Publishers Weekly
02/16/2015
Although the idea of twins masquerading as each other isn’t new, Leaver (co-author of Creed, written with Lindsay Currie) gives the premise a twist by having a twin step into her dead sister’s shoes. High school seniors Ella and Maddy Lawton might share the same genes, but their lives have been drifting in different directions. Studious, quiet, and quirky Ella is headed for art school while popular and gregarious Maddy is in line for an athletic scholarship. After a car accident leads to Maddy’s death, Ella decides to impersonate her sister—forever. Leaver illustrates just how complicated a decision that turns out to be, weaving together a jumbled web of secrets and lies that make Ella’s deception that much harder. Readers will be caught up in the very real grief that Ella feels at losing her sister, as well as her desperation to keep her secret. The final pages are not terribly surprising, but watching Ella grapple with questions about life, death, and love makes for rewarding reading. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
"Leaver's brilliant novel is the high school version of What Happened to Janie? The compelling premise will attract readers and the strong characterization will keep them enthralled." --VOYA, starred review
"A fatal accident leaves one twin sister dead and the other trying to figure out her identity . . . For lovers of melodrama." --Kirkus Reviews "Watching Ella grapple with questions about life, death, and love makes for rewarding reading." --Publishers Weekly "The love and loss of a twin sister leads to a powerfully complex and heart-wrenching journey of self-discovery. The depth and complexity of Ella grows on each page, and I soon found myself immersed in her personal struggle. She is so fully developed that her seemingly unbelievable choice is not only believable, but completely understandable." --Scott Blagden, author of Dear Life, You Suck "Trisha Leaver crafts a powerful and unputdownable novel that will keep you up long after you read the last page. Full of twists and turns and FEELS, this book questions how far a person will go for her family . . . even if it means losing herself." --Lynne Matson, author of Nil "Haunting and beautiful, The Secrets We Keep, is a gripping, evocative examination of siblings' complex relationships. It compels us to question what we know, or think we know, about our loved ones and--most of all--ourselves." --Karen Rock, author of the Camp Boyfriend series
School Library Journal
10/01/2015
Gr 7 Up—Ella Lawton is a senior in high school and a talented artist about to be accepted into a prestigious art design school. While Ella has flown under the radar in high school, her identical twin sister, Maddy, is incredibly popular and dating the sought-after Alex Furey. Ella is content with her friends and her art, while Maddy seems to have a drama-filled social circle that perplexes Ella. One night, Maddy calls her sister and asks her to come pick her up from a party. When Ella arrives, she sees that her twin is visibly upset, and the two leave, with Ella at the wheel. On the drive home, the teens are involved in a tragic accident, leaving Maddy dead. When Ella wakes up, she realizes that everyone, her parents, Alex, and a big group of friends are all waiting for her to regain consciousness at the hospital. Everyone thinks she is Maddy. Ella makes a split-second decision to take on her sister's life. The siblings have switched places before, for tests and schoolwork. Little does Ella realize the difficulties that lie ahead in trying to navigate Maddy's life, and what price she will have to pay to give up her own dreams. The book is well written, but Ella's interior monologue drags at times. There are some mysteries about Maddy's life that do get resolved, but they take a backseat to Ella's deception. VERDICT Well written with excellent character development, this work falters in its pacing and focus. A general purchase for most YA collections.—Nancy Jo Lambert, Reedy High School, Frisco, TX
School Library Journal - Audio
★ 07/01/2015
Gr 7 Up—Aside from their identical looks, twin sisters Maddy and Ella Lawton couldn't be more different. Maddy is the popular twin, preoccupied with her appearance and what everyone thinks of her, while Ella is more reserved and couldn't care less what her peers think of her anime-drawing habits and how little attention she pays to her wardrobe. When Ella receives a call from Maddy asking for a ride home from a party, the night ends in a car crash that leaves one twin dead and the other alive wondering how to make things right. Waking up in a haze, Ella easily believes what everyone around her is telling her, that she is Maddy. When she quickly realizes the truth Ella chooses to keep it a secret believing that everyone would be happy had it really been Maddy who survived. How long can Ella keep up the charade with her parents, Maddy's boyfriend, and the rest of the school? What secrets of her sister's will she learn along the way? Though the plot treads familiar ground, Leaver's story is certainly entertaining and intriguing. Kate Rudd's narration is easy to follow and leaves listeners wanting the story to continue. VERDICT This should be a primary purchase for any library with patrons who love melodramatic mysteries and romance.—Betsy Davison, Cortland, NY
Kirkus Reviews
2015-02-03
A fatal accident leaves one twin sister dead and the other trying to figure out her identity.Ella has always been smart, quiet and artistic, while her identical twin sister, Maddy, became part of the social elite once they reached high school. Ella has also become accustomed to bailing Maddy out, so it's no surprise when Maddy needs Ella to pick her up from a party. As the two argue over their growing separation, Ella crashes the car, killing Maddy instantly. In an implausible story straight out of Hollywood, Ella, not certain who she is when she wakes up after the accident, assumes she is Maddy, especially when Maddy's boyfriend, Alex, is at her side. Although she quickly realizes the truth about Maddy, Ella pretends to be her twin sister in an effort to trade her own life for the life Maddy should have had. She seems to fool her family and friends, but can she convince herself to be Maddy? The effort, described in hyperbolic prose that seems determined to tell instead of show, becomes more difficult when Alex begins pressuring her to resume Maddy's physical relationship, and Ella's best friend, Josh, proclaims his love for the Ella he presumes dead. The discovery of Maddy's secret involvement in a school scandal weaves a mild thriller plot into the building romance. For lovers of melodrama only. (Fiction. 13-18)
