Sekret by Lindsay Smith (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a free e-copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book:

An empty mind is a safe mind.

Yulia's father always taught her to hide her thoughts and control her emotions to survive the harsh realities of Soviet Russia. But when she's captured by the KGB and forced to work as a psychic spy with a mission to undermine the U.S. space program, she's thrust into a world of suspicion, deceit, and horrifying power. Yulia quickly realizes she can trust no one--not her KGB superiors or the other operatives vying for her attention--and must rely on her own wits and skills to survive in this world where no SEKRET can stay hidden for long.


My thoughts:

I was drawn to this book because the premise sounded different from anything I had ever read. Sometimes it is refreshing to read something that just comes from a different place. Sekret had all of the elements that typically make me a like a novel, especially the great amount of suspense that takes place. I spent a good majority of the novel wondering what would happen next  and would constantly have my wheels turning with the possibilities of what the outcome will be. I am being intentionally vague about the book to avoid accidentally spoiling something about it, but I will say that following Yulia's story, especially the flashbacks she has about her family as she tries to put her story together and understand herself and her memories, is very interesting and will keep you turning page after page. Sekret is full of suspense and definitely kept me wondering throughout the story where the author was going with the story line. I love books that keep me guessing what happens next and Sekret definitely gets bonus points for a nice little plot twist at the end that I didn't see coming. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good suspense novel or psychological thriller or who is interested in stories about psychic abilities or government control.
About the author:

Lindsay Smith's love of Russian culture has taken her to Moscow, St. Petersburg, and a reindeer festival in the middle of Siberia. She writes on foreign affairs and lives in Washington, D.C. Sekret is her first novel.

Lindsay Smith's Website

Sekret will be available on February 15, 2014. You can pre-order it on Amazon.com.