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stacierowan76's review against another edition
4.0
Solidly written and interesting if a bit predictable.
kdurham2's review against another edition
5.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Before you read this review, STOP and pick up Finding Emma by Steena Holmes.
Ok. Now proceed. Emma's Secret picks up where the first ends and oh am I so thankful for this sequel. It definitely lived up to the first book and I was very glad to find out what happened after Emma returned to her family. Thankfully this author made the experience feel very real and showed what could be the truth when a kidnapping victim is returned to their former life.
Before you read this review, STOP and pick up Finding Emma by Steena Holmes.
Ok. Now proceed. Emma's Secret picks up where the first ends and oh am I so thankful for this sequel. It definitely lived up to the first book and I was very glad to find out what happened after Emma returned to her family. Thankfully this author made the experience feel very real and showed what could be the truth when a kidnapping victim is returned to their former life.
mom2triplets04's review against another edition
4.0
I read this one quickly too. It was about how Emma was after she was found after bring kidnapped for 2 years. She was found at age 5. During her two years she had loved her kidnappers who she thought were her grandparents. Her mom didn't want her to have anything to do with the kidnappers once she was found which made Emma very unhappy. Glad the dad put his daughters feelings first.
auscaz's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
crasscat's review against another edition
3.0
It kept me interested - I read it all in one sitting. I had no idea this book was a sequel but decided to read it anyways without having read the first book. (Seems like a lot of people had no idea there was a first book).
Some things were completely confusing - like Jack being convinced she was their granddaughter and not thinking anything of it when his wife (with dementia) shows up out of the blue with a 3 year old... But whatever I suppose!
I found it strange that of all the secrets not a single one was Emma's secret. A better title would have been something like "Emma's Return".
Some things were completely confusing - like Jack being convinced she was their granddaughter and not thinking anything of it when his wife (with dementia) shows up out of the blue with a 3 year old... But whatever I suppose!
I found it strange that of all the secrets not a single one was Emma's secret. A better title would have been something like "Emma's Return".
life_full_ofbooks's review against another edition
1.0
I knew not to expect much from this because the first one (Finding Emma) was not great so I wasn’t disappointed that this one wasn’t great either.
Honestly, this one was even flatter than the first, which surprised me because the first was pretty flat. You might be wondering why I even bothered to read this given how much I didn’t like Finding Emma, but that one ended so abruptly and I needed the closure. This definitely provided that, but I have the same issues with this as I had with Finding Emma.
It’s reads like it’s written by checking off bullet points on an outline. It deals with issues that we have never been introduced to and yet I assume we are meant to care about them. The character development is beyond lacking, though it is a little better in this one with 2 characters.
Each chapter starts with a journal entry that was written during Finding Emma (that we knew nothing about in that book) and they have no relativity to what the actual chapter is about.
Ms. Holmes included a note at the end stating that she wrote this because readers wanted to know more about Emma after Finding Emma, so this wasn’t even a story she had planned to tell. The title alludes so much secrecy and intrigue, but none of that was included, and the character of Megan is just as unlikable as she was in Emma’s Secret.
Both of these books remind me very much of The Face on the Milk Carton and Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B Cooney, except Ms. Cooney’s books were much more character driven and better written.
Honestly, this one was even flatter than the first, which surprised me because the first was pretty flat. You might be wondering why I even bothered to read this given how much I didn’t like Finding Emma, but that one ended so abruptly and I needed the closure. This definitely provided that, but I have the same issues with this as I had with Finding Emma.
It’s reads like it’s written by checking off bullet points on an outline. It deals with issues that we have never been introduced to and yet I assume we are meant to care about them. The character development is beyond lacking, though it is a little better in this one with 2 characters.
Each chapter starts with a journal entry that was written during Finding Emma (that we knew nothing about in that book) and they have no relativity to what the actual chapter is about.
Ms. Holmes included a note at the end stating that she wrote this because readers wanted to know more about Emma after Finding Emma, so this wasn’t even a story she had planned to tell. The title alludes so much secrecy and intrigue, but none of that was included, and the character of Megan is just as unlikable as she was in Emma’s Secret.
Both of these books remind me very much of The Face on the Milk Carton and Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B Cooney, except Ms. Cooney’s books were much more character driven and better written.
kirragerrish's review against another edition
4.0
I tested up one too many times in this book. Beautiful.
I would have gave this a 5 if it wasn't for the title. Bit of a misconception, what was Emma's secret exactly? She didn't necessarily have one
I would have gave this a 5 if it wasn't for the title. Bit of a misconception, what was Emma's secret exactly? She didn't necessarily have one
life_full_ofbooks's review against another edition
1.0
I knew not to expect much from this because the first one (Finding Emma) was not great so I wasn’t disappointed that this one wasn’t great either.
Honestly, this one was even flatter than the first, which surprised me because the first was pretty flat. You might be wondering why I even bothered to read this given how much I didn’t like Finding Emma, but that one ended so abruptly and I needed the closure. This definitely provided that, but I have the same issues with this as I had with Finding Emma.
It’s reads like it’s written by checking off bullet points on an outline. It deals with issues that we have never been introduced to and yet I assume we are meant to care about them. The character development is beyond lacking, though it is a little better in this one with 2 characters.
Each chapter starts with a journal entry that was written during Finding Emma (that we knew nothing about in that book) and they have no relativity to what the actual chapter is about.
Ms. Holmes included a note at the end stating that she wrote this because readers wanted to know more about Emma after Finding Emma, so this wasn’t even a story she had planned to tell. The title alludes so much secrecy and intrigue, but none of that was included, and the character of Megan is just as unlikable as she was in Emma’s Secret.
Both of these books remind me very much of The Face on the Milk Carton and Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B Cooney, except Ms. Cooney’s books were much more character driven and better written.
Honestly, this one was even flatter than the first, which surprised me because the first was pretty flat. You might be wondering why I even bothered to read this given how much I didn’t like Finding Emma, but that one ended so abruptly and I needed the closure. This definitely provided that, but I have the same issues with this as I had with Finding Emma.
It’s reads like it’s written by checking off bullet points on an outline. It deals with issues that we have never been introduced to and yet I assume we are meant to care about them. The character development is beyond lacking, though it is a little better in this one with 2 characters.
Each chapter starts with a journal entry that was written during Finding Emma (that we knew nothing about in that book) and they have no relativity to what the actual chapter is about.
Ms. Holmes included a note at the end stating that she wrote this because readers wanted to know more about Emma after Finding Emma, so this wasn’t even a story she had planned to tell. The title alludes so much secrecy and intrigue, but none of that was included, and the character of Megan is just as unlikable as she was in Emma’s Secret.
Both of these books remind me very much of The Face on the Milk Carton and Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B Cooney, except Ms. Cooney’s books were much more character driven and better written.
orphan_of_you's review
5.0
Heartfelt and wonderful
I am truly sucked in to the lives of this family. It started all so tragic but ended wonderfully. It's amazing how heartache can bring people together.
I am truly sucked in to the lives of this family. It started all so tragic but ended wonderfully. It's amazing how heartache can bring people together.