DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS by C. J. Omololu - REVIEW

Walker Books for Young Readers – February 2, 2010

Lucy lives in conditions many people can’t even imagine.  The kitchen is unusable, there isn’t any hot water in the house, and the furnace is broken.  There are piles and piles of papers, plastic bags, and boxes littering every corner of the house.  In order to maneuver, Lucy and her mother have to navigate through a maze of cleared paths just wide enough for a person.

Lucy feels her life is made up of lies and secrets. She lies to her friends about why they can’t come over.  She avoids any topic of conversation that will bring attention to her or her family.  Lucy is scared to death when she hears a knock at the door – knowing she could never allow someone to come inside to see what her house looks like.  This is the reason her mother can’t call a repairman to fix the heater.

After another one of their usual fights where her mother accuses Lucy of moving something, Lucy packs an overnight bag and leaves to go to the movies and spend the night with her best and only friend.  She doesn’t know it yet, but life is about to get a lot more complicated for her.  When Lucy comes home the next morning, she discovers something horrible.  Will she be able to deal with the tragedy and keep her secrets in tact?

DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS is a book that will suck you into the story.  Your heart will hurt for Lucy as she reveals memories from her past with the reader.  This book will certainly cause you to take a look at the clutter around your house and ask, “Do I really need those old magazines?”

I couldn’t give DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS 5 glasses simply because of the implausibility of the way Lucy handled the situation – it seemed more like denial than a plan.  However, this didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story.

Leave a comment and let me know what you thought of the book.

THE SECRET YEAR by Jennifer Hubbard - REVIEW

Viking Juvenile - January 7, 2010

Julia died in a car accident on Labor Day on her way home from a party.

Colt heard about it through the grapevine.

Colt and Julia had been seeing each other secretly for a year. They'd met regularly most Friday nights and spent the time alone talking, laughing and making love. Even though he wanted Julia to break it off with her boyfriend, he never pushed her. He understood they couldn't be together - not really.

Julia lived up on Black Mountain Road where the houses were guarded by alarm systems and had servants to take care of the day-to-day business. Colt lives on the flats - far from the rich kids in town.

Colt has a difficult time dealing with the loss - especially since he doesn't have a way to express his feelings without giving their relationship away. He is extremely surprised when Julia's brother comes up to him at school one day and gives him a journal. Apparently, Julia had been writing letters to Cole ever since they started seeing each other - most likely never meaning to give them to him. Colt is both excited and anxious about reading the letters containing Julia's secret thoughts.

Watching Colt's progression through his grief is heartbreaking. He is a main character you can't help but love and won't be able to understand the reason Julia never broke it off with her boyfriend in order to give Colt her full attention. THE SECRET YEAR is a book you won't want to put down. Julia's letters provide wonderful insights into the pressures that come along with the life of the "privileged" kids. You'll want to know what she was thinking during her and Colt's secret year.