Secrets

Diary of a Gutsy Teen

Young Adult - Coming of Age
129 Pages
Reviewed on 04/21/2016
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

Secrets: Diary of a Gutsy Teen is a diarized book written by Barbara Becker Holstein. Reaching a critical point in her life when her mother is pregnant, the family has moved into a new home and the children are about to begin at a new school, a young girl decides to keep a diary of her life. Now thirteen years of age, she leaves behind her very best friend, but keeps in touch via Facebook and telephone. The boy she was madly in love with was also left behind. She bounces back and forth between her love and hate for the new baby for always stealing her thunder, but she quickly makes a new best friend, falls in love with a new boy who, she insists, has a crush on her and, unfortunately, falls victim to the new school’s bullies because of her choice of a new best friend. Keeping a diary is the only way for her to let out her emotions and document everything which is making her crazy, making her laugh, making her cry, and making her thankful for what she has in life.

Barbara Becker Holstein’s book has thrown me back to my own childhood when I kept a diary for all of the same reasons. Many times, I would find myself smiling (or even giggling) while reading, as I rolled my eyes at how ‘true’ are the feelings of the young girl. I was able to relate to almost every single world from when I was a child. I feel that the book would have had even more impact, however, if the girl writing the diary was given a name, even if only mentioned once for the sake of connection. Her obsession with her own looks is a problem which so many young people have, and I was impressed with how Barbara Becker Holstein tackled that issue. Secrets: Diary of a Gutsy Teen is a wonderful book which many younger readers will easily relate to, while taking older readers back to their own childhoods. I recommend this book to readers aged 12 and older, as well as the young at heart. This book should ideally be stocked in the home libraries of families with children and in school libraries worldwide.