Katie's Book Blog!!

Dara Cohen can't believe her luck. After one misinterpreted English project gets her kicked out of school and practically ignored at home, she decides it's time to meet the sister she has never known. Her parents aren't exactly happy about her decision but she has made up her mind. Surprisingly, her sister seems more than willing to have her.Once there, Dara sees no reason why her parents would have kicked her sister out. She is the perfect host and an even better worker at the goat farm. She seems like the perfect person to Dara but old secrets are well hidden.Then there are the other residents of the farm. Owen, a gay high schooler, whose parents couldn't accept him, Sascha, a big lumberjack type, and Belinda, the silent owner of the farm. No matter how weird they all seem, they are the first people that seem to accept Dara for who she is and how she looks.Is this the family that Dara has always wanted? Will Dara's parents ever change their feelings toward Rachel and allow her back into their lives and hearts?The story of Dara was a little bit typical but the subplots to the story help balance that out. I wasn't expecting anything serious in Secrets of Truth and Beauty but it was a good surprise. Dara has a lot of mixed feelings towards her family and herself. They are shown throughout the book and they develop very well.Another thing this book addressed was homosexuality. That definitely came out of nowhere for me. Owen was a great character and the topic was addressed amazingly well. It wasn't overdone but it really felt like it was important to the story and people in today's society. Megan Frazer both addressed how some adults react to their children coming out and how teenagers sometimes inadvertently insult homosexuals with their remarks. It was just such a great thing for her to weave into the story.Overall, Secrets of Truth And Beauty was a great story, while a little bit predictable. This is another title that is going on my list of summer books to reread.