Book Review: The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver

The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver

What would you do if you woke up in the hospital and everyone in your family thought you were your twin sister?  Would you tell the truth or pretend to be someone you are not?

Summary from Goodreads:

A girl takes over her twin sister's identity in this emotionally charged page-turner about the complicated bond between sisters.

Ella and Maddy Lawton are identical twins. Ella has spent her high school years living in popular Maddy's shadows, but she has never been envious of Maddy. In fact, she's chosen the quiet, safe confines of her sketchbook over the constant battle for attention that has defined Maddy's world.

When—after a heated argument—Maddy and Ella get into a tragic accident that leaves her sister dead, Ella wakes up in the hospital surrounded by loved ones who believe she is Maddy. Feeling responsible for Maddy's death and everyone's grief, Ella makes a split-second decision to pretend to be Maddy. Soon, Ella realizes that Maddy's life was full of secrets. Caught in a web of lies, Ella is faced with two options—confess her deception or live her sister's life.

My Thoughts:

While some reviewers found this book to be predictable and simplistic, I was actually engaged right from the beginning of the story. I found the relationship between the two sisters to be realistic and they reminded me of my own two children who love each other, yet struggle to get along.   I can only imagine the guilt that Ella felt throughout this whole story:  when her sister was killed in a car accident while she was driving, waking up to everyone thinking she is Maddy, pretending to be Maddy, and finally learning about Maddy's deep dark secret.  In the end, I took comfort in knowing that Ella's story ended on a happier note.  

More than anything, I think this book gives teens some moral questions to think about.  How far will you go to get what you want?  What is the importance of telling the truth?  How do you continue to live and move forward after dealing with the death of a loved one?   Who are your true friends and how do you know?  

If you are interested in a book about the power of a sister's love, check out The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver.