Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Little, Brown Children; 1st Pbk. Ed edition (2008-09-04) (2008)
Description
As she begins a very tough last semester of high school, Holland finds herself puzzled about her future and intrigued by a transfer student who wants to start a Lesbigay club at school.
User reviews
LibraryThing member mesmericrevelation
This books is absolutely amazing! I was so caught up in it that I read it in four hours. I just could not put it down.
At first I really didn't like Holland, mostly because of her relationship with her stepsister, Faith. However I did love Cece from the very beginning. She was just so brave and I
Again, this book had a lot I could relate to. The things Cece goes through at school (again, I know). I know what that's like and it just made the story even more real for me.
At first I really didn't like Holland, mostly because of her relationship with her stepsister, Faith. However I did love Cece from the very beginning. She was just so brave and I
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don't know, sexy? I just could not get enough of her. I also loved Faith. She reminded me of myself when I was her age. Did I really just say that? I'm getting old. Again, this book had a lot I could relate to. The things Cece goes through at school (again, I know). I know what that's like and it just made the story even more real for me.
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LibraryThing member iluvnooyawk
LOVED this book. I'm picky about my queer YA lit but this book had me in tears. As a young queer person myself, it really touched me where it counted. Sweet and serious love story. Oh, here come the waterworks again... D'= READ THIS BOOK!
LibraryThing member silenceiseverything
Keeping You a Secret is the first book I've read where being gay was the main topic. I've read books where this was more of a minor topic or something in the background, but nothing that had you focusing solely on the subject of LGBT (heh. Never mind. I just remembered that I read Fingersmith about
My main issue with this was that all of the characters seemed very one-dimensional and more than a little stereotypical. First of all there was CeCe, the "out and proud" lesbian. I found her character a bit unrealistic. Going from my own high school, I have a very hard time believing that a high school aged lesbian will wear "out and proud" shirts every day of the week. Most of the gay guys in my school were all out and proud (think Jack in Will and Grace), but I know that there were a lot more females who were in the closet or barely advertised their sexuality unless they were under extreme duress(for example, one of my friends came into the U.S. History class so annoyed at some guy that she proclaimed "I can't stand any of these male assholes! I swear, that's why I'm gay!" much to the astonishment of my teacher...she said this a bit on the loud side....). While I think it would be great if everyone felt comfortable enough to be "out and proud", I just found CeCe's portrayal a bit unbelievable.
You can't, of course, discount the goth stepsister (why is it that in YA novels, all of the so-called "normal" girls have either a goth sister or a goth best friend?), the antagonistic mom (my God, did I hate her!), and the best friend with the heart of gold. Keeping You a Secret was just a bit too Lifetime-movie-of-the-week (in fact, I think I've seen a Lifetime movie that was a lot like this). And, again, the characters were all a bit depthless.
Now that I got that out of the way, onto what I liked. Besides her unrealistic portrayal, I really did like CeCe. She was just very funny, flirty, and totally cool. Holland was also extremely likeable as well (except for that whole blowing-off-your-friends-for-your-significant-other thing she was rocking for a while. Tres annoying). I thought that the romance between Holland and CeCe was incredibly sweet and incredibly cute. Very passionate and intense. Lucky them. I also felt really bad for the both of them with having to deal with the ignorance of other people and it saddens me that there are actually close-minded, antagonistic people in this world like there were in the book. Sigh.
So, I actually did like Keeping You a Secret. It wasn't perfect, but it was good. I am, however, hoping that my next LGBT book is a tad bit better than this one. Feel free to recommend any.
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two years ago. Amazing novel!) or rather coming out. While I did like it, I felt that it was just okay. My main issue with this was that all of the characters seemed very one-dimensional and more than a little stereotypical. First of all there was CeCe, the "out and proud" lesbian. I found her character a bit unrealistic. Going from my own high school, I have a very hard time believing that a high school aged lesbian will wear "out and proud" shirts every day of the week. Most of the gay guys in my school were all out and proud (think Jack in Will and Grace), but I know that there were a lot more females who were in the closet or barely advertised their sexuality unless they were under extreme duress(for example, one of my friends came into the U.S. History class so annoyed at some guy that she proclaimed "I can't stand any of these male assholes! I swear, that's why I'm gay!" much to the astonishment of my teacher...she said this a bit on the loud side....). While I think it would be great if everyone felt comfortable enough to be "out and proud", I just found CeCe's portrayal a bit unbelievable.
You can't, of course, discount the goth stepsister (why is it that in YA novels, all of the so-called "normal" girls have either a goth sister or a goth best friend?), the antagonistic mom (my God, did I hate her!), and the best friend with the heart of gold. Keeping You a Secret was just a bit too Lifetime-movie-of-the-week (in fact, I think I've seen a Lifetime movie that was a lot like this). And, again, the characters were all a bit depthless.
Now that I got that out of the way, onto what I liked. Besides her unrealistic portrayal, I really did like CeCe. She was just very funny, flirty, and totally cool. Holland was also extremely likeable as well (except for that whole blowing-off-your-friends-for-your-significant-other thing she was rocking for a while. Tres annoying). I thought that the romance between Holland and CeCe was incredibly sweet and incredibly cute. Very passionate and intense. Lucky them. I also felt really bad for the both of them with having to deal with the ignorance of other people and it saddens me that there are actually close-minded, antagonistic people in this world like there were in the book. Sigh.
So, I actually did like Keeping You a Secret. It wasn't perfect, but it was good. I am, however, hoping that my next LGBT book is a tad bit better than this one. Feel free to recommend any.
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LibraryThing member Rosemarie.Herbert
I originally reviewed this book on my blog - The Cosy Dragon. For more recent reviews by me, please hop over there.
Holland is a typical senior - great grades, college aspirations and a steady partner. Everything changes one morning though when a new person at school who has transferred gets a nearb
I've attempted to keep this review gender neutral, because some of the beginning of the book is based on suspense. I think I've failed, but for me, when I first started reading I didn't know if Holland was male or female - I didn't even know it was queer fiction! I suppose the cover should have given it away to me, but I can't say I pay that much attention most of the time.
Holland is a good character. You feel along with Holland, you worry about Holland, you don't know what is going to happen next! At the same time, Cece seems a little typical, in that she doesn't want to share Holland with anyone else. It is remarkable the level of maturity shown by these two main characters - but perhaps getting a driver's licence at 16 does that to US teens.
Something that irritated me about this book and also Scars, is that the two protagonists have a gift at drawing, and so are able to express themselves in that way. For someone like me, who has never been creative in that way it is difficult to connect with them in quite the same way.
One of the problems I have with this novel it the used of 'she sneered'. Maybe it's a big thing in the US, but every time I read it, I felt myself getting annoyed! And perhaps because I was unfamiliar with it I noticed it every time, and felt it was over-used.
One of the key things from this novel is that coming out is your own choice. It should happen when you feel ready, even if other people don't feel that way. I can understand Cece's misgivings about coming out in a homophobic environment, but sometimes you just have to do it, particularly if you are in love and young.
This has to be one of my most favourite YA queer books of all time. I love it. I can't emphasise the way this book changed my life enough. Every time I read it, I pick up something new. This was the first book by Peters that I read, and it paved the way for the rest of the YA queer fiction I have read.
This is almost certainly teenage fiction only, sadly enough. I feel that most parents would not be comfortable with children reading this book, although I feel that perhaps I would have been ready to read this book at age 11. I think it's likely that girls will be more excited to read this book. It's an essential for people who have questions about their sexuality, or want to understand a queer person better. This book has a set of discussion questions in the back, so you can provoke quite a lively talk if required! Peters has a number of books for younger readers that I believe also comment on important things about life, if you love Peters as much as I do, but want to share it with someone younger.
Holland is a typical senior - great grades, college aspirations and a steady partner. Everything changes one morning though when a new person at school who has transferred gets a nearb
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locker. Suddenly Holland's life is changing, everything is falling apart.I've attempted to keep this review gender neutral, because some of the beginning of the book is based on suspense. I think I've failed, but for me, when I first started reading I didn't know if Holland was male or female - I didn't even know it was queer fiction! I suppose the cover should have given it away to me, but I can't say I pay that much attention most of the time.
Holland is a good character. You feel along with Holland, you worry about Holland, you don't know what is going to happen next! At the same time, Cece seems a little typical, in that she doesn't want to share Holland with anyone else. It is remarkable the level of maturity shown by these two main characters - but perhaps getting a driver's licence at 16 does that to US teens.
Something that irritated me about this book and also Scars, is that the two protagonists have a gift at drawing, and so are able to express themselves in that way. For someone like me, who has never been creative in that way it is difficult to connect with them in quite the same way.
One of the problems I have with this novel it the used of 'she sneered'. Maybe it's a big thing in the US, but every time I read it, I felt myself getting annoyed! And perhaps because I was unfamiliar with it I noticed it every time, and felt it was over-used.
One of the key things from this novel is that coming out is your own choice. It should happen when you feel ready, even if other people don't feel that way. I can understand Cece's misgivings about coming out in a homophobic environment, but sometimes you just have to do it, particularly if you are in love and young.
This has to be one of my most favourite YA queer books of all time. I love it. I can't emphasise the way this book changed my life enough. Every time I read it, I pick up something new. This was the first book by Peters that I read, and it paved the way for the rest of the YA queer fiction I have read.
This is almost certainly teenage fiction only, sadly enough. I feel that most parents would not be comfortable with children reading this book, although I feel that perhaps I would have been ready to read this book at age 11. I think it's likely that girls will be more excited to read this book. It's an essential for people who have questions about their sexuality, or want to understand a queer person better. This book has a set of discussion questions in the back, so you can provoke quite a lively talk if required! Peters has a number of books for younger readers that I believe also comment on important things about life, if you love Peters as much as I do, but want to share it with someone younger.
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LibraryThing member sumariotter
I thought this was a well-written, emotionally suspenseful lesbian YA coming out novel. I had a little trouble empathizing with the main character because of her refusal to take control of her life earlier in the book--but I'm an adult and I think a lot of teens are like that and would relate to
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that. I especially liked the developing relationship between her and her young Goth stepsister. I have great respect for any author who writes lesbian YA novels because there are so few out there and there is such a need for quality GLBT fiction. Show Less
LibraryThing member Bellydancer
In her senior year Holland Jaeger's life is filled with school activities, college applications and her long term boyfriend Seth. When a new girl arrives at school Holland finds herself immediately attracted to her; Cece is friendly and attractive and she's an out-and-proud lesbian.
As the days go
A beautifully written love story intertwined with passion, adversity and questioning. The author has described the teenage years perfectly, allowing the voice of anguish and reason to shine through. I was hooked by the first page and highly recommended this to teenage girls no matter what their sexual orientation.
As the days go
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by Holland can not think of anything else but Cece. Holland starts questioning everything about herself and her life. She wants to share her feeling with everyone, and can’t understand why Cece won’t let her; until the day things start to spiral out of control.A beautifully written love story intertwined with passion, adversity and questioning. The author has described the teenage years perfectly, allowing the voice of anguish and reason to shine through. I was hooked by the first page and highly recommended this to teenage girls no matter what their sexual orientation.
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LibraryThing member YAlit
Holland is, by all appearances, the perfect high school student. She is student council president, she's taking extra and advanced classes in pursuit of a college scholarship, she's on the swim team, and she has a popular and devoted boyfriend. Despite all this, she feels pressured by her mother,
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friends, and guidance counselor to pursue a particular kind of life that she's not sure she wants. Everything changes for her one day when CeCe transfers from another school. CeCe is confident, beautiful, and openly gay and Holland feels drawn to get to know her better. I thought that this book was a perfect representation of a novel for teens. It involves a touching and sweet representation of first love, but combines it with all of the uncertainty and awkwardness involved in figuring out who you are and how to be proud of it. Although the romance is between two girls, I don't think that its appeal would be limited to gay and lesbian teens. Everyone who's experienced the agony of growing up, wondering where you fit in, and wondering whether the person you like likes you back will be able to relate to this sensitive and honest book. It certainly spoke to me, and I'm in my thirties and straight. I can only imagine how vividly it would speak to a teen living through those difficult high school years Show Less
LibraryThing member nm.spring08.s.west
Best book EVER!!! I think this book should be required for all high school students to read. Cece and Holland are my new heroes and I don't think anything I've ever read yet can match the emotion of this book. 'Keeping You a Secret' kept me up all night reading and made me cry numerous times. I
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pass this book on to everyone I know and I'm excited to find and read all of Julie Anne Peters other books. Show Less
LibraryThing member kewpie
All of her life, Holland assumed that she would live up to her mother's ideal. She'd graduate high school with honors, go to an Ivy League school, get married and live happily ever after. Instead, she struggles in school and has doubts about going to college at all. And now, instead of growing more
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attached to her boyfriend, she's fallen in love with a female classmate. I found this to be a most believable and well-told love same sex love story. One of my favorite aspects of the story is that one of the girls is an out and proud lesbian. There are twists to the story that kept me guessing and made the book endearing. The relationship Holland had with her straight friends almost made me cry at points. Show Less
LibraryThing member librarymeg
Holland is, by all appearances, the perfect high school student. She is student council president, she's taking extra and advanced classes in pursuit of a college scholarship, she's on the swim team, and she has a popular and devoted boyfriend. Despite all this, she feels pressured by her mother,
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friends, and guidance counselor to pursue a particular kind of life that she's not sure she wants. Everything changes for her one day when CeCe transfers from another school. CeCe is confident, beautiful, and openly gay and Holland feels drawn to get to know her better. I thought that this book was a perfect representation of a novel for teens. It involves a touching and sweet representation of first love, but combines it with all of the uncertainty and awkwardness involved in figuring out who you are and how to be proud of it. Although the romance is between two girls, I don't think that its appeal would be limited to gay and lesbian teens. Everyone who's experienced the agony of growing up, wondering where you fit in, and wondering whether the person you like likes you back will be able to relate to this sensitive and honest book. It certainly spoke to me, and I'm in my thirties and straight. I can only imagine how vividly it would speak to a teen living through those difficult high school years. Show Less
LibraryThing member mikethomas
Holland goes steady with a good-looking boy and contemplates attending an Ivy League college in the fall. Then she meets Cece, "out-and-proud" lesbian and her life changes. Within a matter of weeks, the two begin an affair that eventually leads to a committed relationship. Holland loses old
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friends, encounters vicious discrimination, and is thrown out of the house by her hysterical mother. She finds help at the local Gay Resource Center, and begins to look forward to attending a local college after high school. Show Less
LibraryThing member nm.spring08.c.way
really enjoyed this book; I must admit that it brought up a lot of strange conversations with my parents. I really think this book has changed my in put on the whole conservancy on gay and lesbian rights. People should not have to go though what the Julie Ann Peters did, it scares me. I think that
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this book was well written and it makes you really think about the world and the way people act. Show Less
LibraryThing member olyra
i think that lesbian relationships are the most darling, adorable relationships...better than gay or straight ones by far
(i know, it all depends)
(i know, it all depends)
LibraryThing member DF6B_MadisonH
When Holland goes to school her senior year, she feels like it's going to be a drag. With her boyfriend and college coming up, it seems like all is done, but when she goes to a class she had to use just as extra credit time, she meets a girl name Cece, and notices something different about her.
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While hanging out with Cece, she realizes not only who she is, she realizes her true feelings. Show Less
LibraryThing member Heather19
This is a very good book, with a very realistic protrayal of how hard it can be to come out, and the consequences. Probably my all-time favorite lesbian book, and no question my favorite teen coming-out story.
LibraryThing member Ashliecaster
Good book. But I found the beginning very boring. It was very cute though.
LibraryThing member poetontheone
After reading this book, the hype around it has me perplexed. I was expecting a poignant coming of age tale about sexual identity, but just hours after finishing the book the story and characters are fading from my memory. The writing is juvenile, like something that should have been kept in a
No one in the story really develops or grows as a character besides the main character realizing she's a lesbian, but that's a given. You would expect more from a young adult novel so often compared to Nancy Garden's wonderful book Annie on My Mind, but perhaps such a comparison only arises because this subject matter is a glaring void in young adult fiction. This book does little to help that.
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journal, and the characters are so stock and one-dimensional that empathy for them is hard to muster. You have the popular girl, the fiercely out lesbian, and a laughable "Goth" stepsister who is used to associate the subculture erroneously with Columbine and disparage it completely. No one in the story really develops or grows as a character besides the main character realizing she's a lesbian, but that's a given. You would expect more from a young adult novel so often compared to Nancy Garden's wonderful book Annie on My Mind, but perhaps such a comparison only arises because this subject matter is a glaring void in young adult fiction. This book does little to help that.
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LibraryThing member AngelaRenea
I personally hated this book. I think some of it was I just couldn't relate. But also it was too typical. The girls were basically stalkers and the one was a cheater. I have nothing against gays but I don't like reading this type of book. Not my style.
LibraryThing member ViragoReads
Author: Julie Anne Peters
Published: 2003
Format: paperback
Pages: 250
Possible spoilers.
I finished this early this morning and have been trying all day to figure out what to say about it. It was... all right. I didn't hate it, but definitely didn't love it.
The protagonist Holland Jaeger...she got
Holland is in her senior year of high school and is completely over extending between classes, extracurriculars, work, and trying to live her life for her mother instead of herself. She's struggling to even spend time with her friends and boyfriend of a year, Seth.
It's obvious from almost the beginning of the book that the shiney-newness of Seth had worn off, but Holland was too clueless to see things for what the were. And she was busy applying to colleges she knew she couldn't get into (and got rejected from) to please her mother's need to live vicariously through her.
Enter CeCe, a transfer student who is gay, out, and immediately caught Holland's attention. Holland was drawn to her. After several encounters she finally realized that she's attracted to CeCe and that it wasn't the first girl she'd crushed on. She never thought about it meaning she was gay until she was faced with out and proud CeCe. After breaking up with Seth and crushing his fragile boy heart, she and CeCe started seeing one another, but CeCe insisted that they keep it secret, claiming to want to protect Holland from the hate and bigotry she faced daily.
But of course, as it always does, it came out that Holland was gay and dating CeCe. Seth was angry, one of her best friends, Kristen, turned out to be a total bigot, and her other best friend was just hurt that Holland had ditched her with no explanation. And of course her mother lost the plot and did exactly what her parents had done to her, she kicked her daughter out. Holland's life fell into a shambles, all because she fell for CeCe. But not really.
CeCe confessed to betraying Holland by suppressing her right to out herself--which was seven kinds of effed up--all because she was being selfish. CeCe had previously helped her first love come out and once she did the girl became a whole new person. She became confident and vibrant and bold and eventually fell for someone else and effectively cheated on CeCe. This was what CeCe didn't want to happen with Holland, so she suppressed her. Holland agreed that it was a betrayal, but at the same time, Holland agreed to the secret. So it's just as much her fault, and honestly, nothing would have changed her mother's reaction.
I didn't like CeCe. I didn't like Seth, or Kristen even before we found out she was a bigot. I hated Holland's mother and CeCe's mother. And I hated the choices Holland made, and the choices she allowed to be made on her behalf. If she was old enough to purchase her own vehicle and have car payment and work, she was old enough to make her own decisions about college, especially since was was either relying on scholarships or paying for it herself. Her mother had no right, and while I know it's hard to go against your parents when you're dependent on them for everything (leaglly and financially) at some point you have to say this is my life not yours. The best thing Holland did was walk out on her mother when she attempted a half-assed, bull-crap reconciliation. Her mother hadn't planned to change, understand or accept Holland for anything other than what she wanted her to be. And just as her mother never forgave or reconciled with her parents, I believe the same was true for Holland.
This book just wasn't it for me.
Published: 2003
Format: paperback
Pages: 250
Possible spoilers.
I finished this early this morning and have been trying all day to figure out what to say about it. It was... all right. I didn't hate it, but definitely didn't love it.
The protagonist Holland Jaeger...she got
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kind of a raw deal. She was the product of a teen pregnancy. Her mother was kicked out of her home, forced to quit school and raise a child on her own. I think Holland was made to suffer some of her mother's bitterness. She practically ran Holland's life, planning her future, going through her personal belongings, the whole nine yards. Later in life when Holland's mother meets a nice man, marries and has a baby, she let's slip that she wished she had waited to have Holland. She thought she would have been a better mother. She thought she would have wanted her. For realsies?! How do you tell your child you didn't want her and think it's just causal conversation?Holland is in her senior year of high school and is completely over extending between classes, extracurriculars, work, and trying to live her life for her mother instead of herself. She's struggling to even spend time with her friends and boyfriend of a year, Seth.
It's obvious from almost the beginning of the book that the shiney-newness of Seth had worn off, but Holland was too clueless to see things for what the were. And she was busy applying to colleges she knew she couldn't get into (and got rejected from) to please her mother's need to live vicariously through her.
Enter CeCe, a transfer student who is gay, out, and immediately caught Holland's attention. Holland was drawn to her. After several encounters she finally realized that she's attracted to CeCe and that it wasn't the first girl she'd crushed on. She never thought about it meaning she was gay until she was faced with out and proud CeCe. After breaking up with Seth and crushing his fragile boy heart, she and CeCe started seeing one another, but CeCe insisted that they keep it secret, claiming to want to protect Holland from the hate and bigotry she faced daily.
But of course, as it always does, it came out that Holland was gay and dating CeCe. Seth was angry, one of her best friends, Kristen, turned out to be a total bigot, and her other best friend was just hurt that Holland had ditched her with no explanation. And of course her mother lost the plot and did exactly what her parents had done to her, she kicked her daughter out. Holland's life fell into a shambles, all because she fell for CeCe. But not really.
CeCe confessed to betraying Holland by suppressing her right to out herself--which was seven kinds of effed up--all because she was being selfish. CeCe had previously helped her first love come out and once she did the girl became a whole new person. She became confident and vibrant and bold and eventually fell for someone else and effectively cheated on CeCe. This was what CeCe didn't want to happen with Holland, so she suppressed her. Holland agreed that it was a betrayal, but at the same time, Holland agreed to the secret. So it's just as much her fault, and honestly, nothing would have changed her mother's reaction.
I didn't like CeCe. I didn't like Seth, or Kristen even before we found out she was a bigot. I hated Holland's mother and CeCe's mother. And I hated the choices Holland made, and the choices she allowed to be made on her behalf. If she was old enough to purchase her own vehicle and have car payment and work, she was old enough to make her own decisions about college, especially since was was either relying on scholarships or paying for it herself. Her mother had no right, and while I know it's hard to go against your parents when you're dependent on them for everything (leaglly and financially) at some point you have to say this is my life not yours. The best thing Holland did was walk out on her mother when she attempted a half-assed, bull-crap reconciliation. Her mother hadn't planned to change, understand or accept Holland for anything other than what she wanted her to be. And just as her mother never forgave or reconciled with her parents, I believe the same was true for Holland.
This book just wasn't it for me.
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LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
I think this is the first LGBTQ book I read and it is still one of the best. I'ver reread the Price of Salt and will soon go back to Annie on My Mind. Hitting the classics. Also, robin Talley's Pulp is a new classic. I think these are the best of the bunch.
Subjects
Awards
Lambda Literary Award (Nominee — Children's/Young Adult — 2003)
Stonewall Book Award (Honor Book — Literature — 2004)
CCBC Choices (2004)
Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 (Selection — 2004)
Language
Original publication date
2003
Similar in this library
Call number
Fiction Pet 2003