The story flicks between now and then. In the present, Lauren makes the hard decision to return back to her family home for the ten year anniversary of Hannah's death. The past we get to see more of Lauren and Hannah's relationship as well as what life was like back when they were in their teens and the build up to Hannah's untimely death.

This book is packed full of secrets and who doesn't love a good secret? Hannah I kind of had mixed feelings about. In a way she is very much like a big sister to Lauren, always looking out for her, but in the same breath, at times it felt like a bit to much. It almost felt like rediscovering who someone really is. Hannah's diary certainly opens a whole can of worms and even has Lauren questioning how well she truly knew her.

You can definitely feel the build up of tension as the story progresses. I really enjoyed reading of Lauren and her dads relationship and it felt like the bond between them was growing tighter which I loved. It was also interesting to see how Lauren's relationship with her old school friends differed. All of them have their own secrets that they don't want to get out and I couldn't wait to find out just who was behind it all.

The Diary hooks you in from the start and kept me there until the very end. It makes you think about just how well you really know people. I thought the conclusion was very satisfying and well worth the build up of suspense. An enthralling page turner of a read.

This is the type of book that I enjoy and while I had an idea who was sending the messages, until the end I was a bit unsure and that is down to a clever author, as the book went on more characters were reintroduced and the probability of it being one of those grew. I would definitely recommend reading this and will be going back to read more in the future. I would like to thank bookouture and netgalley for letting me have the book to review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lauren has spent years running away from her hometown, 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. 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.


An unique storyline that kept me interested throughout the book. The mystery of the plot was good, although not as suspenseful as what I was expecting,due to the summary of the book. A first read from this author, and I would try her again.

Just ok for me. Nothing really outstanding in this book to want me to keep picking it up. Not likely no recommend.

This story was just okay. Nothing stood out as being fantastic or suspenseful. There didn’t seem to be enough flashback storyline for my taste. The diary wasn’t all that interesting or even that big of a piece of the story. I don’t know, I just found the whole novel “all right.”

This book was incredible.

I was instantly drawn to this book, from the very first page I knew I was going to love it. I was gripped immediately, I loved the whole idea of Lauren having to delve back into her past that was so secretive. I couldn't stop reading because I couldn't wait to uncover all the secrets.

It took me a while to get my head around all the characters because there are plenty and I don't think their names stand out enough to be able to tell them apart easily but I did get used to it over time, as they started to feature more. I don't mind a lot of characters to be honest, I think thrillers are a lot more interesting when there's a lot of characters the speculate about.

It is quite a slow moving book, but it's not like things don't happen though, something is always happening that makes you want to keep reading. I struggled to put it down every single time I had to stop reading.

You're on an emotional rollercoaster from beginning to end. Heartbreaking, stressful, dark, twisty and so secretive. Brilliant book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced copy to review.

I can’t believe this book was called, “an unputdownable psychological thriller.” I found it to be extremely cheesy and boring. I couldn’t get into the book and was ready to quit at 18% read, I continued on. However, by 50%, I was skipping pages and entire chapters because I was not enjoying it at all.
Sadly, this book just didn’t do it for me.

Overall the Diary is a decent book. I wouldn't call it a thriller more of a mystery with not a lot of action. I thought it was confusing at times trying to keep track of all the characters- particularly the 2 friends of Lauren and 2 friends of Hannah- I couldn't keep track of their secrets, who was pregnant etc (It didn't help that two of them had a name that started with an N). The story was compelling enough to keep my attention and I did want to know what happened- what was this mysterious picture that was alluded to over and over again, what did Lauren say and do that she felt so horrible about in relation to Hannah's death (besides the fact that it is a suicide which is horrible in itself), who is sending the texts, etc. Though I thought the book dragged at times, I get that Lauren had a lot of grief and the emotion was raw but it seemed quite repetitive at times. It was difficult to read about the abuse Hannah endured due to parts of my past but good that it is being written about and recognized. Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to mystery lovers. Thanks so much for the ARC copy.

This book left me awestruck. Wow!

Lauren and Hannah are like sisters. When Hannah commits suicide on her 18th birthday, Lauren couldn’t handle it so she moves away. Her dad convinces her to come back for the 10 year anniversary of Hannah’s death and all hell breaks loose.

Hannah begins to receive threatening texts and it brings her back together with her social circle. Told in the past and present we meet Hannah's friends, relive past trauma, watch secrets unfold and learn of regrets.

Twisty and taut, dark and sad, it engaged from page one to the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and Vikki Patis who gave me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this story as it keeps unfolding as the story goes on. I like the fact that there was just one narrator as it helped you to really get to know the character. There were lots of suspects although I did think the outcome seemed to come quite quickly, and was perhaps a little obvious. However, this did not detract from the overall enjoyment of the book.

A haunting FIVE star book!
I loved this so much and couldn’t put it down! Wow, so many secrets, lies, games, deception and Sadness.. Again, my kind of book...things from High School coming back to haunt the present. So much fun!
This book was Gossip Girl, Riverdale, Pretty Little Liars and a dash of Cruel Intentions all packed into one. So dark, so deep and everyone trying to keep their secrets hidden.

Thank you #NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! Bookouture never ever disappoints!!!! Five stars!

Sorry, just could not get into this book. I tried a few times but never did get past the 20% mark. It just didn't grab me and I couldn't seem to generate any feelings, good or bad, toward the characters. Just not my cup of tea. But thank you for allowing me to preview it.,

I found this book slow, annoying; the main character is unlikeable! I would not recommend! I appreciate Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to voice my honest opinion.
carolintallahassee

The brilliant cover drew me into this and I just loved this book from the beginning to the end and I found it very hard to put down.

Vikki is a new author to me but I really enjoyed the way she writes, gets you involved with all the characters and by the end of the book I felt as though I knew them all personally. it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

I can definitely recommend this book and I will certainly read more from this author.

I just finished The Diary by Vikki Pattis. Lauren returns to her hometown after having fled it 10!years earlier when her best friend Hannah committed suicide and Lauren was the one who found her in the bathtub with her wrists slashed.

There’s a 10 year memorial planned for Hannah and though she doesn’t want to go back her dad really wants her to come. She goes and meets up with the other girls in her clique when she and Hannah lived in the same house.

All the young women including Lauren starts getting strange messages and suspect each other. It seems Hannah has been collecting bits of information on her friends with the intention of blackmailing them.

The book is very well written and I have only myself to blame for not liking it. It smacked too much of the #MeToo campaign with everyone going down the same road of blame. This book was just not for me and I won’t be recommending it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. I rate it a 2.

A wonderful written book, kept me engrossed! Didn't put it down till the ending!
Would give this book to a friend to read with a great recommendation.
Great work

I thought this was a good read by Vikki Patis. This is my first read by her and I can say that she will be added to my list of author's that I will read again! The twists in the plot will keep you guessing as to what is going on for sure. I thought at one point I had it figured out, but I was wrong in the end.

We start out with Hannah being dead and Lauren is going back to her hometown for the first time in forever to Hannah's 10th Anniversary of her death, which is also Hannah's birthday. Lauren has not kept in contact with any of her friends from school and is sort of anxious as to how things will go once she sees everyone at the memorial. Lauren is living with her partner now and no one really has any clue about the life that she leads now. Lauren is anxious to see her dad though.

We soon learn that Lauren and Hannah had been friends since Lauren was born. Their friendship is so close that they actually call each other sisters. Hannah is always at Lauren's house and is mesmerized by how her family functions and how her parent's treat her. When Luren's mom is tragically killed in a car accident, Hannah and her mom Tracey end up moving in with Lauren and her dad to get away from Gary, Hannah's dad.

With Lauren and Hannah being in the same house, they share the same group of friends when they are in school. They try the usual teenage things and have secrets that are kept between them, or so they think. When some secrets are leaked, things begin to change between the group of friends. Who could have done these awful things? The book alters between the past and the present and gives us a glimpse of what really happened and why there are feelings that are talked about in the present.

When Lauren gets to her dad's house and is getting ready to attend the memorial, she starts getting these crazy text messages. The messages are things that only someone close to Hannah would have know. Is Hannah really dead? Who is this crazy texter? Not only does Lauren get the texts, but so do the girls from the circle of friends from high school. Lauren has got to figure out who this is! There is mention of a Diary that Hannah had when they were growing up, but Lauren knew nothing of it and they lived in the same house.

You will get caught up in this story and not be able to put it down until you have finished it. Vikki Patis knows how to grab your attention and keep it from beginning to end. I enjoyed this read and look forward to more from Vikki Patis in the future!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced copy!

Overall I really enjoyed this book but I did feel it could have been better. I somehow expected a bit more from it, a bit of a slow burner for me. Thanks for the preview.

How to describe this book in 1 word? Incredible.

It has been an absolute delight to read this book, and I can honestly say this is one of my favourite reads. Yes, I will be reading this one again, and again.

The characters are very well written, from meeting Lauren in the beginning I just knew she was going to be my favourite character. The book is written in her perspective, following the journey she takes visiting her home town of Hitchin, visiting old school friends and encountering old enemies.

The journey you take with the group of girls from school, is a whirlwind of emotions. With betrayal from your closest friends, to bullying, to sisterhood, to very sensitive subjects such as Sexual Abuse and Suicide. I could almost feel the words piercing through my heart, and hitting me right in the feels. 

The mystery with 'The Diary'... Who has it? Who has been using the secrets within it's pages to torment the girls? Will they release its contents? What secrets will be uncovered?

The only down side to this book, is why did it end? I wanted to read more!!

Vikki has managed to hook me in from the first page, it's obvious she has poured her heart and soul into this book, her debut novel, and it has been such an honour to read. You have set the bar high, now hurry up and bring out your next book!!

This book started off as a thriller with a dead girl, a ten year anniversary of her death, the gang of girls who were alive, each harboring a secret, and the sword that held them to the edge - The Diary!!

Lauren came home for the death anniversary of her best friend & sister, Hannah, and someone started sending her threatening  text messages, almost as if it were coming from Hannah. The author Vikki Patis, started the book with a scorching mystery. Lauren met up with the girls slowly one by one, all of them having received these messages.

The author's writing cast a doubt on all the characters, the plot had the turns where Lauren was betrayed badly by these close friends, so she was a wreck in the times she met up with them. The initial part had no clear sense of direction. The story unfolded giving glimpses of the past, all the time hinting at the diary, which Lauren did find, but never found the guts to read. I felt Lauren was like the waves, she would advance to read the diary and then retreat without reading. This happened in most of the story where one reading of that dang diary would have solved the mystery. She totally frustrated me!!

The book had its niggles, Lauren ran away all the time, none of the girls were really friends, in the past they just drank and drank and drank. In the present, most of them smoked and smoked during tension filled scenes. And none of them were likable.

Why did I read/finish the book? The book then became an emotional read where Hannah's torturous abuse was revealed. It had me fighting my tears, a lot of pain was hidden in her which caused her to act out. And the last bit had me empathising with all of them and their juvenile mistakes. Their selfish and judgmental teenage selves destroyed lives, but it was nice to see them rallying together as grown women to fight the veiled stalker!!