Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a decent YA thriller so long as you don’t give it too much thought. I’m not sure the story totally works but it was entertaining while reading.

Secrets Never Die is a YA mystery thriller that reads like a slasher film. Sam and his friends always go to a cabin in the woods every Halloween to “bury” their secrets. Things start to unravel when they start getting texts from an unknown number threatening them and to reveal their secrets.

I really liked this book. It was like Pretty Little Liars and a slasher film. The twists were unexpected and it was a fast read. I liked the emotional connections that were developed between the characters. I would say it’s better written and the twists were better than just an average YA thriller.

Some parts seemed a bit dramatic and unrealistic. Every chapter seemed to end with a cliche line like “I’m gonna catch them before they catch me” type thing that got old after a while. It also seemed a bit too long and could’ve been shorter.

I would recommend this to people that like YA thrillers and slasher movies! Thanks so much to netgalley, St. Martins press, and Wednesday books for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for giving me my first NetGalley book!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I found the beginning chapters and engaging but as I continued to read, the pace seemed to drag. Admittedly, I made it about half way through the book before I stopped reading. The secrets that were revealed in what I read did not feel world altering or heavy enough to warrant so much secrecy around them.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to read and review. This one just was not for me!

Pub date: 8/29/23
Genre: YA thriller
Quick summary: The Dark Place is a hut in the woods where Sam and his friends hide their secrets...until the secrets start coming to life, and Sam has to figure out who is responsible.

I've been on vacation at the beach, and a YA thriller felt essential for my beach bag! Unfortunately, this one wasn't my favorite. I felt like I got dropped into the middle of the story with very little context. The mystery also wasn't compelling until about 75% - the Dark Place and the group's secrets just didn't pull me in. I did like some of the later twists, so I would try another book by Ralph.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

✨Thank you NetGalley/Wednesday Books for the eArc!! ✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Recommended if you like: Pretty Little Liars, Scream: the TV show, Halloween

We call it the Dark Place. I don’t know who built it or when but, for us, it’s special.

Secrets Never Die is the newest release from author Vincent Ralph, who has previously written 14 Ways to Die and Lock The Doors.

The story follows Sam, a child star who had his career crash and burn a few years back and his friends as the complete their yearly ritual of visiting The Dark Place on Halloween- a place where their darkest secrets live in quiet.

Until now.

Someone has knows about the Dark Place- and their deepest secrets- threatening to release them for all the world to know. Can Sam and his friends figure out who it is before the blackmail goes too far?

--
Vincent Ralph is one of my auto-buy authors ALWAYS. The way Ralph writes gives me early 2000s CW show vibes and this new release did not disappoint! The characters that Ralph has created are all very trope-esque but in this particular atmosphere it really worked- Sam, the child star who’s career was over before it began is the main character of the story, and while I wish we got more in-depth look at his life as a child star I think the amount that was included was a perfect amount to help tell this story. His friends are all very grey in terms of their personalities which helps the story since I feel like each person has their own secrets so it makes sense for them to not be reliable characters.

The only critique I have is that the beginning seemed to be really slow-starting compared to some of Ralph’s other books, and I also felt like the ‘red herring’ would have been a very good twist if Ralph turned it from the red herring to the actual twist of the book.

All in all, I really enjoyed the twists and turns this book provided me, this is SUCH a fun read for people who love YA thrillers and a book that will keep you on your toes.

What a great read for those who need some Halloween dopamine.

The carefully woven plot kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning page after page as I unraveled the web of secrets that surrounded the characters.
The story’s pacing was well-crafted, striking the balance between tension and unease. Just when I thought I had it figured out, a twist would be introduced that left me eager to discover more. The novel delves into the nature of trust, the consequences of keeping secrets, and the power of redemption.
There were certain moments where the narrative felt slightly predictable, however, in no way did this take away from the overall brilliance of the book.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy young adult thrillers!

3.5/5 ⭐️
This was an interesting YA thriller that gave me the same vibes and feelings I felt while reading Pretty Little Liars and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.
I was torn between giving it 3.5 or 4 stars because it was good, the writing was good, but the details could have been better. The story completely had me engrossed where I read it in one day with very few breaks, and this thriller was definitely thrilling. But, the details around the premise and the reasoning behind what was happening was meh. However, I would still recommend this book to people. Like I said, it definitely is engrossing and it elicited strong emotions from me, which are two things I think most books should be able to do.
So, if you’re a fan of thrillers, I would recommend this book. I don’t think it’ll be on your all time favorite list, but you will definitely have a good time.
Thank you to Wednesday Publishing & NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

I was not a big fan of this book. When I finished the book, I felt uneasy and anxious so I feel that the author is talented at evoking emotion. However the story had some major issues. There were some leaps in logic that seemed unrealistic. The characters behavior was erratic. It was just not a novel that I would recommend to a friend.

Following the story of a boy who was once a child actor, who fell from glory, and now spends his evenings hiding from his secrets and burying them in a strange ritual with his friends. Sam didn't even like acting, his father was living his dreams through his son, and now he has turned his attention on his daughter, and Sam isn't happy.
Someone has also found their secrets and has begun bullying them.
This story honestly reminds me of the TV series Pretty Little Liars.
The writing style is very plain and lacks the charm of description. I'd rate this book a 2 star. It was not my taste. The plot felt too familiar, I guessed the ending before getting three chapters in, and the characters lacked any personable characteristics. I could not attach myself to these characters or the plot.
It definitely sounded like an interesting idea, and there was more going on in the book than the blurb gave light to. Which added to the appeal, but I still struggled to get through this story.
If you like tv dramas/mysteries then this might be your vibe, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. Secrets Never Die was a very enjoyable book, but readers should go into reading it knowing that it is a slow-burn thriller. You really don't get to the action until closer to the end, but for those that enjoy letting the mystery get drawn out, this is the one for you! Happy to say the ending wasn't super predictable either, I had theories, but I wasn't correct (and I love that!!!). A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

This book was alright! I didn’t love it, but it kept me hanging on til the very end. I really loved the short chapters that kept me saying “just one more chapter.” Also, for a YA book I must admit I was pretty scared at times! If you want to read something that will scare you a bit and keep you on the edge of your seat I think this book would do the trick.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book. The review will appear on episode 23 of my podcast which will drop on Monday, August 28.

Review:
After reading the synopsis, I was excited to check out this book and find out what these dirty secrets were that this friend group was hiding. Unfortunately, the book as a whole left me feeling a little underwhelmed. I went into this one expecting an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride, but what I got was more like the kiddie roller coaster ride.

The storyline centers around a group of friends who - every Halloween - hold funerals for their secrets in an abandoned hut called the Dark Place. When the book begins, the friend group prepares for their annual ritual. When it's time to go spill the beans, something goes wrong. When the main character, Sam, goes into the Dark Place to confess, he hears loud thuds coming from outside. When he goes to investigate, he and his friends find the abandoned cabin covered in blood, and screams tear through the surrounding forest.

The next day someone begins to send messages to the friend group. These messages start off taunting and then become increasingly threatening. Soon the threats extend to their immediate families. Sounds creepy in concept, right? Unfortunately, the execution of this concept fell flat, and left me underwhelmed. The opening scene at the Secret Place was pretty intense, and after reading it, I was super excited for what lay ahead. Sadly, the intensity in this scene didn't carry forward through the rest of the book.

One of my biggest problems with the book was the characters, particularly the protagonist Sam Hall. I didn't find Sam sympathetic, and the other characters in the book felt like a caricature. There was a lack of depth which failed to elicit any real connection or empathy from me. I was never fully invested in their experiences and struggles.

I also felt the plot itself was riddled with clichés and predictable twists. The notion of secrets coming back from the dead to terrorize the characters is hardly original, and the blackmail angle felt forced and unoriginal. Also, the secrets were very benign, and when the reveal finally happened, all I could think was, "Wait, THAT's your darkest secret?" On the other hand, the reason as to why the big bad was after them made sense (to an extent). I can see why what happened to the "villain" would elicit revenge; I just felt like the revenge plot was disjointed and not as strong as it could have been.

Overall, I was disappointed in this one. From one-dimensional characters to a lackluster plot, the book failed to deliver on its creepy promises.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Secret Never Die by Vincent Ralph, was a unique story following a group of teens who share secrets in the woods on Halloween night. However, when their secrets are slowly exposed, they start to wonder who they can trust.

I honestly had mixed feelings about this book. While the plot was unnique and quite exciting compared to anything I have read before, I felt there were some shortcomings. This is a moderately sized book, but I didn't feel the story truly got going until the last 100 pages. It started off very slow, and it honestly confused me at times trying to differentiate all of the different characters. I almost stopped reading it after the first 100 pages. I am glad I kept going though because I did enjoy the climax and ending, as I never saw it coming. I can thoroughly appreciate being surprised. Overall, this was an okay read, but I don't think I'll be reading it again any time soon.

Secrets Never Die will be released for sale on August 29, 2023

A groups of teenagers visit an abandoned shack in the middle of the woods each year for Halloween. They go inside individually to vocalize their secrets they are most ashamed of. An unknown person finds out the secrets to EACH person and puts the group through hell.
This was SUCH a great book. Since completing it I have looked up the other books from the same author. Good character development but could be a little better but that’s ok. It’s only one point of view so we know way more about the MC which is normal for a single POV. The beginning half is kinda slow but once you get past the middle it full throttles to all kinds of twists and even has a bit of action in it. I loved it and would buy this for a friend. The twists were so good the story line was different and had crazy developments. I read this book in a day I enjoyed it so much. If I had to change one thing it would be more point of views and more of the friends would go through crazy hell like Sam went through. He went through way more hell than the other friends and I just wish it would’ve been a little more even throughout the group but over all spectacular book. Well written and great story

If you're like me, you read YA because it's usually pretty quick, easy and makes for a fun read. Secrets Never Die is one that checks off all of those for me BUT you definitely need to go into this one with a younger mindset.

Fast pacing and short chapters are my faves and was the biggest highlight with this one. I did enjoy the storyline as well even though the big reveals really aren't that big. This is where reading with a younger mindset comes in. I had to keep reminding myself this isn't meant for readers my age...

With that in mind, I think it would be enjoyable for the target readers as well as readers who just enjoy an easy, fun read. This would also make a good one for Spooktober for those readers who love a Halloween setting and semi-spooky vibes, but don't necessarily want to be scared.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I did not finish this book. It was awful. It was slow, boring and made no sense at all. You know what they say, Never judge a book by its cover.

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn’t put it down!. There were twists, secrets, revenge, and tension. If you like mystery thrillers, I highly recommend this book! I was very much into the plot and characters. It was definitely a page turner,

I wanted to like this one so bad. But I just didn’t. I didn’t really get the thriller vibes I wanted. Also the writing felt super young. Oh well.

“Secrets Never Die” is a YA horror novel by author Vincent Ralph. This was an intriguing, immersive and kind of scary novel.

The chapters are short, so it was a bonus for me to finish this in one sitting.
Ralph ensures there are enough characters that the actual culprit hides in the shadows, and yet somehow manages to make an entirely plausible ending that completely shocked me.
I haven’t read Ralph’s other novels, but this one seemed right up my alley and I was not disappointed.

Thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for this E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Just to touch a bit on the fact i have read a book by this author before and didn't catch all the clues in that book or understand the reasoning behind why the villain did what they did. Let it be known i did not take the experience into mind when reading this book. (I honestly forgot it was the same author).

For fans of Pretty Little Liars, Box in the Woods (Truley Devious #4), I Know What You Did Last Summer and basically any of the Halloween themed movies out there.

Every Halloween night Sam Hall, his friends and girlfriend all meet up at this place they call the Dark Place in the woods behind one of their houses. In this old shack they one at a time sit alone to spill their deepest secrets of the year to a candle flame to relieve themselves of their burdens while everyone else waits their turn. Everything goes as planned until Sam, the last secret teller, when they hear a scream and get blood filled egged thrown at them. The strange events don't stop there. They all soon come to realize that the secrets they thought they told in private someone else knows and wants to use them against them. Their friendships and trust get tested as well as how far they each would go in order to keep their deepest secrets to stay secrets.

I came into this thinking they all did something bad together or big things separately that effected each other's lives. I was partly right. The action was packed and the suspense was there! Not to mention the length of each chapter being perfect so I could keep saying "one more chapter" over and over not feeling bad since 3 chapters may take half an hour to read. The part that got me lowering this rating was the feeling the focus randomly switched from one cast to another making all the so called main character turn into side characters in their own story, Yes it later went back but it wasn't the same. It left me questioning things. Not in a "how didn't i catch all the clues?!" kind of way but a " why didn't this person have something better to do or try to get revenge sooner instead of waiting?".

Still a good read. Just left me wanting a bit more of a few things.