Welcome to my stop for the Secret for a Song blog tour! You can see the tour schedule here.
Title: Secret for a Song
Author: S.K. Falls
Release Date: June 3rd 2013
Publisher: Self-published
Source: eARC for blog tour
Saylor Grayson makes herself sick. Literally.
She ate her first needle when she was seven. Now, at nineteen, she’s been kicked out of college for poisoning herself with laxatives. The shrinks call it Munchausen Syndrome. All Saylor knows is that when she’s ill, her normally distant mother pays attention and the doctors and nurses make her feel special.
Then she meets Drew Dean, the leader of a local support group for those with terminal diseases. When he mistakes her for a new member, Saylor knows she should correct him. But she can’t bring herself to, not after she’s welcomed into a new circle of friends. Friends who, like Drew, all have illnesses ready to claim their independence or their lives.
For the first time, Saylor finds out what it feels like to be in love, to have friends who genuinely care about her. But secrets have a way of revealing themselves. What will happen when Saylor’s is out?I don't know what I expected from Secret for a Song, but it was definitely not this. Not for me to tear up over a guy playing the guitar and singing, nor for me to be a blubbering mess when he stumbles over his own two feet. And yes, I'm not even talking about the main character.
From the get-go, it was obvious that Saylor self-harms—and it's not the 'slit your wrists with a razor' type, but the 'inject yourself with your saliva' type because, as Saylor said, people with her condition don't do it to die—not only to attract attention, but also as a revenge to her parents for their lack of concern. Now, I am vehemently against self-harm, but I felt for Saylor because she wasn't exaggerating when she said her parents couldn't care less about her (not her exact words, but that's the gist of it).
Seeing as how Saylor craves for attention, she would, of course, find solace in a support group—except one that's not for people with Munchausen, but for those with terminal illnesses and degenerative diseases. Before you think she's so evil, let me tell you that she didn't actually plan to join the group. Drew, the group's leader, thought she was a new member and before she could correct them about it, they'd already made her feel at home. So what I don't understand is how she could go on making herself sick when she was surrounded by people who would give anything to be healthy again, even more when she was already falling for Drew.
What came as a surprise to me was how well the real members of the TIDD group handled their situations. They had their low days when they sulked and ranted about how unfair their lives were, sure, but for the most part, they were really accepting and they faced their illnesses head-on. They were all realistically inspiring.
Secret for a Song is a quick read that will make you rethink how you're living your life. It reminded me to be grateful for my imperfect life because a lot of people still have it worse. The writing flowed smoothly and hit me in the right places, and the unexpected open ending has me wishing all the best for the characters.
MY FAVORITE PART was when Drew performed Secret for a Song at the Sphinx. Tears, I tell you.
RATING:
About the author:
A huge fan of spooky stuff and shoes, I enjoy alternately hitting up the outlet malls and historic graveyards in Charleston, SC where I live and imbibe coffee. My husband and two small children seem not to mind when I hastily scribble novel lines on stray limbs in the absence of notepads.
Since no writer’s biography is complete without mention of her menagerie of animals, you should know I have one dog that doubles as a footstool, a second that functions as a vacuum cleaner, and a cat that ensures I never forget that my hands are, first and foremost, for pouring cat food.
Hi Kazhy,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for such an incredible, thought-provoking review. I'm so glad the characters spoke to you so much. I had a really amazing time writing this book, and really didn't want it to end. :D
If you haven't already, I would soooo appreciate if you could leave a review on Amazon. It might help other readers take a chance on Saylor. :) Once again, thank you so much!