Secret Society Bk. 1
by Tom Dolby

    SECRET SOCIETY by Tom Dolby
    Category:  Contemporary
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  9/29/09
    Publisher:  HarperTeen
    Reviewed by:  Samantha Clanton, aka "Harlequin Twilight"
    Rating:  5 Stars


    In SECRET SOCIETY, we follow the lives of four students from Chadwick Prep, one of the most elite prep schools
    in New York City. Phoebe is the eccentric new girl in town, Nick is the up-and-coming member of one of the
    wealthiest families in New York, Lauren is the budding socialite, and Patch is an amateur filmmaker. There is
    something else about these students that make them special - three of them have gained the interest of The Society.

    The Society is a secret group of people whose mission is to “preserve a way of life.” I, for one, have always had a
    major interest in secret societies and so I was already excited about this book, and Tom Dolby has definitely done
    his research with this. The imagery is so vivid that I actually found myself waking up from dreams about this book
    and about these characters, which is a major thing for me since most books don’t get in my head like that. Some
    people are probably thinking “Oh no, not something else about a secret society,” but this is majorly different. Think
    Gossip Girl (the show) meets The Skulls (Paul Walker/Joshua Jackson movie from 2000).

    After receiving text messages that tell them to go to a gritty downtown warehouse, the three students begin the
    initiation into The Society. This initiation concludes with each of them receiving an ankh shaped tattoo on the nape of
    their necks. Once they are entered into The Society, they start gaining everything they were promised: fame, fortune,
    friends in high places, parties, private town cars that deliver them to and from events. But what’s the price they must
    pay in order to have these rewards?

    Things start changing when the body of a young male is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks, aside
    from the ankh tattoo on this neck. Then they start to wonder - is all of this worth the risk? But questioning The
    Society in that way can be very dangerous to not only their careers, but also to their lives and the lives of the people
    they care about.

    I loved this book! I mean totally loved it!  Some of the characters are a bit clichéd, but I think in order to really relate
    to them at all, they needed to be. I also love the whole secret society thing. I find it so interesting and I have read all
    kinds of stuff about them, fiction and nonfiction alike.  There are so many legends and depictions of these societies
    and I can’t help but to be fascinated.

    SECRET SOCIETY is a book I will read again. There are so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and I
    can’t wait to see how they pan out in the next book in the series. Definitely a must-read.