This book was amazing. the storytelling, plot and characters came together perfectly to create a book I was fascinated with and a story and the lives of the people involved. The narrative weaves in and out of time; from the present where Chloe is trying to discover why Nate has left without telling her where and the past with the story of how they met and grew up. They meet in the middle with the story of a tragedy, what they thought happened and the truth.

The first thing that pulled me into the book was Chloe’s love of reading. The descriptions of reading, especially in their childhood were so similar to how I felt - that feeling of being pulled into another world, of connecting with the book, then connecting with others who’ve read the book, who understand the world you were in. Books are the glue that hold everything together in this story, which pulls every cord in my bookwork heart.

I’m not going to go into much more detail, but this is one of the few galleys that I’ve read where I’ll be picking up a published copy.

Good but the subject matter was tough to read in places. Why do I read these books on my commute to work? It's a bad idea, lol.

I loved, loved, loved this book!! It was such an incredible story. I loved how the author used books to decode the mystery of this book. It's literally a book lovers dream. The story was very bittersweet and had a great ending. As soon as we were introduced to Grace's son I had a feeling of what was going to happen. During the reading of this book you develop such strong feelings for the characters, it's amazing. I really hated Mr. Sinclair until I felt sorry for him. This book produces such a variety of emotions, I highly recommend it.

In this book the relationships were so complex, it felt heavy, but real in the sense that you looked at each person's relationship with another you knew it wasn't perfect. There was never the possibility of a happily ever after where all problems were solved. In the end, even though Gabriel wasn't dead, Chloe and Nate still missed out on 20+ years of their child's life. Even though Chloe and Nate are together again and talking through their secrets, they still have an unbelievably fractured relationship. These themes are hints of reality.
This book is beautifully written, but it's not a feel good easy read. It is worth it though

I was drawn to this book for the lovely literary references to favorite childhood novels and the relationships in the end. I didn't like how it all resolved, however. Downgrade from 4 to 3 stars as a result.

Okay, this was another Lexi from youtube rec, and she once again led me astray, so I’m done watching her videos! This was weirdly pro-Christian and just a terrible mystery, too Deep End of the Ocean and full of faux-profundity. And why bother coming up with the stupidest “encryption code” ever?!

Childhood secrets, the ugliness behind a serene family facade, imagination unleashed by the beauty of good books — all are key elements of the exquisite new novel The Book of Secrets written by Elizabeth Joy Arnold.

Chloe’s life changed forever on her eighth birthday when she met the mysterious, wonderful Sinclair children. Scrubbed and wholesome in a hopelessly old-fashioned way, living in a secluded country home in California redwood territory, home-schooled by a kind and creative mother, siblings Grace, Nate, and Cecilia welcomed Chloe into their hearts, and from that moment on, they became the center of Chloe’s life.

As the book opens, Chloe is in her mid-forties, struggling with the tensions of her 25-year marriage to Nate. Chloe and Nate have loved each other since childhood, but a tragedy in their early days together has created a permanent hole that neither knows how to fill. When Chloe finds a note from Nate saying that he’s suddenly gone back to his childhood home to deal with a family matter, she is shocked and dismayed. That home was the site of their nightmare, and she can’t imagine why he’d consent to return. Unsure what to believe, Chloe searches for clues, and finally finds a secret notebook, filled with a coded sort of language written by Nate, tucked inside a hollowed-out copy of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Chloe struggles to decipher Nate’s writing, sure that it will help her understand his sudden departure — but unsure whether she truly wants to unearth secrets from their awful past.

As Chloe cracks the code through the use of favorite childhood books, the narrative shifts back and forth between Chloe’s present-day struggle to understand the secrets that have undermined her marriage and the past, full of hidden family drama and dysfunction, as well as the delights of first love and devoted friendship.

The Book of Secrets explores themes of family, faith, and imagination, and peers into the heart of a marriage — what holds it together, what makes it fall apart. The secrets revealed in The Book of Secrets are huge and devastating, and it amazes me that Chloe and Nate survived as a couple at all.

The writing in this book is quite lovely, full of descriptions that vividly convey the wonders of childhood, full of play (digging a hole to London to try to go visit C. S. Lewis), journeys to the fantasy worlds of books, puzzles, and hidden codes, and the pure certainty of love that flows between Chloe and the three Sinclair children. The book is also a charming tribute to the power of good books, amply illustrating how books can inspire and transform, provide escape and solutions.

Ultimately, there is a mystery at the heart of The Book of Secrets — what happened 25 years ago, and what has Nate been hiding from Chloe all these years? (I’m being deliberately vague, I know. This is yet another book that I think is best read with as little knowledge beforehand as possible.) The tension builds and builds, and as Chloe finds herself reexamining long-held beliefs based on new information that she uncovers, we as readers have to readjust our understanding of events as well.

The ending is tension-filled, dramatic, and just as it should be. I did more or less figure out the general shape that the ending would take well ahead of time, but that didn’t matter in the slightest. Even though I was right on the money about the “what”, the “how” and “why” were surprising, shocking, and yet made total sense in the context of the story.

This is a perfect book for book lovers. Not only is the story of Nate and Chloe and their family secrets compelling and well-written, but the obvious adoration that the author feels for reading and its magic shines through on every page.

Review copy courtesy of Bantam Books via NetGalley.

This review is also available on Bookshelf Fantasies.

3.5

As someone who started reading at an early age and adores books, I enjoyed the references to literature in here, especially to the books that I've read. My copy contained an essay by the author which she talked about her own childhood, and said Chloe's discovery of the Narnia books at age eight and subsequent obsession with reading was largely autobiographical. So the love of books feels pretty authentic.

I didn't initially feel into the book, but I definitely got hooked. I admit I figured out most of the twists before they were revealed, but I didn't mind - I enjoyed seeing if my predictions came true. While I didn't always like the main character - she was sometimes too quick to assume she knew what other people were feeling and why - I was drawn into her story. All of these people were damaged, in different ways, and seeing how they dealt with it was interesting.

I will say that this book probably affected me more than it would most people, because of the particular time in my life that I read it. I have a seven month old son, so the story about Gabriel really hit me hard. I had to put the book for down for a while near the end because it was difficult for me to read.

Overall, I liked the book, and it made me respond emotionally, which I always take as a sign of a good read.

From The Book Wheel:

I think I’ve finally figured out the key to requesting great NetGalley books because, once again, I’m blown away by an amazing book from there. The Book of Secrets has all of the elements of a good story and it did not disappoint. This may be because the book brought me back to my childhood at my Gramma’s house. A good portion of the book takes place in a white house with a sprawling lawn that ends with a creek and some woods. My Gramma had this exact same setup (albeit smaller than the one in the book), and I remember playing hide-and-seek in the woods and crossing the creek on stones that my cousins and I dropped in the water. Of course, going down to the creek as an adultI was surprised to learn that it was not a huge, rushing river. But even now, I wonder whether the old shopping cart that was overturned in it for as long as I can remember is still there. Next time I visit, I’ll have to sneak down there and find out – I’m sure the new homeowners won’t min (so long as I do it in daylight). And thanks to the internet, I can show you what I envisioned.

But – back to the book. The story starts out with Chloe, who is in her early 50′s, coming home to find that her husband has disappeared. As she searches for clues as to his whereabouts, she comes across some cryptic messages written in the code she and Nate used as children. From here, she embarks on a mission to find out where her husband has gone and, most importantly, why.

Let me give a little history here: At the age of 8, a little girl named Chloe stumbled upon the Sinclair children playing in their yard. Home schooled and very well off, the Sinclair children were completely different from Chloe’s classmates and they immediately welcomed them into their playgroup. The catch, however, was that their father, a local pastor, was not to know about their friendship, and so they played in secret (with the help of Mrs. Sinclair) for years to come. As they grew older, Chloe began a relationship with the lone Sinclair son, Nate. It was around this time that Chloe began to understand that there was a dark side to the Sinclairs.

For the full review, click here.