Oh baby this is my longest review of the year and it’s a bad one let’s go.

There was a point at which this had to be potential to be a two-star read. Not much, but better than the bottom of the barrel. Unfortunately as it turns out this author has no qualms using gen AI for her character images, as evidenced by her Pinterest, so down the one-star drain it goes.

I truly did go into this book with so much excitement. The concept was intriguing enough – some people can see demons and must fight them near to death, sometimes leading to their own undoing, yet the world at large does not believe them and sees these people as a threat. I was watching Warrior Nun around the time I started reading it, so it felt like a good vibe to follow up. Yet I kept finding myself putting it down and not wanting to return to it.

Took some time to figure out why, but once I cracked it, it was glaringly obvious. The dialogue in this book is godawful.

I could pick out pages upon pages of examples – at a certain point, I started sending a friend angry voice notes and then just holding discord calls so I could rant about how bad the dialogues sound, especially when they’re read out loud. In some instances, a character would monologue for over a page, yet most of it was slop that did nothing to move the plot forward. The worst of these long monologues had to do with the big love triangle crisis and were melodramatic to the point of nausea. A lot of character heart-to-hearts felt like therapyspeak 101, without a shred of realism in the conversations. But perhaps the worst offender was the constant need to interrupt conversations because this or that character suddenly walked in. An instance that particularly irked me had TWO interruptions by two separate characters asking “what are we talking about? what’s the plan” in a span of THREE DIALOGUE LINES.

The metaphors and idioms are all underdeveloped and often felt very whedonesque, with the tone shifting from emotional to snarky in the middle of a sentence. It felt like the author kept forgetting the words she wanted to use and forgot to revisit the sentences in the editing stages, except the whole book is Just Like That. On rare occasions, you get prose that sounds good. Almost great, even! And then the fucking dialogue interjects again. The author keeps trying to turn the book title into a motif, talking about the secrets the characters share or do not share, literally using every possible variation of the phrase “the secret we share” and it’s as subtle as a brick through a window.

The pacing is all over the place. I can’t tell if a lot of time had passed or very little but considering the protagonist kept wearing warmer clothes, I guess it was a matter of weeks? But even with all the efforts of emphasizing when a character moved, and where, and how they sat to the point this information stopped being invisible and started calling too much attention upon itself, the passage of time felt like an afterthought. There's a scene where the protagonist sleeps a full day, then wakes up, fights a demon, and in a span of maybe? Two hours since she’d woken up? Falls back into a full night’s sleep again. The protagonist is also supposed to have a job, but it felt like half the time the author would forget about it and go “oh shit right”, mention it once, and forget it again for another ten chapters. She did try to convenience out of it by making many of the group meetings take place on Sundays, but, once again, the passage of time makes no sense.

Side note: how is The Outpost a secret hangout spot that’s unaffected by the raids for most of the book if it’s a spot where demon-seeing people go to hang out? Surely this information would not, realistically, stay hidden just within this group? Surely it would be noted as suspicious activity that so many people keep convening at this same spot on the regular? And surely someone would’ve snitched on the two WANTED sons of a Senator just hanging around?

Okay let’s talk about the shitty worldbuilding.

There's this video essay Lindsay Ellis posted some years ago about the lack of care put into the worldbuilding of Netflix's "Bright". The jokes and references made no sense once you started to break them down because their existence fundamentally recontextualizes the world the movie is set in. I had this very same experience with this book. My first "huh" moment was Sienna's religiousness. If what she sees are considered demons, how does that affect the contemporary beliefs of Christians in this world? How do the different denominations respond to those who see demons? How do other religions handle it?

And then in chapter 30, a small scene completely broke the whole world view:

"I am referring to a specific type of cocktail," Naomi added like we were all dim.
"And what would that be?"
"Molotov."
"Thank you, but we're not Jewish," Lyndon said without missing a beat."
"Molotov, not mazel tov, you idiot."

Setting aside the overall... strangeness of this joke, Molotov cocktails are named after a very real person that lived in the 20th century and can practically be considered the instigator of the Second World War following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Does that mean the Second World War followed the same trajectory in this universe? Was the ability to see demons treated as shellshock or did it have any impact on the civilization? Did accusations of demon sight get thrown around for propaganda and manipulation of power? If this whole demon sight thing is tied to genetics, it wouldn't be spreading as far and wide as it is in just a couple generations, it has to go back far – way further than the early-to-mid 20th century. That is WITHOUT circling back to the question of how Judaism is impacted by this existence of demons.

Later on, there’s a mention of Mad Max: Fury Road. So how is cinema influenced by the existence of demons? Are there movies portraying the experience of being someone ostracized for seeing invisible killer shadows? Are the creepy figures in the desolated green place interpreted as demons by some? Is there art and literature that looks into the psyche of a person who can see demons, are they used as allegories? Would auteurs that live in our world and would, by the easy transference of “that world is just like ours just with demons”, occasionally turn out to have had demon sight too?

So you can imagine how going on this internal tangent killed what few shreds of immersion there may have been. It might seem so minor but it pulls the whole universe apart and it's pretty much the worst thing this book could do.

I won’t bother talking about the love triangle. It was boring and I hated every person involved in it. In fact, this book has a severe lack of likeable characters (not you Wyatt but you’re saved by barely being there and being the designated neurodivergent programmer) and the “found family” bond is too forced to develop gradually. Lyndon in particular very quickly ended up in my shit list when he started bashing Liv about how /she/ should apologise to her maybe-kinda-boyfriend because he knew the whole time she could see demons but she didn’t know he knew? Like. come on. Be serious for a second.

Not a single character has a unique voice, aside from maybe Wyatt, but, again, he’s written to be the token neurodivergent hackerman. Everyone makes the same kind of quips, everyone is equally sarcastic, everyone overdoes their jokes, everyone has the same tone when discussing serious topics or confessing their inner feelings. It’s so bland and samey across the board you might as well not bother following who said what because it bears no difference to the story. The jokes always drag out at least two lines of dialogue too long.

Side note again: what’s with the ‘my subconscious said/my subconscious laughed/my subconscious did some or other thing’ obsession from Liv? I know she’s as dull as watching paint dry but it doesn’t mean she needs to reuse the cringy quirk from fifty shades.

The more I think about it, the more Bad Stuff I find in it, and I can no longer remember all of it. There’s much to say about how this book is clearly inspired by the 2021 insurrection in the US, and existing in this US-centric world in this year of our lord 2024 just made it more egregious to get through. There’s this weird attempt to position demon-seeing people as equally or more marginalised than other social groups, but then homophobia also exists and Sienna is from a violently homophobic religious family? The allegory falls apart when the thing you’re making an allegory of is Still A Problem in this world! Especially when the protagonist – the face of this allegorical oppression – is a white blonde woman! Making her bisexual doesn’t absolve it because her bisexuality cannot be treated casually as a mainstream accepted societal thing because YOU LITERALLY HAVE ANOTHER CHARACTER WHO EXPERIENCED HOMOPHOBIA FROM THEIR FAMILY.

And really, at its core, this book is boring. It's a nothingburger where characters talk about sitting down to finally conceptualize a plan for chapters upon chapters, but any action you really get is Liv walking to the Outpost and Liv walking home to sleep. By the 80% mark, there is no plan. By 85%, they’re “taking another day to finalize their plans”. There’s less than 50 pages left. There is no action. It's frustratingly dull.

By the end of it, the demons are proven to be just an afterthought. One of the characters even sums it up promptly, saying they can deal with “the pressing demon problem another day.” Frankly I wish the demons had eaten them all.

"The Secret We Share" is a tragic waste of a decent concept to deliver a half-baked romance that fails to convince at every step.

a brilliant storyline with amazing storytelling. 100% recommend this book! so interesting and engaging

Liv Talbot has kept a secret for her whole life. She sees (and fights) demons. In a world where people like her are locked away in sanatoriums, she can't afford to let anyone know, not even those closest to her. No one else can see her demons, so she can keep her secret safe, and her life is okay, considering. She's an accountant with a best friend turned lover situation, but when the barista at the local coffee shop sees her fighting a demon, everything changes. There's a whole world of her kind out there, and getting to know them could offer a possibility of real community for the first time in her life, that, and a complicated attraction to said barista.

This book felt long to me. Though I appreciated the beautiful language, it seemed a bit drawn out, and I skimmed large portions to get the gist. I loved the bisexual rep, but I'm not a fan of love triangles, so the back and forth between Liv, Locke, and Sienna wasn't my cup of tea. It's a great premise with some cool characters, but overall, this one wasn't for me.

The secret we share could have had a better beginning to the book. I felt most of it was pretty tame and lackluster for a book that was marketed to have more exciting parts. I did enjoy reading about the characters and the development that occured. The ending was quite interesting lthough I cant say that I would read it again. However, I would recomend it to beginner readers as it was easy to finish and had good writing.

A good take on what happens when you can see something that others can’t. What happens when you get caught do you share the secret and risk it all or do you continue on like they never saw it.

DNF. I was not able to make it very far into this one. The main character and the demons aspect was very uninteresting to me and it was really difficult to push past that.

I really enjoyed this one! It was well crafted and a really enjoyable read.

Check out the Secret We Share if you like:

-found family
-magical realism
-mental health rep
-a strong FMC
-a loveable cast of characters
-books with demons

& more!

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

DNF, but it was amazing nonetheless, I just found it a little too long and slightly boring! About battling your demons, literally and physically, this adventure fantasy romance was fun and faste paced! I love the relationships, but the characters couldve been more developed!

Part of what I love about reviewing is jumping into a world and figuring out what's going on. It's fun to watch things come together. Unfortunately for this book, things just never really came together for me.

The story follows a young woman and her literal battle with demons. She keeps it to herself until someone notices what is going on and the story takes off from there. At first I didn't really understand the demon part. I figured it would come together later and it does but by that time there are two characters with similar names that I kept getting confused and I got distracted and tired. If this were the only book I was reading maybe I would have a better time with it. I found that I kept putting this down for other thing. There were satisfying aspects to the ending but ultimately it wasn't the right fit for me.

The Secret We Share is magical realism at its finest! Sunny Wright does an incredible job of portraying a gorgeous dark world with an incredible found family.

It was riveting and fast paced with an imaginative plot and intricate sapphic love story.

A must read for those who enjoy a purposeful fantasy tale with queer representation.

This book was a perfect balance between relationships and plot with a lot of action. It was well paced and I loved all the characters so much.
WHAT I LIKE
The begnining was super enticing.
I love the banter between Locke and Liv. This is the one time I appreciate commitment issues and will they-won't they.
The lore was intergrated seamlessly
I genuinely think the relationship dynamics were so well written.
SIENNA IS AMAZING
All of Liv's actions make so much sense.
I love Sienna/Liv so so so much
OK, so actually, the way that demons literally represent mental health was extremely powerful and made me surprisingly emotional
This was a love triangle I could get behind

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
I wanted more background about why people are considered crazy for seeing monsters, if so many do. I almost wanted some sort of history subtly thrown in there which gave context.
I didn't like that Lyndon was into Liv at first, even with the reason why- it felt weird especially since she and Leon were so clearly in love. Also, I don't like the name Leon? Why couldn't he just have been Lee?

Book: The Secret we share
Author: Sunny Wrights
Pub Date: 8/7/22
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Review~
Liv has been hiding a secret her whole life. Liv sees demons and has to be aware and ready to fight them off. One day some one sees her demon by Sienna who also gets attacked by demons. Little did she know her best friends who are like family also see demons and she is was afraid to tell them.

Overall this book was so good. If you love fantasy books this for you exceptionally if you like read about demons. I highly recommend reading this book!!

What would you do if you saw demons? Would you tell your loved ones or would you keep it a secret?

Liv sees and slays demons. For her whole life Liv’s Mother was the only one that knew her secret and trained her to keep her secret close and not disclose it to even the most trusted person in her life, Locke. Now her Mother is gone, and though she has friends, no one truly knows her. But when the cute girl who works at the coffee bar Liv frequents tells her she sees demons too, Liv’s world is turned upside down. Sienna comes into Liv’s world as a refreshing breeze and shows Liv she is not alone in the darkness. While Liv is learning to live with someone knowing her secret, the local government is on the move to round up people like Liv and Sienna, putting them in sanitariums around the country as a matter of “public safety”. Secrets will be shared, new secrets will be made, and when it comes to life and love, Liv will be tested in all the ways humanly possible.

The characters in this book are relatable in their struggles with their demons and insecurities. Sometimes they make bad decisions, say things that hurt others, or isolate themselves from their friends. All these things make them perfectly human. And on the other side they also find beauty in their shared segregation and pain. During the peak of this story, where things seem the most dire, they reach out of the darkness and grasp on to the light, love, and respect they have for each other. The main character is easily the most flawed of them all. She secludes herself when she needs others, she lashes out at her friends when they try to help, and she makes assumptions that come back to bite her. Her saving grace is the width of her heart and the depth of her love. The relationships between all the characters is the through line in this book. We focus on the emotional trauma and healing the characters go through. From Liv being isolated and untrusting of her best friend, to forming a found family in those who see demons and feel the same. The secondary characters open up about their past struggles and share in the pain that bonds them. This book is a story of the flaws of human nature and rising above despair.

The plot was interesting but left something to be desired. There were some missed opportunities to expand the world the author created and in turn, it would have made the stakes higher. For example, I enjoyed the science that explained why certain individuals can see the demons, but I wanted there to be more to that part of the story, and instead it was quickly brushed over. Oppositely, the politics in the story had seemingly high stakes without much backstory as to why it was a matter of public safety that those who saw demons should be rounded up. It felt concocted out of thin air with no history and the insurrection was not believable.

All in all, the characters and their relationships made this book. The author was not afraid to go to the dark places that all humans have experienced. Am I good enough? Is this worth it? Should I let the darkness take me? And she pulls the characters out of the dark and shows them, and the reader, the way to the light and what makes life worth living. Love.

The Secrets We Share is a story about fighting your own demons, and found family who make the choice to join together and fight alongside instead of alone.

Liv, along with a minority of others in this world see, and is forced to fight demons on a semi regular basis to survive. It's a secret she has been told to keep, because as 'delusionals' as they are known, are locked in a sanatorium by a faction of the government.

Sienna, a barrista in a local coffee shop actually seems Liv in a fight (which has never occured before, as these fights happen around everyone, but in their own kind of plane of existence), and introduces Liv to a bunch of others who all share their secret.

Add in a group of friends, Locke, Lyndon, Naomi and Wyatt, and the reader is taken on a intense, suspenseful, angsty journey.

The story is narrated by Liv herself, however, her group of friends help to make this book what it is. Sunny Wright has written a book with an original concept some great characters, and witty dialogue.

I feel it's important to add that as noted in the authors acknowledgements at the end of this book, this story comes from her personal experience of depression and the inability to feel like she is being understood, seen and heard fully by those around her. Sunny Wright has done a brilliant job of translating those feelings into a story that I'm sure many people can relate to in one way or another.

Off the top, this was not the type of novel that I normally read, and it took me a while to overcome my impulse to question the whole premise of the story. I was semi-successful. I enjoyed the story and was able to (mostly) suspend disbelief.

Will I read more magic realism? Perhaps. I'm glad I read this one.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Fabulism. Sapphic love. Demons. Found family.  
  
“Death’s hand may be steady, but love? Love’s hands are eternal and everlasting. You don’t have to do anything but keep being here.”  
  
This book is fabulism at its finest. Wright paints a dark, melancholic world that fights with the light of characters who are luminous and rare. What would you do if you had a genetic marker that makes you accessible in a demon dimension? This is frighteningly portrayed in the main character, Liv, as she struggles with the secret that has forced her to fight on her own and live in the shadows of fear. That is until she meets book loving, beautiful Sienna. As the reader follows the journey with Liv, we are introduced to Locke, Lyndon, Naomi, and Watt - secondary characters who are the epitome of a found family. They provide comedic banter, prodigious support, and so much life to this book. If you’re looking for a good paranormal, urban fantasy.. this is it.

I was a not a fan of this one. I think this would be a better read for another person. I would not recommend this title to those that I know.

I did not like the book. I loved the acknowledgement. Read on to find out why.
"Not that great." This was my first thought when I read the last chapter. To be honest- I liked the concept, I liked Sienna and Locke and Lyndon. In short I liked almost everyone apart from the main character Liv. I liked the world created by Sunny Wright- a world divided between those with a gene that lets them see the other side, step out of this world, only to fight for their light with the demons, for a lifetime, not just once. On the other side, are those people who were not born with such genes, and who think that those who fight the demons are calling them down on purpose, and such have a misplaced sense of fear, superiority, and justice. Well, in short its the bigots vs the whole of the population. I liked the bright and cheerful Sienna, who, despite her demons, still saw the good things of life. I liked the steadfast best-friend (it's a little more complicated than that!).
Reasons why I did not like Liv-
1. As pointed out by Naomi (Sienna's ex-girlfriend)- Liv seems to be "stale bread". What she essentially meant to say that it's quite difficult for people to understand why Sienna and Locke seem to look at her as though she is the star, sun and the whole universe. And, truthfully, yes it was quite difficult to understand that.
2. Her ability to fall completely in love with 2 people, at the same time. While this is something that I can appreciate- it is difficult to completely love 1 person. What I found difficult to understand was the almost instant love that blossomed between Sienna and Liv. Well I'm not that fond of the insta love trope, but still it seemed a little too fast, especially with the slight touches and grazes that happened almost instantly.

Reasons why I gave this book a 4 star ultimately when I had thought to give it a 2 star just after the last chapter?
The acknowledgement- Usually I don't read this. But, somehow, due to reasons unknown to me at this point, I did read it this time. The acknowledgement answered all my above doubts and questions and all my disappointments. Having read the acknowledgement, I absolutely love this book now, with a different perspective in mind. And I applaud the author for being able to pen down everything.

I've given out almost all the spoilers, but I'm going to leave it to you guys to read the book followed by the acknowledgement to understand why I loved it so.

Once again, thank you Sunny Wright for letting me read this in advance, and thank you NetGalley for this Advanced Reader's Copy.

First off this is a 5 out of 5 star book for me!

I enjoyed this book so much, when I got to the end I immediately wished there was more.

Liv is such a great main character and the way she interacts with her group of friends through out the progression of this book is relatable and enjoyable.

The entire premise of the demons and the people who see them are so very interesting. To see how Liv interacts with them and how she lives with her secret develop through out the novel was great. Her journey with her secret and the changing political climate through out the book kept me so emotionally invested.

This book is definitely worth a read and I will be picking up a copy once its published to add to my bookshelf. Will be recommending this to any one who will listen!

4.5/5

The secret we share is a fantasy romance. It’s about this girl (Liv) sees demons or “dark ones” as she calls them and soon finds out that other people see them too. Also love how badass Liv is.

The characters are amazing. Lyndon my favorite and Naomi following after him. I liked Locke but sometimes he made me a little mad.😒😒😒😒.

I loved the plot and the characters I’m so glad I got to read this I would definitely recommend it to everyone.