3 out of 4 stars
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Mother and daughter duo Amy M. Ward and Olivia Cayenne have paired up to write the first book in their Secrets series, Secrets Above. Ninety years before Amelia's time, a scientist created a virus that could wipe out the human race, which was used by the government to create chaos above ground. The only people who were saved were those who hid deep beneath the earth in a place called the Terra Convex. Now, almost a century later, Amelia is certain that the virus has dispersed and it is safe for her and others to roam above ground once more. She even has proof: signs of life outside of a secret window she found deep within dark tunnels. However, the government will do anything to keep morale low and curiosity, as well as questions about the outside world, are tamped down along with the people who have them.
Amelia must find people who are willing to go up against the government to prove a point. She doesn't want to be locked up underground anymore, unable to choose her own lifestyle or even her own marriage partner. Unfortunately, her actions cause repercussions that make her wonder if her revolt is really worth it...
Secrets Above immediately reminded me of a slightly modern City of Ember. However, unlike City of Ember, the characters do not need to learn that they are being kept underground because history about the virus is regularly taught to the residents of the Convex to keep them grateful for the government and happy to live below ground. In Secrets Above, the characters are rebellious and very knowing of their situation despite the government doing its best to limit knowledge of the outside world and keep people in line. There is a little less uncertainty about what lies waiting for the characters and more determination to be free, no matter the cost.
Despite the overwhelming overlap, Secrets Above was fairly interesting with its own characteristics. It was emotionally charged, with some very memorable scenes. And, as expected of a mother and daughter writing duo, the relationship between Amelia and her mother is definitely one of the main focuses of the novel.
Unfortunately, I found myself criticizing parts of the novel often. I found ten grammatical and formatting errors within the first ninety pages, which made the book look unprofessional, even for a YA novel. Also, I personally had a hard time liking Amelia. She comes off a little too strong, in my opinion. There's no room for self-improvement, because she already believes that it's okay for her to be estranged from the community around her. It's good to recognize your weaknesses and be able to read the air around other people, and of course self-acceptance is important, but it doesn't make for a very interesting or likable novel. Not to mention the romance in the novel is completely rushed and unbelievable.
In the end, I found myself wavering between liking the book despite its numerous flaws and letting my snooty editor side mark the book as unprofessional. Fortunately, the authors included a preview of their next book in the series, which was interesting and made me want to continue reading. Overall, I give Secrets Above 3 out of 4 stars for the promise I can see in future works in the series. I would recommend the book to young adults who enjoy dystopian series. However, I hope that the authors find a proofreader who isn't afraid to be strict with their work.
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Secrets Above
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