The Secret We Share is magical realism done masterfully. I was surprised by how immersed I was from the very first page.

Liv Talbot is struggling to be seen as her world begins falling around her - but when you see demons, being seen is your worst nightmare. Liv has been fighting demons no one else can see for 16 years - being bruised, battered and nearly beaten to death on several occasions. That all changes one day in her local coffee shop, when barista Sienna sees Liv fighting a demon. No one has seen another's demon before, and when Sienna approaches Liv about it, Liv can choose to keep her secret hidden, or lean on someone battling the same dark forces.

With sanatoriums gaining more power and threatening to institutionalize everyone who can see the dark demons, Liv is terrified. As demon attacks become more frequent and her best friend is away, Liv is forced to fight and confront her own fears.

Liv is an easy character to like. She's bold, sarcastic, a realist and sees demons, what's not to like? Her arc is defined by traumatic experiences and the relationships she has with others - she matures and gains a self-awareness that is admirable by any standard. It's a story not only of fighting literal demons, but the demons in her mind.

The secondary characters are the real gems of the story: I love Naomi, Sienna, Wyatt, Locke and Lyndon. They all add comic relief, fresh perspectives, and create an atmosphere that really feels like a great group of friends.

I'd highly recommend adding this book to your TBR. You won't regret reading this story.

This was everything I wanted and so much more!

Magical realism at it finest! Our MC Liv can see demons while no one else can making it appear as though she is delusional and in need of psychiatric help. The fact the author managed to make the MC witty and bold and a complete bad*** while still handling the topic of sanitariums and mental health so delicately was fantastic.

If you want a story to keep you hooked from start to finish with an MC and side characters that are just as well written. The idea of Growth, trauma, and the supernatural mixed into a well laid plot. Definitely check this one out!

Sunny Wright creates a world where some people see demons and others do not. Not only do some see them but they must fight for their lives to destroy them or be destroyed. Their reward for seeing and killing demons is to be hunted down, labeled delusional and locked in a sanatorium.

The Secret We Share is a story of weighty substances. Wright reflects the recent American turmoil created by the wave of perpetuated hate by the past president. The persecution of those who are ‘other’ is a historically repetitive lesson we have not retained. These sentiments and others are creatively woven into the story of Liv Talbot and her friends.

Wright is an addictive storyteller. You become ensconced in her world before you turn the first page and will find it a Herculean struggle to put this book down. This is no ordinary demon fantasy. It is a social statement on mental health issues, relationships and honesty and finding your tribe.

If you are looking for a different kind of fantasy/romance, one which stays with you long after the epilogue then look no further.

I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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.