[REVIEW] Secret of the Sevens

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Series: N/A
Author: Lynn Lindquist
Genre:
 young adult, mystery, adventure, contemporary
Published:
 June 8, 2015
Publisher: Flux
Purchase: Amazon

Everyone at Singer, a boarding school for underprivileged kids, knows the urban legend of the Society of Seven. Decades ago, the original members of the secret guild for elite students murdered the school's founder and then perished in the fire they lit to hide the evidence. Or so the story goes. 
Talan Michaels doesn't care about Singer's past. He's too focused on his future and the fact that he'll be homeless after he graduates in May. To take his mind off it, he accepts a mysterious invitation to join a group calling itself the Sevens.  
He expects pranks, parties, and perks. Instead, he finds himself neck-deep in a conspiracy involving secret passages and cryptic riddles about the school's history. Even worse, he's now tangled in web of lies someone will kill to keep hidden.
“At the end of the day, it’s Talan and his endearing combination of bravado and vulnerability, coupled with the crackling chemistry he shares with Laney, that will keep readers turning the pages. A satisfying read for secret-society fanatics and romantics alike.” – Kirkus Reviews 

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"I want you to know that there's a secret to being successful - follow your heart. Like a map, it will lead you to where you need to go. Never get discouraged by life's struggles. Just focus on the big picture and push aside your doubts. Let hard work and character be the framework, and you'll find what you need to be successful and happy." - William Singer.
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Boarding school. Mystery. Adventure. Puzzles. Count me in, please!

Secret of the Sevens is a very intriguing mystery-adventure that had me reading late at night. It was very engaging and had a very great set of characters that I grew really fond of. When I picked this up, I remember myself reading Wuthering High by Cara Lockwood years back. It's got boarding school with a whole lot of secrets (well maybe not so much but a really big secret). Yet the thing is Secret of the Sevens is purely mystery-adventure + puzzles. It doesn't involve paranormal things such as ghosts or other stuff (the cover kind of suggests horror, ghosts, but really there're not such things here).

Talan Michaels is a very fun main character. He's got his strengths and weaknesses. He's smart and has an unfortunate background. Typical. His teasing and arrogant character are some of the things I like about him. He's easily likable and his development is really good. Laney, on the other hand, is Talan's perfect partner in crime (and obviously romantic partner). She's quite the opposite of him - very studious and such a rule follower. I really love the development of their relationship. Even though they practically grew up together, the invitation to join the Sevens opened up a lot of things between the two of them - things they never knew about each other after all the years they've been together.

The secondary characters - Emily, Jose and Kollin were introduced early in the story but was further established later on in the novel. Despite their short appearances, I still ended up loving them (maybe not much on Emily though).

Secret of the Sevens is a very engaging mystery novel. It immediately absorbed me. I stayed up late at night just because I can't wait to find out who sent the letter. The puzzles were also very fun to read and to think about. Sometimes they make me think and at times I just go with the flow. The climax was very thrilling. I read 30% towards the end of the novel in one seating (which doesn't really happen a lot of times for me).

OVERALL, Secret of the Sevens is a MUST READ especially for those who likes a bit of puzzle solving, the idea of a secret society, adventure, and a great MC :) It's very engaging and highly recommended!

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What I Like: (1) the puzzles (the poems, the secret tunnels, passages, letter codes, etc), (2) Talan Michaels & Laney, (3) the development of their characters as well as their relationship, (4) how it immediately absorbed me, (5) the thrilling climax that had me gripping my reader, (6) the really great ending (some of which were expected but was still greatly written)

What I Didn’t Like: nothing in particular :)


more like 4.5, really :)


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ABOUT LYNN LINDQUIST
website | goodreads | twitter
Lynn Lindquist lives in a suburb of Chicago with two overly-social sons and a mutt named Slugger who wisely hides under the bed most days. The hordes of teenagers that regularly frequent her house (think Panama City Beach during spring break) provide fodder for her young adult novels and growing anxiety disorder. Ever since her sons broke the Guinness Record for Largest-Rager-Thrown-While-a-Parent-Was-Out-for-the-Night, she enjoys spending her free time at home entertaining friends, cooking, reading, and writing. Thankfully, her favorite things in life are her sons, words, and kids, so she wouldn’t have it any other way. 
She is represented by Katherine Boyle at Veritas Literary Agency.  

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