Review: Secret for a Song by S.K. Falls

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Saylor Grayson makes herself sick. Literally.
She ate her first needle when she was seven. Now, at nineteen, she’s been kicked out of college for poisoning herself with laxatives. The shrinks call it Munchausen Syndrome. All Saylor knows is that when she’s ill, her normally distant mother pays attention and the doctors and nurses make her feel special.
Then she meets Drew Dean, the leader of a local support group for those with terminal diseases. When he mistakes her for a new member, Saylor knows she should correct him. But she can’t bring herself to, not after she’s welcomed into a new circle of friends. Friends who, like Drew, all have illnesses ready to claim their independence or their lives.
For the first time, Saylor finds out what it feels like to be in love, to have friends who genuinely care about her. But secrets have a way of revealing themselves. What will happen when Saylor’s is out?

MY TAKE:
As a former medical student, I found the synopsis of this book eye-catching.

In Secret for a Song, Saylor has been suffering from Munchausen Syndrome for years. When she suddenly finds herself a member of a group for teens with terminal illness, she becomes part of a world wherein she has a better handle on her illness. However, it's only a matter of time before her lies rise to the surface.

I was irritated with Saylor at first. The hospital attached to the medical school I attended before is one of the biggest tertiary hospitals in the country and caters mostly to underpriviliged Filipinos. A lot of the people who come to the doors need immediate treatment as a lot of them have put off going to the doctor because of lack of resources. The idea of someone faking an illness just to get attention, and thus taking time and resources away from people who really need it is just disgusting and selfish.

Once Saylor starts to recover from her illness and her selfishness, I come to like her a little bit more and it was easier to immerse myself in the story. The other characters in the group she joins are interesting portrayals and it does bring a smile on my face to see update patients. I didn't really feel strongly about Drew and Saylor's connection. I think the book would have been okay without it.

The description of Saylor's relationship with her parents were quite believable and really propelled the story. I would have been perfectly content if the focus would just have been about Saylor, her illness, and her relationship with her parents and her peers.

Thanks to NetGalley and S.K. Falls for the e-ARC. Publication date of Secret for a Song is on June 3, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. The portrayal of Saylor's relationship with her parents is believable.
2. The patients are upbeat despite their conditions.
3. It's a peek into the world of those who have Munchausen.

THE BAD:

1. Saylor can be selfish and irritating.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Everything was crisp and cold and quiet, like we were in a storybook.

READ IT IF:

1. You have or know someone who has Munchausen syndrome.
2. You want to see what it's like for people who have terminal illnesses.
3. You are looking for a book that has a strong portrayal of a dysfunctional family.

RATING: