Sydney Whitaker is not okay. Her father, a psychologist, was killed in a car accident, and she is devastated. She shared a special bond with her father, and she can’t believe that he was killed in a car accident. Then for some reason, Homecoming Queen June Copeland shows up at his funeral, and Sydney is speechless. Everyone at school knows who June is, but she’s ahead of Sydney. Had she been one of her father’s patients?
And if that alone wasn’t devastating enough, Sydney started getting texts after the funeral. At first they were puzzling and slightly menacing. They implied that the car accident that killed Sydney’s father maybe wasn’t an accident. She tried to talk to her mom about the texts and what they said, but she just wanted to talk to the principal, to try to find out who is bullying Sydney and put a stop to it. But Sydney knows that won’t help, so she acts like she’s moving on. And that the texts stop.
One afternoon, visiting her father’s grace, she runs into June again. To Sydney’s surprise, they have a nice conversation, and June even starts to give Sydney a ride to and from school. They develop a friendship that makes Sydney feel like maybe she can figure out how to keep moving forward. Meanwhile, the texts keep coming, and they are getting hateful, homophobic, and threatening.
While Sydney continues to try to work through her grief, she finds that her feelings for June are growing deeper. And even though June has a boyfriend, Sydney feels like she gives her signals also, that maybe there are feelings growing for her too. But is that possible, or is it just her grief playing games with her?
As Sydney tries to figure out her feelings and starts to put together who could be sending those texts, will she embarrass herself, or worse, could she put herself and maybe even June into actual danger?
The Truth About Keeping Secrets is a powerful young adult novel of grief and hope, of finding healing and friendship and a future in the midst of unbelievable pain. It is an emotional ride, but an important one, and I think that those who have been through almost unbearable circumstances or who have been marginalized in high school.
I thought that author Savannah Brown wrote a lovely healing journey in The Truth About Keeping Secrets. It wasn’t the easiest book to read, as Sydney’s pain is written large throughout and reading about her struggle is just as difficult. But it’s an important book, and I know that there are those out there who need to read it. I think it can help teenagers on their own healing journey, and I truly hope more people find this book and read it.
A copy of The Truth About Keeping Secrets was provided by Sourcebooks through their Early Reads program, with many thanks.
