Keeping You a Secret (2003)

I originally reviewed this book on my blog - The Cosy Dragon. For more recent reviews by me, please hop over there.

Holland is a typical senior - great grades, college aspirations and a steady partner. Everything changes one morning though when a new person at school who has transferred gets a nearb locker. Suddenly Holland's life is changing, everything is falling apart.

I've attempted to keep this review gender neutral, because some of the beginning of the book is based on suspense. I think I've failed, but for me, when I first started reading I didn't know if Holland was male or female - I didn't even know it was queer fiction! I suppose the cover should have given it away to me, but I can't say I pay that much attention most of the time.

Holland is a good character. You feel along with Holland, you worry about Holland, you don't know what is going to happen next! At the same time, Cece seems a little typical, in that she doesn't want to share Holland with anyone else. It is remarkable the level of maturity shown by these two main characters - but perhaps getting a driver's licence at 16 does that to US teens.

Something that irritated me about this book and also Scars, is that the two protagonists have a gift at drawing, and so are able to express themselves in that way. For someone like me, who has never been creative in that way it is difficult to connect with them in quite the same way.

One of the problems I have with this novel it the used of 'she sneered'. Maybe it's a big thing in the US, but every time I read it, I felt myself getting annoyed! And perhaps because I was unfamiliar with it I noticed it every time, and felt it was over-used.

One of the key things from this novel is that coming out is your own choice. It should happen when you feel ready, even if other people don't feel that way. I can understand Cece's misgivings about coming out in a homophobic environment, but sometimes you just have to do it, particularly if you are in love and young.

This has to be one of my most favourite YA queer books of all time. I love it. I can't emphasise the way this book changed my life enough. Every time I read it, I pick up something new. This was the first book by Peters that I read, and it paved the way for the rest of the YA queer fiction I have read.

This is almost certainly teenage fiction only, sadly enough. I feel that most parents would not be comfortable with children reading this book, although I feel that perhaps I would have been ready to read this book at age 11. I think it's likely that girls will be more excited to read this book. It's an essential for people who have questions about their sexuality, or want to understand a queer person better. This book has a set of discussion questions in the back, so you can provoke quite a lively talk if required! Peters has a number of books for younger readers that I believe also comment on important things about life, if you love Peters as much as I do, but want to share it with someone younger. ( )

I love Keeping you a screct. like my copy of S.E. Hinton's out siders and any one of my Amelia Atwater-Rhodes books and all of myy Vampire Academy books my personal copy of keeping you a secret has joined the self of "read to death" book where all the books have been red to the point of no longer useable and can be quoted verbatem. ( )

I liked this book of Peters more than the previous book of hers I read. I think most of her books are a hit or miss and this one was a hit. It's simple and short but deals with a lot of issues. Nothing seemed forced here to make a story; it all fit well together. These are fun reads and perhaps fairly powerful for a teenager in the midst of coming out. I look forward to reading more of Peters books. ( )

I thought this was a well-written, emotionally suspenseful lesbian YA coming out novel. I had a little trouble empathizing with the main character because of her refusal to take control of her life earlier in the book--but I'm an adult and I think a lot of teens are like that and would relate to that. I especially liked the developing relationship between her and her young Goth stepsister. I have great respect for any author who writes lesbian YA novels because there are so few out there and there is such a need for quality GLBT fiction. ( )

In her senior year Holland Jaeger's life is filled with school activities, college applications and her long term boyfriend Seth. When a new girl arrives at school Holland finds herself immediately attracted to her; Cece is friendly and attractive and she's an out-and-proud lesbian.
As the days go by Holland can not think of anything else but Cece. Holland starts questioning everything about herself and her life. She wants to share her feeling with everyone, and can’t understand why Cece won’t let her; until the day things start to spiral out of control.
A beautifully written love story intertwined with passion, adversity and questioning. The author has described the teenage years perfectly, allowing the voice of anguish and reason to shine through. I was hooked by the first page and highly recommended this to teenage girls no matter what their sexual orientation. ( )