Book Review: The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

 

How do you get over someone who was never really yours to begin with?

Julia  and Colt were together for a year, but nobody knew of their secret love. Then Julia dies, and Colt's life spirals out of control. He is haunted by her memory, and things only intensify when her journal falls into his hands. Can Colt bring himself to read Julia's diary. Or will he live without answers to his burning questions about a romance that changed him forever? 

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" How do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place ?"

Those words above were the first reason why I was dying to read this book. It was written in the synopsis of hardcover version. It did not take hours to grab my attention. They had such charms.

The story was told from Colt's point of view. It was nice to have a boy as the main character. I was kinda excited in the beginning. I liked the way he told the story. It was easy for me to distinguish the characters that he mentioned, except his male friends. There are too many of them. The description about the school, the flat, Black Mountain, the river were clear enough. I also liked how Colt told me the situation in his family.  I could follow the line that he drew from the beginning till the last page. The whole pictures could be captured.

I enjoyed the words options. They were combined became beautiful passages. I also found some nice quotes.

Nevertheless, Colt was not my favorite character. I hated him for being so cool. Whereas he was burnt inside. Julia did not have right to play such games. He deserved better. Unfortunately his eyes were closed. Colt could not see anything but Julia. 

I also got the problem with his emotional state. In the book, they were well-explained. From the first meeting till their fights and how they got back together. But I did not sense them all. I could not feel how sad Colt was when he knew about the accident. I barely knew what Colt felt when he got the journal.  But one thing for sure, I was tickled when I knew he let Julia treated him that way. 

Julia, a rich girl who made Colt's life like a roller coaster. Colt might like her  but not me. Julia was just another selfish character. She made thousand promises but fulfill none of them. I just did not understand all things that crossed her mind. One thing that I liked from Julia was  her journal. 

  

Although The Secret Year is not my favorite book, I still want to read another book of Jennifer R. Hubbart.

3/5 

 

Author: Jennifer R. Hubbart

Paperback: 192 pages;

Published Date: February 17th 2011

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0670011533