children. It was about a child being shot. Is that America... Yes it is. Guns are out of control in America. I say America because that is the setting of this book. It should be addressed that gun control is almost none existent in this country. Just about anyone can buy a gun. To say such horrible and vile things about this book though to me is uncalled for. The author did a fine job. Yes it was a bit repetitive in places but good grief look at the subject matter. She had to make the parents feel shocked. Torn apart. Afraid. Especially Priscilla. And Kaitlin.

While I can not relate to these parents, thank goodness, I did feel for them. My heart bled for them. It was agonizing to read the torture they were all going through. I didn't much like Pricilla, but I did feel for her. I didn't like a couple of the characters but I did feel for them. I felt they were portrayed with as much reality as humanly possible. That they were written with true feeling and that there was heart in this book. It was a touchy subject matter that needs to be addressed here in America. Something needs to be done. But that is not all this book is about. It's about acceptance too. Accepting people from all walks of life. People who came here from other countries. The prejudices that we have in this country against anyone that is considered different. It's a shame, but it's real. It happens.

This book in my opinion was well written. It had its faults but it was still a good story. I believe it had enough great parts to overlook any faults and it was an ARC so there is that. This book was written with heart. With passion. With beliefs. I felt it in every way. I felt the fears from the parents. From the children. It was sad. It was typical for children to stand together. But I was surprised that at least one didn't vary off and tell what really happened. There is usually one that will crack. These friends stuck together throughout the story. Not so with the parents but they were somewhat at fault. Though I do believe that the person who own this gun did everything in their power to keep everyone safe, it backfired. It was still used. Things can happen no matter how careful you are. This story proves it.

Thank you to #netgalley, #ninamonroe, #crookedlanebooks for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

I gave it 4/5 stars and stand by that. I recommend you read it. It will bring out some feelings. I liked this book!

“The Children’s Secret” by Nina Monroe is a shocking tale that reflects upon the long-standing conflict around gun laws and gun safety. Monroe brings to life these fears and tragedies people have around guns in an unspeakable tragedy that tears through family bonds, a community, and a nation as a whole.

The story is split between the perspectives of the children and the adults, all of them impacted by the violence of a tragic incident that has left them shaken. The children refuse to speak of what took place at the party and won't let anyone take the blame for the incident. Swearing themselves to secrecy, they set aside their differences and create an unexpected friendship strengthened by their shared experience.

The families affected by the violent event are torn apart, blaming themselves and those involved for what occurred. While some believe the gun involved in the incident is to blame, others believe something more happened at the party than the children are willing to admit.

Monroe weaves a complicated story that touches on other issues other than gun violence and gun laws in the United States. Each family deals with their own messy problems that are brought to the forefront in light of the violence that happened in their own community—to their own children. Issues of race, classism, divorce, identity, adapting to a new country, and so much more. These issues add layers to the characters themselves who are not only struggling to grapple with the events that happened at the party but who are faced with their own everyday problems that can no longer be ignored.

“The Children’s Secret” is a powerful tale with a strong message. While the shifting perspectives can be confusing at times, it creates a thrilling mystery that readers will be invested in to find out what really took place at the party and whether the families and community will ever be able to overcome the violence that struck their neighborhood.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an e-copy of “The Children’s Secrets” and the opportunity to share my honest thoughts and opinions in this review.

A complex novel full of surprises covering an incredibly complicated, sensitive topic. Nina Monroe does a really great job of fleshing out so many of the facets of the gun debate, the strong feelings that surround it, and the people involved in it. Her characters are likeable, three dimensional figures that really bring the story to life, and even though there were a ton of individual stories involved, she did a fantastic job of weaving them all together to create a cohesive whole. Really, really well done!

An extremely well nuanced take on guns and the effect they can have.

I won’t lie- I’m from Texas and I shot my first gun at church camp when I was around 9- a .22 rifle. I also see all the gun deaths in America and wish we had more common sense gun laws.

When I read the first couple chapters, I was worried this was going to be a book of GUNS R BAD NO EXCEPTIONS, but the author wrote an extremely well nuanced novel about the effects they can have, and how a gun in the home can affect children If proper measures are not taken. (And even if most measures are). they also touch on the politics of gun reforms in this novel

I found the story to be captivating, I devoured it over the course of 6 hours. I want to look for more books by the author now, she writes so well and captures a lot of her characters voice in her writing.

A powerful story of modern day small town neighborhoods. Anything is possible and anything can happen. In today’s climate it was a very believable tale and because of that it was quite emotional to read. The children were easy to understand and easy to root for. Everything had a reason even if it was a hard one to grasp. Sometimes friendships can trump tragedies.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

This book read more like a political statement rather than a well developed mystery. No one should have a gun was stated obsessively too many times. Not a lot of suspense built into the story. Additionally, I found the ending too much of a picture perfect fairy tale. I am giving this book a very generous three-star rating.

Nothing brings children together like a secret they get to keep to themselves. But what if that secret contains the answers to how an 11-year-old got shot in their chest?
In the town of Middlebrook, just before school starts, Kaitlin Wright wants to arrange a party for her son Bryar and the kids he'll be going to school with, so that they get to know each other a bit better.
Just opposite to the Wrights live the Carvers, Priscilla Carver along with her daughter Astrid. Due to some past instances Priscilla and the Wrights don't see eye to eye. So Astrid is not allowed to go to Bryar's party, but she does anyway. What happens next, is every mother's worst nightmare.

What I liked the most about this book is how the author explores the psyche of children. The plot really does outshine in that respect.

At the centre of this novel is the issue of Gun Control in America. I thought this was a good enough story to address the rising fatalities due to the un-monitored ownership of arms. This book also asks questions: how much do parents actually know about their children?

There were several characters introduced within the first twenty pages or so and it becomes a bit overwhelming to remember the family names and their relationship to each other. The glossary is present at the end but a small introduction in the beginning would have made things a bit easier, in my opinion. Also, coming to the portrayal of the Sayeeds, a Muslim immigrant family from Pakistan, the stereotype of the woman finding liberation and discovering her true individual self while exploring her faith is getting a bit old, isn't it? I don't find this kind of self exploration with faith in any of the other religious minorities mentioned in books. Do muslims have some kind of autonomy over this field?

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this publication! I really enjoyed this book!

Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC. Basically a tale about a town with many different ideals, religions and opinions that they feel very strongly about and defend very narrow-mindedly. In the end, something horrible happens that goes against the prejudicial opinions of most and the town has to reevaluate what they think how to get along.

A children’s party, planned by Kaitlin Wright as a kickoff to the new school year (and a way to encourage her son Bryar to make new friends) goes tragically wrong when a child is shot. Nine children were involved. Eight are interviewed by their parents and the police. Why can’t anyone remember what happened? Or why won’t anyone remember what happened?

The answer to those questions is the secret in The Children’s Secret. These children, who range in age from four to thirteen, demonstrate more control and maturity than their parents. Chief parental villain is Priscilla Carver, a lawyer turned professor and mother of the victim. In her attempt to rally the town (and country) for gun control, she blames her daughter’s injury on all of the children, one by one. Her behavior is upsetting and off putting. The other parents, of course, defend their children. When the secret of what happened is finally revealed, we learn that things are never as simple as they seem.

The Children’s Secret centers on the issue of gun control. Priscilla sees it in black and white only. Kaitlin, in whose barn the shooting took place, knew that her husband kept guns on the property in locked gun safes with ammunition in another location. Another parent is a hunter. So what is the right attitude to have about gun ownership? Can we change gun laws? What is responsible gun use? Of course, those are questions without answers. But thank you to Nina Monroe for bringing them up. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Nina Monroe for this ARC.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for free access to a digital copy of Nina Monroe's The Children's Secret in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was intrigued by the concept of The Children's Secret, but was disappointed in the execution. The story focuses on so many perspectives that meaningful depth of any character is lacking. Even with the variety of perspectives, ranging from child to parent, from gun enthusiast to gun tolerator to gun hater, the exploration of the gun issue in the US fell short. Each viewpoint was touched on, explained, but not in a way that built true empathy for anyone.

The most intriguing part of the story was how the children bonded together to protect the entire group of them. I kept reading to watch that part of the story develop, and in the end found that to be the best part of the book. If the whole book had been from the perspective of the children, I think I would have enjoyed it much more.

This one kept me on the edge of my seat- I could see it being a popular choice for a book club! Very real small town vibes

I'm not sure about this book. Its core is about gun control and its not so much the topic, but maybe the timing and politics of it? This story was more about the characters and the town, sort of, and less about the whodunit aspect of the plot. While I did like this methodology as to not point fingers at the kids, there were too many main character POVs for me, both kids and adults. I didn't find much distinction between their voices nor internal thoughts or emotions and the writing caused this distance with the overuse of verbs such as feel, look, and see - each over 100 times. Overall, the story may have been a good premise, I was hoping for more of a thriller suspense, but the execution was too jumbled for me and it reminds me more of a dramatic Hallmark storyline.

This was great! It had all the element s of a good book. Small sleepy town, scandal and how far are you willing to go to protect the ones you love. I definitely would recommend. It is an easy read perfect for those who love thrillers.