Secrets and Kisses    by Celise Downs Order:  USA  Can Gemini Mojo Press, 2004 (2004) Paperback     Reviewed by Melissa Parcel High school junior Skylar Knight is looking ahead to finals and a fabulous party at the home of rich-girl Blair Neuman. Party-goers will be paired up at midnight for a round of 'The Kissing Game'. But Skylar is nervous - she doesn't know how to kiss. Skylar's best friend Ellie helps her obtain a book on the subject, and she sets out to learn how. She's determined because the object of her lust, Kedren Price, will be attending the party. During finals week, Skylar bumps into Kedren numerous times, and although he seems attracted, he's a bit abrupt in his questions to her. And Skylar overhears intriguing conversations which make her believe something is not quite right with the people who attend her school. Will she figure out what's up? Secrets and Kisses is a cute (and short at just over a hundred pages) young adult book with a bit of mystery thrown in. The author captures the speech and mannerisms of high school students so well that I felt like I was back in school again. The plot could have been better developed, with the mystery wrapped up much too quickly, although in an interesting way. And the scenes about Skylar learning to kiss were overdone for such a short novel - it is unbelievable that she would be so obsessed with something that most people know cannot be learned by reading a book. However, Secrets and Kisses is a lighthearted story, which deftly combines romance and suspense, and I look forward to other books by the author. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews