Review: Secrets

Title - Secrets
Author - Tim Mettey
Series or standalone - Series Book 1 in The Hero Chronicles
Genre Young Adult Paranormal
Publication October 19th 2012
(Goodreads) & (Amazon)
Rating 4 out of 5

Synopsis 

The Midwest lies in complete ruins after a catastrophic disaster kills tens of thousands and leaves hundreds of thousands injured. Nicholas Keller emerges out of the devastation as a shining light of hope for all. But his newfound fame comes with a price that his aunt will not let him pay. They flee into the shadows in order to protect his secret. However, as Nicholas begins his sophomore year at his fifth school in five years, strange and unexpected things begin to happen. He soon tumbles into a web of doomed love, extraordinary talents and a secret past, which threatens the lives of everyone he cares about. It’s up to Nicholas to confront the truth, even if it means his own death.

Review

I received Secrets for review in return for an honest review. Nicholas Keller isn't your typical teenager. Five years ago his life changed forever his parents died in a disaster that killed thousands, and he emerged with a secret. He lives with his aunt now who pretends to be his mother to help avoid unwanted attention that they would draw otherwise.  Every year on August tenth they move to a new city to start a new life all over, attempting to blend in as much as they can. Since the disaster five years prior they have been hiding from the what the future hold for Nicholas attempting to avoid it. For the last three years Nicholas has played football but he's never played in a game. He's been in five different schools on the run from a secret from his past that changed his life.

Upon moving a hundred miles from his home town things start to change. Instead of being in a small town like the typical town his aunt has chosen to move them to a bigger town that happen to love their football. At the insistence of his guidance counselor Nicholas decides to try out for football after all his father played football it's something he wanted to do for him. Cora isn't thrilled about the idea of Nicholas playing but she agrees to let him try out and see what happens. Its while at practice that Nicholas learns when he gets angry he sees the world slowing down, and has super strength. He proves himself an asset to the team and even makes varsity which is extremely rare considering it's never happened before so much for trying not to draw attention. 

During the first game Nicholas catches sight of a dark haired girl he describes as an angel she instantly has his attention and when he learns he shares a class with her he can't help falling for her. The attraction is mutual and the pair became instant good friends. After an accident that ends Nicholas's football chances it also takes some of the heat off him as he tries not to draw attention to himself. Nicholas is nominated for homecoming but when he asks Elle he finds out that she's already agreed to attend the dance with Oliver the senior who has been tormenting him. Though she tells him she wants him to go to the dance, at the last minute he agrees to go with an Eric and the group he’s going with.

I found the story entertaining, I like the mystery around Nicholas he has this big secret that we don't learn about till the end of the book. It keeps you guessing and wanting to know more so for me it was hard to put the book down till I knew what it was. I liked the football aspects my hubby is a huge football fan and with football season it seemed to fit as well. I could see lots of teen boys being into the story because Nicholas does something that most teen boys do or watch. Nicholas is a very easy to relate character, he's quiet and a little shy but he comes off as the good guy you don't see too often in books anymore. I would describe the story as a suspenseful   paranormal coming of age love story with a little post-apocalyptic thrown in. The story is well written it flows smoothly so it's easy for anyone to get lost in the story and lose track of time. Overall it's a great first book in the series and I'm curious to see what happens next.