Sudden Secrets offers contemporary YA at its finest, with a protagonist teenagers will easily relate to. Yet it it also features a mystery and unfortunately, that part falls a little flat. Cleo and her family struggle to heal after her kid sister passes away. They move to another town, into another house, and try to make the best of it. But her father has run halfway across the world where he works on archeological dig sites and tries to perserve ancient artifacts, leaving her, her mom and her granddad, to deal with the pieces of the family they once were. All of them struggle with guilt, with sorrow, and the author does an amazing job portraying the family’s grief. This is the strong point of the book. The characters feel realistic and have their little quirks (like grandpa and his pet snake, Clyve), and their sorrow feels as real as they do. After moving, Cleo makes a few friends. She makes them rather fast though, and this didn’t seem very realistic. They do make an interesting group though, with a fun group dynamic. I liked Rudy and Stacy. Although their personalities were quite different, they did match nicely with Cleo’s personality. The part that didn’t work for me was the mystery. Cleo’s house had an abandoned house next to it, but sometimes the lights turned out. I was expecting the mystery to be a little spooky, or at least suspenseful, but it turned out rather dull and unrealistic. I was like: so that’s why you stayed in the house for decades? Uhm, right. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the reasoning behind it, is a little over the top, and then the sudden change of heart at the end is strange too. I think I would’ve preferred the book without the mystery of the abandoned house, or at least with a mystery that made more snese. The writing and language were phenomenal, and the dialogue fitted the characters. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so impressed with an author’s writing style. If you’re looking for a realistic YA novel that deals with guilt and pain, I’d highly recommend this one. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Cleo is a troubled teenage girl. But it’s not the typical teenage angst. There’s profound sadness and guilt eating away at Cleo and her entire family. The root of the sadness is part of the novel’s mystery. And then there’s the mystery of who lives in the house across the street, which is supposed to be vacant, but there are clues suggesting otherwise. This story has some wonderful characters and it was nice watching them all grow and face their troubles. The mysteries are always present, but the unraveling is slow in coming. This caused me to keep reading. I do wish that there was more background provided about Cleo’s sister. That mystery intrigued me more than the house across the street. This is my second book by this author and I’ve been impressed by both.

Sudden Secrets is such an enjoyable book. It's highly engaging and filled with emotion. Young readers will not want to put it down. As soon as the mysteries started to unfold with the protagonist's past and present, I was hooked. Cleo, the main character, is curious, emotional and mildly outgoing. Since we spent a lot of time getting to know her, she is easy to relate to. I suffered as she suffered through her little sister's death and abandonment by both her mother and father and even her grandfather at times. When Cleo's curiosity about the house across the street starts to take over her life, she becomes more like a detective, opening secrets left and right. As the relationship grows with the strange woman who lives across the street, Cleo opens up more about her own devastating past. It is truly intriguing. Throughout the book, Cleo has three friends from school; Ethan, Stacy and Rudy. It was nice to see how they all bonded, even though they had their differences. Ethan ended up being a jerk so when Cleo finally came to her senses and went for the good guy, Rudy, it made the book even more enjoyable. All in all, I loved every character in this story and felt the pain most of them endured. When Cleo's dad finally returns home, I even cried! Now that is good writing!

How to you deal with painful memories? This family ran away. They relocated from Buena Vista to Morgan Heights. Cleo’s mom selected an old (as in ‘needs a lot of work’) Victorian that reminded her of her mom’s house where she had many fond memories. Cleo just saw the ‘work’ part. Cleo’s dad, Derek, was on an extended work opportunity in Afghanistan. She had no idea when he’d return home but she missed him and felt they all needed him now. So, Cleo, her mom, Grandpa Zack, and three pets move into their new (old) home. Aziza is missing. She was Cleo’s little sister who died in a horrific accident. She’s the reason … the memories they hoped to escape. Cleo is a junior high student and is actually looking forward to the fresh start in school, a new place where people won’t look at her and judge her. The first night, she realizes the ‘vacant’ house across the street doesn’t appear to actually be ‘vacant’ after all. She meets and befriends Ethan Gallagher, the junior class president, Stacy , Ethan’s girlfriend, and Rudy Krantz, his best friend. Ethan takes an obsessive interest in the house across the street. Rudy takes an obsessive interest in Cleo. I liked Cleo, and felt her pain for the loss of her sister. I fell in love with Rudy who went out of his way to prove to Cleo that he really was interested in her. Grandpa Zach was an odd character who loved Clyde, his pet boa constrictor. He didn’t have a lot to say, but when he did, it made me giggle. I liked that the stereotypical picture of Stacy was broken. Cleo had assumed she was a high maintenance prima donna, but she discovered they actually had a lot in common. Finally, I really liked the mystery surrounding the house across the street. My only concern is the ending. There was an epilogue, but even still I found it to be rather abrupt. This is for teen and young adult readers. I tend to agree — there was no inappropriate content. Rating: 4 / 5.

Sudden Secrets is a well-written, emotional tale of teen, Cleo, whose family has suffered the tragic loss of Aziza, her four-year-old sister. In an attempt to heal, they relocate to a small northern California town that has its own secrets. Cleo's life is shattered not only by the loss of her sister, but also as the fracturing of her family in the aftermath. Her mom disappears into herself while her father disappears to Afghanistan on an archeological expedition. Even her grandfather withdraws, becoming a shell of his former self. And if that isn't bad enough, Cleo blames herself for the accident that took her sister's life. Cleo's mom sees the relocation as a chance to heal, Cleo sees it as an opportunity to start over, even if she's not sure that can happen. Cleo runs to escape her pain and when she runs to the nearby high school and meets super-hot Ethan, things are looking up. At least until she meets Ethan's equally hot girlfriend, Stacey. Cleo manages to begin rebuilding her life, making friends with Stacey, Ethan, and eternally boisterous Rudy. When she notices some odd activity in the supposedly vacant house across the street, the four of them embark on solving the mystery that dates back more than five decades and may or may not involve a local hero. Plot The plot is multi-pronged with the main plot centering on pain surrounding Cleo and her family, but a strong subplot is the mystery of Belleza and the house across the street. The romance is a minor subplot, which works fine in this case. My only real complaint with the plot is that the romance seems almost irrelevant to the story. It would have been nice if it was intertwined more, not necessarily a bigger part, just more of a factor. World Building What there is, is subtle, but the setting isn't terribly important. It's small town Northern California and the author does a good job of evoking that misty, foggy Bay Area atmosphere enough to set the scenes. Characters This is almost entirely a character-driven story and that's where it really shines. Each character is well-developed, even the secondary and tertiary ones. They all have rich and deep back stories that fit the plot and are never extraneous nor feel forced upon us. We learn about the characters at exactly the right time, when the information is crucial to the story. The character development is really well done, too. Everyone from Cleo to her family and Belleza across the street grow and develop through the story in very believable, authentic, organic ways. Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Sudden Secrets 1. The Mystery. I love when an author can pique my interest, keep it, then let that interest bloom and grow by revealing bits and pieces of the secret. C. Lee McKenzie has done a masterful job of this in Sudden Secrets. 2. The Romance. No, it's not the main plot or even a strong subplot, and I did mention that I wished it'd been more integral to the story, but what I enjoyed about it was that it was anything BUT formulaic. 3. Belleza. She's complex, complicated, deep, emotional, loyal, mysterious, and one hundred percent awesome! 4. Cleo. She's extremely likeable, even though she's flawed. She does things that made me shake my head, but I always knew her heart was in the right place. She was a refreshing change from the typical young adult protagonist. 5. Rudy. There is something so infectious about him, that just reading about him made me smile. Bottom Line Sudden Secrets is an intriguing story with complex characters that worm their way into your heart. Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Cleo lives with her rather eccentric family, her mother and grandfather, after the death of her little sister. Her father has left the country to escape his pain and when her mother moves her to a new house, she feels more alone than ever before. When she sees movement in the house opposite, the mystery draws her in. Along the way she makes new friends and attempts to put her family back together. Well written, with a great main character, this book kept me hooked. I would definitely recommend it.

Sudden Secrets is an interesting YA book written by C. Lee McKenzie. It’s entertaining enough for anyone to enjoy, regardless of age. The storyline is easy to follow, and gives you enough history on the characters to allow you to relate and enjoy them. The character Cleo is a forlorn teenager with a heavy heart and great burden to carry. I really felt her heartache just leap off the pages. The tone of the story emphasizes the burden of the secret that Cleo is carrying, and how it affects her relationships with those around her. The supporting characters are as equally well developed, and readers can easily get attached. I love the descriptions of the small town, the oldness of the house, and the great detail of the deterioration of the yard. These details set the tone for the story. The strain of the secret that Cleo’s family carries can be felt in the pages as you read. Paired with the mystery of the house across the street, it's a well-written blend of mystery, angst, sorrow, and love. I look forward to reading more from C. Lee McKenzie.

Sudden Secrets is such an enjoyable book. It's highly engaging and filled with emotion. Young readers will not want to put it down. As soon as the mysteries started to unfold with the protagonist's past and present, I was hooked. Cleo, the main character, is curious, emotional and mildly outgoing. Since we spent a lot of time getting to know her, she is easy to relate to. I suffered as she suffered through her little sister's death and abandonment by both her mother and father and even her grandfather at times. When Cleo's curiosity about the house across the street starts to take over her life, she becomes more like a detective, opening secrets left and right. As the relationship grows with the strange woman who lives across the street, Cleo opens up more about her own devastating past. It is truly intriguing. Throughout the book, Cleo has three friends from school; Ethan, Stacy and Rudy. It was nice to see how they all bonded, even though they had their differences. Ethan ended up being a jerk so when Cleo finally came to her senses and went for the good guy, Rudy, it made the book even more enjoyable. All in all, I loved every character in this story and felt the pain most of them endured. When Cleo's dad finally returns home, I even cried! Now that is good writing!

Sometimes a tragedy occurs in a person’s life, a tragedy so heartbreaking they want to keep it a secret. They try to run away from it, perhaps by moving to a new town, hoping to start over again. But the secret haunts them, and they can’t forget. They shouldn’t forget, for it’s a part of their lives, forever. SUDDEN SECRETS, Author C. Lee McKenzie’s latest novel for YA readers, is a story the reader won’t forget for a while, at least this reader won’t forget. It’s the tender story of a family falling apart. High school junior Cleopatra Brown, her mother and grandfather, along with Tut, a Great Dane, Nefertiti, a cat, and Clyde, Grandpa’s pet boa, move into a dilapidated old house in a new town. They hope to put the past behind them. Cleo’s father is in Afghanistan “saving pieces of history” rather than being with his family that needs him, especially Cleo. Cleo is supposed to go to a new school and live, like everything is normal. But her life isn’t normal. It never will be again because of the secret she carries with her. Even handsome hunk Ethan, funny Rudy and gorgeous Stacy, her new friends, cannot help Cleo forgive herself. My favorite character is Rudy, with his mostly positive attitude that brightens the darker scenes. Then there’s the house across the street that appears to be empty, except for the occasional light Cleo sees through the window and the van that arrived every Saturday morning. C. Lee McKenzie has woven a tale of mystery and suspense in SUDDEN SECRETS. The effect of the tragedy on the family is believable, and I was hoping they’d resolve their problems and be a family again. Then the author threw in an unexpected surprise, at least to me. And I’m not saying what. Looking back I can see the subtle hints Ms. McKenzie planted along the way. Very nice. SUDDEN SECRETS may bring tears to your eyes. It did mine. I felt the pain of the family, especially Cleo, as they struggled to survive the past. An enjoyable read that I highly recommend.

Cleo is a girl who’s torn. Her baby sister died not too long ago. She’s racked with emotions, especially since she’s harboring a secret about the death that fills her with guilt. Also, her father is far away, stuck in the Middle East, and things between him and her mother are rocky. She lives across the street from an eerie house with flickering lights—from a ghost, from a hermit, from someone who also has a secret in her past? Someone in Cleo’s circle desires to torment whoever is in that mysterious house, but Cleo wants to prevent that. There’s someone in there who can possibly help her heal, and maybe Cleo can do something in return. The thread of secrecy throughout the book was quite intriguing. The novel is serious with a mournful tone, although there’s a light of hope in these pages. Cleo, her family, and the new people in her life can all get better, even when it seems like they’ve been through the worst. This is a satisfying YA read and a great addition to the author’s body of work