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.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!!

This book gave me goosebumps from COVER TO COVER. the main twist was such a surprise. It will even leave you guessing (in a good way) at the end

What a thrilling and intense ride Secrets Never Die turned out to be! The mysterious and eerie atmosphere immediately drew me in, and the short chapters with their gripping endings had me hooked, craving for more.

Sam's journey from a former child star to a life filled with buried secrets and blackmail kept me on the edge of my seat. As the tension built, I found myself racing through the pages, desperate to uncover the truth behind the strange occurrences and the sinister secrets haunting the characters.

The book's pacing reminded me of the adrenaline rush on a roller coaster, where you're slowly pulled in, and suddenly, you're hurtling through twists and turns, unable to stop until the thrilling conclusion. While I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, I couldn't help but wish for a more satisfying ending with additional hints sprinkled throughout. Despite that, Secrets Never Die is an enthralling and suspenseful read that keeps you guessing until the very last page. Get ready to delve into a world where secrets won't stay buried, and the darkness holds unimaginable surprises.

This book had a lot of potential but it kind of fell flat for me. A big problem for me was there was a lot of characters so they didn't really feel fully developed because they were so many of them.

I really enjoyed the writing of this book and it had a lot of atmospheric and creepy vibes that I really enjoyed.

The big problem for me was I just couldn't get into the characters. I wanted to like them but I really didn't feel like I knew them.

As well as the fact that the whole premise of this book revolves around them keeping secrets and their really life-altering secrets. When the secrets were revealed they didn't really feel like they lived up to the hype.

There were definitely some great elements of this book. The pacing was really quick and intense. It immediately starts with the action. It's not a slow build story.

I was definitely hooked and I finished this book in one sitting. Ending of this book definitely saves it. The last quarter of this book really draws you in. And keeps you guessing and on your toes.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

While this was not a terrible book by any means, it did not have enough sustenance to keep me intrigued I really wanted to like it but it seemed a bit lacking on true suspense.

The premise was good, but i truly wished that i would love it, but i felt like it was dull and i never got to see their potential, like yes there was potential but i felt like the characters aren’t flushed out at all. i wished that i’ll get to enjoy this book but sadly it didn’t deliver what i wanted :(

This book starts off so great, and you really get gripped by the characters and their family dynamic... then one layer is added, and it's spooky & wonderful! Then another layer is added, and it's a little strange, but...ok. Then, yet another layer is added, and now it's confusing. And you guessed it... another layer. Now I'm just tired. For people who love multiple complex layers, you'll love this book because the writing style is great and easy to read. I just would have preferred much less.

5/5⭐️!!!
This book had me absolutely hooked from the beginning (even tho I was kind of in a little slump). But this book had me guessing from the beginning, had my heart racing and had me saying “WTF” multiple times!
The plots in the book were absolutely amazing! They really really kept me on my toes guessing on what was going to happen next.

I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends and family!

Thank you netgalley and publisher for my ARC (e-book)!

3.5 stars rounded down. I really enjoyed Vincent Ralph's previous book "Lock the Doors", so I'm disappointed that I didn't like this one more. The plot was a good idea, but I think that it could have been a little juicier and meatier. The characters weren't well fleshed out and the secrets were pretty tame for the most part. They didn't seem to be shocking enough to be blackmail material. The last 25% was exciting and I liked the villain's backstory. I was surprised by the real reason everything was happening. All in all, it was a fast read that I finished in a day, but it wasn't my favorite. Perhaps young adults, the intended audience, will like this one more than I did.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Vincent Ralph's "Secrets Never Die" has an original plotline and interesting setup, drawing the readers in immediately as they try to uncover who is skulking around and threatening to reveal their secrets. This novel has a lot to enjoy, especially for a YA audience, but I struggled to connect with the characters and felt the story went off the rails at some points. All-in-all, for the right audience, this is a really unique, fun story.