A review by itsbibliotherapy
Secrets of Our House by Rea Frey

adventurous dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This story had great potential but didn’t deliver for me, for several reasons. First, the writing style felt stilted, and I never quite felt “inside” the story—the awkward prose kept me at a distance. The plot was a bit ridiculous, with random, far-fetched disasters happening somewhat randomly and without clear explanation. At first I thought this was a stylistic choice, but the more I read, the more I realized that it was just shoddy plot development.

I did enjoy the setting…the Blue Ridge is my happy place, and that’s what initially drew me into the story. I liked the flawed characters, but so many of their little dramas never came to a close; I felt like the story stopped suddenly without proper resolution. It read more like a TV show than a thriller or intergenerational family drama. Unfortunately, just not for me.