Wow, what a powerful story. Although it's a YA novel, I really think it's a good book for all ages. Domestic violence is a huge issue in our society, and The Second Trial examines the aftermath from a child's perspective. It's not graphic or preachy, it simply points out what is, what could be, and how it needs to change. I've posted a full review here I'm too lazy to write it again. What? If you don't want to check it out, then I'll say, definitely read this book. If you haven't been a victim of violence or bullying directly, I'm willing to bet you know of someone who has. Understanding is key in stopping this cancer, books like this are a step in the right direction. ( )

Thirteen-year old Danny McMillan once had a perfect life. His father was his best friend and the heart of their family. Everything was wonderful and pleasant in Danny's life until that unforgettable night when his father got arrested for beating his mother. The perfect portrait that was painted in Danny's head is no longer perfect... in fact... it may soon disappear.

The First Trial in Danny's life has already begun. The major change that awaits him is slowly unraveling before him when his mother must confess the hidden truth of the many years of abuse she received from Danny's father, before a court of law. Danny doesn't know how to deal with this harsh reality, especially now when his father is sentenced to 8 months in jail. He feels torn between siding with his mother and accepting her story or siding with the man who was his role model and hero.

But the truth is that Danny and his Mother and Sister are in danger. The 8 month sentence wasn't enough to keep his father behind bars, in fact he is set to be released one week after the sentence. The only choice that the McMillan family has is to go under a victim protection program and start their lives from scratch.

How does a young boy like Danny deal with the fact that his father and best friend is a bully and a dangerous man? How do you cope with having to learn the painful truth that you may no longer be who you once were? Danny goes through a life changing experience in The Second Trial.

This book made me CRY! I honestly think that this book was EXCELLENT! Rosemarie Boll did such a great job illustrating such an important issue such as domestic violence into a YA book. This story is raw and very realistic. An emotional and breakthrough read. ( )

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Danny McMillan loves his dad, so coming to terms with the fact that the man is on trial for physically and emotionally abusing Danny's mom is taking its toll. Danny's mom thinks it is important for Danny to attend the sentencing hearing in hopes that he can come to terms with the reality of this horrible situation.

As Danny sits in court and listens to details of his life he never knew existed, anger and fear begin to build. Although he loves his mother, he still can't believe that the father who spent time with him and taught him everything he knows is capable of the abuse being described in the courtroom. When the final sentence calls for his father to be held just a short time in prison instead of the seven years requested by the prosecuting attorney, Danny sees it as a second chance for his family. That means there is hope that his father can return home, his mother can forgive and forget, and they can pick up with life as it was before all this drama.

The hopes that Danny have are destroyed soon after the trial, when several strangers begin meeting with his mother. He quickly learns that these people believe the only way his mother will be safe from his abusive father is for them to leave everything and everyone behind to start a new life. He has never heard of the NIVA (New Identities for Victims of Abuse), but it now takes over his life.

He and his mother and younger sister will be given new names and identities, and they will be forced to relocate and begin a new life. The whole idea fills Danny with rage. How can they say his father will never change? Now, it will be up to Danny to find a way to reunite the family or come to terms with his new reality.

THE SECOND TRIAL is the story of a family torn apart by one abusive individual. Author Rosemarie Boll deftly describes the years of abuse Danny's mother suffered in silence. Her prose begins to explain the mystery of why abused women continue to live in physical and emotional turmoil instead of packing up and leaving it behind. Boll uses her own professional knowledge of similar circumstances to illustrate the fear, the anger, and the eventual acceptance of how life is changed for families like Danny's. Readers should appreciate the honest, straight-forward approach in which this novel is presented. ( )