This is a fantastic edge of your seat psychological thriller.
Hang on, because this is one ride you won't want to get off.
The end will surprise you in the best possible way.
Really enjoyed the characters .

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

Lauren left home as soon as she could after Hannah died, She never visited. It's been ten years since Hannah's death and Lauren returns home for Hannah's memorial service. Upon returning, she begins to receive text messages. After learning all of Hannah's friends have been getting them, they try to figure out who wants their childhood secrets known.

We all make mistakes, do things we regret, and hope no one ever finds out. Returning home, Lauren is faced with the possibility of her greatest regret coming to light. Just thinking of that possibility is terrifying. Your life, as you know it, could be over.

By switching between two timelines, now and then, Vikki Patis shows Lauren and her friends were not perfect children nor perfect adults. They grew up and apart. Suspicion and doubt forms. Who can anyone trust?

SPOILER ALERT The title is misleading. I expected the diary to have a major impact to the story, but it didn't. If all references of it were removed it could have been called "Homecoming" or "The Memorial" and it would have not lessened the story.

The story is worth reading and I added Vikki Patis to my "want to read" list.

https://philomathinphila.com/2018/12/12/the-diary-by-vikki-patis/

https://smashbomb.com/s/the-diary?wallEntryId=411468

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2580249332

https://twitter.com/PhilomathInPHL

This is the story of Lauren and her best friend and step sister Hannah and is told in the past and present. It is ten years ago since Hannah died and Lauren hasn’t returned home since. Her father has asked her to accompany him to a memorial service that is being held to mark the anniversary. Reluctantly Lauren returns and discovers Hannah’s old diary. A diary full of their secrets, which caused Lauren to run away ten years ago. Lauren and a group of their former friends start receiving anonymous messages and she realises that someone else is aware of their secrets.
This is a compelling read with so many secrets, lies, shocks and twists to be uncovered. A brilliant debut thriller and I look forward to reading more by Vikki Patis in the future. A highly recommended read. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Fantastic!!! I absolutely loved this plot, the characters, the shock and the twists and turns in this book. I was hooked from the first chapters and I stayed up all night to finish it. Thank you for allowing me to read this book and write about it. I am so excited to read everything possible written by this author. What happens when you discover something meant to stay hidden? Will you keep it to yourself or tell everyone that you think should know?

This book is set in the present (Now) and the past (Then) and follows Lauren's angst over the death of her 'sister', Hannah. The tale concentrates on how you view your past and the consequences on your life. For Lauren it has meant never returning to her home town of Hitchin until her father begs her to attend the memorial of Hannah 10 years on. She and her contemporaries receive threatening texts from an unknown source blaming them for Hannah's suicide.
I did wonder whether Lauren and Hannah's relationship was as sisters or whether there was a sexual tension there, Hannah being so possessive and Lauren now in a relationship with Kate. What held me captive in this story is how well it was written, it was a joy to read and I look forward to reading more by this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Vikki Patis/Bookouture for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

EXCERPT: 'Lauren, please!' Her cries followed me out of the front door. They haunted me in the days after her death. They followed me to Plymouth, to Cornwall. They live inside my head. Hannah talks to me in my sleep; she lies down beside me and whispers in my ear. She comes back over and over again to remind me of what I did. Because I don't deserve to forget.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: ‘I know all your secrets, Lauren.’

Lauren has spent years running away from her home town, her childhood and the memories of her best friend, Hannah.

Until the tenth anniversary of Hannah’s death forces her to return home and to the group of friends she abandoned there. It should be a quick visit, just so Lauren can pay her respects.

At home, Lauren finds Hannah’s old diary. A diary full of secrets. The terrible things Lauren did, the lies she’s told, the reason she ran away. And she receives a message:

‘I don’t know why you’re back, but I know why you left.’

But no-one else has seen the diary, and Hannah’s dead, isn’t she?

MY THOUGHTS: There was the occasional flash of brilliant writing in The Diary, but mostly I found it slow, repetitive and overly angst-ridden. I applaud the author's motivation for writing this book - she features the eternal problems of bullying and suicide, but I found her treatment of them somewhat heavy-handed.

The premise for the plot was good, but it just never seemed to develop its full potential. Likewise there was little in the way of character development. The characters remained one dimensional, and I had trouble feeling anything for any of them. The fact that it took me 4 days to read this relatively short book is also telling.

I was going to rate this book 2.5 stars. But for those very occasional flashes of brilliance which, at one point, had me briefly convinced that the author had found her stride, that is the rating it would have received. Those moments earned an extra 0.5 star.

Despite my criticism, I think this author shows promise and I will be putting my hand up for her next book.

😐😐😐

Love the cover!

THE AUTHOR: Vikki Patis is an author and blogger, as well as an avid reader and book reviewer. When she isn’t working as a Regulatory Affairs Manager, she can usually be found drinking tea, baking cakes, or taking walks in the Hertfordshire countryside. She lives with her partner and two cats.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Diary by Vikki Patis for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

A story of secrets. Set today and 10 years ago the story of six teenagers two of them 'sisters' from their parents partnership. One shocking event and a tragic untimely death leads Lauren to run from her home and life and start anew. Ten years later she is back and the secrets start to emerge. A gripping book as you delve into how and why of these situations and who holds the secrets. A good read.

Really enjoyed this book a great psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns, highly recommend.

This is a debut novel by this author and I was engrossed from the start, I didn't want to put it down and can't wait for the next instalment.

‘I know all your secrets, Lauren.’

Lauren has spent years running away from her home town, her childhood and the memories of her best friend, Hannah.

Until the tenth anniversary of Hannah’s death forces her to return home and to the group of friends she abandoned there. It should be a quick visit, just so Lauren can pay her respects.

At home, Lauren finds Hannah’s old diary. A diary full of secrets. The terrible things Lauren did, the lies she’s told, the reason she ran away. And she receives a message:

‘I don’t know why you’re back, but I know why you left.’

But no-one else has seen the diary, and Hannah’s dead, isn’t she?

Overall, this is a tense psychological thriller, well-written and I thought the plot read well which kept me interested. I did guess who was sending the messages but this didn't in any way spoil it for me.
It's a great story with lots of twists and once I started I could not put it down.

Thank-You Netgalley for my ARC.

This wasn’t my favorite book. I understand the point and issues the author was dealing with... but it didn’t have the “ keep me interested” factor.

A poignant novel about suicide and loss that also takes you on a thrill ride. This book is told in a “then” “now” back and forth style. It works well in this book as you read about the events leading up to the suicide and at the same time you are involved in how this affect the main character in her current life. There were moments of suspense and fear as well as heartbreak. I felt involved in the storyline and thoroughly enjoyed the book. The only complaints I had were with 6 main players it was hard to keep up with who was who and the story was a little drawn out. That being said it was by no means slow or boring. It felt a little similar to 13 Reasons Why, maybe a little more adult though. But if you enjoyed that book you will likely enjoy this book. I recommend this book. Warning, there are tear jerking moments in this book.

I think, to be fair, I need to mention that maybe reading this book was a case of "it's not you, it's me". It's not a bad book nor very long, yet it took me AGES to finish. I think my mind wasn't in the right place for this one. I had read The Blackhouse before and it was so atmospheric and engaging, I think I was still mentally there instead of fully into The Diary. That being said, if it had been phenomenally gripping, I am sure I would have been turning those pages more quickly. I did guess at the ending, and found it fairly unspectacular, I'm sorry to say. I also thought the characters were not fully fleshed out, as they should have been, given the premise of the book. Nonetheless, I don't feel right giving it less than three stars, because I think, had this one not followed a book I would put of my "best of 2018" list, I probably would have liked it better.

Thanks to Netgalley for supplying me with a copy of The Diary in exchange for an honest review.

A tale of secrets, lies and misconceptions, THE DIARY by Vikki Patis is an intriguing narrative about six teenage girls, six secrets and a 10 year mystery. It delves into the sisterhood of teenage friendship and how fickle and tenuous it can be, and how easily broken the ties between us and those we consider important. It's about different forms of abuse, bullying, judgement and revenge. It's about teenage suicide. It's about past mistakes, forgiveness and letting go - or lack there of. It's about Lauren...and Hannah...

Ten years ago, Lauren Winters left home, running from her past, her secrets and her memories of her best friend Hannah. She loved Hannah like a sister but their relationship, as close as it was, was fraught with secrets and lies that once she found out, Lauren couldn't forgive. But when Hannah commits suicide on her 18th birthday, Lauren's world spirals. Her last words to Hannah were hateful - and now she can't take them back or apologise. And they have resounded in her mind over and over for a decade.

Now 10 years later, she is returning home for a memorial in Hannah's memory at her dad's request. She doesn't plan to stay long - just a few days.

But then she receives a strange text. Like it was Hannah speaking...from the grave. Someone knows what she did. Someone else knows her secret. Someone besides Hannah. But who? But it doesn't stop there. She receives another...and another. And when she meets up with the old crowd from school, she soon learns that they too have been receiving strange and threatening texts about their own secrets - secrets that only Hannah knew about.

One of the girls asks Lauren about Hannah's diary. What diary? Hannah didn't need a diary, Lauren thought; She had me. But this diary, if it exists, would contain all their secrets. What if someone had found it and was using it to taunt them?

But when Lauren finds a tatty old notebook hidden away beneath the only remaining piece of furniture in her room, she is shocked to discover that it is Hannah's diary. The very diary she didn't think existed...filled with all their secrets. Everyone's. Except Hannah's. And within these pages another secret emerges...the pure contempt and almost hatred of everyone she writes about. The picture of a very different Hannah. How could she say such things? About any of them? These were her friends. Hannah knew what happened to her and within these pages she throws it back in her face.

Then it is suggested that there is another copy of the diary. One of their outer group reveals that Hannah called him the night before she died, declaring that there was a diary in which she detailed everything about everyone. That she left it with someone she trusted more than anyone and threatened to go public with it and reveal all their dirty little secrets. Is there another diary? And is this what their tormentor is using to taunt them with?

THE DIARY is a captivating story told entirely by Lauren both in the past and present, as slowly the secrets begin to unfold. In some parts, Lauren hints at some things that occurred without really going into detail which I found a little irritating at times. Did it happen or did it not? Did she say this or did she not? In some parts, the reader is left to "just work it out" themselves without anything really being revealed as such.

Lauren was fairly likable, but I found her view of Hannah a little obsessional. I failed to see why she put her on such a high pedestal when it was clear Hannah was a bully and could be mean and cruel. Even Hannah's closest friends said so. Even when Lauren discovered Hannah was responsible something so incredibly humiliating happening to her, she still had her on this pedestal. Maybe it's just what happens when someone like this dies, rather than remembering them in their cruel and often true form you place a halo on them in their memory and hold them in a high regard - possibly out of your own regret. Either way, I grew to dislike Hannah immensely - maybe because I was victim to bullies like her at that age so I failed to have any sympathy for her. Teenagers can be cruel, and the tale told here just highlights that fact.

However, five of them grew out of the terrible teenage years and look back on them with horror at some of the things they did. Hannah didn't have a chance to, she took her life before she could. And the question remained - WHY? Why did Hannah take her own life? The tormentor from their texts proclaimed to know why. But did they really? When Lauren makes another shocking discovery, she learns the truth of Hannah's death and she finds herself crying tears of regret and pain for her long lost friend.

THE DIARY is an emotional read in some parts - particularly for those who have ever experienced the things outlined in the story. You can feel their pain, their angst, almost to the point of reliving your own teenage years. Where Hannah's tortuous abuse was revealed I found myself empathising with her in a detached way, though I could still feel the sting of her words and her cruelty to those she called her friends.

While I liked Lauren and her dad, I didn't like the other girls - they all seemed to be harbouring something sinister. And I didn't like Hannah - and she was dead! But the biggest niggle for me was the constant reference to Hannah being Lauren's sister. She wasn't. She may have loved Hannah like a sister, they may have grown up together, but they weren't sisters. And the constant reference - even by one of the former teachers - to them being sisters just irked me. Hannah lived in Lauren's house for just a year. Hardly enough to make them sisters. When I started the book I admit I was thoroughly confused with the sister reference, wondering how it factored in - which of Lauren's parents was Hannah's and all that. It was off-putting and irrelevant. Best friends is where it should have been left.

I've seen some people mention that the title is misleading and has nothing to do with a diary at all. This is not the case. While "the diary" appears to play a small part in the story, it is its entire existence and the secrets it contains that has a hold over every single one of the women - and its inference is very clear. THE DIARY knows ALL their secrets, just as Hannah did. Secrets that many are afraid will come out. THE DIARY is their incubus.

A compelling story though with a predictable outcome THE DIARY was still a good read.

Thank you to #VikkiPatis, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheDiary in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked parts of this but sometimes it dragged a bit. There wasn’t enough active searching for answers for me. It all tied up loosely in the end but the big revelation fell a bit flat. Still a pick because of the bits I did enjoy, but only just.

Lauren has avoided her childhood home since the death of best friend and stepsister Hannah. However, she finds herself accepting an invitation from her father who wants Lauren to be there to attend the tenth anniversary memorial of Hannah's death.

Hannah's old diary is found in her bedroom, then Lauren starts receiving chilling text messages. Old friends are also receiving the messages and secrets from a decade ago threaten to surface. It seems that the demons that continue to haunt Lauren around Hannah's death are not going to go away. In fact, they get much worse.

I found this an interesting, sometimes disturbing read with a great style of writing. The dual timezones kept me intrigued, the mystery element deepened as the story evolves and there were plenty of secrets revealed which I didn't see coming. This is not a fast-paced thriller, but there is a gradual build-up of suspense which leads to a satisfying ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of The Diary by Vikki Patis for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

My first time reading Vikki Patis, no regrets.

A good thriller. Between 'now' and 'then'. A death, a diary, many secrets...
Everything I like! Hannah died 10 years ago, now there is a memorial for her and people reconnect, her best friend is there... and there's Hannah's diary...
The "then' parts as teenagers reveal dark things, events, secrets, kind of PLL if you loved that show, I did!
I read it in 3 days.

Review shared online on NetGalley, Twitter, Goodreads...

Who can resist a book about a diary? Not me!

Lauren is a 25 year old young woman, living in Cornwall. She fled years ago after her best friend (they called each other sisters), Hannah, died. But now there is to be a memorial for Hannah, ten years after her death, and Lauren feels compelled to return to her old hometown. It's one of those towns where just walking down the street finds you bumping into several people that you know.

Lauren ends up seeing lots of her old friends and they all, including Lauren, seem to be getting sinister messages on their phones. On top of that, Lauren finds Hannah's old diary which contains secrets that nobody wants to get out.

This is a twisty book, full of revelations. I couldn't help but like the 25 year old Lauren as she's grounded, more confident and likeable. The 15 year old Lauren was a little less likeable but that's teenagers for you, isn't it? The story is set 'now' with some 'then' chapters to show us what happened with all the characters ten years ago. I preferred the 'now' sections as I enjoyed following Lauren and her old pals as they tried to work out who was sending them messages, but the 'then' sections were crucial for me to understand what had led to Hannah's death.

I raced through the first half of The Diary and couldn't put it down, although I did find that once I picked it up again it was that little bit harder to get back into. I think it's a book that works well if you keep up the pace and stay within the action.

I thought the dynamics between the friends, both in the past and the present, was fascinating, no more so than between Lauren and Hannah, who had a turbulent relationship at times. I also really liked Lauren's rapport with her dad.

Overall, this is a tense psychological thriller, well-written and I thought it was well plotted which kept me interested. I did guess who was sending the messages but this didn't in any way spoil it for me. It's a great, twisty story.

This book has the essence of Pretty Little Liars and trying to figure out who “A” was in that because in that show everyone is a suspect. Well, the same could be said here! I spent 90% of this book screaming with my need to have answers and all the while Ms Patis just kept dangling a carrot in front of me like you would a donkey, if I was said donkey I would be bloody skinny because I would never catch the carrot!!

We venture through this book with a mixture of then and now chapters, always shown through Lauren’s eyes. Her life with Hannah when they were younger and their friends, Natalie, Sophie, Nicole and Yasmin. Then Lauren’s life as an adult without Hannah. We meet Lauren when it is the 10th anniversary of Hannah’s death, as she travels home to Hitchin when the crazy happens.

I surprised myself here, near the end of the book knowing this was a psychological thriller, it made me get something in my eyes. The secrets when they were uncovered were heartbreaking and the group of girls left behind had to learn to understand and deal with it.

I was speeding my way through this book quickly, I had to know what was going on. It was like being on a speeding train, next stop crazy town, screaming with excitement and frustration because you just did not know what revelation, if any, was about to be dropped! Initially, I thought that Hannah and Lauren’s friendship was toxic, they may call each other sissy but Hannah was so overbearing and controlling of Lauren. However, I think I may be slightly wavering on my thinking.

This is so much more of a character-driven thriller, in the respect that yes someone is sending the messages to all the girls and yes you are dying to know who is sending them, but the story focuses on the secrets they have all kept. The guilt they feel and the hopelessness of what it was like as a teenager without the ability to control the world around them.

The tension is built from the start, the slight nudges in one direction from the author as she is trying to distract you from discovering the truth until she is ready. It was an enthralling read and it keeps the intrigue up throughout the book until the final reveal at the end. Carrot and the donkey remember!

4-5 stars! Intense, chilling, brutal, and honest; while also making it thrilling and engaging! A great book for all those who love a little psychological mind manipulation, because it delivers it and more! Absolutely a book to add to your list of thrillers, because it's not one you will want to miss!
Will highly recommend and buzz up in Chapter Chatter Pub.

I tried very hard to like this book, but by the time I was halfway through the white flag had to be flown. There is next to nothing about a diary, and little plot or substance to compel a reader to finish. The characters were dim and unlikeable, and the writing, though good, seemed to keep losing the thread of the story.

Although I couldn't finish, I do appreciate being given the opportunity to read an ARC. In thanks, I will not post a negative review on Goodreads, Facebook, my blog, or any other form of media.