The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Publish Date: January 7, 2010

Hardcover, 192 pages

My Review:

Rating:  3.0/5.0

I wanted to really like this book - it's a very interesting premise and the cover is stunning.  And I did like this book, but the problem was I didn't love it.

I think the problem was I wanted more.  The Secret Year told the story of Colt who had a secret relationship with a very popular upper class girl and he's just an ordinary lower class boy.  When Julia dies suddenly, Colt feels lost but he can't say anything to anyone because no one knew about their relationship.  Then Julia's brother shows up with her diary and he knows about the relationship but he wants Colt to have the diary.  As Colt read the diary things in his life begin to change and he starts to look at things differently.

I honestly think it's just me - I think this is probably a truly wonderful book to other people.  It's a little dark and gritty and as I said before a very interesting premise.  I liked the look at Colt's life and Colt as a character himself was great.  I think I wanted and expected more of the diary and a little more drama.  I think this book is a simple and haunting book that will appeal to many. 

It is well-written and I will definitely read Ms. Hubbard again, but overall it just wasn't something that will stand out in my mind.  But please don't rely only on me - check out other reviews of this book and see what others felt.  This may be just the book for you and if it was or is, then let me know in the comments.  I would love to know what you saw in this book.  Maybe I just missed something.

About the Book:
Seventeen-year-old Colt has been sneaking out at night to meet Julia, a girl from an upper-class neighborhood unlike his own. They’ve never told anyone else about their relationship: not their family or friends, and especially not Julia’s boyfriend.When Julia dies suddenly, Colt tries to cope with her death while pretending that he never even knew her. He discovers a journal she left behind. But he is not prepared for the truths he discovers about their intense relationship, nor to pay the price for the secrets he’s kept.

About the Author:
See Jennifer's Blog here.  See her website here.

Other reviews of The Secret Year:

reader rabbit
The Page Flipper
Frenetic Reader
Persnickety Snark
Not Enough Bookshelves

FTC Information: I received this book from Around the World Tours for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.