Years ago I read 'Girl, Missing' by the same author and I loved the book. I remember getting through it very quickly because it drew you in. I feel Sophie has done the same with this book as I was completely invested in the storyline and needed to know how it would end. This book offers scope for class discussions regarding life on Dimity Island. What are the positives/drawbacks of such a life? That could be very interesting with 10/11 year olds! I will be recommending this book and 'Girl, Missing' to P6/7 pupils in my school whom I feel will really enjoy it.

Sophie McKenzie knows how to build suspense. I really enjoyed reading this book and struggled to put it down at times. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.

This is a suspenseful YA story that explores what happens after twin girls are separated early in life - and then try to find their way back to each other, against the odds. It is a story that is as touching as it is exciting.

Asha and Willow are twin sisters living very different lives. After they were separated at the age of 2, Willow remains aware that she once had a twin. But she thinks that Asha is dead. Meanwhile Asha, who is living in an isolated island community, has no idea of Willow's existence.

Not until she comes across an unexpected piece information that leads Asha to the realisation that she has a twin sister out there in the big world.

The news leaves her utterly shocked. But perhaps not as shocked as Willow is to receive a call in the middle of the night from the sister who she believed was lost to her such a long time ago...

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster Children's UK and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Twin sisters, one believed to be dead and the other unaware of having a twin. Then one day Asha discovers a secret about having a twin and finds a way to contact Willow. The connection has to be secret, but to meet and be together the girls have to go through a lot to survive.

This was intense and I loved it, I was utterly hooked into this story. The pacing was remarkable and the tone of the book was amazing. From the dark storyline, to the hidden secrets unveiled, to the connection the girls form, to the drama and scary events that unfurl. This was un-put-down-able. I just loved it so much and was totally hooked instantly.

I really loved the discovery of Asha and Willow being twins, neither had been aware of each other’s existence. Both going about their lives, but then after Asha’s discovery and Willow being contacted everything changed instantly. Neither could forget each other and neither wanted give up trying to get to find each other. I loved that sheer determination both girls had. They both thought and acted so different and went about finding each other in such different ways and I loved it.

All the events unfolding in the (I’m gonna say it) “cult” were so dark and really scary in so many places. Lydia has everything down perfectly, every little thing she had a perfect plan for it, she controlled and eradicated whatever and whoever she need too. Wow she was an incredible well written character and I hated her the instant we meet her. She was really created so wonderfully, she was rooted in evil. I loved it but hated her, so good.

The girls had to go through so so much together and it was all so sad. It was scary and it was also a rollercoaster as nothing went how they dreamt or expected things would go and they had a lot to overcome before they could find a normalcy between themselves. But I really did love reading all about the go there, their connection, all the things they had to go through together which helped them learn more about each other. Their relationship together seemed so natural and was paced together with so much care and I appreciated that it wasn’t rushed or led to make it feel unnatural.

I adored this book so much, it was so intricately written, with so much care, each part of it was craftily created. Not one thing would I have changed about it. The characters were all utterly perfect with your mix of characters in the real world that intermingle naturally and then your meek almost submissive people that all play an important role on the island. The defiant teen that wants out of the strange commune, that helps set the path for events to unfold. Honestly I just adored this book so much.

I highly recommend this, it was so intense and so enthralling, I literally kept wanting to know more and more. I also loved that we saw the story through both girls perspective as each one had a different life and a different view of everything that was happening and I loved seeing everything from both girls minds. It was so wonderful and gave so much extra to the story as we saw what both girls lives were already like before the connection.

As a fan of McKenzie’s books, I was looking forward to reading this as it had a very interesting hook. The book was front loaded with mystery and the community of secrets was tinged with the right amount of complicity & sinister dread. I liked the determination of the two sisters and the drama of their race to get to the truth. But the pacing seemed out of balance. I was disappointed at how quickly the resolution happened. It felt jarring as it wrapped up too soon and ended a few chapters too early for this reader.

Asha and Willow are twin sisters separated when they were two years old and now living very different lives.. Asha is unaware that she even has a sister until an incident in her commune leads her to the discovery. Willow believes her sister is dead, imagine her surprise when she gets a message from Asha in the middle of the night.
Secret Sister is a fast paced thriller which is packed with tension and drama. The adults in the story do not cover themselves with glory and it is left to the teenagers to right their wrongs.
This book will be a huge hit with fans of the Girl, Missing series and I'm sure will introduce a new YA readership to Sophie McKenzie's writing. Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

Giving 2 stars for the premise which I liked. Sadly the writing style was very basic, there were lots of unexplained plot holes, and everything seemed to happen and resolve very fast with no real excitement or storytelling.

First of all I would just like to thank NetGalley, Sophie McKenzie and Simon & Schuster for an ARC of “Secret Sister” in exchange for an honest review.

I have never read a single bad book by Sophie McKenzie, better yet I’ve never read one of her books that I haven’t rated five stars. Her books always made me unequivocally happy. This one is no different.

This book is the definition of a thriller. It’s action packed and had me stressed out on the edge of my seat the whole time, when I wasn’t nearly crying that is.

The characters are wonderful and I love that they’re all so different- there’s no risk of them becoming too similar or “samey”. It is a heartwarming (and heart wrenching) tale of twin sisters separated as children, who are trying to find their way back to one another.

I have no criticisms about this book at all. In my opinion it was faultless. The perfect compromise of action inducing thrills with wholesome family moments.

I recommend this book to everyone, as there is something in this that would appeal to the various genres people favour differently.