An empty mind is a safe mind.
Yulia's father always taught her to hide her thoughts and control her emotions to survive the harsh realities of Soviet Russia. But when she's captured by the KGB and forced to work as a psychic spy with a mission to undermine the U.S. space program, she's thrust into a world of suspicion, deceit, and horrifying power. Yulia quickly realizes she can trust no one--not her KGB superiors or the other operatives vying for her attention--and must rely on her own wits and skills to survive in this world where no SEKRET can stay hidden for long.
Find Sekret on Goodreads Visit the Author's Website
Today I am so excited to be reviewing another 2014 Debut for you all! Sekret by Lindsay Smith is a book that I thought was interesting, but then when I saw Mac Teen Books post some quotes from the book on their blog, I just had to pick up this book. Cassi from My Thoughts Literally and I read this together, and it was so much fun to do a readalong together, and her thoughts on the book made me appreciate it even more, and I really loved it! Yulia's father always taught her to hide her thoughts and control her emotions to survive the harsh realities of Soviet Russia. But when she's captured by the KGB and forced to work as a psychic spy with a mission to undermine the U.S. space program, she's thrust into a world of suspicion, deceit, and horrifying power. Yulia quickly realizes she can trust no one--not her KGB superiors or the other operatives vying for her attention--and must rely on her own wits and skills to survive in this world where no SEKRET can stay hidden for long.
Find Sekret on Goodreads Visit the Author's Website
What really makes Sekret so unique is the setting- Cold War era Russia. I haven't read any books from this time period before, and I don't think I've ever heard of a YA paranormal set there before! Yulia is a character hardened by her circumstances- she's tough, self sufficient, and resilient. However, she's not brusque or unlikeable, and there's a lot more to her than meets the eye. I thought her character was, on the whole, really well done. She was interesting and an excellent narrator. The group seemed to balance each other out well- there were the obnoxious characters, the ones you can't figure out, and overall this ensemble worked beautifully together and each character felt unique as well as an essential piece of the group dynamic.
I did give this four stars, and I had two main concerns with the book. Firstly, some of the character development was lacking for me, mainly in a few of the supporting characters. Also, the ending felt abrupt to me after all of the build up and mystery. However, those were minor qualms that didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. This really is fantastic, and the setting and background make it unique. It actually reminds me a lot of The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, which is a modern day story and a five star read of mine. Both books are some of my favorites, so if you like one you might want to check out the other!
Have you read Sekret? Share your thoughts down below!
From the paper world,
V
I liked this book a lot. The setting was so amazing! I loved reading about Cold War era Russia. I do agree that the characters were somewhat flat at times, but really I thought it was very well done. I will definitely be reading more from lindsay smith in the future. And I can't wait to find out what happens next with that cliffhanger!
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