Looking for a book with a lot of shocking twists? What about an antagonist that is true to the word and makes you want to reach through the pages to strangle them yourself? Look no further than Ellie Jay‘s Family Secrets.
I went into this story blind. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and boy, was I surprised. The story follows Nadezhda, a teenage girl who’s been living with her adoptive mother all her life…or so she thought. She discovers a photograph and other secrets that lead her on a journey from the truth, one that proves to be dangerous.
There were so many twists and turns that I wasn’t sure I could keep up with them all. I will say that I enjoyed the story and I found it thrilling because I wasn’t sure what was coming next. I liked the fact that the author stayed true to the age of Nadezhda. While she was an admirable heroine, she made mistakes and she learned from them. I’ve read so many stories where the main character can do no wrong which I think dulls a character down. I found Nadezhda to be refreshing, genuine, and sincere.
One of Nadezhda’s poor decisions was Vasily. The author did a great job with making the reader absolutely disgusted with him. At first, he was charming and charismatic (just like any serial killer or cult leader) and then he showed his true form. Not to mention his family, especially his sister, gave me the heebie jeebies.
The story moved along quickly. I generally like stories that get straight to the point without all the filler, but there was a point in the middle of the story where there were a bunch of characters introduced at the same time. This may just be me since I was listening to this story on audiobook and not physically reading it at the time, but it was a tad confusing for me to keep up with everyone. At least at first. The characters would make repeat appearances throughout the book, so I’m glad the author chose not to simply make them side characters with no true purpose.
Without revealing too much of the plot, I was shocked with each discovery within the mysterious family of the Volkovs. The story did a nice job of wrapping up everything in the end and giving the reader closure. All in all, I thought it was one of the most unique mafia, action, thriller books that I’ve had the pleasure of reading.
If mafia families, secrets, and action-packed scenes are your thing, then I suggest picking up this book for yourself. And as always, don’t forget to leave the author a review. Happy reading!
Author Lauren Eason 