wolfshine's review against another edition
5.0
Emily has come to terms with her past and the things that have happened. When her father tries to re-enter her family though, she has no choice but to tell the truth of what he’s done in the hopes of protecting her younger siblings. In the real world, she struggles to move from victim to survivor while at the same time channeling herself into a warrior to save the Kingdom in the other Realm.
Dealing with the difficult topic of child molestation, the My Myth trilogy really shows us what it means to be brave. Especially when someone is at their most vulnerable. The fantastical worldbuilding is a wonderful way to show how Emily has moved forward with her pain and is working toward healing. The emotional despair from book one to now is powerful and easy to understand. Emily’s desperation to be safe is another thing that’s easy to relate to.
While this book may be difficult to some for the subject it deals with, it is important just the same. There are girls out there like Emily going through the same thing without the courage to come forward, to make their perpetrator pay for the things they’ve done. Emily’s PTSD was written in a way that was very believable, especially with the random flip flop between this world and the other.
Narration by the author is always an interesting thing to me. They know exactly how to script their characters, and in this instance, it was no different. It was easy to hear Emily’s pain and vulnerability, and I think that made the story even better because it was real.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
Dealing with the difficult topic of child molestation, the My Myth trilogy really shows us what it means to be brave. Especially when someone is at their most vulnerable. The fantastical worldbuilding is a wonderful way to show how Emily has moved forward with her pain and is working toward healing. The emotional despair from book one to now is powerful and easy to understand. Emily’s desperation to be safe is another thing that’s easy to relate to.
While this book may be difficult to some for the subject it deals with, it is important just the same. There are girls out there like Emily going through the same thing without the courage to come forward, to make their perpetrator pay for the things they’ve done. Emily’s PTSD was written in a way that was very believable, especially with the random flip flop between this world and the other.
Narration by the author is always an interesting thing to me. They know exactly how to script their characters, and in this instance, it was no different. It was easy to hear Emily’s pain and vulnerability, and I think that made the story even better because it was real.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
popthebutterfly's review against another edition
2.0
Rating: 2.5/5
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (mentions of child molestation, language, sexual content)
Pages: 342
Author Website
Amazon Link
Disclaimer: I received this book courtesy of KidLitExchange. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: What if the worst thing isn't that they don't believe you? What if the worst thing is that they just don't care? Seventeen year-old Emily has accepted the truth of her past trauma and made peace with her battered egos. She's won the first battle...barely...but the war in her psyche still rages. The same day Mom is released from rehab and Emily finishes detox, Dad announces he's ready to be a family again, throwing Emily into panic. Determined to protect her younger brothers and sister from Dad, she gathers the strength to do the hardest thing she's ever done: speak her Secret. But it isn't enough. Nobody will intervene. Emily is more alone and helpless than ever. Her therapist suggests that the key to resolving her crises lies within the mysterious First Realm, where Emily has access to her Fae abilities and where she can find her Champion…the one person with enough power to end the destructive cycle of abuse and help Emily transform from victim to survivor. Desperate for guidance, Emily returns to the First Realm only to discover the Seven Kingdoms in total chaos. She has just a few days to find her Champion before Dad comes for her. Can she complete her task and return to the Second Realm in time to save her family, or will her dreaded premonition turn out to be true: that she is her own worst enemy?
We return to Emily after an exciting first book. Her story continues where we left off, but this time when she thinks things will go okay, they don’t. Things spiral again for our heroine, but will we see her rise from the ashes? Personally I thought the story was okay. The characters were expertly developed and the world building was wonderful. The author also has a natural talent for writing as it was simply amazing. I also have to praise the book again on discussing mental illness and having a somewhat realistic take on what PTSD and trauma can look like in a young girl’s brain.
However, I didn’t think this book was as good as the first book. The “real” story seemed really slow and the cliffhanger conclusion was disappointing. I didn’t feel like the story was connecting to me outside of First Realm. I also had issues with the “real” story. I’m pretty sure Emily’s detox center is in Nevada. If not please correct me. In Nevada the statue of limitations is 10 years for child sex cases according to their official website. They also have mandatory reporting laws in place in the state. The fact that Emily “couldn’t” report the case because it was “too old” should not have been an issue and her “counselor” Nancy should have reported the case to the police ASAP. Even if a case is “too old” the police will still investigate the case. I’ve worked in juvenile court systems and I know that if there is any inkling that a child is in danger of being placed with a parent who sexually abused them or abused them in any fashion then the police and CPS will step in to handle the situation and remove the children until a full investigation can be conducted with the children and within the home. Furthermore, which I failed to point out in the first review but have since looked into for this one, the father should not have been able to even drive to California from wherever he designated as his home because of his parole. He would have had to obtain a certificate of release from the supervision officer, should have obtained a job within the first few weeks of his parole, and he should have not been eligible to start his own business as he would have also had restitution he would have had to pay because of his offense of securities fraud. As a 17 year old I would have also suspected Emily of knowing about his parole status. She could have called his parole officer to tell him about the molestation and the father would have been charged with violation of parole. She could have also just informed the police herself since Nancy was not able to follow mandatory reporting laws. And if she was too afraid, she could have phoned an anonymous tip into CPS and reported through there. The workers would have responded and spoke to Emily where she could have made her allegations and then the children would have been taken out of the home. While the children might have been split up into foster homes I believe Emily would have preferred that over the possibility of them being in the home with a sexually deviant father. I know that stuff like what happened in the book happens in real life, but it’s very very rare. And for so many things to go wrong all at once? Not having one adult in the situation speak up? Not having the justice system work? That creates a very unlikely story.
Verdict: A good fantasy story, but an unbelievable realistic story.
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (mentions of child molestation, language, sexual content)
Pages: 342
Author Website
Amazon Link
Disclaimer: I received this book courtesy of KidLitExchange. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: What if the worst thing isn't that they don't believe you? What if the worst thing is that they just don't care? Seventeen year-old Emily has accepted the truth of her past trauma and made peace with her battered egos. She's won the first battle...barely...but the war in her psyche still rages. The same day Mom is released from rehab and Emily finishes detox, Dad announces he's ready to be a family again, throwing Emily into panic. Determined to protect her younger brothers and sister from Dad, she gathers the strength to do the hardest thing she's ever done: speak her Secret. But it isn't enough. Nobody will intervene. Emily is more alone and helpless than ever. Her therapist suggests that the key to resolving her crises lies within the mysterious First Realm, where Emily has access to her Fae abilities and where she can find her Champion…the one person with enough power to end the destructive cycle of abuse and help Emily transform from victim to survivor. Desperate for guidance, Emily returns to the First Realm only to discover the Seven Kingdoms in total chaos. She has just a few days to find her Champion before Dad comes for her. Can she complete her task and return to the Second Realm in time to save her family, or will her dreaded premonition turn out to be true: that she is her own worst enemy?
We return to Emily after an exciting first book. Her story continues where we left off, but this time when she thinks things will go okay, they don’t. Things spiral again for our heroine, but will we see her rise from the ashes? Personally I thought the story was okay. The characters were expertly developed and the world building was wonderful. The author also has a natural talent for writing as it was simply amazing. I also have to praise the book again on discussing mental illness and having a somewhat realistic take on what PTSD and trauma can look like in a young girl’s brain.
However, I didn’t think this book was as good as the first book. The “real” story seemed really slow and the cliffhanger conclusion was disappointing. I didn’t feel like the story was connecting to me outside of First Realm. I also had issues with the “real” story. I’m pretty sure Emily’s detox center is in Nevada. If not please correct me. In Nevada the statue of limitations is 10 years for child sex cases according to their official website. They also have mandatory reporting laws in place in the state. The fact that Emily “couldn’t” report the case because it was “too old” should not have been an issue and her “counselor” Nancy should have reported the case to the police ASAP. Even if a case is “too old” the police will still investigate the case. I’ve worked in juvenile court systems and I know that if there is any inkling that a child is in danger of being placed with a parent who sexually abused them or abused them in any fashion then the police and CPS will step in to handle the situation and remove the children until a full investigation can be conducted with the children and within the home. Furthermore, which I failed to point out in the first review but have since looked into for this one, the father should not have been able to even drive to California from wherever he designated as his home because of his parole. He would have had to obtain a certificate of release from the supervision officer, should have obtained a job within the first few weeks of his parole, and he should have not been eligible to start his own business as he would have also had restitution he would have had to pay because of his offense of securities fraud. As a 17 year old I would have also suspected Emily of knowing about his parole status. She could have called his parole officer to tell him about the molestation and the father would have been charged with violation of parole. She could have also just informed the police herself since Nancy was not able to follow mandatory reporting laws. And if she was too afraid, she could have phoned an anonymous tip into CPS and reported through there. The workers would have responded and spoke to Emily where she could have made her allegations and then the children would have been taken out of the home. While the children might have been split up into foster homes I believe Emily would have preferred that over the possibility of them being in the home with a sexually deviant father. I know that stuff like what happened in the book happens in real life, but it’s very very rare. And for so many things to go wrong all at once? Not having one adult in the situation speak up? Not having the justice system work? That creates a very unlikely story.
Verdict: A good fantasy story, but an unbelievable realistic story.
tswynters's review
1.0
This book needs to come witha a trigger warning due to the child molestation content. I was very disappointed this was not given. This is the second book in the series and focuses on teenage Emily who is dealing with her traumatic past. The characters were more developed this time around and the world building has gotten better. The take on PTSD was believable. The problem with this book is the pace was excessively slow and also, I hate cliffhanger endings. This book should have closed up the plot for this particular book. Research needed to be done more for some of the real world aspects of the story such as the detox and legal aspects of the book. The book also does some victim blaming which is very dangerous such as how long it took her to report her case. This is very dangerous territory that needs to be written about in the correct way and the author just fails. The fantasy aspect of the story is great but I just couldn't get past the stance taken on the real world aspect. and the affects it might have on teenage readers. Many of the aspects of why victims don't want to speak up were completely supported in this book, which is really sad.
deearr's review
4.0
Even though the first book, “Riven,” contained a distinctive end to the storyline, there were other unanswered questions that became the focus of “Secret Keeper.” I thoroughly enjoyed the fantasy realm in the first book and began to wonder if Emily would ever return there, as it seemed to take forever for the author to lead us back to it. Fortunately, the power of Jane Alvey Harris’s writing will easily sustain readers through the wait, deftly crafting a plot that carries us through the calm to the impending storm.
Emily tells the story, her descriptive tone weaving a tapestry that outlines the action while explaining the inner turmoil she is constantly battling. Emily is at the age where she is a girl butterflying into a woman, and consciously reacting to the changes she is experiencing. Add the additional challenges that have been thrust upon her, and you have a mosh pit of strength, teenage angst, and worry. Ms. Harris balances Emily’s emotions with ease, allowing us to see the heroine’s unrealized talents without allowing Emily to appear whiny.
Ms. Harris caters to her YA audience with this book. While “Riven” seemed to edge its way into different genres (and this style continued through the first half of “Secret Keeper”), the second half of the book displayed a change of style that will probably be more appealing to younger readers. Most disconcerting was the abrupt difference in the conversational style exhibited by Emily and the Shield Maidens. While I understand that there is a blurring of worlds in this series, I felt this rapid change to a more colloquial feeling was not consistent with the dialogue I had become accustomed to when reading Ms. Harris’s books, nor did it seem consistent with established characterizations.
Even more mystifying was the cliffhanger ending. This is the second of three books, and if readers follow you to a second book, odds are they will also purchase the third. Additionally, Ms. Harris’s plots and characterizations are top-notch, and shouldn’t need this type of technique to entice people to keep reading. There were a couple spots that could have served as an ending point and while it might have caused the last book to be longer, I believe that her fans would have forgiven her.
Despite these few negative aspects, this series is one of the most inventive I have read in a long time. Plot, description, and storytelling are the work horses here, and they all perform admirably. Four stars.
My thanks to the author for an advance complimentary copy of this book.
Emily tells the story, her descriptive tone weaving a tapestry that outlines the action while explaining the inner turmoil she is constantly battling. Emily is at the age where she is a girl butterflying into a woman, and consciously reacting to the changes she is experiencing. Add the additional challenges that have been thrust upon her, and you have a mosh pit of strength, teenage angst, and worry. Ms. Harris balances Emily’s emotions with ease, allowing us to see the heroine’s unrealized talents without allowing Emily to appear whiny.
Ms. Harris caters to her YA audience with this book. While “Riven” seemed to edge its way into different genres (and this style continued through the first half of “Secret Keeper”), the second half of the book displayed a change of style that will probably be more appealing to younger readers. Most disconcerting was the abrupt difference in the conversational style exhibited by Emily and the Shield Maidens. While I understand that there is a blurring of worlds in this series, I felt this rapid change to a more colloquial feeling was not consistent with the dialogue I had become accustomed to when reading Ms. Harris’s books, nor did it seem consistent with established characterizations.
Even more mystifying was the cliffhanger ending. This is the second of three books, and if readers follow you to a second book, odds are they will also purchase the third. Additionally, Ms. Harris’s plots and characterizations are top-notch, and shouldn’t need this type of technique to entice people to keep reading. There were a couple spots that could have served as an ending point and while it might have caused the last book to be longer, I believe that her fans would have forgiven her.
Despite these few negative aspects, this series is one of the most inventive I have read in a long time. Plot, description, and storytelling are the work horses here, and they all perform admirably. Four stars.
My thanks to the author for an advance complimentary copy of this book.
acocab_blog's review
5.0
It’s always a great moment when you find a sequel to a book that is even better than the first. Secret Keeper is one of those books. Riven had me feeling all sorts of emotions, and Secret Keeper did the same thing, but this book seemed to make me feel those emotions twice as much. Secret Keeper did not disappoint!
The audience follows Emily as she continues to battle within her psyche, which is where the magic and fantasy aspect come into play. There is more of a darker presence in Secret Keeper than there was in Riven, but it portrays different concepts, mainly how one may react when some secrets come out and consent. The fantasy in this story is both engrossing and unique, and the author has such a way of getting you hooked to the story and the fantasy world. The epic battle scenes, the AMAZING maidens that know how to kick some hardcore butt, and the gripping social issues are all part of this beautiful story.
Jane Alvey Harris knows how to keep an audience captivated. She adds layer upon layer upon layer to this already intense plot, leaving the reader wanting more. Even though questions from the first book are finally answered, new questions arise and keep the reader enticed. Emily’s journey portrays a light for those who are struggling, for others to see how some teens may cope with harbored secrets and acceptance. She is such a complex character that it’s easy to get sucked into her story. This story addresses those unbearable social issues in a such a unique way; I usually don’t like to read books that deal with different types of social issues, but this book approaches those issues in such a light way that is powerful yet emotional.
I cannot wait to see what is in store for Emily in the next book. That ending was something I was not expecting, and I will be waiting impatiently for the next book. I already know it’s going to be fantastic!
If you haven’t checked out Jane Alvey Harris’s work, I highly recommend that you do. Her My Myth Trilogy is a gripping contemporary with a wonderful fantasy aspect that will not only keep you guessing, but also make you feel as if you are on Emily’s journey.
The audience follows Emily as she continues to battle within her psyche, which is where the magic and fantasy aspect come into play. There is more of a darker presence in Secret Keeper than there was in Riven, but it portrays different concepts, mainly how one may react when some secrets come out and consent. The fantasy in this story is both engrossing and unique, and the author has such a way of getting you hooked to the story and the fantasy world. The epic battle scenes, the AMAZING maidens that know how to kick some hardcore butt, and the gripping social issues are all part of this beautiful story.
Jane Alvey Harris knows how to keep an audience captivated. She adds layer upon layer upon layer to this already intense plot, leaving the reader wanting more. Even though questions from the first book are finally answered, new questions arise and keep the reader enticed. Emily’s journey portrays a light for those who are struggling, for others to see how some teens may cope with harbored secrets and acceptance. She is such a complex character that it’s easy to get sucked into her story. This story addresses those unbearable social issues in a such a unique way; I usually don’t like to read books that deal with different types of social issues, but this book approaches those issues in such a light way that is powerful yet emotional.
I cannot wait to see what is in store for Emily in the next book. That ending was something I was not expecting, and I will be waiting impatiently for the next book. I already know it’s going to be fantastic!
If you haven’t checked out Jane Alvey Harris’s work, I highly recommend that you do. Her My Myth Trilogy is a gripping contemporary with a wonderful fantasy aspect that will not only keep you guessing, but also make you feel as if you are on Emily’s journey.
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