Tell Me a Secret

by Holly Cupala

Overview

It's tough living in the shadow of a dead girl. . . .

In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda's death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams—a best friend to unlock her sister's world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all—Miranda has a secret all her own.

When two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears, Miranda is stripped of her former life. She must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister's demons and her own.

In this powerful debut novel, stunning new talent Holly Cupala illuminates the dark struggle of a girl who must let go of her past to find a way into her own future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062001535
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/22/2010
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	430 KB
Age Range:	14 Years

About the Author

Holly Cupala is the author of Tell Me a Secret. When she isn’t writing or making art, she explores Seattle with her husband and daughter. A portion of her proceeds goes toward helping sexually exploited girls around the world.

What People are Saying About This

Deb Caletti

“Tell Me a Secret is a gripping, emotional story about a young girl with a tragic past and an uncertain future. I dare you to set it down during its last hundred pages. I dare you.”

Editorial Reviews

Set in Seattle, Cupala's first novel is a cinematic and realistic story concerning high school senior Miranda "Rand" Mathison. It has been five years since the death of her wild older sister, Xanda, and while Rand attempts to set her sights on the future (art school in Boston, her boyfriend) the past keeps pulling her back. "I was left to wonder, what role did Xanda fill that I could not? What secret did she keep? And what path could I take to find it?" When Rand becomes pregnant, her dramatic, controlling mother forces her to choose between considering adoption and starting a work-study program at a bank (which would mean giving up a career in art). Her friends and boyfriend desert her, yet Rand is strong, stubborn, and determined to keep the baby as a way of reconnecting to her sister's spirit. Readers follow Rand's daily struggles through taut, first-person narration, as Cupala skillfully weaves Rand's memories with present action. The sheer number of problematic pregnancies, fraught friendships, and family troubles can make the story feel melodramatic, but Rand is a consistently empathetic heroine. Ages 14-up. (July)

Publishers Weekly

A powerful story of self-discovery, and a brilliant debut novel.” — Ellen Hopkins, New York Times bestselling author of Crank

“Tell Me a Secret is a gripping, emotional story about a young girl with a tragic past and an uncertain future. I dare you to set it down during its last hundred pages. I dare you.” — Deb Caletti, National Book Award Nominee for Honey, Baby, Sweetheart

“Cinematic.” — Publishers Weekly

“Heartbreaking and hopeful. . . .Teens will be held by the fresh take on the teen-pregnancy plot.” — ALA Booklist

“Holly Cupala’s debut novel will be immensely popular among teens. Teen fans will be captivated by the theme of owning your own path, the persistence of life and closure.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“Compelling dialogue and vivid scenes.” — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

Tell Me a Secret is a gripping, emotional story about a young girl with a tragic past and an uncertain future. I dare you to set it down during its last hundred pages. I dare you.

Deb Caletti

Holly Cupala’s debut novel will be immensely popular among teens. Teen fans will be captivated by the theme of owning your own path, the persistence of life and closure.

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

A powerful story of self-discovery, and a brilliant debut novel.

Ellen Hopkins

Heartbreaking and hopeful. . . .Teens will be held by the fresh take on the teen-pregnancy plot.

ALA Booklist

Gr 9 Up—As school begins, 17-year-old Rand knows that she is pregnant. She wants to tell her boyfriend, but after being away at camp all summer she doesn't feel as close to Kamran as she once did. Making matters worse, she is increasingly certain that he is dating her best friend behind her back. Because of this, Rand is all but cut off from her social group, and her controlling mother and emotionally absent father, still reeling from the death of their other daughter five years earlier, don't offer any emotional support either. When she decides to keep her baby, her parents force her to give up her dreams of art school to get a job. Just when everything seems like it couldn't possibly get any worse, Rand faces the dangerously early birth of her baby. In the end, she discovers not only who her true friends are, but also the truth about her sister's death. Along with a rekindled relationship with her parents, these facets of the story contribute to a somewhat resolved ending, though not much positive happens during this bleak novel. Even if other characters are not outright mean to her, almost no one treats Rand with any kindness. Some may appreciate Cupala's gritty realism, but others will find this overwrought book a real downer.—Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA

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